A/N: Chapter has been re-edited and uploaded as of 10/11/2024
Earthshaker
Viridian City was very different from Pallet Town and much larger. Back Home, Ash could go from the shore to the entrance of the town in under two hours. However here in Viridian, he had left the Pokémon Center four hours ago and he still hadn't reached the city limit. Growlithe was walking beside him and he noticed that his friend was walking slowly and methodologically even though Nurse Joy healed him, his friend had stiff muscles.
Growlithe loved walking with Ash. The Poké Ball was great to rest but it felt strange being suspended there - basically sleeping, since there wasn't anything to do. He was impressed with his trainer, in the short time that they had been together he had shown him how much power there was inside him and that by working hard he could become a strong Arcanine like his mother and sire, perhaps even stronger. He also was moved that during their fight with the different Pokémon his trainer always made sure he was safe or helped him get stronger. He winced remembering how much getting hit by the Nidoking's tail hurt. He was in so much pain that if Ash hadn't called out to him to use Morning Sun, he didn't know what shape he would have been in. That's why he would follow Ash from the bottom of his heart to the very corners of the earth.
As they walked and looked at the different buildings, Ash spoke to Growlithe about his dream of becoming a Pokémon master and becoming a respected strong trainer like his parents and the professor. He told him about Gary and how their friendship/rivalry was something he cherished even if sometimes it drove him mad how Gary acted. But deep down he knew that he and the other boy from Pallet Town shared so many similarities that it was only natural they would clash from time to time. Of course, just because Ash understood didn't mean that he didn't want to punch Gary's teeth out. He wondered where Gary was now and how far ahead he was, he needed to step up the pace since the league was only eight and half months away.
When he ran out of things to talk to Growlithe about, he thought about ways to beat Brock and realized he needed to come up with some strategies. The powered up Ember was a good start but sadly, Growlithe was still a fire type and weak to rock types. Even if rock types had weak special defense, it was stupid to think that he could beat Brock with only one Pokémon . But unless he found a reliable companion, he wasn't going to capture a Pokémon for the sake of capturing it. He had studied Growlithe's move pool while they walked and the only move that would be a great asset against rock type would be Iron Tail, a steel type move that coated the Pokémon 's tail with steel energy pulled from the earth around turning it hard as iron.
Ash knew that was the next move he needed to work with his partner, along with perfecting their Ember combo, and he still needed to see how Growlithe's Bite was. The pokedex gave a few hints how to start training for Iron Tail - which consisted in increasing the strength of the Pokémon 's tail with weights - but it also gave warning that too much weight would damage the muscles in the tail. He needed to find a way to find the perfect weight for his friend.
Looking up from the pokedex he saw that he was nearing the city limits and the police station at the end of the city. Viridian had four major stations guarding the borders of the city since it was the closest city to the Victory Road Cave that led to the Indigo Plateau. As he neared he saw that Officer Jenny was putting up a poster on the bulletin board by the police station that served to give passing trainers the latest news. As soon as she saw him, she smiled.
"Well Ash, I'm glad Growlithe is doing better. I got a call from my sister and she already picked up this little guy's sister and took her back to Saffron to train."
He smiled; when he'd his breakdown in the center, he forgot that he'd also told her that his Growlithe was a gift from Professor Oak and the son of her grandmother's Arcanine.
"I'm glad to hear that." He noticed she had put a poster with Champion Lance message and new law from this morning.
She noticed his gaze and gave him a small smile. "A trainer's journey is a hard one. Although I think Champion Lance bit off more than he can chew on this one. He might forbid trainers under fifteen from getting their license next year but what will he do with trainers from other regions? Orre's age requirement is twelve while Hoenn's and Unova's are thirteen, Sinnoh's is fourteen and Kalos' is fifteen. But then again, he is the champion."
She must have noticed she was rambling because she shook her head. "So you're heading to Pewter City through Viridian Forest?"
While Ash nodded, Growlithe sat down next to him, perfectly still, watching his trainer. He was talking with a woman who smelled like his kin. He liked her just for that but he wouldn't embarrass his trainer by acting like a juvenile pup even though all he wanted to do was scratch an unbearable itch behind his ear.
