“Well,” Amber said as she bicycled into the city with Pidgey on her shoulder and Charmander in the bicycle basket, “We made it.”

And indeed they had. Pewter City lay before them, just waiting to be explored. Amber started toward the pokemon center. Her pokemon needed a rest.

‘Now what?’ Amber thought as she chained her bike to the bicycle rack. ‘We’re finally here, but what do we do?’

“Hello, Nurse Joy,” Amber said politely as she entered the center.

“Why, hello,” Joy answered. “I do not believe I’ve seen you before. What’s your name?”

“I’m Amber,” she answered. “My pokemon need a rest. Can I leave them with you for a little while?”

“Of course,” Joy said, smiling.

“Thanks.” Amber said as she recalled her pokemon into their respective balls and handed them to Nurse Joy. She sat down in one of the chairs in the room, exhausted. “I think I’ll take a rest, too,” she groaned.

A few hours later, she woke up with a start as a boy entered the center. She glanced at the wall and noticed a poster advertising something called a ‘pokemon league.’ This was it! Her goal! She would train to be a league champion! She read more:

‘Badges can be obtained in the following cities: Viridian City, Pewter City, Cerulean City, Vermillion City, Celadon City, Saffron City, Fuchsia City, Cinnabar Island.’

“Hey Nurse Joy!” Amber heard the black haired boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder say. “My pokemon are tired, could you take care of them?”

“Oh, hello, Ash,” Joy said with a smile. "I haven’t seen you for ages! Of course you can keep them here. Are you visiting Brock?"

"Yeah. After I conquered the battle frontier, I decided to visit some old friends. I'm going to Cerulean next, then I guess I'll stay at home for a while."

Cerulean? That was where the poster said was another gym!

"Hey," Amber said to the boy, "could I come with you?"

He looked startled.

"What?"

"Just for a while. . . They say there's strength in numbers, and I just started my journey; I couldn’t battle my way through Mt Moon if I wanted to, and an experienced trainer like you would really help me get through. I could use the company; I'm headed to Cerulean too, you see--"

"Alright, alright, slow down," he said, “you can come!”

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Amber squealed as she squeezed the boy in a death grip hug.

“I--can’t--breathe!” he said hoarsely.

“Oh, sorry,” Amber said as she released him. “I’m Amber, by the way. Amber Temkell.”

“Ash Ketchum,” he said. “Why do you want to go to Cerulean?”

“I’m going to be the league champ of the Indigo League!” Amber said proudly.

“Have you battled Flint yet?” Ash asked with a grin on his face.

“Who?”

“Apparently not. Here, follow me.”

Ash grabbed her hand and darted out the door, Amber barely grabbing her pokeballs from Nurse Joy in time.

“Come back soon!” Joy smiled as they left the center.

“Where are we going?” Amber asked as they weaved their way through the city.

“The Pewter City Gym!” Ash said.

Amber noticed a large mountain on one side of the city. There was a black vehicle entering it. She gasped.

“Did you say anything, Amber?” Ash asked as he avoided a pedestrian.

“No,” Amber said quietly. “Nothing.”

They finally arrived at a large building.

“Wow!” Amber said. “So this is a gym?”

“Yeah. The gym leader right now is Flint.”

They entered the gym and were greeted by a boy with brown hair and squinty eyes.

“Brock!” Ash said, smiling.

“Hey, Ash! Long time no see. I see you brought someone with you,” Brock said to Ash nodding at Amber.

“This is Amber. She’s coming with me to Cerulean to see Misty and challenge her to a gym battle.”

“Then you’re here to battle Dad?” Brock asked Amber.

“Uhhh. . . Yeah, right. . . I think.”

“Then just come right this way.”

The group followed Brock to a large room. It looked like some sort of battlefield.

“Hello.”

Amber nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Ah! Whoa. Don’t scare me like that! Are you Flint?” Amber said, regaining her balance.

“Yes,” said a man that looked a lot like Brock. “Is it true that you are challenging me?”

“If you’re the gym leader, then yeah, I’m challenging you.”

Flint smiled and took a pokeball from his belt.

“Very well then,” Flint said. “Prepare to lose.”

The two competitors took their respective places on each side of the battlefield.

“This battle is to be fought between gym leader Flint and his challenger Amber Temkell,” a kid who also looked a lot like Brock said. “It will be a two pokemon battle. The gym leader may not switch out, but the challenger may switch at any time. The battle will end when both pokemon on one side have been defeated. Let the battle begin!”