Chapter Eight: Twenty Years Without a Championship
On the road between Pewter City and the Togiwa Forest.
Team Rocket had already dug a huge pit seven or eight meters deep in the middle of the road. Then they propped up branches over it and covered the surface with surrounding sand, soil, and leaves.
Everything looked perfectly normal, without the slightest irregularity.
“A flawless trap!”
“Exactly! As soon as that brat shows up, he’ll fall right into it!”
“And that weird Pikachu variant will be ours, meow!”
The three members of Team Rocket stood with their hands on their hips, grinning proudly, almost celebrating prematurely.
While laughing, Kojiro suddenly paused and asked,
“By the way, where exactly did we set the trap just now?”
The other two immediately furrowed their brows.
Because the trap was so seamless that even they couldn’t recognize it, they quickly bent down to search.
“I think it was around here...”
Among the three, Meowth, the most meticulous, followed his memory to the center of the road.
Snap!
The sound of a breaking branch rang out.
The pit’s opening suddenly revealed itself from the earth, and Meowth slid straight into it.
“Musashi, save me!”
Panicking, Meowth grabbed Musashi’s thigh, and the ensuing force dragged Musashi along into the pit as well.
“Kojiro, save me!”
Musashi imitated the move, grabbing Kojiro’s thigh, pulling him in too.
Soon, all three had completely fallen into the pit without splashing a drop of water.
Outside the pit, everything seemed as if nothing had happened...
...
Three minutes later.
A handsome young man and a beautiful young woman walked by.
“Huh, why is there a big hole in the middle of the road?”
Ash stopped, puzzled.
“There’s no safety sign either; it’s dangerous,” Misty said, peering into the pitch-black pit. She vaguely saw some black shadows wriggling inside, like bugs.
That made her shiver, and she quickly suggested,
“Maybe we should fill it up...?”
“Good idea,” Ash nodded, throwing out a Poké Ball.
“Alright, Pidgeotto, use Sand Attack!”
Upon entering, Pidgeotto spun in place and performed a dog paddle motion.
Swish swish swish...!!
With a strong kick of its hind legs, it swept countless grains of sand into the pit.
In less than three minutes, the hole was completely filled.
Everything returned to normal.
The light of righteousness shone warmly on their faces.
So the two happily continued on their way...
...
Pewter City Intersection.
Ash was walking when suddenly he heard a low voice shout, startling him backward.
“Hey! Kid, you just stepped on my pickled stone!”
It was a middle-aged man wearing a red knit cap, covering most of his face. The exposed skin was dark, and his arms were muscular.
Looking down, Ash realized he was standing on a strangely shaped stone with a price tag on it.
Looking around, he saw all sorts of bizarre stones arranged with price tags.
“Pewter City, the city symbolizing rocks...!” the man said proudly.
Curious, Ash asked,
“Sir, who are you?”
Before the man could answer, Misty beat him to it.
“I know! You must be Flint, the Hoenn Region’s Champion!”
She had heard Flint was also a rock enthusiast.
Though Misty didn’t know much, she guessed that a rock-loving Flint would be a dark-skinned middle-aged man.
“Champion?” Ash looked confused. What was a Champion? Was it even stronger than a Pokémon Master?
Besides, wasn’t the Hoenn Region the place crawling with countless Rayquazas, more common than dogs?
The middle-aged man raised his eyebrows and explained,
“Little lady, I’m not Flint. My name’s Bruno...”
“Beep beep. User: Bruno, data retrieval in progress...”
At that moment, a mechanical voice interrupted his introduction.
It was the Pokédex making its presence known again.
After a pause, the mechanical voice resumed.
“Beep beep, data updated.
Bruno, resident of Pewter City, former Pewter Gym Leader, now retired. Has challenged the Pokémon League for twenty consecutive years without winning the championship. Best achievement: runner-up in the Kalos Region’s Pokémon League.”
“Twenty years!?”
Hearing this, both Ash and Misty gasped in shock.
Especially Ash, who suddenly felt a chill run from his feet to his whole body, as if doused in icy water.
A sense of disorientation overwhelmed him.
He trembled with anger...
Even Red, deep within his soul, was startled by the coldness.
“Is this some kind of grudge from another world...?” Red thought, mystified.
Bruno furrowed his brow, thinking this Pokédex was ridiculous—how could a simple meeting feel like he’d been stripped bare? Has the League’s tech come this far?
Or maybe he was blacklisted for challenging so many times...?
...
“By the way, what do you mean by gym leader and challenging the League?”
Ash couldn’t help but ask.
He was still a novice who didn’t understand the ways of the world.
“You’re still a rookie trainer, huh? Then let me explain…”
Before Bruno could finish, the Pokédex interrupted again.
“Beep beep, keyword detected. Now entering educational mode.”
This was its primary function, not allowing others to steal the spotlight.
“Beep beep. Each region has numerous gyms. Defeat the gym leaders to earn badges. Collect eight badges to challenge the regional Pokémon League tournament.
Winning the tournament allows a challenge against the Elite Four of that League. Defeat all four consecutively to face the League’s strongest trainer—the Champion!”
Ash rubbed his head, completely lost in the jargon, complaining,
“What the heck? Can you sum it up in four words?”
Pokédex: “Be a good person.”
“...”
“Ah, for beginners like you, just beat gyms, collect eight badges, then challenge the League tournament,” Misty interjected.
Hearing this, Ash finally understood and clapped the scrap metal in his hands.
“Oh, that makes sense! Pokédex, learn some artful speech.”
Pokédex: “...”
Bruno: “...”
This trainer seemed even more absurd than the Pokédex.
“By the way, young man, are you preparing to challenge the Pewter Gym?”
At these words, Ash’s chest heaved with confidence.
“Of course!”
Becoming the League Champion was the first step toward becoming a Pokémon Master!
“Heh, but looking at your Pokémon, defeating Brock won’t be easy...” Bruno pointed to the Pikachu on Ash’s shoulder.
A common electric mouse was obviously no match for a rock gym.
“I also have Pidgeotto and Metapod!” Ash protested.
Bruno’s brow deepened. Was this trainer crazy? Why pick Pokémon weak against rock?
“Ahem, to be frank, you’ve already lost on type advantage alone...”
“Type advantage? What’s that?” Ash waved it off casually.
“Pokémon battles are all about fighting spirit and perseverance! Right, Pikachu?”
“Pika!” Pikachu nodded, agreeing somewhat.
Bruno and Misty: “...”
“No matter! I’m definitely going to beat that Brock. Sir, could you show me the way to Pewter Gym? No one buys your stones anyway.”
Bruno frowned, though reluctant, he led Ash to the Pewter Gym entrance.
He had no other motive—just wanted to be closer to this place.
But he felt embarrassed to approach the gym directly.
So helping a new trainer was a legitimate excuse to get near.
Ash didn’t think twice and pushed open the door upon arrival.
Hands on hips, he roared loudly into the empty gym, full of youthful spirit and confidence.
Young people should be bold and daring!
“Hey! I’m Ash from Pallet Town, dreaming of becoming a Pokémon Master! I’m here to challenge the gym!”
...
Three minutes later.
Ash, holding a barely conscious Pikachu, arrived at Pewter City’s Pokémon Center...
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(Hxd cute, please vote...)