Written by me and Cloud4012
Started: November 6th, 2022
Finished: November 16th, 2022
Beta Reader: cherrybombees
Chapter 13: Electric Shock Showdown!
"Two... two freakin' weeks..." thought Ash in his head.
"Two grueling weeks..." Misty thought to herself.
After two eventful, grueling, and tiresome weeks... Brock thought in his head as the three members of the group stood at the city gates, with "VERMILION CITY" written on the front. The three friends cheered in unison.
"WE'RE HERE!!"
"Oh thank goodness! A nice warm bed, a hot meal, and a bath are just what I need," Misty said.
"I need to go to the Laundromat; we haven't washed our clothes in a while," Brock said, looking at their tattered and dirty clothes.
"And I need to get my Pokémon to the Pokémon Center," Ash said. "They're all exhausted."
"Make sure they check your egg as well," Misty reminded him.
"Oh yeah," he said, opening his backpack to peer inside and check on his egg in its incubator.
"It's still a shocker to have a baby Pokémon on the way," Brock said.
"Well Bill was really grateful to finally befriend Dragonite. Plus, I did save it from the rubble." Ash points out.
"Yeah, that's true," Misty replied, although she was happy for him, she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.
"So before we do anything else, let's head over to the Pokémon Center and figure out our next move," Brock suggested.
Nodding, the group headed off into the town, and it didn't take them too long to find the Pokémon Center.
"Nurse Joy," Ash says as he hands her his Pokéballs and egg. "Can you please check to make sure they're all healthy?"
"Certainly, I'll be right back with them," Nurse Joy nodded with a smile as she took the tray. "Hmm... this must be the first time you've cared for a baby Pokémon."
Ash blinked in surprise. "How could you tell?"
"I've had many trainers ask me the same question," she says with a smile. "You learn to ask less as you gain more experience."
"I-I see.." Ash blushed sheepishly.
"Yeah it's his first time being a PokéParent." Brock teased, patting his back.
"P-PokéParent?" Ash turned.
"It's what Breeders call trainers taking care of eggs." Brock points out.
"And no matter what, whatever comes out of it, you're it's daddy." Misty giggled.
'Me? A father?' Ash thought to himself. He hadn't even considered it when he received the egg.
They heard a young voice from behind them. They turned to see the double doors open as a Chansey pushed a hospital trolley through. A young boy ran alongside it, yelling words of encouragement to a battered Ratatta. "You'll be okay, Ratatta," he yelled, running off.
"That Ratatta looked like it took quite a beating," Brock said in concern. "I wonder what happened to it."
A frown appeared on Nurse Joy's face as she said, "Honestly. This is the fifteenth one brought in this month." She stated, with a hand on her hip and the other holding Ash's egg.
"15th? What does that mean?" Ash asked in shock.
Nurse Joy led them to the back, and what they discovered horrified them.
Lined up along the wall were numerous injured Pokémon lying on stretchers.
"My God..." Brock mutters in shock.
"They were all brought in and lost to Lt. Surge, the Gym Leader," Nurse Joy said, looking at the injured Pokémon in sadness.
"The Gym Leader did this?" Misty asked, not liking it one bit.
"I know Gym Leaders are supposed to be tough, but this is overkill," Brock said.
Ash looked at the trainers and their injured Pokémon with dismay. "Wow... He must be a great trainer," Ash whispered in shock.
"Wait, are you planning on battling the Gym Leader?" Nurse Joy asked concerned.
"Yes ma'am," Ash replied, nodding.
"Well then I must warn you. Don't go in there thinking you're ready. The only thing more dangerous than Surge's Pokémon are their attacks." Nurse Joy warned.
Upon hearing the warning, Ash doubled back to consider his options.
"Okay, guessing going in with a type advantage isn't enough. I need something more or this guy will put my Pokémon on stretchers," Ash thought.
Returning to the waiting area, Ash sat down to try and make a game plan. "So Ash, do you think you're ready for this one?" Misty asked. "You're not battling a friend like me or Brock this time around."
"Whether I am ready or not, I need to do this," Ash said.
Misty says, "I'm just worried, that's all."
"Thanks, but you said these gym battles aren't going to be easy from here on out. And I need to battle them to see if I can get better and make it to the League," Ash explained.
"He has a point, Misty," Brock says. "We would be basically holding him back."
Misty replied, "You do have a valid point."
