"Boy, both you and your Beedrill are remarkable," Flint said. "Especially your Beedrill. Its determination really moved me."
"Your excellent commanding ability reminded me of my own dreams. Maybe it's time I started chasing them again."
Eichi didn't know what to say about Flint's dream chasing, so he simply replied, "Thank you."
After saying goodbye to the Gym Leader, he left the Pewter Gym. Down the hall, Brock was still in shock. How could a Beedrill possibly defeat an Onix?
That final Brick Break had been unbelievably powerful. Unable to understand, Brock ran down the corridor to his father's side.
Seeing his son rush over, Flint asked in surprise, "Oh, Brock, what's wrong?"
"Dad," Brock said, "what happened just now? Why did one Brick Break make Onix lose the ability to fight?"
Flint explained patiently, "A normal Brick Break doesn't have that kind of power."
"That Beedrill was very well trained. Although each of its attacks looked ordinary, did you notice it used Toxic Spikes at the start?"
"I did," Brock replied.
Flint nodded. "Toxic Spikes might only do a little damage to Onix, but every time Onix moved, it took damage from the spikes. By the end of the battle, it had already lost a lot of stamina without realizing it."
"That Beedrill kept using Swords Dance. That move raises a Pokémon's base Attack. Using it several times in a row, it must have reached its limit."
"My guess is that when it used Twineedle the first time, it found Onix's weak point."
"The boulder that fell earlier caused Onix some damage, and when Brick Break struck that same weak spot, the attack became critical."
"That Beedrill's Ability is probably Sniper, which greatly boosts power when landing a critical hit. That's why the Brick Break was so strong."
"I see," Brock said in realization. "That's amazing!"
Flint sighed. "Indeed, that boy's command was impressive. But that Beedrill was special. If it had been any other one, the outcome wouldn't have been the same."
***
After leaving the Gym, Eichi hurried back to the Pokémon Center.
He handed his Scyther and Beedrill to Nurse Joy. "Please take care of them."
"Were you also challenging the Pewter Gym?" she asked.
"Yes," Eichi replied.
"Did you win?"
Eichi smiled. "I did."
"Congratulations on your victory," she said warmly.
"Thank you."
While Nurse Joy treated his Pokémon, Eichi sat in the lobby and waited.
As he waited, he replayed his battle with Flint in his mind, reflecting on what could have been improved.
That Onix had been at the peak of the Experienced rank, nearly Elite level.
If compared to game levels, that Onix would be around Level 39, while Beedrill was Level 34, Scyther Level 24, and Geodude Level 18.
If we were to classify ranks in real-world terms:
Rookie: 1–24
Experienced: 25–39
Elite: 40–49
Gym Leader: 50–59
Elite Four: 60–74
Champion: 75–100
Actually, there had been no need for Beedrill to block that boulder. What if it hadn't managed to endure it?
It was purely for safety, in case the final hit failed to take Onix down.
Still, it was better to be cautious. But the battle also revealed Beedrill's weakness: its skill set was too limited.
It needed to learn moves from other types.
After waiting for over an hour, a "ding-dong" rang out, and Chansey pushed out a trolley with Nurse Joy following behind.
She picked up Eichi's two Poké Balls and handed them over with a smile. "Your Pokémon are fully recovered."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy."
She nodded and went to help another Trainer.
After reclaiming his Pokémon, Eichi went to the Center's cafeteria.
He ordered a set meal, carried his tray to a corner, and released Scyther and Beedrill.
They looked completely recovered. "You two worked hard. You must be hungry. Let's eat."
Eichi took out their Pokémon food from his backpack, served it for them, and they began to eat together.
After the meal, back in his room, he praised them. "You both did great today, and we even won."
"After such an intense battle, you must be tired. I'll give you both a good massage."
"Let's rest well tonight. Tomorrow, we'll go out and have some fun."
He began massaging Scyther first, then Beedrill, channeling the Bug Force into their bodies. After this battle, both should have grown stronger.
Especially Scyther, who was close to reaching the Experienced rank, it would probably only take a few more days for it to breakthrough.
***
The next day, Eichi took Beedrill and Scyther to the shopping district.
Truth be told, he had never properly explored a shopping or snack street before.
Today, he planned to relax and enjoy himself, mostly eating, of course.
The shopping district was lively as always, crowded with people and Pokémon from the Kanto region. Only a few came from other regions. Small trinket stalls and food stands lined the streets.
Eichi's stomach rumbled as he looked around. Scyther curiously turned its head in every direction.
Everything seemed new and exciting to it. Eichi bought some snacks, including skewers. Yes, even in the Pokémon world, grilled skewers existed.
The meat was synthetic, but it still smelled delicious. His mouth watered just looking at it.
Judging by Scyther and Beedrill's expressions, they wanted some too.
Since they couldn't hold the skewers, Eichi fed them one piece at a time.
After eating, Scyther's eyes curved into cheerful slits.
Eichi took a bite too. The flavor wasn't bad.
He decided he'd try every food stall on the street.
***
While Eichi enjoyed his time in Pewter City, in the skies above another city, a young man with blue hair flew on a Skarmory. His silver outfit gleamed in the sunlight.
"Heh, I'll give Sis a surprise in a few days," he muttered. "And maybe catch another Pokémon while I'm at it."
"The ones at home aren't that great anyway. I'll go get one myself."
***
Meanwhile, at the Verdant Breeding House in Viridian City, Amelie sat in her office, murmuring to herself.
"He's coming to see me? Well, it's been a long time."