Ash knelt down by Growlithe and gave him a scratch behind the ears that sent a wave of pleasure through the young Pokémon . If he didn't know better, he would think his trainer was a mind reader, but it felt so good he didn't care.
"Yeah, I want to head to Pewter City and challenge Brock. I know it's going to be hard with just Growlithe but the pokedex mention that he can learn Iron Tail. So we will work on that, the bug types in the forest should prove a good challenge for him to perfect the move."
Officer Jenny gave him a thoughtful look before heading inside the police station. She came out with a small blue band and five small metal plates.
"Your choice in attack is good. Iron Tail being a steel type would be super effective against all rock types. This is a training band my Clan developed for training our Growlithes to learn that move since we worked so close with them and well they are kind-of our signature Pokémon . You put the band around Growlithe tail and add the weights to increase his strength. By the time he is able to handle all five weights, he should be ready for Iron Tail, you can practice the same number of times a day as the plates it has, so if he has one then one, if two then two. The idea is for the pups to slowly build their power and get used to it."
She gave Growlithe a look before kneeling down in front of the puppy looking at him directly in the eyes. "Growlithe, would you allow me the honor to put this band around your tail to increase your strength and battle prowess?"
Ash looked at the serious officer, the words sounded almost like a ritual. Growlithe looked at the woman in front of him and he knew what she was asking and he slowly nodded, turning around presenting his tail to her. He wanted to get stronger for his trainer.
Officer Jenny smiled and put two metal plates into the corresponding slots on the band before wrapping it around Growlithe. Then she stood up along with Ash and looked at the Pokémon .
"Your Growlithe should be about half a year old, maybe a little more. At this point in time, their tails are strong enough to start with two plates. You should add one plate a week to give him time to get used to it. How does it feel Growlithe?"
Growlithe turned to face them and started to move his tail but he felt it was moving slower than he wanted due to the weight, so he closed his eyes circulating his energy around his tail and felt he could move it better and faster. The weight didn't bother him too much but he knew that he needed to constantly move his energy to move his tail. He opened his eyes and barked once to let them know he was okay.
Ash decided to ask her about the words she'd said as she handed him the rest of the metal plates.
"Growlithes are our partners and friends but they also take pride in accomplishing things by themselves so if we want to help improve it's always polite to ask for permission. It's a sign of respect."
He smiled and nodded to the officer. "Thanks Officer Jenny. You've helped us a lot and I'm really grateful."
She smiled. "No need to thank me, this Growlithe is part of our family and by extension so are you. Now, if you are heading to Viridian Forest I should warn you about the Bug Catchers."
Ash frowned, why would she warn him about Bug Catchers. He had heard from his dad and Gary's that Viridian Forest was crawling with young rookie trainers who spent all their time catching and training bug types because they evolve very fast and were easy to handle. Ash though since his journey started so late he would be able to avoid them. His dad said that those trainers were fools, that didn't know - or didn't want - to spend time training their Pokémon , so they went for the easy route of catching bug types.
"Why would you warn me about Bug Catchers Officer Jenny? Aren't they just rookie trainers like myself who only capture bug types?" Growlithe was also frowning; any bug that came near them he would roast them.
Officer Jenny rolled her eyes in frustration and annoyance. "If this were the past, yeah but with Azalea Town Gym leader Bugsby in Johto, Kalos Santalune City Gym Leader Viola and Sinnoh Elite Four Aron having a team of all bug types has sparked a fire in those Bug Catchers to the likes I haven't seen before. Also, it's the last weeks of spring and the beginning of summer so we are right in the middle of the bug Pokémon migration cycle. The forest is teeming with exotic bugs and trainers who want to reach the status of their idols so be careful. They're not all that powerful, but the sheer number of them is enough to give anyone a Snorlax size headache."
Ash knew those names, as they were powerful trainers. Heck, one of them was an Elite Four in a region as old as Kanto so he knew that underestimating them just because they had bug Pokémon who are generally thought to be weak was a mistake.
"Thanks Officer Jenny, I'll be careful but I'm confident that Growlithe and I can take care of a few bugs."
