The next day

Gary had been awake for some time, noting stuff down about his party. A phone rang on the nightstand, and Gary answered it. "Hello?"

"Master Gary, it is breakfast time, what would you like?" his driver asked, holding a phone in one hand.

"I'd like toast with some butter if you wouldn't mind."

"Very well it will be here shortly," replies the driver before hanging up.

As Gary hung up the phone, the Pokemon started to wake up. Each one stretching and yawning. Immediately after opening his eyes, Eevee jumped onto Gary's lap like a fluffy missile.

"Good morning," their trainer chuckled.

The driver came into the room with a tray carrying toast, milk, and the Pokèmon chow. Gary ate his breakfast while his Pokèmon ate theirs.

After some time had passed the group left the hotel just in time to see the contest. They sat down in the viewing area with smiles on their faces. One of the girl's lap's is now occupied by a certain Eevee.

The judges are introduced with great fanfare, especially the 4th judge. "Welcome the Gym leader of Silver Town, Milton!" The announcer clapped before sitting down and letting the event start.

Milton turned out to be a tough, firm, but fair judge. One big mistake could cost you his approval. A young lady and her Pikachu had slipped up during the contest prompting Milton, when the coordinator was done, to shake his head in disapproval, and critiqued her performance pretty hard. The other judges however acted a lot fairer than the gym leader, though in the end, agreed with his assessment.

Gary, during this, slowly deduced that Milton, although he did have a friendly appearance, also had an intimidating presence about him. Each coordinator had to do their best, while he watched, and it was tough not to be intimidated by him.

Gary could tell this must throw off the performances of the Pokèmon coordinators and their Pokèmon, and it showed. The last one to come out for the performance stage was a boy with an Eevee, wearing a bow tie. Gary's Eevee looked happy at seeing a member of its own kind perform. Sadly, that poor guy and his Eevee had messed up, so they didn't advance to the next round thanks to Milton.

After the contest had ended Gary approached Milton who just happened to be leaving.

"Mr. Milton! Sir! Excuse me!" Gary called out, running out of the hall to catch the man.

"Ah, good day young trainer. What is it you require of me?" The older gentleman spoke clearly, sounding very wise with every word spoken.

"I want to challenge you for your gym badge. My name is Gary Oak!" Gary replied excitedly.

"Hmm, I accept your challenge. I will see you at the gym," Milton liked his enthusiasm for battling, it reminded him of his youth.

Gary was taken aback. He thought that Milton wouldn't battle today and make him wait a couple more days. Not that the young trainer was complaining about being seen today. "Yes sir, I will see you there!"

Nodding, Milton left for his gym, leaving Gary to crouch down and speak with his Eevee.

"Well, this is going to be an even better day than I thought. What do you think, Eevee?"

"Vee!"

"Couldn't agree more," he didn't have a clue what Eevee was saying specifically, though from Eevee's happy tone, he knew it was good.

Soon after, Gary alerted the driver about his whereabouts, and left for the gym. It took him a while to get there, but when he did, he saw the gym was open, and smiled. He entered the gym, with Eevee in tow.

Milton waited for his latest challenger. After seeing the boy appear in his gym, he gave a smile, and nodded..

"Hello Gary, this battle shall be a battle between two Pokèmon," Milton sends out his Arcanine, the evolved form of Gary's Growlithe. "If you have one, please present a Pokèmon with the intimidation ability."

Gary nods, sending Growlithe out the puppy Pokèmon barks ready for battle, the pair of Pokèmon stare each other down doing their best to intimidate each other.

The gym leader nodded at the Growlithe before him, and smiled at its own Intimidate ability weakening his own Arcanine's attack strength. And vice versa.

"That is a mighty fine Growlithe you have there, young man. I'll tell you what, if you win this battle, I will award you with not just a badge, but a fire stone for your Growlithe as well," Milton said.

This got Growlithes attention, who barked loudly, causing Gary to grin.

"Sounds like he has wanted to evolve for a long time. Alright! Win this Growlithe, and you'll get to evolve!" Gary said, and received a howl in return from his now eager fire type. "What are we waiting for? Let's battle!"

"This will be a one on one battle between Mr. Milton, the gym leader, and Gary Oak, the challenger. The battle is over, when one side's Pokèmon has fallen. Alright, battle begin!" the referee declared.

"Use, Take down!" Milton called out.

Arcanine took off, at speeds that Gary had only seconds to think, before shouting, "Growlithe, use Agility!"