"Hurry!" Another voice shouted out in panic. They turned to see a boy running by with a Pidgey lying on the hospital bed. "Hold on, Pidgey!" The boy shouted in alarm as he rushed past them. The group watched the boy and his Pokémon go by.
"Ok...I hate to sound rude about this. But why would someone use a Flying-type for an Electric Gym?" Ash questioned. The group looked rather taken aback by this. They then thought it over and agreed it wasn't a smart idea to use that type of Pokémon.
The Pokémon Center healing jingle then played in the air, indicating that Ash's Pokémon had just had a successful recovery.
"Here you are Ash. All of your Pokémon and your egg are healthy," Nurse Joy informs.
"Thanks again, Nurse Joy," Ash said, collecting everything and holding the incubator.
"And best of luck to you... and be careful," Nurse Joy says while muttering the last part as she walks out the door, which Ash overhears.
Ash had always been nervous about competing after his accident, but ever since Daisy mentioned the type of Gym they were going to, he couldn't help but feel like this one was going to be tougher than the others.
The group finds itself standing in front of a building that resembles a warehouse with lightning bolts painted on it.
Misty noted it was subtle.
"You know, I looked into this back at the Pokémon Center," Brock reveals. "Before he was a Gym Leader, Lt. Surge was an army guy."
Ash's eyes widened at that. "He was in the army?" he gasped.
"That's how he was able to maintain his title as lieutenant," Brock said.
Holding the egg tightly against himself, Ash shook his head to dispel any lingering nervousness or doubt.
"Let's do this," Ash said as he moved towards the door. Opening it, he saw a man and a woman wearing camouflage-colored clothing.
Ash announced, "I'm here for a gym battle!"
"Hey boss, we have another patient for the Emergency Room," the guy calls out.
"Which one?" said a strong male voice as a tall shadow behind them moved to reveal someone approaching them. The male voice walked into the light to show a huge muscular man wearing army gear. He had tanned skin and spiky bleached blond hair.
Ash widened his eyes at the sight of him. He gripped his egg tightly in an attempt to calm himself down. He wasn't the only one who was intimidated.
"Wow, he's huge!" Brock exclaimed upon seeing Lt. Surge.
Misty whispered, "Is he really the gym leader you have to beat?" as she saw him.
"Welcome to the Vermilion Gym," he said, turning to Misty. "My next challenger is a cute one, but don't think I'll go easy on you."
"Uh, I'm not the challenger," Misty gulped.
"Who then?" Surge asks.
Ash swallowed his nervousness and walked forward, "Me. That'll be me, sir." Lt. Surge turned and looked at Ash.
He then boomed in laughter and ruffled Ash's hair. "Okay, baby!"
"Hey. I'm no baby." Ash said, brushing off Surge's concern and allowing him to see his face.
With scars like that maybe, but I call everyone who loses to me baby." Surge smirked.
Seeing Ash's irritated reaction was just what Surge wanted. Then he peered over to his arm and saw Ash's egg. "An egg? Well look at this. The baby brought along a baby Pokémon!" He and his associates began laughing.
"Back off! I didn't come here for you to make fun of my Pokémon, so why don't you worry about your own?" Ash snapped.
"Ooh, baby's got some bite," Surge grinned. "But it'll all be nothing but bark once we're done here."
Ash replied, "We'll see."
As Surge snapped his fingers, the lights turned on, revealing a regular Pokémon battlefield.
Unlike other gyms, I don't need fancy features or trinkets for my field. I let the strength of my team be enough," Surge said, walking to his side.
"Fine by me," Ash said, handing his egg to Brock. "Watch over it for me."
He said, "Good luck."
"And be careful," Misty warned, repeating the same parting words Nurse Joy had given him not too long ago.
Nodding, Ash stepped up to the trainer box as did Surge. Seeing the big grin on the Gym Leader's face just made Ash's teeth clench, wanting to put the arrogant punk in his place.
"This official Pokémon League Gym Battle is about to begin. The Challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and the Vermilion Gym Leader, Lt. Surge. Each side will use three Pokémon each, and the match will be decided when all three of either side's Pokémon are unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokémon. The Gym Leader will select his Pokémon first, and the challenger will follow." The female associate said, acting as the referee.
"Time to see if you can really play with the big boys, baby," Surge said as he enlarged a Pokéball. "Voltorb, go!" Throwing the ball, it opened up and from the white light came a spherical Pokémon that resembled a Poké Ball with eyes and lacked the button on its face. The top half was red, while the bottom half was white.
