Chapter 13

Blake pushed the glass door of Viridian Gym. As he attempted to step forward, his knee hit the glass. The door was locked. Blake stepped back to take a careful look at the building. All the windows were closed, and the inside was not seen by any angle because of the curtains. The door was also locked. For some reason, the Gym was closed.

“That’s nonsense...” Blake thought. “If you don’t have open Gyms, how do you expect trainers to collect eight badges in time?”

Blake was walking through Viridian City. He checked his map once more, and put it back in his backpack. He had everything planned. While he was about to step outside of the city, a voice came through his ears, and stopped him.

“Young man.” Someone said. The voice belonged to an old man. Blake hoped that person was not referring to him. He was about to step forward until the voice repeated itself.

“Young man, over here...”

The old man did not sound energetic. Blake turned his back, and saw an old man staring at him. He could be no one else than the owner of the voice. Blake, with the feeling of devotion, stepped closer to the old man and asked, “Is there anything, sir?”

The old man smiled.

While the old man poured tea in the glasses on the table, Blake and he were sitting next to each other. Blake was rushing to make it to the next city, but the soft breeze in the shadow of the backyard that the old man hosted him was too good to leave early. After his several days of adventure and journey, he needed that kind of rest.

“If you need food, I can serve you dinner, young man.” The old man said. Blake opened his eyes, straightened up, and took the glass on the table. “No, sir. Thank you.” He said. He would not want to act like a spoiled kid.

“I saw you walking down the way. But you seemed worn out.” The old man said. “I thought a glass of tea would be something you can’t refuse.”

“You have a point.” Blake said. “I have been on the way for a while now.”

“Where are you heading to?” The old man asked. But that was a question that did not have a clear answer. Blake was going to visit Kanto city by city, route by route, path by path, discover all kinds of Pokémon, train the best six for himself, and challenge in the Kanto League. What could he say as an answer to this question, he thought. Eventually, the short two words came out of his mouth, “Viridian Forest”.

“Viridian Forest is a tough place, young man.” The old man said. “You have to be prepared. There are venomous Pokémon out there who would hurt you.”

“I have my Pokémon with me.” Blake said, while he put his hand on his pocket to check the Poké Balls as a reflex. All were there.

“So, are you a Pokémon Trainer?” The old man asked while he drank his tea. Blake also took a sip of his tea, swallowed it, and answered, “I am, sir.”

“So, you are on a Pokémon journey, if I am not mistaken?” He asked. Blake only wished that the old man did not talk for a moment, and let him sleep for a couple of hours on his chair. The breeze was so cool that Blake felt like he was dead since he left his home, and now was reborn.

“When I was young, I was a Pokémon Trainer, too.” The old man said. Blake thought of forcing himself to open his eyes, but he could not. He was almost asleep. “I participated in the Kanto League.”

Blake suddenly lifted his head, opened his eyes, and gave a careful look at the old man. Nothing else could catch Blake’s attention more than this sentence. Blake read a book about a lot of previous participants in the Kanto League. The book included interviews with participants, and articles based on their Pokémon team and tactics. Could this guy be one of those people, Blake thought.

“What is your name?” Blake asked.

“Delmar Sandoval.” The man said. “My first participation was when I was 16, in 1940.”

“So, you participated more than once?” Blake asked.

“Yes, young man.” Delmar said. “I had to take my chance more than once to see how far I could go.”

Blake read about trainers who regularly participated in Kanto League to become a Champion eventually, but the rates for those who became Champion at later than their third attempt was under 3%.

“The farthest I could get was ending up as a runner up, however.” Delmar said. “In the last round, one simple mistake costed me a championship. I could not forgive myself easily, and I was mad at my mistake so deep that I never participated after that failure.”

Blake’s eyes were almost shining bright. That old man over there did what Blake wanted to do in a year. He could ask anything he wanted to learn, but in such moments, the questions to ask would never come to surface.

“I am Blake Oak from Pallet Town, sir. It is a pleasure for me to meet you.” Blake introduced himself as he realized he never did since he came.

The look on Delmar’s eyes suddenly changed when he heard Blake. He was surprised for what he heard, and he needed a moment to come to real world once again. “Did you say Oak, from Pallet Town?”

Blake knew where he made a mistake. He always hated to reveal his identity as grandson of Professor Oak, or anything that would imply that. Because once he did that, all the struggles and tough decisions he had to go through would not be considered. Whatever he made to be called as “big success” would turn into “what would be expected from the grandson of Professor Oak”.

The question that he expected to hear came right after that. “Are you a relative of Professor Oak by any chance?” Delmar asked. Blake dropped his head to the floor, and answered his question easefully.