He was about to say his goodbyes when an all terrain truck stopped by them and a man in his late thirties to early forties came out, wearing a dark three piece suit. He had brown hair and dark eyes that held an air of power and confidence if not a little arrogance. Officer Jenny stiffened and gave a polite smile.
"Giovanny, I thought you were on your way to the Leaders Conference to discuss Champion Lance announcement."
Ash was stunned. Out of all the Gym Leaders in Kanto, Giovanny was the most ruthless and the most secretive. He had a standing rule that unless you had seven badges you shouldn't even knock on his door. For a period of five years, he didn't give out any badges and rumor was that he would only send out one Pokémon to deal with trainers who had a full team of six and that his Pokémon never received a scratch. It got to the point that Champion Lance came to Viridian and forced him, after a heated discussion of weeks, to give out one badge a year.
He gave her a polite smile and nodded. "I was on my way when Nurse Joy called, explaining...yelling, actually, that the wild Nidoking almost killed another trainer yesterday and that I should deal with it now or she would set her team on me and never give me a moment's peace."
Officer Jenny snorted. "That sounds like Joy, and she would do that. Actually, it was this young trainer who was almost killed. His name is Ash and was coming from Pallet Town when he encountered our local natural disaster."
Giovanni turned to look at Ash noticing him for the first time. Something flashed in his eyes but it vanished so quickly Ash thought he must have imagined it.
"You are very lucky to be alive, that Nidoking has been causing problems for a while now. After he killed that kid a while back I went out to capture him and send him to the League but he was always on the move and I couldn't find him. However..." He paused for a moment thinking over something.
He smiled at Ash. "Young man would mind so much coming with me to show me where you last saw the Nidoking? You don't need to be scared, you will be with me at all times and I would bring you back today so as to not interrupt your journey."
Ash thought about it, he wasn't stupid. This was Giovanni asking for his help, and he would get to see him in action not many people could say that. He might even see him use one of his main Pokémon . He looked at Growlithe, who was sitting perfectly still, and his partner gave him a slow nod. He then looked at the gym leader.
"I'd be more than happy to help you sir."
Officer Jenny didn't give voice to the thought that it was a bad idea that Ash should go again and face the Pokémon that almost killed him. But she also knew trainers needed to face challenges and overcome obstacles and it was obvious this was one of them. Besides, he was going to be with Giovanni so that put most of her fears to rest. Ash pulled Growlithe's Poké Ball and recalled his friend to let him get some rest after walking for so long.
"Thank you, Officer, I'll be taking this young trainer with me and will bring him back today. You can let Nurse Joy know I'm on the case. That should ease both her mind and mine." He walked back to his truck with Ash close behind and drove away.
Ash was rather nervous; Giovanni gave an imposing aura and honestly he didn't know what to talk about with the Gym Leader. Honestly, what could a rookie trainer say to someone with as many battles under his belt as Giovanni? Since he didn't want to embarrass himself, he pulled his Pokedex out and looked for the entries of the two Pokémon who almost cost him and Growlithe their lives.
[Onyx the rock snake Pokémon . Onyx has a magnet in its brain. The magnet acts as a compass so that this Pokémon does not lose direction while it is tunneling. As it grows older, its body becomes increasingly rounder and smoother. Onyx tunnel under the ground at over 50 miles per hour, which causes tremors and a terrifying roar that echo a long ways away. The massive, winding tunnels it leaves behind are used as homes by Diglett. Onyx loves to eat the large boulders it encounters while burrowing underground.]
[Nidoking the drill Pokémon . Nidoking's thick tail packs enormously destructive power. With one swing, it can topple a metal transmission tower. Once this Pokémon goes on a rampage, there is no stopping it. Nidoking uses its tail to smash, constrict, or break the bones of its prey and enemies. The tail can be swung to create distance between it and its foes before Nidoking charges. Its steel-like hide adds to its powerful, rampaging charges.]
Ash gave those entries some thought. He was really lucky to escape with his life and that those Pokémon weren't set out to kill him...well, that Nidoking was but he was lucky enough to have outrun it. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that they were about to leave Viridian City and that Giovanni was giving him an odd look.
