Ash's POV
"Finally! A gym battle!" I yelled out on top of my lungs as we went out from the pokemon center.
Yesterday, Leaf decided to come with me and spend the night in the pokemon center, we did talk about some things and stuff before taking our rest.
Today is the day, I'll be challenging Brock of the Pewter City gym, I wonder how things will turn out.
"You seems so worked out." Leaf chuckled.
"Of course, I'll be using Charmeleon and Corvisquire for this battle." I said with excitement.
Both of us headed towards the Pewter City gym. At our arrival, I expected the door will open by itself, but no, something unexpected happened.
"ARE YOU HERE FOR A GYM MATCH, CHALLENGER?" A somewhat robotic voice echoed through a speaker.
Did Brock upgrade his gym?
"Yes, I'd like to battle Brock." I replied even though I don't know where the mic is, I hope it's still audible to them. Leaf is just silent.
"HOW MANY BADGES DO YOU HAVE?" the robotic voice said. This gym is obviously the first one trainers will go and battle for badge.
"One." I replied shortly.
"VERY WELL, PLEASE PROCEED." The robotic voice concluded, and the door opened by itself. We went in and looked around.
"The place is huge, compared to the game or anime." I muttered, enough for Leaf not to hear. Leaf proceeded to the audience booth, that way, she can watch the battle.
"Who goes there?!" A manly voice boomed throughout the place. I thought the speaker from outside is enough for him to he notified?
"I'm Ash and I'm here to challenge the gym for it's gym badge!" I replied to him.
"Very well then, referee, if you please." Brock said as he looked at the referee on the side of the battlefield.
"Right, this will be a three on three battle between the challenger Ash and the gym leader Brock, trainers, reveal your pokemon!" The referee announced.
I was now in utter shock and surprise. Three?! I thought it's only two! Geoude and Onix! No way!
"Drilbur, time to battle!" Brock yelled as he sent out his...wait, Drilbur?
Drilbur came out from it's pokeball and gave out it's cry.
I'm done. I'm not completely ready for this, but let's gotta act like Ash, be optimistic.
"I thought it's gotta be Geodude." I said.
"Oh you knew? That was months ago, I decided to go for a change. How did you know though?" Brock asked.
"J-Just a hunch, Charmeleon, I choose you!" I called out and Charmeleon went out from the capsule, I sounded kinda like Ash now.
"How brave for you to send out a pokemon with type disadvantage in this gym, that's a first." Brock said while chuckling.
"Pokemon types doesn't really matter to me." I replied back and smirked.
"Good response, let's get started. Drilbur, Metal Claw!" Brock commanded.
"Counter with your own Metal Claw!" I responded.
With that, the two clashed with their Metal Claws, it was somewhat a fair match, but I should think on how I'm gonna deal with that ground type pokemon.
"Rare to see a Charmeleon fairing with my Drilbur, well then, Drilbur, use Dig!" Brock ordered.
And with that, Drilbur dug it's way in the ground. That made me worry.
"Charmeleon, run around the battlefield!" I quickly ordered, still thinking for a plan to counter it. Charmeleon nodded and tried it's best to run around the field.
"Running won't help you, Drilbur, hit it!" Brock yelled, and with that, Drilbur suddenly came out below Charmeleon, but the training from before wasn't put to waste, as he was quick to dodge it.
"Yes! Grab it with Metal Claw!" I commanded, just thought about a plan.
As on cue, Charmander got a hold with Drilbur with it's Metal Claw.
"Shake it off Drilbur!" Brock desperately yelled, but to no avail.
"Slam it on the ground!" I yelled victorious, Charmeleon cried before putting up his strength in throwing Drilbur onto the ground, and it did happened. The impact made Drilbur faint, gaining a sigh from Brock.
"Drilbur is unable to battle! Charmeleon is the winner!" The referee announced.
"Thank you Drilbur, return, take a nice long rest." Brock said as he returned his fainted Drilbur.
"Time to heat up things, Onix, let's go!" Brock yelled and tossed it's pokeball, then a large rock snake came out from it, Onix gave it's loud cry.
"Let's do this Charmeleon, I'm sticking up with you." I said to my lizard pokemon, it nodded in reply.
"I'll go first, Onix, Rock Slide!" He commanded.
"Deflect with Metal Claw!" I responded.
With that, Onix spawned big rocks from nowhere and attempted to hit Charmeleon with it, but Charmeleon was able to deflect it.
"Now's our chance, get near into Onix and use Flamethrower!" I commanded.