“He is my grandfather.” He said.

Delmar reached forth to shake Blake’s hand. Blake was surprised, but he took Delmar’s hand. “It is a pleasure for me to meet you, too, young Oak.” Delmar said. “Professor Oak and I worked together in a project when I was younger. He is really lentous. I experienced myself.”

“He really is.” Blake said. But his excitement over the conversation was already busted. Now he was not a young trainer who wants to challenge in Kanto League, but grandson of a great researcher and professor, Oak.

Delmar asked questions about Blake’s grandfather for the rest of the conversation. He told about a research in which he joined Professor Oak to investigate a Pokémon species that was expected to be revealed, a brand-new species that was never discovered before. But he did not go into details. For a moment, Blake wondered if one of the Pokémon that his Pokédex introduced was that species. But Delmar asked so many questions that Blake forgot to ask anything about that.

In the ocean of Professor Oak related questions, Blake prepared himself to leave the house. He already had a long way to go, and he felt refreshed enough to go on. But as he turned his right to take his bag, he saw an interesting photo on the wall. That was young man on a battlefield.

“Is this you, over there?” Blake asked, pointing out the photo on the wall. Delmar turned his left to see it. “It is.” Delmar said. “This is me, in the Kanto League of 1947.”

“Is this your battle that you ended up as runner up?” Blake asked. He stood up and walked to the photo to take a closer look.

“I would never hang something that reminds me of that battle, young Oak.” He said. “This is before that.”

Blake would like to see his Pokémon battling on the battlefield, but that photo introduced only and only himself. But he came up with an even better idea. “Would you battle me, Delmar?”

Delmar was shocked to hear that kind of request. How many years it had been since he battled for the last time, he probably thought. He was so old that he would probably keep his hands off for a long time.

“Me and my Pokémon, we are all too tired for Pokémon Battles now.” He said. “We spent your years, youth, life on training. I don’t think it would be an even battle against you. We have no chance.”

“I am also too new on my journey.” Blake responded. “No matter what natural power my Pokémon have, they still need to improve themselves. We are just in the beginning of our journey. Please, accept my offer and battle me.”

Delmar was speechless.

Blake and Delmar were in the backyard. The place could be used as a battlefield easily. Delmar was holding a Poké Ball, while Blake’s hand was in his bag.

“I want you to call out your first Pokémon.” Delmar said. Blake did not ask why, he only took Cubone’s Poké Ball, and pushed the button on it.

“Cubone, come out!” He said. Cubone appeared in the middle. He lifted his arms like a hero, and showed his bone as a reference to his power. Delmar enjoyed Cubone as he responded his appearance with a smile on his face.

“This happens to be my first Pokémon, young Oak.” Delmar said while he pushed the button on one of his Poké Balls. In a moment, a giant, green Pokémon appeared in front of Cubone. Blake turned on his Pokédex to identify the species.

“This Pokémon was given to me by my mother. She was a Gym leader when I was a little boy. A year before I left home, she gave me that Bulbasaur as she was a new-born. But in the same year, she passed away over a Pokémon Battle where she was crushed on a Pokémon. It was an honest accident. After she passed away, I left home and went on a journey. I had only Venusaur, as a little Bulbasaur by my side. Look at her now, she is old and tired.”

Delmar really had a point. Venusaur’s eyes were almost screaming as “I am too old to live”. She would not move fast and look energetic.

“When was the last time you used Venusaur in a Pokémon Battle, Delmar?” Blake asked. Delmar looked at the ground. “I lost the count.” He said. But then he raised his hand, looked straight front, and ordered the move. “Use Vine Whip, Venusaur!”

Venusaur let vines out of her back, and the giant vines were thrown through Cubone. Blake stepped and told Cubone to dodge the move. Cubone left his bone on the battlefield, and jumped to dodge them. Blake told Cubone to leave his bone on the battlefield while dodging the moves to be faster. But he warned him to not be too far from his bone, in case he needed. Eventually, Cubone dodged one of the vines, but not the other one. The vine hit Cubone’s stomach and hurt him. But he could still go on.

“We are rusty, Venusaur.” Delmar said. He smiled at his joke. Venusaur did not look like she responded in any way. Blake stepped forward and ordered Cubone to use Bone Club. Cubone quickly took his bone and threw it to Venusaur. The bone span in the air and hit Venusaur’s head on the forehead. Venusaur closed her eyes and opened again, and shook her head. That was all the affect Cubone managed to cause.

“I will give you some time.” Delmar said Blake. “Venusaur, use Solar Beam!” He responded as a move order. Venusaur opened her mouth, and looked at the clear sky. The bloom on her back began to glow as it absorbed the sun rays.

