"Um, hello? Is this Col. Surge's gym?" asked Flint as he walked
in.
A tall, buff looking man walked up. "Yeah. This is his gym. Whaddya
want?"
Flint was obviously intimidated by this man. "Uh, are y-you Col.
Surge?"
"Me? No. I'll go get him," he said as he walked off.
"Dang, he's big," Jackie said to Flint.
"Nah, you think?" Flint replied sarcastically. "I'm just glad
I don't
have to fight him."
"Never say that Flint," Shari warned. "Everytime you're relieved,
someone bigger comes."
Just then, a huge man with an army outfit, dog tags, and the
whole deal
walked up. "So, where's my next victim?"
"What'd I tell you?" said Shari to Flint.
"C-Col. Surge, I ch-challenge you to a pokemon match," Flint
stuttered.
"Pikachu Pika-Pikachu?" Pikachu mumbled. (What have we gotten
ourselves
into?)
Col. Surge looked around. "I can hear 'em but I can't see 'em."
Then he
looked down. "Oh. There they are." (That kinda gives you an idea of
how
big he is.)
"Yeah! That's right! I challenge you to a match!" Flint said,
trying to
sound sure of himself.
"So, you want a match? You'll get one." Then he remembered something.
"Hey, ain't you Ash? Haven't you grown up at all in 25 years?"
"Um, no. I'm Ash's son, Flint," explained Flint.
"Oh. You look just like him. Y'know, for a while back then, I
was
beating every opponent that crossed my path, until your old man showed
up. I remember that day. I was still a Lieutenant then. Him and his
Pikachu kicked the crap out of my Raichu." Then he looked down. "I
see
you have a Pikachu. Well, get ready, because this Pikachu I will not
lose to!"
"Yeah, well we'll see about that!" Flint exclaimed.
"This matchup will be between Col. Surge and Flint Ketchum!"
the
announcer said when they got onto the arena. "They will each use two
Pokemon! Flint has chosen Pikachu and Rattata. Lt. Surge has chosen
Raichu and Voltorb."
Flint threw his Pokeball. "Go, Rattata!"
A red beam shot out of the Pokeball and Rattata came out. "RRRattata!"
Rattata yelled.
"Okay," Col. Surge said. "Just because I'm a friend of your dad's
doesn't mean I'll go any easier on you. Voltorb, go!"
A red beam of light shot out of the Pokeball and out came Voltorb.
"Voltorb!" it said.
Flint analyzed it with his Pokedex: "Voltorb, a spherical like
Pokemon.
It is often mistaked for a Pokeball, and will use electric attacks
if
threatened."
Flint put the Pokedex back in his pocket, then yelled, "Rattata!
Quick
attack!"
Rattata spun around Voltorb and hit it. Voltorb fell but got
right back
up.
"Voltorb! Sonicboom!" Surge ordered.
Voltorb made a strong gust of wind and hit Rattata, knocking
it down
hard.
"Rattata! Are you okay?" Flint asked.
Rattata got up and nodded. "Okay, great! Tackle!" Flint yelled.
Rattata charged towards Voltorb and dove at him, but Voltorb
flew out
of the way.
"Voltorb! Thundershock!" Surge commanded.
Voltorb charged itself up and electrocuted Rattata.
"RAT-RATTATA!" Rattata screamed in pain.
"Rattata!" Flint yelled.
"Call it back!" Jackie exclaimed.
Flint sighed. "Rattata return!"
Rattata dodged the red beam that came out of the Pokeball and
shook its
head. Then it started to glow white.
"What's happening?" asked Flint.
"It's...evolving!" Shari said.
Rattata grew bigger and became Raticate. "Raticate!" it yelled.
"Alright!" Flint said happily. "This is great!"
He took out his Pokedex and analyzed it: "Raticate. It uses its
long
whiskers to maintain balance. It apparently slows down if they are
cut
off."
Flint put his Pokedex back in his pocket, then he yelled, "Okay,
Surge!
Let's get on with the match!"
"My pleasure!" Surge replied. "Voltorb, thunder wave!"
Voltorb shot electricity towards Raticate, but Raticate dodged
and
lunged towards Voltorb.
"Raticate! Hyper Fang!" Flint ordered.
Raticate jumped on Voltorb and bit it with his long fangs, making
Voltorb crack a little. Then Voltorb fainted.
Col. Surge frowned. "Voltorb return!" A red beam shot out of
one
Pokeball and sucked up Voltorb. Then Surge threw another and Raichu
came
out. "Raichu go!"
"Okay! Good job, Raticate! Return!" a red beam of light came
from his
Pokeball and sucked Raticate in. "Alright, Pikachu! Let's do it!"
"Chu!" Pikachu exclaimed, determined to win. (Yeah!)
