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Chapter 8: Mt. Moon

The group had departed Pewter City a few days ago, now taking a break as they sat in an open, rocky area. They had eaten lunch thirty minutes ago, courtesy of Brock's excellent cooking. Leaf sat beside Ash, their backs against a boulder that was somehow larger than their height standing up.

Brock sat opposite of them, looking at his own map. Since leaving Pewter City, the older teenager unanimously became the guide of the group, despite no one stating it out loud. He was well accustomed to reading maps, as well as knowledgeable in many areas due to his knowledge as a Gym Leader, as well as his fondness as an aspiring Pokemon Doctor.

As Nidorino sat between Ash's legs, the boy pulled out his Pokedex to scan the Poison Type.

"Nidorino, Poison Type Pokemon. It is easily angered. By swinging its well developed horn wildly, it can even punch through diamond."

"Yikes." Leaf scooted a few inches away from Nidorino, holding Ash's Charmander in her lap. Charmander appeared to be fast asleep, napping contently in her arms.

"So Ash, what's the story behind your shiny Charmander? It's quite a find."Brock asked curiously, still seated opposite by just a few feet.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool having a shiny Pokemon, especially as my starter Pokemon. But that's obviously not the only reason I wanted him." Brock nodded, listening to his words. "It almost would have been better if he wasn't shiny. Professor Oak had told me that he was found being attacked by other Pokemon because of his appearance."

"That's horrible." Brock was speechless, frowning at Charmander's unfortunate upbringing.

"Because of it, Charmander hasn't fully become comfortable yet with other Pokemon. He still has these moments where he freezes, especially when battling. Though, he's gotten completely used to Pokemon he knows, like Nidorino and Leaf's Pokemon." Ash remarked, looking at his sleeping Charmander.

"Is that why he froze up against Onix?" Ash nodded at Brock's question.

"Well, I'm glad he has such a caring trainer. You're doing a great job." Brock commented seriously, with Ash thanking him appreciatively.

After a few more minutes of relaxing, the group eventually packed up their belongings and set off again. Traveling through Route 3 was easily the most difficult environment to journey through so far. Its elevated and uneven ground made it difficult to coast through. The temperature was also much hotter, due to there not being much to provide shade. At least with Viridian Forest, the abundance of trees made it difficult for sunlight to intrude.

On a positive note, both Ash and Leaf had gotten some helpful training done the past few days. Well, not so much Leaf, but the teen was so gifted naturally she didn't see much point in it, regardless of Ash attempting to motivate her to do so.

Ash either woke up just a few hours earlier in the morning, or before they ate dinner after settling down to get some training done. The close match against Brock lit a fire within him, feeling the intense urgency to become stronger alongside his Pokemon.

The black haired teen also was taking more time to interact and bond with Charmander. He was his first Pokemon, after all. Charmander already seemed to fully trust him, but Ash wanted to become inseparable with the Pokemon. This close bond could also help Charmander trust Ash regarding other Pokemon and his own safety.

The trio had encountered several other traveling trainers and hikers, but only Leaf had battled one and won fairly easily with her Bulbasaur. They didn't want to stop too many times, but the trainer was in Leaf's words, "Too cocky to not get a beating." For such a sweet girl, Leaf could be pretty feisty sometimes.

"Nope. Absolutely not." Leaf crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks as the group peered into the gaping entrance of the cave.

"Leaf, you knew that we would have to travel through the cave. Why are you changing your mind now?" Ash asked, his voice carrying a tone of boredom and disinterest.

"Because it looks creepy as shit! Seeing it in person is something else. Who knows what's even in there!"

"Don't worry, Leaf. Most of the caves here in Kanto are monitored, especially the ones where beginner trainers are starting out. Pokemon officials routinely enter the cave and guarantee that there are no strong and aggressive Pokemon." Brock attempted to comfort the girl. Brock reached into his backpack, taking out three small headlamps.