Growlithe listened and obeyed! The fire type charges ahead at Arcanine, creating after images as it runs.

"Now, strike with your Bite attack!"

The puppy Pokemon disappears and reappears behind Arcanine, biting its hind quarters. This action caused the Arcanine to skid to a stop, while howling in pain.

"Hmm, that was something many young trainers don't think about," Milton said, seeing himself even more in Gary with that attack combination. Nods his head in approval.

"That puts me a cut above the rest!" Gary responded, he kept up the offensive. "Keep going, Growlithe! Attack with multiple Bites."

Growlithe did as told. When it let go, Growlithe had moved fast around the Arcanine. Avoiding the bigger Pokemon's own bites, and landing its own on any of the Arcanine's legs.

"Ohoho," Milton chuckled, then clicked his fingers. "Arcanine, use Agility!"

The larger fire type starts creating after images, then starts darting around the much smaller pre-evolution. Avoiding any further bites. "Now, we will even the odds with our own combination. Use Take Down!"

Their speed was immense, and Growlithe couldn't tell which way was up as he was crashed into by its larger opponent. The Puppy Pokèmon crashed into the wall behind him. "Woah! Growlithe! Come on buddy, get up! Think about what you've wanted! It's right there, just waiting for you. Evolution!"

While laid on the ground, Growlithe could hear the faint voice of Gary, spurring it on to wake up. After a few moments, the puppy pokèmon got back to its feet.

"Grow Growlithe!" it barks, showing a will that is unbreakable by a mere Agility assisted take down.

Gary takes a deep breath. "Time for our final attack. Use Leer and Bite!"

Growlithe stares at Arcanine. His eyes glowing red, as an orange glow fell from Arcanine's body, showing its defenses had been weakened. Without any more hesitation, Growlithe leapt head first at Arcanine, biting down on the larger dog.

Arcanine howled in pain, before falling to the ground, knocked out.

"The battle is over. Growlithe is the winner. Therefore the victor of the gym battle is the challenger, Gary Oak," the referee declared.

Growlithe howled in victory. Winning this tough battle!

Milton smiles, returning his Arcanine. "Thank you for your time Arcanine. Gary, I must say, he is very well trained, that Growlithe." He took a badge out of his pocket, it is square coloured green, aside from the small red square in the middle, looking like a platform. Along with a stone, that has an orange fiery heart within it. "As for defeating me, here. Take the Platform badge. As well as this.The fire stone for your Growlithe."

"Thank you very much. Your Arcanine was no slouch either. I was pretty worried that Growlithe and I weren't going to win," Gary answered, taking the Platform badge and the fire stone. Bows to the gym leader and referee, and then he leaves the gym, quickly going into the Pokèmon center to heal his Growlithe.

Once healed, Growlithe leapt off the counter onto the floor, he paws at Gary's bag excitedly. Causing Gary to chuckle at Growlithe's impatience.

"Alright. Get ready to be even more awesome!"

Once his trainer pulled out the fire stone, and presented it to the fire type, Growlithe placed his paw on it. Within mere seconds this puppy Pokèmon evolved into Arcanine! The onlookers at the center clapped at seeing the evolution of a Pokèmon. Some trainers took quick pictures.

"Now that is amazing. My very own Arcanine!" Gary hugged his newly evolved Pokèmon tightly. "Come on, we better get back to the hotel! I can't wait to show you off," he says smiling

Gary leaves with Arcanine in tow soon reaching the hotel room in record time, the driver opens the door, amazed by Arcanine.

"Master Gary, your Growlithe evolved! How wonderful!"

"Yeah, it is wonderful," Gary shows off his Arcanine even more once the girls arrive to see them and his brand new badge. "This makes seven badges, so far," he proudly said, putting away the badge case.

Before deciding what to do next, a call to all trainers was issued by a foreman of a construction crew. Needing any and all available trainers passing through the mountainous route, on the way to Fucshia City.

This spurs Gary to go there, and see what the trouble was about. Also, the reward was interesting. Soon, Gary joins the group of trainers that voiced their agreement to go, by riding with his driver and cheerleaders. While the other trainers boarded buses, that would take them to the construction site. Which was about a day and a half travel, from where they were, south.

What will this young trainer find out, when he gets there?

To be continued…

authors notes: yes! Growlithe is now a cool Arcanine!

many thanks to the https//u/1725082/the-black-shinobi my awesome collaborator