Ember and her friends were staring at a sign, beaming with happiness. It said; Vermilion City.
"Finally after two whole weeks of traveling, we have finally made it." Misty cheered.
During those two weeks, Ember had trained with her Pokémon and four of them had evolved. One of her Eevee finally evolved into Sylveon, her male shiny Eevee into an Umbreon which she named Mani, her other female Eevee into an Espeon, and her Sandshrew evolved into Sandslash.
Right now they've finally arrived in Vermilion City.
"Now I can finally take a nice hot bath and sleep in a real bed!" Misty smiled.
"And I can finally do some laundry." Brock said.
"Let's also get some food and rest for our Pokémon and us." Ember decided when she noticed how exhausted Tesla and Lucario were.
So the group headed to the Pokémon Center.
"We'll fix them right up," Nurse Joy said kindly as she took the tray that contained Ember's Pokéballs, Misty and Brock staring at the Joy blankly while Ember sighed and leaned on the counter.
"I know why you're surprised," Nurse Joy smiled when noticing their stares. "I look like all the other nurses, don't I? My first cousin works at Pewter City and my second cousin works in Viridian City. I think I'm the prettiest one, don't you?" She said with that same kind, gentle smile and giggle all Nurse Joys wore and used. Ember and Misty just blinked at her while Brock just smiled and agreed.
"Yeah." Brock easily agreed with a dopey smile and blush, whatever else he was planning to say interrupted by the center doors opening and a boy's shout.
"Hurry!" The boy cried, calling attention to the rolling cot with a severely hurt Rattata on it. "You'll be okay, Rattata," the boy murmured sounding on the verge of tears as the Chansey rushed the cart through the lobby. "Hurry!"
"That Rattata is in rough shape," Brock noted, face serious. "I wonder what happened."
Nurse Joy stood then, hands on hips in disapproval. "Oh! It's the fifteenth one brought in this month!" She frowned.
"This month?!" Ember repeated, deep seated disapproval of her own settling in her chest as Nurse Joy wordlessly led them to a room full of occupied beds holding various injured Pokémon.
"This is terrible." Brock muttered as he took them all in.
"They all lost to Lt. Surge, the Vermillion City gym leader." Nurse Joy informed, upset.
Ember looked at all of the trainers with their injured Pokémon with pity. She couldn't understand why Lt. Surge had to be some brutal to all these Pokémon. She knew that you didn't need to so badly hurt the opponent's weaker Pokémon if you were experienced and knew your Pokémon well, two things a gym leader of all things should be. Ember did not like how this Lt. Surge was so readily destroying his weaker opponents, especially considering most of them are so young and inexperienced.
A ding sound was heard nearby which meant that her Pokémon were healed.
"Oh? That signal means your other Pokémon have recovered." Nurse Joy happily led the trio out into the lobby where Ember's pokéballs were waiting on a tray with a content Tesla and Lucario sitting by them, finishing a small apple.
"Hey guys!" Ember cried, getting an enthusiastic reply back as Tesla leapt into her waiting arms and Lucario hugged her. They nuzzled their soft cheeks against hers. "Glad you're back to one hundred percent!" Ember cooed.
"Rai-chuu!" Tesla cooed back.
Lucario smiled, "(I feel refreshed)."
The two enjoying their trainer's attention. Their sweet reunion was interrupted by yet another cart wheeling by.
"Please hurry!" The boy trainer cried as he ran along the cot holding his injured Pidgey. "Just hold on, Pidgey!"
Ember frowned as the kid was younger and obviously far more inexperienced if he went to an electric type gym with a flying type Pokémon. That did not, however, excuse the gym leader so brutally defeating his opponents.
Tesla and Lucario stared at the Pidgey trainer with sadness and horror. They didn't think that a gym leader would be so cruel to such a small Pokémon. Tesla made a decision at that moment.
"I think it's past time someone took this Surge down a peg or two, don't you think, Tesla?" Ember asked calmly as she watched the cot disappear around the corner.
"Rai-chu (He's going down)." She growled lowly in agreement, cheeks crackling with a bit of electricity.
"(His brutal ways end now)." Lucario declared.
