Flint's appearance gave Brock a choice: to stay at the Gym and become a Gym Trainer, or to pursue his dream of becoming a Breeder.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Brock stood in front of Flint: "Father, I'll leave Jiro and the others to you. I have a lot to tell you, so take note."
Flint nodded solemnly, knowing without needing to be told that as a father, his negligence over the years probably made Brock want to scold him. Let him scold, if that would help Brock release his anger.
"Jiro likes red miso, Saburo likes white miso, my little sister likes mixed miso, and..."
"Wait, wait! Let me get a notebook to jot this down!" Brock unexpectedly listed the dietary and lifestyle habits of his many siblings.
There were so many habits that Flint filled up more than a dozen pages in his notebook, thinking that being scolded might have been easier...
At the same time, with notes filling over a dozen pages, the fact that Brock remembered all these by heart speaks volumes about how difficult and responsible his life had been over the years.
Ash and Misty exchanged a helpless smile before the latter suddenly realized she was still holding Ash's arm, with her soft chest pressing against it.
Embarrassed, Misty jumped away from Ash and pretended to nonchalantly play with her hair, watching Ash's reaction out of the corner of her eye.
Ash seemed completely unfazed by Misty's close proximity, instead listening intently to Brock.
This made Misty's pretty face twitch slightly. It wasn't that she had any intense feelings for Ash, but normally, wouldn't a teenage boy blush at least a little when a young beauty (self-proclaimed) leaned into him? Are you really fifteen?
The brief episode soon passed, and after giving his father instructions, Brock packed his things and approached Ash: "You saw the situation. Do you welcome me to join your party?"
"Of course! I'd be thrilled to have a Breeder join us! Plus, Brock, you're a Gym Trainer. I'm sure you can teach me a lot!" Ash readily agreed.
"Haha, as long as I won't disturb you... Speaking of Gym Trainers..."
"Ahhhh! It's about time to head to the next city, isn't it?" Misty interrupted Brock mid-sentence.
Ash looked at Misty, puzzled, not understanding her sudden outburst.
Only Brock understood the reason. Speaking of Gym Trainers... there was actually another one in this group, but for some reason, Misty wanted to hide her identity.
...
After bidding farewell to Flint, the three set off on their journey. The addition of a third member didn't really affect the dynamic, and it was actually beneficial for Ash.
Although Brock wasn't officially a Breeder, his years taking care of his siblings and managing the Gym made him an expert in both taking care of people and Pokemon.
Once Brock joined, Ash and Misty no longer had to eat instant food, and their Pokemon didn't have to eat generic food.
However, customizing food for their Pokemon would take some time, so in the meantime, Pikachu and the others still had to eat general food.
On the way, Brock curiously asked Ash where he learned tactics like Sleep Powder and Supersonic. Ash said he learned from Professor Oak before setting out on his journey.
Even Misty knew of Professor Oak's reputation, and Brock was no exception. Knowing it was Professor Oak's teaching, Brock wasn't surprised.
Even with Professor Oak's guidance, being able to use such precise tactics shortly after starting his journey and catching Pokemon was closely tied to Ash's talent.
After defeating Brock, it was already midday. With Brock packing and giving instructions to Flint, it was afternoon by the time they set out.
The sun was blazing, and even Misty, dressed in a tank top and shorts, was sweating. During the journey, Misty even brought out Staryu to cool down with Water Gun.
On the way, the three discussed which city to head to next.
There were three nearby cities with Gyms: Viridian, Cerulean, and Vermilion.
The first could be ruled out since Ash had already attempted a challenge in Viridian City. Among the remaining two, Ash decided to head to Cerulean Gym first, after comparing the routes.
The reasons were twofold: first, Cerulean Gym was a Water Type Gym, advantageous given his Pikachu. Second, after reaching Cerulean, they could proceed to Vermilion, as the two cities weren't far apart and it was practically on the way.
Therefore, Cerulean Gym was undoubtedly Ash's top choice.
Despite Misty's constant objections, Ash remained adamant about going to Cerulean City.
However, Ash also said he would not go to Cerulean City if Misty gave a reasonable reason.
Misty's reasons, like Cerulean Gym being too easy or the Gym Leaders being fierce women, weren't valid at all.
Such reasons couldn't deter Ash from challenging the Cerulean Gym.
Ultimately, Misty couldn't persuade Ash, so she chose to accompany him to Cerulean City. Brock had no objections, as he didn't mind where they went as long as they left Pewter City.
To reach Cerulean City, they had to cross Moon Mountain, unlike Viridian Forest, Moon Mountain wasn't as vast. Normally it would take two to three days to reach Cerulean City.
By evening, the scorching heat subsided slightly, and the three decided to camp just before entering Moon Mountain.
After all, climbing the mountain at night would be risky. Since it didn't matter exactly when they started, they chose to camp at the mountain's foot.
It was Ash and Misty's first time tasting Brock's cooking. Brock, who single-handedly raised nine kids, made dishes that left them savoring the flavors, compared to which what they'd eaten before was like pig feed!
Ash expressed his desire to learn to cook from Brock so that if Brock ever had to return to Pewter Gym, he wouldn't be stuck with instant food, and more importantly, Pikachu and the others wouldn't have to eat tasteless Pokemon food!
Brock gladly agreed; he was thrilled to have someone eager to learn his cooking skills.
After eating and drinking, they chatted for a while, played with their Pokemon, and then prepared to sleep. Meanwhile, for Ash, this was the start of his nightlife—joining the group chat!