Here's the next chapter. If you like to recommend any Pokemon to join Charles' team please leave a review. All of Charles' Pokemon and their names can be found on my profile.

Keyblademaster 21177 - Thanks for telling me, I actually didn't know. I have planned for Charles to have all the eevee types as the story progresses.

("Pokespeech")

Chapter 7: The Boulder Badge

Outside Pewter City

The gang had arrived at Pewter City, a city famous for its fossil museum, the rock type gym and... more rocks. They managed to arrive much earlier than they were expecting due to them running after Hurricane. They only managed to catch the energetic Pokemon when he slowed down to evolved into a metapod.

Charles had no idea when he evolved, but as long he stopped movie goer for a couple of seconds it was fine with him. However, Hurricane didn't let a little thing, like being encased in a shell, slow him down.

Hurricane was jumping happily around a slumped over Charles and Flo.

"We've finally made it," Flo sighed, exhausted from the chase.

They both looked at the metapod.

"How does he move so fast? He doesn't have any legs," she asked rhetorically.

"Let's just get to the Centre," Charles said equally as tired.

("What about training?") Benny asked from Charles shoulder.

"Tomorrow. I don't think we can keep up with Hurricane anymore today," Charles replied looking at the energetic metapod, who was now doing somersaults.

("Yeah.") Benny agreed.

Charles put Hurricane back in his pokeball and the two humans stumbled on to their feet.

"Uggh Charles can you carry me?" Flo begged as they stumbled towards Pewter City.

"If I carry you and Benny I will collapse," Charles replied, making Flo groan again.

("Dearie dearie me,") Benny said with concern.

Pewter City Park

Benny, Pyro, Mystic (in a nearby stream), Boa and Hurricane were lined up military style while Charles paced in front of them.

"Alright troops," Charles addressed them, "today we are focusing on strengthening our battling skills," he ordered like a general.

"Some of you will be learning new moves..." he looked at Boa and Pyro.

"Some of you are perfecting your moves..." he looked at Mystic and Benny.

"While some of you...," he looked at Hurricane who was sniffing a nearby flower and not paying attention.

Charles just sighed.

Flo, who was nearby, picked up the metapod and put him back in line.

Charles continued.

"Tomorrow we will be having our very first gym battle against the rock type gym leader. In order to earn our first badge we would need to win a two on two battle. Now, I had already promised Benny that he was going to fight in this one which means I will be needing one more Pokemon to fight. I will decide who will fight based on how well you do today. Is that clear?" Charles explained.

("Aye!") they all shouted in agreement.

"I can't hear you."

("AYE!") they all shouted louder this time.

Charles told them what they all going to do and the Pokemon got to work.

Boa was learning Haze and was told that when she achieves it she had to learn how to move stealthily within the fog.

Benny was practising his listening skills by trying to find Boa in the Haze.

Pyro was using a nearby rock to learn Fire Fang.

Mystic was practising her mobility in water and attacks by jumping through hoops and shooting Water Guns at targets that Charles had put up earlier.

Hurricane... Charles just told him to keep on exercising until he evolves into a butterfree.

("Best order EVER!") Hurricane shouted when Charles told him what to do. He then proceeded to do somersaults for some reason.

Thirty minutes later and the Charles' team were busy with their training.

Boa had mastered Haze and was now moving stealthily around, trying to avoid Benny's detection.

Pyro teeth had started to catch fire meaning he has made progress in learning Fire Fang, however he still needed to learn how to maintain it.

However, Mystic seemed to be struggling. She was able to move through the hoops, but her Water Gun was not powerful enough to hit the targets. After her fortieth try she sunk into the water in depression.

Charles noticed this and walked over to upset magikarp.

"Mystic, what's wrong?" he asked kindly.

("Oh nothing. Just that I'm useless and I'll never get better and I'm a disappointment to the team,") she admittedly sighed.

Charles sat on the bank of the stream and stroked her golden scales gently.

"That's not true and you know it. The idea of training is so you can get better. You're not going to get stronger over night," Charles comforted.

("Hurricane did,") she retorted, ("and he's only been with us for a day.")

"Mystic, let me make this absolutely clear. Hurricane is and will always be an exception," he said with a deadpan expression. Not bothering to look back at the panicked cries of Flo trying to get Hurricane down from a tree.

