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Episode 11: Let the Sparks Fly!

The boat finally pulled to a stop at the Vermillion docks. Me and Kyle joked around with each other, laughing as we crossed the pier. He pulled out a strange storage system the unfolded to reveal a red futuristic looking motorcycle, complete with a navigation screen of the entire Kanto region.

"Wow, and here I thought you had just bought a regular bicycle." I commented.

"Nope. I bought the best they had." Kyle smiled a smile that made him look very cool. I chuckled at him putting on the macho front.

"Like! Oh my gosh! Check him out Rachael!"

"I know! He's so hot! And look at that bike Amanda!"

The two preppy girls swooned all over Kyle in their short little schoolgirl outfits. Kyle looked to me for help, but I knew these girls, and I knew nothing could be done.

"Like, oh my gosh! Can I go on a ride on your bike?" Amanda asked.

"No way! He's so going to take me!" Yelled Rachael. They noticed him looking at me, and if only to find out what could be more amusing than themselves, turned to see me. "No way! You're Shonna! The school drop-out!" The girls giggled like crazy.

"What on earth are you doing here? Surely a loser like you isn't planning on boarding the S.S. Anne. Our daddies bought us tickets to get on it." Amanda teased.

"Yeah, like what are you going to ride drop-out? That?" Rachael pointed to a nearby dingy boat. Again, the girls giggled, and I hung my head.

"Actually, she already has been on the S.S. Anne," Kyle spoke up.

"What? Like no way!" The girls said in unison.

"Way." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and held me tight against him. "This is my girl. We were going to go cruise around before we were so rudely interrupted."

The girls jaws dropped. "No way! … hmph!" The huffed off, twisting their rears all the way.

"Thank you for that." I hugged Kyle before he could let go of me. He blushed slightly.

"Umm… why were they picking on you? Did you know those girls?"

"Yes." I let go of the embrace. "See, I used to go to one of those fancy pokemon schools, where they teach you how to pass the Indigo Plateau test? But, they were mean to me, and I felt like I wasn't learning anything there. I wanted to really experience pokemon, not just read about them. So I dropped out. That's why they were making fun of me."

"I see." There was a long pause before he spoke. "Well, I admire that you made that decision." He smiled.

"Yeah, I think it was the right one." I looked away embarrassed. "So! What are you going to do now?"

"Well, I've already beaten the gym leader, so I guess I'll head on down to Rock Tunnel."

"Oh. I still need to fight the gym leader." I said as I picked up my over-stuffed bag. As I did, one of the eggs rolled out and fell toward the pavement. "Oh no!"

"Got it," Kyle caught it just before it hit the ground.

"Good catch!" I said as I took the egg in my arms. "I don't know what I'm going to do though, I can't keep both of these eggs on me all the time." I looked up at Kyle. "Could you do me a huge favor and take care of it for me?" I handed him the yellow egg.

"I don't know…"

"Well if you can't don't worry about it." I sighed.

"Um, yeah, I can take it." He took the egg in his hands.

"Really? Thanks so much! You're really helping me out." I started to walk toward the gym, when I felt something move in my purse. There was static coming from a pokeball inside. I picked up the ball and held it curiously. Suddenly a huge shockwave came pouring out, enough to tease and frizz out my hair. "Ouch." I said, as Pikachu hopped from the ball. She ran to Kyle and pulled on his pant leg.

"Chu! Chu!" She cried out.

"Shoot. I forgot about that." I said, trying to adjust my hair.

"Forgot what?" Kyle asked confused.

"I forgot that Pikachu won't be separated from her egg."

"You mean this thing's a Pichu?" Kyle gave a repugnant face. "I was hoping it'd be an Elekid or something cool." He thought. "Hey I know, I'll take the other egg and you can keep this one." He smiled.

"No!" I cried "the other one was a gift… from someone special."

Kyle simply rolled his eyes.

"Look" I said. "As soon as it hatches, I'll take it back, I just can't carry both the eggs at the same time." I picked up Pikachu to comfort her. "But until then, it looks like we're stuck with each other."

"Fine." Kyle said as he hurried toward the gym. "Let's go and get your battle over with then." He walked on ahead, and I smiled, happy that I had a friend to come on my journey with me. "Hey! What are you waiting for? I don't have all day!" Kyle called out. I giggled, before chasing after him.

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We walked into the gym, which looked like a power plant from a science fiction movie. All around us were odd electric contraptions. Gadgets littered the walls of the hallway. Things that resembled transformers from electric poles. We continued down the hall, until we reached a small room with a lighting bolt symbol on it. I reached for the knob, but Kyle pulled my arm back gently. I turned to face him.

"Just so you know, before you go in there, this guy, L.T. Surge, he thinks he's all that. Very over-confident. Too much so." He smiled.

"Well," I smiled back. "I'll just have to use that to my advantage." I pushed open the door, and stepped into the large, wired up stadium. Kyle took a seat on a nearby bench, clutching the egg to him. "Hello!" I called out. "I'm here to challenge the gym leader!"

The room was quiet, until the transformers around the room glowed and shocks fed through the wiring to a platform from the ceiling. It slowly lowered to reveal a throne like pedestal, with L.T. Surge sitting in the chair, looking very regal.

"Well, Well!" He called out. "It's been a while since I've had a pretty girl to challenge me. He rose from his chair and jumped off the still lowering platform. "You sure you want to go through with this? I've had many men come in here and lose badly. I don't wanna make you cry after all." He snickered.

