Encounters

Like I'd said, I'm back with another chapter by the weekend. It's so good to meet a deadline. I haven't really done that for the last few chapters of any of my stories. So it feels good!

Ash clicked a few buttons on the Xtransceiver as he sat stood from his seat on the bench. He'd finished putting all of the bowls of his Pokemon inside his backpack after they had their lunch. He'd decided to rest in a trainer's shelter on his way. It was just a small hall with a few benches inside. At the time, there was no one but Ash there.

After the failed capture of the Abra that Ash came across, they'd walked for another four days. They came across a few Pokemon trainers on the way and a few more in a small village in which they stopped by for a day. All in all, they had been able to get some pretty good practice going. The Pokemon that they encountered weren't anything new with the usual Pidgey, Spearow, Rattata, Bellsprout and some other commonly found Pokemon on their way.

Ash had done some research on a few new moves that he'd planned on teaching his Pokemon. Ralts' defensive moves were fine for now, but she needed a better way to attack. With her history of coming back home to Tasha injured, he'd figured that she needed some better moves and tricks that would help her if she had a move strong enough to fend off Pokemon.

As for Pidgeotto, Ash had been planning to teach her Twister and Steel Wing. He had that planned for quite a while but decided to take one move at a time. They'd began training for the Steel Wing. Pidgeotto could now harden her wings but only for a few moments. It wasn't enough for the attack to be executed in battle. She would lose the glow as soon as she concentrated on flying and the hardness in her wings would go along with it.

He was confident that she'd be able to perfect it soon. He could take his time teaching her a Steel-type move. It was good for her moveset but it wouldn't be of any use in his next Gym battle. He remained confident of getting it done after it.

Dratini too needed to learn moves that would use all his skill. So far, his raw power had made him into the battler he was but with a more complete and well-rounded moveset, Dratini would be able to battle much better than he currently did. He would be able to harness its full potential.

Charmander probably was in the least need to learn a new move. That didn't mean that Ash wouldn't try to teach him one. Charmander was one of the Pokemon he'd decided to use against the Vermillion City Gym Leader and by all the things he'd heard about Lt. Surge, he would need to bring all the tricks out to win the Gym battle there.

There was much to think about for Ash, but thankfully for him, there was some time before he reached Vermilion. He planned on challenging the Gym as soon as he reached Vermillion City. For him to be prepared to do that, he needed his Pokemon to be ready. From what he'd learned previously about Vermillion City Gym battle, it was going to be a two-on-two battle. He wouldn't be using Pidgeotto surely because of the massive type disadvantage that she would be in. That left him with Charmander, Dratini and Ralts.

If he was to use Ralts, he'd definitely need to do some training with her and test her in more Pokemon battles. So far, the only two battles Ralts had been in were against two trainers he'd fought on the way. They were trainers with no badges who'd almost begged Ash to fight them. The Rattata and Spearow she'd fought posed no challenge to her. Ash figured it was about time he started to get Ralts battle-ready for the future. Her typing and the variety of moves she could learn would turn her into a powerful battler.

Ash removed the four shrunken Pokeballs from his pocket. "It's time to get going, guys." He said. He tapped Ralts and Pidgeotto with their Pokeballs first before moving on to Dratini and Charmander. As he was about to tap Charmander on the head, the Fire-type jumped back a few steps. Ash raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Charmander?"

Charmander brought his claws together nervously. He cried a couple of times wanting to make his thoughts known, turning around and taking steps forward when his trainer cocked his head.

Ash brought his eyebrows together and stood up. "You wanna walk with me?"

The Pokemon in question instantly turned around and nodded furiously. He chimed and leapt up in the air, making his excitement known.

"I don't see a problem with that," Ash beamed at his Pokemon. He then turned to Dratini and brought his Pokeball forward but Dratini too resisted, crawling out of the way. "So you don't wanna go inside the Pokeball either?" he cackled in amusement.

Dratini cooed in agreement and crawled up on Ash's back, resting his head on hiss trainer's shoulder while the rest of his body floated behind his back.

Ash shook his head. He could tell that Dratini had resisted going inside his Pokeball because Charmander decided to remain outside. He wondered though why Charmander had urged to stay out. Did he just want to have some fresh air for longer? Was it that he wanted to try walking with his trainer? In the end, it didn't matter, Ash concluded. There was nothing wrong with them wanting to be outside for a while.

"Okay then," Ash started, clutching the belt of his backpack. "Let's get going."

Ash and Charmander with Dratini on Ash's shoulder began their trek. Dratini closed his eyes shut, just feeling up and down as Ash walked, while Charmander excstatically walked side by side with his trainer.

"Hey!" A voice called, causing Ash to stop. "Ash?"

Ash turned around when his name was called in a questioning manner. It was a familiar voice. His lips curled to the right as he saw the face of the one who'd called him. "Hey Brock!" He greeted. What was the Gym leader of Pewter City doing here? He wore a green vest over a brown shirt and black pants and had a large travelling bag handing behind him. "What're you doing here?" he said. The next second, he continued realizing that he might've sounded rude. "I mean, this is far away from your Gym. How come you're here?"

Brock smiled in response to Ash. "I'm traveling now." He answered, taking a few steps so he was in front of Ash.

"What about the Gym?" Ash asked curiously, an eyebrow raised.

"You see," Brock started. "My father returned home and he took over the Gym. It happened soon after you won the Gym battle we had. I tried to catch up to you, but thought you'd be way ahead."

"I would've been had I not had a few interesting places to visit," Ash said. He rubbed the back of his head as he continued. "You're going to be a Pokemon trainer, then?"

He was interested if he would have another rival.

Brock shook his head. "No," he said. "I am hoping to become a Pokemon breeder and doctor."

"Pokemon Breeder as well as a doctor?" Ash said. "That's pretty cool, you know?"

"Yeah, it is." Brock said with a chuckle. "I may have been a Gym Leader but I've never been really interested in Pokemon battling. It's much more fun for me when I take care of Pokemon. I love discovering new Pokemon. I was acting as a Gym Leader because my family has run the Pewter City Gym for generations now. It was naturally my responsibility."

Ash nodded. He'd read that the Pewter City Gym of Rock-type Pokemon had been run by one family for decades. There weren't many Gyms around who had the sort of family history Pewter City Gym had. Most successors to Gym Leader were their pupils or in cases, a totally new Gym Leader for the City. There did exist a few Gym with family history but they were sparse.

"Are you planning to enter an academy?" Ash said. "For breeding and medical?"

"I already have some education about both breeding and treating Pokemon from Pewter Pokemon Academy," Brock said. "Instead of staying at one place and studying more, I feel it will be better for my knowledge if I travel and get to know different Pokemon." He added. His eyes glinted, excitement visible in them as he continued. "Knowing how different Pokemon live in their natural habitat, that'll help me become a much better breeder than one I could be if I only got some education."

