Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 38: Electric Shock Showdown (Part 1)
The next morning,
Lincoln and friends had just exited the other end of the Underground Path, and were once again making their way to their next destination, Vermillion City, "So, how much further is it?" Lincoln asked.
"Not too much further. We should see the gates in about 10 minutes," Brock replied.
"Someone certainly is excited to get to Vermillion City," Misty commented.
"Well, can you blame me? This is my chance to earn my third Gym Badge. Speaking of which, what can the two of you tell me about the Gym Leader here?" Lincoln asked.
"Well, I've heard that Gym Leader goes by the name Lieutenant Surge. Based on his name, you can easily tell that he's an Electric Type Pokemon Trainer," Misty replied. Pikachu perked up upon hearing about an Electric Type Gym Leader.
"Is that so? Lincoln, I want to be one of the Pokemon you use for the battle," Pikachu requested.
"We'll see when we get there. So, is there anything else you can tell me? Based on his name, I can assume that he served in the army at some point," Lincoln asked.
"Well, you're right about that. I've heard that he's served in the military at some point. And there's one more thing that I think you'll be interested to know about him," Misty said.
"What's that then?" Lincoln asked.
"The Lieutenant is an American, just like you," Misty replied. Lincoln was very surprised.
"Another American trainer like me?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep. They call him the 'Lightning American'," Brock replied.
"Hmm, maybe I should look into making a nickname for myself," Misty pondered.
"What, like the 'Tomboy Mermaid'?" Brock joked, only to get a glare from Misty.
"So, are there any other trainers from America like me?" Lincoln asked.
"As far as I know, I haven't heard of any other. American Trainers in one of the Japanese Regions are pretty scarce. Most trainers from America usually go to like the Unova region from what I've heard, since it's so close," Brock replied.
"Wait, there are regions in the US?" Lincoln asked.
"From what we've heard, there are three different ones; Unova, Alola, and Orre. Unova has what many regions have, you know, Gyms, Pokemon League, the Elite Four and Champion. I don't think I've heard of a Pokemon League being set up in the Alola region, but it is still worth checking out. As for the Orre Region, well… you'd be better off avoiding that place like the plague. Heard some nasty rumors about it," Misty replied.
"So, how many regions are there?" Lincoln asked.
"Well, there are four near Japan, those being Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Johto, the three we mentioned that are in America, and there are three over in Europe, those being Kalos, Galar, and Paldea," Brock replied.
"Interesting," Lincoln commented, "So, how much further is it to Vermillion City? It shouldn't be too much further by now, right?"
"That's right. In fact, we should be at the gates right about…" Brock said, as they looked up to see an archway gate with a sign that said "Welcome to Vermillion City – The Port of Exquisite Sunsets" on it. Beyond it was a massive, comely-looking port town, "… Now."
"Whoa, this place is beautiful. Royal Woods has nothing on this," Lincoln commented, awestruck at what he was witnessing.
"I know, right? Of course, I will always prefer Cerulean City over anywhere else, but this is still quite the sight to behold," Misty replied.
"Well, first things first, we need to hit up the Pokemon Center. We're running low on supplies," Brock commented.
"Good idea. And I need to swap out some of my Pokemon," Lincoln replied.
"And when that's all said and done, we can do some sightseeing," Misty declared. This caused Lincoln to look at her with a bewildered expression.
"What?! No! We're heading straight to the gym afterwards! I can't afford to let myself fall behind the others!" Lincoln dismissed.
"Aw c'mon Lincoln, you're bound to be leaving out of here with your third badge anyway. Why not just slow down and relax?" Misty suggested.
"No, Lincoln does have a point. After all, work before pleasure," Brock replied.
"Aw, no fair!" Misty whined.
"I tell you what… I'll buy you a double scoop ice cream cone after my gym battle," Lincoln haggled. Misty then perked up.
"Now that's a deal!" Misty agreed.
"Any chance I can get in on that?" Pikachu asked.
"We'll see," Lincoln replied, as Kirlia then popped out of her Pokeball.
"Me too, Mr. Lincoln!" she pleaded, eyes sparkling and with a blush.
"Ooh boy, this may be quite the mess. Alright, after my battle, we'll see about an ice cream parlor," Lincoln replied.
"YAY!" both of his Pokemon cheered. Lincoln couldn't help but smile at the shenanigans of the two. He then recalled Kirlia, and the group continued into the city. Once they were on the streets, Lincoln immediately saw a large building with lightning bolt motifs on it. At the entrance, there were some people in military attire.
"I take it that's the Gym?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep. We'll head over once we're done at the Pokemon Center," Brock replied, as they continued to their first stop. Nearby, some familiar figures saw the trio.
