Chapter Seven: Learning from the Past
When Serena eventually rejoined Ash, he was just having something to eat. She silently sat down at the table opposite him.
"Hey! Feel a bit better?" Ash asked, looking up at her.
"A bit," Serena replied. "I'm still…well…"
She shrugged, but Ash nodded and said, "I get it. It's good you're here, though. How are Braixen and the others?"
"They're disappointed, like I am, but we'll all be fine. We just…need some time, I guess," Serena said. "I mean, I know Scott deserved his win, but…"
She didn't finish her sentence, fearing she'd come across as arrogant if she did.
"You were ranked higher," Ash finished for her.
Serena nodded without saying anything.
"That's why he probably had a plan for any of your Pokémon," Ash said. "Because what he did to beat Braixen probably wouldn't have worked on Pancham or Sylveon."
Serena looked up. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"With Braixen, you rely on the coolness of her attacks far more than you do on her movement, while you caught both Pancham and Sylveon because they like to move around very actively," Ash said. "And Scott's performance only worked because Braixen basically stayed in the same spot the entire time. If she'd been moving around a lot, like Pancham and Sylveon would have done, he would have had to be very careful not to hit them with his attacks, because he'd get disqualified if he did. That alone would've made it harder for Tyranitar to cleanly pull off his attacks."
Serena nodded slowly. "I should've paid attention to his first match," she said.
"That, too," Ash agreed. "And gone in with a clear plan of what you wanted to do, like the judges said. But now you know that that's what you need, so you can take it into account for the Cerulean Exposition."
"Yeah…"
Serena was quiet for a moment, and then hesitantly said, "Hey, Ash…that time when you lost to Wulfric and I came to find you…what should I have said to you? I…When I just lost and you were with me in the room just now…you said the right thing, even though I was angry and sad and disappointed. But when I tried it when you were upset…well…"
Ash smiled faintly. "You kind of did say the right thing…but let's talk about that another time. I promise I'll tell you, but it's just not the time for it now," he said.
"Okay," Serena said. She was curious as to why Ash wanted to avoid that particular subject for the moment, but since he'd promised to explain it later she decided to let it slide for now.
Ash gave her a grateful smile and said, "I wanted to head over to the Gym in a bit to see if Brock wants to have our battle now. He went on ahead when you lost because he figured you wouldn't really be in the mood to talk. Do you want to come along or are just going to hang out here or see the city?"
Serena considered it for only a moment before saying, "I'll come along with you. I'm still going to cheer you on with everything I have, you know."
"Awesome! Thanks, Serena," Ash said gratefully, and Serena smiled back at him.
Ash turned to Pikachu and said, "You ready, buddy?"
Pikachu nodded. ("Always,") he said with a grin.
"Alright then. Let's go!"
Brock was already waiting at the Gym when Serena and Ash arrived there.
"Hey Ash! Here for the battle, I think?" Brock asked. He gave Serena a smile and said, "Hey, Serena. Good to see you here. You and your Pokémon were great."
Serena smiled back and inclined her head. "Thanks…" she said.
She was grateful Brock didn't mention anything else about the Exposition, and she guessed that he'd been in similar situations himself countless time, and seen Ash and his other friends like that too.
Brock turned back to Ash and said, "Alright, Ash. Since you wanted a Gym battle, how about we do a three on three? And since we Gym Leaders need to adjust our teams to the skill levels of our opponents, how many badges do you have by now? Forty-eight? I don't know if I have the Pokémon for such an expert Trainer, you know…"
Ash laughed and said, "Just give me your best, and I'll do the same. Three on three it is. Let's go!"
"I'll be the referee then, if you don't mind." Forrest entered the Gym and raised his hand in greeting. "I might not be the one fighting, but I'm still technically the Gym Leader. It'd feel wrong if I wasn't involved in some way."
"That's great, Forrest, thanks!" Ash said. He and Brock assumed their positions on either end of the field, and Serena went into the stands to spectate.
"Come on, Ash, you've got this!" she shouted.
Ash grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.
Serena figured she might as well expand the cheering squad a bit and called her Pokémon out.
("Ooh, Ash is gonna fight? Let's go, Ash!") Pancham shouted.
Braixen said nothing, but she looked intrigued all the same, and Sylveon looked similarly curious.