Ash takes out his Pokedex to scan the new Pokemon in front of him.
"Voltorb, the Ball Pokémon. It resembles a Poké Ball and can be dangerous due to its ability to shock or explode upon contact."
Misty admits, "It kind of does look like a giant Pokeball."
Brock nods. "You would have to have very poor eyesight to notice the difference."
"Okay, I can handle something new," Ash thought relieved.
"Hey baby, are you going to choose your Pokémon or just stand there all day?" Surge asks.
Shaking it off, Ash grabs a Pokeball. "Videl, I choose you!" Appearing in front of Ash was the former bee princess. "Bzz!"
"Ooh, looks like this might be fun after all," Surge grinned.
"Begin!" the referee announces.
Ash shouts, "Videl, use Pin Missile!"
"Voltorb Spark!" Surge exclaimed as sparks of electricity emitted from Voltorb, zapping the needles away.
"Go in and use Brick Break!" Ash said as Videl flew towards Voltorb with a glowing stinger.
"Sonic Boom!" As Voltorb fired a powerful sound wave, Videl flew out of the way and rammed into Voltorb.
"Hit them again!" Ash exclaimed as Videl raised her fist.
"Use Swift!" Spinning in a circle, Voltorb pelted Videl with a stream of shooting stars.
"Charge up now!" Glowing brightly, the Voltorb gathered electricity, making its attacks even more powerful.
"Videl, use Focus Energy!" Ash commanded, following Surge's lead. As Videl pumped her arms together, she began to glow bright red, signifying that the next attack she landed would be critical.
Misty said, "They're both charging up."
"These attacks are going to be intense," Brock says, nodding.
"Spark!!" Voltorb released an electrical blast towards Videl.
Ash quickly retaliated by swiping his arm. "Use Twineedle and break through it!" Zooming in, Videl's stingers gleamed as she prepared to strike.
"You really think I'm going to let that hit me?" Surge asked as Voltorb rolled out of the way, dodging it.
"Bzzt?!" Videl gasped before she herself was steamrolled by the living Pokeball.
"Videl!" Ash exclaimed as he hit the ground. Slowly getting back up into the air, Videl regained her composure.
Surge said, "I tried to warn you baby, but just like the others, you didn't listen."
Ash growled, "Don't think we're out of this just yet, Surge!" He said, getting ready for another attack. "Videl, Headbutt!"
Videl flies in and delivers a critical hit on Voltorb.
"Wow. That baby sure does have some fight in him!" Surge whistled.
"And that's not all, Poison Jab!" Stinger's glowing purple, Videl viciously stabs them into Voltorb, numerous times.
"Vol." Voltorb cringed, falling back.
"Don't give them even a second to react." Ash declares.
"Use Spark!" As electricity emitted from Voltorb, Videl was too close to escape and was zapped.
"Now use Rollout again!" Surge says as Voltorb rolled towards her.
"Dodge it!" Ash yells as Voltorb leaps into the air. Videl flies up, narrowly avoiding it.
"Twineedle!" Slamming both needles down, Videl hit Voltorb like a volleyball.
Surge smiled as Voltorb's eyes sharpened and spun down, landing safely on the ground. "Not bad," he said, "but not good enough!"
"Dive down and Poison Jab!" With poison coated stingers, Videl dives at Voltorb.
"Reflect!" Surge shouted. Voltorb spun like a top, blocking Videl's advance.
"Darn it," Ash mutters under his breath.
Thanks to that move, his physical attacks were halved.
"Come on Videl, focus your energy once more," Ash said as Videl glowed.
"Power-up all you want, baby; it won't do you any good! Spark, Voltorb!" Surge said as Voltorb charged up and unleashed Spark.
"Double Team!" Videl created multiple copies of herself and they all flew in as the sparks took out the ones that came towards them.
"Now, use Brick Break!" Ash commanded.
Coming up from behind, Videl slammed into Voltorb, shattering Surge's Reflect and dealing a critical hit.
"That was a smart move, Brick Break easily overpowered Reflect for Voltorb," Brock said with a grin. "And that goes for all of the members on Surge's team."
"And thanks to Focus Energy, that move hit even harder," Misty grins.
"Can a baby do that, Surge?" Ash calls out as Videl buzzes with pride.
"Well at least this one isn't as arrogant as all the others." Surge grinned, liking the challenge.