Ash nodded, hands in his pockets. "I get what you mean," he beamed. He did exactly understand what Brock was saying. It was similar in the way that a Pokemon trainer would get much more experience if he was traveling around the world catching Pokemon that staying in a university and training with Pokemon provided by the facility there.

"These guys look to be doing well," Brock patted Charmander on the head, receiving a light grunt from the Fire-type. When he did the same to Dratini, he got no response. The serpent knew who the man was and didn't bother to open his eyes. Brock chuckled at the response or the lack of it from Dratini. He stood back straight and looked at Ash. "You're probably headed for Vermillion City?"

"Yes, I am." Ash answered instantly. "I've got two badges and I'm going to get my third there." He declared confidently. Even after all he'd heard about the Gym Leader, his excitement didn't die. In fact, he was looking forward to the battle even more than before.

Brock let out a laugh at the confidence that Ash exuberated. "How about we travel together there?" he asked. He let loose one of the belts of his backpack, sliding the chain open. He pulled out a man and observed it. "We should reach Vermillion in about 2 days from here,"

Ash was impressed with the knowledge that Brock possessed. He figured it might be because Brock had a few trips to Vermillion by foot. There were highways for vehicles to pass but that was hardly the way to go for a trainer. It would be meaningless if a trainer missed the Pokemon that were found in the wild.

Ash placed a hand on his chin. "Travel with you?" He teased before letting out a cackle. "I don't mind."

"Well then," Brock beamed, taking a few steps and getting ahead of Ash. "What're we waiting for? Let's get going."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "I thought you would want to rest a while here. Aren't you tired?"

Brock turned his head. "Not at all. I had a break just an hour ago so I'm ready to roll."

Ash brought his eyebrows together and nodded. "Alright,"

And just like that, the two humans and the two Pokemon outside began their trek to Vermillion City.

Another day had gone by as Ash close in on Vermillion City. The sun had set and Ash and Brock had decided to set up camp for the night.

In a long while, Ash would be eating food that wasn't packed food. Of course, he sometimes cooked but the only thing edible that he knew how to make were some sandwiches and he had to carry too much to make it. He preferred packed food instead because they were easier to carry and well, they saved his time during breaks.

But he had to admit. He was looking forward to having some stew that Brock was making. The smell had made his mouth water. Brock had begun cooking it a few minutes ago and it was almost done. If this were his mother or someone he was closer to like Leaf, he would've asked them if it was ready about 10 times by now. He kept his emotions in check around people he wasn't close to.

"Ash, dinner's ready," Brock called. He picked up two bowls and put the stew in it.

Ash tried to control himself but couldn't help but leap up in excitement. His lips formed a wide smile as he quickly walked towards Brock. "It's ready?" he repeated. His mind was taken in by the smell of the stew that he couldn't wait to gulp down.

"I hope you like it," Brock chimed as he handed Ash the bowl of his stew. "You can let your Pokemon have it as well."

Ash grabbed the bowl from Brock's hand. He was about to dig in, but what Brock suggested made him look at the former Gym Leader. "Won't it be bad for their health?"

"There's nothing in this stew that uses anything that would harm their health," Brock said, his eyes narrow as ever. He put a spoon in his own stew and got it out. "These are all ingriedients that can be had by both Pokemon and humans. It'll harm neither." He explained as he showed Ash the vegetables that he'd taken out of the stew in his spoon. "In fact, they're healthy for both."

Ash couldn't help but have a spoonful of the stew. The warm sensation of the liquid touching the inside of his mouth and then the taste of the various soft veggies going down his throat, he almost felt like he was having the stew that his mother had made to him at home.

"It's delicious!" Ash exclaimed. His face eyes twinkled as he beamed, his hands trembling to have more. "I can't let my Pokemon miss out on this!"

"Glad you like it!" brock crowed proudly. He took great effort in cooking and it made him happy when the ones eating it liked what they had. Of course, with his cooking skills, this was a reaction he'd become used to by now.

Ash kept the bowl of stew on the ground and quickly tossed his Pokeballs in the air. "You're gonna enjoy this!"

The Pokeballs opened and the Pokemon cried and surrounded around Ash. They too, could smell something that they'd like. Unable to contain himself, Dratini went to the source of the smell nearest to him.

The bowl that Ash had left on the ground didn't take much time to be cleaned of each drop of stew there was. Ash, his other Pokemon and Brock just stood there, surprised at how Dratini had devoured the stew in not too long.

Ash shook his head, a sigh leaving his lips. Why was he not surprised? He should've known that Dratini would act this way. Dratini's love for food was far greater than even his. He just sat there, a wry smile plastered on his face as Dratini rolled himself into a round shape and closed his eyes right there. Ash didn't mind Dratini eating that.

"Maybe you should've had yours first," Brock said. Brock probably would've been surprised to see that a Pokemon who'd given him such a fight would have a side like this to him.

"That's fine," Ash said. He picked up the bowl and dug into his backpack. He'd like to have it washed before he ate in it again. "Can you give them the food?" he rose and pointed towards his backpack. "There are bowls for them in there,"

Brock nodded. "Sure, no problem."

Ash strolled towards a tree. He absentmindedly poured water on the bowl and rinsed it with his hand. His mind trailed off in thought of the training that he'd planned to do the next day. His meeting with Brock could prove to be a blessing for him. None of his Pokemon knew a Ground-type move yet. Brock had at least two Ground-type Pokemon with him in Geodude and Onix. He could use some help in that department. That would definitely enhance his preparation for his Gym battle.

Already, Brock's inclusion to his traveling part had paid off. Not that he expected Brock to cook. He'd imagined brock to be a hardened battler from the behavior he'd observed in him at the Pewter City Gym. He couldn't have been more wrong.

If Brock was able to help him, it would prove to be a useful few days.

Ash smiled as he watched his Pokemon spar against one another.

Charmander fired off his Ember at Ralts, who put her hands forward and managed to stop the fire until it dissipated into a small puff of black smoke. Ash had asked Charmander to control the power at which he used his attacks while training with Ralts. When Charmander and Dratini sparred, they hardly held back. In the battlefield, they were competitors. Ash liked that. It was their competitive spirit that drove them.

A few meters away from them, Dratini's body glowed and let out a wave of electricity to counter the gust of wind that Pidgeotto fired off. Dratini had been an all out attacker up until now. He needed to learn to defend himself. If against an opponent stronger than himself, there was nothing better than to tire it out.

Shock Wave was surprisingly effective as a defensive skill. Its offensive power had helped Dratini on many occasions, but Ash thought that the use of it as a defensive move could be more useful. If Dratini was able to form a powerful ring around it made of electricity, he could fend off ranged attacks. At least to an extent.