"All right, then! This is a three-on-three Pokémon Battle between challenger Ash and the acting Pewter City Gym Leader Brock! Only the challenger will be allowed to switch Pokémon. The battle ends when all three Pokémon on one side are unable to battle. Begin!" Forrest shouted.
Brock unhooked a Poké Ball and shouted, "Go, Golem!"
Golem appeared with a roar and stared down Ash, who grinned and called out his own Pokémon. "Sceptile, I choose you!"
"You've finally gotten the hang of type matchups, then?" Brock said teasingly. "Anyway, since you're the challenger, you can have the first move."
Ash nodded and said, "Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!"
The leaves on Sceptile's wrists glowed green and curved into wicked-looking blades, and he burst forward towards Golem.
"Golem, intercept the attack with Stone Edge!"
Golem stomped the ground, and pillars of glowing rock erupted from the ground in the direction of Sceptile.
"Cut through them, Sceptile!"
Sceptile seemed to take one extra step and launched himself forward, swinging his arms like he was throwing hooks, and to Serena's surprise he cleanly cut through each Stone Edge pillar with casual ease, until he eventually hit Golem in a cloud of dust and Stone Edge particles.
Golem roared and Brock grinned. "You've clearly been training, haven't you? But Golem's Ability is Sturdy; he won't go down so easily! Rock Throw, Golem!"
Golem leapt up from the cloud of dust, slammed down into the battlefield, and launched a series of rocks at Sceptile with the energy of the impact.
"Repel them with Leaf Storm!"
The seeds on Sceptile's back glowed, and he fired a whirling storm of leaves into the oncoming rocks, blasting them aside and slamming into Golem with tremendous force, sending him flying into the wall behind Brock.
"Golem is unable to battle! Sceptile is the winner!" Forrest said, raising his hand.
("Yeah, go Ash!") Pancham shouted. Serena giggled at just how into this he was.
("Is Golem alright?") Sylveon asked with a worried look.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Serena said reassuringly. Sylveon didn't look entirely convinced.
"You did well, Golem. Return!" Brock said as he recalled Golem. "Good show, Ash. Let's see what you make of this. Go, Sudowoodo!"
Sudowoodo appeared and gave a funny salute to Brock.
"I'm just getting started," Ash said. "Well done, Sceptile, now return! Pikachu, I choose you!"
("All right!") Pikachu said, and he eagerly leapt onto the battlefield.
Serena nodded slowly. Sudowoodo was a pure Rock-type, meaning Pikachu would be able to use his Electric attacks all he wanted.
"Sudowoodo, use Double-Edge!"
"Dodge it, Pikachu, and then use Iron Tail!"
Sudowoodo launched itself forward, but Pikachu was far more agile and easily leapt up into the air. His tail glowed white, and with a front-flip he attempted to slam it down onto Sudowoodo.
"Counter with Hammer Arm!" Brock yelled, and the green balls on Sudowoodo's right arm glowed white as he swung it upward and connected with Pikachu's tail with tremendous force, launching Pikachu into the air.
"Electro Ball, Pikachu!" Ash yelled, and Pikachu flicked his tail to right himself in the air before firing off a massive Electro Ball, which connected with Sudowoodo, who had been slow to recover from his strong attack, head on, once again shrouding the arena in a cloud of smoke.
"You've really gotten stronger, Ash," Brock said as Pikachu landed just outside the dust cloud on Ash's side of the field. "It was smart to use Electro Ball after that Hammer Arm. But we're not done yet! Double-Edge, Sudowoodo, before the dust clears!"
Serena gasped, because if the Double-Edge hit Pikachu would most likely take a lot of damage, and if he couldn't see the attack coming…
But Ash didn't seem worried at all. On the contrary, he grinned and shouted, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the entire cloud!"
Pikachu briefly mirrored Ash's grin, something Serena only noticed because she knew the two of them so well, and then leapt into the air, firing off the same Thunderbolt that had sent Team Rocket blasting off so many times in the past. The blast arced wide, and Serena could hear a cry of pain from the dust cloud when the attack connected with Sudowoodo.
A few moments later, the dust cloud cleared, and Serena saw Sudowoodo lying crumpled in the middle of the field.
