Chapter 59 – Pokemon Power Surge!
We reached the middle of Vermillion City by late morning, and found the Pokemon Center. I took the opportunity to call Professor Oak on the video phone while Nurse Joy and Chansey gave my Pokemon a checkup before our battle with Lt. Surge. I also had Scyther's pokeball with me so that I could swap for Onix. It was always a difficult decision, trying to figure out which Pokemon to swap, but I knew that Scyther, being a bug type, didn't have much chance against Lt. Surge's electric Pokemon. Of course, neither would Vaporeon, but since she'd been with me almost from day one, I always figured she'd be heartbroken if I ever swapped her out. Anyway, I dialed up Professor Oak's number, and soon his image appeared on the moniter before me. "Hello, Joseph and May. It's good to hear from you!" May said, "Hi, Professor Oak" and I said, "Hi, Professor. I was just calling to let you know we're in Vermillion City and I'll be battling for my third Kanto League badge soon!" He said, "Vermillion City… that's right, I heard about what Fierymane did, saving that restaurant owner's son! Well done, May!" She blushed a little and said, "Thanks, Professor, but Fierymane deserves all the credit. She rushed into that burning building without my even asking her to." He replied, "Still, you are her trainer, which means she learned the importance of self sacrifice from you." She again said, "Thanks." Then he asked us, "By the way. By any chance, did the two of you run into any of that Team Rocket activity in the woods near Vermillion City?" May and I looked at each other, and then I asked him, "What Team Rocket activity?" He answered, "Apparently, they were once again attempting to use robotic Pokemon for some major plot. But something must have gone wrong. The Vermillion City Officer Jenny received an anonymous tip and when she went to investigate, she found a lot of Team Rocket agents and one of their top scientists tied up, and there were destroyed robotic Pokemon parts everywhere!" I wasn't sure it was wise to tell Professor Oak all that we knew about Team Rocket's NIDOs and our 4 MechanPokemon allies, especially over an open phone line, so I just replied, "No, we can't help you there, Professor." He said, "Well, you were probably better off. A Team Rocket operation that huge is something that two young trainers like yourselves shouldn't tangle with, anyway." May started to giggle at that remark, but quickly covered her mouth! If only Professor Oak knew that it was, in fact, us who stopped Team Rocket's evil plans. He continued, "Anyway, I'm glad you called. I have a favor I need to ask of the two of you." I asked, "What is it, Professor?" He answered, "Professor Spencer Hale, one of my top students, is staying at Bill's house, just north of Cerulean City. He's an expert on so-called 'legendary' Pokemon, and there have been some leads in Kanto about an ancient, enigmatic race of Pokemon known simply as 'Unown'. Another Pokemon researcher, Professor Maple, has an item that might help Professor Hale in his research. However, Professor Maple refuses to send it to Bill's house via parcel, because the item is rare and valuable. He'd prefer it to be hand delivered by someone we can trust. Your names immediately came to my mind". I replied, "Gee, thanks, Professor! We're flattered. What is this item you want us to deliver?" He answered us, "I'd rather not say over the phone. Professor Maple will tell you what it is when you get there. That is… if you're willing to do this." I looked at May, and she nodded, and I said to him, "Of course we'll do it, Professor!" May said, "Yeah, we'd do anything for you after all you've done for us! Besides, I can't wait to meet Professor Hale!" I then interjected, "But before we do that, I'd like to battle Lt. Surge. Professor, could I send you my Scyther for my Onix?" He answered me, "Yes, of course." I put Scyther's pokeball down on the transport pad and said, "Thanks for everything, Scyther. Don't worry – you'll be back in my party soon enough!" With that, his pokeball vanished, and Onix's pokeball materialized. Professor Oak said, "Received on this end!" I replied, "Same here! Thanks again, Professor." He said, "You're welcome. Good luck in your battle. As soon as you're ready to go to Bill's house, call me back." I replied, "Will do!" and the screen went blank. Just then, Nurse Joy paged me to the counter. We walked over. Flamefox and Firestorm walked over to me and Chansey had all of my pokeballs. "Your Pokemon are ready for battle" Nurse Joy told me. She added, "And your Kadabra is quite the gentleman" as she held a small bouquet of wildflowers in her hand, and he briefly materialized. "Thank you" I replied. With that, May and I, and our Pokemon, left the building and headed for the Vermillion City Gym. May said, "I should warn you about Lt. Surge. He likes to constantly call his challengers 'baby'. It's really obnoxious after a while, but don't let him get to you. His Raichu is powerful, but he evolved it right away, so it lacks the agility it can only learn as Pikachu – that's your biggest advantage!" I said, "Wow, thanks, May!" She said, "No problem, Joe!"