This had been the kind of training Ash had been doing with his Pokemon for a while. He'd tried to strengthen the moves they already possessed, while also thinking of some maneuvers to add to them. He'd held off teaching them new moves until then. He thought it would help focus if they concentrated on not too many things at a time. He figured it was about time he expanded the movesets of his Pokemon.

"Brock," Ash said. He turned to look at his temporary traveling companion who was sat next to him. "I've got a favor to ask of you,"

Brock closed the book he'd been reading after placing his bookmark on the page. "What is it?" he glanced at the trainer.

"Could you perhaps teach my Pokemon a Ground-type move?" Ash said. He didn't like to ask too many favors of people. This was necessary though. He needed a Ground-type move.

Brock glanced at the Pokemon that trained, eyes narrowing. He then turned back to Ash. "I don't think any of my Pokemon know Ground-type moves that your Pokemon could learn," he said. "I am sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to help you with that,"

Ash sighed. "Is that so?" he let his body fall on the ground, palms under his head. He'd been hopeful that he could get at least one of his Pokemon to learn a Ground-type move.

He would teach one to his Pokemon himself if he could. But the moves that would be strong and those his Pokemon could learn weren't ones he believed he himself could teach them. He would need either the help of someone having their Pokemon teach the move, or someone who'd had experience teaching them.

There were video clips in chips called TM which demonstrated how a Pokemon could learn a certain move. But he had none. Even if he did, it took a fair amount of time in order to learn a move from video demonstration itself, unless the Pokemon had previous practice in using a similar move to it.

"But I do have something that might help you," Ash had almost missed it as he was in his own thought.

Brock's words made him look at him with an eyebrow curled up. "What could that be?"

"Here," Brock said as he offered Ash a small book. The cover of the book had Onix, Rhydon and a few other Rock-type Pokemon on it. "It's an old book which has the basics of some Rock and Ground-type moves,"

Ash observed that the book was quite roughed up and used. The pages were crumbled as he opened it. He rose up and flowed the pages one after the other. They had move demonstrations with pictures of certain Rock-type and Ground-type Pokemon using the said moves. Rollout, Rock Throw, Mud Slap, Rock Polish. The next move struck Ash's attention.

"Dig," Ash repeated the name of the move. "Charmander can learn it," He glanced up at Brock. The former Rock-type Gym Leader might be helpful. He still wasn't confident if he'd be able to teach Charmander the move with just this illustration.

Anyway, it would take some time, he thought.

"Charmander certainly can learn Dig," Brock confirmed.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

Brock placed a hand on his chin. "Does your Charmander know any Groung-type moves? Any at all? Or maybe some Rock-type moves?"

Ash shook his head. "No. None of my Pokemon know any Ground-type moves,"

Brock pursed his lips. "Then, it could well take a while. It's always difficult for a Pokemon to grasp and use the move of a new type. It could've been easier if we had a Pokemon who could show Charmander how to use Dig."

Ash sighed. He had gotten his hopes up after he received the book from Brock. He should've known better. It wasn't always easy to teach a move to a Pokemon. "We'll just have to figure something out then,"

Ash watched his Pokemon train some more while Brock continued reading the book that he'd been reading. It was about the habits and traits of some Pokemon, Brock had told him. It was important as a breeder to know at what time did a Pokemon act a certain way. That would help him realize what the condition of the Pokemon was in that situation.

Ash sat up and ran a hand through his hair. His Pokemon had trained enough for the time. They'd done pretty well. It was time to get going. He flowed his hand beside him. He last remembered keeping his hat there. He'd removed it and kept it on the ground just a few minutes ago. He glanced over at Brock to just check if he'd taken it. He didn't think he would and he hadn't. Where could it have gone.

He stood up and dusted his jeans off. "Have you seen my hat, Brock?"

That got the attention of the breeder. "Your hat?" he looked up and shook his head. "No, I haven't,"

"It was here just a minute ago," he mumbled. He creased his forehead as he tried to remember if he'd kept it somewhere else.

No. He was sure it was beside him.

Right then, he heard a snort. It came from above him. As he looked up at the tree, he saw where his hat had gone. There was a roundish Pokemon covered in whitish fur, brown arms and triangular ears. And in between those triangular ears was Ash's favorite hat.

"When did it?" Ash mused. But the Mankey snorting again stopped him from thinking anymore.

The Pig Monkey Pokemon appeared to be quite jolly as it fixed the hat on top of its head. It squealed and showed its arms to Ash before hanging itself on a branch with its tail. It was clear that it attempted to mock Ash.

This wasn't the first time Ash had seen a Mankey in the wild but he hadn't bothered with them yet. Until now, neither had they. However, this one seemed different. Ash couldn't quite put a finger on it. For one thing, it was larger in size than an average Mankey. Quite a bit so, Ash noted.

"A Fighting-type is just what we need," Ash grinned. "Come on here guys!" He called as he turned over to his training Pokemon.

The Pokemon all heard their trainer and halted their moves. They rushed over to their trainer's side without any delays.

"Pidgeotto, you're up!" Ash shouted excitedly. He'd missed a Pokemon capture not too long ago. He wouldn't want to make that a habit.

The Mankey appeared to have realized the intention of the ones that he faced. He jumped up higher onto the trees flinging itself from one branch to another, until it was clearly on one of the top branches of the tree.

"Bring it down here, Gust!" Ash commanded.

The Mankey still mocked Ash by making faces, this time showing his tongue even as it hung atop the tree. The gust of wind that Pidgeotto created and set toward it made it cling to the tree. The tree shook viciously with the power of the Flying-type move at such a range. Several leaves fell off followed by a pack of Spearows who didn't bother to stay and fight.

"Again!"

Gust had a similar effect to the tree. The Mankey however jumped down from it this time. It landed on one of its knees and grimaced. It had hurt itself from the fall. That wasn't surprising. It was at the top of a 10 meter tree. It growled in anger, swinging its brownish fist around.

"Great!" Ash cheered. That was exactly what he wanted. The Mankey threw a few punches towards them. "It won't run away. Now use Wing Attack, Pidgeotto!"

Pidgeotto expanded her wings outwards and gathered momentum. She turned around and descended, aiming for the Mankey with her Wings. The Mankey bounced on either of its legs, and opened its side of the hand. As Pidgeotto approached it, it tried to strike her with the side of the hand but the Flying-type swung out of the way. She then struck the Mankey with Wing Attack.

"That was Karate Chop," Ash said. He watched the Mankey recover, flailing around. It didn't seem to like being hit. Ash chuckled. "Wing Attack again!"

Pidgeotto charged Mankey with her wings widened once more. This time, the Mankey too rushed towards its opponent. It crossed its arms on the run and they began to glow a hue of silver.

Ash recognized that move. "Cross Chop!" he exclaimed. That was a move he hadn't expected. Pidgeotto would take severe damage if it was hit with a move as powerful as Cross Chop. But he realized it was too late to dodge. He had to hope that Pidgeotto's Wing Attack minimized the damage.