Flint looked up and saw Raichu. After he analyzed it with his
Pokedex
he asked Pikachu, "Are you sure you wanna do this?"
Pikachu looked up at Flint with a determined look. "Chu! Pika-Pikachu!
Ka-Pika-Pika!" (Yeah! I wanna prove that just because one Pokemon is
evolved doesn't mean that its stronger! I can do it!)
"That's the spirit, Pikachu!" Flint said.
"Go Pikachu! Go Pikachu!" Jackie and Shari cheered.
"Pikachu, thundershock!" Flint yelled.
Pikachu gathered up some energy and shot it towards Raichu, but
Raichu
jumped out of the way.
"Ha! You call that a thundershock?" Surge sneered. "Raichu! Show's
these kids how its done!"
Raichu gathered energy up and shot electricity towards Pikachu.
Pikachu
tried to jump out of the way, but it was too late. Pikachu got
electrocuted.
"Pikachu!!!" it screamed in pain.
"Pikachu!" Flint yelled.
Pikachu got up and said, "Pi-Pika." (I can make it.)
"Okay!" Flint said, relieved. "Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu gathered up even more energy than before and shot it
towards
Raichu, but then, Surge yelled, "Raichu, do your thunderbolt!"
Raichu shot electricity towards Pikachu's, and the bolt collided,
but
Raichu's was stronger and it all went to Pikachu.
"Pika!!!" Pikachu screamed as it was shot.
"P-" Flint was about to say, but Pikachu cut him off.
"Pi...pika-pika," it managed to spit out. (I'll...be fine.)
"But Pikachu! That had to hurt!"
"Pika-Pi!" (I said I can handle it!)
Flint sighed. "Alright."
"Pikachu's really determined to win this match," Shari stated.
"Yeah," Jackie agreed. "He won't let anyone get in his way."
"Okay Pikachu! Quick attack!" Flint yelled.
Pikachu gained speed and started to run around Raichu, but Raichu
held
up its hand and hit Pikachu in the face. Then it started to laugh.
Col. Surge laughed too. "Ha! When Raichu wants someone to stop,
he
stops, 'em!"
Pikachu got up and was pissed. It lunged at Raichu trying to
punch it,
but Raichu sidestepped out of the way, and hit Pikachu with its tail,
tripping him.
Pikachu got back up and threw electricity at Raichu, but Raichu
dodged
every bolt. "Pikachu!!!" it would yell as it tried to hit Raichu.
"Raichu's just to fast for him," Surge laughed.
"Pikachu!" Flint said. "Don't use your anger on Raichu! You'll
lose
that way! Control your temper!"
Pikachu looked back at Flint and nodded, sighing.
But as Pikachu was looking back, Col. Surge yelled, "Raichu,
Mega
Kick!"
Raichu jumped and kicked Pikachu to the ground.
"Hey!" Flint yelled. "That was a cheap move!"
"Well, we're still in a battle aren't we?" Col. Surge taunted.
"Okay, that's it! I didn't wanna have to use this, but, Pikachu,
thunder!!"
Pikachu gathered up its energy while electricity was surrounding
him.
"Raichu stop him!" Col. Surge ordered.
"Raichu?" Raichu asked. (You want me to get through that barrier?)
"Just do it!"
So reluctantly, Raichu dove at Pikachu, but when it hit the energy
barrier, it was knocked back.
"Okay, Pikachu!" Flint yelled. "Do it!"
"PIKACHU!!!!" Pikachu screamed as a huge bolt of lightning came
down on
him and shot at an incredible speed towards Raichu. Target hit.
"Rai-RAICHU!!" screamed Raichu.
Raichu fell on the ground, unable to get up.
Col. Surge sighed. "Raichu, return!"
He took out his Pokeball and the red beam sucked Raichu in.
Then Col. Surge walked over to Flint, held up a badge and said,
"This
Thunderbadge rightfully belongs to you."
Flint took it and yelled happily, "Yes!! We got the Thunderbadge!"
Him and Pikachu hugged and danced around.
"You're not as helpless as you look," Col. Surge stated.
"Good job, guys," Jackie said.
"Yeah. You both did good," Shari agreed.
So, they left the gym and went back to the Pokemon Center, where
Ollie
was waiting.
"How'd you do?" asked Ollie.
"Well..." Flint said as he showed Ollie the Thunderbadge.
"Alright, man!" Ollie exclaimed as he gave Flint a high five.
"How did the E.R. go?" asked Jackie.
"It was pretty good. Nurse Joy says I have the potential to become
a
great Pokemon doctor."
Flint sighed. "Well, Ollie. I'm proud of you. You're doing what
you
love to do, and you're good at it, too."
"And you're good at what you do, too, Flint," Ollie replied.
So, the group left the city, remembering to buy stuff at the
Pokemon
store, for they knew it would be a long time before they reached the
next city.