As Aster stepped out of the Pewter City Gym, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
"Ding! Host has successfully defeated the Pewter City Gym Leader."
Reward - Great Ball, 500 Pokédollars.
He barely acknowledged the notification, his thoughts still lingering on the battle. Brock was tough, not in raw power but in sheer grit. The twelve-year-old Gym Leader had been at a clear disadvantage—his father had taken all the strong Pokémon when he left, forcing Brock to make do with what remained. From an outside perspective, Aster, at only seven, looked like a kid challenging an older, more experienced trainer. But Aster knew the truth. Mentally, he was much older.
He had lived a life before this one.
And despite the gap in their official ages, it was Brock who had been forced to grow up too soon. Left to take care of his siblings while managing the Gym, Brock had no time to train properly, let alone chase dreams of his own. Aster could respect that kind of dedication, even if he knew Brock hadn't been fighting at his full potential. If circumstances had been different—if Brock had access to the Pokémon he should have had—maybe their battle wouldn't have been so one-sided.
Still, Aster had left an impression on him. The way Brock had looked at him at the end of their match wasn't disappointment—it was respect.
That was good.
But he didn't dwell on it. He had bigger things to focus on.
A Step Toward the Future
Aster decided not to linger in Pewter City. The world was vast, and standing still meant falling behind. Before heading toward Mt. Moon, he made a quick stop at a small brokerage firm in town. It was an old-fashioned process—no sleek, digital interfaces or instant trades. The Pokémon world had Poké Balls that could shrink and store living creatures, PCs that could digitally transport Pokémon, and even medical technology that could heal injuries in minutes. And yet, when it came to basic financial transactions, they were decades behind.
No online trading. No quick investments. If he wanted to buy stocks, he had to do it through stockbrokers, either by visiting their offices in person or by making a phone call. It was absurdly inefficient.
Still, he played along.
Aster sat across from a middle-aged broker, a man in a cheap suit with tired eyes. He listened to the usual spiel—market trends, investment strategies, safe bets versus high-risk ventures—but Aster already knew what he wanted.
He was investing in Pokémon-related companies.
Companies that produced Poké Balls, Potions, and Technical Machines. Companies that worked with Pokémon food, transportation, and technology. Silph Co., Devon Corp, and a handful of smaller manufacturers that hadn't blown up yet but showed potential.
It was a long-term play.
Becoming Champion was his goal, but financial security meant freedom. The more money he had, the less he had to rely on others. That meant no sponsors, no debts, and no League politics controlling his decisions.
He handed over the cash for his investments, finalized the paperwork, and left without another word.
Now, it was time to move on.
The Road to Mt. Moon
The path leading to Mt. Moon was lively with trainers. Battles were common, and Aster took advantage of every opportunity to sharpen his Pokémon's skills. Glaceon, Gyarados, and Poliwhirl took turns battling, but he was careful not to overdo it. He needed them at their best for whatever awaited inside the cave.
As he neared the entrance, he noticed vendors selling equipment—mostly lamps and small supplies. The prices weren't outrageous, but they were still overpriced for what they were. Not that he had much of a choice.
The Pokémon world was full of strange inconsistencies. They had technology advanced enough to create teleportation systems, yet no simple navigation devices for trainers. If you didn't have a map, you either had to memorize routes or rely on old-fashioned word-of-mouth directions. It was ridiculous.
Aster bought a lamp and guide service, the latter being a necessity given the size of the cave. A guide was assigned to his group, and they were instructed to avoid battles inside, as wild Zubat could get agitated and swarm.
Simple enough.
At least until some kid got impatient and shined his light directly at the ceiling.
Aster sighed. This was going to be a problem.
The moment the kid flicked his light toward the ceiling, Aster felt it—a subtle shift in the air, the uneasy rustling of wings.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, a single Zubat broke away from the ceiling, shrieking as it dove toward the kid who had disturbed it.
Aster watched without intervening. Honestly, the brat deserved to get scared a little. But before the Zubat could sink its fangs into him, Aster sighed and pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Glaceon, Ice Shard."
