Adventure's Past

Chapter 35 - Pewter

"So, who is this Brock guy?" Bonnie asked as they approached the Pewter City Gym. Ash had not spoken since they had left for Pewter City, instead silently bursting with excitement and passion. "I traveled with him in my first journey, and he ended up sticking around for a few more after that," Ash explained, knocking on the door.

He turned around and faced the two, a big grin on his face. "After we traveled through Sinnoh together, he decided to become a Pokemon Doctor, and he's one of the best cooks I know!" He said happily, Pikachu nodding alongside him in agreement. "But it's a bit weird that's participating in the World Coronation Series since I don't remember him battling all that much."

The door behind him opened, revealing a gruff-looking man with a darker complexion. "Ash! I was surprised to see you as an opponent!" He said, raising his arms in a friendly manner. "Brock?" Ash replied, eyeing the man in front of him; a light stubble had begun forming on his face alongside the signature spiky hair that was generally untouched, but the clothes were almost identical to the outfit he had worn in Sinnoh.

"Yeah, man! It's been a while," Brock said, bringing Ash in for a tight hug. Ash, returning the favor, could smell a hint of cologne emanating from the Rock-type user. Brock pulled away from the hug and held Ash's shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "I heard all about your little stunt that you pulled. Y'know, with Giovanni and all?" He mentioned seriously.

Ash nodded and sighed; Brock was there with him the first time they had encountered Mewtwo, knowing that Giovanni was the culprit for his suffering. "Right, that was a while ago," Ash replied, adjusting the hat on his head. "Around six years," Brock added, leaning against the doorframe casually. In doing so, he managed to catch a glimpse of the two girls behind him.

"Oh? And who are these two?" Brock asked, stepping past Ash and walking over to them. "Those are my friends. They're traveling with me for the time being," Ash explained as Brock stood in front of the two. "I recognize you for some reason," Brock said, nodding to Serena. Her eyes widened, realizing he must've seen her on television for her Performances.

"Yeah, I'm the Kalos Queen," she answered, giving a wink. Ash looked at her with a raised eyebrow in a sarcastic manner, earning a giggle. "Oh! That's right!" Brock exclaimed, raising a finger. "My girlfriend made me watch that stuff a few weeks ago!" Ash almost fell over as he heard what Brock had said.

"Girlfriend?" He asked with a wide mouth. "Pika!" Pikachu shouted in a shocked manner, mimicking Ash's facial expressions. Brock turned back around and sheepishly grinned. "Right, I forgot to tell you all about that." He rubbed the back of his head while Ash stared at him incredulously. "Well, why don't we go inside where it's cooler so we can catch up, eh?"

"Sounds good to me," Ash replied, eager to hear more about this girlfriend of his. "I want to see what the inside looks like!" Bonnie exclaimed, running up to the door and opening it in excitement. The others followed her as she began exploring the place. Walking in, Ash looked around and noticed that it had been renovated drastically since he had been in it last.

"Made some changes," Brock commented, noticing Ash's awe of the area. "Especially the battlefield," he added, earning a look of interest from Bonnie. "I want to see that!" She exclaimed, running over to the group. "It's just over here," Brock noted, walking towards a set of double doors that stood at the end of the luxurious lobby full of rock decorations.

He opened the door and allowed the group to walk through, revealing a grand battlefield that had a large seating area. The walls seemed to be made out of rock, making their way up to the ceiling that held a large glass panel that allowed all the sunlight inside. As for the field itself, large rocks were snaking their way in and out of the ground, jutting into the air like spikes, while smaller rocks were strewn all across the sandy ground, causing a potential obstacle to challengers.