Disclaimer: I do not own anything, I make no money or profit from this.
Chapter 30: Vermilion City Gym Battle Lynn vs Lt. Surge
Lynn walked down to face Lt. Surge, while giving Ronnie Anne a pat on the back as they passed. Ronnie Anne took a seat beside Clyde while they waited for Lynn's match to begin. "You're really starting to get the hang of strategizing while in battle" Clyde complemented. "You knew Venoshock did more damage when its opponent was poisoned."
"Wait it does?!" Ronnie Anne replied in complete shock and surprise. "I just used it since it seemed like a strong attack." Her companion could only look at her dumbfounded, thinking Surge might've been partly right about her being lucky. "Well it doesn't matter, I won and now I get to see Lynn thrash that meathead." Clyde nodded in agreement with this.
Soon Lynn and Surge were in position and the referee started speaking. "This is an official match between Lieutenant Surge of Vermilion City Gym and Lynn Loud Jr. from Royal Woods." The referee shouted, their voice loud and clear. "Both trainers will be able to use three Pokemon, with only the challenger being able to switch out Pokemon. The battle is over when all of someone's Pokemon is unable to battle or one forfeits. The match begins now."
"I've been waiting for this match" Surge started saying, his smirk growing even more. "Ever since your brother walked into my gym, I've been waiting for you to walk through those doors. I knew sooner or later you would. I was hoping it would be for your eighth badge, but this will do. Let's put on a good show for the audience. The match between Vermilion's Lightning American and Royal Woods Fighting American!"
"LIGHTNING AMERICAN?!" Both younger trainers watching screamed out in disbelief and confusion.
"What does he mean by Lightning American?!" Ronnie Anne asked no one. "Clyde, do you know anything about this?"
"No, nothing" he replied while vigorously shaking his head. "Why is he called that? There is no America here, so it makes no sense?!" Clyde then started to think of a possible reason, when a possibility came up. "Unless…" he muttered quietly. He didn't continue, but it was a possibility. He then shook his head, no point in thinking about it right now to focus on the match.
"Let's start with Galvantula!" Surge shouted, releasing a yellow furry spider.
"You're up Hariyama!" Lynn shouted, releasing the large humanoid Pokemon. "Let's start with Bulk Up and then Focus Energy!" Hariyama glowed twice, raising his strength.
"Hit it with Electro Ball and then Wild Charge!" The EleSpider created a small ball of electricity and threw it at its opponent. The attack hit and then it coated its body with electricity and charged into Hariyama, taking some damage from the attack.
"Now use Belly Drum and follow it up with Drain Punch!" He then started banging on his belly.
"Try to finish this with Giga Impact!" Surge ordered urgently, knowing what his opponent was planning. Galvantula glowed and charged forward. Unfortunately just as it was about to hit, Hariyama got off his Drain Punch. The 2 attacks collided making an explosion, sending Galvantula across the battlefield. Hariyama was very damaged, but still standing. Galvantula was knocked unconscious.
"Galvantula is unable to battle," the referee announced. "The winner is Hariyama." Surge called back his Pokemon, his smirk became a smile. Lynn let out a small cheer and complemented her Pokemon, while her students were cheering at her victory.
"Not quite what I was expecting, but that was just a warm-up" Surge said to his young challenger. "I hope to see some of the Lynnsanity I've seen in other leagues."
"Hard to say, I've changed a lot since I first started," Lynn replied. "But I'm curious, why are you called the Lightning American? From my travels throughout this world with my brother, there is no America. There are places that are similar to US states, but they are all separate regions and aren't under the same government. So where did your name come from?"
"I figured you or your brother would be the one to ask me that" He replied with loud laughter. "I gave myself that nickname, because I'm an American just like you." This got shocked expressions from all 3 younger trainers. "I guess I need to explain, I was born in New York City in 1925. When I was ten years old, The Great War had ended a few years ago and things were hard for everyone."
"Is he talking about World War 1 and The Great Depression?" Ronnie Anne whispered to Clyde.
"I think so, but that still doesn't make sense," he replied.
