Chapter 13
Samantha and Kat made their way through the Underground Path that linked Cerulean to Vermillion. It was a very long path! Samantha was glad to have Kat along to help pass the time away.
"This nation…must focus on the tasks at hand…" Kat said doing her famous President Bush imitation.
Samantha meanwhile, was on a mini-treasure hunt. The hunt was courtesy of Julie's lit cheeks acting as a beacon to the dark floors. On the ground, Samantha collected ¥500, 4 TMs, and 1 Great Ball. One person's trash, is another's treasure…
They finally resurfaced in Vermillion City. It was a beautiful spring day…a couple of Nidoran snuggled in bushes on the side of the road.
"What are we gonna do first, Sammie?" Kat asked.
"I'm going to fight Lt. Surge." Samantha said definitively.
"Surge? Hmmm…the name says it all. I bet he uses Electric-types" Kat said.
"Yeah…what's good against them, do you know Kat?"
"Well I remember Duplinca saying that the Ground-type is Electric's only weakness. She also said that Electric attacks don't hurt Rock or Grass types very much either." Kat said like a schoolteacher. "I guess you should use Cubone then…"
"But he's just a little one!" Samantha protested.
"Yeah but Electric-types can't hurt Ground-types!" Kat rebutted.
"Don't you know that a Gym leader isn't your "run of the mill" trainer? He's probably ready in case someone comes in with a Ground-type, you know!"
The debate ended quickly…for they reached the doors of the Vermillion City Gym at that moment. Samantha turned to Kat, who was uneasy…
"Well good luck!" Kat blurted out quickly.
"WHAT? Aren't you even coming inside?"
"I…I'm scared Sam!"
"Why?"
"Don't you hear the stories of Lt. Surge?"
"Yes. He's a muscle-for-brains Pokémon trainer, who always underestimates his opponents, and always uses Electric-type Pokémon to battle."
"What? Where did you get that from?" Kat asked surprised.
"Says so right here…"
Samantha held up the Gym Trainers Monthly magazine she had. Sure enough, it said those exact words right there. Kat giggled and entered the gym with Samantha…
"Okay, which one of you two cuties is my next victim?" Lt. Surge inquired with a smirk.
"I am Surge!"
Surge put his two very large fingers under Samantha's chin. Samantha batted them away with her arm.
"Looks can deceive, big boy!" Samantha shouted.
"Well as a perfect gentleman, I will offer to let you choose the rules of this battle yourself," Surge said doing a mock bow.
Kat could hear a growl coming from deep inside of Samantha's throat. "Okay then…three on three!"
"Fine by me, baby!" Surge shrugged.
"Start things off…BOBBY!"
"Bulbasaur!" Bobby said waking up from his long naptime…
"Go…RAICHU!"
The evolved form of Pikachu stood before Bobby ready to do battle. A bell sounded, signaling the beginning of the fight…
"Raichu…use your BODY SLAM!"
"Rai!" Raichu shouted connecting with Bobby harshly…
"Bobby—try your VINE WHIP!"
"Bulba!" Bobby shouted smacking Raichu across the face.
"Raichu! Use your THUNDERBOLT!"
"Rai…chu!" it shouted sending a bolt of lightning at Bobby.
Bobby took the hit as a Grass-type should, but was still shaken up by the sudden jolt of electricity.
"Finish this Raichu! QUICK ATTACK!"
Samantha's eyes lit up. She had another on of her characteristic crazy ideas…
"Bobby…just stick your vines out!"
Bobby did so. The Raichu rushing forward, tripped over Bobby's vines, sending it crashing to the floor headfirst.
"Have a nice trip?" Kat laughed
"See you next fall! Bobby, TAKE DOWN!" Samantha said.
Bobby lunged forward and nailed Raichu while it was still standing on its head. A blank look came across the electric rodent's face. It wobbled then fell to the ground.
"DOH! Lucky Shot!" Surged yelled recalling Raichu to its Poké Ball. "So you wanna play that way girlie? Go…Electabuzz!"
The large, yellow electric cat-like creature stood in front of its master, awaiting its orders like a soldier at attention.
"Bobby…RAZOR LEAF!"
"Electabuzz…LIGHT SCREEN"
Electabuzz held its hands up. An invisible barrier blocked every last one of Bobby's razor-sharp leaves. Surge smiled knowing the special attack strategy was working like a charm.
"Electabuzz…THUNDER PUNCH, baby!"
Electabuzz extended its fist, and nailed Bobby right in the cranium. Electabuzz kept its fists glued to Bobby's head sending shockwave after shockwave through his body.
Samantha gritted her teeth, feeling Bobby's pain…
"OK! OK! KNOCK IT OFF!"
Bobby was released from Electabuzz's grasp.
"Bobby…RETURN!" Samantha called back her Bulbasaur.
"One down, two to go, baby!" Surge laughed.
Kat heard Samantha growling again. She recalled the time that Samantha had gone on a rant on why she hates bullies. Kat had an idea…
"Hey! He's a big bully Sammie! Show that lug what you'll do to bullies!"
Samantha looked back and smiled at her new young friend.
"You want to bully ME, Surge? Well then meet my bully! Go…JULIE!"
