Pokemon: I am Gary

After taking down the Samurai Boy, Gary felt refreshed as he pushed through Viridian Forest. Finally, around noon, he arrived at the entrance of Pewter City. Compared to Viridian City, Pewter City had a much more distinct urban character, with a deep gray color scheme that perfectly matched the theme of Rock-type Pokémon.

However, the makeshift shelter and the pile of stones in front of him made him wonder what was going on. "Come on, come on! Young man, want to buy some stones?" A stout man wearing a knitted cap cheerfully called out. This was likely Brock's father, Flint, the former gym leader of Pewter Gym.

"Uh… do you have any of these stones?" Gary asked, pulling out a piece of paper with a drawing of a glass-like stone featuring gene patterns inside.

"Hmm… let me see… Nope," the quirky stone seller shook his head in disappointment.

"See? It's not that I don't want to buy; you just don't have what I'm looking for," Gary shrugged. "So you might as well close up shop and go home. I still need to challenge the Pewter Gym."

"You want to challenge the Pewter Gym?" Flint suddenly looked up.

"I'm a Pokémon Trainer, so of course I want to challenge a gym recognized by the Pokémon League," Gary replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh~ Brock is quite strong. Are you sure you can handle it?" Flint asked skeptically.

Gary smirked. "Brock specializes in Rock-type Pokémon; he has an Onix over level 20 in his lineup, which is tricky. But saying he's strong is a bit of an exaggeration."

"It seems you've done your homework," Flint nodded appreciatively.

"If it were the previous gym leader, he would indeed be formidable. However, Brock is still a newcomer; I've heard he has to do chores and take care of his siblings every day, so his training time is probably limited," Gary said frankly. "If it weren't for Onix's bulkiness giving him an advantage, Pewter Gym would likely be among the weakest gyms in Kanto."

This wasn't just talk; Pewter Gym and Cerulean Gym were currently considered the weakest among Kanto's eight gyms. The reasons were similar; both Pewter and Cerulean had strong gym leaders who suddenly disappeared. Misty and Brock's four young girls hadn't received much training, leading to a sharp decline in their gym's strength. Instead, Celadon City's Erika smoothly transitioned into her role as gym leader and performed significantly better.

"Sigh… it's all that irresponsible father's fault," Flint lamented, pointing down the main road. "Just follow this path, and you'll reach Pewter Gym."

"Well then, see you later!" After exchanging farewells with Flint, Gary continued his journey. Judging by Flint's demeanor, it wouldn't be long before he returned to the gym. Soon enough, Brock would be able to set aside his family burdens and pursue his dreams. In a few years, when Brock was fully evolved and took charge of Pewter Gym, newcomers in Kanto would finally understand what real strength meant! Thinking about that scenario made Gary quite excited.

Rather than heading straight to the gym upon entering Pewter City, he followed his usual routine and first visited the Pokémon Center. Earlier in Viridian City, he had been so focused on traveling that he forgot to register for the Indigo League competition. So, upon arriving at the Pokémon Center, he immediately approached Nurse Joy for help.

After handing over his Pokédex for registration into the Indigo League's main computer system, Nurse Joy smiled as she returned it to him. "All done! You're officially registered for the competition."

"Thank you!" After expressing his gratitude to Nurse Joy, Gary checked on Eevee and Charmander to ensure their health was good before enjoying a cup of coffee to boost his energy levels before heading to Pewter Gym.

As a traditional gym with a long history, the entrance featured impressive rock decorations that exuded an air of solemnity. Thinking about Brock's somewhat introverted personality made Gary chuckle; it really suited him!

"Eevee, are you ready? Our first battle must be a stunning victory!" Gary said confidently, arms crossed.

"Eevee!" perched on his shoulder, responded enthusiastically.

Ding! The Kanto series task "Head Towards Indigo Plateau" began! 

Current progress: 

Current task: Obtain the Pewter Gym Badge. 

Rewards: 500 Achievement Points and 1 Skill Disk Roll.

"Here we go!" With a raised eyebrow and a smile, Gary pushed open the door to Pewter Gym. As he walked through the dimly lit corridor leading to the battle arena, he frowned slightly. Wasn't this gym able to afford proper lighting?