Meanwhile, at Professor Oak's Lab,
Professor Oak was sitting in his office, taking care of one his most hated tasks as a Pokemon Professor: Paperwork. Though he knew it was a vital part of his profession, it didn't mean that he liked it, "I'll never understand why my job has to come with so much paperwork," he grumbled. Just then, a knock was heard from his door, "Come in!" the door opened, revealing one of his assistants.
"Sorry to bother you, Professor, but I have an update regarding one of your sponsors, namely your grandson," the assistant replied.
"Oh? And what has Gary been up to since I talked to him last?" Professor Oak asked.
"Well, he just called from the Celadon City Pokemon Center. He's just finished his Gym Battle with Erika, and earned the Rainbow Badge, which puts his badge total up to four," the assistant replied.
"I see. Most impressive," Professor Oak nodded.
"He had also sent over some of the new Pokemon he just caught in that area. That brings his total up to at least 50," the assistant added.
"That many in such a short amount of time? That boy has to slow it down with the catches, otherwise, we won't be able to support the rest of the Pokemon we have here," Professor Oak groaned. As proud as he was with his grandson's progress, he was finding it hard to maintain the food supply they had the lab. It was situations like this that he was grateful the grant from the Pokemon League, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to feed the Pokemon staying there, 'At least the others aren't too catch happy as Gary is. I doubt my aides or myself for that matter could handle that many Pokemon at once,' the professor thought, as his thoughts went straight to the other three trainers he was sponsoring.
The last he heard from Red, he had just earned the Thunder Badge, and was making his way to Celadon City. He had called from the Pokemon Center near the Rock Tunnel. Leaf, on the other hand, had earned the Thunder Badge too, but was electing to take a few days off from traveling and stay in Vermillion City, saying she wanted to check out the St. Anne. As for Lincoln, the professor had not heard from him since the last call he made from the town nearest Cerulean Cape, and that was a few days ago, 'As sure I am that he's doing alright, I do hope Mr. Loud calls soon to check in,' he thought. Just then, a knock was heard from the door, as another aide came in.
"Sorry to interrupt, Professor, but you have a call on the Videophone," he informed.
"Oh? And who might I ask is calling?" Professor Oak asked.
"It's Lincoln Loud, sir. He's calling from the Vermillion City Pokemon Center," the aide replied.
"Very well. I'll be right there," Professor Oak replied, getting up from his seat, relieved that he could take a break from the paperwork he had to deal with. He made his way into the next room, where he saw Lincoln on the videophone screen, "Ah, hello Mr. Loud. I see that you've arrived in Vermillion City, safe and sound," he greeted.
"Hello Professor. Yes, we've managed to get here with relatively no problems," Lincoln replied.
"That's good to hear. So, what all has happened since the last time we talked?"
"Well, we had made it to the Cerulean Cape and enjoyed our day at the beach, as well as making some new friends while there. I even managed to catch, I think they were called 'Regional Variant' forms, of Meowth, one from the Alola Region, and the other from the Galar Region," Lincoln replied.
"My word, that's quite a rarity! How on earth did they wind up there?" Professor Oak asked.
"From what the Galarian Meowth told me, both he and the Alolan Meowth had been sailing on a raft for months, looking for new opponents to battle," Lincoln replied.
"Well, such an odyssey is quite the venture, especially just for battling," Professor Oak asked.
"Tell me about it. Anyhow, after we had some fun on the beach, we went up to Bill's Lighthouse, where he told us about how there are more 900 different known species of Pokemon, including extinct evolutions," Lincoln continued.
"Yes, I have heard stories that some Pokemon used to be able to evolve, but are no longer able to, and some of them have forms that no longer exist in the modern world," Professor Oak replied.
"It was pretty cool learning about such a phenomenon. Anyhow, after we had a little dinner party, Bill and the rest of us met up with a humungous Dragonite, and I'm talking HUGE! Like, the lighthouse looked like a toy playset in comparison," Lincoln explained.
"I have heard of Pokemon growing to enormous proportions in the Galar Region, but never of anything outside of it," Professor Oak replied, intrigued by what Lincoln was telling him.
"Bill said the same thing. And things were going so smoothly until Team Rocket showed up and nearly drove off the Dragonite in an attempt to catch it," Lincoln continued.
"Hmm, Team Rocket has been a lot more active as of recently according to news reports. I strongly urge you to exercise caution during your travels, Mr. Loud," Professor Oak warned.
"Don't worry. I always try to avoid trouble like the kind Team Rocket brings like the plague," Lincoln replied.
"Good man. So, have you managed to challenge the Vermillion City gym yet?" Professor Oak asked.
