Red arrived at the Pewter Gym, a formidable structure hewn from solid rock, a clear testament to the type of Pokémon that dwelled within. He pushed open the heavy stone doors and stepped into near-complete darkness. The air was cool and still. In the center of the unlit arena, a lone figure sat on a large boulder, muttering to himself.

“…Should I pursue the kind and gentle Nurse Joy? Or the heroic and spirited Officer Jenny? Ah, it’s so hard to choose…”

It was Brock, the Gym Leader, lost in a daydream. Hidden in the shadows at the edge of the arena, his father, Flint, covered his face with his hand and shook his head in secondhand embarrassment. He understood, though. After their mother had left, Brock, with his naturally warm heart, had subconsciously fixed his ideal partner as a mature, dependable older sister figure.

“Ahem.” Red cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the silence. “Red, from Pallet Town. I’m here to challenge the Pewter Gym.”

The words startled Brock from his reverie. He snapped to attention, realizing with a jolt of horror that his private, lovelorn monologue had been witnessed from start to finish. A deep blush crept up his neck, but he suppressed it, schooling his features into a serious, professional mask.

“A Gym Challenge is an official Kanto League match!” he declared, his voice suddenly booming with authority. “It has strict rules, unlike a common roadside battle!”

“I understand,” Red replied calmly. “I won’t lose.”

Seeing the challenger’s unshakeable confidence, Brock gave up any thought of dissuading him. Besides, he’d already been soundly defeated by one rookie from Pallet Town just a few days prior. He nodded and snapped his fingers. The gym roared to life as bright lights illuminated the field, and heavy metal shutters extended from the walls, locking into place to form the official rock-strewn arena.

“The rules will be two-on-two!” Brock announced. “The match is over when one side’s Pokémon are both unable to battle. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon! My first Pokémon is this! Go, Geodude!”

He threw a Poké Ball, and the floating rock Pokémon appeared, flexing its sturdy arms.

“Go, Pidgey.” Red tossed his own ball. The brilliant, golden bird appeared, its unique coloring making Brock do a double-take. He quickly recovered, a frown creasing his brow.

“Don’t you even understand basic type advantages?” he asked, genuinely confused. A Shiny Pokémon might be strong, but pitting a Flying-type against a Rock-type was a rookie mistake.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Red replied coolly. “Underestimating an opponent is a dangerous habit. Pidgey, Steel Wing!”

Pidgey shot down from the sky, its wings glowing with a hard, metallic sheen. It struck the unsuspecting Geodude with incredible force.

“Geodude!” Brock cried out, instantly regretting his arrogance. He never expected this Pidgey to know a Steel-type move that was super-effective against his Pokémon. To counter the gym, Red had rigorously trained his team in Viridian Forest, teaching Charmander Iron Tail and Pidgey Steel Wing for this very battle.

“I apologize for my earlier words,” Brock said, his tone now serious. “Geodude, Rollout!”

The battered Geodude tucked itself into a sphere and began to roll, using the rocky terrain to build up speed as it charged the golden bird.

“Hurricane, then follow up with Steel Wing!” Red commanded.

Pidgey flapped its wings, creating a powerful vortex of wind that disrupted Geodude’s trajectory and threw it off balance. Seeing the opening, Pidgey dove again, striking with another precise Steel Wing that knocked its opponent out completely.

“This kid’s strength is terrifying,” Flint whispered from the shadows. “No wonder he was so confident.”

“I underestimated you,” Brock admitted, recalling his fainted Pokémon. “I didn’t think you’d be even stronger than Gary. But it won’t be so easy from here! I’m counting on you, Onix!”

He sent out his ace, the massive rock snake that was the pride of his gym.

Just then, the victorious Pidgey, flushed with the thrill of battle, was consumed by a brilliant white light. Its body began to change and grow. When the light faded, a magnificent, 1.4-meter-tall Pidgeotto stood in its place, its golden plumage somehow even more radiant, its presence transformed from that of a clever bird to a true raptor. It preened its new crest feathers, curious about the power flowing through its body.

“Just as planned,” Red said with a smile. The intense training in Viridian Forest had pushed Pidgey to the brink of evolution; this gym battle was simply the final catalyst.

“Come back, Pidgeotto. It’s your turn, Charmander.”

Red recalled his newly evolved partner and sent out the fiery lizard. The moment it appeared, Charmander locked eyes with the towering Onix, showing no fear. After all, its own teammate was a mountain king that dwarfed this gym-raised specimen.

“Your Pokémon… each one is more special than the last,” Brock said, his breeder’s instincts on high alert. He signaled for his Onix to be on guard.

“Onix, use Tackle!”

“Dodge. Iron Tail.”

Charmander nimbly sidestepped the charge and slammed its steel-hardened tail into Onix’s rocky hide. The super-effective blow made the giant roar in pain. It tried to grab the smaller Pokémon, but was forced back by a sudden blast of draconic energy.

“Dragon Breath?!” Brock exclaimed, shocked that a Charmander could master such a move.

The battle lasted only a few more moments. Onix, unable to land a hit on the agile lizard, finally collapsed under the relentless assault. The victorious Charmander leaped onto its defeated foe’s head and raised its arms in a triumphant pose.

Then, it too began to glow.

The white light consumed its body, stretching and reshaping it. A powerful, well-developed Charmeleon now stood on the field. It roared, spewing scorching flames from its mouth, its thick tail cracking the very rocks beneath it. The blazing fire on its tail burned hotter than ever, a symbol of its newfound power. Red’s dedicated training and high-grade diet had paid off; at 1.6 meters, his Charmeleon was already nearly the size of a fully evolved Charizard.

“Red, congratulations on earning the Boulder Badge,” Brock said, a weary but genuine smile on his face. “I can’t believe I became your stepping stone today.” He clearly acknowledged Red’s overwhelming strength.

As Red accepted the badge, he heard a sound from the spectator stands. Brock’s younger siblings were all gathered there, their eyes filled with tears.

“How could this happen? How could big brother lose?!” they cried, unable to accept the outcome.

Brock was about to scold them but fell silent, his heart aching. He couldn’t bring himself to be harsh. He could only look at Red with an apologetic gaze.

“Failure is nothing to be ashamed of,” Red said, his voice calm as he addressed the children. “Your brother defended the dignity of the Pewter Gym with all his strength. You should be proud of him.”

“Such a broad-minded young man,” Flint murmured from the shadows.

Red then turned back to Brock. “I know your struggles and I understand your helplessness. My father is also an irresponsible man, so I can empathize,” he said quietly, his words carrying a double meaning. “Later, when my brother Ash comes through, you should go with him. Pursue your own dreams. I believe your father will be back soon.”

As he spoke, he glanced toward the shadows where he knew Flint was hiding.

“Is that so? Thank you for your blessing,” Brock sighed, his voice holding little hope for his father’s return. The words were a knife in Flint’s heart. This wasn’t what he had wanted.

“Farewell, Brock.”

Having earned his badge, Red waved and walked out of the gym.

Seeing his siblings still looked sad, Brock put on a goofy, clownish face. “Hey, don’t be sad! This just means big brother has a good reason to go visit Nurse Joy now. I couldn’t be happier!”

His silly act worked. The children’s tears turned to laughter, and the Pewter Gym was once again filled with its usual warmth.

***********

✨ 300 gems = 1 bonus chapter

✨ 500 gems = another bonus chapter

Get access to advanced chapters at my P@treon.

[email protected]/meowthtl

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep