Chapter 8: Twenty Years Without a Championship
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
On the road between Pewter City and Viridian Forest.
Team Rocket had already dug a massive pit, seven or eight meters deep, in the middle of the road. Then, they laid branches over it and covered the surface of the opening with surrounding sand, soil, and leaves.
Everything looked as normal as usual, with nothing out of the ordinary.
"A seamless Trap!"
"That's right, once the twerp gets here, he'll fall right into the Trap!"
"And then that Abnormal Variant Pikachu will be ours, Meowth!"
The Team Rocket trio stood with their hands on their hips, laughing smugly. They were just short of celebrating prematurely.
As they laughed, James suddenly paused and asked:
"By the way, where did we set up our Trap again?"
The other two immediately frowned.
Because the Trap was so seamless, even they couldn't recognize it. They hurriedly bent down and started searching.
"I think I remember it being around here..."
Among the three, Meowth, the most meticulous thinker, followed his memory to the center of the road.
*Crack!*
The sound of snapping branches rang out.
The Trap's opening was instantly exposed in the dirt road, and Meowth slid straight into it.
"Jessie, save me!"
The panicked Meowth grabbed the nearby Jessie's leg. The momentum dragged Jessie down into the Deep Pit as well.
"James, save me!"
Jessie copied him, grabbing James's leg and dragging him in with her.
Soon, the three had completely fallen into the Deep Pit, without making a single splash.
Outside the Deep Pit, it was as if nothing had happened.
3 minutes later.
A handsome boy and a pretty girl passed by.
"Huh, why is there a Large Pit in the middle of the road?"
Ash stopped in his tracks, puzzled.
"There aren't any safety signs, either. It's dangerous."
Misty peered into the Deep Pit. It was pitch-black, but she could faintly see dark shapes squirming outwards, like bugs.
This sent a shiver down her spine, and she quickly suggested:
"Shouldn't we fill it in?"
"Good idea."
Ash nodded and threw a Poké Ball.
"I choose you, Pidgeotto! Use Sand Attack!"
After appearing, Pidgeotto turned on the spot and used a standard doggy-paddle motion.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...!*
With a kick of its hind legs, it swept countless amounts of surrounding sand and dirt into the Deep Pit.
In less than three minutes, the opening was completely blocked.
Everything was back to how it was before.
The light of righteousness immediately shone on their faces, warm and pleasant.
And so, the two happily set off on their way again.
An intersection in Pewter City.
As Ash was walking, he suddenly heard a low shout that startled him, making him jump back.
"Hey! Young man, you stepped on my pickled rock!"
It was a middle-aged man wearing a red knit cap that covered most of his face. The skin that was visible was quite dark, and his arms were burly with Muscle.
Ash looked down and realized he was stepping on an oddly shaped stone that had a price tag on it.
Looking around, he saw all sorts of bizarrely shaped stones on display, all with various price tags attached.
"Pewter City is a city that symbolizes Rock!"
The middle-aged man said leisurely, with a great deal of pride.
Seeing this, Ash couldn't help but ask:
"Mister, who are you?"
Before the middle-aged man could answer, Misty chimed in first.
"I know! You must be the League Champion of the Hoenn Region, Mr. Steven Stone!"
She had heard that Steven Stone was also a big rock enthusiast.
However, Misty didn't know much about him. She was just blindly guessing that a rock-lover like Steven Stone would probably be a dark-skinned, middle-aged man, right?
"League Champion?"
Ash was completely bewildered. What was a League Champion? Was that even more amazing than his Pokémon Master?
Speaking of which, wasn't the Hoenn Region that Region where Rayquaza roamed everywhere, so numerous they were less valuable than Dogs?
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and explained:
"Little girl, I'm not Steven Stone. My name is Brawly."
"Pokedex Beep. User: Brawly. Searching for data."
Just then, a mechanical voice interrupted his self-introduction.
It was the Pokedex showing off its Presence (Sense of Existence) again.
After a moment, the mechanical voice spoke again.
"Pokedex Beep, data updated."
"Brawly, registered resident of Pewter City, former Pewter Gym Gym Leader. Has since left the position of Gym Leader to challenge the Pokemon League alone. Has currently been challenging the League for twenty years without winning a Champion title. His best result is Runner-up at the Kalos Region Pokemon League."
"Twenty years!?"
