Disclaimer: Pokémon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, Game Freak, and Cartoon Network.

A/N: Well here it is chapter four, I started to wonder what would happen to Pikachu if Ash didn't get him so I made him live with Ash's mom instead. And she'll get other Pokémon to stay with her too, like Ash will catch some for her. Thank you everyone who has reviewed, put this in their favorites, and been following it, that means a lot. Enjoy the chapter.

In Professor Oak's lab:

The Pikachu groggily woke up on a metal examination table, having been given anesthesia so one of the Professor's assistants could exam him. He had been at the lab for a few weeks now; either being examined or he was stuck in that dumb ball. He just knew he had to get out of this human place but he didn't know how, after a second of looking he spotted an open window. His chance came when the lab assistant had his back turned to get something from a nearby shelf. The Pokémon hopped off the table and quietly made his way to the window, without making a sound the electric-type jumped through the window and started running.

With his excellent ears he was able to hear the humans calling out in a panic wondering where he went. Pikachu had thought about going back to Viridian Forest where he had come from, but thought better of it when he figured that would be the first place the humans would be looking for him. So he decided to go in the opposite direction staying close to fences and homes of the humans. Needing to take a break Pikachu crouched behind a fence post, after about a minute he was going to leave when he caught the scent of a sweet smelling flower. Wanting to get a better smell of it he squeezed through the white-picket fence and stumbled in to a garden.

He made his way over to some little white flowers, as he sniffed them he let out a happy sigh. If it wasn't a human place he would have liked to have stayed in this garden. Suddenly a tall shadow fell over him; he turned around and saw a human woman. She knelt down in front of him, she smiled sweetly at him. The woman had friendly amber eyes and auburn hair; she wore a light purple skirt and a pink sweater over a yellow shirt. "Hello cutie what are you doing here?" When he first saw her, the Pikachu's ears flattened against his head and his cheek pouches started to spark with electricity, trying to scare her away.

Not scared in the slightest, Delia backed away from the creature and walked back in to the house. She looked out the back window at the chubby Pikachu who was looking around like he might leave, and decided to maybe give him some food first. Delia got down a plastic dish, a bag of Pokémon food, and some oran berries. She mixed it up and went back outside; she slowly walked over to the Pokémon and set the bowl down in front of the electric-type.

The Pikachu cautiously sniffed at the bowl before taking a bite as Delia watched him. He smiled around a mouth full of food, before swallowing and letting out a happy "pika", Delia smiled. She turned around and got to work in the garden and left the Pokémon eat his food, Pikachu watched as the human picked up a hose. She turned it on and dragged it over to the lilies and bushes. In the few minutes that he had known this human he had decided that she was the best human he had ever met, at least she didn't try to catch him in one of those red and white mechanical balls.

Pikachu had gobbled up all the food, to the point where his face was down in the bowl licking up the crumbs and berry juice. Delia slowly walked over to the Pikachu with the hose in her hand, "would you like some water?" Pikachu shook his head yes, he moved out of the way and she filled up the bowl. When she pulled the water away the Pokémon dive head first into the bowl and began to gulp down the water. Delia smiled at the chubby little electric mouse and got back to work.

The Pikachu watched Delia as she continued to move about her garden, finding a comfortable spot under a tree. Delia didn't mind at all that the Pikachu was still in her backyard, she honestly wouldn't have cared if the Pokémon decided to stay with her. She had been getting a little bit lonely without Ash around, so having someone to talk to would be nice. The little Pikachu sat there just watching her for what seemed like a long time, watering plants, pulling weeds, and trimming her hedges.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Delia stood up from pulling weeds and dusted off her skirt. The Pikachu took notice of what she was doing and stood up from his seat. She walked through the back door leaving it open, through the house and answered the door, "oh hello Professor Oak what can I do for you?" The Professor cleared his throat, "Delia earlier today a Pikachu I was studying ran away from my lab and we have been looking for it everywhere you haven't seen it have you?" Delia blinked once and said, "why yes a Pikachu did come in to my backyard just a little while ago." Before the Professor could answer he noticed the yellow Pokémon in question sitting on the back of the couch. Delia followed where the Professor was looking, "that's him" she had said.

Delia stepped aside to allow Professor Oak inside the house, as soon as he saw him the Pikachu's red cheeks started to spark in warning. "It looks like he doesn't want to go with you," Delia had noticed the way the Pokémon had acted when he noticed the Professor. The man's eyes widened in fear of electrocution, "Uh, Delia this Pikachu hasn't hurt you has he?" Mrs. Ketchum walked over to the Pokémon in question and patted him on the head, in a second Pikachu was instantly calm. "Of course he hasn't, I gave him some food when I first saw him." Professor Oak just blinked at the scene in front of him than he got an idea, "It would seem that he has taken a liking to you perhaps he could stay with you." Delia smiled at the suggestion, "I would like that very much, what do you think?" She looked at the Pikachu for an answer; the Pokémon blinked and twitched his ears in thought before giving his answer a happy sounding, "pika."

