chapter 4 Gym battle (part 1)

Alex had booked the fight with Mathew, days before his arrival at the Cerulean city and the gym leader had accepted the challenge enthusiastically. He too wanted to see just how strong, the strongest of this generation really was.

He stayed at his uncle's home at Cerulean city and when they were going to feed the Houndour normal Pokemon food, Alex stopped them. He still remembered their facial expressions when he told them about the specific Pokemon recipe.

At the lunch time,

It had been lunch time and everyone in the family was prepared to have lunch but before that the Pokemons need to be fed.

Alex's maternal grandfather, James had an old raticate and his grandmother, Hella had a gloom. His uncle possessed an electrode while his aunt, Jenny had a Psyduck.

None of them were fighter pokemons but were raised as companions and pets for people. Alex looked and found that all of them were given the normal Pokemon food which are being sold in pokemart or Pokemon center.

His aunt, Jenny was also setting a plate for Houndour as well as Alex's pokemons.

Alex then intervened, " Aunt Jenny, i don't think you should feed Houndour this food."

This words brought confusion to all the members of the house as well as Pokemons, and Jenny asked curiously, why her nephew stopped her, " why is there a problem with it, Alex? "

Alex had everyone's attention but he wasn't disturbed by it and explained it to them, " If houndour is a non combatant then it is not a problem but for trainer's Pokemons, it is not healthy.

The lifestyle of Trainers Pokemons is different from average Pokemons. They have to work hard and need a healthy body. They need much nutrition along with something special to increase the powers of the Pokemons.

I don't feed my Pokemon this food. Neither do my grandpa. Only dad and mom use it to feed the Pokemon. Jim wants to be a trainer so he needs to give his pokemons better and more nutritive food. "

They felt it was right as fighting Pokemons did need much more energy to fight which this food can not grant and to help his son, James was willing to spend some money and asked his nephew," So how much does it cost, Alex?"

" It depends on the type of food you need."

" What do you mean?"

" Each Pokemon had a specific requirement for food so every Pokemon recipe is different. In case of Houndour the best outcome will come, if you feed him Houndour specific food.

If you use fire type food, then there might be some defects which will affect his overall growth. Although he will be strong, he wouldn't be able to advance into elite level , even after he becomes a houndoom, unless some fire energy related items are used on him."

The prospect of advanced level is attractive to most people, although it isnt that much attractive to Alex.

James excitedly asked," So this Houndour can become advanced level in his peak if we feed him fire specific pokemon food."

" Yes. That much is sure if Jim trained his Pokemons well, it isn't a problem. " Alex said with surity.

" How can you be do sure?" His grandpa asked, James asked to be sure of it.

" You know grandpa gets much money due to his advanced trainer. I spent most of them on Slowking, pidgeot and electabuzz food. They all have already advanced level. " ' of course it was before I went to do tasks to train and get things to sell in the black market. '

" So how much do they cost?" Gary asked curiously.

" 5 million per ten kilogram of fire specific Pokemon food. " Alex replied.

" What? that costly." James shouted in shock at how costly food can be.

Alex remembered the financial situation of his uncle, sighed and said," It is indeed that expensive. I have a Charmeleon. For his species specific food recipe, I spent hundred of million and that too without food ingredients.

I spent a few billion on my Pokemons food last year." Alex truthfully answered.

" bb..billions. how did you get so much money? " Jenny asked her nephew thinking maybe her nephew got involved in some bad influence .

" I found something precious and auctioned it. I sold it for about five billion. I then invested on the farm and grow my own berries. This way I managed to cut down much of my expenses." He answered with half-truth.

" so we need to spend millions for an advanced houndoom." James mumbled.

" It is pretty cost effective. Jim can earn it back in a few years. Raising Pokemons is costly, that's why most senior trainer don't have more than ten Pokemons with them. And, they only raise one kind of Pokemon, for it is less expensive. " Alex explained.

" It seems we have to get loan. "

" Loan. What do you need loan for?" Alex asked.

" If we need to raise Houndour well, we need to spend and fof his food we need loan, don't we." Gary explained it to his nephew who was curious about it.