Hearing this, both Ash and Misty were completely shocked.
This was especially true for Ash. For some reason, hearing the words "twenty years without winning a championship" sent a Chill running from his feet through his entire body, as if he'd been doused with ice water.
A dazed feeling washed over him.
He was trembling with anger...?
Even Red, deep within his Soul, was startled by this Chill.
"Is this the Resentment from Another World...?"
Red didn't understand what was happening but was impressed by its intensity, secretly astonished.
Brawly's brow furrowed even deeper. He thought to himself, *What the hell is this Pokedex? I've just met them and it's like I've been stripped bare. Has the League's Black Technology really reached this level?*
Or was it because he'd challenged so many times that he'd been put on a blacklist?
"By the way, what does being a Gym Gym Leader and challenging the League mean?"
Ash couldn't help but ask.
He was still a Rookie who didn't understand the ways of the world.
"You must be a Novice Trainer, right? Then let me explain..."
Brawly hadn't even finished speaking when the Pokédex cut him off again.
"Pokedex Beep, keyword detected. It is now time for a science lesson."
This was its primary function; it wouldn't allow anyone else to steal its job.
"Pokedex Beep. Each Region has a number of Gyms. By defeating a Gym Gym Leader, you can obtain a Badge. Once you collect eight Badges, you can challenge that Region's Pokemon League Tournament."
"After becoming the winner of a League Tournament, you can issue a challenge to that Pokemon League's Elite Four. By defeating the Elite Four members in succession, you can then challenge the Pokemon League's strongest Powerhouse, the League Champion!"
Ash rubbed his head. He didn't understand that long-winded explanation at all and couldn't help but complain:
"What the heck? Can't you summarize it simply in four words?"
Pokedex: "Pokedex Beep. Be a good person."
"..."
"Aiya, for a beginner like you, it just means you battle Gyms, get 8 Badges, and then challenge the League Tournament."
Misty couldn't help but interject with an explanation.
Hearing that, Ash finally understood. He patted the piece of scrap metal in his hand:
"Oh, oh, now I get it! Mr. Pokedex, you should really learn the art of conversation."
Pokédex: "..."
Brawly: "..."
*This Trainer*, he thought, *seems even more absurd than this Pokedex.*
"So, young man, are you preparing to challenge our Pewter Gym?"
Hearing this, Ash's heroic body trembled. He thumped his chest, looking incredibly confident.
"Of course!"
Becoming a Conference Champion is the first step toward becoming a Pokémon Master!
"Heh heh, but looking at your Pokémon, it'll be quite difficult to defeat the Gym Leader, Brock."
Brawly pointed at the Pikachu on the boy's shoulder.
A common, run-of-the-mill Electric Mouse, obviously incapable of taking on a Rock Gym.
"I also have Pidgeotto and Metapod!"
Ash quickly retorted.
Hearing this, Brawly's frown deepened. Was this Trainer an idiot? Why did he specialize in picking Pokémon with a type disadvantage?
"Ahem, forgive me for being blunt, but based on Type Effectiveness alone, you've already lost."
"Type Effectiveness? What's that?"
But Ash was unconcerned, casually waving his hand.
"A Pokémon Battle is all about unyielding Fighting Spirit and indomitable Willpower! Right, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu nodded, indicating that what Ash said made some sense.
Brawly, Misty: "..."
"Whatever! I'm definitely going to beat that Brock! Mister, why don't you show me the way to the Pewter Gym? It's not like anyone is buying these rocks of yours anyway."
Brawly frowned. Although one shouldn't expose the harsh realities of someone's life, he still led Ash to the entrance of the Pewter Gym.
He had no other motive; he just wanted to be a little closer to this place.
But he also felt he had no face to show at this Gym and didn't dare get too close.
Only by guiding a Rookie Trainer did he have a legitimate reason to approach.
Ash, however, didn't overthink it. Upon reaching his destination, he gave the door a big push and walked right into the Gym.
With his hands on his hips, he let out a Snarl at the Air inside, full of heroic spirit and lofty ambitions.
A young man should be just like this—daring and reckless!
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm Ash from Pallet Town! My Dream is to become a Pokémon Master, and I'm here to challenge the Gym!"
3 minutes later.
Ash, holding a barely breathing Pikachu, arrived at the Pewter City Pokémon Center...