"Thanks, Brock." Ash said, taking the small headlamp and pulling it over his hair to rest on his forehead. Leaf simply deadpanned at Brock, before reluctantly taking hers.

"What if we get lost?" Leaf asked, just as they were about to enter Mt. Moon.

"Pretty sure it's hard to get lost. Professor Oak once told me that there would only be a handful of cave incidents in the early routes of the region." Ash remarked, leaving out the information he learned regarding the caves they would see at the end of their journey. Professor Oak had detailed just how dangerous they were, due to a variety of factors.

Limited visibility, stronger Pokemon, and trainer negligence led to plenty of injuries, perhaps even fatal annually in Kanto caves.

"Ash is right. I've traveled through Mt. Moon at least five times. There are plenty of signs and visual aids to guide people passing through." Brock reassured Leaf once again.

Upon entering, the cave looked similar to how Brock had described previously. True to his words, there were easily visible wooden signs perched on the side, as well as overhead lamps hung on the ceiling of the cave.

The cave's width was fairly wide, being the equivalent of about ten people standing next to each other. For the first few minutes, Mt. Moon was simply a straight shot downwards, with no other directions or openings.

There weren't many Pokemon, with the few exceptions being some Geodudes and Zubats. These Pokemon stayed to themselves, looking at the trio in curiosity as they passed by. It was most likely due to the fact that inhabitants of Mt. Moon saw trainers passing by daily and quite frequently.

"What do you both think about Cerulean Gym?" Brock asked the two, taking a left turn into a different section of Mt. Moon

"Shouldn't be difficult, considering Bulbasaur has a type advantage once again." Leaf shrugged.

"Do you know the Gym Leader? I know her face, but can't recall her name." Ash asked the older man.

"I do, but not well. I've met all the Gym Leaders from annual League meetings or simply by coincidence. Her name is Misty Waterflower and her type specialization is water. She's pretty talented, but then again, all of the Gym Leaders in Kanto are."

"I bet. You all represent the whole region. It must be a lot of pressure." Leaf commented.

"Honestly, not so much. It's our responsibility to challenge trainers to the extent of their own skill and slightly beyond that. We're expected to do this, rather than be pressured into defeating every challenger who comes our way."

Ash hummed at Brock's words, finding himself agreeing. Pokemon Gyms had been prevalent across the world since before Ash could remember. Hell, they went way beyond his birth. It was a common aspect of the Pokemon world for generations, with even the Pokemon League being established much more recently.

Under Professor Oak, the concept of Pokemon Gyms seemed so foreign to the boy. What was the purpose of having these challenges when Gym Leaders would hold back their full strength. Oak would always chuckle at his words, clearly finding humor in his skeptical nature.

"What would be the point of a journey that ends upon reaching the first Gym? Better yet, if trainers were beaten down to a pulp every match, then how would they grow?" Professor Oak had told his mentee at the time. At the present it made sense, as it was this system that slowly built up trainers by giving them the skills and confidence through these trials.

"Why do you want to be a Pokemon Doctor, Brock?" Ash asked.

"Well, like most people, I think Pokemon are incredible. I've always been curious about the topic, such as what they like to eat, where habitats they thrive in, and how they interact with one another. Like i told you guys, I never really got the chance to satisfy this urge with having to take care of my family."

Before the two could respond, they heard the sound of rocks breaking from down the cave. The sound grew increasingly more noticeable, as it sounded like whatever it was was heading their way.

"Umm what's that noise?" Leaf asked the group, though it was clear she expected Brock to know the answer considering he was the more knowledgeable of the cave system. The rumbling grew even louder, as the group saw the overhead lamps from ahead the cave slowly break as whatever it was came closer.

Brock remained quiet, just as uncertain as Ash and Leaf

"Brock?" Ash asked as well, staring ahead as the lights breaking effectively hid what was approaching.

As Brock was about to respond, all went quiet in just a split second. With only their headlights proving little light, the trio couldn't see ahead more than just a few feet. Since there were no longer any cave lights, the group stood frozen as they listened closely.