" Of course not. You don't need a loan. When you mentioned you wanna give Jim a Houndour, I already got it's food recipe as a gift for Jim. " Alex told them.

" How ... How can we accept such an expensive gift?" Jenny said directly refusing the gift.

" Between family, there is no expensive things. If you have a problem, then return the amount as loan in the future. "

" How much did it cost you, Alex dear? " his grandma Rose asked.

" About 185 million. If we take interest then Jim can return me 200 million in ten years time. I think it won't be a problem. " Alex said. Alex deliberately added this interest because if not then his family won't accept this.

They agreed and felt Jim can do it. Since Alex could spend hundred million then Jim could earn tens of million in an year too to repay his cousin.

After staying at his Uncle house for the night, he left the house with his uncle, cousin and grandpa who wanted to see the gym battle with their own eyes.

His aunt and grandma weren't so keen about the pokemon battle so they didn't join them to see the battle.

While Jim was excited at seeing his first gym battle and how strong gym leaders were, Gray and his grandpa James felt things were going to be tough.

As an adult and an old citizen of Cerulean city, they knew about the reputation of Cerulean gym leader as the strongest gym leader in Kanto.

So although they wanted to see the battle, they weren't as enthusiastic as Jim at Alex's prospect of victory.

Cerulean gym was in shape of a big dome but the top wasn't round but in the shape of triangle which was made with multiple section of small triangle.

They had arrived at the doorstep of the Cerulean gym by 7:45 and entered it.

When they entered they met with a group of three girls who were 10 years, 8 years and 6 years old respectively.

They were the daughters of Mathew, Daisy, Lily and Violet. By their side was a women in her thirties with another baby who was an year age in her hands.

The family was surprised by the arrival of the guests but Violet recovered from the surprise and asked," Who are you? Why are at the gym so early? " She asked them pretty rudely.

Although none of the elders or Alex felt anything about it, Jim didn't like her attitude and was going to retort but Alex put his hand on his head to stop him and said," I am Alex. I had booked a fight with Mathew today at 8 o clock. So I came here for the gym battle."

The youngest sister Violet looked at Alex with accusations and said," it is because of you dad isn't going out with us. "

" Did I cause something?" Alex asked confused.

" Sorry about her behaviour. We planned on going on an outing today but my husband forgot about your appointment and made this plan so when he remembered he decided to stay and let us go without him." She herself was sad about the absence of her husband.

" If it is something like that, I can have my match some other day. " Alex said and turned to leave but a loud voice stopped him.

" Indeed it would be good for my kids but as your senior, if I cannot keep my word then what is the value of my words.

I agreed to fight with you and I will fight. There is no second option. " Mathew arrived at this moment and said

" But dad ..." His daughter tried to convince him but he was immovable.

His wife just looked at this with a smile.

" We agreed for a battle didn't we?" Alex said after some thought.

" Yes. We agreed for a gym battle so we will be having a full size on six match." Mathew said.

Alex haf a shine in his eyes and said, something which was a flaw in his words, " I said a match and not a full match. So we can shorten it to a three on three match. After all I wanted to get some of my water Pokemons such as tentacruel, poliwhirl and Gyarados experience in fighting water pokemons. "

" So you got a Gyarados too? And a three on three. But then I cannot give you the gym badge even if you win.

A trainer with five badge must have six in six match to get a gym badge here. "

" I am already qualified. I got a three star badge." Alex revealed softly so only Mathew could hear him.

Mathew eyes shone brightly on hearing this and he said excited," Is that so? Then we will have a good match. But I think four on four would be good. I want to see just how powerful that Slowking of yours is, if he could hurt Giovanni's nidoqueen back then. "

Alex agreed and everyone there went of to the gym battle field for the match.

Alex and Mathew stood on opposite sides while Alex's family members and Mathew family sat on the seating area.

The battlefield was a pool with a few floating platform on it.

The referee was present in the battlefield and stated," this is a four on four official gym battle between challenger Alex Bart of Floral town and Cerulean City Gym leader Mathew Waterflower. Please send out your pokemons."

Both of them threw the pokeball at the same time.

Alex sent out a poliwhirl while Mathew sent out a marill.

The Cerulean gym battle begins. Stay tuned.

To be continued...