"From what Nurse Joy told me, you were almost killed by an Onyx and that Nidoking, not to mention a horde of Raticates. Let me give you some free advice young man, a true trainer's mettle is tested on the battlefield and in that field, you can only rely on yourself and your team. Don't rely on that little red computer to win your battles like so many rookie trainers do. Treat it like training wheels, since you are new to this. You can be considered an adept trainer once you don't use that to check every Pokémon you meet. You would be surprised how many trainers lose their battles because they rely on that thing."
Ash looked up to Giovanni and noticed the dislike in his voice. And didn't know what to say. He tried to find something to say that wouldn't offend the older trainer but in the end, he just had to speak his mind.
"I'm just starting my journey and I know there's much for me to learn, that's why I will use every tool in my arsenal to get stronger and not let my Pokémon get hurt. By the way, the Nidoking was by the river yesterday so he should be around there." He said, looking at the gym leader.
Giovanni gave him a stern look and then looked at the road again. They were nearing the river where he'd met the Nidoking. He pushed a button on the steering wheel and the glove compartment opened, revealing six Poké Balls in a silver case that was similar in size and style to Ash's own pokedex. Giovanni opened the case, picked one of the Poké Balls, and threw it out the window, releasing a huge Pokémon Ash had never seen before.
Its skin was a dark blue almost purple color. He had a pair of huge black wings and a long scorpion-like tail. Its face had a sinister smirk with sharp fangs and slit yellow eyes. It flew next to the truck and gave Ash a look that made him feel like he was being sized up for a meal.
"Gliscor, take to the skies and see if you spot a herd of Nidorans that has a big Nidoking as its alpha."
Giovanni ordered, ignoring the hungry look his Pokémon was giving Ash.
Gliscor flew higher and began to search the area. Ash wanted to know what kind of Pokémon it was but after Giovanni expressed his disdain for a trainer using the pokedex, he refrained from doing so. He knew Giovanni specialized in ground type Pokémon . The league was clear that every gym leader needed to report what type of Pokémon they specialized in so that trainers could prepare. However, that didn't mean that one knew what Pokémon the Gym Leaders had, either on their personal team or the ones they used for gym battles. Those were kept secret as to give the challengers an extra...well challenge.
Giovanni saw the look in Ash's face and he gave him a small smirk. "He is a ground type if that is what you are wondering. Gliscor and his pre-evolve form Gligar are the only known Pokémon in the world who are both flying and ground type. He comes from the Sinnoh region. I got him as part of what I think is Lance's greatest and only idea. He proposed an exchange of Pokémon between the different gym leaders and elite four from every region. It was supposed to be a show of friendship between the different regions as well as a way to see how the Pokémon adapted to the new regions before doing a wide mass introduction but it really turned out into a bragging fest between us. Every gym leader and elite four got up to five new Pokémon that day."
Ash was surprised that Champion Lance went to that extreme to promote friendship between the different regions. He knew Kanto and the Kalos region in the north were on uneasy terms because of internal issues between them. This was why his dad and Gary's were in Kalos to promote better understanding and friendship between the two regions through Pokémon research.
"That sounds like a good idea. The champion is a smart man to think of ways to promote peace between the different regions."
Giovanni looked like he was about to refute Ash's statement but at that moment, Gliscor started flying in him was the Nidoran herd and in the middle of it was the large Nidoking surrounded by his sons and daughters. The earth leader pulled up near the herd and in plain sight of the Alpha.
"Stay behind me at all times." That was the only thing Giovanni said to him as they got down from the truck and looked at the Nidoking, who spotted them and was given a vicious growl. Giovanni recalled his Gliscor before he gave the Nidoking an appraising look. Ash stood next to the gym leader, not knowing what Giovanni was looking at.
"He is a fine specimen. Larger than most of his breed, look there Ash you can see signs that he was a trained Pokémon that was released. Probably was too vicious and hard to control or maybe it suffered from abuse. We only stepped out of the vehicle and his horn and spikes are already leaking with poison, the males are always more aggressive than the females but his reaction is almost murderous. With proper discipline he could become a force of nature."