"Cut the crap Surge." I readied my pokeball. "Let's battle."

"Demanding. I like that." He winked. "Well if you insist. I'll cut you a break and only use one pokemon, you can use as many as you like."

"Your misjudgments of me and my pokemon will be your downfall." I held my chosen pokeball in my hands. "In fact, I'm willing to bet I can take your one pokemon with just this one alone."

"Shonna!" Kyle called out from the bench. "Just because I said he was overconfident doesn't mean you should be!"

"Don't worry Kyle! I know what I'm doing."

"Have it your way." Surge shook his head in pity. "But don't cry like a baby when your pokemon end up in the emergency ward!" He threw his pokeball into the arena. "Go Raichu!"

"Rai! Rai!" The raichu stood tall and had just as much an inflated ego as Surge.

"Alright then! Go Duchess!" I threw the ball and my Persian slinked across the stage, tail held high.

"That's a joke right?" Surge laughed, and Raichu followed suit. "A girly little cat?"

"That's right." I nodded.

"This will be even quicker than I thought. Raichu charge up for a Thunderbolt!" Raichu on this command began charging up the energy in his cheeks. Shockwaves bounced around the room, interfering with the equipment, and blowing one of the nearby transformers.

Kyle watched carefully as the egg in his lap teetered and wobbled. "Maybe all this electricity will… hmm."

"That's it!" Surge commanded. "Now shock that thing!"

"Duchess Attract!"

The cat walked over to Raichu, twirling her tail around him and playfully rubbing against him. The shocks from Raichu dissipated, and the only thing coming from him were hearts.

"What? That can't be!" Surge screamed.

"You underestimated the power of a woman Surge. Duchess! Use dig now!"

As Raichu stood gazing at her, Duchess dug her claws into the ground and tore into the soft earth underneath. She sped through her tunnel, and pounded her way back up into the unsuspecting Raichu. It hit hard. She continued tunneling and hitting Raichu, making a mess of the ring.

"A ground-type move. That's great. C'mon Raichu! Snap out of it! She's a cat! You're a mouse! It would never work!" Surge clenched his fists tight as he yelled.

"Rai?" Raichu finally came around, but looked very weakened.

"Okay Raichu! It can't attack if it can't move! Use Thunder Wave!"

Raichu charged up its energy and released it in a shock that engulfed Duchess. The static bounced around on her coat before she shook it off in all different directions.

"What, but how?" Surge and Raichu stood, wide-eyed.

"Finish him with Fury Swipes." I called. Duchess pounced on the rodent and scratched three times across his face. The third, knocking him out.

"But I don't get it! How are was it not paralyzed?" Surge frowned.

"Easy, in addition to all that dirt on her fur, as a Persian, she learned a new ability called Limber. It prevents that from ever happening." I stroked Duchess's fur in praise.

"Fine, here's the stupid badge. Now get out! I can't believe I lost to a girl." Surge grumbled as he handed me the badge and headed back up his elevator.

"Yay! I got the badge!" I pinned the newest addition to its spot on my purse.

"Um, Shonna!" I think you should come here!" Kyle set the wobbly egg on the ground as static and a bright white light surrounded it. The shell disappeared to reveal the small yellow mouse. It opened its large round eyes and stared up at Kyle. I walked over to them to watch.

"Pi…Pichu!" The pichu ran up to Kyle and hugged his leg.

"It's so cute!" I squealed. Just then Pikachu hopped out of her pokeball.

"Pi! Pika!" She ran to her baby and held it.

"Pi!" The pichu happily returned the hug as its mother began grooming it.

"A happy family. So sweet." I said as I reached for an empty pokeball. "Well little Pichu? Let's get you settled." I poked the ball to him gently, and watched as the button flashed once, then twice, but Pichu hopped out. It tilted its head curiously at me. "Umm, lets try this again." Once more I put it inside the ball, and once more it hopped out. This time it looked scared and ran to hide behind Kyle's legs. "Gosh. Do you not like pokeballs? That's okay. You can stay out if you want, little Pichu!" I grabbed the rodent and held it close to me, only to get a small shock.

"I don't think he likes you." Kyle commented.

"No kidding." I said as I set Pichu down. He immediately ran to Kyle, climbing up his pant leg and resting on his head. He nuzzled into Kyle's thick brown hair.

"Looks to me that the only one Pichu wants to be with is you." I laughed.

"What?" Kyle cringed. "You said you'd take it back though!"

"Well, I can't help it if he doesn't want to be mine."

"There's no way I'm keeping it though!" He scoffed.

Pichu had fallen asleep on Kyle's head, but me and Pikachu stared at him with pitiful looks on our faces.

"Pi-Pika!" Pikachu pleaded.

"But if you don't take him…" I frowned. "What will happen to him? And Pikachu? They're not ready to split up."

Kyle gave a look of disconcertment. "Fine. I'll take care of him for a little while longer. But just until they're ready."

"Yay!" I gave him a brief hug. "Thank you, for not breaking up the happy family." Pikachu nodded in agreement. "But, of course you know that means you're stuck with me for a while longer." I winked and nudged him on the shoulder.

"Yipee." He said sarcastically. "But let's get one thing straight. I'm not traveling the same way you do. So you can forget walking everywhere. I bought that bike for a reason."

"Oh yeah, your motorcycle." I paused. "That's fine by me! I guess we'll have to go in style."