While gliding for another mile and a half for most of the day thanks to his bracelet, Brooklyn eventually saw the horizon of the forest close to Pewter City. At least he hoped it was that, smiling as he landed to catch his breath, and maybe keep an eye out for anymore useful Pokemon for him to catch.

"I wouldn't mind another actual useful water Pokemon, or a ground Pokemon." Brooklyn murmured while he spotted a nearby creek, going to fill his bottle for the last part of his trip.

While he filled his canteen, something squirted him in the face, knocking Brooklyn onto his butt again like what had happened with Magikarp. He spluttered, shaking his head. "What in the world?" Brooklyn gasped, eyes widening when seeing something in the creek.

It appeared to be a strange looking turtle like Pokemon, sounding like it was laughing. "Squirtle!" It called in a pranking way, waving its arms. Brooklyn frowned. "Very funny. You got me soak—hey!"

The Squirtle sent another water blast at him, some of it getting in Brooklyn's eyes, Brooklyn stepping backward away from it. Brooklyn spluttered further, pulling out his Pokedex to learn more about this Pokemon.

"Squirtle. The small turtle Pokemon. The Squirtle is born with a shell that hardens to a rock-hard consistency as it grows older. It also has the ability to retract its softer head and limbs into this shell in order to protect itself as it uses its array of bubble- and water-jet-based attacks." The Pokedex read, Brooklyn grumbling under his breath, still rather wet. "Well, I did say I wanted a more powerful water Pokemon for the gym battle. So, guess this one is my best bet. And it is a water type. Then that means… Charmander, I choose you!"

He tossed his Pokeball, Charmander racing towards the Squirtle, getting into its battle stance. Sensing the coming battle, the Squirtle retaliated, going into its own battle stance too. "Squirtle!" It growled, looking quite tough now. Brooklyn knew he really had to catch this one.

"Hold your ground, Charmander. Don't let a little water defeat ya!" Brooklyn commanded, Charmander nodding to him with a grin. Squirtle suddenly shot a water blast. Narrowing his eyes, Brooklyn knew what to do. "Charmander; flamethrower!"

Charmander's fire built up in his stomach, sending his fire blast at Squirtle's, managing to steam it up, knocking Squirtle off its feet, but the little guy was still wanting to battle even if he had no chance against a strong firetype like Charmander.

"Tackle attack, Charmander! We've weakened it!" Brooklyn shouted, Charmander charging full force, using its tail to knock Squirtle away, Squirtle crying out, collapsing looking a little winded. This was an opportunity to catch it.

Brooklyn took out his next Pokeball. "Pokeball, go!" He threw it with force, the ball hitting against the winded Squirtle, the red beam pulling it inside. The Pokeball wiggled for a while, Brooklyn feeling a bead of sweat coming down his face, hoping he caught a new Pokemon. Soon it stopped wiggling, and lay still with one last beep.

Picking it up, Brooklyn grinned in triumph. "Awesome! I now have Squirtle!" He cheered, raising the ball into the air, glad to have caught an actual tough water Pokemon before the big fight. Now he had over 5 Pokemon: Charmander, Spearow, Magikarp, Vulpix, and Squirtle. Brooklyn wondered if he will be able to handle so many others in the future while holding his new Squirtle.

….

After some time flying over the woods, Brooklyn could soon see the edge of the trees at last, a big smile on his beak, managing to land on one of the rocks overlooking Pewter City.

"Boy, Pewter City looks pretty cool though not as big as Viridan City," Brooklyn exclaimed to himself, happy to finally be out of the woods too until a voice came along.

"Hey, you, off my merchandise!" Brooklyn jumped into the air, eyes widening as he fell onto the ground, turning to see a strange bearded man wearing sunglasses who glared at him.

Brooklyn quickly got to his feet. "Uh, I'm sorry. But, uh, are these rocks really merch?" He asked.

The man nodded. "Yes, I make my living from selling rocks but from what I see of you, you're on your way to the Pewter Gym, am I right?"