"Pika!" Julie shouted staring down the opposing Electabuzz. Julie had to admit to herself that he was a handsome looking Electabuzz, but he had hurt her annoying friend Bobby…plus Samantha was counting on her to win this one!
"Julie…QUICK ATTACK!"
Julie ran forward at lighting speed and crashed head first into Electabuzz's throat with painful precision! Electabuzz gasped for air in agony, holding his throat. Julie landed perfectly on the ground.
"Julie…get up there! SWIFT attack!"
Julie used her tail to spring herself high into the air. The small yet powerful stars were let fly by Julie. Every last one of them connected with Electabuzz's skull. His eyes rolled back, and he fell to one knee.
"Okay Buzz! You can take a breather Private! Dismissed!" Surge ordered. "That baby Pikachu has some zip, girl!"
"Julie is NO baby Surge! She's a warrior!"
"Okay…if that cute little Pikachu is a warrior, then she won't mind fighting…THIS!"
Surge threw his Poké Ball to the gym floor. It opened to reveal a very large Magneton.
"Mag…naa…ton!" it chanted electronically.
"Julie let it have another SWIFT attack!"
Julie let it have every last ounce of strength she had with her most powerful non-electric attack.
"Pi?!" Julie screamed as every last star bounced off of the Magneton's steel body.
Samantha had no idea a Magneton could be so tough.
"Okay Julie you did great! Come on back!"
Julie trotted back to Samantha's side and started doing her victory dance in front of Kat. Samantha knew Lianne hadn't seen much action, but she could take a hit better than little Julie. Plus, if a singing Wigglytuff could make that Magneton fall asleep, then she could have good chance to attack it.
"I choose you…LIANNE!"
As soon as the beam of light took shape, Samantha's mouth hung wide open, as did Kat's. Surged just smiled as the Pokémon stretched its arms out yawning…
"Cubone? Bone, Cubone?"
Surge was laughing hysterically, as the exceedingly young Cubone stood before his mighty Magneton.
"Oh no! Cuboooooone!" Samantha wailed, "Return here this instant!"
"Oh no you don't girlie! You call him back, and that's a forfeit, baby! Either he battles, or I say better luck next time" the Gym Leader stated the league rules.
"But Cubone is just a…"
"No buts! Battle…or get out of my gym, baby!"
Samantha sighed and looked at Kat desperately. Kat shrugged her shoulders watching her "tutor" begin to tear-up. Samantha's frown quickly turned to a look of determined anger, and she turned around to face Surge.
"I may have unknowingly sent out the wrong Pokémon…but I have confidence in each of my Pokémon, Surge! Even though my Cubone may be little, I still want it to be the best Pokémon he can be…and to do the best that he can!" Samantha said wisely.
"Okay…your funeral, baby! Magneton—THUNDER attack!"
Magneton began to charge for its most powerful attack.
Cubone stood there not knowing what was going on. His mind flashed back to something his Flareon mother once told him…
"Don't ever let battling scare you, Cubone. It's not how big your opponents are…it's how big your heart is. Have faith in yourself!"
"Yeah and watch that club! You can really hurt someone!" Cubone's Charmander father chimed in…
Cubone came back to reality and exchanged a LEER with Magneton's three eyes. Magneton unleashed its deadly THUNDER attack. Cubone raised its bone into the air and pressed it against the ground. Samantha watched in horror as her baby disappeared into a big cloud of smoke. Surge grinned in an evil sort of way.
The smoke cleared to reveal the ground around him and his club—but not Cubone—fried!
"WHAT?! I don't care if IS a Ground-type! That should have finished that little thing for sure!" Surge said in disbelief.
"Cuuuuuu—BONE!" Cubone shouted leaping into the air, and landed atop Magneton. Magneton flew about trying to get Cubone off of it. It was soon too tired to even hover after that THUNDER attack. Cubone took his bone, and began pounding away with his BONE CLUB! Magneton's circuits scrambled with every single blow. It couldn't stand it anymore, and landed softly on the ground. Cubone sprung off of it as soon as it was grounded…never taking his eyes off his enemy.
"I knew you could do it!" Samantha humored herself, "EARTHQUAKE!"
Cubone jumped up into the air, and slammed its club into the ground, sending a shockwave right at Magneton. Magneton shook so much, that one of its screws shook out, and it fell apart into a million pieces!
Surge gasped. It takes a lot to make a stone cold man like Lt. Surge be in shock over anything!
"I'm not too embarrassed…I just made one tactical error that's all! Well at least I learned never to take an opponent lightly—even if it IS a baby!"
Samantha ran over and picked up Cubone hugging it tightly. She didn't care she actually won the battle…she was so proud of little Cubone!
"Samantha!" a booming voice called out.
She turned around to find Lt. Surge had left, and Kat stood there dressed like Surge—even talking like him!
"Surge said he had to take his Pokémon to MASH, baby—or something like that. He told me to give this to you, girlie!" Kat said in a perfect imitation.
Kat placed her hand into Samantha's and deposited the Thunderbadge.
"Oh my gosh! I forgot why I even came here!" Samantha giggled. "Look Cubone!"
"Cubone!" it squealed in delight for winning his first battle…a big one too!
As the two girls walked out of Vermillion's Pokémon Center, Samantha took a look back. Behind her, Cubone had the Thunderbadge taped to his bone…and Julie was teaching him how to do her victory dance…