"Sudowoodo is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!" Forrest said. "The score is now two against nothing in favor of the challenger! One Pokémon remains for Brock!"
("That was so typically reckless of Ash,") Braixen said with a sigh.
("You mean it was awesome,") Pancham corrected her.
"Ah, man, I told you I was a bit rusty," Brock said with a shake of his head. "Sudowoodo, return! You did a very good job, now have a good rest. Well, Ash, it's a good thing that my next Pokémon won't be rusty. He's stainless, you see. Go, Steelix!"
Steelix appeared and reared up to its full height, grinning wickedly at Ash.
Ash smiled back at him as if he was an old friend — and since Brock had traveled with Ash for so long, he probably was.
"Pikachu, return! Go, Charizard!"
Charizard shot a burst of flame into the air as he appeared and then stared down Steelix, daring him to make the first move.
From the corner of her eye, Serena saw Braixen standing up a bit straighter at seeing another Fire-type.
"Alright, Steelix, Stone Edge!" Brock shouted.
"Charizard, up into the air!" Ash yelled.
Steelix slammed his tail into the ground, and glowing blue pillars erupted from it — but Charizard had already taken flight and had no trouble at all dodging the erupting pillars.
"Now, use Flamethrower!"
"Steelix, Smack Down!"
Charizard fired his Flamethrower at Steelix, but Steelix roared and slammed his tail into one of the glowing Stone Edge pillars, shattering it and sending a block of glowing stone through the blast of flames, straight into Charizard's face, as well as bombarding him with some smaller stones that slammed into his wings.
Charizard was forced down by the impact, but managed to flare his wings and prevent himself from crashing. Despite this, he winced angrily as he stood back up, and it was clear his wings had been injured by the attack.
"Use Flamethrower again, Charizard!" Ash said, but Brock countered with, "Steelix, Dig!"
With surprising speed, Steelix burrowed into the battlefield and avoided Charizard's attack.
"Charizard, brace yourself!" Ash shouted.
Charizard widened his stance and lowered his center of gravity, flaring his wings out wide.
Serena could see Braixen clenching her fists in anticipation, and it was only then that she realized she was doing the same thing.
"Now, Steelix!" Brock yelled, and Steelix erupted from the ground beneath Charizard, ramming him up into the air, and Serena feared that the attack would knock him out.
Ash seemed to have been waiting for this, however. "Charizard, use Overheat right into Steelix's face!"
Charizard took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and did exactly what Ash had asked him to do. For the third time, the entire Gym was shrouded in a cloud of dust.
("Did he get him?") Pancham asked.
("It was point-blank, of course he got him!") Braixen said impatiently, not looking away from the battlefield even for a second.
Serena smiled at Braixen's reaction. She only got so curt if she was worried, so despite her supposed indifference, she really was rooting for Ash.
When the dust cleared, Charizard and Steelix stood facing each other, both looking incredibly battered, but still sporting cocky grins — and then Steelix groaned and collapsed.
"Steelix is unable to battle! Charizard wins, which means the victory goes to the challenger!" Forrest shouted.
"Haha, yes! Fantastic work, Charizard!" Ash yelled.
("Great job!") Pikachu agreed.
Charizard flexed his muscles, but then he grimaced and sank to one knee.
("Yes! Ash wins, alright!") Pancham shouted.
("Well done, all of you,") Sylveon said happily.
("Good fight,") Braixen grudgingly admitted. ("But far too reckless!") she couldn't resist adding.
"Return, Charizard, and enjoy your rest," Ash said as he recalled Charizard.
Ash and Brock — who had recalled Steelix as well — walked to the center of the battered and broken battlefield and shook hands.
"Well done, Ash, congratulations," Brock said. "You still have a risky fighting style, and you should be careful about that when you're fighting Gym Leaders who aren't out of practice, but you've clearly learned a lot on your travels, and your clear victory here proves that." He grinned. "Do you want a second Boulder Badge, or will the first one suffice?"
Ash grinned back and said, "Actually, I'd like a second one. If I'm going to challenge all the Gyms again, I really want to do it properly."
He looked at Forrest and said, "Unless you think it doesn't count because it wasn't against you?"
