Pewter City.
This is a city surrounded by stone.
Within this city stands the Pewter Gym, and it is because of this gym that Squirtle has become the first choice for many rookie Trainers as their starter Pokémon. The second choice is Bulbasaur, and finally, Charmander!
Silas and Suzie arrived in this city a week later. During that week, Pikachu's performance amazed not only Suzie, but even Silas, who thought he was prepared for it. Under Charizard's pressure, Pikachu completed all the tasks Silas had assigned in just three days. Beyond that, it learned Thunder Punch on its own—and even managed to combine Thunder Punch with Mega Punch, creating the technique "Million Volt Thunder Fist!"
After discovering this, Silas, who had planned to leave Viridian Forest immediately, chose to stay a little longer to help Pikachu develop new moves. Pikachu, for its part, did not let Silas down—during the final four days, it refined both Iron Tail and Quick Attack, evolving them into Thunder Tail and Lightning Dash, respectively!
Looking at the bustling city before them, Suzie—always so obedient to Silas—made a rare request, gazing at him with hope in her eyes: "Um… can we check in to a hotel first, and then go challenge the gym?"
Hearing this, Silas glanced at Suzie, and a subtle smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He immediately understood her true intention: she wanted to take a bath!
That wasn't surprising. The two of them had been living like wild people in Viridian Forest for a week, and deep in the forest at that. Danger was everywhere, so Suzie never dared let Silas or the Pokémon stray too far from her side—bath time and laundry had to be rushed affairs. For someone as clean as her, this was torture.
"No laughing!"
When Silas grinned, Suzie's face flushed red. She stammered, "You're not in any better shape yourself, are you?"
Called out like that, Silas glanced down at himself—his clothes were crumpled, and while he didn't exactly smell, he certainly wasn't looking his best. He immediately wiped the smile off his face and nodded with a straight face: "Fine, let's find a hotel first."
Why not stay at the Pokémon Center instead? That's because all the rooms at Pokémon Centers are shared. Both Silas and Suzie were the type who disliked living in a room with strangers, so they automatically ruled out Pokémon Center accommodations.
…
Afternoon.
Pewter Gym.
After deciding to split up the tasks, Silas handed his card to Suzie and sent her to buy groceries, while he headed straight to the entrance of Pewter Gym, pushed open the door, and walked in.
Inside, Silas immediately noticed the sharp contrast with the world outside—while outside was colorful and sunny, the inside was pitch-black and dead silent, as if they were two different worlds! If not for being a natural night owl in his previous life, Silas probably would have been startled by the darkness…
"Is anyone here? I'm a Trainer here to challenge the gym!"
Click!
All the lights snapped on at once. A boy of around fifteen or sixteen, with spiky hair and dark skin, sat atop a rock.
Brock, huh…
Looking at Brock—his complexion darker than any anime could ever convey—Silas couldn't help but wonder. Even in his previous life, when watching the anime, Silas had always been puzzled. If Brock spent all his time in such darkness, it was lucky he wasn't alarmingly pale…the real question was, how did he end up so dark?
As Silas was caught up speculating about Brock's skin tone, Brock began to speak.
"The rule at Pewter Gym is two versus two. The gym leader cannot substitute Pokémon. The match continues until one side's Pokémon are all unable to battle!"
Silas nodded slightly, then drew out a Master Ball. "Go! Pikachu!"
"Pika~ Pikachu~!"
The rules for challenging the Pewter Gym are two versus two. The gym leader cannot substitute Pokémon. The match continues until all of one side's Pokémon are unable to battle!
A Master Ball?!!
Pikachu?!!
Brock stared at Silas, speechless. Shaking his head, he silently stamped Silas with several private labels: "rich and bored," "brainlessly wasteful," and "hopelessly reckless." After all, who puts a Pikachu in a Master Ball? And only a fool would send Pikachu to fight at a Rock-type gym!
Everyone knows Electric Pokémon have a hard time against Rock types—this is something every child learns in primary school. Unless you have an especially high level to overpower type disadvantage, there is little chance of victory. And Silas, as far as Brock could tell, looked every bit the rookie Trainer—no sign of an overwhelming level advantage.
Taking all this in, Brock casually tossed his own Poké Ball: "Geodude, come out and play~"
"Geodude~"
A Geodude—its whole body made of hard stone—appeared on the field at once. Sensing its Trainer's confidence, Geodude taunted Pikachu, crooking one finger as if to say: Come on, just try and hit me!
Crackle—
Pikachu instantly became furious, golden lightning flashing at its red electric sacs.
If it was being taunted by Silas's Charizard, Pikachu would probably have hidden behind Silas, or even jumped straight back into its hated Master Ball. But Geodude was nothing like Charizard to Pikachu—so without waiting for orders, Pikachu unleashed two massive bolts of lightning, thick as barrels, surging toward the stunned Brock and Geodude…