51 Chapter 51: Battling Brock! (I)

"Hear me out!", I yelled out, pushing the doors of Pewter City's Gym open.

"Me too!", Serena responded next.

"And me.", Lillie responded last.

After saying that the inside of Pewter Gym came into view. Between the flooring we stood on and the other side of the room laid a big battle field, layered with different kinds of stone. There were also different sizes of rock scattered around, mostly brown in color.

This made sense, as this Gym belonged to Brock right now. Brock specializes in Rock type Pokemon. Of course he would have a battle field suited for his battling. This was one way he could take advantage of new Trainers. Other Gyms were like this too.

Unfortunately we were stopped by a couple figures who I presume they are Trainers under Brock. In the games one often had to make their way through these Trainers first to reach the Gym Leader. That seems to be the case for this Gym, but I don't know about the others since I haven't been there yet.

"Ha? Who the hell are you guys supposed to be...?", the male Trainer said, only to approach me. He was about half a foot shorter than me so he had to look up. Seeing the difference in height, his voice turned quiet.

"Well aren't you a tall one. Maybe even taller than Brock. What brings you three here, challengers perhaps?"

"That's right. We came to issue a challenge to the Gym Leader here in Pewter City.", I responded confidently.

"Ha? So you guys are challengers, but Brock isn't the type to accept anyone you know. Tell me, have you three even obtained any badges?"

"None. We only started our journey about a week ago.", Serena grinned in responded.

"Haha! What a joke. Let alone Brock, you would have to face us two first. Tch, I wasn't expecting complete newbies to show up--", the male Trainer began to say while clicking his tongue. Yet in this next moment all of us were interrupted by a firm voice.

"It's alright you two. These three Trainers are ones I've been expecting.", A firm voice said.

Further in the back, we saw the Gym light up, only for us to see a person stand up from an elevated cushion. He seemed as if he just exited a session of meditation.

"Brock?" the female Trainer asked, seeing the person in question walk toward us. The two Trainers then parted ways, only to have Brock walk up. Sure enough as I approached him, he was quite tall. I was just a tad taller than him being an inch or two higher.

"So you're the group that's been on the league's watch list. The name's Brock. I run this Gym here thanks to my good for nothing father running away. Are each of you looking to issue a challenge to the Pewter Gym?", Brock asked as he began to introduce himself.

His appearance was akin to that of the anime. Unfortunately Brock did not do his signature cross arm pose the moment he introduced himself. Instead he had a calm air around him, but I could feel this hidden pressure. Confidence. As expected of an experienced Gym Leader.

"Yes. You can call me Itsuki.", I responded with a smile introducing myself too.

"I'm Serena!"

"Lillie. Nice to meet you, Brock."

"Likewise. And was it true you guys have not earned any badges?"

"We haven't.", I answered Brock while Serena and Lillie shook their heads.

"Hmm. If that's the case...", Brock began to say. He then walked toward the right side of the entrance. Fiddling with the wall for a bit, it opened up, only to reveal a line of Pokeballs. We saw Brock grab two of them toward the center of the line, and closed the compartment back inside into the wall.

"Despite being new Trainers, with it being you guys, I am sure you most gym rules already. But if not, I will still explain how my gym operates. I will use two Pokemon to battle. Challengers are free to use any of the six they have in their party. Any substitutions are allowed too."

Hearing that, I raised my eyebrows.

"You're only going to use two Pokemon while we can use a full six? Isn't that unfair to you?", Lillie asked, also surprised.

Yet only Brock smiled.

"Gym battles aren't all just about quantity. We have special rules in place. You'd be surprised how many dropouts I face unable to pass the first hurdle as an experienced trainer. I hope you guys won't disappoint."

"Haha, we will try not to. But are you fine with us three going in successive order?"

"Normally I would be if you three had different levels of gym progress, but that isn't the case here. I'd be using the same two Pokemon for each of you, so we will have to spread this out in the next two days after today. I will need to make sure my Pokemon get enough rest.", Brock explained.

'So there are different stages of difficulty in gyms. Makes sense. This isn't the games, there can be Trainers who don't come to Pewter Gym as their first gym.', I inwardly said.

"I see. That makes sense.", I replied as Serena and Lillie nod their heads.

"Very well then, who will challenge me first?", Brock asked.