Swallowing Brooklyn nodded. "Yeah. I'm a little nervous about facing my first battle but I know I can do it."

The man however didn't buy into his confidence. "Be careful when going in there. Brock is a formidable gym leader. You can't beat him."

That made the red gargoyle glare at the man, shaking his head. "I don't care. I have to get my first gym badge, tough gym leader or not! What kind of Pokémon does he have? You can at least tell me that."

Rubbing the back of his neck, the mysterious man reluctantly told him. "He mostly has rock Pokémon, which are pretty strong. I'll let you stay with me until the match tomorrow."

"Thanks, whoever you are," Brooklyn said, holding out his hand and the man shook it, leading the red gargoyle into his house where he offered Pokémon food to Brooklyn's Pokémon.

Brooklyn called a lot of them out, Charmander instantly going to eat his dinner. The man had allowed Magikarp to swim in a big tub he pulled out, Brooklyn sitting down, grateful to rest his feet, knowing he had to turn to stone soon. He turned on his bracelet, saying good night to his Pokémon as the man watched him turn to stone.

….

When Brooklyn came out of stone in the early morning, he saw his Pokémon still sleeping with each other even his new Squirtle which seemed to fit in with them fine. The man had seen him come out of his stone sleep, amazed that a creature could do this despite all the rock Pokémon he had seen. "That's rather impressive," He complimented, Brooklyn grinning back.

"We call it the concrete cure," Brooklyn said back, grateful for it to cure all of his walking and gliding aches, seeing the man going to set down some breakfast. But Brooklyn had some questions, including demands for a name. "Who are you, really?" He questioned, going into his meal, while the man looked rather downcast. "That is something I would much rather keep to myself, if you don't mind Brooklyn. But you should soon head on your way to the gym. And with your water Pokémon, you might stand a chance."

Brooklyn was disappointed at his answer but nodded his head after finishing his food, and calling back his Pokémon into their Pokeballs. Packing them up in his bag, Brooklyn soon went out the door after shaking his hand goodbye to his mysterious friend, heading on his way to the Pewter Gym which wasn't that far away.

After walking for quite a few minutes Brooklyn arrived at his first gym. His nerves began to rise once more, legs shaking. This wasn't just a random battle anymore, he was about to face up against an actual gym leader. He took a breath. This was for himself and his clan. He had to do this.

Calming down, Brooklyn pushed open the gym doors, seeing what looked like a rock based one, glancing around for where Brock could be. "Hello! I have come to fight for my Boulder Badge Brock!" He called out, heart thumping until he heard a male's voice.

"Well, well, a new challenger. And you don't even look human." The male voice replied back, and Brooklyn turned sharply across the gym floor to see Brock himself just sitting there. He was a dark skinned 15 year old but somehow had a rather deep tone in his voice, face looking quite serious and scruffy hair.

Brooklyn swished his tail. "Let me battle you Brock. I know I'm not a human but I need to do this!" He begged, Brock standing up and studying him over.

Brock stroked his chin, studying the gargoyle he learned about from Professor Oak in fascination. So this was the new trainer who can turn into stone. "Suppose it is right to be able to treat you like other trainers, Brooklyn right?"

The red gargoyle was stunned that Brock knew his name, but shrugged it off for now, pulling out his Charmander Pokémon first. "Let's just get this started!" He said gruffly, Brock walking over to his side of the gym floor, pulling out his own Pokémon.

"Very well then. Two Pokémon each and no time limits. Geodude, I choose you!" Brooklyn's eyes rounded when a new Pokémon came out. "Geodude!" The rocky looking fist Pokémon exclaimed roughly, Brook pulling out his Pokédex after the gym changed to be more rocky for the match.

"Geodude is a brownish-gray boulder Pokemon It has bulging, rocky eyebrows, trapezoidal eyes with brown pupils, and a wide mouth. Its arms are muscular with five-fingered hands. Geodude uses its arms to climb steadily up steep mountain paths."

Brooklyn furrowed his eyes. "Hm, another tough one huh? Then, Charmander, I choose you!" Charmander came out of his Pokeball.

Brock smiled. "Heh, figures you would choose a fire type. Those can't win against rock Pokémon!"

It made Brooklyn frown in fear, but did his best to pull it together. "I don't care! Charmander, flamethrower!"

Charmander's belly filled with flames then shot them hard at Geodude. But Geodude looked ready for it as he punched the flames out of the way, the flames not even burning him at all. Charmander yelped out, ducking when Geodude kept trying to punch him, Charmander running around, trying to get away. Brooklyn quickly called Charmander back in, knowing now he had to choose someone else, pulling out his new Pokemon.

Suppose Squirtle is now my best bet, he thought, tossing the Pokeball. "Squirtle, I choose you!"

The turtle Pokemon shot out, going into a fighting stance already. "Squirtle!"

Brooklyn glared at Geodude. "Squirtle, use bubble beam!" Squirtle rose into the air, shooting it's bubble beam from its hands, Geodude trying to dodge them but the bubble beam kept splattering all over him.

"Ah, Geodude!" Brock exclaimed, until Geodude couldn't handle the onslaught any further, collapsing to the ground, eyes dizzy. "Geodude, return!"

The beaked gargoyle smirked, Squirtle standing there triumphantly. "Ha, how's that for beginner's luck?" He taunted, Squirtle smiling smugly.

Brock glared. "Don't let pride get the better of you, Brooklyn. Onix, I choose you!" The Pokeball burst open; revealing now to Brooklyn the biggest Pokemon he had ever seen so far, a giant serpent rock like one which let loose a huge roar.

"W-Whoa…" Brook gaped, ears falling down as Squirtle charged forward. Since he hadn't been fully trained to listen yet, he had used tackle attack without his owner giving him the command to. "Squirtle, don't!" Brooklyn shouted as too late when Onix suddenly wrapped it's stone tail around Squirtle.

Brooklyn at first didn't know what to do until he realized, if Squirtle could beat Geodude, a rock Pokemon, he could beat this one too. Narrowing his eyes, Brooklyn chose his move. "Squirtle, water gun!"

Squirtle turned, shooting his water gun at Onix. Onix roared in pain from the water, loosening his grip on the turtle Pokémon. Squirtle fell to the floor, getting up and running out of the way as Onix wound up falling down, slamming into the dirt, groaning.

A man on the sidelines raised a flag. "Onix is unable to battle, Squirtle is the winner!"

Squirtle folded his arms, Brooklyn petting his head. "Good job!" Brooklyn praised after Brock called Onix back into its ball, finding it hard to believe that this gargoyle was able to win.

"You put up a good battle Brooklyn, and I respect that. For a reward, here's your Boulder Badge." Brock pulled out a shiny gray one, handing it to Brooklyn.

The red male's eyes widened, not sure if he could believe he actually got his first gym badge! He held it in his hands, heart beating in excitement. "Thanks, Brock. You had great Pokémon for this fight too."

Brock grinned. "I hope to become the best Pokemon breeder once my time as a gym leader is done. But for you Brooklyn, I wish you all the best in the Indigo League when you get there."

"Uh, thanks. And good luck becoming a Pokemon breeder. I hope we can meet again." Brooklyn said back, the two shaking hands, Brooklyn asking another question. "But what is my next gym?"

"That would be the Cerulean Gym, to earn the Cascade Badge. It should take at least a couple days travel." Brock informed Brooklyn, who was startled since Misty had said she was from there. Maybe he will meet up with her.

"Ok. Well, bye, and thanks again for the badge." Brooklyn said, grinning at Brock as he left, Brock wondering if he would ever run into this very interesting gargoyle again.

Outside, Brooklyn was smiling big down at his Boulder Badge. He just couldn't believe that he actually won at something without his clan and Goliath breathing down his neck! He placed the Boulder Badge into his bag for safekeeping, going into the direction where the Cerulean Gym was, excited for what awaited for him next in this world of Pokémon!