Pokémon: An Unexpected Odyssey

Chapter no.30 Aftermath

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Brock sat outside the Pewter City Gym, enjoying a rare moment of solitude. It felt good to be alone sometimes, away from the noise, the constant pressure of being a Gym Leader, and the expectations everyone had of him. The evening air was cool, and the quiet wrapped around him like a blanket. He popped open a can of iced tea, the crisp sound cutting through the stillness. For a brief second, he let himself relax.

Then, the peace shattered. A police siren blared, sharp and urgent, making him jump. Red and blue lights flashed in the distance, and he tensed. Something was wrong. Officer Jenny pulled up in her car, the door flung open as she stepped out, breathless.

"Brock, an attack on Mt. Moon," she announced, her words hitting him like a punch.

"What?" he barely managed to say before another voice echoed his surprise. He turned and saw Flint—his dad—stepping out from behind some bushes. What the hell? Was he spying on me?

His brow furrowed in confusion, and he wasn't the only one. Officer Jenny's jaw practically hit the floor.

"Flint? Is that you?!" she asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"Y-yeah," Flint replied with a nervous chuckle, scratching the back of his head like this was all just some funny coincidence.

"I thought you were dead," Jenny blurted out, shock still evident. Brock clenched his fists, biting back the flood of emotions that stirred inside him at her words. Dead. His father might as well have been.

But that wasn't important right now. Focus, Brock.

"What about Mt. Moon?" he cut in, his voice hard, forcing himself to push aside the confusion, the anger, all of it. There was no time for family drama. "What's happening?"

"I'll tell you all the details in the car," Jenny said, urgency in her voice. "But we need to be there. Now."

He didn't hesitate. He was already moving, sliding into the passenger seat before she even finished her sentence. "Drive," he ordered, settling in, his mind already racing ahead to the worst-case scenarios. He heard her hesitate for a moment, and he knew why. She was torn, her eyes flicking between him and Flint. The tension between them was palpable. Flint was back, but Brock didn't care. Not right now.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts, though they kept circling back to his father. The man who had abandoned them. Under any other circumstance, he'd want nothing to do with him. He hadn't spoken to Flint since he disappeared, since he left Brock to take care of their family. But this wasn't about him. The people at Mt. Moon needed help. The city needed reassurance. And no matter how much it grated on him, they needed every capable trainer.

"Get in," Brock said, the words bitter on his tongue, but he forced them out anyway. For the greater good, he reminded himself. This isn't about you, Brock.

Flint's face lit up, like he didn't realize the gravity of the situation. Or maybe he was just happy Brock didn't tell him to screw off. Whatever. Brock couldn't think about that right now.

Flint climbed into the back seat, and Brock felt a wave of anger rise up again, but he shoved it down. There would be time for that later.

"Well then, Flint, enjoy the ride," Jenny said, her tone light but firm as she slammed her foot on the gas. The car roared forward, and they sped off toward Mt. Moon. Brock glanced out the window, his thoughts already drifting to what awaited them there.