("Bad example,") Mystic admitted with a sweat drop, ("but what about Boa?") she said sadly.

"Mystic don't compare yourself to the rest of the team. You need to focus on your own skills. I bet you are much stronger than any other magikarp in the entire region. And if not, it doesn't matter. All I expect from you is that you do your best and you enjoy being part of the team," Charles calmly told her comfortingly.

Mystic looked up at Charles in awe. Nobody, human or Pokemon, had ever cared about her as much as Charles. She was truly lucky to travel with him.

("Okay,") she said with a determined smile.

"That's my girl," he warmly said patting her head.

"CHARLES I NEED SOME HELP HERE!" Flo shouted from the tree Hurricane was jumping out from.

Charles sighed and ran towards Flo.

He looked up at the metapod, who was somehow clutching a bundle of leaves.

"Hurricane get down here before you hurt yourself," Charles called up with a sigh.

("But I need to practice how to fly so I can't ahead of the other butterfree,") metapod whined.

"That's not how that works," Charles muttered.

(Okay I'm going to jump now,") Hurricane announced. Causing Charles' eyes to widen.

"Wait what!?" he exclaimed.

("3...")

"What's he doing," Flo asked.

("2...")

"He's going to jump!" Charles cried out in panic.

("1...")

"No, no, no, no!" Charles and Flo begged from below.

("No-,") before Hurricane could finish his shell broke open revealing a glowing light.

Out of the shell came a pair of wings. They were dazzling and they shone brightly when the light passed through them. What was unusual was that instead of the black and white wings a butterfree would normally have it had red and yellow streaks from the body to the tips. After the wings came Hurricane new body. It consisted of a purple abdomen and head, red eyes and blue arms and feet.

The team stared in awe at Hurricane's new form as the butterfree was inspecting himself.

("This is so... AWESOME!") he cheered flapping his new wings. He managed to get enough momentum to take off and in no time he was swooping and racing around the area.

"WOOHOO! LOOK AT ME! I'M AMAZING, WHOOSH!" Hurricane shouted in glee.

("Well done, Hurricane,") Mystic congratulated, no longer depressed and happy for the bug Pokemon.

("I'm glad he's managed to do it,") Benny admitted, watching the butterfree do loops in the sky.

("Have you seen his wings they're amazing,") Pyro said in awe.

("I know, there almost as beautiful as moi,") Boa commented making the other Pokemon glare at her.

"He finally did it. He's so beautiful. I never seen a butterfree like that," Charles said with a proud smile.

"Must be a genetic mutation," Flo suggested, "But he doesn't seem to mind."

The gang watched the energetic butterfree perform tricks in silence.

"Charles," Flo said not looking away from the butterfree.

"Yes," Charles replied.

"You do know the most wildest, unpredictable Pokemon on our team can now fly," Flo said with slight horror.

...

...

...

"Oh no," Charles quietly said in realisation.

"We might need to invest in a very long net," Flo suggested.

Pewter City Gym

The next day

Charles, Flo, and Benny stood outside the rock themed gym. They were looking up at the stone sign above the door which, engraved in the top left corner, read 'Pewter City Gym'.

"Why is the name of the gym in the corner?" Flo asked curiously, "I mean it has all that room and they engraved it there."

"I don't know. Maybe they spent so much money on the sign that they couldn't afford a larger engraving," Charles proposed, although he had to admit; it looked kind of weird.

"Anyway let's go," Charles said cheerily walking towards the door and knocking on the metal door.

Nothing happened for a while until the metals door slid open revealing a dark corridor.

("I guess that means entrez-vous,") Benny suggested from Charles shoulder.

They walked down the dark corridor until they entered the gym's battlefield. The field was made of stone with rock pillars dotted around. On either side of the field were spectator stands, presumably for anyone who wanted to watch. In the far end of the battlefield sat on a stone seat was the gym leader.

He looked to be in his late forties with dark spiky hair, tanned skin and closed eyes. He stared down at them as they entered.

"State your name, challenger," the man ordered coldly from his seat.

Charles, with Benny on his shoulder, walked up to the field.

"My name is Charles Roberts and this my partner Benny," Charles replied, "we would like to battle you for a badge."

The man hummed, "Is this your first gym battle?" he asked sternly.

