Rope looks at Brock's black and blue face and smiles as he takes the Boulder Badge Brock handed over.
"Thanks Brock. I pretty much know my power level too."
As soon as he heard this Brock's already not-so-white face instantly darken, black on black.
Who would have known that Rope, this dog, was so unkind! Have you ever seen a new trainer go out with a Legendary Pokémon? How can you call yourself a new trainer?
What Gym Leader could stand a new trainer like that!
"Heh, heh, you're welcome, you're welcome, this is a move learner for you." Although Brock had quite a lot of slander in his heart, as a qualified Gym Leader, he naturally wouldn't withhold a challenger's reward for no reason.
Rope took that CD-ROM from Brock's hand and asked suspiciously, "What kind of skill is this?"
"Rock Tomb, which your Charmander uses. But your Charmander is about to evolve, right?" Brock said a bit listlessly. He was still so distraught that he didn't even want to talk to a present like Rope.
Intellectually regarded as a wise counselor by many Elite Four champions, powerfully delineated as the junior of the peachy Professor Oak, very close to Cynthia, the beautiful champion of the Sinnoh region, and having taken in an Entei himself.
What is this if not a present charge?
And this present charger wasn't self-conscious right now, Rope nodded and said, "It's about to evolve, or rather I'm already pressing him to evolve, he seems to have grown quite a bit faster after being strengthened by my abilities, I'm worried that the foundation isn't strong so I'm planning to press him a bit."
Speaking of nurturing this aspect of Pokémon, Brock also perked up, recalling the state of Rope's Charmander, and asked, "If you don't plan to evolve anytime soon, aren't you going to buy an Everstone for him?"
Rope shook his head and said, "There's no need, evolution is Pokémon's natural growth, it's as much an evolution of life forms as birth, aging, sickness, and death, there's no point in forcing it down."
Brock nodded approvingly. This was also the mainstream thinking nowadays, after all, the progress and growth brought about by evolution were visible to the naked eye.
"Since you have your own thoughts on cultivation I won't say anything more, although the process and outcome of this sparring match was quite unexpected, it was after all an exchange between trainers that took place. I hope that the next time I see you, we'll be able to have a sound sparring session!"
Brock's tone was very frank, for him, he had tasted many victories, and the taste of defeat was not unheard of, so he didn't put this momentary success or failure in his heart. He wasn't like Rope, who was still a newcomer to the sport, and had been rehearsing his tactics over and over again behind his seasoned command.
Why do all gym trainers use just the right level of skill to take on challengers?
Newcomers are always the future of an industry.
Rookie trainers need to stay sharp, have that drive to win all the way through, and the tenacity to get stronger the more they get frustrated. In addition to being the guardians of the peace and security of a party, gym trainers are also the leaders of new trainers in a place.
They are the signposts and the sieves, the so-called trainers are the courageous ones who grow up in the midst of the ups and downs, and glow after the big waves.
But think of Rope, Blue, Red, Cynthia, and even Brock himself, people who would be hard pressed to find a rival amongst their peers at the same level, geniuses whose greatest advantage is that they receive the world's venomous beatings a little further back in time.
"Go for it, Rope, I'm sure, in the future, you'll have a place at the top of the pyramid!"
Brock had a smile on his face, but the words he said didn't have a hint of playfulness, and even had a hint of solemnity.
Rope couldn't help but freeze for a moment when he heard Brock talk like that, then quickly reacted and took Brock's shoulder, saying, "I won't pursue a mere place!"
He drew an arc in front of himself with his left hand, "What I want, is to stand at the top of all trainers!"
The smile on Brock's face grew brighter as he listened to Rope's words. There was even a vague hint of yearning.
Sure enough, guys like Rope don't seek comfort, greatness, or freedom at all.
His quest, the quest of their kind, was always "the strongest"!
"Then, I'll be waiting for the day you trample Red under your feet!" Brock let himself go as well, shouting rather mid-sentence.
"Definitely..."
Rope had a gentle smile on his face, but the determination and conviction deep in his eyes were enough to shock.
Rope had never been a person without heart.
When he first came to this world he didn't participate in many things for his own safety and hope of getting home. With the help of Daisy and Professor Oak, he became a Pokémon Professor. With the philosophy of either do it or be the best, and in order not to disgrace his birthplace, Rope became the youngest Pokémon Professor in the world, without disgracing the community of travelers and the thousands of his countrymen back home.
And now, since he had decided to become a trainer, the goal was naturally to be the strongest!
He believed in his own abilities, and even more so, he believed in the marvelous and splendid knowledge created by that deep-rooted world.
Every rabbit should hold its head high, no matter when or where, even in the Otherworld, there were countless travelers' predecessors who had left behind a hefty reputation.
"Well, have a safe trip, Rope!" shouted Brock, smiling at Rope.
"I'll see you again Brock, and next time, have a good sparring match, preferably a no rules match. Show you what I'm made of."
"Great! I'm not weak in combat either!"
Brock said and showed off his biceps.
Rope's smile had a hint of cockiness in its gentleness, a hint of lewdness in its amiability.
Entei, Charmander, and Growlithe from Pokéball are all looking like "I don't know this guy".
Is this a person? People think you're a good friend, and you're just being a dick about it.
We may not be people, but you're a real dog...
Growlithe: You're not scolding a dog from here, are you?
Brock, who knows nothing of this, smiles and says goodbye to Rope. On his face is the excitement of having found his soulmate, and the sadness of parting with his best friend.
As for Rope... he can't wait to go to the next city, Cerulean City.
To know! Where! But there was! A water show!
You know, the Cerulean sisters are known to be the most beautiful sisters in the world. Of course, Rope didn't have any bad intentions. He just wanted to enjoy the water show.
His heart is Cynthia's.
In fact, his main purpose was to trap Red, you know, recently...Red and Yellow were in Mt. Silver's special training together, so if he could lure Misty over there...
Hey, hey, hey.
By the way, remember to have Blue videotape it...