Blake knew this was what the Pokédex mentioned. Venusaur’s ultimate move was Solar Beam, and it would probably cause a serious damage.

“Cubone, use Dig!” Blake responded. Cubone dug a hole on the backyard and disappeared underground. For a while, Blake and Delmar only looked at each other, and waited for their Pokémon to make a move. The next minute was too silent for both sides. No one said anything, or expressed any opinion. Eventually, the ground began to move. Blake knew that Cubone was coming out, although it was early to make the move. The ground was grubbed, and Cubone came to earth surface.

“Fire it now!” Delmar said suddenly. He sounded so loud and young that Blake never imagined him being filled with the spirit of battle after all these years. Venusaur opened her mouth giant, and cried out as she fired the Solar Beam from her bloom on her back. The move hit Cubone straight from his body and threw him to the wall. At the moment he hit the wall, he fainted and fell on the ground.

“Cubone! Are you all right?” Blake said as he ran to his Pokémon. But Cubone was completely fainted. Blake took his Poké Ball and called him back. “You’ve done enough, thank you.” He said.

“I see you are not that rusty after all, Venusaur...” Delmar said. This time, Venusaur responded with a cry to the sky. She shook her whole body. She was happy to be part of this battle.

“Neither are you.” Blake responded, referred to Delmar. “You should have heard yourself while ordering Venusaur to fire the Solar Beam.” Blake said. He imitated Delmar’s voice while he said the last part. Delmar smiled, “You may be right.” He said.

While Blake reached to one other Poké Ball in his bag, Delmar called Venusaur back in her Poké Ball and made a move to tell Blake to stop digging a Poké Ball. Delmar took another Poké Ball, and told Blake to do what he asked for.

“Use the first Pokémon you caught.” Delmar said. Blake dropped the Poké Ball he was holding, and took the one that held the first Pokémon Blake caught.

“Spearow, show off!” Blake said while he pushed the button on the Poké Ball. Spearow appeared in the air, floating with spread wings. He had the same angry expression on his face that he ever showed.

Delmar smiled as if something funny happened. He reacted to the Poké Ball the same way, and called his second Pokémon out. A Pokémon appeared in the sky. Spearow looked like a small flower floating in the air compared to the other Pokémon with giant wings. Blake turned on his Pokédex.

“I expected nothing less, Delmar.” Blake said.

“That’s the evolved form of Spearow.” Delmar said. “I caught this little one on this very spot.” He was showing the battlefield. “Me and Venusaur returned home after our second day we left. We decided to stick around Viridian Forest for a week, and we occasionally came home to take a rest. Bed was more comfortable than the ground, after all. While we were having lemonade, Fearow, as a tiny, little Spearow, landed on our backyard. He was exhausted and tired. I gave him lemonade and food. He did not leave, and stuck to our roof for a while. Before I left the house for the last time, I told him that I would not be returning for a long time. He wanted to come along with us. He never left my side ever since.”

“That’s a good story, Delmar. But my Spearow has his own extraordinary power inside. He already knew Take Down when I caught him. You don’t encounter wild Spearow which know how to use Take Down here.”

“This is what I call dedication.” Delmar responded. “Will you have your Spearow use Take Down?”

Blake nodded his head. “Show him what you’ve got, Spearow!” He said. “Use Take Down on Fearow!”

While Spearow flew through his elder evolution, he created a white beam all around himself like the last time. While he flew through Fearow, Fearow prepared himself to dodge the move. Although he did not look as old as Venusaur, he was still an old Pokémon who could not move as fast as he wished. Eventually, Spearow hit Fearow’s stomach with Take Down. It did not affect Fearow that much, but Spearow’s harm on himself was bigger.

“I asked you to have your Pokémon use Take Down to criticize it.” Delmar said. He sounded like he was apologizing for hurting his Pokémon. “Spearow has a great potency, Blake. Hold on to it, and try hard. He will do great things, I believe!”

Then he turned to his Pokémon. Fearow was happy to be in the air again, flying not for fun or random errands, but a battle, what he fought for when he was younger, what he spent his years working on, getting better.

“Fearow, use Drill Peck!” Delmar ordered. Fearow’s beak began to glow while he flew through the air. Suddenly, he reached to Spearow and used the move on him. Spearow could not take any damage anymore, and began to fall from the sky. Blake ran to the middle of the battlefield and called his Pokémon back in the Poké Ball before he hit the ground.

“You’ve done enough, Spearow. Thank you.” He whispered to the Poké Ball. Fearow, in the meantime, landed on the battlefield right next to his trainer.

“Be happy.” Delmar said. “Spearow did not have a chance against my Fearow, but he is still a great Pokémon. I bet he will perform a great battle for you in the Kanto League.”