"Videl, Headbutt!" Ash shouts.
Surge shouted, "Take it!" as Voltorb took the attack head-on, but remained still.
Ash gasped in surprise.
"Now it's time to take you out! Voltorb Self-Destruct!" Surge yells.
"Get Videl out of here, Ash!" Brock panicked.
"Run, Videl!" Ash shouted, only to see Videl struggling to move due to the effects of the last Spark attack. She had been paralyzed. All they could do now was watch in horror at the tragic event that was about to happen next.
"Voltorb!!!" Voltorb's entire body was engulfed in light before exploding, taking Videl with it at close range and filling the whole field with smoke.
Moments later, the smoke cleared to reveal both Pokémon lying on the ground, sporting bruises and dizzy expressions.
"Voltorb and Beedrill are both unable to continue! This round is a draw."
"Now that's ending the first round with a bang," Surge said.
"You brought out your own Pokémon just to take mine down?" Ash asked in disbelief.
"An old military tactic. Sometimes you have to take a big risk in order to win," Surge said.
Ash frowned and returned Videl. "Return," he said, pointing his Poke Ball at her, sending out a red beam that hit the fallen Beedrill, sucking it back into its Poké Ball. "You did your best."
"Good work soldier. You earned this," Surge said as he returned Voltorb. "Well baby, hope you're ready because my next Pokémon knows how to bring it! Go Magnemite!"
Throwing a Pokeball into the air, a levitating magnetic Pokemon appeared.
"Magnemite." It said.
Ash opened his Pokedex once again.
"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon. It can float in the air and emit Thunder Waves from the magnet-shaped units located on its sides."
"Now I understand," Brock said. "If Ash still had Videl, it could have taken on Magnemite in the air."
Misty gasps, "Surge wants to make sure Ash can't fight on even ground this time."
Ash thought his choices over. Thinking long and hard, he came to a decision. "Come on out, Alpha!" Appearing by his side was the grass-type starter.
"Bulbasaur!"
"Oh, so he's playing like that, huh?" Surge said.
"Smart move. Electric attacks don't do much damage against Grass-type Pokémon like Bulbasaur," Brock said.
"Ash finally has enough Pokémon where he can have an advantage," Misty smiles.
"Begin!" The referee yells.
"Razor Leaf!" Ash exclaimed as the Bulbasaur sent multiple leaves flying towards Magnemite.
"Thunder Wave, Magnemite!" Surge yelled as Magnemite released blue static electricity from the tips of its magnets, canceling out the leaves from striking it, leaving them crisp and burnt to ash. "Now Screech!"
Magnemite's body glows blue as it releases sound waves from its body that distort the air around it, striking Alpha in the process, causing him to cringe.
"Alpha, Leech Seed!" Bulbasaur fights through the noise and fires a seed at them.
Stopping short, Magnemite flew out of the way, dodging the seed. "Now, Thundershock!" Magnemite's body became surrounded by bright yellow electricity as it released multiple yellow bolts of lightning from its body.
Taking the attack, Bulbasaur cringed in pain but remained standing firmly.
"Vine Whip!" Swinging a vine, Bulbasaur smacks Magnemite upwards.
"Thunder Wave!" Surge exclaims as Magnemite releases another wave of light blue electricity.
"Dodge it and then use a Tackle!" Ash said as Alpha charged while avoiding the blasts at all costs. "Saur!" Making his way up, he successfully knocked Magnemite into the ground.
"Don't let up for a second, Alpha! Who knows what kind of tricks this guy might pull," Ash said determinedly.
Alpha continued his assault by using Razor Leaf, cutting Magnemite and then bringing it down to the ground harshly with Vine Whip.
"So you think you're ready for my surprises, huh? Magnemite, Magnet Bomb!" The Pokémon glowed brightly as it fired magnetic balls at Alpha, pelting him multiple times.
"Alpha, use Razor Leaf!" Ash said as Alpha staggered back and tried to knock the bombs back, but they kept coming. "What in the...?" Ash gasped.
"Learn your attacks baby," Surge says. "Magnet Bomb will always hit its target."
Once the last of the bombs finished off, Alpha looked like he had been put through the wringer. "Saur..." he growled between breaths.
"Hang in there, Alpha! Use Growth!" With a glowing bulb, Alpha's attack and defense increased.
"Magnemite, Thundershock!" Surge yelled as Magnemite's magnets unleashed another electrical blast.
