♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝔹𝕪 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪 (𝔸𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕡𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕘) ♛

Chapter 4: THE FLORAL LAGOON CITY

Chapter 4: The Floral Lagoon City

A week since Ash's last battle with Brock had passed.

During that time, he had been navigating through Mt. Moon whilst battling any Trainer that he inadvertently laid eyes on.

An unspoken rule.

If two Trainers' eyes meet, the battle starts.

Having a better feel for battling, Ash had an easier time going through Mt. Moon as time passed.

However, there was where he experienced a whole new world of emotion.

Malice.

In the form of black-suited adults with an 'R' symbol.

Team Rocket, as they were called.

Stealing Pokémon of the other Trainers for profit, Ash could not stand it.

Defeating them proved to be an arduous battle as these grunts do not believe in fairness.

Only victory, whatever the cost.

Ash barely came out of that fight victorious.

But for the young boy, it frustrated him.

Another reason for him to get stronger.

Which was why, after arriving at Cerulean City, instead of heading into Cerulean's Gym, Ash opted to train near a bridge at Route 24 called the 'Nugget Bridge'.

There, he encountered his rival.

"How have you been doing, Red? You look like crap," Gary smirked.

"Been fine, Green. I'm gonna head to the Gym tomorrow," Ash replied, ignoring his last remark.

"Dude, seriously? Blue and I already have our badges. Pick up the pace, Slowpoke," Gary taunted further.

Ash stared at him with widened eyes. He could not believe he had already lost the race not only to Green but to Blue as well.

"In any case, wanna have our first official battle as Trainers?" Gary questioned.

"...Heh, you're on!" Ash pondered before grinning.

"1 on 1?" Gary asked.

"Fine by me."

The rivals stood at opposite sides of the bridge.

Red eyes and green eyes.

Electricity is in the air.

"Pikachu, I choose you!"

"Let's go, Ratatta!"

A yellow mouse vs a purple rat.

Pikachu and Ash looked at each other.

Their suspicions were clearly visible to one another.

"Ratatta, [Quick Attack]," Green commanded.

In a blink of an eye, the purple rat moved too fast for the human eye to see.

Pikachu was then met with a barrage of lightning-fast strikes from every angle.

As soon as the strikes ended, so did Pikachu.

Pikachu had fainted.

Ash was in shock at what had happened.

His first loss.

He did not even have a chance to react.

"That's it? I expected more from you, Red. Haah... This is disappointing," Gary remarked.

The orange-haired boy said that without a hint of mockery. He truly believed his rival would at least put up a fight against him.

"I... lost..." Ash muttered in defeat.

"Pi... ka. Pika-pika..." Pikachu groaned, waking up.

"Hey Green, that Ratatta... did you caught it in Viridian Forest?" Ash asked.

"Hmm, yeah so?"

"That's the same Ratatta that attacked Pikachu when he ran away!" Ash concluded, confirming his suspicions.

"I knew those [Quick Attacks] were familiar!"

Gary's Ratatta looked at raven-haired boy and his beaten partner.

Recognized the two as the same ones from back then, the rat did a cocky shrug, as if to say he was bored.

"Hell, he's doing the same pose as last time!" Ash said, annoyed.

"Pika pika!" the mouse squeaked, mirroring his Trainer.

"Bunch of sore losers, aren't you both?" Gary taunted, sticking his nose up.

On that day, Pikachu found his rival.

Back at the PokéCenter, the two were waiting for their Pokémon to heal.

"You really can't mind you own business, can't you?"

Ash confided to Gary what had happened in Mt. Moon.

Team Rocket and their malicious deeds.

"That's so like you, Red," Gary snorted.

Pausing for a moment before continuing.

"If you want my advice, don't tunnel vision at just strength. Come up with better strategies, just like Ratatta just now. On its own, [Quick Attack] isn't that strong of a move but add in the bridge's handrails as platforms, Ratatta could hit and run from any angle he wants, creating an omni-directional assault." Gary advised, sharing his strategies.

Ash thought about it and understood what he was trying to say, albeit a bit overwhelmed by the excessive information.

Might was not everything.

One must also be crafty enough to gain an edge over the enemy.

Realizing he did it without knowing during his second bout with Brock, Ash thanked Gary for his help.

"In return, I expect a much better fight from you next time. Can't have a weakling calling himself my rival, after all," Gary answered back with a snobbish look.

"Yeah, I'll definitely win next time," Ash replied with a toothy grin.

With that, Gary left with his healed Pokémon.

The first defeat

The next day, Ash stood at the entrance of Cerulean City's Gym.

An oath to keep

With a final fiddle with his locket from his beloved, he entered.

Chapter 4: The Floral Lagoon City

"Excuse me, I would like to have a Gym Battle!"

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