Giovanni pulled out another Poké Ball from the silver case before returning the case to his breast pocket. He threw the red and white device and a Nidoking spawned from it. Giovanni's Nidoking wasn't as large as his wild counterpart and he looked older. His armor plates were covered with scars and some had missing pieces. Giovanni's Nidoking exuded power and regality, the massive Pokémon had a presence that made you look at it. The Pokémon turned towards its trainer and surprisingly Giovanni gave him an affectionate pat and scratched the poison Pokémon under its chin, which he seemed to like.
"Old friend, you have been with me for many years and you have earned your rest. I know you have been wanting to find a replacement. Look over there, what do you think?"
The Pokémon turned towards its wild counterpart and gave him the same appraising look its trainer had. Then he turned towards Giovanni and gave a low growl. Giovanni smiled.
"Yes he needs some work." Then grew serious. "Take him down."
The Pokémon nodded and walked over to the herd and roared his challenge. The wild Nidoking didn't wait much longer before charging forward with both his arms covered in purple light. Giovanni's Nidoking didn't move as the wild one got closer and closer. At the last second a blue light covered Giovanni's Nidoking's tail before it turned into a sharp water current that cover the whole tail and faster than the wild Nidoking could react or dodge, he was hit with a powerful Aqua Tail in the jaw, sending crashing back a few feet into a rock.
Ash pulled out Growlithe's Poké Ball and released him. The puppy looked around not knowing where they were before focusing on the two Nidokings fighting. He recognized the scent of the one who had almost killed him as he saw him get up from the pile of rubble rubbing his jaw. He gave a low growl before Ash knelt beside him, never taking his eyes off the fight.
"Growlithe I want you to look at this fight and learn what you can. Giovanni's Nidoking is a veteran fighter, anything you can learn will help us become stronger." Growlithe stopped growling and focused on the fight.
Giovanni looked at Ash as he stood up and something like respect flashed in his eyes. "Acknowledging your weaknesses and admitting what you lack is not something most trainers can do, either rookie and experienced trainer. From what I can see, your Growlithe is a strong specimen but he is young and lacks experience. Seeing the Nidokings fight and learning from it would benefit you both."
At that moment, the wild Nidoking recovered from getting hit and roared at Giovanni's Nidoking. A light blue beam charged at the tip of his horn before a cold beam launched itself at the older Nidoking. Ash looked at Giovanni, who had not given his Nidoking any orders. That showed how much trust and experience was shared between trainer and Pokémon . An orange light appeared in Nidoking's mouth before a huge flame flower sprouted from his mouth towards the wild one. When the Ice Beam and Fire Blast met a huge explosion shook the plains and a cloud of dust covered both Pokémon .
"Brute force is helpful in some situations, but you should never rely on it. Always think what your opponent is capable of doing and from there, you can prepare for anything. Nidoking and I have been together for decades. He was the second Pokémon I caught. However, lately he has been wanting to start his own herd but didn't want to leave me without a proper replacement. That's why he hasn't moved unless it's to counter attack - he is testing him to see if he is worthy. I think after that Nidoking is defeated, this herd could use a strong leader. Maybe mine will settle here."
Ash was listening to Giovanni without taking his eyes from the battle. He didn't know why the gym leader was telling him this but he appreciated every bit of knowledge he could get.
A roar came from within the cloud and the wild Nidoking was charging with his tail glowing with a bright gray light, Ash looked to Growlithe, who was watching the battle with such concentration he was barely breathing.
The wild Nidoking swung its powerful tail, hitting Giovanni's Pokémon on the side and making him take two steps back as the older Pokémon struck its tail on the ground to use as support. A smirk appeared in Nidoking's face; he was clearly enjoying testing his opponent. Giovanni's Nidoking turned towards the wild one, his arm shrouded in a light blue energy hitting the wild poison Pokémon in the jaw in the same place he was hit before, causing him to stagger back, dizzy. Giovanni pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it at the wild Nidoking, however the Pokémon wasn't as dazed as they thought. A fierce light shone in its eyes as the capturing device neared and he turned around and hit the ball with its tail sending it flying towards the herd, where it hit an unsuspecting female Nidoran in the back of the head before she was pulled inside. The metal sphere shook once, twice and a third time before it finally stopped signaling the capture was successful.
