NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: The Boulder Badge
Brock tossed another Poké Ball, and with a burst of light, the massive rock snake Pokémon, Onix, emerged, towering over the battlefield with a roar that shook the gym.
Ethan clenched his fists, feeling the pressure mount. "Eevee, we can do this!"
"Eevee!" Eevee cried, her determination unwavering.
"Ready? Begin!" the referee shouted, raising his flags.
"Eevee, use Swift!" Ethan commanded.
Eevee's tail glowed as she released a flurry of stars, each one speeding towards Onix. The stars struck Onix, but the massive Pokémon barely flinched.
"Onix, Rock Throw!" Brock countered.
Onix's tail smashed into the ground, sending large boulders flying towards Eevee. Ethan's heart raced as he quickly shouted, "Eevee, dodge and use Quick Attack!"
Eevee nimbly avoided the rocks, darting forward in a blur of speed. She rammed into Onix's side, but Onix's tough exterior absorbed much of the impact.
"Onix, Bind!" Brock ordered.
Onix coiled its massive body around Eevee, trapping her in a tight grip. Eevee struggled, but Onix's strength was overwhelming.
"Eevee, use Charm!" Ethan called out.
Eevee's eyes glowed with a captivating aura, and Onix's grip loosened slightly, its aggressive stance softened by the effect.
"Now, use Bite!" Ethan seized the moment.
Eevee bit down on Onix's rocky hide, causing the giant Pokémon to roar in pain and release her.
"Onix, use Tackle!" Brock retaliated.
Onix lunged at Eevee with its massive head. Ethan's mind raced as he shouted, "Eevee, Quick Attack again!"
Eevee dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding Onix's attack and striking back with a swift hit. Onix staggered but quickly regained its composure.
"Onix, use Screech!" Brock commanded.
Onix emitted a piercing screech that made Eevee wince, lowering her defenses.
"Eevee, hang in there! Use Swift again!" Ethan called out.
Eevee launched another barrage of stars, but Onix, now more focused, dodged some of the attack and only took partial damage.
"Onix, Rock Tomb!" Brock shouted.
Onix summoned a circle of large rocks that began to fall around Eevee, trapping her in a confined space.
"Eevee, get out of there and use Tackle!" Ethan yelled, desperation in his voice.
Eevee dodged the falling rocks with agile movements and then charged at Onix, hitting it with a powerful tackle.
"Good job, Eevee! Now use Bite again!" Ethan instructed.
Eevee bit down on Onix's tail, causing it to roar in pain and thrash around.
"Onix, shake it off and use Rock Throw again!" Brock commanded.
Onix managed to shake off Eevee and gathered more rocks, hurling them towards her. This time, a couple of rocks hit their mark, making Eevee cry out in pain.
"Eevee, you can do this! Use Charm one more time!" Ethan encouraged.
Eevee, despite her injuries, stood up and used Charm, weakening Onix's resolve once more.
"Eevee, now use Quick Attack followed by Swift!" Ethan shouted.
Eevee darted forward with incredible speed, hitting Onix directly, and immediately followed up with another barrage of glowing stars.
The combined attacks hit Onix hard, making it stagger. Onix let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground, unable to continue.
"Onix is unable to battle! Eevee wins!" the referee declared.
After Eevee defeated Onix, Brock sighed and looked at Ethan with a nod of approval.
He stepped forward, extending the Boulder Badge towards Ethan.
"Congratulations on your victory," Brock said, his voice steady and respectful. "As recognition of your success, I present you with the Boulder Badge."
Ethan accepted the badge with a smile. "Thank you, Brock."
Brock gave a final nod. "You've earned it. Best of luck on your journey."
With a sense of accomplishment, Ethan turned and made his way towards the exit of the gym.
After exiting the gym, Ethan headed straight to the Pokémon Center. "Nurse Joy, can you take a look at my Eevee? She got a bit roughed up during our match."
Nurse Joy smiled warmly. "Of course, Ethan. We'll have her fixed up in no time."
With Eevee in good hands, Ethan decided to visit the Poké Mart. While browsing the aisles for supplies, something caught his eye.
"A Pokéblock maker! This will definitely save me a lot of time," he thought, grabbing it off the shelf and heading to the counter.
After purchasing his supplies, Ethan returned to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy handed him Eevee, now fully healed. "She's all better now. Take good care of her," she said.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ethan replied gratefully.
Back in his room, Ethan released all his Pokémon. "Alright, everyone, it's time for lunch!" Eevee, Scyther, and Spearow gathered around eagerly as Ethan prepared their food.
"Eat up, guys. We've got some training to do afterwards," Ethan said, watching his Pokémon enjoy their meal.
The next day, after a well-deserved rest, Ethan packed his belongings. "It's time to move on to Cerulean City," he said to his Pokémon, who responded with enthusiastic chirps and growls.
With his team ready, Ethan left Pewter City,
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After leaving Pewter City, Ethan swiftly made his way along the route towards Cerulean City. The path was lined with tall grass and scattered with wild Pokémon.
Ethan couldn't resist the opportunity to scan some of them with his Pokédex, hoping to find potential new members for his team.
As he walked, he encountered several Pokémon. First, a Rattata scurrying through the underbrush caught his attention. He aimed his Pokédex at it:
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[ Rattata ] [ M ]
[ Normal Type Pokémon ]
[ Description : Rattata, the Mouse Pokémon. Bites anything when it attacks. Small and very quick, it is a common sight in many places. ]
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The scan revealed nothing particularly special about this common species.
Next, a Caterpie dangled from a low-hanging branch, munching on leaves. Ethan scanned it with his Pokédex:
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[ Caterpie ] [ F ]
[ Type : Bug Pokémon ]
[ Description: Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. Its voracious appetite compels it to devour leaves bigger than itself without hesitation. ]
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Again, the Pokédex didn't detect anything extraordinary about Caterpie.
In the distance, a flock of Pidgeys fluttered about, chirping and swooping down occasionally to peck at the ground. Ethan scanned All of them with his Pokédex:
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[ Pidgey ] [ M ]
[ Type : Normal/Flying ]
[ Description : Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Very docile. If attacked, it will often kick up sand to protect itself rather than fight back. ]
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Despite their commonality, none of the scanned Pidgeys met Ethan's criteria for a new addition to his team.
Disappointed but undeterred, Ethan continued his journey towards Cerulean City, eager to explore new territories and encounter more Pokémon along the way.