"I was getting ready to start working to support my family, when I was transported to this world" he continued his story. "I found myself in Nimbasa City in Unova. For six years I lived in Unova learning about this new world and becoming a Pokemon trainer. When I was sixteen, I volunteered to join a mission to come to Kanto. They needed trainers to come help the people of Kanto fight a war against the terrorist organization known as Team Rocket, who were running rampant through the region at the time. During my time in the war, I rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant. The war lasted five and we succeeded in winning the war, pushing Team Rocket to the shadows. During that time, Electric Type Pokemon saved my life numerous times. While Team Rocket cells are still around, they are nowhere near as strong as they were back then. After the war I stayed in Kanto, started training with Electric Types, and became Vermilion's Gym Leader while calling myself the Lightning American."
"Wait! The timeline doesn't make sense?" Clyde shouted, standing up from his seat. "You were sent to this world back in 1934 or 1935. However, you should be 85 years old, which you're obviously not!"
"Really? 85 years old?" He muttered, while scratching his chin. "So the current year is 2020 back home then. Well I don't know what to tell ya, I've only been here for 29 years."
After hearing that, Clyde sat back down to ponder what he just learned. "Do you know how that is possible?" Ronnie Anne asked him. Clyde could only shake his head negatively
"Well I think that's enough reminiscing," Surge commented, focusing back on the match. "Let's continue the battle, you up Toxtricity!" He then sent out a purple and blue bipedal reptile.
This snapped Lynn back to reality. "You've done enough Hariyama," she said, calling him back to his pokeball. "Let's go Lucario!" She then sent out the Aura Pokemon. "Start things with Bulk Up and Sword Dance!"
"Hit with Thunder and then follow up with Boomburst!" The Punk Pokemon nodded in understanding, launching the familiar bolt of lightning at its opponent. Lucario managed to dodge it, but was then hit by the sound wave from its Boomburst.
"Let's go on the offensive and use Bone Rush!" Lucario created a bone out of aura energy and charged towards her opponent.
"Counter with Fire Punch!" Toxtricity's fist was covered in flames and waited for its opponent to come closer. Once both were in range, they started striking one another with their attacks.
"Push it back with Bulldoze!" Lucario glowed with brown energy before slamming into her opponent, pushing it back.
"Hit it with Overdrive!" Toxtricity then started to strum its belly like a guitar, making a massive sound wave sending Lucario flying back. "Now crush it with Brick Break!" It ran towards Lucario, who was getting back to her feet.
"Finish it with Earthquake!" Lucario glowed brown before starting to stomp the ground. This caused the battlefield to shake, making Toxtricity to fall and eventually be knocked out.
"Toxtricity is unable to battle," the referee announced. "The winner is Lucario." Lynn again let out a small cheer while thanking Lucario, with her students cheering. Surge recalled his Pokemon and let out another loud laughter.
"Well your Pokemon certainly are scrappy and tough" he complemented, after he finished laughing. "From what I've seen, you certainly do deserve the nickname Fighting American." He then let out another round of friendly laughter.
"Thank you, and you certainly live up to being called the Lightning American" Lynn complemented back.
The 2 trainers started laughing together, as if they had been friends for a long time. "Is it just me, or is he treating Lynn differently than he did us?" Ronnie Anne asked. She had a slightly annoyed expression and one of her eyes was twitching.
"No this is definitely different" Clyde replied, with a similar expression on his face. He was also wondering why Surge's attitude changed when he was against Lynn.
"Well, here is your last test" the Gym Leader said after finishing laughing. "You're up Raichu!" He shouted releasing said Pokemon. Only this one was different then the other Raichus he used in the past battles. It was a Kanto Raichu, but this one was twice or three times bigger than the others. "This was the Pokemon that saved me in the war all those years ago. He's been with me through it all and stayed by my side after the war."
"Okay, that's one big Raichu," Lynn replied in shock. "Come back Lucario, you deserve a rest" she called her Pokemon and got ready to send her next one. "Let's finish it, Pangoro!" The Daunting Pokemon came out with a roar. "Start with Sword Dance!" Pangoro started to glow.
"Hit with Thunder while it's powering up!" Raichu nodded and shot the massive lightning bolt, hitting its opponent.
"You've taken worst Pangoro, hit it with Darkest Lariat!" His arm glowed with a dark energy and he charged towards his opponent.
