On the sidelines, Misty watched intently as Ash defeated Brock's Geodude. She felt a surge of admiration and was genuinely impressed by his strategic use of Pikachu's moves. As Ash called Pikachu back to his side, she pondered which Pokémon he would choose next.
Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly jolted by a loud roar that echoed through the gym. Startled, she turned her head, her eyes widening in shock as she exclaimed, "Wait, what?!"
On the battle, after Brock took out his Onix, Ash readied himself. "Gyarados, let's do this!" he declared, throwing his Poké Ball into the air.
With a thunderous roar, Gyarados emerged from the ball, its fierce presence commanding attention. The sheer ferocity of the Water/Flying-type Pokémon made Onix flinch, its confidence wavering.
Brock's eyes widened in shock as he recognized Gyarados, particularly noting its shiny coloration. "A shiny Gyarados?!" he exclaimed, momentarily taken aback.
Quickly regaining his composure, he readied himself for the next round, ready to strategize against Ash's powerful Pokémon. The atmosphere in the gym crackled with excitement as the battle was about to heat up once again.
As the battle commenced, Ash commanded, "Gyarados, use Bite!" With lightning speed, Gyarados lunged at Onix, sinking its powerful jaws into the Rock/Ground-type Pokémon. The attack connected, causing Onix to stagger.
Brock quickly reacted, calling out, "Onix, use Rock Throw!" Onix raised its massive body, hurling rocks toward Gyarados. But Ash remained calm and countered, "Dodge it, Gyarados! Use Dragon Rage!" Gyarados expertly evaded the rocks and unleashed a torrent of draconic energy, striking Onix directly and causing a significant impact.
"Now, Gyarados, use Ice Fang!" Ash shouted. Gyarados opened its mouth wide, icy fangs glowing as it lunged forward, delivering a chilling bite that left Onix shivering and off-balance.
With the momentum on Ash's side, he called out, "Finish it with Waterfall!" Gyarados leaped into the air, preparing to crash down onto Onix with the powerful water move.
However, just as the battle reached its climax, a group of children, Brock's siblings, burst onto the scene, climbing on top of Ash and shouting, "Wait!, Don't hurt our big brother's Pokémon!" Their interruption caught Ash to stop, causing Gyarados to stop its attack mid-air, confusion flickering across its fierce expression.
Seeing his siblings climbing all over Ash, Brock's frustration boiled over. "Hey! Stop that right now!" he shouted, rushing toward them. He gently pulled them away, his face a mixture of annoyance and concern.
"I'm sorry for their interruption," Brock said, turning to Ash with an apologetic expression.
Ash nodded, calmly accepting the apology. "Do you want to continue the match?" he asked.
Brock shook his head. "No, I can't continue. If they hadn't interrupted, I was going to lose the match anyway," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.
With a heavy sigh, Brock declared, "I forfeit."
The referee raised his flag and announced, "Brock, the Pewter Gym Leader, has forfeited the match! The victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town!"
Brock smiled as he took out the Boulder Badge. "You did great, Ash. I'm really impressed with your skills. Here's your Boulder Badge!"
As Ash accepted the badge, he struck a triumphant pose, holding it high above his head. "I got the Boulder Badge!" he declared, a wide grin on his face. Pikachu shouted, "Pika-pika!" while Gyarados let out a proud roar, their happy sounds echoing throughout the gym.
As Ash struck his signature pose, the Arc Pokédex emitted a beep, and a translucent system window materialized in front of him. The message displayed read:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quest Complete: Defeat Pewter Gym
Rewards:
10,000 Pokédollars
TM Rock Tomb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ash glanced at the notification, then shrugged it off for the moment, deciding to check it later.
Just then, Misty rushed in, grabbing Ash by the collar. "Why didn't you tell me your shiny Magikarp evolved?!" she exclaimed, a mix of surprise and excitement evident on her face as she pouted in annoyance.
Ash chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I wanted to surprise you!" he replied, his tone playful
As Ash and Misty chatted playfully, their attention soon shifted to Brock, who was gently reprimanding his younger brother, Forrest. "You need to take better care of your siblings while I'm busy with gym battles," Brock said with a sigh, clearly balancing his responsibilities.
Curiosity piqued, Misty furrowed her brow and asked, "Brock, why are you taking care of your brothers? Where are their parents?"
Brock paused for a moment before responding, his voice tinged with sadness. "My father left to go on a journey, saying he wanted to become a great Pokémon Trainer, but he hasn't come back since. My mom stayed behind, running the gym and taking care of us, but... a few years later, she decided to go look for him. She hasn't come back either.
