Pewter City is more old-fashioned than Viridian, the buildings generally smaller and made out of grey stone quarried locally, more people in traditional dress as their daily wear.

The gym is a broad, low building on the western side. Inside, it seems the gym is mainly underground, with the building housing only a waiting area and changing rooms. The walls are lined with plates of stone inscribed with the names of successful challengers and their teams.

"Is this a rock and ground type gym, mostly?"

"Mostly, yeah. Brock works with an onix that's pretty famous and there's lots of geodude natives."

"Okay! Don't think I'll have any special advantages here..."

"No type advantages, but you should be faster than most and rock doesn't resist fairy the way it does normal-type attacks."

"I'm very fast, yeah."

"Speedy little girl." Ellie ruffles the top of Intrepid's head.

She giggles and nuzzles Ellie's hand.

Next up is signing up for the challenge. For first badge challengers, Brock doesn't institute any special rules, so it'll be a straightforward match. Before that, they'll have to defeat three gym members. There are also practice classes offered to help pokemon and trainers improve themselves and their teamwork. Ellie registers for a class that'll help them work on new attacks and the first gym battle the day after.

Exciting!!!

(...Probably they won't be convincing the umbreon to fight in the matches with them any time soon... But maybe she'd like it? Fighting's a great hobby.)

The pokeball during official matches is probably going to be a dealbreaker, yeah. But maybe she could get in on some of the hobbyist matches.

Yeah! She should get to have fun, at least.

They can bring the idea up. Back to the room? Or does Intrepid want to explore the city more?

Hm... They've been walking a lot today, and it's getting kind of late... Maybe explore just long enough to find somewhere for dinner and somewhere to restock on food?

They could get takeout and bring some back for Umbreon.

"Yeah! Get her something tasty."

"Okay." So they're on the hunt for that. A curry place not too far from the gym advertises 'Spicy Hot Hot Go Bowls' seems promising.

Ooooo looks (and smells!) yummy, and there's a corner mart nearby, too.

If Intrepid can hold their place after she orders, Ellie will run down and pick up the other supplies they need.

She can do that, yeah!

Efficiency!

Ellie gets back just before their food is ready, and then they can go back to the room.

Umbreon pops out of her nest nose first, sniffing, when they enter.

"We brought food, if you're hungry."

Chirp!!!

She wriggles out of the nest, bounding over - getting actually a bit closer than she has so far, even more than during the walk to the hostel.

Ellie sets the bags from the corner mart down and portions out the the curry.