Chapter 8
Yolanda returned, her face still flushed from laughter. "You can follow me to the arena," she chirped. "Brock said you can wait there while he gets ready for the challenge."
"Thank you, Yolanda. Will there be an audience?" Emmet asked, trying to sound casual but feeling a bit apprehensive about the idea of an audience watching him.
Internally, Emmet was wrestling with nerves. The reality was that he had only battled twice and was hyper-aware of his inexperience. The last thing he wanted was to make a fool of himself in front of a crowd.
Yolanda seemed to pick up on his apprehension. With a knowing giggle, she assured him, "Oh, don't worry! Usually, it's just Brock's siblings who watch, but they're all in school now, except for me."
"Thanks for letting me know," Emmet responded, visibly relieved. They proceeded down the hall in silence until Yolanda stopped in front of a set of double doors. "Here we are," she said, gesturing for him to go inside. "You can wait in the designated area."
Entering the designated area, Emmet felt the weight of the moment upon him. He closed his eyes briefly, using his psychic abilities and the principles of Efficiency Mastery to steady his nerves. Just as he felt a sense of calm wash over him, the double doors on the opposite side of the arena creaked open. Brock strolled in with no particular fanfare, walking directly to his own designated area. A wave of mixed feelings washed over Emmet. On one hand, the lackluster entrance diminished the gravitas of this being his first Gym challenge. On the other, it also relieved him of any renewed nervousness, keeping the atmosphere unexpectedly casual.
Emmet studied Brock from across the expansive arena. The gym leader looked to be around 18, with an approachable demeanor and no standout qualities that would differentiate him from a random trainer one might encounter across Kanto. Given Brock's past, Emmet figured this appearance was fitting. After all, the young leader had more pressing concerns than appearances, like taking care of nine siblings.
"Welcome to the Pewter City Gym! I'm Brock, the Gym Leader. What's your name, and how many badges have you earned so far?" Brock's voice echoed across the arena.
Emmet cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice, finding the situation oddly humorous. "I'm Emmet, and I'm here for my first badge!"
"Great! How about a single battle, with each of us allowed to use up to two Pokemon?" Brock shouted back, still maintaining his distance.
Emmet couldn't help but chuckle at their makeshift shouting match. "Sounds good to me!"
Brock reached for a Pokeball on his belt, holding it high as he shouted, "Go, Geodude!" He launched the ball into the center of the arena.
A Geodude materialized, bearing no qualities that Emmet found exceptional. It left him pondering: was the truly unique thing about Brock that there was nothing unique about him at all?
"Go, Eevee!" Emmet shouted, launching a Pokeball into the arena.
"Eevee!" The Pokemon materialized in a burst of light, announcing her presence.
The battle commenced without delay. "Eevee, keep your distance and use Growl three times!" Emmet directed.
If Brock was surprised by this unorthodox tactic, his expression didn't betray it. "Geodude, close in with Rollout!" he called out.
Eevee's training paid off. She executed three Growls, weakening Geodude's attack power, and then effortlessly dodged the incoming Rollout as Emmet instructed, "Dodge it!"
Emmet noticed Geodude's Rollout was poorly controlled; the Pokemon took an excessive amount of time to curve back towards Eevee. Seizing the opportunity, he commanded, "Eevee, use Quick Attack while he's still trying to maneuver!"
Eevee lunged with impeccable speed, striking Geodude at the perfect angle. The force was so great that Geodude was thrown into a nearby wall, embedding himself into it.
"Brock shouted, "Geodude, get out of that wall!"
"Swift attacks, Eevee! As many as you can while he's stuck!" Emmet countered.
Geodude managed to dislodge one arm, but before he could free himself completely, a barrage of shining stars from Eevee's Swift attack pelted him mercilessly. With a final groan, Geodude slumped, still partially embedded in the wall, knocked out cold.
"Go, Onix!" Brock shouted, returning his fainted Geodude to its Pokeball and hurling another one into the arena.
"Are you up for it, Eevee?" Emmet questioned his Pokemon. Eevee looked back at him as if he'd just asked the silliest question in the world, visibly unscathed by the prior bout.
Feeling a little embarrassed, Emmet instructed, "Eevee, use Baby-Doll Eyes on Onix!"
"Onix, use Dig!" Brock ordered. But before Onix could start digging, the pink wave of energy from Baby-Doll Eyes connected. Brock's eyebrow twitched at the unfamiliar move but he remained silent.
"Keep your focus on the ground, Eevee. Dodge at the first sign of movement," Emmet instructed.
Eevee closed her eyes, her ears perked up in concentration. At the first tremor, her ears twitched and she leapt into the air as Onix burst from the ground, boulders flying everywhere from the force of his emergence.