"Wait for it to get close and use Hyper Beam!" Raichu waited while charging its attack. Pangoro managed to hit Raichu a bit with his attack, before getting hit with the Hyper Beam. The attack created an explosion sending both Pokemon flying backwards.
"I know you're on your last leg, so let's go big!" Lynn said to her Pokemon. "Use Close Combat!" The Daunting Pokemon let a war cry roar and ran to his opponent.
"End this with Giga Impact!" Surge ordered, already knowing the outcome. "Let's go down fighting!" Raichu glowed a familiar glow and charged. The attacks met and another explosion happened, creating a cloud of smoke. Pangoro fell out of it unconscious, with Raichu still standing. The Mouse Pokemon gave a smug smirk, before fainting as well.
"Both Pokemon are unable to battle" the referee announced while holding their hand on Lynn's side up in the air. "With Lynn still having two Pokemon, that means she has won the match." Ronnie Anne and Clyde stood cheering, while Lynn went to her Pokemon. She thanked him and encouraged him before sending him back to his ball. Surge thanked his Raichu as he called it back and made his way to his opponent.
"You got a soldier spirit in you, that's for sure" Surge complemented with a smile. "I would've been honored to have you as one of my soldiers during the war. So with your win here, I'm proud to award you Thunder Badge." He then handed her a badge with an orange core surrounded with yellow looking almost like a sun.
"Thanks," She replied, taking the badge from him. "I kinda wish I could've done a full team match against you, but I still had fun."
"You and I both" he said with joyous laughter at the end. By now Lynn's 2 students had come down to join her. Both of them were still giving the man annoyed glares. "So where are you three planning to go next?"
"Right now we don't have any plans," Lynn replied, then gestured to her students. "It's almost Christmas back home, so I gotta get these two home for the holiday. So we're going to stay here in Vermilion for the next couple of days. There are teleporters here in Vermilion, so it just makes things easier for us."
"Christmas huh," the blonde Gym Leader replied, scratching his chin. He was trying to remember his Christmases before he was brought here, as well as how much they must've changed since then. "Well then, Merry Christmas and I wish you all a happy holiday."
"Yeah, sure," Ronnie Anne replied rudely. Clyde didn't respond, just continued his glaring.
"I think it's time to tell them about the test Lieutenant," Lynn told the man with a sigh. This got both of her students looking at her quizzically.
"Yeah, I suppose I should," he replied with an apologetic chuckle. Both younger trainers then looked at the gym leader. "You see, I put all new trainers through a test when they challenge me. I will insult, ridicule, and talk down to them throughout the match. I will purposely anger, rile them up, and get under their skin."
"Why would you do that?!" Clyde screamed. Now he was angry and confused as to why he would do such a thing.
"To see if they can even handle being trainers," Surge replied with a serious expression. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you how some trainers act out there." All 3 younger trainers nodded their heads, understanding what he was talking about. "Unfortunately, they will run into someone like that sooner or later. Depending on how sensitive they are, it could end badly. I am trying to get them prepared for that, since there's nothing I can do about those trainers. I will always explain everything, apologize, and give them advice after the match, regardless whether they won or lost. Some might call what I do wrong, but I do care for everyone who challenges me. My challengers can hate me all they want, but if what I do can help someone then I don't care."
Both youngest trainers' glares had stopped and were changed to looks of shock and awe. They thought he was just being a jerk and looking down on them. Now they learned he had a reason for his actions. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, I was being rude to you thinking you were a jerk" Clyde apologized, with his head down.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too" Ronnie Anne apologized as well. "I thought you just enjoyed looking down on people."
"Hey don't worry about it" Surge replied with a joyous chuckle. "I do sometimes go a little too far and I should apologize as well. However I mean it when I say if you continue to train, you two will be strong trainers like your teacher. Now go out there and make your families back home proud." He then saluted them. The 3 trainers returned the gesture before leaving, with Clyde and Ronnie Anne doing it more clumsy.
"So there's a way to get back home in this city?" Ronnie Anne asked, once they were outside.
"Yeah, they have transporters here," Lynn replied. "Vermilion is a big tourist destination since the luxury cruise ship stop here. So get comfortable here since we're going to be here till we leave. Now let's go book a room at the pokecenter." Both her students agreed and now were excited not just for the holiday, but also getting to see their families again.