As the sandstorm gradually subsided inside Pewter Gym, the spectators who had stayed behind discovered, to their astonishment, that the outcome wasn't what they'd assumed.
The winner was… that boy with the Farfetch'd?
And the referee confirmed exactly that.
Standing amid the now-ruined battle arena, Brock fell silent for a moment, then quietly withdrew the injured Onix into its Poké Ball. As a Gym Leader, naturally, he had staff ready to transport wounded Pokémon straight to the Pokémon Center.
"You and that Farfetch'd of yours are truly strong. I concede defeat." Brock pulled on his shirt, giving Ray Chu a long, thoughtful look before retrieving a gray badge from his pocket. "This is Pewter Gym's Boulder Badge—proof of your victory over me."
Honestly speaking, Brock seemed far more impressive than his first impression let on. But then again, running a Gym officially recognized by the League could hardly be the job of someone ordinary.
Ray Chu nodded calmly. Having obtained the badge, his purpose here was fulfilled, and he turned toward the exit.
"Wait! Aren't you staying to watch that kid's battle?"
Ray Chu waved dismissively over his shoulder, calling back, "No need! If it's Ash and that Pikachu… maybe I won't have long to wait anyway."
Brock paused at his words, then slowly curled his lips into a knowing smile.
Sure enough, just two days later, Ash returned with his Pikachu. After easily defeating a Gym instructor, he faced Brock himself. Following an intense battle, Ash and Pikachu managed to narrowly overcome Brock's Onix (still weakened from its earlier injuries) and claimed their own Boulder Badge.
Afterward—perhaps on a whim—Brock asked to join Ash's team, thus marking the start of the classic trio's journey.
"Knowing Brock, he probably went easy on him…" Elsewhere, Ray Chu, back in his Pikachu form, sat idly with one paw propping up his cheek, musing aimlessly.
Considering the strength Brock's Onix displayed earlier, Ash's Pikagod stood absolutely no chance of winning without a sudden boost in level or some plot armor. Gym Leaders deliberately going easy on rookies was an unspoken rule among seasoned Trainers—the key lay in how subtly they managed it.
After all, this was part of the privilege the League granted Gym Leaders. If every new Trainer left utterly crushed, the League would soon lose its appeal. Perhaps each Leader even had an annual quota to fulfill.
Ray Chu yawned at the thought. Beside him, the sun slowly dipped toward the horizon, casting its fading glow on the gently rolling hills and speeding grass on either side.
He wasn't walking himself, yet he was moving forward steadily. The reason was simple: Ivysaur trudged beneath him, stubby legs pumping furiously as it carried him along.
"Come on, Ivysaur, it's all part of your training! Who knows—maybe you'll become the first Ivysaur ever to learn Agility. Isn't that exciting?"
Ray Chu patted Ivysaur encouragingly, only for it to shoot him a deeply resentful look over its shoulder.
"Saur!"
Ray Chu: "…"
Sitting elegantly beside Ray Chu atop Ivysaur, Farfetch'd held a delicate teacup between its snowy wings, calmly sipping tea. In front of it lay a teapot and an extra cup, neatly arranged atop Ivysaur's flower bud as if it were a table.
It's getting a bit cramped here. Once Ivysaur evolves into Venusaur, there'll be plenty of room. Naturally, Ray Chu didn't voice this thought aloud, fearing Ivysaur might immediately go on strike.
"Dapple, have you ever visited Mt. Moon before?" Ray Chu asked casually. They had already entered the mountain's domain. Past this mountain lay Cerulean City.
Farfetch'd put down its teacup, calmly refilled both cups, then nodded solemnly.
"Oh? Do you happen to have any Moon Stones, then?"
Farfetch'd tilted its head in thought, rummaged briefly in the pack strapped to its back, and produced several glittering stones, handing them to Ray Chu.
"I figured you'd have some." Ray Chu turned the midnight-colored stones in his paws thoughtfully. It hardly surprised him—he had long noticed Dapple's extraordinary prestige among local Pokémon.
A Pokémon respected like a king.
Strange, indeed. Even many legendary Pokémon couldn't command such universal respect from ordinary Pokémon, yet Farfetch'd—a species hardly remarkable in terms of base stats—managed it effortlessly. Its influence came not from overwhelming power, but from an intangible spirit radiating from its very bones.
"Thanks for the Moon Stones. Oh, here—take this." Ray Chu tossed a capsule toward Dapple, earning a curious look in return.
"It's a storage capsule. Here's how it works…" Ray Chu quickly demonstrated. Dapple's eyes lit up eagerly, testing the device several times before finally storing its small backpack inside.
"There you go. Now it'll be much easier for you to gather cooking ingredients," Ray Chu murmured thoughtfully, drawing a sideways glance from Dapple.
At that moment, noisy chatter erupted from the mountain path ahead, causing Ivysaur to abruptly skid to a halt.
Ray Chu and Farfetch'd remained seated comfortably, unaffected by the sudden stop.
Crowded on both sides of the path—covering the ground and sky—was an immense gathering of Pokémon. Ray Chu spotted familiar faces among them: the family of Pidgeot, the Vileplume family, and numerous others—Rattata, Oddish, Paras, Venonat, Diglett—all Pokémon from nearby forests and mountains.
Two neat rows of pink Clefairy stood respectfully at the edges, while a Clefable stepped forward holding a beautiful flower wreath. It called out gently to Dapple.
Surprise briefly flickered across Dapple's face. Then, regaining its composure, it solemnly descended from Ivysaur's back and stood before Clefable.
"Heave-ho!" Clefable cheerfully placed the wreath atop Dapple's head, calling out in delight. Immediately, the surrounding Pokémon erupted into joyous cheers and excited leaps.
One by one, Pokémon stepped forward, each presenting Dapple with gifts—carefully gathered ingredients and rare berries piled into a small mountain of treats.
Others grouped together, performing lively dances, turning the scene into a vibrant, joyous celebration.
Dapple's gaze softened as it slowly scanned the delighted faces surrounding it. Then, with solemn dignity, it raised its leek high overhead.
That simple gesture ignited an explosive wave of cheers from every Pokémon present.
As Dapple began to walk slowly through the assembled crowd, each Pokémon—whether gentle or fierce by nature—bowed deeply, bidding a respectful farewell to their dearest "friend," their beloved "king," as it embarked upon the next chapter of its journey.
Even long after the figures of Ray Chu and Dapple vanished completely down the mountain trail, none of them wished to leave.