Before leaving, Ember sent her Rockruff back to Oak's lab for some rest. Then she and her friends headed towards the Vermilion gym.
The group stood outside the building that was the Vermilion City gym. It looked like a warehouse with yellow lightning bolts all over it.
"So this is the Vermillion City gym." Ember muttered, tapping her lips in thought as she eyed the building.
"Kind of gaudy, isn't it?" Misty commented, making Ember sweat-drop as she thought of Misty's own gym.
"(You do know that your gym has a Dewgong on the front right, Misty?)" Lucario commented.
Misty rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "Fair point."
Then the doors creaked open ominously to greeting darkness and two adults dressed in punk rock and exercise clothes, male and female respectively.
"Yo, I'm here for a Pokémon battle," Ember greeted casually with a half raised hand, "You know, to earn a Thunder Badge?"
The leather jacket wearing punk only smirked and looked behind him, arms crossed. "Hey, boss! Another victim for the emergency room," he announced in his nasally voice.
A shadowed figure walked up between the two in a deeper, more gravelly tone. "Which one?" He asked as his heavy footfalls thundered against the floor.
Ember thought that such an entrance would unnerved a lot of kids, especially when they got a good look at how large and muscled the man was. They were probably only used to dealing with kids their own age or a bit older and none as intimidating looking as this guy. Of course Ember herself didn't react beyond simply blinking half in boredom and half in expectancy as she waited for the moment they could actually start to battle.
"Whoa! He's huge!" Brock helpfully observed.
"Is he the gym leader you have to beat?" Misty whispered.
Both Brock and Misty leaned back when the man spread his arms out wide, towering over the three of them.
"Welcome to Vermillion gym!" He greeted jovially, giving poor, shocked Misty a bear hug, who let out a startled yelp at the action. The man pulled back, but kept his hands on her arms as he leaned over a bit to be more level with her height. "Oh! My next challenge is a cute one! Don't think I'll go easy on ya!"
Ember scoffed, smirking as she and Lucario gently pulled Misty out of his hands and stepped in front of her. "Don't worry, meathead, I won't need you to go easy on me."
Tesla growled as sparks came off her cheeks as Lucario glared at St. Surge.
"You?" He blinked at Ember's figure before giving another grin. "Ah, even cuter than your friend here! Okay, baby!" He chuckled in agreement.
"I'm no baby of yours," Ember retorted. "The name's Ember Ketchum, meathead."
"Ha! Relax, I call everyone who loses to me baby!" He announced with fists on hips as if it was something to be proud of.
Ember only sweat-dropped. What was he, five? Of course, that was when the man noticed Tesla and Lucario standing protectively, half in front of her, glaring up at him and Tesla's cheeks still sparking threateningly.
"A Raichu, huh?" Lt. Surge grinned, "At least it's not an unevolved Pikachu."
"What do you mean?" Ember asked, confused.
"Well, I'll show you why," he said ominously as he took out a Pokéball and enlarged it. "Go, Pokéball!" He threw it so the Pokémon was released right in front of them, the fading light revealing an arrogant but tough looking Raichu.
"Rai!" The evolved mouse type called out, a dark smirk on his face.
"I don't like going against baby Pokémon. Too weak to fight my Raichu here." Lt. Surge retorted.
"You do know that your Pikachu was a baby from the start, right?" Ember questioned.
"True, but I turned mine into a Raichu as soon as I caught him." Lt. Surge stated.
The gangs' eyes widened slightly at Lt. Surge's words.
"You're quite annoying, you know that? Just like a certain someone I really dislike." Ember smirked.
"Well then, let's just see which Raichu is the strongest." Lt. Surge taunted.
"You're on." Ember narrowed her eyes at him.
The lights flickered on to illuminate the field, the referee's voice echoing in the metallic, high ceiling room.
"The Pokémon battle will now begin. Only one Pokémon may be used. The gym leader, Lt. Surge, has chosen Raichu. The challenger, Ember Ketchum, has chosen Raichu. No time limit. Let the battle begin."
"Go Raichu!" Lt. Surge shouted.
"Quick attack, Tesla!" Ember called.
"Give it a Mega Punch, Raichu!" Surge smirked, only to frown when Ember did the same.
