Hard Enough Chapter 2: Mt Moon fireside chats

Rocks bit into my hands as I climbed to the summit. Forrest trailed , his face was almost planted into the rockface as we ascended Mt Moon.

"Brock! Why are we doing this again?"

"Climbing mountains builds character!" I shouted back.

"Ever-ever notice building character ans hard work?!"

"Ha! That's how you know it's working!" I chuckled. We continued to struggle upwards, the sun slowly dropping closer to the horizon. The final leg of the climb was completed just in ti for to pull my brother up the mountain with a locked grip.

Forrest heaved in air while bent over, prompting to nudge him. "Straighten up. You'll get more air standing upright. We're pretty high up so its important to get as much as you can with each breath."

Forrest waved away, "I'm good, I just need a second.

I held in more pointed instructions. Ive told him enough tis now that he should be doing it. At twelve, going on thirteen, hes probably at that phase where he wont listen just to spite . I considered that while selecting a particularly good looking rock to lounge on as the sun continues to dip lower.

So we ca up here for th He straightened up finally, taking a deeper lungful of air, Oh hey that h-helps. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. With how I looked, no one typically ever noticed. I had found that I typically had to work to not let my face rest idly. Whatre you smiling about? Forrest said as I watched him slowly regather himself.

Heh, nothing, just smiling I guess.

Forrest considered that for a mont with suspicion before selecting his own rock to perch on. Its actually a nice view.

You thought I would have dragged you up here for no reason? I asked.

Forrest huffed, No Gym Leader Brock. I huffed back at him, settling back while ignoring the need to return his sass with so of my own. The sun slowly dipped under the horizon and pokemon that had been at flight began to roost, creating a wonderful shimr across the valley that we had spent the day trekking through.

Pokemon that only liked to operate in the brief window of twilight erged and acted rapidly. Hunting prey or darting through trees for forage. Other pokemon of the night slowly roused. It made for a wonderful atmosphere, sothing my younger brother seed to agree with.

Before the sun set fully, I stood, dusting my hands before opening up the backpack to begin setting out the tent that practically unfurled itself. Whatre you feeling like for dinner? I said.

Roast at with a side of gravy baked vegetables, said my all too clever brother.

I rely nodded, Right, stew it is! Forrest rolled his eyes but didnt offer a complaint. I filled the quiet by talking through my process, more for my own recollection than to actually teach Forrest how to cook. I paused with a ladle of stew close to my nose. Then again maybe it would be important for Forrest to cook with how Dad had been last ti he was left to look after us. I chewed my lip in thought before sighing and pushing the thoughts away. The food needed my attention. Id have to make so plans for our family. I marked that in my future Brock concerns. There wasnt a lot I could do, nor should I do it now. This was supposed to be for Forrest.

Youve been sighing a lot lately, Forrest said languidly. His body propped up on a rock, Seriously, is sothing wrong?

I tapped my fingers together. Id long ago decided to not tell others about my previous life. Id probably end up in a ntal hospital if I told anyone for one. Then again Pokemon was a Japanese concept. I snorted at the oft-repeated joke regarding ntal health and the Japanese never bringing it up before pushing it aside. It was a bad joke.

Forrest what do you want to do in the future? I said.

? Well, be a trainer at the gym! Ill work for you! He replied without any doubt that this would be the way things went. I rely nodded and served up the stew.

Right, right Say If I If I wasnt gym leader anymore, what then?

Forrest went still, his bowl raised slightly to slurp from. He didnt say anything. Huh, never thought of that possibility did you? Forrest licked his lips, Are are you at risk of being...audited bro?

I snorted at the obvious fear of the thought that the Pewter city gym would face an audit of all things. Then again big companies in my old world would likely have the sa reaction if such was hinted at. Then so words would have been spoken in select ears I shook my head to alleviate his fears and get back on track. Nah nothing like that. Its just, I searched around for sothing that would make sense, I spotted Dad skirting around the city. Hes been coming and going every few weeks now. Checking in on us from afar. Apparently so of the teachers from school spotted him as well and ntioned it. Forrest frowned but didnt say anything. I let the quiet linger. Around us, so pokemon shifted and the sound echoed but it wasnt unpleasant. Eventually, I prompted the conversation, I think he might be looking to co back ho.