Giovanni frowned, clearly not happy that his first attempt was a failure. Seeing his daughter captured because of him sent the wild Nidoking into a rampage. His fangs were charged with flames while his arms and tail were shrouded in purple light. Ash was stunned at seeing the Pokémon use three attacks at the same time. The wild Nidoking charged at Giovanni and Ash. Ash didn't know who was more surprised, the wild Nidoking, or Giovanni, when Growlithe jumped in front of them. He launched a rain of charged fire bullets at the charging Pokémon at the same time another fire flower rushed at the Pokémon 's back. Growlithe Ember hit the Nidoking straight in the face, blinding him, while the Fire Blast hit him in the back, propelling him over Ash and Giovanni and crashing into the truck, turning it into scrap metal.
Ash winced at seeing the Pokémon crash into the vehicle, which must've hurt a lot. He didn't want to look at Giovanni's face right now. But the gym leader wasn't looking at his car but at Growlithe with a look of respect in his eyes. A sound of metal scraping against metal caught their attention as the wild Nidoking stood up from the wreckage, dark blood was dripping from several wounds and he had a nasty burn over his right eye where the Ember hit him. The Pokémon was panting and on his last breath but he wasn't about to give up.
Giovanni looked at his Nidoking and nodded. "Finish him." The gym leader had a triumphant look on his otherwise stern face.
The wild Nidoking was charging another Ice Beam but the battle had taken its toll on him and it was taking him a while to concentrate the energy. Meanwhile, Giovanni's Nidoking was charging a large water sphere and fired it at the tired wild Pokémon , hitting him in the chest before the latter one could fire his Ice Beam. The water sphere exploded upon contact, knocking the poison Pokémon backwards. This time when Giovanni threw his Poké Ball, the wild Nidoking didn't even move. After the customary three shakes that signaled a capture was successful, Giovanni walked over to the Poké Ball, picking it up and putting it in his pocket.
Ash turned towards Growlithe and knelt down scratching him behind the ears. "Hey boy that was great! Thanks for stepping in to help us."
The puppy gave him a pleased smile as he enjoyed the scratch his trainer was giving him. He knew that his Ember didn't hurt the Nidoking that much, but he was happy that he had help in protecting his trainer as well as the capture of the wild brute.
"You have a very loyal Pokémon there, young man. Cherish him well and he will become your most trusted companion." Giovanni walked towards Ash.
He looked at his Nidoking before setting his eyes on the herd. He walked over to the herd with his Nidoking, Ash and Growlithe behind him. The herd didn't move as they approached; they had just seen their alpha be taken down by the more powerful Nidoking so they knew he was stronger than any of them. Giovanni stopped and knelt picking up the first Poké Ball that had missed and captured the female Nidoran. Ash thought he was going to release her but he didn't. Instead, he turned towards his Nidoking.
"Old friend, you have chosen a worthy successor, strong and fearless. It will take some work but he will realize his full potential. I know you wanted to start your own herd but from the looks of it, this one needs a strong leader. What do you say?"
The Nidoking turned towards the herd who were looking at him with expectation, respect, and little fear. He then turned towards Giovanni and nodded. Giovanni turned towards his Pokémon and gave him a scratch in the chin and a hug which the Pokémon returned. Once they separated, he pulled Nidoking's Poké Ball and pressed it to the Pokémon 's forehead for ten seconds while the center of the ball flickered from white to red before finally turning white. The process was common when one wanted to release a Pokémon , it made sure the Poké Ball deleted the information and was reusable once more.
"Take care of them. I will come by every once in a while to visit." The Gym Leader said towards his former Pokémon .
The Nidoking nodded and went to his new herd. After a few seconds where the members walked hesitant towards him, they soon accepted him as their new alpha and he led them away from the humans. Giovanni then turned and looked at his truck before frowning.
"Well this presents a problem. Walking back to Viridian City will take hours from here."
He pulled out a small yellow and orange device that propped itself open and it showed a miniature screen, he pressed a couple of buttons before the face of Officer Jenny appeared.
