First Gym Battle

After twenty minutes, Ignacio and Anthony arrived in front of Pewter City gym.

"We're here, Ignacio. Are you ready to face Brock?" Anthony asked while raising a brow

"Yes, I am." Ignacio stated before nodding

"Alright, I'll watch you then." Anthony replied

Ignacio smiled before entering the gym, followed by Anthony. After entering, they looked deeper inside.

"Hello, who are you?" Brock asked while sitting cross-legged on a flat rock as lights turned on.

"I'm Ignacio, and I challenge you to a battle." Ignacio stated while smiling.

"And are you also here to challenge me?" Brock asked Anthony while looking at him.

"No, I'm just here to watch, don't mind me." Anthony replied before walking to the bleachers.

"Is this your first gym match, Ignacio?" Brock asked as his brow raised.

"Yes, it is. Why ask?" Ignacio replied with a question of his own.

"Gym matches are different from other battles. This match is for Pokémon league authorization. There are special rules." Brock explained.

"Alright, what are the special rules, Brock?" Ignacio asked, although he already knew.

"We will use two Pokémon each." Brock stated

"Alright, let's begin?" Ignacio asked before running to the door side of the stadium, knowing the floor would change.

After Ignacio reached his destination, he smiled as the walls opened, and the rock battlefield slid from the openings before stopping in the middle.

'I should give Vulpix some battle experience. Perhaps it will help her learn Flamethrower or Quick Attack.' Ignacio thought before looking at Brock.

"Let's begin the match." Brock announced before walking down and holding a Pokéball in his hand.

"Vulpix, come on out!" Ignacio yelled before throwing her Pokéball toward the rock battlefield.

Vulpix appeared from white light and smiled.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix yelled, looking at Brock before her muscles tensed.

"Geodude! Go!" Brock yelled before throwing his Pokéball.

"Geodude!" Geodude stated, ready for battle.

"Vulpix, use Ember on Geodude!" Ignacio yelled

"Vulpix!" Vulpix nodded, following Ignacio's order using the move.

Geodude took the Ember before coming out unscathed.

"You should know fire Pokémon are weak against rock types." Brock asked while raising his brow.

"I know. I'm trying to get battle experience for Vulpix. I have two goals, training and winning." Ignacio replied while smiling.

"I see. However, it's best if you focus on one or the other. Or else it may cost you the battle. Geodude, use tackle attack!" Brock suggested

"Geodude!" Geodude nodded before rushing at Vulpix and attempting to tackle her.

"Vulpix dodge and use Ember again, but instead of releasing it immediately, try to merge them!" Ignacio yelled

"Vulpix!"[Yes, Ignacio, I'll use this battle as an opportunity to learn new moves.] Vulpix nodded before dodging the attack by side-flipping and using Ember on Geodude midair.

"Learning moves in a gym battle? What an interesting way of learning if successful. Geodude, use Rollout!" Brock replied while raising his brow.

"Geodude!" Geodude nodded before turning into a ball and rolling towards Vulpix and through her Ember attack.

"Vulpix, dodge Geodude and wait in front of a tall rock!" Ignacio yelled before smiling.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix replied before dodging Geodude by a hair length and waiting in front of a large rock.

"Geodude, tackle it!" Brock yelled

Geodude nodded and headed towards Vulpix, quickly approaching.

"Vulpix dodge!" Ignacio yelled

"Vulpix!" Vulpix yelled while backflipping onto the rock face before leaping over Geodude.

Geodude tackled. However, he slammed into the rock, stunning him.

"Using the environment to your advantage? That's a skill rarely used by new trainers. Well done." Brock praised

"Vulpix, use Ember!" Ignacio yelled, hoping using the move would help.

Vulpix nodded before using the move.

"Geodude! Leap at Vulpix and use Rollout!" Brock yelled

"Geodude!" Geodude followed the instruction and flew through Ember and hit Vulpix with the move before she could react.

"Vulpix!" Vulpix yelled as she hit a rock after being attacked before she struggled to get up.

"No Vulpix!" Ignacio yelled before gritting his teeth.

"Geodude, finish this with Rollout once more!" Brock instructed

Geodude nodded and rolled towards Vulpix.

"Vulpix dodge!" Ignacio yelled, hoping she could in time.

"Vulp, Vulpix." Vulpix tried to follow Ignacio's instructions. However, she had trouble standing.

After Vulpix's attempts to dodge failed, Geodudes Rollout attack hit it spot on. Causing her to fly and slam into the rock again before fainting and having spirals from her eyes.

"Vulpix return." Ignacio replied before pulling out her Pokéball and calling her back, and sighing. Subsequently, he put her Pokéball back and grabbed Tentacools.

"Who will you send next?" Brock questioned

"Tentacool, come out." Ignacio yelled before throwing her Pokéball.

"Tentacool." Tentacool nodded before looking at Geodude.

"You are using a Pokémon strong against rock types, good job." Brock acknowledged.

