Road To Become A Pokemon Master

Chapter 10: The Battle at Pewter City Gym

Ash, Serena, Misty, and Pikachu stepped into the Pewter City gym. They were in a very large room that was almost the size of the gym itself. The room was poorly lit making it a little hard for the group to see anyone or anything. They could tell the floor was made out of stone. They could also see several large rocks sticking up from the ground to fit the theme.

"Um, hello?" Ash called. "Is anyone there? My name is Ash Ketchum. I'm here for a gym challenge against Brock."

Suddenly, bright lights illuminated the room, momentarily dazing the group and causing them to shield their eyes. When their eyes adjusted to the light, they looked and saw a teenage boy sitting Indian style across the room. The boy had dark brown, almost black, spiky hair that stuck out in many different directions. He had dark tanned skin and squinty eyes. He wore a green vest over an orange shirt and brown pants.

"Are you Brock?" Ash asked.

"I am," Brock confirmed.

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town. I have come to challenge you to a gym battle for the Boulder Badge," said Ash.

"Is that your Pikachu?" Brock asked while pointing.

"Yes. It is," Ash replied

Brock then looked at Pikachu in an almost demeaning way. "I see. So it is still in its cutest stage."

Judging by his tone, Ash and Pikachu could tell it wasn't a compliment. "What's that supposed to mean?" Ash asked with some anger in his voice.

"It means it can't win!" Brock answered.

"Well, we'll just see about that, won't we?!" Ash asked rhetotically.

As if to demonstrate its power, Pikachu curled its paws into fists and sparked its cheeks.

"Heh. Well, as a Gym Leader, I must accept every challenge. Be warned as I do not lose easily," Brock said as he stood up.

"We can take you on! My Pokemon and I may even have a few tricks up our sleeve," Ash told Brock.

"Very well. I must ask your guests to move to the second floor so they are not in the way," Brock said.

The group turned and saw a set of stairs that led up to a walkway on the second floor that had a nice view of the field.

Misty went ahead towards the staircase, but Serena stayed behind for just second.

"Good luck, Ash. You will do great," she said. She then gave him a wink. "Remember, never give up until the end!"

"You got it, Serena," Ash said as he gave her a thumbs-up.

Serena then smiled and headed towards the staircase herself.

Brock couldn't help but smile to himself. He wished he had a girl that was close to him, but now was not the time to think about things like that. He needed to focus on the match. "Do you know the rules for the Pewter City Gym?" he asked.

"Uh, no. I'm afraid I don't," Ash said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's simple. As the Gym Leader, I cannot make any substitutions. As the challenger, you may make as many as you like. I will use just two Pokemon. Tell me, Ash. Are you a trainer that is just starting out?"