"Use Vine Whip on the ground!" Smacking his vines to the ground, Alpha launched himself into the air and over Magnemite, surprising everyone.
"What's this?" Surge gasped.
"Razor Leaf!" commanded Ash, as Alpha released the attack. The razor-sharp leaves fell like rain upon Magnemite, knocking it to the ground.
"You haven't seen my surprises either, Surge!" Ash said as Alpha landed in front of his trainer.
"Saur." Alpha said ready to bring the pain.
"Well, this is the first time someone has gotten the jump on the boss like that," the girl said, impressed.
The punk guy asks, "Who is this kid?"
"Magnemite, use Thunder Wave on them!" Surge ordered.
As sparks of electricity are emitted from the magnets, Magnemite zaps Alpha, paralyzing it.
"Oh no, not again," Ash cringed.
"Thunderbolt now, and make it hurt," Surge shouts.
"Magnemite!" Sparks of electricity fly from Magnemite as it zaps the paralyzed Grass-type Pokémon.
"Man, I never realized how much of a pain paralysis can be," Ash thought, seeing firsthand how dangerous Electric-types could be.
Of course it was reminding him a little of...that rat. Shaking his head, Ash snapped himself out of it.
"No, no, come on, Ash," he said. "You're not dealing with that. It's a completely different Pokémon."
Pausing, Surge noticed something was off about him. There was something else going on and his old military instincts picked up on a familiar vibe from it.
"Alpha!" Ash shouts as watching his Bulbasaur cringe through the pain. "You gotta fight through it! Try and fire a Leech Seed!"
Growling, Alpha fought through the pain and fired a seed at Magnemite, causing vines to wrap around it and drain its energy.
"Magnemite.." Magnemite cringed.
"Magnemite, Supersonic!" Surge exclaims.
"I can't be paralyzed and confused. Bulbasaur Blow!" Ash yelled.
Taking a deep breath, Bulbasaur blew a powerful breath, causing Magnemite to tilt, and in turn, missing its Supersonic attack.
Surge asks in disbelief, "What the? Since when could they do that?"
Ash smirks proudly and says, "That's a little trick only Alpha can do."
"Bulbasaur," said the Grass-type Pokémon proudly as he felt some of the energy from Magnemite flow into him.
"Now use Vine Whip!" Flinging two vines, Alpha grabbed Magnemite by its magnets.
"M-Magnemite! Thundershock!" Surge exclaimed, snapping out of his stupor. Electricity ran along the vines, zapping Alpha.
"Alpha, don't let go!" Ash yells.
Alpha cringed as he stood his ground, letting the electricity course through his vines like a wire. Then his eyes sharpened as he gave a determined roar of adrenaline. "BULBA-SAUR!" He started swinging Magnemite around and around.
"Mag! Mag! Mag!" Magnemite screams before Alpha lets go, sending it smashing into the wall. "Mite," it groans with swirly eyes.
"Magnemite is unable to battle! Bulbasaur wins!" the referee announces.
"You did it, Alpha!" Ash cheered. "Way to go!"
Alpha smiles proudly and says, "Saur! Bulbasaur!"
"Guess he showed Surge who the Alpha of this match really is." Brock said, making a pun.
"Now Surge has only one Pokémon left," Misty grinned.
Brock said, "Ash is handling this a lot better than we thought he would."
Surge recalled Magnemite. "Nice job there, cadet," he said before looking at Ash. "Well, gotta say, you're doing better than I originally thought."
"Hmph, does that mean I'm promoted and no longer considered a baby?" Ash smirked.
"That's only if you can beat my last Pokémon," Surge grinned, not ready to admit defeat in the slightest.
"Bring it on," Ash said, ready for action as Alpha stood strong.
Surge grinned at him, "And THAT'S what they all say before they're nothing, just babbling and bawling!" He pulled out his Pokeball and released it. "Go!" The ball hit the ground with great force and opened up, revealing a figure that made Ash freeze up.
Ahead of Surge stood a rodent-like Pokémon with orange fur, sporting two strips of brown fur on its back. It had long ears and feet, but possessed short, stubby arms lacking any discernible fingers, while it bore yellow dots on either side of its face. Its tail, meanwhile, was long and thin, culminating in a sharp, lightning-bolt-shaped tip.
"Raichu," it shouted.
"A Raichu?" Ash shuddered as he slowly took his PokéDex out for the final time.
