The Kanto Journals: A Pokemon Crossover

Chapter 20: A Breeder's Helping Hand

Arndolfr decided to let Geronimo, Eleanor, and Legolas out of their Pokéballs during the short walk from Lt. Surge's Gym to the Pokémon Center. Eleanor is now soundly perched on Arndolfr's head while Legolas slept on Arndolfr's arms. Geronimo, on the other hand, stayed wide awake and still looked intently back at the Gym as if contemplating something.

"Gee, I wonder how I would train for that battle with Lt. Surge," Arndolfr wondered out loud. "That'll be... um, fifty hours?"

"Around two days from now," Lucy replied, counting her fingers. "It still confuses me how soldiers tell time. Anyway, it's clear that your Pokémon's speed is pretty decent, and their attack have no problems as well, but you'll have to work on their defense, judging by the way that Raichu defeated all of your Pokémon in a row."

"Hmm, yeah, well how do you suppose I could train for it, Lucy?" Arndolfr inquired.

Lucy was about to reply when they noticed three people taking their path from the Pokémon Center to Lt. Surge's Gym. Arndolfr recognized two of them at once as Ash Ketchum and the orange-haired girl that scolded Ash back in Viridian City. The third person, he didn't recognize, but he did see a resemblance with Flint and Forrest.

"Dolph?" Ash cried out and ran towards Arndolfr. "Dolph! Have you been in the Vermillion City Gym?"

"Ash Ketchum," Arndolfr responded. "Yes, I've just been there, and let me tell you that Lt. Surge is no joke. He managed to defeat all three of my Pokémon only with his Raichu. Oh right." Arndolfr then remembered that he's with Lucy so he started introducing her. "Ash, I'd like you to meet Lucy Fleetfoot. We've met in Pewter City."

"It's nice to meet you, hun," Lucy greeted Ash and gave him a wink.

Ash gave him an awkward smile before saying, "N-nice to meet you too, Lucy."

This time, the orange-haired girl spoke. "By the way, my name is Misty."

The other boy was about to speak when Arndolfr quickly asked her, "Are you perhaps the same 'Misty' Daisy, Lily, and Violet mentioned that traveled right after battling Ash as a Gym Leader of Cerulean City?"

"Oh, I..." the girl named Misty stammered for a bit then said, "Yes, I am. Judging by that, you probably came from the Gym without earning a badge, am I right?"

"Well not exactly," Arndolfr disagreed. "I earned the CascadeBadge by battling Crasher Wake. It ended in a draw, but Crasher Wake said that I deserved it."

Misty seemed relieved when she heard what Arndolfr said. "Oh good. And I thought my sisters just gave you the badge without even testing your skill. But to think you battled a professional at such an early stage and end up in a draw... that's really impressive, unlike what someone else did." She then gave Ash a sideways glance.

"Hey! I still earned that badge fair and square!" Ash said in retaliation.

Arndolfr noticed that they're having an uncomfortable exchange at this point, so he turned to the last guy and said, "And you, are you perhaps Brock who used to be the Gym Leader of Pewter City?"

"Yes, yes, I am," said the boy named Brock, clearly taken aback that someone knew his name without asking. "I'm guessing you would have to battle my father for the BoulderBadge. It would be impossible for you to reach Cerulean City without it."

"Again, not exactly," Arndolfr replied modestly. "It was actually your brother Forrest whom I battled for it, instead of Mr. Flint. I have to say that his Onix is very well-trained. It easily took out Eleanor back when we were battling. Oh, Eleanor is my Spearow."

"In actuality, that was my Onix," Brock said in a would-be casual voice, but he couldn't suppress the surprise in his voice over the fact that his brother would be the one to battle him. "Where was my dad during the battle?"