“I believe so.” Blake said. He put his Poké Ball back in his back and walked back to his spot. He was still excited for the Pokémon Battle despite of losing it determinedly.

“Are you still willing to keep on?” Delmar asked. Blake had that unique smile on his face. It was not a child’s naïve happiness for a battle, but a mature smile. “This is what I’m on my journey about.” Blake said. “Of course, I am willing to keep the battle on with you.”

Delmar had almost the same smile on his face. “Let us see our last Pokémon, then, young Oak.” He said. He was holding his third Poké Ball. “I want you to call out your last capture.”

Blake took another Poké Ball out of his bag. “I wonder...” He repeated in his head. That Pokémon joined his team just recently, and Blake was not sure how she would behave. He would not want to disappoint Delmar on himself by showing a Pokémon that disobeys him. But he did not have any other Pokémon, anyway.

“Pokémon, go!” He said while he threw the Poké Ball through the battlefield. The Poké Ball had opened itself, and let the Pokémon out. A blue Pokémon with green weeds on her head appeared on the grasses.

“So, your last capture is a little Oddish.” Delmar said. He was glad to see that species after a long time. “I used to see these often on my journey. A lot of trainers would choose to train one, because it is very talented Pokémon in the battles. But some day, some trainer discovered another Pokémon to use in the battle. It was the counterpart of these species. Once the other trainers who came for the League discovered what this Pokémon is capable of, the popularity of Oddish decreased in years.”

“Did you train one?” Blake asked.

“Never.” Delmar responded. He was also holding his last Poké Ball. “But I trained this guy here!” He said, as he threw the Poké Ball to the battlefield. A yellow Pokémon appeared in front of Oddish. Blake turned on his Pokédex once again.

“Hypno can be a really dangerous Pokémon if you meet a young one.” Delmar said. “But this old guy here has no harm to anyone.”

“Oddish, use Absorb!” Blake ordered. Oddish’s eyes glowed bright in green as she prepared herself to use Absorb. Then a green light appeared on Hypno. Oddish was absorbing Hypno’s energy.

“Absorb is not a competitive move, Blake.” Delmar said. “There are better options. Oddish will have to discover the potency inside her.”

“She is the newest member of our team, Delmar.” Blake responded. “She has a long way to go, but I will be there to help her out!”

“Hypno, use Confusion!” Delmar ordered. Hypno used shook pendulum on the same direction. Oddish was caught in the moment by watching it in seconds. Blake shouted out to distract Oddish and let her focus on somewhere else. But Oddish was already lost in her world in where only she and Hypno existed. When Hypno flicked his fingers, Oddish returned to the real world, but her aspect was much different.

“Oddish is confused now, Blake.” Delmar said. “You may order her other moves, but she may end up simply hurting herself. Will you take that chance?”

“You see if I do!” Blake shouted. “Oddish, we will take our chance, too! Use Stun Spore and paralyze that Pokémon!”

Oddish stared at Hypno. Delmar was carefully watching her to see if she could manage to use the move. Oddish held her breath to send the spores on her weeds through the foe, but she got confused and lost her balance on foot, ended up falling on the ground. She hurt herself.

Delmar was in high spirits. “This is what I was talking about!” He said. “Use Psychic now!” He ordered. Hypno used his pendulum once again. Oddish could not get through that move, ended up fainting.

Blake called his Pokémon back while smiling at Delmar. After Oddish was back in her Poké Ball, Blake walked through the battlefield, and reached his hand to Delmar. They shook hands. Blake was smiling sincerely at him.

“It was an honour for me to battle you, sir.” Blake said. He really enjoyed having this Pokémon Battle with someone who participated in Kanto League for several times, and ended up as runner up eventually.

“Thank you for bringing my youth back for a brief while, young Oak.” Delmar said. “Your Pokémon and you have a great potential inside you. I am sure you will rock the stage when you compete in Kanto League. I will be there, cheering for you.”

Blake nodded his head. “You will see me rocking the stage, Delmar.”

After that, Blake drank one more glass of cold water, packed his bag, and left the old man’s house. Blake could not thank Delmar enough for bringing that kind of an inspiration in his heart. Now, he was more eager to train his Pokémon and himself than ever. Blake knew, nothing could stop him going on his ultimate goal. Nothing, no one...

Humans

 * Delmar Sandoval
 * Delmar's mother (mentioned)
 * Delmar's mother (mentioned)

Pokémon

 * Delmar's Venusaur
 * Delmar's Fearow
 * Delmar's Hypno
 * Delmar's Venusaur
 * Delmar's Fearow
 * Delmar's Hypno