"My dear Officer, the threat has been contained. However, during the capture, my truck was trashed. if you could please send someone to pick us up at these coordinates."
Before she could say anything, Giovanni hung up the call. Then turned to Ash. "You said you were from Pallet Town right? Are you going to participate in this year's Indigo League? Yet you have only one young Pokémon and no badges to speak off, you do know the season started months ago, right?"
Ash nodded. "It's always been my dream to become a powerful trainer. However, just when my journey was supposed to start, I got sick and couldn't start until just a short while ago. I know I'm against the clock but without pressure, I can't push myself to be the best I can be for this year's league."
Giovanni looked at him for a while before nodding. "Pressuring yourself and overcoming obstacles is what separates the weak from the strong. Yet I seem to recall that you were going to Pewter City when we met. Were you planning on using only your Growlithe against Brock?"
Ash thought about it before answering and decided to be honest. "I know Brock specializes in rock Pokémon and even though I don't know what Pokémon he uses for rookie trainers, I'm confident that Growlithe can master Iron Tail before reaching Pewter City. Of course it's stupid to battle with just him but the Pokémon from Viridian to Pewter are all bugs which are weak to rock, so my strategy is to use Growlithe speed and tactics to overcome him. If a good Pokémon comes across my path, I won't hesitate to capture it."
The gym leader nodded. "That's a sound analysis of your strengths and the situation you are in. And it could work except for two reasons. First, even though Brock is the youngest of us, he has more years of experience than you so relying on just one attack is reckless and stupid. The other problem is his Pokémon . Brock uses only two Pokémon for trainers with three badges or less. The first is a Geodude, which your Growlithe could overcome without an excessive amount of difficulty. However his next Pokémon is a specialty of his, an Onix. This one, with a fresh Growlithe, would be very difficult to beat. With a tired one, it would be next to impossible. It would be better if you passed his Gym and went against Erika in Celadon City where your fire type would have the type advantage."
Ash thought about what Giovanni said and it did make a lot of sense to pass Brock's Gym and go for one where he would have the advantage and along the way he could capture a grass or water Pokémon that could beat Brock. Not to mention that he already had a bad experience with an Onix and that was one of the last Pokémon he wanted to see. He shook his head and looked at the Gym Leader straight in the eye.
"That would be the easy way out, yes it would also be the smart thing to do. But if I took the easy way at the start then what kind of trainer would I be in the future? No, even if the world sets itself against me I would face it head on with my Pokémon ."
Giovanni looked surprised by the passion and determination in this young trainer's eyes. It reminded him of a certain someone he hadn't seen in years.
"A very passionate answer. Since no matter what you plan on heading into Pewter City, take this."
Ash frowned in confusion as Giovanni handed him the Poké Ball he was holding in his hand, the same one that had the female Nidoran.
"Why? You captured her. So that makes her yours." He tried to give the Poké Ball back but the gym leader refused.
"I already have a hard case that will take all my time to train and my team already has a Nidoqueen. The herd has moved on, if I release her she would be defenseless without the herd to protect her from the larger predators."
Giovanni looked at the Poké Ball in Ash's hand. "Nidorans are exceptional Pokémon . Both the female and males have their own unique characteristics. Their large ears can pick up sounds from miles away and contrary to popular belief, the females are more strong willed than the males. Since they are in charge of taking care of the herd, their hides are thicker than the males and their poison is more potent. The males are just more aggressive because it's their job to protect and provide for the herd. Use your pokedex and scan it."
The gym leader gave him a cryptic smile but Ash did what he said and pulled up his pokedex and scaned the Poké Ball. Growlithe was sitting by side with a curious look on his face.
[Nidoran the poison pin Pokémon . Nidoran has barbs that secrete a powerful poison. The barbs are thought to have developed as protection for this small-bodied Pokémon . When enraged, the Nidoran releases a horrible toxin from its horn. The poison secreted by the spines and horn is extremely potent, and even a scratch from its horn or a drop of poison from its barbs can be deadly. However, this docile Pokémon only uses its poison when it feels threatened
This Nidoran is female and knows the moves: Scratch, Growl, Double Kick and Poison Sting.