The Professor nodded his head, "well that's settled than he's yours here is his Poke Ball." He retrieved the ball from his lab coat pocket and handed to Delia. "If he's happy here then I suppose him being here with you where he can be outside is better than having him be cooped up in the Lab or in a Poke Ball. Besides if he's happy than maybe he won't decide to shock anyone." The Professor gave a nervous chuckle at his attempted at a joke. Delia giggled along with the Professor, "Thank you I think he will be great company for me." The Professor said goodbye and left the pair, Delia looked at the ball in her hand wondering what she would do with it. She glanced at her new friend to see a worried look on his face, "don't worry I'm not going to put you in there." She walked over to a small desk in the hallway and opened a drawer, putting the ball inside before closing it. "There how's that?" in answer the Pikachu hopped off the couch and jumped on to her shoulder, and began nuzzling her cheek in thanks. She scratched behind his ears in response.

Outside of Pewter City Gym:

Ash took a deep breath as he stood outside of the large building that looked like it was made from a giant boulder. He was taking this last second to collect himself before his first gym battle; he had already gone over which of his Pokémon he would use so he figured he was ready for the real thing. Not wanting to waste any more time Ash pushed open the huge wooden doors and walked in. As soon as he entered the gym, the doors closed by themselves behind him and the overhead lights snapped on.

Directly in front him he now saw a boy who looked to be a few years older than Ash, he had spiky dark brown hair and tanned skin. He seemed to be squinting and wore a dark green vest, dark orange t-shirt, brown pants, and greyish-blue tennis shoes. "Welcome I am Brock the leader of Pewter City Gym." Ash stood up straight, "I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and I've come to try and win the Boulder Badge." Brock smirked, "very well I accept your challenge." Ash saw movement out of the corner of his right eye and saw nine younger children grouped together in the gym bleachers, all of them looking just like Brock. The oldest looking boy stepped forward on to the field, "This is an official gym battle between the Pewter City Gym Leader Brock and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, this will be a two on two Pokémon battle and only the challenger may make substitutions. The challenger may go first."

Ash felt around on his belt and called out his first Pokémon, "let's go Templeton." The Mouse Pokémon came out of the ball in a burst of light, landing in to a fighting stance with a growl coming out of his muzzle. As soon as he saw the little Mouse Pokémon Brock called out his own Pokémon the dual type Geodude, the hovering boulder let out a rumbling call announcing that he was ready to fight. "Ok Templeton I want you to start off with Toxic." The Rattata squeaked in acknowledgment before the purple sludge gathered on his skin and was shot forth on to the battlefield. The poisonous slime splattered all over the rocky field and released a large noxious cloud of poison. The rock-type's body flashed with a purple light indicating that he had been poisoned. Even Templeton had been slightly affected by Toxic but he could still move, "now follow it up with a Tackle." The normal-type heard the command and ran off toward the Geodude slamming into him with all his might.

The two Pokémon landed hard on the gym floor causing a large crack to form, Templeton jumped off the rock-type and the Geodude was again weakened by the Toxic as he struggled to get back up. "Geodude use Mega Punch and squash that mouse," the hovering boulder pulled back his right arm as his fist began to glow white powering up the move. The Geodude hurdled towards Templeton, "Templeton I want you to dodge that attack and use Bite." The Mouse Pokémon was able to slip under the Geodude's arm as he pulled it back for the punch and bite the rock-type on the face. Templeton's teeth latched on to the Pokémon causing the Geodude to thrash about after a about a minute before he was able to fling the normal-type off of him. His rocky face had scratches and chips on it, he then lunged at the Rattata in a Tackle but the rodent was ready dodging the attack over and over. The Toxic attack was still releasing its poisonous fumes, slowing down both Pokémon.

The Geodude was able to get a Tackle attack to hit its mark right on the Rattata's nose. The normal-type rolled across the dirt floor before finally skidding to a stop. Templeton shook his head and got to his feet, "I want you to use Revenge." A bright orange energy covered his body then shot out and hit the Geodude knocking him out. Forrest made the judgment official, "Geodude is unable to battle the winner is Ash from Pallet Town.' Brock recalled his Pokémon, "you did well thank you." Brock looked to the panting Rattata a second before he collapsed from exhaustion from battle and the effects of the poison fumes. "Templeton return," Ash recalled his fainted Pokémon, "you did great take a good rest."