Just by that, with Charmeleon's surprisingly high speed, probably from the training before, it was quick to get close to Onix and fired off it's Flamethrower, Onix was able to stand it though.
"Good, but not good enough, use Stone Edge!" Brock yelled, smirking.
"Oh no! Charmeleon get out of there!" I panicked.
But to no avail, Onix was quick to fire off it's Stone Edge and hit Charmeleon pretty hard, Charmeleon couldn't take the hit and it fainted.
"Charmeleon is unable to battle, Onix is the winner!" The referee announced.
I'm worried about Charmeleon, I hope he's okay.
"Charmeleon, return, you did a good job, rest for now." I sighed as I returned him, I should've used my mind on that, I'm not thinking.
"Corvisquire, I need you now!" I tossed it's pokeball, and then the raven pokemon came out from it's capsule. It gave a squawk and flew around the battlefield.
"Interesting, and another type disadvantage I see." Brock commented.
"Corvisquire, let's do this, use Wing Attack!" I commanded, ignoring Brock's words.
Corvisquire squawked before rushing to Onix on full speed, wings glowing white, and hit Onix, I think it did a pretty good amount of damage, because Onix was taken aback.
"So fast, Onix, another Rock Slide!" Brock commanded.
"Corvisquire, maneuver up and finish this with another Wing Attack!" I quickly responded.
Onix let out a cry before summoning rocks out of nowhere and attempted to hit Corvisquire, but the raven pokemon found it easy to dodge them and hit Onix with another powerful Wing Attack, Onix couldn't stand the damage and soon fainted.
"Onix is unable to battle, Corvisquire is the winner!" The referee announced.
Brock then sighed and returned back his Onix, and picked up his final pokemon to use for the battle.
"Get ready Ash, this is my last pokemon, Rhyhorn, help me out!" Brock let out his Rhyhorn, it gave out a loud cry.
"That's one beefy Rhyhorn, Corvisquire, can you go on?" I asked the raven pokemon, it nodded back in reply. I hope Corvisquire can win this one, if not, I'm forced to use Absol then.
"How can it reach Corvisquire though?" I mentally wondered.
"More importantly, how am I gonna damage that thing?" I pondered again.
"Corvisquire, let's try another Wing Attack!" I commanded.
That's when Brock smirked.
"Horn Attack." He ordered.
That's when my eyes widened, but it's now too late, as Corvisquire was about to hit Rhyhorn, it was strucked first by Rhyhorn's Horn Attack, and it soon fainted.
"Corvisquire is unable to battle, Rhyhorn is the winner!" The referee announced.
"Return Corvisquire, I'm sorry I was reckless, you did a great job though, take a nice long rest." I said as I returned the fainted raven pokemon, and to which I have to use him and not Ralts, she's clearly a no no for now.
"Absol, I choose you!"
Out of the pokeball came Absol, once his out, he diverted his sight towards me and gave me a sly smile.
Which is pretty weird coming from it.
"It's an emergency! I didn't know this will be a 3 on 3 battle!" I quickly said as I held my hands up, Absol just sighed and went back to looking at Rhyhorn.
"Interesting, an Absol." Brock commented.
"Ash you didn't mentioned you had an Absol!" Leaf yelled on the spectators booth.
"You didn't even ask!" I replied back.
"What an interesting pair you've got there, let's continue the battle, shall we?" Brock said.
"Will do, Absol, start off with Dark Pulse!" I commanded.
"Use Protect!" Brock ordered.
"It knows Protect?" I said.
Absol leaped off to the air and attempted to hit Rhyhorn with a Dark Pulse but it was deflected with Protect, much to my annoyance.
"Proceed with Horn Drill!" Brock yelled.
"Absol, stop it's tracks using another Dark Pulse!" I quickly commanded.
Rhyhorn charged towards Absol with it's horns glowing white, but Absol managed to stop it's tracks and also landed a hit at Rhyhorn, Brock gritted his teeth.
"Rhyhorn, hit Absol with Stone Edge!"
"Run through it!"
Rhyhorn stomped the ground and blue rock pillars came out from the ground was about to hit Absol, but Absol leaped from it and ran through the pillars, and that's when I sensed victory.
"Finish this with Shadow Claw!" I yelled triumphantly, as I put my fists up in victory.
Absol made one final leap and then slashed Rhyhorn through with Shadow Claw, it winced in pain and then fainted.
"Rhyhorn is unable to battle! Which means the winner for this gym match is the challenger Ash!" The referee announced, Brock sighed and returned Rhyhorn back in it's pokeball and walked towards me.
