Chapter 1 – Thunder

The training class was being run much like a military camp. People and Pokemon alike were being pushed to their limits, the goal being to achieve the most out of themselves. Lieutenant Surge looked on as the trainers went through the various exercises. His Raichu looked bored, and the thick muscled gym leader couldn't blame the electric type. There hadn't been a challenger who had truly given them a battle in some time. Those trainers who did stop by, usually accompanied by a ground type, weren't strong enough for the lieutenant to use his most powerful Pokemon.

That was about to change however, as a new person walked into the gym. People were stopping and staring. Even the gym underlings had stopped barking orders to stare at the two newcomers. Surge laughed as he recognized both of them.

"Look here pipsqueaks! A pair of Champions just entered this here gym!" the old military man yelled out. Both Arthur and Cynthia looked up at the lightning trainer. "What brings you both here?"

"I was hoping that I might challenge you lieutenant" Arthur responded. This brought about another bout of laughter from Surge.

"The champion wants to battle me?" he shouted. "Now this should be interesting!" The lieutenant jumped down from the ledge and walked up to the battlefield which people were now hastily clearing. The presence of the veteran was enough to send people scrambling out of his way. He was headstrong and hard, and didn't allow exceptions. Arthur knew all this as did Cynthia who took a seat off to the side. She wanted to see how this young man battle in real life, rather than through a TV screen.

"Are you sure you want to go up against my electric types small stuff?" Surge taunted. Arthur smirked.

"I think I'm good to go" he responded grabbing his first Pokeball. One of the gym underlings stepped forward to judge the match.

"This will be a five on five!" Surge called out. Arthur nodded still smirking. The lieutenant was starting to get aggravated by this young champion's smugness. The vet looked down and nodded to his partner. Raichu stepped out onto the field. For Arthur's part, he started with Tusk.

"You would think that a champion wouldn't need a type advantage to win!" Surge taunted once more.

"I'm not underestimating my opponent. Besides, it's been a while since Tusk has seen battle." The veteran frowned as the battle began. The electric mouse bounded in with a quick attack. Tusk stood his ground and deflected the attack off to his side. The mammoths sheer bulk prevented much damage from being done. The mouse simply wasn't strong enough to seriously challenge Arthur's Pokemon.

"Tusk lets shake things up!" The twin tusk Pokemon trumpeted as he raised himself up onto his hind legs before crashing down onto the ground bringing out an earthquake. The entire gym began shaking, sending more than one person to their knees. Arthur was still smiling, but Surge was frowning with serious anger.

"You think this is going to take us..."
"Raichu is unable to battle!" the judge called out. Surge who had been cut off shouted in frustration before sending out an Electrode.

"Tusk return!" Arthur called out holding out the Pokeball. The red beam shot out and withdrew Tusk from the field. Surge grumbled some more. He had been hoping to do some serious damage to the ground type before Arthur could get going. Instead he watched as the new champion sent out a water type to fight.

Cynthia looked on in interest as Arthur brought out a Vaporeon to do battle with an electric type. The Sinnoh champion knew that type advantage didn't necessarily mean much if the trainer was competent, and Arthur was certainly that judging by the lieutenant's anger. However, gym leaders were also challenging opponents so this could go Surge's way in a hurry.

She looked on as the two locked horns again. Electrode was faster, rolling in nice and close before loosing electric attacks. However, the water type seemed to be doing a rather good job of holding off the ball shaped Pokemon. A pool of water surrounded Delphin the entire time, and waves were sent forth each time the Electrode tried to get too close. Somehow the water was also preventing any damage from being done.

The blonde wasn't sure what Arthur was doing until he changed tactics in an instant. The abrupt switch from defense to offense caught Surge off guard too as the vet was the one who was trying to go on the all out offense.

"Aurora beam!" Arthur called out. Delphin roared and shot out the multicoloured light beams. The field which was previously was covered in water was suddenly turned to ice with the frosted attack. Electrode was suddenly having trouble moving and before it could attack again, Arthur had sent Delphin in with another attack to finish the electric type off. Frowning, Surge sent in his second Electrode. Arthur switched Pokemon again as well, bringing Tusk back out.

"This is a much better field to fight on!" Tusk commented causing Arthur to laugh.

"Yeah I thought you might like this. Now, be careful, that ball over there is probably going to come fast and hard if it can, but it's going to not have a lot of traction. Time your attack carefully." Tusk grunted and lowered its ivory horns close to the ground. The electric type started using double team causing Tusk to look back and forth.

Arthur was originally going to change things up and try something different, but it seemed that Surge was more interested in trying to confuse him. When in doubt, simplify things. Keep it simple, stupid.

"Earthquake!" Arthur just forgot about tracking down the real one, instead taking them all out. The copies disappeared and as the real one rolled to a stop unconscious.

"I had thought the champion would battle with more strategy and not just rely on a type advantage!" Surge yelled out, being down to his last two Pokemon and Arthur having not even broken a sweat yet.

"This is a strategy lieutenant. I have my way of battling, and you have yours."

"You're just a scared little boy still" the vet replied sending out a Magneton. Arthur was now frowning, the slightest bit irritated finally.

"Tusk come back." The mammoth trudged over to Arthur's side so he could be replaced with Blaze, who was already angry. Surge was frowning again. "I trust you know the power that Blaze here can muster?" Arthur asked. The veteran just frowned and ordered his attack in a militaristic way. Arthur shook his head as he flicked his hand out. Blaze, who had been eyeing up Surge at the other side of the field, finally turned his head upon the steel type who was attacking. Fire already roaring on his back, Blaze inhaled a breath before launching a superheated flamethrower at the electric type. A dull thud noted the taking out of Surge's Pokemon.

"No one gets away with talking to my trainer like that."

"Arthur recall your Typhlosion!" Cynthia yelled from the side. Arthur looked to Blaze and in some part of his brain he registered that Blaze was ready to bring the gym down. Resigned, Arthur returned his starter and sent Tusk back in to finish the battle.

Arthur and Cynthia were quiet walking back to the Pokemon centre. The young man was somewhat shaken by what had happened. Surge had sent everything he had at the young man, and it wasn't even close to being enough. Had Arthur truly become that powerful?

"What's it like being the champion?" the young man asked. Cynthia pondered the question for a while before answering.

"It's different than anything else. You are noted as the most powerful trainer in the region and there are few out there who could really refute the claim. However, you must remember that Lance was the champion of this region. And three people have defeated him in this role and ascended to the title. Blue, Red and now you" the Sinnoh champion replied. "There are still extremely strong trainers out there. Surge is not a gym leader many people fear. His bark is worse than his bite" the even wording reassured Arthur immeasurably. "Surge is still stuck in his military ways, immobile in how he fights. He was attempting to taunt you into not thinking but you didn't rise to the bait. I'm impressed with your battling style."

"So will you be returning to Sinnoh?" Arthur asked after a few more minutes of walking in silence. The blonde nodded.

"I'm not sure what I can dig up for you, but perhaps in some time, I may have an answer for you. Or at least something to help you along."

"I appreciate the help." Cynthia smiled as the two champions walked into the Pokemon Centre.