I think I found the quickest way to Vermilion City. Phillip thought to himself as he walked into a small cabin at the end of Route 5. Within the cabin was a flight of stairs that led down. After following them, Phillip found himself inside a large tunnel. Phillip didn't waste much time to travel down it.

As he walked down the passage, he found out something slightly interesting. Nothing life changing, just something that caught his eye. The tiles of the tunnel changed after a few feet. It started off tan, turned blue, changed to red, and then back to tan at the end.

At the end of the tunnel was another staircase that went back up. Phillip followed them and entered another small cabin. He left and found himself on a new route. A flip of the PokeDex, and he found out his location was on Route 6.

" Maybe-"

There is no Pokémon I would like to use in this area. Phillip told Gabriel, who kept silent afterwords. Phillip then took his first steps onto the newest route.

The Pokémon Trainers were weak compared to Phillip's high level Pokémon. The first trainer had two Weedle and a Caterpie. Didn't last too long.

The next one was a slight surprise. The trainer had a Squirtle with him. However, compared to Phillip's, it was a pushover. The battle was quick and easy.

Third to base was a trainer with a Rattata and Pikachu. Squirtle took the former rat while Phillip's Pikachu took out it's counterpart.

The fourth trainer was a Bug Catcher who had a Butterfree. While low in level, it was definitely a step from the Caterpie and Metapod that Phillip had to fight. Unfortunately, it still didn't last long, even against Squirtle.

The second to last trainer had three Pidgey. Three Thunder Shocks took them down in an instant.

Last was a trainer with a Spearow and a new Pokémon.

It was large rat with a long, scaly tail, standing on the top of its stubby, webbed back legs. It had a orange-brown coat with a cream underbelly and three whiskers on each side of its mouth. Within the mouth was two large teeth that looked like it could cut down a building with a single chomp. On top of its head was two ragged ears next to its narrow eyes. The only other feature that stood out was the scaly hands hanging out of its body.

The Spearow was easy to dispose of, thanks to Pikachu. The newest one, the Raticate, needed to be defeated with Charmeleon's special attack.

The route was rather short compared to Route 5. Phillip didn't need to take more than a few steps to be close to Vermillion City.

Phillip was welcomed with the sight of a dirty Ash carrying a similarly conditioned Pikachu into town while being followed by Brock and Misty, also unclean.

Phillip sighed. " Why does this always happen?"


Scene Change


Phillip walked into the Pokémon Center to fix up his Pokémon. They didn't receive much damage during their travels, but it's best to keep them in top shape. At least, that's what Phillip thought he should do.

However, he was forced to move out-of-the-way of a boy next to a stretcher that carried a Rattata. The only supervision the boy had was the Chansey pushing the stretcher. The boy and Pokémon didn't stop by the counter, just past by to get to the ER.

" Hey, Phillip!" Said person turned to see Brock walking up to him. " You have any idea what that was about?" Brock gestured to the retreating figures of the boy and Chansey.

Phillip shook his head. " No, unfortunately."

Nurse Joy, however, knew the reason and sighed. " It's the fifteenth one brought in this month." She noticed the shocked looks on everyone's, save Phillip, face. So, she took all of them, including Phillip, to the ER, where many Pokémon and their trainers were. All of the Pokémon had bruises inflicted in the same areas. The trainers were sitting by their Pokémon, worry etched on their faces.

Brock summed up everyone's thoughts: " This is terrible."

" They all lost to Lieutenant Surge: the Vermillion Gym Leader," Nurse Joy explained. Ash complemented on Surge's handiwork, and Misty began teasing him about it.

" I forget," Phillip whispered to Brock. " Do they do this all the time?"

" Basically," Brock answered as Misty flicked Ash's nose, and Ash tried to deliver the same fate to her. Nurse Joy stopped them while everyone's attention turned to them, only not out of worry, but of anger.

Nurse Joy then delivered a line to Misty and Ash that almost Phillip laugh: " They say if two people fight, they really care about each other." The two denied it then hmphed and turned away from one another.

Phillip whispered in Brock direction. " I told you."

" I already knew." Brock whispered back.

A bell rung in the distance and Nurse Joy told Ash his Pokémon had fully recovered. The group walked back into the lobby where an eating Pikachu and a tray of Pokeballs were waiting on a bench.

Nurse Joy pulled Phillip aside and to the counter. " Now, how may I help you?"

Phillip pulled out his four Pokeballs from the pockets. " I want to heal my Pokémon." Nurse Joy took the Pokeballs and placed them neatly on the tray. A Chansey came by and took the tray into the back for recovery. Phillip sat down in a seat not to far from the counter as Joy went on with her work day.

Not two seconds later, Chansey came out with Phillip's Pokémon and handed him his tray. He brought out everyone to make a physical inspection for himself.

Over the trip, all his Pokémon had made LV. 30, save Squirtle. Squirtle needed more experience to get to evolution stage. The reason Squirtle hasn't already hit that stage was because Phillip's muscle memory had him pick the Pokémon most effective during fights. This made him miss opportunities of getting Squirtle's level higher. Fortunately, he was about to hit a gym, so it would be a good workout for Squirtle.