"Raichu, a Mouse Pokémon of the Electric element. Raichu is the evolved form of Pikachu. It can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious."
"Oh no..." Misty said, looking timidly at Ash.
Just seeing this Evolved Mouse Pokémon made Ash's blood boil as he showed signs of anger as he glared at the mouse, but just as he was getting angry, another memory hit his head.
Memories of that day flashed back to him; the shrieking of the Spearow, the pain of their sharp claws, and the moment when the yellow Pokémon turned its back on Ash and ran away.
"No...you traitor...not again..." he said as he got onto his knees.
Alpha turned to Ash, wondering why he wasn't calling for an attack.
"Uh oh, it looks like the baby is scared of Raichu," the ref said as he and the girl mocked him.
Surge however paused. The fear, the pain in his eyes. This wasn't a silly fear. This was a dark traumatic experience.
"Well, if the challenger doesn't do anything, he forfeits by default," the girl said, horrifying Brock and Misty.
"Ash, get up!" Brock called out.
Misty shouts, "You're gonna lose!" However, their cries are drowned out by Ash's huge explosion.
"Hey baby!!", Surge yelled, getting Ash's attention. "What happened to the kid who wanted to prove me wrong?! I thought you wanted to be a Pokémon Master! Well what kind of Master gets stumped by one Raichu?!"
"W-what?" Ash blinked.
"A real Pokémon Trainer fights with everything they have no matter who or what they're facing. If you give anything less than your best, then you really are a baby because no real trainer would ever back down in the middle of a battle. So tell me kid, are you a baby or not?" Surge calls out.
"RaiRaichu!!!" Raichu cried out, alongside him.
Pausing, Ash didn't want to admit but Surge was right. How could he call himself a trainer if he chickened out now?
The girl asks, "Is the challenger continuing or forfeiting?"
"Come on Ash! Get up!" He finally heard Misty and Brock calling out to him as he turned around to see them and Alpha staring at him.
Brock exclaimed, "You can do it!"
"If you lose by forfeit, I'll never let you live this down," Misty said.
Alpha walked up to him, lowering his vine to help him stand up with a look on his face saying, "If I can get over my problem, so can you."
Smiling softly, Ash mustered up every ounce of courage and stood tall.
"Absolutely not," Ash exclaims. "I'm not stopping now."
Surge grinned widely. "That's what I like to see. A fight to the bitter end. Now let's see what you can do!"
"The challenger continues the match! Let the battle commence!"
'That is not old my Pikachu. That is Surge's Pokémon, which means if I want to win, I have to take that Raichu down,' Ash thought.
When the bell rang, the match started, and both Pokémon charged at each other.
"Alpha, Sleep Powder!" Ash yelled. From Alpha's bulb, a blue powdery dust appeared in the air.
"Raichu Dig!" Burrowing underground, Raichu digs underneath the Sleep Powder before bursting out in front of Alpha.
Making both Ash and Alpha gasp at its sudden speed. "Now, Double Kick!" Surge shouts as Raichu punts Alpha up into the air.
Alpha cried out "Bulbasaur!" before Raichu jumped high and then sent its other foot right into his face, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Alpha, use Vine Whip!"
"Grab it!" As Vine Whip whips Raichu, the evolved Pokémon grabs the vines before they can pull back, making it a tug-of-war.
The trainers watched as their Pokémon pulled and growled. "Pull, Alpha!" Ash yelled.
"Come on Raichu, show these pipsqueaks why you're the king of this ring!" Surge shouts.
As both Pokémon pulled, it seemed like it was a tie, but suddenly the paralysis Alpha had received from Magnemite kicked in.
"Saur!" Alpha flinched, making him pause for a few seconds, giving Raichu the opening it needed.
"Thunder Punch!" Gripping the vines, Raichu reeled Alpha towards him as his right fist started to crackle with electricity.
"Raichu!!" Bringing it upwards while Alpha was within range, the mouse delivered an uppercut, sending the Bulbasaur flying.
"Alpha!!" Ash gasped in horror.
"Now Raichu, finish the little weed with a Thunderbolt!" Surge said.
As sparks emitted from his cheeks, Raichu released a super powerful electric attack that was much stronger than the Thundershocks he remembered Pikachu could do.
Alpha's eyes shrank in shock as he was unable to prevent the impending pain.
An explosion filled the air with smoke all around them as a burnt out Bulbasaur flopped onto the floor. "Alpha!" Ash runs to him and sees swirls in his eyes.