"Not yet. I'm fixing to head over there after this call," Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, very good. Just be sure to stay alert. Surge is very strong. I'd suggest adding either your Sandshrew or Trapinch to your team, since Ground Pokemon are strong in terms of defense against Electric attacks," Professor Oak replied.
"I will Professor. I'll let you off now," Lincoln replied.
"Just one more thing, Mr. Loud. Do you intend to call your family after your battle?" Professor Oak asked. Lincoln visibly tensed up. The professor couldn't blame him after what Lincoln had told him during their previous call, "I ask because your mother and sisters expressed a very keen interest in hearing from you again."
"I don't know Professor. I guess after what happened with the Cerulean City call, I think it may be a bit awkward after what happened," Lincoln replied.
"I understand, but I recently spoke with your family, mostly to ask about your friends and their Trainer Exams, and they have expressed a desire to hear from you again. And, according to Lisa, she had set up measures to ensure a repeat never happens again."
"Well, I guess I can try," Lincoln replied.
"Very good. Well, I'll let you off now. And I hope to hear about your endeavors," Professor Oak replied, as he hung up.
In the Vermillion City Pokemon Center lobby,
While Lincoln was waiting for his team to finish healing, he was busy going over his strategy for when he takes on the Lieutenant, "So, come up with any good plans yet?" the voice of Misty asked, as she and Brock joined their white-haired companion.
"Well, most likely Surge will set the rules to be three-on-three. The Professor suggested I use Ground Types like Andrea and Spirit, since they're both immune to Electric Attacks, but I'm leaning more towards having Andrea be a part of the battle since it's been a while since she's seen some action. Pikachu already voiced his desire to be apart of the match, which leaves just one more spot. I'm trying to figure out who I want to fill in the last spot," Lincoln replied.
"Well, you can always look up the various Electric Type Pokemon that were originally discovered in Kanto," another familiar voice said. The three turned to see a familiar face in the form of Raigo, "Long time no see."
"Hey there, Raigo! We haven't seen you for quite a while!" Lincoln greeted.
"Don't forget about me!" a girl's voice said, as Leaf appeared from behind a pillar.
"Leaf! I think the last we saw you was in Viridian City," Lincoln exclaimed.
"Yep. Good see some familiar faces," Leaf commented.
"And you're right about one thing, Lincoln. Surge has his gym set at three-on-three," Raigo added.
"So, I guess that means you already won your Thunder Badge?" Lincoln asked.
"Right on! Though Surge did make me work for it," Raigo replied, showing his badge case, which had five badges, the three he had when travelling with Lincoln and company, the Thunder Badge, and one that looked like a flower with rainbow colored petals.
"Whoa, you've got five badges already?" Lincoln asked.
"Yep. I stopped off in Celadon City to challenge the Grass Type gym there. The Gym Leader there was tough too," Raigo replied.
"And Surge was my third gym battle. Even if he was battling with a three-badge team, he was really strong. We just barely pulled off our own victory," Leaf commented.
"Looks like I should look into training up the Pokemon I want to use. You guys know if there's a Battle Club here in Vermillion City?" Lincoln asked.
"Indeed, there is. I'll take you there once you've settled on your team," Raigo replied.
"Right! Which reminds me," Lincoln said, as he pulled out his Pokedex, "Dexter, can you tell me what Electric Type Pokemon can be found in Kanto?"
"Certainly. One moment… In the Kanto Region, there are a total of twelve Electric Type Pokemon species in the Kanto Region: Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu, Magnemite, Magneton, Magnezone, Voltorb, Electrode, Elekid, Electabuzz, Electivire, and Jolteon. There have been reports of the Legendary Pokemon Zapdos being reported, but those have been declared inconclusive. Apart from Zapdos and the Magnemite line, all Electric Type Pokemon are Pure Electric Types. The Magnemite line have Steel Typing, and Zapdos is also a Flying Type," Dexter explained.
"In that case, my last choice will be Inferna, just in case I have to battle a Steel Type," Lincoln declared, just as the Pokemon Center chime went off.
"Lincoln? I'm happy to report that your Pokemon are all back in perfect health," Nurse Joy said, returning Lincoln's Pokemon to him.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Lincoln replied, just as the front doors to the center opened, and an angry looking boy, with an equally irate Growlithe stormed in.
"Stupid electric puzzle! What kind of a gym leader lets some dumb puzzle decide who battles him and who doesn't?!" the boy said, marching up to the front counter, "Nurse Joy, I need a room for the day."
"Again? Young man, this is the sixth time this week! There are other people in need of our rooms too, you know?" Nurse Joy questioned.
"Well blame Surge and that stupid puzzle of his! If it weren't for that, I would've had my Thunder Badge by now!" the boy complained, as his Growlithe growled in irritation as well.