May and I walked up to a large building, with lightning bolt designs all over the front, and the sign read "Vermillion City Gym". "This is it" May said. Two large doors opened up and we walked inside, accompanied by the fire foxes, Redfur, Inferno, and the invisible Kadabra. Two tough-looking young teenagers stood in front of us – a girl with red hair, a headband, a red tank top, dog tags, and camoflauge pants, and a guy with short black hair, who wore an earing, a leather jacket without a shirt, and he also had camoflauge pants. I said, "I'm here to challenge Lt. Surge, the Vermillion City Gym leader!" The guy turned around and said, "Hey boss! Looks like you got another victim!" I heard a tough guy voice reply, "Let's see!" Out of the shadows stepped a large man with yellow, spiked hair, dressed in a military jacket and pants, but no shirt, and he wore dog tags around his neck, and had gloves on his hands. He said, "Welcome to Vermillion Gym!" Then he looked at May and said, "I remember you! You won a Thunder Badge from me last year! And you were also last year's Kanto League champ!" She said, "That's right." Then he looked at me and said, "And you! You were the Johto League champ 2 years ago." I also said, "That's right!" He said, "I usually call anyone who challenges me 'baby' but you're no baby. That is… unless you lose!" I just said, "I'm ready to battle whenever you are." We entered the arena. The inside of the gym was really quite ordinary – just 4 walls and the battlefield outlines painted onto the floor. The walls were also decorated with large lightning bolts and pokeballs. This guy definitely had a thing for lightning! The bright lights of the gym turned on, and the guy who we saw when we entered came over the loudspeaker – he was the announcer. He said, "The challenger, Joseph Ehlle from Crimson Town will now battle the gym leader, Lt. Surge! This will be a 3 on 3 battle, no time limit!" May said to me, "Good luck!" I said, "Thanks" and stood up at my spot. Lt. Surge shouted, "Pokeball, go!" and tossed out his first, releasing an Electrode. I responded, "Go, Onix!" and released my huge rock snake. Lt. Surge said, "An Onix, eh? Electrode, use sonic boom!" The giant red and white orb eyed my Onix and released the attack, causing a series of explosions against my Onix, which knocked him back! "Onix, use tackle!" I ordered. Onix slammed down his large, rocky body, but Electrode just rolled out of the way, and the attack missed. "Electrode, use thunder!" Lt. Surge shouted. The giant orb glowed brightly as it launched a powerful lightning attack at my rock snake. Onix roared, taking the attack at full force, but being part ground, it didn't affect him and he still stood! "Onix, try a slam!" I ordered. He whipped his body around, and slammed his tail at Electrode, which sent it careening across the room like a baseball, and it crashed into the wall, but then it rolled back into the battlefield. Then Surge commanded, "Electrode, use self destruct!" The ball glowed even brighter than before and I shouted, "Onix, get back!" There was a huge explosion, which hurled Onix backwards, slamming him against the wall, hard! He roared out as he collapsed to the floor. "Onix!" I shouted, and ran over to him. The announcer said, "Neither Pokemon is able to battle! Round one is a draw!" I said, "Good work, Onix!" and recalled him to his pokeball. Lt. Surge, likewise, recalled Electrode. Then he said, "You're pretty good! Next, I choose Magneton!" and he released the hovering, 3 eyed, metallic Pokemon. I shouted, "Go, Flamefox!" Flamefox nodded and said "Vulpix!" and he entered the battlefield. May said, "I thought you were going to use Jolteon." I replied to her, "Magneton is part steel – which makes it vulnerable to fire attacks!" She nodded in agreement. Lt. Surge ordered, "Magneton, use thunderbolt!" I responded, "Flamefox, use your agility to avoid it!" The fire fox moved quickly, dodging the electric attack. "Now use flamethrower!" I ordered. He shot out an intense stream of flames at Magneton, badly damaging it. "Magneton, use lock on!" Lt. Surge commanded. I knew this meant Magneton's next attack would definitely hit, so I shouted, "Flamefox, quick, use fire spin!" His eyes and body glowed brightly as he launched the tornado of flames from his mouth. The flames wrapped around Magneton, and when they dispersed, it collapsed to the ground! The announcer said, "Magneton is unable to fight! This