Forrest shook his head. "No, this victory is entirely real and deserving of the badge," he said. "My brother might not battle as much as he used to anymore, but he's still strong enough and a recognized Gym Leader, so as far as I'm concerned, the Boulder Badge is yours. Brock, do you want to hand it over?"
Brock nodded and looked at Ash with a smile. "I figured you'd want a second badge, so I have one with me right here."
He pulled the badge from his pocket and handed it over to Ash.
"So here you go, as a token of your first victory on your new journey. It feels good to finally give this to you for real."
Ash gratefully accepted the badge and said, "It also feels good to win it for real."
He looked at Serena and her Pokémon in the stands, held up his badge, and shouted, "Yes! I've won the Boulder Badge!"
("Alright!") Pikachu added, jumping up into the air looking just as excited as Ash himself.
"Congratulations, Ash," Serena said with a smile. "That was a really good battle. A couple of times I thought you were in trouble, but you had it under control. You fought really well, too, Pikachu," she added, and Pikachu grinned at her.
("Thanks!") he said.
"So, Ash, what's your next stop? Cerulean City, I think?" Brock asked.
Ash nodded. "Yeah. That's where Serena's next Exposition is as well."
Brock nodded. "I see. Well, I wish you good luck then, Ash, because unlike me, Misty has been training hard this entire time, and she won't let an opportunity to battle you go to waste. You'd better make sure you're ready before you fight her," he said.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ash said confidently. "I'm looking forward to battling her again."
Brock now turned to Serena and said, "And for you, good luck in your Exposition. Your Pokémon looked very well groomed and trained, from what I saw, so if you can work out the kinks, I'm sure you'll be racking up medals in no time."
Before Serena could thank Brock, Forrest said, "That's right. The control your Pokémon have over their moves is really fantastic. It's honestly some of the best I've seen. If you go into the Showoff Round with a solid plan and a good understanding of your opponent's strengths and weaknesses, you'll get great results, I know it. But just because it's not a battle as such doesn't mean you shouldn't treat it as one."
Serena nodded. "Right. Thank you, Brock, Forrest. We'll train hard for the Cerulean Exposition, and this time we're going to win it," she said.
"That's great!" Ash said. "If you want, I can help you prepare for the Showoff Round. I guess you can say that I've got a couple of showoffs on my team, anyway," he added sheepishly.
("You can say that again…") Braixen muttered.
Serena giggled, thinking of the things she'd already seen from Hawlucha, Sceptile, and Charizard. "That would be great, Ash, thank you," she said quietly.
For a moment, no one spoke, and then Ash said, "Alright, then. Let's go back to the Pokémon Center and rest up, and then we can head out tomorrow. Brock, Forrest, it was great to see you guys again."
"Likewise, Ash. Let's stay in touch every now and then. I work in the Pewter City Pokémon Center a lot, so you can just call me there," Brock said.
Ash nodded. "I will. See you later!"
And with that, Serena and Ash left the Pewter City Gym, and although Serena was still disappointed about her loss, seeing Ash's battle had also reinvigorated her own desire to train, and she knew it had done the same for her Pokémon.
I will reach the Grand Expo, she thought to herself, just wait and see!
"Very interesting… Where did you find these notes?" Giovanni asked, leafing through a thick binder with all kinds of calculations and diagrams.
"They were in one of the boxes from the old Viridian City Gym, sir," the Rocket grunt — Giovanni didn't bother to learn the name of every insignificant member of his organization — said.
Giovanni nodded slowly. He clearly recognized some of the comments scrawled into the margins of the binder as his own handwriting, but he had no memory at all of ever writing them. But to have utterly forgotten such enticing information…no, that would never have happened naturally. Still, the hows and whys weren't important for now. The information in this binder, and the similar ones recovered from the same place, would no doubt be of great interest going forward.
Giovanni looked up at the grunt. "Bring me the other binders as well."
"Yes, sir," the grunt said, before saluting and walking away.
Giovanni smiled. These notes were a very lucky break. He foresaw great success in his future…
And so Ash clears his first hurdle, finally winning the Boulder Badge the right way. Writing the battle was a bit harder than I thought, because at some points I had to translate the effect of a move in the game to what it does in the anime, and that's always a bit of guesswork. Still, I think I did a pretty decent job in recreating the sort of fight the anime might have shown. Let me know what you think, and see you in the next one!