Smack! Just as he was about to complain, a spotlight suddenly illuminated from above. A man with spiky hair and squinting eyes, wearing a green vest, sat cross-legged on a bench nearby.

"Who goes there?" Brock asked with a serious expression.

Before anything else could happen, Gary stepped forward confidently. "I'm Gary, here to challenge the Pewter Gym!"

"Oh? Interesting! You and your Eevee look very close; if that's the case, I accept your challenge!" Brock stood up with enthusiasm.

"Rules are 2 vs. 2; do you have any objections?" Brock stated as he pulled out a remote control, activating the rocky battlefield that closed in from both sides.

"No problem, let's go," Gary replied with a nod, albeit a bit awkwardly. There was no professional referee present, and he didn't expect any formal rules to be laid out.

"Then my first Pokémon is this! Go, Onix!!" As the battlefield prepared, Brock sent out his ace Pokémon, Onix.

Standing at two stories tall, the imposing sight of Onix created a significant visual pressure up close. This was also part of Brock's strategy—scaring his opponents right from the start. Many newcomers would falter under such intimidation.

Gary examined Onix with interest. "This Onix seems quite young; it doesn't look like it has reached its full size yet."

Hearing Gary's comment, Brock frowned slightly. It seemed he had met someone tough who wasn't easily intimidated.

"Enough chatter; send out your Pokémon!" Brock urged impatiently.

"Don't worry, it will be over quickly. Eevee, go!" Gary waved his hand, and Eevee jumped confidently into the arena.

"A Normal-type Eevee, huh? It seems your battle experience isn't very rich," Brock chuckled lightly.

"Is that so? Let's find out!" Gary smiled mysteriously. His Eevee was no ordinary one; it was the one raised by Professor Oak!

"Let me show you how brutal gym battles can be! Onix, use Tackle!" Brock commanded without hesitation.

"Whoa!" The massive Onix lunged forward, its enormous head aimed directly at the small body of Eevee.

"Quick Attack!" Gary snapped his fingers.

"Eevee!" With a burst of speed, Eevee darted to the side, easily dodging the incoming attack.

"Having a huge body doesn't just mean having strength; it also takes away most of its agility," Gary stated calmly. While some trainers train their Onix for speed, its physical attributes made it less maneuverable. Once it missed an attack, it would likely take damage in return!

"Eevee, use Bullet Seed!" Gary wasn't one to back down; he retaliated immediately with a powerful move. With precision, Eevee positioned itself behind Onix, opened its mouth wide, and unleashed a barrage of green seeds aimed at the back of its head.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Even though it was a Rock-type head, the sound alone indicated that it must have hurt!

"This is a Grass-type move?" Brock was taken aback. "Can an Eevee really learn that?"

Seeing Brock's bewilderment, Gary didn't hold back. "Eevee, use Sand Attack!" With a swift movement, Eevee turned around and kicked up a cloud of dust into Onix's face. The damage might not have been significant, but the humiliation was undeniable!

"Darn it! Onix, use Dig!" Despite being at a disadvantage in direct combat, Brock's instincts kicked in as he ordered his Pokémon to burrow underground for an ambush.

However…

Gary grinned slyly. "You just handed me this opportunity! Eevee, aim for the entrance with Water Gun!" A powerful jet of water shot into the hole where Onix had disappeared.

"What is this?! Is this really an Eevee? You've got to be kidding me!"

Boom! Regardless of Brock's shock, there was no stopping what happened next. Soaked and disoriented from the water, Onix burst out from underground with a splash!

"Ah!!" In pain from the unexpected soaking and unable to regain its balance, it fell flat on its side…

"Looks like I've won this round!" Gary shrugged casually.

"Um… yeah, you did win…" Brock scratched his head in disbelief. "This Eevee… has some serious skills!"

With a smile, Gary encouraged his little partner before recalling it into its Poké Ball.

"Now it's your turn, Charmander! Let's go!"

Looking over at Brock, Gary revealed a friendly smile. "Now for the second round. Let's begin~"