Pewter City, named for the dark gray of the stones that made up much of the area, was a lovely city situated at the base of Mt. Moon with an economy focused around geology and paleontology. There was a lovely fossil museum that I had explored about a year ago while practicing my abilities to become one with the shadows.
Even while in the shadow of another person or object, I could see everything around me with startling clarity. Thankfully the museum seemed to be under the impression that ancient life meant low light for most of the exhibit except for the actual displays, so there were shadows everywhere I could flit between without anyone's notice and take my time looking at the fossils.
"Pewter City is gray, the color of stone. This town has always been famous for stone," A dusky skinned, rough looking man said from where he sat next to the entrance to the forest.
"And fossils," I said, hopping down to look at the little setup the man had made, seeing that he had variously sized rocks marked up with prices. "A stone salesman?"
"They're Pewter City souvenirs. The name's Flint and your friend is sitting on some of my merchandise."
"Oh~!" Ash exclaimed, getting back to his feet and joining me in Flint's 'store'. "Sorry."
Looking the stones over I couldn't help come to a specific conclusion. "You might want to sell some more modestly sized stones for tourists with limited space."
"Ha ha," Flint laughed flatly. "I do well enough without small rocks."
"If you say so," I shrugged, heading into the city. "Have a good day."
"Yeah, have a good day Mr. Flint!" Ash called out as he hurried to keep up with me.
"Hope to see you again," Misty said.
"Kids," Flint muttered to himself as we left his setup.
It was not long before we were at the Pokécenter getting our teams back to full vitality. "Do you want to go first?" I asked Ash.
"First?"
"With the Gym Challenge. If I remember correctly, it is Brock that is the Gym Leader here, and he can only battle one of us at a time."
"I can help if you ask nicely," Misty offered with a grin.
Ash frowned. "No, I can do it myself. And I'll go first." Ash pumped a fist, looking serious.
I got up as my name was called to retrieve my team. "Good. There is just one thing before you go. Each Gym Leader specializes in a specific kind of Pokémon. Like Pewter City, Brock specializes in stone based Pokémon."
"Rock type," Misty corrected me.
"Whatever the term is," I say, waving off the correction. "You will not always have the advantage of being able to strategize before a match. Take a few moments and make a plan. Take Misty up on her help and use her to bounce some ideas off of."
"And what about you?" Ash asked.
"I'm going to do a quick bit of training, get to know the pidgeotto that is now on my team a bit better. Tell Brock he'll have another challenger when you go see him." With my team healthy, I stepped out of the Center and made my way to a clear area between the town and the forest and tossed the three Pokéballs into the air. "Come out everyone!"
Yini, Ginger, and the Pidgeotto all came out in beams of red light, all at attention and looking at me. I clasped my hands behind my back after putting their balls away.
"Proper introductions first," I state. "I am Tanya, this is Yini and Ginger." I gesture at the two as I introduce them. "And is there something you wish to be known as?"
The Pidgeotto nodded. "Sharp Beak name," They said, puffing themself up. Looking Sharp Beak over, I nodded.
"Alright, Sharp Beak, welcome to the team. We got some time before we face off against Brock, so we are going to get you up to speed."
I motioned for Ginger to get into position across from Sharp Beak while Yini and I took up positions to either side. "In our first match showing each other what we've got, you showed good speed and power along with a determination I like, but you are too straight forward and predictable. Ginger, you need more variety in your arsenal and speed. The two of you are going to spar each other. Yini and I will be on the side throwing out attacks to distract you two."
I gave the two a serious look from behind my mask. "I will be very disappointed if either of you let us hit you."
"Dish!"
"Fight!"
I nodded, smirked, gathered up two balls of energy and fired them at the pair. The two cried out in shock, diving out of the way.
"What are you waiting for?" I asked. "Your opponents won't always be polite and predictable about starting the match!"
Sharp Beak tried sending a gust of wind at me that I dodged out of the way. "I'm not your opponent." I tell him, gathering dark, sticky energy around me and pulsing it in retribution back at the bird. I held back enough not to hurt him too badly, but I could tell he got the message and turned back to Ginger, who hit him with that red beam that stole a Pokémon's energy.
Sharp Beak was angry. Angry was fine so long as he did not lose himself in it. Emotions were a tool like any other someone could use. Not inherently good, not inherently bad.
Learning how to properly read, understand, and effectively use emotions was something I was still learning, though the heightened emotions of teens were well trodden ground for me now. And Sharp Beak's emotions were simpler than any teen's were.
The spar was fast paced and without Yini and my interference to distract the two from landing hits, it would likely have ended much sooner. As it was, we managed to stretch it out to about half an hour of high paced sparring before Sharp Beak was unable to continue flying with confidence and Ginger was breathing heavily from exhaustion.
"STOP!" I called. "Good job everyone."
I saw improvement from both Ginger and Sharp Beak during the spar. Ginger was moving around the field more, attempting more hit and run tactics mixed in with spore based area denial, though her pool of moves was still shallow and would need to be addressed at another time in specialized manners. Sharp Beak's improvement was more in waiting till the last possible moment to commit to an attack, when Ginger had the least opportunity to attempt dodging or countering the attack. Both also were more aware of their surroundings and how to dodge out of sudden attacks.