"It is, but I am familiar with the rules," Charles told the gym leader confidently.

"You are, are you?" the gym leader chuckled menacingly, "don't assume your prior knowledge will help you in this battle. I am Flint Harrison, the rock type gym leader. Like rock I am strong against my foes, like stone I am cold and do not give pity, like-,"

"DAD, TIMMY BROKE MY ONIX ACTION FIGURE!" wailed a young girl with similar features to her father as she ran into the battlefield.

"DID NOT! SUZIE IS LYING!" yelled a boy running in after her girl.

"DID TO!" the girl shouted back.

"DID NOT!" the boy retorted loudly.

As the young children were fighting at the entrance of the battlefield, Flint lowered his head with a tired sigh, downtrodden that his intimidating act was ruined.

Flint got off his seat and tried to settle down his children.

"DAD, I RIPPED MY DRESS AGAIN!" another child ran into the field.

"DAD!" another child ran in.

"DAD!" and another.

"DAD!" another.

"DAD!" an- (A.N: you get the idea)

Flint was now swamped by nine children, four girls and five boys, of varying heights and ages trying to get his attention.

Charles, Flo and Benny looked on with large sweat drops.

Sensing that it would be a while to settle them down, Charles decided to step in... by throwing Benny under the bus.

"Hey kids," Charles called out getting their attention.

He picked up Benny from his shoulder and presented him to the children.

"Isn't this ball of fur the sweetest, most adorable thing ever," he announced.

The children stopped screaming at their dad for a moment, before turning their attention to a terrified Benny. The children grabbed him and cooed over him and smothered him with tight hugs.

Benny gave a betrayed look to his brother, while Charles just mouthed 'sorry' at him.

Now that they were distracted, Flint gave an embarrassed coughed and got back to his seat.

"Let's start the battle. Bring out your first Pokemon," he said, but not as dramatically as before.

(Battle Start)

Charles lowered his goggles over his eyes and got into his battle mode. He took a pokeball from his belt and opened it up to reveal Boa.

("Tis I, your beautiful queen,") Boa declared boastfully, making Charles roll his eyes.

"A poison type," Flint said gruffly, "you know poison types have hardly any effect on rock types."

"I know," Charles replied monotonously.

Flint raised his eyebrow slightly before taking a pokeball out of his pocket and revealed his golem, a Pokemon shaped like a boulder but with its arms, legs and head ticking out.

("I'm ready to battle,") the golem declared calmly, staring at his opponent.

Charles got his pokedex out and scanned the Pokemon.

Golem: Its boulder-like body is extremely hard. It can easily withstand dynamite blasts without damage.

"What is that guy doing?" asked Forrest, the eldest child. The children, a disgruntled Benny and Flo had moved to the spectator stand to watch the fight.

"He's going to lose using a Pokemon like that," the boy continued.

Flo giggled, which got the children's' attention.

"Don't be too sure. Pokemon battles are more than type advantage. I'm sure Charles has some tricks up his sleeve," she explained calmly.

("Flo...please...help,") Benny gasped out from the arms of one of the younger children.

"Alright, let's start with Leer," Charles ordered calmly.

Boa used Leer at the Golem making it flinch.

("Yes, fear your queen,") Boa said with a smirk.

'We really need to work on her attitude,' Charles thought tiredly.

"Golem use Tackle," Flint instructed. Golem shook of the Leer and charged towards Boa.

"Wait till it gets close, Boa," Charles said. Boa gave a hiss in understanding.

The golem was only a couple of feet in front of Boa when Charles called out.

"Use Haze," he ordered and Boa released a thick fog from her mouth.

The Haze made golem go into a coughing fit and stopped him in his tracks. Haze is an ice move and effective against rock types like golem.

Flint grunted in frustration, unable to see the ekans anymore. Golem also tried finding her, but she disappear without a trace.

"Now Boa," Charles cried out through the mist. Golem felt something wrap around him and lift him in the air.

(A.N: Hello everyone. When I wrote this chapter I was unaware how small ekans were actually were. I thought they were much longer until I realised my mistake. It has been just under a year since I wrote this chapter and it is, of course, very embarrassing for me. I don't think I will correct it so let's just imagine that Boa is an unusually long ekans and call it a day. Thanks.)

"And throw it at one of the stone pillars," Charles continued.