After he asked that, us three exchanged looks and that was all it took. We had long since decided our order.

"I will go first.", I stated.

Brock nodded and didn't mince any more words. He made his way toward the other end if the rocky battlefield. The couple trainers under Brock were mostly stunned during our exchange but got their act together. The female Trainer rushed to the side and announced the start of the battle.

"This will be a two on six battle. The challenger is allowed any substitutions. Whoever knocks out all remaining Pokemon will become the victor. Let the battle begin!"

Brock and I looked at each other seeing the battle begin.

"Go Geodude!', Brock yelled out, tossing his Pokeball into the air. What came out was literally a rock with two large rocky hands and a face in its center.

"Geodude.", Geodude said.

I looked around my belt to see my string of six Pokeballs. I wasn't in my lab coat which would normally carry them, but when they weren't inside the coat I typically had my Pokemon around my belt. I didn't hesitate to grab one.

"I'm counting on you, Venonat.", I responded.

"Venonat!", Venonat exclaimed, making its appearance.

"Hmm, a Venonat. A pretty rare Pokemon in this part of Kanto. But still, it is a bug and poison type. I specialize in rock type Pokemon. Are you aware of the compatibility between typings?", Brock asked with a hint of confusion.

"I am. But it isn't all just about typings. Pokemon may know moves that you may not expect.", I answered Brock. Take Lillie's Nidoran for example, having the move Water Pulse. You would think a Poison type like that wouldn't be able to learn it, but it can.

"Haha! Good. That is true. I will see how you react accordingly. I'll give you the first move."

"I won't hold back then. Venonat, use Reflect!", I announced my first move.

After I did, Venonat's eyes started to glow with psychic energy. A triple layered barrier appeared before us, only for it to vanish not long after.

"I see. A defensive maneuver right off the bat. We'll crush it. Geodude, use Rollout.", Brock issued his move.

"Dude.", Geodude responded. We then saw Geodude start to use the rocky surface, and form into a ball. It started to rotate in place. Immediately after, Geodude rolled over the rocks, knocking up stones as it came to us with a fast pace.

The reflect will slow it down but it'd be bad if direct contact still hit. I wonder if here Rollout powers up the more times its used, or if it gains more speed?

I didn't want to find out the hard way.

"Venonat, use Agility to hasten your speed and dodge!"

"Venonat.", Venonat replied, and started to get quicker and quicker before my very eyes. Geodude arrived, and the sounds of glass shattering struck our ears as it clashed through the Reflect. Thanks to Venonat's raised speed, Venonat was able to dodge, letting Geodude collide into more rocks behind it. Thanks to Geodude's force, the big rock quickly crumbled apart.

"So you were able to dodge with speed. Don't underestimate the speed of rock types either. Quick, Geodude use Autotomize! Then follow up with another Rollout!"

"Geodude!", Geodude yelled out, only to have steel energy surround its body. We then saw two phantom gears appear around it, and they started to rotate, creating clanking sounds around the field. Autotomize was pretty nifty. It was basically Agility but for heavier Pokemon, like rock types. This move granted more speed to them.

I then saw Geodude act a lot faster, and Rollout became more powerful along the way. Yet before Geodude arrived I used my next move.

"Quick, Venonat, use Baton Pass!", I yelled out.

"Venonat.", Venonat replied. It used its energy, only to form a baton, and tossed it up into the air. Before Brock realized it, Venonat turned into a red beam of light, quickly escaping back into my Pokeball. Geodude's Rollout hit nothing but air, and soon stopped its rotations, becoming confused.

I saw Brock smile.

"So you know moves that can recall at a quick notice. Good! Let's see who you got next.", Brock said, feeling excited.

I didn't want to let Brock down. It was time to turn up the heat. Literally.

And just like that my battle with my first ever Gym Leader was underway!

Before we knew it, ten figures arrived on the catwalk above the gym off in the distance, and started to watch the battle If one looked closely, these ten figures all looked like Brock in one way or another, except younger.

As for Mew, it made its way to Pewter City along with us and found the way to the gym. As the Pewter Gym building was mostly comprised of gray stone and granite, Mew plopped down on the roof undetected and transformed into a piece of stone. Mew let out a light giggle, only for it to no longer move from that spot. Mew became a rock.