They were not ready for a fight against elites, but I hoped that the Gym Challenge would be scaled against the fact I was a rookie trainer with a rookie team. If not, I would just have to travel around a lot more, get a full team, and train them hard before trying again.
Either way, my team was tired and would need some care at the Pokémon Center again before I faced Brock. The Nurse Joy did not seem pleased that I was already back after only an hour, but training can be rough and if they have means to heal a Pokémon to full health swiftly, I would take advantage of it.
I thought I would have seen Misty or Ash at some point as I made my way to the Gym from the Center, but I suppose they were off celebrating his win or consoling his loss. Regardless, there was still plenty of daylight left as I opened the large steel doors and entered the Gym.
"Hello!" I called out. "I am here to challenge the Gym Leader for the Pokémon League Challenge!"
"Are you Tanya?" A voice asked.
"Yes. You must have already fought Ash," I said to the teen seemingly meditating on a raised platform.
"There are special rules for a Pokémon League Challenge. We will use two Pokémon each," Brock said, standing up. "As Gym Leader, I have to accept every challenge."
Brock snapped his fingers and the lights in the warehouse looking gym came on, bay doors on either side rolling up as an arena rolled into position.
"Let's get this over with."
I nodded my head in agreement, my fingers brushing against the different balls on my belt. Pidgeotto was swift and strong, but would still need more coaching during the battle. Yini was my best choice, but starting the match with her seemed tactically unwise. Best to save her as my second after probing the defenses of my opponent first. Ginger would have to be my starting choice.
"Ginger, go!" I call out as Brock announces his Geodude.
"Hmm, a grass type," Brock said with a nod. "You are well prepared, but type advantage doesn't win matches on their own. Geodude, Rock Throw!"
I calmly stood at ease, legs comfortably apart and hands clasped behind my back, as I watched Ginger dodge the stones Geodude ripped out of the ground and threw at her before returning fire with that red energy absorbing beam.
With a single shot, Geodude was looking rough. A surprise considering a living rock should be a lot more sturdy.
But it only took another exchange for Geodude to go down and for Brock to send out his giant rock snake, Onix.
Ginger did her best to avoid Onix's strikes, but for something so large and heavy, it was very quick. Ginger got a couple of shots in, but it was quickly obvious that she was going to lose.
"Ginger, return!" I said, pulling out her ball to remove her from the Onix's grip in its tail. Onix shifted and blocked the beam from the ball. "Enough! Release her. She is done!"
"Onix, release!" Brock called out, giving me the opportunity to relieve Ginger from the fight, ignoring the annoyed look Ginger was giving me.
Ginger may be a fight minded fool, but she wasn't the only one I had with me. "Yini! Time to show off!"
Brock gasped and took a step back as Yini came out. I couldn't hear what he said as the battle resumed. Onix went to slam its tail into Yini, but we had trained together enough that a telegraphed move like that was not going to make contact.
No, Yini dodged while sending a pair of twisters before turning and firing a blast of dark blue-purple fire at the larger snake. As the large stone roared, Yini rushed in close, her tail glowing in that same blue-purple energy the fire was made from. With a spring, Yini struck Onix in the throat, whipping herself around in mid-air to slam her tail hard, releasing a burst of energy.
Yini curled around herself as she and I watched the Onix fall backwards with a groan. In a flash of red, Onix was returned to its ball. I couldn't help the smile gracing my lips as I made my way to Yini to pet her head.
"Good job," I told her, firmly rubbing her head as she wrapped around me in a simulation of a hug.
"Your pokémon have won, but you did not give any orders during the match," Brock said, stepping forwards.
"I am a pokémon trainer. If I have to micromanage my team during a match, then I have failed to prepare them," I said, continuing to give attention to Yini.
Brock nodded before smiling and holding out his hand. "Well said, you have earned the Boulder Badge."
I accepted the badge, pinning it to the strap of my bag, before pulling out Yini's ball for her to return to it herself. I give him a polite bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you." From what I learned, the Champion had to work with Gym Leaders to handle certain issues, so if I was going to eventually become Champion it was best to maintain a polite relationship with future coworkers.
With my business done, I returned once more to the Pokémon center.
"Oh! Is that the Boulder Badge?" Nurse Joy asked as I went up to the counter.
"Yes. My team did well, though Ginger did take a few hard hits from his Onix," I say, putting both Yini's and Ginger's balls forward to be healed. Sharp Beak did not exert himself at all and while Yini didn't take any hits, I felt better making sure she didn't over exert herself if the healing technology was really as advanced as it seemed.
"Congratulations! Brock may be young, but he is a tough Gym Leader. Many trainers end up giving up after facing him," Nurse Joy seemed upset on behalf of the trainers that gave up.
"I am sure those that ended their journey went on to find something they enjoyed doing," I said, putting on a sympathetic tone to my voice that brought a smile to the nurse's face.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
I gathered up my team just as Misty came storming into the Center, muttering harshly to herself. Raising my eyebrow behind my mask I went over to see what was wrong.
"Did something happen?" I asked her.
"That stubborn boy wouldn't listen and is off on some foolish attempt to power up his pikachu!" Misty angrily said.
I sighed. Ash was so very young. He seemed like he was listening and learning from me, but it seemed he had to learn some lessons the hard way. I made to rub the bridge of my nose, being blocked by the mask. "Where is he?"
"At some old water wheel at the edge of town," Misty said.
"I'll see you in a bit," I tell her, heading out.
"Where are you going?"
"To make sure he doesn't do anything too reckless."
The job of a teacher was not just to provide information, but to ensure the environment my students learned in was conductive towards the lesson. If Ash was doing something dangerous, I had to make sure he would be able to live through it and learn a valuable lesson from it. Preferably with minimal physical scarring.
As I made my way towards the river that a water wheel would be on, I stopped in at a convenience store and got several bentos, checking information on my pokédex to make sure the bentos were safe for the pokemon. Different mons had different dietary needs, though there were a few things that were universally good for them. I got Yini and myself eel bentos, Ginger got a bean and egg bento that seemed to be really good for plant pokemon, a bento specially designed for bird pokemon filled with seeds and bugs for Sharp Beak, and for Ash and Pikachu chicken bentos. Metapod would not be getting a bento as until he evolved again, Metapod could not eat.
Loaded up with bentos, I found the old water wheel Ash was at. Barely better than a shack falling apart. Ash was manually moving the wheel by walking on top of it, using his weight to do the work of keeping it moving.
"Ash!" I called out.
"What?" He asked, sounding angry.
"Come down from there," I told him.
"No! Pikachu needs to be stronger if we're going to beat Brock."
I rolled my eyes and held up the convenience store bentos. "You can keep going after you eat. Now get down so we can have a meal."
Ash looked back at me for a bit as he kept going before his stomach growled and the determination left his face. "Fine!"
It was a few moments that we were gathered around, my pokemon out eating happily at their dinners along with Ash and Pikachu scarfing down their meals.
"Sorry Mr. Flint," I told the older man. "I did not know you were with Ash."
Not that I would have bought the old man any food if I had known. No reason to encourage an adult to spend more time around children than was necessary.
"It's fine, though you did interrupt us as we were making some good progress."
Looking at the wires jury-rigged to Pikachu's cheeks, I mentally scoffed, but as long as Pikachu was going along with all of this and didn't get hurt too badly, I would not stop this exercise in foolishness.
Looking over at Ash, I could see he was upset about something, and there was only one thing I could imagine it being.
"You lost, didn't you?" I asked, very bluntly. The flinch told me I was right. "Don't take it so hard. Losses happen."
"That's easy for you to say, you got your badge."
I nodded my head in agreement and looked over at Ginger, who was giving me a stink eye. "Yes, my team won. And they did very well, though I think Ginger needs to learn the same lesson you do here."
"Dish?" "Huh?"
"Not every obstacle can be overpowered and pushed through. More power never hurts, but sometimes you need to know when to stop, step back, and decide if you really should keep going as it is, or if you should instead come at the situation in a different manner."
I placed a hand on top of Ginger and gently ruffled the leaves she had. "You are part of a team, so sometimes you need to let your teammates step up."
"Odd," Ginger grumbled, but nodded in agreement. I could almost imagine if she had arms she would cross them like a surly teen.
"And you have companions traveling with you that you should be willing to rely upon to help you," I said, looking at Ash.
"Hmph," he grunted, folding his arms. "I will beat Brock with the pokemon I caught and am raising, not Misty's."
"Is that what Misty tried to do? To get you to use her pokemon?" I asked.
"Yeah. Stupid girl not understanding that I can do this on my own."
I shook my head and stood up, setting the rest of my bento in front of Yini to finish as I placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "I'm not going to say that is the right choice, but I can respect it. You still need to think up a plan on how to deal with Brock's team though. You know who is on his team, and you know what the arena looks like. If you want to keep running on that water wheel all night long, go ahead, but while your body is moving, use your head and think."
Ash was looking down at that and nodded his head. I gave him a solid pat on the shoulder. "Good," I said before looking at Flint and glared at him through my mask. He seemed to flinch at it, knowing the expression I was giving him despite the blankness of my mask. "Make sure Ash and Pikachu don't get too hurt doing this or I will find you and personally haul you to the police station."
Flint gulped and nodded.
With that out of the way, I checked and saw that the bentos were all eaten and returned Yini and Sharp Beak to their balls and tossed out the containers. I then motioned for Ginger to follow me.
After we got out of earshot, I turned to her and gently placed a hand on her, trying to soothe her. "I know you are upset that I returned you when you felt you could keep fighting. You need to understand that these Pokemon League battles are not just a fight, but that there is more going on. You did well and I do not know for sure if we would have won without you taking out that geodude the way you did. I won't do this after every match, but this once I am going to get you something special. As long as it doesn't cost too much, anything you see on our way back to the Pokemon Center I will get you."
"Dish?" Ginger questioned before her eyes went wide and she hopped up and down excitedly. "Oddish odd!"
She began running through the town, forcing me to rush after her. "Woah! Slow down! No need to rush!"