Forrest clenched his hands tightly and scowled into his bowl, as if it had suddenly beco a Muk instead of a tasty stew. Hell try and oust you as gym leader?

I shrugged, He might. I was mostly working off the Ani, with how it played out. Things were supposed to be alls well that ends well werent they? I had to push down the voice the niggled at though.

Youre better at it than he ever was, Forrest muttered, not eying . Part of from my past life knew what he was doing. So guys didnt like to look each other in the eye when showing emotion or talking about sensitive topics. The older might have allowed it, but the older brother in made do what I did next.

Hey, Forrest looked up so I smiled and looked straight in his eyes, Thanks bro, that ans a lot. Forrest blushed, shooting his eyes back into his bowl.

I held in the chuckle, not wanting to undo sothing positive. Old mories certainly ca with advantages. Being older ntally than people expected to be had huge payoffs. Wishing that you had the knowledge of thirty or forty year old you as a twenty-year-old was a common thing. Getting that chance? Id abused it for all it was worth. This was doubly true for knowing where certain pokemon were. Where certain environnts were. Or even how pokemon evolved.

Not all of it translated perfectly. Trading a Graveller or a Haunter for example wasnt what was required. It gave an idea into the process though. Still, my experiences allowed to be better prepared for certain things. I rember falling apart the first ti I faced an angry woman as a teenager. Id had to do that more than a few tis after rejecting trainers their hard-won badge despite losing. Tiger Mums' and 'Karens were a universal experience it would seem.

The point of this, was that I think I had a better relationship with Forrest. Heck, I put in a lot of effort with all my siblings. I liked to think I was treating them as well as, if not better than my canonical counterpart. I just had to balance being a successful gym leader. Im not sure Dad ever had that first appellation to his title. That would have made things worse I suppose.

Is it wrong if Forrest said haltingly. I dont want Dad to be Gym leader?

I humd at that. He doesnt have to be. I decided not to say anything about not taking him back.

Forrest relaxed at that. Oh, good, yeah thats good. Youll be the leader and he can He grimaced. Look after our younger siblings? I shared his grimace at that idea. How would Tilly and Billy even recognise him?

I shook my head. Forrest had pretty much hit a huge issue on the head. I didnt have a good way of just, following Ash. Im not sure if Brock was ever aware of the issues with leaving his family to his father, but again, Ani knowledge didnt focus on those glossed over problems. I found myself Not really wanting to go despite knowing that I was supposed to. Ash was Well, I couldnt say he was a hero of mine growing up. It was more a story I liked tuning in for. I didnt identify with him, so much as finding him entertaining and occasionally frustrating. Again, Ani versus real life though.

Are you going to be alright with Dad back? Forrest asked. He said it so quietly I almost didnt hear him over the crackle of the fire we had between us. I frowned. He sounded so unsure of himself, just saying the words. Like he was treading on sothing delicate.

I had to really focus then. How did I think of our father?

I laced my fingers together and hid the grimace as best I could behind them. I couldnt really be objective and I didnt really want to be. Whenever the kids had asked about Dad after hed initially ditched us. Id tried to be casual. Telling them that everything was fine. But I knew Id been edgy. How long had it been before theyd stopped asking about him at all? I didnt know. It was only a few months ago that Tilly and Billy had called Dad, forcing to correct them.

A glow from a nearby crater shook from my maudlin thoughts. This hadnt gone how Id thought it would. Id need to approach the topic of letting Forrest take over the gym another ti. Just like Id need to also push the topic of our father to later.

Hey Forrest co on lets go! The thing I wanted to show you is starting up!

Huh?! Where? He whipped his head around and squinted. I coughed sheepishly.

Oh right sorry! Forgot you needed more light to see. I pulled out a flashlight and gestured him towards the crater. It took about five minutes to walk there carefully and by the halfway point Forrest was practically vibrating in excitent.

Okay, now keep quiet, theyre used to coming up here but you dont want to call out and startle them. Theyre going to do their thing and then go. Were just here to watch alright?

Forrest nodded and I led him up to the ledge for the first secret of Mt Moon to be revealed to him.