After scanning for any bruises missed during the treatment, Phillip nodded in approval before calling all of them back into their respective Pokeball. He looked up and noticed Ash and co. had already left to challenge the gym. With a light sigh, Phillip walked to find them.


Scene Change


When Phillip got to the gym, the battle had already commenced. It's also went exactly the way Phillip knew it would go: Ash's Pikachu getting its hide handed to it by the other Pokémon.

The new Pokemon was a bipedal rat with a dark orange coat and a white belly. It had black spots in the coat at the end of the arms and feet. It had bifurcated ears that was brown on the outside, yellow on the inside, and had a curl at the end. It had yellow spots at its cheeks. It had two horizontal stripes of brown along the spine that lead to a thin tail with a lightning bolt at the end. The Dex gave it the name of Raichu.

Pikachu tried starting off with a Thunder Shock, only for Raichu to absorb the attack and sent a much more powerful version at Pikachu. Pikachu was unconscious instantly. However, it was able to get back up to attack once more.

That was its final mistake.

Raichu knocked it down with a Mega Punch, then followed up with a Mega Kick. This sent Pikachu rolling away, giving Raichu enough time for final strike. As Pikachu got up, it was hit full force by a powerful Thunderbolt.

Ash picked Pikachu up and rushed out to heal it. Seeing the anguished face Ash had, Phillip walked down to take the spot for the contender.

Surge looked at Phillip. " Look, the babies keep popping up. Alright, baby, show me what you got!"

Phillip opened the first Pokeball and summoned... Squirtle.

Surge fell down laughing. " Oh, this is rich! You expect to beat me, Surge of the Vermilion Electrifying Gym, with a baby Water Pokémon?!"

Phillip glared hard at Surge. " Then you have nothing to worry about. Do you?"

Surge got up and wiped the dust off his pants. " Tell you what, baby. I'll give you a handicap: I won't use a single Electric type attack."

" Then I'll give you one." Phillip replied. When Surge frowned, Phillip continued. " I'll use only Water type attacks."

Surge grinned. " Then it's settled. Let's get started!"

Phillip gave the gym a look. It was a mechanical based gym with steel and lights everywhere. However, the battle ring was a rocky terrain. They waited a few seconds before the Pokémon took the field.

Raichu moved first, trying to get in first to deliver a Mega Punch to Squirtle. However, Squirtle retreated into it's shell and it avoided the damage. The punch only sent Squirtle back to Phillip who placed it back on the floor.

Raichu kept trying to deal damage to Squirtle with punches, kicks, or whacks with its tail to no avail. Squirtle's shell was just too hard to pierce. All Squirtle had to do was stay in the shell until Raichu tired itself out.

Raichu, out of desperation, charged its electricity into its tail and brought it down\

" Squirtle, use Water Gun while inside the shell."

A jet of water shot out of the hole when Squirtle's head use to be and pushed Squirtle out of the danger zone all the while sending Raichu sprawling due to it's lose of balance as the water hit it's feet.

Phillip looked at Surge with a smirk when the lieutenant said, " Cheap tricks."

Squirtle used the stream to propel itself around the room, causing the humans to duck and weave through its random barrage. Luckily, Squirtle had hit Raichu a few times along the way. Unfortunately, the water seemed to lower in pressure and the hits were getting slower and closer to the ground.

Surge saw this. " Raichu! Attack with Mega Punch!" Raichu chased Squirtle, who was very close to the ground at this point, and slammed its paw into Squirtle's shell. This made a small indent in the gyms floor and spraying dust everywhere.

When it settled, Squirtle was out cold with a weary Raichu standing above it.

"See, baby?" Surge said. " You can't hope to beat me."

Phillip looked over to Squirtle's unconscious form and was going to call defeat when Gabriel stopped him.

" Don't give up hope here. That creature isn't done fighting just yet."

At that moment, Squirtle was coated in a white light. Everyone turned to it as Squirtle stood up easily as changes began to appear. After a few minutes passed and the glow calmed down. Phillip then looked at the new addition of his team.

Squirtle was no longer light blue. Instead, it took up an indigo look. The part of the shell underneath was more cream looking. Its claws were more defined and white while two new teeth stuck out from the upper jaw. It's gained two long, whitish blue ears and swirly tail.

Phillip grinned at Surge. " You were saying?"

Surge ground his teeth together before telling Raichu to send out a Thunder Bolt. Phillip told the newly evolved Wartortle to hit Raichu with a Water Gun.

The Water Gun hit before Raichu could gather the need amount for the Thunderbolt. Raichu hit the other side of the gym to create a small crater. However, it wasn't able to fall, as it was quickly pinned by the jaws of Wartortle. With a sudden snap that resounded in the arena, Raichu fainted.

Scene Change

Phillip looked down the docks with his new Wartortle out by his side. It's level spiked three times after defeating the Raichu. Wartortle had a look of pride as it stood by Phillip.

All Phillip did was flip the new badge he had received from Surge. He did this as he watched a boat pull in at the end of the piers.

That ship was his next goal.


That's a wrap!

Constructive Criticism will be greatly appreciated

Let the rants begin!