Ash sighed, already knowing this story from the anime. After a moment of silence, he looked up at Brock and asked, "If your father were to come back, what would you do?"
Brock paused, then smiled. "I'd pursue my real dream—becoming the greatest Pokémon Breeder."
Ash nodded, but couldn't help glancing towards the window, already sensing Flint, Brock's father, hiding behind it just like in the anime. He decided not to say anything, respecting Brock's journey.
"Good luck with your dream, Brock," Ash said sincerely, as Misty echoed the sentiment. With that, they both waved goodbye and headed toward the Pokémon Center
As Ash and Misty made their way towards the Pokémon Center, chatting lightly about the intense battle, Brock turned to head back into the gym. Just as he was about to enter, a man approached him.
"Brock..." the voice called out softly, causing him to stop in his tracks.
Brock turned, his eyes widening in shock. The man standing before him was none other than his father, Flint. Brock's expression shifted from surprise to a quiet acceptance, already knowing this day would come. Flint, looking a bit ashamed, rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"I know I wasn't there when I should've been," Flint began, his voice low, "but I'm ready to take responsibility again. You've been doing an amazing job, Brock, but it's time I do my part now."
Brock stood in silence for a moment before smiling softly. "There are a lot of things that need to be done to keep the gym running smoothly. If you're serious about this, there's a lot you need to learn."
Flint nodded earnestly, ready to take on the responsibilities he had once left behind. As the two of them stood there, reconnecting, Brock felt the weight of the years of duty begin to lighten just a bit.
"You don't have to worry anymore, Brock," Flint said with a determined look. "I'll take care of the gym from here. You should follow your dream."
Brock smiled, his heart lightened even more by his father's words. "Thanks, Dad. I'll do just that."
With a final nod of understanding, Brock turned away, now free to pursue his dream of becoming the greatest Pokémon Breeder. Meanwhile, Ash and Misty continued toward the Pokémon Center
As Ash and Misty finally reached the Pokémon Center, Ash turned to her with a teasing grin while handing over his Poké Balls to Nurse Joy for healing.
"You know, Misty, while I'm getting my Pokémon healed, you should probably go buy yourself a tent," Ash said with a playful glint in his eyes. "Unless you want to share and sleep with me, of course."
Misty's cheeks turned bright red at his teasing remark. Without missing a beat, she reached over and pinched his cheek, her voice flustered. "Don't get cheeky, Ash! I'll buy my own tent, thank you very much!"
Ash couldn't help but laugh as he rubbed his cheek, watching her turn away, still flustered. "Alright, alright, I was just joking!" he called out as Misty stomped off toward the shop.
After a quick laugh, Ash decided to call Professor Oak to share the exciting news. He quickly dialed the number, and after a few rings, the familiar face of Professor Oak appeared on the screen.
"Ah, Ash! How's it going?" Oak greeted cheerfully.
"Professor, I just won my first badge—the Boulder Badge!" Ash said proudly, holding up the shiny badge for Oak to see.
"Fantastic work, Ash! I knew you had it in you," Oak replied with a proud smile. After a bit of congratulatory conversation, Ash hesitated for a moment before asking, "Professor, do you think there's any way I could carry more than six Pokémon at once?"
Oak looked thoughtful, rubbing his chin. "Well, that's an unusual request, but I'll tell you what, Ash. If you can obtain three badges, I'll see if I can arrange for a special exception."
Ash grinned. "Deal! I'll make sure to get those badges as soon as I can."
After the call with Oak, Ash decided to ring his mother, Delia, and they chatted for a while. She was overjoyed to hear about his victory and gave him all the usual loving reminders to stay safe and take care of himself.
Once their conversation ended, Ash went back to Nurse Joy to pick up his Pokémon. With Pikachu and Gyarados now fully healed, he stepped outside, feeling energized. There, waiting by the entrance, was Misty, standing with her hands on her hips, her expression playful but still slightly flustered from their earlier banter.
"Well, took you long enough!" she teased as Ash joined her.
"I was talking to Professor Oak," Ash explained, and Misty nodded, understanding.
"So, where are we headed next?" she asked.
"Mt. Moon," Ash replied confidently.
Misty smiled in approval. As they approached the entrance to Route 3, a voice called from behind them. Both Ash and Misty turned to see Brock, carrying a large backpack and hurrying to catch up.
"Hey, wait up!" Brock called out. When he reached them, he asked, "Mind if I tag along? I thought I'd travel with you two."
Ash and Misty exchanged a quick look before smiling. "Of course!" they said together.
As the trio continued walking, Ash smiled to himself. With Brock around, food's no longer a problem!