"Agility then Tackle!" Tesla easily dodged the punch with a smirk, attacking at Raichu's now vulnerable back.
"What the-" Surge stammered in shock.
"The problem with evolving a Pokémon too early...is losing basic support moves that enhance things like speed." Ember informed, still smirking.
"Grr, it don't matter! Raichu, Body Slam!" Surge growled.
"Double Team around him, Tesla." Ember said calmly.
Then Raichu hit the dirt, dispelling one illusion, only to get dizzy whipping his head to see all the Tesla's surrounding him.
"Argh, that's it! Raichu, give 'em a Thunderbolt! Shut it down!" Surge shouted.
Raichu angrily complied, frustrated at the moving target, going full power and breaking the glass windows and ground beneath him.
"The end of da match!" He boasted.
Ember only raised a hand to shield her eyes, blinking once and grinning victoriously at seeing Tesla who was perfectly fine.
"Huh...what." Surge deadpanned.
"Alright, way to go! She used her tail as a lightning rod and absorbed the electric attack!" Brock helpfully informed.
"(Great thinking, Tesla)!" Lucario cheered.
"Raichu, give it another Thunderbolt!" Surge directed, now nervous. Raichu attempted to comply, once then again, only to come up with nothing but some weak static from his cheeks, confusing both Pokémon and trainer. "Do somethin'!" He urged in shock.
"It's over," Brock smiled. "Raichu ran out of electricity."
"Alright! Go for it, Ember!" Misty cheered.
"Quick attack, Tesla!" Ember grinned.
"Raichu, Take Down, now!" Surge ordered hastily, still too slow as Tesla landed a solid hit straight to Raichu's middle followed by an electric charged tail whip to the face that guaranteed a knock out.
Surge gripped his head, shocked. "Unbelievable!"
"You did it, Tesla!" Ember enthused.
"(Well done)!" Lucario cheered.
"Way to go!" Brock congratulated.
"Good job, Tesla!" Misty jumped up in joy.
"Rai-chu!" Tesla smiled and held up a peace sign with one paw, the other on her waist; a victory pose.
"Congratulations," Surge amiably shook Ember's hand. "Nice job Ember, Tesla! As proof of your victory, a Thunder Badge!" He presented her a yellow and orange sunflower badge, placing it in her open palm.
"You should be proud! You and your Raichu really fight good together." Surge complimented.
"Thank you very much!" Ember beamed, grinning widely at the glittering pin, "Awesome, Tesla! We've got a Thunder Badge!" Ember pumped her fist in the air, Tesla jumping to her shoulder and joining her celebration, another peace sign on her paw Lucario roped them into a group hug.
"Rai-Raichu!" She cheered, the gym members all clapping in congrats and smiling sincerely.
"Nice victory, Ember! You're no baby!" Surge declared.
"Congratulations, Ember!" Brock clapped.
"Already three badges! Way to go, Ember!" Misty enthused.
"Rai-rai-rai~!" Even Raichu clapped sincerely for his opponent, making Tesla bashfully scratch the back of her head.
"Rai~!"
"It's all thanks to you, Tesla!" Ember gushed, nuzzling her cheek with Tesla's, cuddling her in her arms.
Lucario smiled, joining the nuzzling, "(You're a very strong Raichu, Tesla)."
"Raichu~!" Tesla cooed approvingly, nuzzling between Ember and Lucario's cheeks happily.
"They're quite a team." Misty smiled.
"Yes, indeed." Brock agreed easily, arms crossed and nodding.
Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Pidgeot (F), Shiny Suicune (Azure)(F), Bulbasaur (M), Shiny Charmander (Natsu)(M), Squirtle (M), Shiny Gyarados (Rory)(M)
Prof. Oak's Lab:
Boltund (M), Scyther (F), Nidoran (M), Nidoran (F), Butterfree (M), Clefable (F), Sandslash (M), Mienfoo (F), Glaceon (F), Leafeon (F), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Scorbunny (M), Gengar (M), Fennekin (F), Krabby (M), Eevee (F), Eevee (M), Eevee (F), Sylveon (F), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Espeon (F), Rockruff (M)