In an instant, a cluster of jagged ice shot forward, striking the Zubat mid-flight and sending it tumbling to the ground. It twitched before weakly flapping its wings and retreating into the darkness.
The kid, now pale, looked like he had just seen a ghost.
Aster gave him a bored look. "Maybe don't blind the wild Pokémon next time."
The kid stammered something incoherent but quickly shut up as the guide shot him a glare.
Crisis averted.
Or so he thought.
A few seconds later, a deafening screech filled the cave. Dozens of Zubat peeled away from the ceiling, their glowing eyes locking onto the group. Some trainers immediately bolted, wanting nothing to do with the swarm. Others, like Aster, stood their ground.
Two trainers remained beside him, one of them a bony-looking kid in a straw hat.
Aster didn't waste time. "Gyarados, come out!"
The massive Water/Flying-type burst forth in a flash of light, its serpentine form barely fitting inside the cave. Its Intimidate ability kicked in instantly, making some of the wild Zubat hesitate.
The kid in the straw hat also threw out a Poké Ball, releasing a Golem.
Aster glanced at him. At least this guy had a decent Pokémon.
"You ready?" he asked.
The kid nodded. "Yeah."
Aster turned back to the swarm. "Then let's clean this up."
The battle started in a blur of motion.
"Gyarados, Dragon Dance!"
The sea serpent coiled in place, its aura flaring as its speed and power increased. Meanwhile, the other trainer's Golem stood firm, taking the brunt of multiple Poison Fangs without flinching.
The plan was simple—hold them off, then counterattack.
"Gyarados, Twister!"
A swirling vortex of wind and energy erupted from Gyarados's maw, pulling the Zubat into the center of the attack. The sheer force sent them spiraling through the air, disoriented and dazed.
"Now, Aqua Tail!"
Gyarados lunged, its tail glowing blue as it slammed through the cluster of Zubat, knocking several unconscious in one powerful sweep.
One unfortunate Zubat crashed against the cave wall, sending a strange-looking rock tumbling to the ground. Aster barely had time to note it before focusing back on the fight.
The remaining Zubat hesitated, their numbers thinning.
The other trainer smirked. "Golem, Rock Slide!"
Chunks of stone rained from the ceiling, crushing any remaining opposition.
Silence settled over the cave.
The swarm had been wiped out.
Aster exhaled, letting the tension drain from his shoulders. He walked over and picked up the odd rock, briefly inspecting it before shoving it into his pocket. He'd deal with it later.
With the battle over, he turned toward the straw-hat kid.
"Thanks for the help."
The kid grinned. "No problem." Then he squinted at Aster. "Wait… I think I've seen you before."
Aster raised an eyebrow. "Doubt it."
The kid didn't look convinced but let it go. "YourGyarados is crazy strong. And you even have another Pokémon on the same level."
Aster shrugged. "You're not bad yourself. That Golem took a beating and didn't even flinch."
The kid laughed sheepishly. "Oh yeah, I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Amber from Viridian City." He patted his Golem. "And this is my partner."
Aster gave a small nod. "Aster." Then he glanced at the path ahead. "We should keep moving. I'd rather not deal with another swarm."
Amber nodded in agreement, and the two fell into step.
They didn't talk much after that. There was no need.
Eventually, the cave exit came into sight.
As they approached, Aster overheard an argument between the guide and another person.
"Let's hold off on calling Officer Jenny. I think they'll be out any minute."
"If we don't call her, they could get really hurt back there!"
"If Jenny sees us and finds out we're charging trainers for cave guidance, it won't be good."
Aster's eyes narrowed.
So that's how it was. They weren't providing a service—they were running a shady business.
Amber seemed to pick up on it too.
Aster smirked. "Think we can get our money back?"
Amber grinned. "We can try."
And they did.
A little convincing (or threatening) later, and Amber walked away with his money refunded while Aster received a moon stone + a water stone from the group.
Aster offered the moonstone to Amber, but he refused it. Aster wasn't one to offer twice, so he took all the boon from the negotiation.
With Mt. Moon behind him, Aster set his sights on his next destination.
Cerulean City.
And his next Gym Badge.