"Bulba..saur." He croaked out.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle, Raichu wins!"
Misty gasps, "That was powerful!"
"As if mustering up the strength to face it wasn't hard enough." Brock gulps.
"You did great, Alpha," Ash said as he returned it to its Poke Ball for a well-deserved rest.
"Well baby this is your last chance to prove me wrong. You better not start crying again." Surge said.
"Not a chance," Ash replied. "I'm not going to let you or your Raichu scare me away, Surge."
"Then prove it," Surge taunted.
"Quake, I choose you!" Throwing his Pokeball into the air, it opened revealing his ground type.
"Shrew!"
"Alright Quake, it's time to put all those lessons we learned from A.J. into practice and win this," Ash said supportively.
"Sandshrew Sand," Quake nodded.
Ground type? Well, looks like we'll have to do this the fun way, Raichu." Surge grinned.
"Rai." Raichu said, pounding its hands together.
"Let the final round begin!" The ref shouts as the bell dinged for the last time.
"Let's go, Quake! Use Rollout!" Ash shouted. Quickly shifting into a ball, Quake rolled towards Raichu.
"Time to have a ball, Raichu! Double Kick!" Surge shouts. Swinging his foot, Raichu kicks Quake like a Soccer ball.
"Recover your ground," Ash said.
Quake jumps back, landing feet first on the ground.
"Now, Earthquake!" Quake jumped into the air, and when he landed on the ground, the entire arena began to shake.
"Rai." Wobbling Raichu struggled to maintain its balance.
"Now Gyro Ball!" Ash said. Quake's hands glowed light blue and it began spinning rapidly, surrounded by a light-blue ring, creating a more powerful version of Rollout as it rammed into Raichu's stomach.
"Stand your ground! Mega Punch!" Slamming its foot down, Raichu pushed back against Quake.
Raichu glows and punches upward, knocking Quake away.
"Now use Iron Tail, Raichu!" Raichu's tail glowed white as he ran towards Quake.
"Dodge it!" Ash said. Burrowing underground, Quake narrowly avoided it.
"Follow it!" Raichu used Dig and went underground.
The sounds of clashing echoed through the holes; no one could truly see who had the upper hand.
Ash and Surge both stayed silent as they shifted their eyes around the field, looking around and feeling the tension of the battle beneath them.
Suddenly, both their eyes sharpened and both their Pokémon burst out of the ground.
"Rai!" Raichu landed on its side with Surge.
"Sand!" Quake exclaimed as he landed near Ash.
"Despite his size, Quake is really keeping up with Surge's Raichu in terms of speed and power," Misty gawked.
"Yeah, but for how long?" Brock asked with a stern look on his face.
Ash looked at the tiny Mouse Pokémon and asked, "Quake, how are you holding up?"
"Shrew Sand." Quake pants refusing to back down just yet.
"Raichu?" Surge calls out.
"Chu... chu," Raichu panted, indicating that it hadn't even broken a sweat.
"That's what I like to hear." Surge grins.
Ash muttered to himself, "Raichu is good. Even at a disadvantage, it's still kicking our butts. How am I supposed to slow it down?"
Brock called out, "Ash, you need to realize that Raichu is not a Pikachu."
"You think I don't see that?" Ash asks.
"No, I mean think about it. Really think." Brock hints.
Ash frowned with a raised eyebrow. "Think about it?" He looked at the Raichu in question. 'Raichu isn't a Pikachu,' he thought. 'That's obvious, but what does he mean?'
Raichu could do all the things Pikachu could do. Plus more. Its attacks were super powerful and it had a pretty decent defense...wait a minute!
'Of course! It's speed!' Ash realized.
"Hope you're not flinching again baby, cuz if you won't, WE will!" Surge boomed. "Raichu, end this with a Body Slam!"
"Rai!!" Raichu leaped high into the air, aiming at Quake, ready to flatten him like a pancake.
"Quick! Use Agility!" Ash shouts.
At the very last moment, Quake leaped out of harm's way as Raichu flopped onto the ground, narrowly missing its target.
Quickly dashing in, Quake began running circles around Raichu.
"Rai? Rai?" Turning around, Raichu struggled to keep up with him.
"H-hey, what's all this?" Even Surge was puzzled. "Raichu, don't just stand there! Stop it with a Thunderbolt!"