"GRRRRRREEEE!" An intimidating Steelix cried out, appearing directly in front of their limited vision.

"Run!" Brock shouted, though it seemed like he didn't have to advise the two, as Ash and Leaf didn't waste a second in running alongside the taller man. It would be a lost cause defending themselves against a much more powerful Pokemon than the group could handle. They also could barely see, unlike the inhabitants of Mt. Moon they were forced to run away from.

"I thought you said that they remove powerful Pokemon from places like this!" Ash shouted, following directly behind Brock and Leaf. Steelix continued to follow the group, with the rumbling sounding right behind them.

'Damn Leaf for being so unathletic…' Ash cursed mentally, being forced to trail behind the slower girl.

"They do! I don't know if they missed this one or haven't been here in a while!"

They continued to run blindly, trusting Brock as he led the group. Suddenly, a purple and dark blue stream of light came over the group. Steelix's Dragon Breath barely went over their heads, before crashing into the cave's roof.

"Watch out!" Ash warned the other two, diving to the side. Since Brock and Leaf were ahead of him, they were barely able to pass the falling rubble as it crashed to the floor behind them.

Unfortunately for Ash, the boy was now completely unaware of his surroundings, having lost his headlamp from the dive. As the boy backpedaled slowly, he shouted in surprise at the loss of footing. Falling backwards, Ash tumbled down what seemed like a landslide.

"Woahhhhh!" Ash continued to slide down the tight space, finally coming to a stop as he hit the tough ground.

Ash slowly pushed himself up, barely hearing the roars of Steelix anymore. Despite not having his headlamp, he was able to make out the opening from where he slipped down from. Grabbing a Pokeball from his belt, the Kanto trainer released his starter Pokemon?"

"Char!" Charmander happily greeted Ash, his tail slightly illuminating their surroundings. Ash rubbed his arms, trying to dust off the dirt and scrapes he suffered from to no avail.

"Charmander, could you use Ember towards the opening up there?" Charmander agreed determinedly, opening his mouth and shooting the small, compact flame to where Ash pointed to. As the flame traveled, Ash was able to make out what had occurred just a minute prior.

It appeared that he had fallen down a small opening in the tunnel, before sliding down the angled ledge. Regrettably, it also appeared highly unlikely he would be able to climb back up. It was far too steep and dangerous if he were to fall back down.

"Alright, Charmander. You're coming with me buddy. I need the company and your tail could also help us see much better."

"Charmander!" Charmander shouted, walking alongside his much taller trainer. It was much darker from the illuminated tunnel they were previously in, but Charmander's tail did help tremendously. Without it, Ash wouldn't be completely screwed.

The tunnel they walked through was also much smaller than the more open one above. It was obvious judging by the lack of signs and light that no trainers were supposed to go through this section of Mt. Moon. That itself was pretty unsettling for Ash. All he could do for now was hope Leaf and Brock were alright, as well as find a way out for himself.

Leaf and Brock panted heavily, both crouching down and holding themselves up with their hands on their knees.

"I-I think… we lost… him." Leaf barely stated, exhausted from running for their lives.

"Arceus… That was not fun." Brock stood up, breathing heavily still with his hands on his hips. "We lost Ash as well."

"Well, how are we going to find him? What if we run into Steelix again?" Leaf questioned the Gym Leader.

"I know how we can get out of Mt. Moon from here. It's too dangerous going back the way we came from. We can't afford to confront Steelix again."

"So what? We just leave him?" Leaf asked incredulously.

"Temporarily. We can't help him by just wandering back blindly with a mad Pokemon on the loose. Ash is a capable trainer and certainly knows what he's doing." Brock replied. Although he had known the boy for less than two weeks, he was sure that Ash was not a beginner like most trainers.

The boy was calculating in most of his actions. In his gym battle, he made plenty of risky decisions but they paid off. Outside of battling, he also revealed knowledge in Pokemon and the religion of Kanto overall. It made sense, though, once Ash had informed him that Professor Oak played a major role in his development.

