Chapter 15: Ash and Misty

In the early morning, after a night of rest, Xia You felt full of energy. Just as he was about to leave the Pokémon Center, he suddenly noticed a boy with a Pikachu and an orange-haired girl arguing in front of a poster in the lobby.

The boy wore a baseball cap, a T-shirt under a blue jacket, and though his appearance looked somewhat silly, he was brimming with spirit and possessed a vibrant sense of vitality in his expression.

As for the orange-haired girl, her hair was tied in a side ponytail, and she was beautiful, wearing shorts and a tight-fitting yellow tank top. Not only did she reveal her entire midriff and a pair of fair, tender arms, but she also had long, beautiful legs, looking youthful and equally full of extraordinary energy.

With just one glance, Xia You recognized their identities.

Aren't these Ash and Misty!

And that yellow mouse beside Ash—is that the legendary Pikachu, the "God Pikachu" who can go toe-to-toe with anyone?

Seeing that the two of them were carrying backpacks and looked travel-worn, Xia You couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He hadn't expected them to meet so soon and have already reached Pewter City!

They were truly fast...

Misty pointed at the poster and said, "Challenging the Pokémon League isn't as simple as you think. You have to defeat at least eight Gym Leaders and collect their badges before you're qualified to challenge the League."

"A little thing like that won't stop me," Ash said with full confidence, his words carrying the courage of a newborn calf that fears no tiger. "I'm going to challenge the Pewter Gym in a bit to show you our true strength!"

Hearing their conversation, Xia You couldn't help but step forward and interrupt them.

"You must be Ash, right?"

Ash turned around, only to find that the speaker was an unfamiliar young man.

"That's right, I'm Ash. Who are you?"

Giving him a deep look, Xia You said, "My name is Xia You. When I went to Pallet Town a few days ago, I happened to hear Professor Oak mentioning you. I didn't expect to run into you here today."

"So you know Professor Oak too?" Ash smiled. "This is my partner, Pikachu, and she is..."

Before Ash could finish, Misty cut in, "I'm Misty, the world's number one beautiful girl!"

The world's number one beautiful girl?

Xia You's eyes swept over Misty's chest.

Misty was indeed a beauty in the making, but her body hadn't fully developed yet. It seemed she still had a long way to go to become the world's number one beautiful girl.

Misty was also sizing up Xia You. Seeing his handsome appearance and the Kirlia following behind him, she suddenly remembered something.

"So you're the trainer who defeated my sister with that Kirlia!?"

Xia You asked, feigning ignorance, "Oh? Your sister is...?"

Upon hearing Xia You's words, Misty fell silent, clearly not wanting others to know she came from the Cerulean Gym.

At that moment, a middle-aged man wearing a red hat and sporting a large beard walked over.

"Are you planning to challenge the Pewter Gym Leader, Brock?"

Ash nodded. "Of course! As soon as I leave the Pokémon Center, I'm going to challenge the Pewter Gym and defeat him!"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing Ash's words, the middle-aged man burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, just you?"

His tone seemed mocking. Before Ash could respond, he laughed again and walked away.

Seeing him exit the Pokémon Center doors, Xia You couldn't help but ask, "Who was that? It felt like he was looking down on you."

Misty explained, "His name is Flann, an old man who sells rocks that we met when we first arrived here."

Flann? A man who sells rocks?

Xia You was stunned for a moment before remembering—wasn't this Brock's father, who had been away from home for many years!

Watching his retreating back, Ash said indignantly, "Hmph, that old man underestimates people too much. Fine, I'm going to the Gym right now to defeat Brock and show him!"

"That's quite a coincidence then," Xia You shrugged and smiled. "I also happen to be going to challenge the Pewter Gym. Why don't we go together?"

...

Pewter. The color of stone. It was said that this city had been famous for its abundance of stones since ancient times. However, aside from stones and fossils, it had no other distinct features, making it a quiet northern town.

The entire city was surrounded by mountains and farmland, with a wide river splitting it in two. The Pewter Gym was located in the northwest of the city, adjacent to another famous building—the Pewter Museum of Science.

The group arrived at the Pewter Gym.

From a distance, the exterior of the Pewter Gym looked like layers of massive rocks stacked together with steel, but as they drew closer, they realized it was all for show. Those massive boulders were merely thin stone slabs used as decorative facades to create an illusion!

Only after bypassing the facade did they realize that the back of the Pewter Gym was no different from an ordinary warehouse.

"What the..." Misty muttered. "I thought the whole gym was built of stone, but it turns out only this little bit in the front is real!"

Pushing open the gym doors, it was incredibly dim inside, even though it was daytime.

Xia You and the others filed in. Only when they reached the center of the gym did a spotlight suddenly turn on, illuminating a corner where a man in a green vest was sitting in meditation.

"Who are you?"

The man's voice was steady and his tone calm, like a Zen master in deep meditation.

"Are you the Gym Leader, Brock?" Ash blurted out. "I'm Ash from Pallet Town, and I'm here to challenge you!"

Xia You added, "I am Xia You, and I am also here to challenge the gym."

"As a Gym Leader, I don't mind how many people come to challenge me," Brock said as he stood up slowly. "However, you are limited to using only two Pokémon. Which of you would like to battle me first?"

It was only then that Xia You truly saw Brock's appearance.

He had spiky hair and a face that looked prematurely aged, filled with seriousness. His eyes were squinted so much that even upon close inspection, it was hard to tell if they were open or closed.

After glancing at Xia You, Ash took a step forward, eager to try. "Me first, of course! Bring it on!"

Seeing Ash's enthusiasm, Xia You had no intention of competing with him. He took his Pokémon and went to the spectator seats nearby.

"Good luck, Ash!" Misty waved to Ash and joined Xia You.

Looking at Ash, Brock snapped his fingers. Instantly, all the lights in the gym turned on, illuminating every corner. Simultaneously, hatches opened beneath the spectator seats on both sides, and two battlefields made of earth and rock slowly emerged, eventually locking together.

As a Rock and Ground-type trainer, Brock's gym naturally featured a Rock/Ground battlefield.

Seeing Ash step onto the field with Pikachu, Brock leaped across to the trainer's command area on the opposite side.

Ash pointed forward and shouted, "Go, Pikachu!"

"So young," Brock said with a slight smile, throwing out his own Poké Ball. "Come forth, my Pokémon—Onix!"

(End of Chapter)