The golem felt the thing swing him around before releasing him. He crashed into one of the stone pillars hard.

Flint grunted in surprise as the Haze lifted to reveal his golem slightly injured and the ekans still looking alright. He wasn't expecting the ekans to be so strong.

Charles was surprised by Boa's strength himself.

'I guess she's isn't all talk and no bite,' Charles thought with a little pride.

("Yet again, your fabulous queen has bested you,") she declared proudly.

'Then again,' Charles thought dryly.

Golem had got back onto his feet and turned towards its enemy.

"Golem use Roll Out," Flint ordered. The golem tucked its head and limbs into his body and rolled rapidly towards Boa.

"Boa get behind those rocks," Charles ordered urgently. Boa complied, but golem was able to smash through the rocks sending Boa flying back.

"Now use Rock Throw," Flint ordered. Golem picked up pieces of rock and threw them at Boa. She was able to dodge them, but she was surprised by the golem's next move.

'It looks like he's going to use Take Down,' Charles thought with concern.

The golem has almost reached Boa, when Charles ordered at the last moment.

"Use Haze again."

Once again Haze strewed out of the ekans mouth hitting the golem head on.

"Not again," Flint grunted trying to see through the Haze.

""Boa use Wrap again," Charles instructed and Boa was able to hold onto the confused golem and lift him off the ground, but she was starting struggle a bit.

"Not this time," Flint said determinedly.

"Golem use Self Destruct," Flint instructed, making Charles frown.

"Boa get out of th-," but Charles was too late.

The golem Self Destructed and Boa was caught in the explosion. The Haze lifted and Charles and Flint saw their two Pokemon have been knocked out.

("Oww,") Boa groaned.

"The gym leader and the challenger's Pokemon have been knocked out," Flint said.

Charles and Flint returned their Pokemon.

"Excellent work, Boa. I'm sorry about the end," Charles said to Boa's pokeball.

"Now, bring out your second Pokemon." Flint instructed as he pulled out another pokeball.

Charles looked towards the spectator stand where Flo, Benny and the children were sat.

"Benny, it's time," Charles called out.

Benny had managed to escape the young children's steel grip and leaped toward where Charles was.

("After this battle, I'm going to electrocute you,") Benny said angrily, still upset about Charles throwing him at the children.

"Don't be like that," Charles reassured, "I promise to give you extra food."

Benny glared, before giving Charles a small smile.

("I hold you to it,") Benny said as Charles petted his head.

"You are going to use a pikachu?" Flint asked in confusion.

"Yes I am," Charles declared boldly as Benny took his stance at the field.

Flint stared at him before shrugging. The gym leader opened his pokeball to reveal a giant snake-like Pokemon comprised of boulders. It had a large rock horn on the top of its head. Charles recognised it as an onix. He scanned it which pokedex.

Onix: As it grows, the stone portions of its body harden to become similar to a diamond, but coloured black.

"Dad is totally going to win this," Forrest said smugly as he looked at the field.

Flo giggled again and the young boy turned towards her sharply.

"Oh please, are you going to say he's got tricks up his sleeve with this one?" the boy asked mockingly.

Flo turned to him and smile gently.

"Oh no. It's just that Charles and Benny have been together before Benny had even hatched. They are in sync with each other. Also, Benny has hold a grudge against rock/ground types from an incident when they were young. They have been training ever since," Flo explained cryptically.

"Alright Benny. You know what to do," Charles said.

("You got it,") Benny agreed. He walked calmly up to the growling onix and looked up at it.

("What are you looking at rodent?") the onix asked gruffly.

("Thunder Shock,") Benny called out, shooting an electric bolt at the onix.

This, of course, did nothing.

"Really," Flint deadpan. He had met a lot of newbie trainers who think that could take on his gym, but none of them had ever used a electric move on a rock type. Guess he had teach this kid a lesson.

"Onix, use Smack Down," Flint ordered.

The onix raised its stone tail and sent it down towards Benny. However, the pickacu didn't attempt to move. He just stared up at the incoming tail.

("Sorry rodent,") the onix apologised as he slammed his tail on Benny.

The children gasped thinking that Benny was crushed and Flint was surprised that he didn't move away.

The onix lifted its tail to see the damage, but was shocked to see not a flattened Pokemon, but a hole.