The attacks of the two Pokemon met. Pidgeotto cried in pain and so did Mankey. Unlike last time, this time the Mankey had overpowered Pidgeotto with its attack. Even though the Mankey went back tumbling and the hat on its head fell off, it made sure that Pidgeotto was sent crashing into the tree behind her.

Ash grimaced at the sight of Pidgeotto's body crashing into the tree. This Mankey was quite something. He hadn't expected it to know a move as strong as Cross Chop. He smirked. This Mankey would be quite an addition to his team.

"Hang in there, Pidgeotto," Ash encouraged. Pidgeotto had recovered from the attack, although many cuts were visible from the attack. The power of the Cross Chop in itself would be quite overwhelming; the fact that she hit the tree afterwards worsened the damage. "Quick Attack!"

Pidgeotto flew forward, speed so fast that it only left some traces of her body. Evidently, Mankey was flustered as its wide eyes searched for its foe that was once to its left then to its right. Eventually, Pidgeotto tackled the Mankey hard.

"Sand Attack!" Ash chinned up. The Mankey was strong but it didn't know how to use that power. Its attacks were too straightforward. Pidgeotto flapped her wings and dug her talons in the ground. The dug up dirt and grass were sent into Mankey's face. The wild Pig Monkey Pokemon shielded its face with its arms but couldn't prevent the dirt from entering its eyes.

Mankey swung its fists around violently. Its eyes still remained half closed due to the Sand Attack. It didn't appear as if had been able to shake the effects of the move off even as it shook its entire body furiously.

"Let's finish this with Wing Attack!"

Pidgeotto obliged. She expanded her wings and struck the flailing monkey with her wings. The power of the attack sent Mankey flying as it finally landed harshly on the ground. Blood peered out of its knees as it attempted to get up, only to fall back on the ground again.

Ash grinned. He ran towards the Mankey, an empty Pokeball in hand. "You're mine!" he shouted. The Pokeball that he threw sucked the wild Mankey into it and landed on the surface.

Ash and his Pokemon patiently watched the Pokeball shake once, twice and then thrice. Then, it came to a stop. Ash waited for a few more seconds before he moved. There was no doubt. He'd caught the Pokemon.

Ash's smile brightened as he scurried towards the Pokeball. He grabbed the ball and stared at it. It had been a while since he'd caught a Pokemon. And made a new friend. This one was going to be a great addition, Ash just knew about it.

Ralts, like the adorable Pokemon she was, worried more about her trainer's hat than the capture. She picked up the hat that had been forgotten by her trainer and walked back to him. Gently, she squealed and offered him the hat.

Ash's lips parted slightly as he took his hat from Ralts. "Thanks, Ralts!" he beamed.

"That was a good catch," Brock said.

Ash turned around to face the tanned man. "Thanks, Brock," That was the first time he'd caught a Pokemon in the presence of a human other than him. He stared at the Pokeball. "I should heal Mankey first,"

The health of his Pokemon had always remained Ash's primary concern. Mankey didn't appear seriously injured but he still thought it best to heal it right then instead of waiting for it to heal the small injuries on its own.

Ash strode towards where he'd been sat before and grabbed a potion from his backpack. He then tapped on the Pokeball and Mankey materialized. It sat on the ground in front of him with wound marks throughout its body. Ash could hear the Pokemon breathe as he crept closer to him. He stroked its head gently.

"This'll sting a bit," Ash mumbled into Mankey's ear.

He sprayed the potion on the wounds on its face first. The Fighting-type growled and weakly attempted to shove the potion aside with its fists. Ash waited a minute and let the feel of the potion sink in to Mankey. As he'd thought, it calmed down once the potion began to take its effect. He sprayed the potion around some other parts of the body where the wounds were visible, spraying it on the wounds that were open at first before moving on to the minor injuries.

Mankey closed its eyes, ignoring the bits of burning that it felt when the potion came in contact with its flesh. The potion did take a while to take full effect but it eased the pain pretty quickly. That was clear from how Mankey had let his body relax on the ground.

"You'll be all better soon," Ash assured. It opened one of its eyes for a second but shut it close the very next when it saw Ash smiling at it. Ash let out a chuckle at the reaction he received. "You don't need to be shy. We're all friends."

Mankey didn't open its eyes this time. Ash didn't mind that. He would have plenty of time to talk to it once it had recovered.

Ash stretched his arms and basked in the sunlight. Another day had gone by and they had gotten ever so close to Vermilion City.

And it was time to get some training done. He had moves that needed to be taught to his Pokemon. One thing that Ash looked forward to was to have a nice introduction with his Mankey. He'd let Mankey out to have dinner the other night but it was tired. So he hadn't forced it on it and let it rest inside its Pokeballs as soon as it finished its meal.

Even though his other Pokemon had eaten their breakfast, he'd held on from giving Mankey some. He'd initially planned on letting Mankey out along with his other Pokemon in the morning. But some words from Brock made him do otherwise. The aspiring Pokemon breeder had suggested that he let Mankey rest.

Ash took a deep breath before he enlarged the Pokeball and tossed up in the air. The ball opened and his newest capture stood in front of him. The monkey growled its arrival, jabbing through the air. Its tail swiped behind it as it fixed its eyes on Ash.

Ash figured that it would have been a new experience for Mankey to wake up in a Pokeball. It probably didn't notice it much because it was injured before, but now that it was all better, it would definitely be having a different experience. It would be a natural reaction. Most Pokemon caught in the wild, especially those who didn't have previous experience being with humans would feel anxious.

"Hey there, Mankey." Ash greeted his newest Pokemon. He bent down and carefully brought his hand closer to the Pokemon.

It didn't show any visible signs of resisting. It just stared right into Ash's eyes. Ash flashed a smile as it let him touch his white fur. He stroked the Pokemon's head before scratching its ear. Mankey let out a light growl. It seemed to like it.

Then, it happened.

What Ash least expected happened. Mankey leapt up, snatching Ash's hat from the top of his head. It jumped and squealed in joy for a moment. And then, it skipped off towards a nearby tree. In no time, it was drifting on one of its branches on its tail. It seemed to quite like Ash's cap as it put it on and then cheered with hands outstretched.

Ash sighed. It wouldn't be easy to tame this one. Even after it had been captured, it still didn't stop with its pranks.

Dratini watched as the Mankey stole Ash's hat and ran off. He hissed dangerously and its long tail slammed on the surface, puffing up some dust. It was about to swish towards the Mankey but was interrupted by Charmander. The Fire-type howled at it. That seemed to work. Dratini managed to calm itself, settling in his place and focusing on his training instead.

Ralts and Pidgeotto meanwhile never let the incident distract them from them.

Brock had observed the drama unfold between the two and he appeared to have just the solution. "Try giving it this," he suggested as he put forward a bar in his hand. "It's specially made to soothe Fighting-types."

"A Pokemon food bar?" Ash raised an eyebrow but took the bar. He observed it for a moment and began to walk in the direction where Mankey had gone. "It wouldn't hurt to try," he said. "Hey Mankey, come on here, I'll give you this!"

At first, Mankey simply ignored the call and continued to let out noises while its swung like a pendulum on the tree branch. There was this odd smell on the bar though. Ash wasn't affected by it but he discerned that it was what would appeal to the fighting types. He was right.

Mankey perked up its nose and once it'd made out that the smell came from the bar that Ash held, it jumped right down. It hesitantly waited for a moment. Carefully, it stepped forward one step at a time. Ash held a laugh at the antics of this Pokemon. He could make out that Mankey was trying to sneakily snatch the bar from his hand. All while Ash had eyes on it.

"You can have it," Ash said with a smile. When a questioning look from Mankey followed, he let his hand near it and assured. "Really."

Mankey took the bar and smelled it. Before long, it began to nibble on it and then ate it all in one go. It let out a yawn afterward as its body relaxed and it sat on the ground. Just as Brock said, it appeared to have calmed down. He'd have to ask Brock what exactly it was. It might prove quite useful to him if Mankey continued this behavior.

"I'll have this," Ash took off the hat from Mankey's head and to his pleasant surprise, it didn't retaliate. "You wanna have some food?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "We're gonna do some training now so you should eat now,"

Mankey waited for a moment and let out a lazy nod.

Ash smiled and nodded back. He got some of the normal Pokemon food that he fed his other Pokemon and placed the bowl in front of Mankey. It wasn't as ill-mannered when it came to eating as Dratini but it still ate wildly. It swiped the food with both his hands, swinging one piece from each hand inside at once. It seemed like Dratini might get along well with Mankey. They certainly had a few similarities.

It only took a few short minutes for Mankey to devour the food that lay before it. Ash kept all the bowls in food back in his backpack and returned to where Mankey sat.

"It's time to train, Mankey," Ash told his newest friend.

Surprisingly, Mankey nodded. It rose up and punched the air. It seemed rather excited. Ash would be lying if he said that he hadn't expected Mankey to do something silly again. He'd worried that it might waste a lot of his time getting Mankey to even stay still. That was not the case though. Mankey looked ready.

Ash pursed his lips as he grabbed his Pokedex from his pocket. "Let's first get to know what your moves are,"

The Pokedex that Ash pointed at Mankey began to speak. "Mankey the Pig Monkey Pokemon….

This Mankey is Male. Its ability is Vital Spirit. Its moves are Scratch, Low Kick, Karate Chop, Fury Swipes and Cross Chop."

"You've got some pretty good moves," Ash said as he pressed some more buttons on the Pokedex. Mankey shoved its chest up with pride, arms folded. "We'll need to add some variety to your moveset though," At that, Mankey's posture changed. It clearly looked interested. "Like a Dark-type move or a Ghost-type move," Ash absentmindedly murmured.

The amount of moves that Mankey could learn was quite impressive. There were a few strong Dark and Ghost-type moves to choose from. Ash had no idea how to teach most of those. That wasn't a problem since they had plenty of time.

His immediate concern was the Vermilion City Gym. He had to ready his Charmander with Dig before that. Dratini couldn't learn any impressive Ground-type moves. Pidgeotto would be at a huge disadvantage going against an Electric-type Gym so using her was out of the question. Ralts was still too inexperienced and needed some more battle experience under her belt. She'd proven to be a strong fighter but it would be a risk to go in with her.

The Vermilion Gym battle would most likely be a two-on-two match from his knowledge. Charmander would be absolutely vital. For that, he needed to be taught Dig. Mankey wouldn't be too bad of a choice either.

Ash's scratched his cheek as he remembered that Dig was one of the moves that Mankey could learn as well. If he had two Pokemon with the move in the Gym battle, it would be definitely easier.

He walked up to his training Pokemon. They were giving it everything they had. Like they always did. "Guys, that's enough for now," he called as he approached them.

The Pokemon stopped their attacks and turned towards their trainer. Pants could be heard from them; they'd been training for about an hour non-stop so it was hardly surprising. They rested their bodies on the ground and breathed in.

The hard work that his Pokemon put in every session of training made Ash proud. "Have a rest," He said as he recalled Ralts and Pidgeotto back in their balls. He let Charmander and Dratini stay outside.

Once he'd kept the two Pokeballs inside, Ash turned to his Charmander and Dratini. "We're going to train some more," he informed them. Dratini and Charmander took deep breaths but didn't argue. "Charmander, you have to learn Dig before the battle," The Fire-type listened intently and nodded silently. "Dratini, your attacks are strong but you can become an easy target against stronger opponents if your attacks miss,"

The serpent hissed at that. He looked away into the distance once Ash had finished. Ash's bluntness was harsh, he realized that. But there was no other way to put it. Dratini was strong but he hadn't been challenged yet. Ash was sure that there would come a time soon when his Pokemon would come up against those that'll pose more of a threat. And then, the sheer power of Dratini's attacks won't always be enough to win a battle.

"You'll be working on a move called Agility," Ash said.

He'd looked up some moves on his Pokedex and Agility was the one that he'd come up with to teach Dratini. Dratini was no slouch when it came to speed. But it still was a Pokemon that could do with that extra bit of speed when against faster or stronger opponents.

Dratini turned back to look at his trainer after he'd mentioned the move. Ash gave it a lopsided smile. There was only one way that he knew of that a Pokemon could learn that move. It would take some time, again, as there was no one in his party that knew how to use the move, nor anyone who had the experience of teaching it.

"Get started that Dratini," Ash said. "You're going to do laps around the field."

Dratini didn't seem happy at that as he let out a growl. Ash simply frowned at his Pokemon. There was no way the Dragon was slacking off; not under his watch. Dratini stared right back at Ash, not one to give in as he was. However, he hung his head before slowly crawling away to the corner. Not long after, it starter gushing. Ash couldn't help but chuckle. Under that thick skin of his, Dratini was quite the hard worker.

He turned back to the two other Pokemon. "So you two, you're going to have to work even harder." The Pokemon nodded instantly. "To start off, you're first going to have to make a hole in the ground. To do that," he paused and looked into the book that he'd borrowed from Brock. "You've gotta start by jumping up, then taking that momentum down as you start to make the hole."

Of course, his Pokemon's faces shrunk. He sighed. He needed to explain it a bit more.

"Look," he started. He kept the book safely in his pocket before he jumped and landed back on the ground. This was the first time he'd tried to teach a move to his Pokemon by trying it out himself. "You jump like this," he said as he jumped once again, "and then dig out the ground like this!" He lowered his hands and landed on all fours.

That might have not gone exactly like he wanted it to. Now he understood just how much effort it took to learn a new move. He'd hoped that his Pokemon got some sort of idea after his explanation.

The groans that came from Mankey and Charmander weren't ones that he wanted. They appeared even more confused after the little show Ash had put up.

Ash pursed his lips. "Okay listen, just jump up and try to scratch the ground with everything you've got, okay?"

Mankey and Charmanded nodded this time.

"Do it!"

The duo of Pokemon jumped in the air and landed back on the ground. Then, they scratched the ground afterwards. Although they did manage to make a bit of a hole, that wasn't what was needed.

"Try again!" Ash commanded. They did, and it yielded the same result. "Turn your body when you're in the air! Use the force of falling to strengthen your dig!"

Ash scratched his head at that. They'd jumped up and got their momentum going but they never used that momentum. They might as well have not jumped up and instead started scratching the surface from the beginning if they were going to do it the way they had so far.

"Ash," The trainer from Pallet Town turned around to find Brock walking towards him. "I think my Pokemon may be able to help you a little bit with that,"

Ash frowned. Why didn't he say so sooner? "That'd be a huge help if they can. I'm going nowhere here,"

He'd taught his Pokemon a few move like Dragon Rage to Charmander and Dratini. But that was a move which came naturally to the two of them. Pidgeotto had gotten down the basic concept of Steel Wing. That too, however, was a move that didn't require doing too much different than a Wing Attack. It was a form of Wing Attack that made the wings strong as steel. Furthermore, he'd had Charmander help Pidgeotto with his Metal Claw at the time.

Dig wasn't a move that either Mankey or Charmander would learn on their own. It would be an extremely rare case to find one of either species use the move in the wild. If they lived somewhere where using the move Dig or digging in general was essential, that was when they might learn the move in the wild.

"I need your help, Geodude!" Brock called as he tossed up a Pokeball. The rocky Pokemon with a face for its body thudded on the ground. It slammed its fists on the ground and roared before it turned to look at its trainer.

"While my Geodude cannot use the move Dig," Brock began. "It can make its way underground. It's a Ground-type so it comes naturally to it."

Ash raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "If it can dig, can't it use the move Dig?"

"It's not the same, Ash," Brock shook his head. "Almost all Ground-type Pokemon can go underground. That doesn't mean they can attack with Dig. To use Dig, the Pokemon must not only go underground, but it also has to come out with enough power to do some damage to its opponent. It's no use if the Pokemon just digs and come out of the ground with no real power behind it."

"I see," Ash stared at the ground in thought.

That made sense. He'd never thought about it. But if Dig was such a simple move, all Ground-types would be using it from infancy. And most Rock-types wouldn't have a problem doing it either. He understood now that it was a bit more complex than that.

"Now Geodude," Brock said with his finger pointed towards the ground. "Make a hole there. Do it slowly so they can see,"

The mentioned Pokemon swung its arms wide and dug its fists into the ground. It then began to shovel the soil underneath as it burrowed under the surface. It did it slowly but merely in a few seconds, it had formed a hole a few meters deep.

Ash as well as his Pokemon leaned over and observed the action carefully. That was how it had to be done.

"You see guys?" Ash glanced at both the Pokemon that stood around him. As he received the nod, he continued. "Now you guys try doing that."

The two jumped up and again landed on the ground before they started to shovel with their claws and fists. The result was a deeper pit that before but that wasn't enough.

Brock put a hand under his chin as he stepped forward with his Geodude in tow. "That's not quite right." He said as he took the move book from Ash's hand and looked into it. "After you jump, you should turn around so that your hands are on the ground before your feet." He illustrated with his own hands as he bent over. "You have to make sure that you take the momentum of your jump with you. That will help you dig deeper."

The Pokemon listened carefully and growled in unison at the end. They both glanced at one another and nodded to themselves before they gave the move another try. They leapt up in the air again, and this time, turned their bodies around in a 180 degrees motion. Now, their arms were closer to the ground while their tails and legs farthest to it. And unlike previous occasions, this time they'd landed on their hands and they'd started digging underneath much before their legs reached the surface.

Evidently, the results were better. It wasn't nearly as deep as Geodude had managed but they had been able to claw their way into about a meter long hole.

A few hours went by as the two continued they practice to learn the move Dig. They'd made some steady progress in that time. They were able to dig a good few meter underneath. Although it did take some time for them to do that. In a battle, it would have to be way quicker. Their opponents wouldn't give them time to leisurely shovel underground.

Ash smiled slightly. He'd been worried that it could take a while for them to get this down. Their progress was faster than he'd expected. They wouldn't perfect it by the time they reached Vermilion City but he reckoned it wouldn't take a long time for them to perfect it if they continued at the pace at which they'd done so far.

He'd finally reached it. It had taken him some time to make his way from Cerulean City to Vermilion City and there were quite a few stops he had to take in the way, but he was finally there. The City where he wanted to win his third Gym badge.

The entrance of Vermilion City wasn't as flashy as he'd expected it to be. The gate appeared to be quite old. It didn't seem like it had been renovated in years. He saw modern houses nearby a line of skyscrapers in the distance. This was his first time in Vermilion in a long time. And it was his time entering it from this gate. He hazily remembered the last time he was here. He'd come in a car with his mom then, and he was sure this wasn't the same entrance he'd entered the city through that time.

"We're finally here," Brock said. He smiled wearily as he glanced around the streets and the shops that he saw around him.

Brock certainly looked happy to be here. Ash had to wonder what Brock would do in the city because of the excitement shown by the tanned man. This was the first time Ash had seen the man so relaxed. He couldn't say he knew him too well. They'd only traveled together for 4 days after all.

"Where are you headed first, Ash?" Brock stopped his trail and turned to look at his traveling companion. "The Pokemon Center?"

Ash nodded plainly. "Yeah, I want to get my Pokemon checked up,"

"You definitely should," Brock said as a smile covered his features. "They've worked quite hard over the past few days. I didn't expect you to be such a slave driver."

Ash smiled wryly at that. "Do you really think so?"

He had worked his Pokemon to exhaustion every day since they'd started traveling together. None more so than Mankey and Charmander. Not to say that the other three slacked off. Just that these two had much more to do than the others did at the time.

"It's fine as long as they're being properly taken care of," Brock said. "And you've worked just as hard as your Pokemon, I've seen that."

Ash's lips parted and his forehead creased. "Thanks?"

Brock shook his head bemusedly. "Well then, Ash." he stepped forward and offered his hand. "I've got somewhere else to go. So this'll be goodbye."

Ash took the offered hand and grasped it tightly. "I guess it will be, for now."

The duo parted there and Ash went to the Pokemon Center. It took him a while to make it there. It was quite a big city and it wouldn't have been easy to locate the Pokemon Center. He made a note inside his mind to thank Bill again whenever he saw him next for the Xtransceiver. Its features had proved to be useful in more ways than one to him.