Brock called out his next Pokémon, "Onix come on out." In a flash a giant size serpent made of boulders appeared on to the field, it let out a bellowing cry that made the ground shake. Ash had to tilt his head back to get a good look of its face because of how huge it was. His eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open as he gazed up at the mammoth Pokémon that he had only seen on the television before it was a whole another experience to see it in real life, Ash was a little awestruck. Ash blinked and shook his head to focus on the gym battle, when he called out his Pokémon, "let's go Lucky." The Cat Scratch Pokémon came leaping out of her Poke Ball ready for a fight. "This battle will determine the match, Gym Leader Brock will got first, begin." Forrest announced.

"Onix I want you to start things off with Rock Throw," the Rock Snake Pokémon roared and slammed his tail on to the rocky floor causing the ground and the large rocks sticking out of the floor to rise in to the air. They were flung at the Meowth who noticed them and dodged them, as she moved around both her and the Onix were affected by the Toxic that still lingered on the field. "Lucky I want you to use Water Pulse then use Fury Swipes," she nodded and opened her mouth and a medium sized ball of water formed in front of her face. She tilted her head back and crashed the water ball on to the field the wall of water that was created sped toward the dual rock-type smashing into him, which made him roar in pain. Despite the pain Lucky was going through because of the poison she managed to leap at the Onix with her claws drawn where she slashed at his wet rocky hide, causing another bellow of pain.

Ash looked across the field at Brock, he could see the Gym Leader had a panicked look on his face Ash had a good feeling that he was going to win the battle. Then Brock directed his Onix for the next attack, "use Rock Throw and then use Bind." The Onix rumbled in response lifting his tail high in to the air and smashed it down on to Lucky who was getting slow with her reactions because of the Toxic. Then he wrapped his stony tail around the Scratch Cat Pokémon and squeezed, Ash could do nothing but watch he doubted that his Pokémon could attack while being crushed in the Bind attack. Lucky let out a pained screech before Ash returned her, thanked her for her effort, and released his final Pokémon.

"Lilly I want you to use Razor Leaf on that Onix," the Bulbasaur gave an affirmative before releasing a wave of razor sharp leaves at the giant rocky Pokémon. As the leaves flew at the rock-type he glowed with the purple sheen of poisoning looking worse for the wear. The leaves hit the Onix in the face; they cut into the Pokémon causing deep looking gashes to appear on the opposing Pokémon. With one final painful roar the Onix fell to the dusty floor unconscious with an echoing boom. Brock returned his downed Pokémon with a quiet thank you to his friend, Lilly trotted over to Ash who bent down and patted the grass-type on the head thanked her and returned her wanting her to rest. "Onix is unable to battle the winner for this match is Ash Ketchum."

Brock walked over to Ash as his siblings watched on even though he had lost they were proud of their brother. "That was a great battle Ash you made some good choices I think you're going to go far in the League." They shook hands, "Thanks Brock you were great too, I hope we can battle again some time when my Pokémon and I are stronger." They let go of their hands and Brock fished around in his vest pocket a second before pulling out something small and handing it over to Ash, "you can count on it." Ash looked at the item and a huge smile stretched across his face, it was a grey hexagonal plastic badge. Ash closed his hand around it and pumped his fist into the air in victory, "yes my Pokémon and I just got the Boulder Badge." Brock smiled as he watched Ash in his joy and got out his wallet getting a handful of money to give to Ash as he pinned his new Badge to the inside of his vest. Ash took the money with a small thank you and walked out of the gym.

Ash had just gotten out of the door when he bumped in to someone. As he excused himself he looked up and saw that it was the souvenir stand owner. He heard him mumbling under his breath, "don't know why I picked today of all days to do this but I can do it." Ash shrugged it off and started to walk away. The last thought he had was that the man and Brock looked an awful lot alike, like maybe they were related somehow. The last thing Ash heard before he got out of earshot was Brock yell out, "Dad what are you doing here?!" Ash didn't bother looking back figuring that it wasn't any of his business and that Brock could handle this on his own. Ash was glad when he saw the Pokémon Center in sight, glad that he could get his friends healed. He smiled a little knowing that the first step to the tournament was over and that he was a little closer to realizing his dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.

List of Delia's Pokémon:

Pikachu

List of Ash's Pokémon:

Lilly the Bulbasaur

Templeton the Rattata

Ray the Metapod

Lucky the Meowth

A/N: So how did I do on the Gym battle, was it to easy a win for Ash? Was it boring I'm trying to get better at fight scenes, so let me know what you think good or bad I want to know. Thank you have a nice day.