"That was a nice battle, your pokemons are strong enough." Brock commented as he handed me the Boulder Badge.
"Thank you Brock, I would've won it without them." I replied back and recieved the Boulder Badge from him, I let out the my other pokemons out. Charmeleon and Corvisquire cheered as they saw the badge.
Leaf also ran towards me with a smile on her face.
"Congratulations Ash!" Leaf greeted.
"Thanks Leaf." I replied to her and pat her head, she pouted at that.
"Hey! Don't treat me like a kid!" She yelled as she puffed her cheeks in anger.
Brock and I laughed at this.
"So, what are you gonna do now? Challenge Cerulean Gym?" Brock asked as the laughter died down.
"At this point Brock, I don't know, part of me says I want to travel anywhere and get lots of pokemon." I replied.
That made Leaf feel uneasy.
"Leaf? Is something wrong?" Brock asked as he noticed her sudden behavior.
"Oh, nothing, it's just that we have to part ways?" Leaf asked sadly.
And that also struck me, it's just a short time having her with me throughout Pewter City, but it seems that we already grew fond of having each other, it just seems like I also need a companion who's with me throughout my journey. I think she'll do great.
"Yes Leaf, how about you?" I asked her to double check her.
"I uhhh..." Seems that she can find the exact word, but she seems pretty sad at all.
"Say Leaf, do you want to come with me?" With that being said, she perked up, her eyes full of hope, which is really adorable for a 10 year old girl who just started her journey.
"I-Is it okay? You don't mind?" She asked.
"That will be perfectly fine, but I have my conditions too." I said, just thought about this really good idea, and perfect for her.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Being on a journey with me means that were skipping gym battles, and we will hop from one region to another, depending on me or your desire." I said, and she smiled brightly.
"Ofcourse I will accept that!" She said happily.
"But what is this gym match for, Ash?" Brock interrupted.
"Oh, this is just for me to kill time while I'm thinking about what I will do on my journey." I explained to him, and he nodded in understanding.
"So that also means you don't want to participate in Pokemon Leagues?" He asked again.
"That...I will find a way." I replied and scratched my head sheepishly, the two just sweatdropped at that.
"Okay, next condition, we may have to sleep on forests, so we have to make sure with stack some supplies before we head out." I explained to her, making her feel more excited.
"Great! Because you just found yourself a cook!" She beamed out, and I looked at her with awe.
"You know how to cook?" I asked in disbelief.
"Ofcourse! I have practiced since I knew someday I'm gonna head out to a journey with my pokemons!" She replied back and huffed at the fact that I can't believe that she's a cook.
I just chuckled nervously at her.
"Third is that, you'll be my little sister." I finished, at that, she just stared at me like she's about to cry.
"Er, not technically biological, but I can treat you like my little sister, same goes for me as your older bro-" I was cut of as I felt a sudden tight hug from Leaf. She cried loudly at that. Brock just looked at us and smiled, much to my confusion, but I just crouched at her level and hugged her back.
"I...I'm longing t-to have an older b-brother." She said between her cries, and I caressed her hair between our hugs.
"Shh, now now, you're cry is really loud." I teased her to enlighten the mood, and at that, I recieved a smack on my head from her.
"Oww! What was that for?!" I playfully yelled at her, she's so adorable even if she's crying.
"That's for teasing me!" She replied back angrily, and she calmed down again.
"I'll treasure your final condition." She said and smiled sweetly. I pat her head at that being said, and to my surprise, she didn't get angry at that, instead, she just allowed me to caress her hair, much to my delight.
"Those are some interesting conditions you got there Ash." Brock commented.
"Yeah, because I- no, we want to enjoy our journey together." I said as I looked at the girl, she smiled back at me.
"Oh yeah, the last condition is that we'll train our pokemon and max out their potential, same goes for you Leaf, I'll help you catch more and more pokemons, and we'll train them altogether, got it?" I said to her, she smiled again brightly.
"Okay!" She replied and gave me a cheeky smile.
"With that being said, let's head off now! Get some supplies, and plan further for out next destination." I stood up, determined, Leaf also stood up with a big smile on her face.
"Right, best wishes on your journey Ash." Brock said.
"Thank you Brock, we're now heading out!" I replied as we walked out from the gym, Leaf happily held my hand as we walked out, the dream of having a sister is now on, and I'm happy that Leaf agreed on it, I should treasure her, just like how she said that she'll treasure me.
And with that, my plot is just getting started.