Leaf reluctantly agreed with Brock, with both of them finally setting off once again through Mt. Moon.

"You're worried about him." Brock asked, though his tone came off as more of a statement than a question.

"Obviously. He's my best friend. Why wouldn't I be?" Leaf asked confusedly. Brock shrugged, scanning her face for any reactions. There were none, however, giving away the small suspicion Brock had of their relationship.

When first meeting the two, Brock was uncertain of their relationship. It was extremely apparent that the two were close, but it was difficult to say if they were dating. After a few days, Brock had picked up quite easily that they were simply best friends. Though, it did beg the question if they had feelings for one another. Leaf's reaction, as well as Ash's so far along their journey had suggested that this wasn't the case. Though, this could just be that they were possibly unaware of their own.

"Have you two always been best friends?" Lead nodded as the two walked, before replying verbally.

"I think so. We've been best friends for years now, so it seems kind of weird thinking back to the moment it really started. We've more so always been a trio growing up in Pallet Town, since we were best friends with the other boy you battled against."

"Huh. What was his name again?" Brock wondered, his mind tracing back to his battle against the Pallet Town trainer days ago.

"Gary Oak."

"Ah, the grandson of Professor Oak."

"That's right." Leaf replied. "How did you say his battle was against him?"

"It was pretty quick. He used a Growlith, despite its weakness to my Gym. Growlithe put up a great fight, defeating Geodude while not struggling too much. After that, Gary substituted him for his Squirtle and made quick work of Onix. Cocky kid, though." Brock summarized the battle.

The wild trainer was no doubt a force to be reckoned with. Putting aside his cocky attitude, Gary had plenty of potential and skill to back it up. It wouldn't surprise him if Gary made it far in his journey across Kanto. After, he was the grandson of a Professor Brock had admired for years.

"Tell me about it. He hasn't always been like that. Like if he has to prove to everyone that he's better than them." Leaf stated, a hint of sadness seeping through her tone.

"You said that you were best friends with him. What changed with you three?"

"Like I said, he did. The past year or so, Gary became much more cocky and rude to others, especially Ash. It's like he's trying to prove something, but no one knows what or why. I'm still friends with him, but Ash and Gary are almost like enemies at this point."

"Or rivals." Brock chipped in, laughing at the thought of the two young teens being considered enemies so young in their lives. Brock wasn't much older than them, but it was humorous believing that a relationship so young in their lives could be thought of like that.

"Yeah, that describes them much better. Especially since its going to be even more competitive now." Leaf laughed.

"Is it me or is it getting hotter here?" Ash asked his Pokemon, wiping his brow to clear the sweat.

"Mander." Charmander agreed, though he didn't seem bothered at all. It made sense, considering he was a Fire type himself. It was also a welcome environment for the starter Pokemon.

Although he didn't have anything to measure time by, Ash knew they had likely been walking for several hours now. Fortunately, they had yet to run into any Pokemon in this section of Mt. Moon.

The whole time the teen had been worried for his traveling companions. While he was definitely safe from Steelix, he couldn't say the same for the other two. It was more of a reason to find a way out as soon as possible. If they weren't out of Mt. Moon as well, he could at least get help from officials or perhaps rangers if he was lucky.

A cry of sorts woke him out of his daze. Ash and Charmander both stopped, looking around the barely lit cave system.

"Charmander, did you hear that?" Ash asked, wanting to make sure he wasn't hearing things already. Charmander simply nodded, before lifting his tail as the flame grew even brighter.

Another cry rang out, making Ash scan the cave. Finally, he was able to spot a small figure crouched in the corner. Slowly, Ash and Charmander approached the concealed figure.

Once they got close enough, they spotted a small, yellow Pokemon, barely making its face visible as its cheeks crackled with electricity.

I wonder what Pokemon Ash has stumbled upon! My bet is a Raikou for sure. Hope you all enjoyed this short chapter. REVIEW and I'll see you all soon!