This Nidoran has the ability Poison Point.]
Giovanni nodded satisfied. "Now your chances against Brock are even higher, Double Kick is a fighting type move that is perfect for their species because of their powerful legs. Not to mention that fighting type are strong against rock types. A good trainer doesn't rely on just fire power. Your greatest strength is your mind and your trust in your Pokémon ."
He pointed to the Poké Ball in Ash's hand. "If you manage to gain her loyalty and make her a part of your team, you will have a long time protector and fierce fighting machine that can rival that Growlithe of yours. A final piece of advice is that while both Nidoqueen and Nidoking can learn a wide variety of moves, their greatest strength is their tough scales and physical power. Play to those, and you will have a strong Pokémon . And I hope to see you once you have beaten the other Gym Leaders."
Ash nodded and put Nidoran's Poké Ball away for the meantime. Right now, she would be irritated and angry at being captured. He would release her once they were in Viridian Forest and he could introduce himself properly. Growlithe looked at his trainer knowing they had acquired a new team mate. He wanted to meet her and see if she would like to travel with them. If she was anything like her sire, then when she fully evolved, she would be a great addition to their pack. He turned to look at his tail and he slowly moved it up and down, getting used to the weight hoping to become strong enough for their first battle.
He was getting used to circulating his energy around his body to move the now heavy tail. However, his control was not perfect and he felt his tail dragging him down as he jumped to save Ash. His trainer looked up to the road as blue and red lights made their way towards them.
Officer Jenny stepped out of the vehicle and took a look at the destroyed car and whistled. She looked around at the devastation caused by the battle that must have been a fierce one, as there were cracks in the grounds, ice covering some of the trees and total mayhem. She looked at the Gym Leader, who gave her a polite smile and the rookie trainer, who was looking at his Pokémon .
"Well it's a good thing Joy didn't come with me or she would have made your ears bleed for putting the child in danger."
Giovanni gave the officer a smirk. "It's a good thing however. This young man and his Pokémon handled themselves very well when the situation demanded it. Which reminds me, Ash, pull out your pokedex."
Ash frowned not knowing why the gym leader would want him to do this, after his tirade on how the red machine made trainers dependent on them, but he did it anyway. The gym leader pulled out the device he used earlier for calling Officer Jenny and aimed it at Ash's pokedex. His pokedex made a ringing sound and Ash opened it going to his bank account and saw two thousand Poké Dollars in it bringing the balance all the way up to twenty five hundred Poké Dollars. He gave the gym leader a confused look.
"That's a reward for service rendered. We gym leaders can give cash rewards to trainers for helping them do odd jobs such as this one." He then turned to Officer Jenny and smiled, "Let's go Officer. I think if I want to make the conference, I will have to trouble the league for an Alakazam to teleport me."
Ash was about to say thanks but the gym leader had already stepped into the car along with Officer Jenny. Ash turned towards Growlithe and smiled. "I'll put you back in your ball. Then, when we get to the forest, we'll meet our new friend."
Growlithe barked in agreement before Ash recalled him inside. Ash sat next to the gym leader who was quiet, looking at the path his former Pokémon had taken. Ash was thinking about his future battle, and how Nidoran will feel about being part of his team. He would just have to be honest and let her decide. He knew she would be a great asset to his team, but he didn't want to use force to make her loyal to him. He wanted what his parents had with their team - a true partnership where both sides were equals.
Hello guys Harlequin K here again . First of all I apologized for the error in the previous publication, had some technical difficulties that are now fixed.
Now I would like to give a special thanks to FelicityQueen my editor who made this chapter possible. I would like to thank all those who have read and like the story, you guys rock and Titans wouldn't be here without all of you guys. I would also like to thank all those who have reviewed the story and shared your opinions about it. You guys are amazing and keep it up.
To those message me privately with questions hope the answers satisfy you and if anyone has any questions or just want to chat feel free to drop by.
Hope you like this chapter and I will do my very best to have the next one ready before 2016 ends.
Well guys Harlequin K signing out remember to review the story and shared everything you think about it and any questions are welcome. Till next time