Raichu sparked up and shot out electricity in an attempt to trip Quake, but he moved so quickly that it seemed like he had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Whoa that was close." Misty said.
"Not even. Ash figured it out." Brock smiles. "When a Pikachu evolves into Raichu it loses its trademark speed in favor of more powerful attacks. Surge's Raichu is so powerful it lost all the abilities you can only have in the Pikachu stage."
"Keep using Agility, Quake! Confuse, and then conquer!" Ash grinned. As Quake increased his speed, Raichu began to become dizzy.
"Gyro Ball!" Curling into a glowing ball, Quake shot at Raichu like a stroke of lightning.
"Chu!" He cried in pain, being knocked back. "Chu!"
"Raichu, don't just stand there! Fight back!"
Raichu grew desperate and tried using every move in his arsenal, but because of his measured body, it couldn't keep up or land a single hit on the little armadillo.
"Now Rollout!" Jumping into the air, Quake spun forward and rammed into Raichu from above. Quake then flipped off of Raichu's face, revealing a circle-shaped print on its face.
Raichu groaned with dizzy eyes. Finally, he fell over, defeated.
"Raichu!!" Surge shouts.
Even Lt. Surge's associates were shocked by the outcome. Regaining her composure, the girl had a job to finish.
"R-Raichu is unable to battle, Sandshrew wins! With all 3 of Lt. Surge's Pokémon defeated, the victory of the Vermilion Gym Battle goes to the challenger, Ash!!"
"W-We did it!" Ash cheers.
"Shrew Sandshrew!" Quake smiled, pumping his arms in victory.
"They did it!" Misty smiles as Brock nodded.
"Well done, everyone," he said with a smile.
"Way to go Ash. You're no baby." Surge smiles.
"Thanks Surge, but I have to ask why did you help me back there when I was scared?" Ash asked.
"You think I don't know what PTSD looks like? That cold feeling coursing through your body, the overwhelming fear of reliving the worst moments of your life, and the desire to just block everything out. Sound familiar?" Surge asked.
Ash blinked in shock. "Wow, that's exactly how I feel. How did you know?"
"Didn't you hear? Before I took the job as a Gym Leader stationed here, I used to be in the army back in my heyday." Surge admits. "I wasn't called 'Lieutenant' Surge all for nothing."
Ash recalled, Brock had mentioned that earlier before they entered the building.
"Look Ash, it's none of my business and you don't have to tell me why, but take it from me. This stuff doesn't just go away on its own. You're going to need to find your own way to deal with this," Surge advises.
"My own way?" Ash asked.
"I've seen a lot of former soldiers deal with this sort of thing, you aren't the only one who fell victim to the state of trauma," Surge continued. "In their own way, some managed to overcome whatever was making them go near the brink of insanity, while some weren't so lucky... and a kid like you shouldn't have to be like the latter."
Ash asks, "How do I do that?"
"Sorry Ash, that's for you to figure out, but I can give you something else," Reaching into his vest, Surge pulled out an orange and yellow badge shaped like the sun. "A Thunder Badge."
Taking it, Ash looked at it as it shone from the reflection of the sun in the mirror. "Thank you, Surge," he said with a soft smile.
"And here's a little something for this little fighter," he says as he bends down and pulls out a set of dog tags for Quake.
"Shrew?" Quake asked in surprise, "For me?"
"These are reserved for only the toughest Pokémon, and beating my Raichu is definitely proof of that," Surge says as he nods.
Quake felt Raichu pat him on the back, with a nod. "Raichu."
Smiling softly, Quake put the dog tag around his neck and admired it.
Ash smiles down at him. "Look at you little guy, wait until we meet up with A.J. again. We'll show him we're better than how we were before."
"Shrew!" Quake nodded, waiting for that day to arrive.
After an electrifying battle and a shocking trauma, Ash is one gym badge closer to competing in the Pokémon League, but will he be able to overcome this trauma and succeed? We'll just have to wait and see.
Party Data:
Ash: Fearow (Talon), Magikarp (Mystic),Bulbasaur (Alpha), Charmander (Torch) , Beedrill (Videl), Sandshrew(Quake), and Egg
Oak's lab: Meowth (Bastet), Ekans (Naga), Squirtle (Shades) and Krabby (Crush)
Sent to his mother: Pidgeotto and Clefable
Misty:Staryu, Goldeen, Starmie, Seel and Oddish
Brock:Geodude, Onix, Zubat and Paras