"Tentacool, use acid!" Ignacio yelled

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded before shooting a ball of acid at Geodude.

"Geodude, dodge it!" Brock instructed while narrowing his eyes.

Geodude followed Brock's instructions dodging it while the acid ate a little bit of the rock in the stadium.

'That Tentacool looks very strong and unique. Even its acid looks dangerous despite being a poison move. I'll have to tread carefully to win.' Brock thought while awaiting Ignacio's move.

"Tentacool, use rain dance! However, hold back." Ignacio yelled, not wanting another uncontrollable tornado to form and curious if a miniature version of the move could form inside.

"Rain dance? That's a move?" Brock asked with his brow raised.

Tentacool nodded before imagining small thunderclouds inside while dancing. Consequently, clouds formed below the ceiling and began pouring water on the battlefield.

'Ignacio discovered a new move!? That's so amazing. I want to learn how he did it!' Anthony looked on with excitement.

"You created a move? Admirable and unexpected. Geodude, use Rollout!" Brock replied while his eyebrow twitched, seeing his Pokémon weakened for who knows how long.

"Geodude!" Geodude nodded before he tried to roll but ended up sliding into a rock and crying out in pain.

"Tentacool, use Acid on Geodude!" Ignacio yelled while smiling.

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded before using the move on him.

"Geodude, dodge!" Brock yelled worryingly.

Geodude attempted to. However, because of his pain, he didn't move fast enough and was hit.

"Geodude!" Geodude yelled before collapsing on the ground and fainting while swirls appeared in his eyes.

"Return, Geodude!" Brock yelled before holding out his Pokéball and consequently returning Geodude.

"Good job, Tentacool. We only have to beat one Pokémon now." Ignacio congratulated Tentacool.

"Tentacool."[Thank you for congratulating me, Ignacio.]

"Onix, go!" Brock yelled before throwing out Onix's Pokéball.

"Groom!" Onix yelled before looking at Tentacool but feeling weak because of the rain.

"Tentacool, use Acid!" Ignacio yelled before smiling.

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded before using the move on Onix.

"Onix dodge!" Brock yelled hurriedly

Onix complied and dodged the attack just in time.

"Tentacool, use Brine!" Ignacio yelled

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded and used the move.

"Another new move? Well done. However, discovering new moves isn't all that makes a trainer strong." Brock stated, but before he could tell Onix to dodge, he was hit.

"Groom!" Onix yelled in pain from being hit by Brine once and being injured.

"Onix!" Brock yelled in worry.

'Another new move? I should join Ignacio on his travels.' Anthony thought before smiling in anticipation of any other surprises.

"Onix, tackle Tentacool!" Brock yelled

"Groom!" Onix nodded before leaping at Tentacool.

"Tentacool dodge!" Ignacio hurriedly instructed.

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded and tried dodging. However, she still took a glancing blow, causing her to yell in pain before landing on the rocks.

"No Tentacool! Alright, Tentacool, use Brine on Onix again!" Ignacio yelled in worry before instructing and smiling, seeing her Rain Dish ability as she began healing.

"Onix, dodge it!" Brock yelled hurriedly, knowing the power Brine had.

"Groom!" Onix yelled in pain, failing to dodge in time, causing him to fall onto the ground.

"No, Onix!" Brock yelled

"Tentacool, use acid, and then Brine on Onix!" Ignacio yelled while clenching his fists.

"Tentacool!" Tentacool nodded before using acid, followed by Brine.

"Onix, hurry, dodge it!" Brock yelled in horror as his eyes widened.

Onix tried to follow Brock's instructions. However, the attacks were too fast.

"Groom!" Onix yelled in extreme pain, feeling the acid first. However, when Brine hit it, the blow knocked its head into a giant rock, crushing it as its eyes turned to swirls.

"Onix return. Thank you for doing your best." Brock stated before looking at Ignacio in shock.

"We won our first gym battle Tentacool!" Ignacio cheered while smiling.

"Tentacool!"[We indeed did!] Tentacool cheered as well while the small storm she created ceased.

"You have stunned me with your skills Ignacio. Congratulations. Especially when you used the environment in battle and your two new moves. Even with the ability to heal."

While congratulating Ignacio, he walked towards him and pulled out a circular grey badge.

"This Boulder Badge is proof you beat my gym. I wish you luck on your journey." Brock replied while smiling before seeing his siblings on the bleachers.

"You too as well, Brock, and farewell." Ignacio replied before taking the badge, placing it in his badge case, and leaving towards the door.

"Hey, Ignacio, wait up! Can I join you on your journey?" Anthony yelled before coming down from the bleachers.

"I don't see why not, sure." Ignacio replied with a smile.

"Are you really sure?" Anthony asked.

"I don't mind. I like the idea of traveling together." Ignacio stated before returning Tentacool to her Pokéball.

Afterward, Ignacio and Anthony left the gym towards the Pokémon center.

'I hope they fulfill their dreams. Perhaps someday I'll have the same chance too.' Brock thought.