"Quick Attack into Bite, Eevee!" Emmet called out.
"Bind, Onix, Bind!" Brock's voice tinged with a hint of desperation.
Eevee darted forward, a blur of motion, and bit down hard on Onix. She dodged a looming Bind attack just in time. Onix was clearly struggling, panting with the exertion and wincing from the blows.
"Finish it with Swift, Eevee!" Emmet commanded.
"Onix, Dig again!" Brock simultaneously called out.
As Onix leapt to dig back into the ground, a barrage of golden stars from Eevee's Swift attack hit him in mid-air. Onix's massive form tumbled awkwardly, unable to complete his dig. He collapsed with a heavy thud, his head half-buried in the ground, clearly defeated in what could only be described as an epic beatdown.
Emmet felt a sense of disappointment wash over him. The battle had been easier than he'd anticipated, his Eevee untouched by Brock's Pokemon. As he pondered this, he realized the Growls against Geodude and the Baby-Doll Eyes against Onix had been unnecessary flourishes. They hadn't altered the outcome at all.
Brock began an awkward trek across the arena, circumventing the scattered boulders and Onix's ill-fated digging hole. Emmet took the opportunity to give Eevee some well-deserved affection, scratching her behind the ear, her favorite spot, as he watched Brock navigate the chaotic terrain like a player in an obstacle course.
Finally reaching Emmet, Brock extended his hand. "Congratulations, you've earned the Boulder Badge. Your Eevee fought splendidly. How long have you been training her? Is she your starter?"
"Um, about 15 days, I think? I haven't exactly been keeping track, but it's definitely less than a month," Emmet replied, feeling somewhat sheepish at admitting how little time he'd been a trainer.
"My starter is actually Charmander. But Eevee, she's my ace, you know? I was saving Charmander in case Eevee got tired or lost," Emmet added, an awkward chuckle punctuating his words.
Brock seemed to take the loss in stride, much to Emmet's relief. "I thought Eevee was your starter for sure. She's incredibly strong, stronger than I'd expect from a first-badge challenge," he said, genuinely impressed.
Kneeling down, Brock extended his hand to pet Eevee, quickly finding her favorite spots. "Wow, her fur is incredibly smooth and well-cared-for," he remarked. "Given her firm muscles, overall demeanor, bright teeth, and evident intelligence, I'd say she's the most well-cared-for Eevee I've ever come across."
Both Emmet and Eevee puffed up with pride at Brock's words. "Thank you, Brock. I was worried you might be angry about losing," Emmet confessed.
Brock waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, being a Gym leader for many first-badge challengers means I'm pretty much expected to lose. The league even prohibits me from having a skewed win-loss ratio; it's all based on some study they did years before I took up this role," he explained.
"Thanks for the fight, Brock," Emmet said, hesitating before adding, "I'm planning on camping inside Mt. Moon for a while. I want to catch a Clefairy and do some training in a low-light environment. Do you have any tips?"
"Follow me," Brock said, looking thoughtful. Emmet returned Eevee to her Pokeball and complied. They navigated through a maze of doors and corridors until they arrived at what appeared to be Brock's office.
Once inside, Brock started a comical routine of opening and closing various drawers, mumbling and occasionally scratching his head. Eventually, he found what he was looking for in an inconspicuous file cabinet: an old journal. Flipping through it briefly, Brock tossed it toward Emmet. "Catch!" he exclaimed, as Emmet managed to grab the book in mid-air.
"Wow, what's this?" Emmet said as he flipped through the pages of the journal, his eyes scanning the handwritten notes and sketches.
"That's my own exploration journal from my time in Mt. Moon," Brock replied. "It contains tips on checking wall stability to avoid cave-ins, how to handle Zubats and Golbats, and even signs of other Pokemon like Rhyhorns and Geodudes. You'll also find some info on Clefairies, illustrations of evolutionary stones, and advice on setting up camp and finding water. Basically, everything you might need."
Brock then grabbed a notepad and jotted down a list of supplies. "Here, you'll need these for an extended stay," he said, handing the list to Emmet. "Take note of the amounts and triple them, just to be safe. Trust me, you don't want to have to resort to boiling Zubat meat. It's a terrible experience," he added, grimacing at the memory.
Emmet felt a pang of disgust at the thought. Eating Pokemon meat wasn't a moral issue for him; he loved Tauros steaks, after all. But Zubat meat had a notoriously awful reputation for a reason.
"Thank you, Brock. This is incredibly helpful. I promise to return your journal after I reach Cerulean," Emmet said, clutching the journal and the supply list.
"You're welcome, and thanks for a good fight. I'll be keeping an eye on your career, Emmet. You've got a lot of promise," Brock said, nodding his approval.