("What!?") the onix called out trying to find the pikachu.

Flint was also looking around until he heard a noise. The onix and Flint turned towards the noise to see Benny on a rock pillar right to the side of onix.

("Huh!") he cried in confusion.

("Rain Dance!") Benny cried out doing an energetic jig.

Suddenly, dark clouds appeared over the onix and it started to rain on the rock Pokemon.

The onix cried out in pain. Since water moves were effective against rock types, the onix was taking damage.

"What! Pikachu know how to do Rain Dance!" the eldest Harrison cried in shock.

Flo nodded, "Yep, it took a lot of work, but they managed," Flo confirmed.

"Alright Benny. Give it all you've got," Charles instructed with a smirk.

"What!?" Flint cried out in shock.

("Thunder Wave!") Benny shouted shooting an electric current. Now that the onix is soaked, the electric attack is much more effective. The onix cried out in pain is electricity shot up and down its body.

("Onix!") Flint shouted.

"Finish the onix off," Charles instructed.

Benny jumped onto the paralysed onix and ran towards its head. His tail glowed silver as he approached the onix's horn.

("Iron Tail,") Benny cried as he hit the horn with his tail. The onix cried in pain as Benny hit him.

It came too much for the onix and he fainted. Benny jumped of his head with a somersault and walked back towards Charles.

Flint recovered from his shock. Nobody has defeated his onix so easily, especially an electric type.

"Onix... has fainted. The winner is the challenger," he declared causing Charles, Flo and Benny to cheer.

(End Battle)

Ten minutes later, once everything has cleaned up, Flint awarded Charles with the Boulder Badge.

Charles, Flo and Benny, on Charle's shoulder, stoof infront of Flint who handed him a grey rock-like badge.

"Well done, Charles. You deserve this badge. I've got to say, I've never seen anybody battle like you before," Flint complimented. He dropped the stone faced act as soon as the battle ended.

"Thanks, Flint. Benny and I have been working together for a very long time," Charles replied cheerily admiring the badge Flint gave him.

"However, I have to ask," Flint said, "why did you use Pokemon with a type disadvantage?"

Charles chuckled, "Well mainly for training. The bigger the type advantage; the harder my team have to work to win. It's also training for me. I must learn how to adapt to any situation my challenger has against me. If we can defeat our opponents against all odds, we can defeat anyone," he explained with a bright smile.

"I guess that makes sense," Flint admitted, with a small laugh.

"Although, I'm quite surprised," Flo piped up, "I thought Brock was the gym leader," she asked the older man.

"How do you know that?" Charles asked curiously.

"He's notorious among the Joy family," she replied angrily through gritted teeth.

("What does that mean?") Benny asked, seeing Flo's change in attitude.

"It's a long story," Flint replied, rubbing the back of his head, "he decided to travel with some friends to become a Pokemon Breeder. Meanwhile, I've been running the gym and tending to my...lovely...family," he explained sheepishly.

"Speaking of which are you busy?" he asked desperately, leaning towards the group.

"Err well we were planning on leaving tom-," Flo started to say.

"GREAT!" Flint shouted surprising them, "Do you mind watching the kids for tonight. I haven't got much sleep since I've started running the gym. You only need to feed them, play with for a little while, put them to bed, read them all a bedtime story... you know what there's a list in the kitchen. Oh and you may need to pick up some groceries. Is that okay," Flint listed off, making Charles, Flo and Benny looked on with horror.

"Err, well we actually ne-," But before Charles could finish his sentence, Flint was on the floor sleeping peacefully.

They heard a commotion behind them and turned around to see the children were fighting again.

"We should of left when he had the chance," Flo said with a sigh.

"Yep."

("Yeah.")

Hope you enjoyed the latest instalment. Charles had finally won a his first badge and apparently pikachu can learn Rain Dance. Unless I read the website wrong, which is, admittedly, plausible. I'm so happy with how many people have liked this story, thank you all.

Next time are heroes will travel to Mt Moon to help a clefairy in peril. See you next time.

Edit: Somebody had pointed out why the golem was defeated so easily, despite it being a gym leader's Pokemon. I reckoned that since Flint had been absent from the gym and selling rocks for so long that his Pokemon have been out of practise. I probably should of mentioned this in the story. Sorry for the confusion.