After another three days of training in Vermilion City, Ash stood in front of the Gym. He stared at the huge, round building which had several thunderbolt-like yellow, spiky arrows on its top. It appeared quite newly built. Or it had been maintained well throughout the years.

He took a deep breath. This was it. All the hard work that he and his Pokemon had done would be tested at this very place. He felt nervous. This wasn't the same feeling that enshrouded him in his previous two Gym battles. He definitely felt different about this Gym.

The many trainers who'd brought their injured Pokemon to the Pokemon Center after their Gym battle hadn't gone unnoticed with Ash. It only indicated that the Gym Leader wasn't a pushover. Some of the Pokemon that he'd found injured in the Pokemon Center after their battles weren't just the Pokemon of a starting trainer. There were a few evolved Pokemon amongst them. They didn't exactly seem weak to him either.

He pushed those thoughts aside for the moment.

Finally, Ash strode forward and rang the bell that was beside the massive double door. He heard the sound of the bell even outside, that's how loud the sound of crackling lightning was when he'd rung it.

The double doors opened soon and his set sight was a young man. "You here for a Pokemon battle?" The man grinned. He had short, black hair and wore a jacket without any shirt inside. His tone didn't contain the least bit of politeness.

Ash's eyes narrowed. "If you're not the Gym Leader, then not with you," he said loudly. "I'm here for an official Gym battle with the Vermilion City Gym Leader."

"Are you now?!" The man said cockily. He stepped forward and bent forward. "How many badges do you have?"

"I've got two badges," Ash said. "I think that qualifies me for challenging the Vermilion Gym."

"The Gym Leader doe-"

"Are you a challenger, kid?"

Ash's eyes widened as he unconsciously took a step back at the man who had cut the punk off. The man who sported an unbuttoned military green shirt and dark green pants towered over Ash. His short, spiky blonde hair only made him seem even more intimidating as he shoved the punk who'd been talking to Ash aside. The man had a few light scars on his slightly tanned chest. He probably had been in a few tough situations in the past.

Ash was lost for words at that moment until the muscular man spoke again.

"Well," he said, his voice getting louder as he finished. "Are you?!"

Ash snapped out of his daze and stood back straight. "Yes, I am! I would like to challenge the Vermilion Gym Leader to a Gym battle!"

"I am the Vermilion City Gym Leader!" The man declared. "Follow me, kid!"

Even though Ash had tried to put on a brave face, it was hard not to be intimidated by the figure that this man was. He gulped as the man turned around and gestured for him to follow. Ash noticed that a few more lights were turned on by just a raise of the hand of the man.

This was him. This had to be Lt. Surge – the Lightning war veteran that had taken Vermilion City for his own a few years back. It was said that he had great control over the harbor in Vermilion City. That was where his reputation came from.

As Ash followed the man inside the Gym and into the battlefield, he'd already begun to have doubts. Was he strong enough? Had his training been enough? Just how powerful was the reputed Lt. Surge?

He couldn't help but fear for the worst. He wasn't just big and strong. The way in which he took his massive strides and turned around in his battle position to stare at Ash wasn't what he'd expected. The huge grin on his face brimmed with confidence. Before the Pokemon battle had even begun, Ash had already been pushed into a corner.

By the time Ash had gotten back to his senses, the referee – a fair skinned, brown-haired woman had already taken her place near the middle of the field towards Ash's right. He finally noticed the gathering of people that had surrounded the floor above the battlefield.

There were tens of young men and women present who'd appeared. Some played with their earring, some with their Pokeballs while some with their phone. They'd come to watch the match but it seemed as if they already knew the outcome.

Ash heard murmurs flying around. Of what he could make of them, they mostly talked about how a trainer with two badges shouldn't be challenging this gym while some others talked about how many such trainers with the same or even more badges had found their Pokemon in the Pokemon Center this week already.

Ash pushed all those thoughts to the side as he fixed his gaze on Lt. Surge.

"This is an official Gym match between Lt. Surge the Vermilion City Gym Leader, and." The woman acting as the referee turned to Ash.

"Ash Ketchum." The trainer from Pallet Town informed.

"And Ash Ketchum," She said. "It will be a two-on-two battle. Only the challenger can substitute Pokemon." She raised her hands and exclaimed. "Begin!"

Ash and Lt. Surge both hurled their Pokeballs up in the air. Ash's Mankey came out in a flash of red light and roared wildly. He sent a few shadow punches as he fixed his gaze on his opponent. It was a Pokemon that had three round bodies attached into one. The three round metals were joined by large screws. The grey-colored Pokemon had what seemed like two horseshoe magnets attached to each of the round bodies. The Pokemon floated inches above the ground, a few electric sparks coursing throughout its body.

Ash knew the Pokemon. "A Magneton."

"Kid, I'll let you have the first move!" Lt. Surge shouted with his hands on his hips. "Give me a good battle!"

The evolution of Magnemite whizzed electricity as it waited for its trainer to give it a command. Ash studied it. Magneton was a dual Electric and Steel-type Pokemon and that meant that Mankey had a type advantage. Ash knew that type advantage alone wouldn't be enough to win the battle. He'd done his training though. It was time to see if it reaped rewards.

"Mankey, try a Karate Chop," Ash said. He wanted to test the Magneton's defensive powers and speed before making a major move. They were supposed to be slower Pokemon but he wouldn't take a chance.

Mankey ran forward with his fist slightly turned. Ash watched his newest capture slam his fists on the Magneton but there was still no command from Lt. Surge. The man just grinned even though his Magneton let out a few fizzes when it was struck by the Karate Chop multiple times.

At that moment, Ash got a hint of what Lt. Surge could be up to. "Mankey, stop attacking and come back here!" Ash shouted urgently.

And right then, Lt. Surge countered. "Fry it with Thunderbolt!"

Magneton's metallic body sparked with electricity and the magnets on each of its heads let out a yellow bolt of electricity. Mankey attempted to jump back after stopping its barrage of chops. It didn't manage to. Ash grimaced as the bolts joined together and struck his Mankey. The Pokemon grunted in pain. He managed to shake off the attack and jump backwards though.

That was reckless. Ash realized it.

"Charge Beam!" Surge yelled. There was a calmness about him even when he did that. That was something a veteran of many battles could have.

"It's time to use Dig!" Ash called.

Electric energy formed in Magneton's main head. The light beam of lightning hit nothing but thin air as Mankey leapt up and then dug up in a hole. Just like he'd practiced so many times over the last few days.

Ash bit his lower lip as he waited in anticipation. He'd done nothing with Charmander and Mankey in the last week but practice Dig. Only after the move had been perfected had he decided to challenge the Vermilion Gym. But this was a real battle. He was nervous.