round goes to the challenger!" I shouted, "Way to go, Flamefox!" and gave my Vulpix a big hug. May said, "Good work, guys!" Lt. Surge recalled Magneton and said, "Not too shabby! But let's see how well you fare against this! Go, Raichu!" and he released the large electric rodent. May advised me, "Be careful, Joe. Raichu is Surge's strongest Pokemon. Remember what I told you about speed." I replied, "Right!" Lt. Surge ordered, "Raichu, use thunderbolt!" I responded, "Flamefox, you know what to do!" He nodded, and used his agility to avoid the attacks! Raichu launched thunderbolt after thunderbolt, but Flamefox dodged every one of them! However, we hadn't gotten in any damaging attacks yet. So I ordered, "Flamefox, hit it with a fire spin!" His body and eyes glowed brightly, like before, and he launched another tornado of flames, which wrapped around Raichu. But after the flames dispersed, Raichu still stood, like it hardly felt it! This was one strong Raichu! It launched some more thunderbolts at Flamefox, which he continued to dodge with his agility. Next I ordered, "Flamefox, use body slam!" My Vulpix hurled his body at Raichu full force, but Flamefox more or less bounced off of it and landed on his feet. Lt. Surge said, "Raichu, show them a REAL body slam!" Raichu attempted to body slam Flamefox, but again, Flamefox's agility got him out of harm's way. I knew Flamefox had to be getting tired, and then I had an idea! "Flamefox, use dig!" I shouted. He quickly burrowed under the floor, and shot up underneath Raichu! "Yes!" I shouted. But as they were both airborne, Lt. Surge ordered, "Raichu, use thunder!" Raichu released the powerful lightning attack, which Flamefox had no choice but to feel at full force! "No!" I shouted. Raichu landed on his feet, but Flamefox fell to the floor, still conscious, but in no condition to battle any further! I ran into the battlefield to pick him up. "Flamefox" I said, holding him in my arms, "You did good, buddy." He weakly smiled and said, "Vulpix". I carried him off to the side, where May had some full restore for him, and Amber licked his face. Lt. Surge said, "You still have one Pokemon left! Who'll it be?" I answered, "I choose Kadabra!" and my psychic Pokemon materialized on the battlefield. Lt. Surge said, "Raichu, let's finish this match! Use another thunder!" Raichu launched the attack, but Kadabra teleported out of the way. Lt. Surge then ordered, "Use body slam!" Raichu hurled it's body at Kadabra, but he again teleported out of the way. I finally ordered, "Kadabra, use psychic!" He held up his 2 spoons, and they glowed. He hit Raichu with a powerful blast of psychic energy, which slammed it against the wall. It stood back up, and Lt. Surge ordered, "Raichu, thunderbolt!" It launched the electric attack at Kadabra, but he deflected it with his psychic ability, sending the attack back to Raichu! Raichu got thunderbolted by it's own attack! It lost its balance and fell over, swirly-eyed. "Raichu!" Lt. Surge shouted, "Get up and fight!" The announcer said, "Raichu is no longer able to fight! The challenger, Joseph Ehlle, has won the match!" I said to Kadabra, "Whoa, not bad!" He nodded, then vanished. May shouted, "Way to go!" and Flamefox, who was feeling much better now, shouted, "Vulpix!" Lt. Surge said, "Congratulations! Your Pokemon are all very powerful! You've earned this Thunder Badge!" I took the badge from his hand and said, "Thank you." He said, "Keep up the training, and someday, you might even be a gym leader!" I replied, "I certainly hope so!" With that, we left Vermillion Gym. Flamefox had enough strength back to walk with us to the Pokemon Center, where I had him and Onix fully revitalized. Afterwards, we rested in the park for a while, letting Flamefox, Firestorm, Amber, Inferno, and Redfur play together. May and I each had colas from the vending machine at the Pokemon Center. She said, "You did very good back there." I said, "Thanks. I'm just glad Flamefox and Onix are okay." She said, "They're both tough Pokemon. And Flamefox put up a really good fight!" Then I said, "After this, we'll have to go back to the Pokemon Center and get instructions from Professor Oak on how to get to Professor Maple's lab. We'll also need to get our flying Pokemon – I think we'd be better off flying back there than walking all that distance." She agreed, and after our little rest in the park, we returned to the Pokemon Center to prepare for our task ahead.