Lt. Surge's grin didn't fade. He observed the field with his hard eyes. "Stay on your guard, Magneton."

The surface of the battlefield shook as Mankey finally emerged underneath Magneton. The Electric and Steel-type Pokemon however, just found enough time to get out of the way. Mankey hit nothing but thin air as he swung his fists.

"Magnet Bomb!" Surge ordered.

"Watch out, Mankey!" Ash alerted.

He gritted his teeth at the sight of Mankey being struck with the magnets that Magneton had formed and sent towards it. Once again, Ash had fallen in Surge's trap. He lured his opponent's Pokemon in closer and used magneton's defenses to amazing effect. Then right after the opponent's attacks, Surge made his Pokemon attack. It was a tactic that wouldn't work unless Surge had absolute confidence that his Pokemon would be able to take the attack and then make a move right afterwards.

"Zap Cannon!"

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled.

Mankey was still shaken by the effects of the Magnet Bomb. It got back on its feet as Magneton formed an orb of yellow electricity. He ran to his right, then back to his left. Magneton fired the orb which went straight ahead. The speed of the attack wasn't nearly as much as the ones it had used prior. And the added evasion that Mankey got with the help of his running made sure that he was able to evade it.

Fairly comfortably too.

That was something that Ash had told him to do. He'd figured that Mankey's attacks were too straightforward at the time. He needed to be as inventive as possible to get a way in which he could avoid enemy attacks or minimize the damage. This was the one that he'd come up with for the time being.

Ash thought about his next move for a second before he ordered it. "Cross Chop!"

Mankey rushed forward as his fists became enshrouded in a white light. He crossed his fists on the way before he leapt up in the air when he was close enough to the Magneton.

"Stop it with Thunderbolt, Magneton!" Surge countered at the last moment.

Magneton's body sparkled again and it fired the Thunderbolt at the incoming Mankey. Mankey was able to keep the Thunderbolt out with his Cross Chop. He even began to push it. Howevever, it had started to feel the effects of the Electric-move after a few seconds. The Thunderbolt faded and so did Mankey's Cross Chop. The Pig Monkey Pokemon got a safe distance away from his opponent.

"Dig!" Ash yelled as soon as Mankey's previous attack had ended. Like before Mankey dug his way underground after a leap.

Surge smirked. "Get a Zap Cannon ready! We're gonna hit em this time!"

Magneton charged up the orb of Zap Cannon while Mankey still lay underground. The ground beneath Magneton shook and Mankey emerged from underneath it. As it had previously done, Magneton attempted to sway out of the way just enough to evade the attack. However, Mankey didn't fall for it this time. He managed to strike Magneton with one of his fists and the Pokemon let out a steely grunt.

What Mankey didn't realize was that Magneton had a Zap Cannon that it let loose at Mankey. The distance was too close; time too less. The Zap Cannon struck Mankey's gut as he slammed on the ground with a thud. And then the electricity exploded leaving nothing but smoke covering the small area where the explosion had taken place.

Ash jerked his head back in disappointment when the smoke cleared. "You did your best." He sighed as he raised his Pokeball and Mankey disappeared from the battlefield in a flash of red light.

"Mankey is unable to battle!" The referee declared with a raise of her towards Lt. Surge. "Magneton is the winner!"

Cheers filled the Gym at the victory of Lt. Surge. They were either huge fans of the Gym Leader or hated him. He figured that it was probably the former because they had no reason to hate someone they didn't know, did they?

Ash hurled his next Pokemon up in the air. "It's all up to you now, Charmander!"

Charmander landed on the field and bared his fangs straightaway as he had a look at his opponent. He swung his fiery tail to the side. Ash chuckled at the enthusiasm Charmander showed. The Fire-type looked forward to a challenge.

And this Gym battle was certainly one.

"And what do we have here?" Lt. Surge let out a small laugh. "A little baby Charmander!"

Ash gritted his teeth as he heard the laughs of the various spectators. He took a deep breath to calm himself. This was a Gym battle and Surge was simply trying to egg him on. He didn't need to respond to that.

Charmander didn't look pleased either. He didn't usually get angry but this time he was. He growled at Lt. Surge as he bared his fangs dangerously, his claws pointing towards his foe.

Ash stared at the Magneton. Mankey might not have been able to defeat the Pokemon but he had left it with a lot of damage. There were some marks on its shining metallic body. Ash couldn't make out if it was tired but he discerned he should've been. Mankey had been able to land a few super-effective blows. That would've certainly hurt.

"Ember!" Ash commanded.

Charmander was snapped out of its rage by the order he received. He opened his mouth and summoned flames from inside its belly. The Ember gushed through the wind and struck its target. The Magneton swung its body around in the pain that it felt. The burn marks that the attack left were proof of the success of the move.

"Show it your Thunderbolt!" Surge shouted.

Ash smirked. "Now Dig!"

Like he'd practiced so many times, Charmander jumped up in the air and then plowed its way under the battlefield. The Thunderbolt obviously missed its mark. Magneton and Surge both looked at the ground for signs of Charmander and they found it.

"There! Zap Cannon now!" Surge pointed his finger at the ground that had started to shake.

Magneton prepared for its attack. Charmander was fast though. He'd already come out to the surface and slammed itself into Magneton. The force of the move that he'd used added with his warm body made Magneton let out a shriek. The Magnet Pokemon was sent searing and it crashed on the ground.

Lt. Surge's Pokemon didn't move. But his grin never disappeared. "Come back, Magneton!" He said as he recalled his Pokemon and the referee raised her hand towards Ash this time.

"Magneton is unable to battle, Charmander wins!"

Ash celebrated his victory with little more than a smile. Surge's first Pokemon was already pretty strong. Gym Leaders usually used their strongest Pokemon towards the end of their battle. Ash very well knew that.

His attention was snapped by the Pokeball that Surge threw. The ball opened and in a flash of light, a light brown colored Pokemon with a white underbelly gnarled at him. The Pokemon had a sharp long tail which ended with a lightning bolt shape.

Ash narrowed his eyes as he watched the Raichu smirk and cackle some electric sparks from the yellow markings on its cheeks. The Pikachu evolutionary line were known for their speed more than anything else. They could churn out some pretty powerful attacks but like a lot of other electric types, their speed set them apart.

On top of that this was Lt. Surge's Raichu. He didn't expect anything it to be anything like a normal Raichu.

How was the chapter? Do tell me about it in the reviews.

This chapter had the training that I thought was necessary to show since there were new moves that they would learn. Did you think the training was too much?

And again, if you any ideas, I'd like to hear about them.

I'd like to and try to get the next update in about a week's time. Maybe, I'll be able to finish it by the next weekend. I might be able to get it a bit before that, but chances of that are low unless I get into a groove and writing a good chunk of the chapter at once.

Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you liked the chapter!