"What's this about a puzzle?" Lincoln asked, sounding perplexed.
"It's part of some stupid 'test of character' they have. But nothing I try can even make a dent in the damn thing! Who's idea was it to even come up with these stupid tests of character anyways?! I don't care about those things! I just want my eight badges!" the boy exclaimed, still quite irritable. Misty then pulled Lincoln off to the side.
"This is why we have the tests of characters. To prevent trainers like him from making it to the Pokemon League and making the rest of us look bad," she whispered.
"Well, why not challenge one of the other gyms around Kanto? There are plenty others," Nurse Joy suggested.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Who even needs the Thunder Badge anyway?" the boy replied, as he and his Growlithe left.
"So, how many gyms are there in Kanto?" Lincoln asked.
"I lost track a while back, but there's just enough to where everyone can have an equal opportunity to qualify for the Pokemon League," Brock replied.
"There are the ones in Pewter City and Cerulean City, as you already know from your two badges, as well as the one here in Vermillion City" Misty added.
"There are gyms on Cinnibar Island and in Fushia City, which is where I got the two badges I had when I met you guys, as well as the one in Celadon City," Raigo added.
"I know there's a Gym at Maidens Peak, and one on Porta Vista," Nurse Joy chimed in.
"So really, there's no shortage of the gyms you can challenge," Leaf pointed out.
"Well, I suppose I can challenge any Gyms that we come across," Lincoln contemplated.
"Correct. But for now, just focus on the Vermillion Gym, then we can go from there," Brock suggested.
"But I think I heard the Lieutenant say he had to run some errands in town, and wouldn't be back for about two hours," Raigo pointed out.
"Great! That gives me more than enough time to train up my team so that we're ready to take him on," Lincoln said.
"In the meantime, I'll take Brock and Misty around town to do some sightseeing," Leaf added. Both trainers looked very interested in the idea.
"I'll join up with you guys once I show Lincoln to the Battle Club," Raigo said.
"Looks like we've all got a plan. Let's meet up at the Gym in two hours," Lincoln suggested.
"Sounds good. So, I'm guessing that ice cream is still up for grabs?" Misty asked.
"Eh, why not?" Lincoln shrugged, as they all left the Pokemon Center.
Later, at the Vermillion City Battle Club,
Lincoln and Raigo had just arrived at the Battle Club, "Alright, you should know the drill by now. Just head in, flash your member badge, and Don George will help train you up," Raigo informed.
"Wait, did Don George transfer from Pewter City?" Lincoln asked. Raigo couldn't help but laugh.
"Nah man, Don George is a lot like Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. He's got family all around the region, and they all are completely identical," Raigo replied.
"I see," Lincoln replied, wondering if there were any more people like those three around the region.
"Well, I'll leave you to do your training. See you at the gym," Raigo said, before taking off.
"Alright Pikachu, lets get to it then," Lincoln said to his partner.
"Right behind you," Pikachu replied, as they entered. Lincoln made his way to the front desk, and flashed his member ID.
"Welcome, Mr. Loud. What do you wish to do today?" the worker asked.
"I'm challenging the Vermillion Gym later today, and I want to train up the Pokemon I'm using for my battle," Lincoln replied.
"Ah, I see. The Lieutenant is quite strong, you know?" the worker asked.
"So I've heard. So, do you have any training machines available?" Lincoln asked.
"Of course. Just follow me," the worker said, getting up out of his seat, and showing Lincoln down the hall, stopping off at a room with training equipment, "Alright, shall we get started?"
"Alright then," Lincoln said, as he released his two other chosen Pokemon, "Alright guys, we have a battle later today with the Gym Leader of Vermillion City, so we're going to get in some training before then."
"Ok, so, what type of Pokemon are they going to use?" Andrea asked.
"We're up against an Electric Type Gym Leader," Lincoln replied.
"I see. Well, we're ready to help anyway we can," Inferna replied.
"So, which order will you send us out?" Pikachu asked.
"Well, you're going to be the last one out, Pikachu. As for the first round, I think Inferna, followed by Andrea," Lincoln replied.
"Andrea, I can understand, but why include me?" Inferna asked.
"I'm having you on the team in case we square off against a Magnemite, since it's a Steel Type," Lincoln replied.
"Ah, I see where you're going with this," Inferna replied.
"Indeed. Now, shall we begin our training?" Lincoln asked, as they began their training session.
2 hours later, en route to the Vermillion Gym,
Having completed the training session, Lincoln was making his way back towards the Gym, "Alright, it's now or never! That Thunder Badge is as good as mine!" he said, with Pikachu running by his side.
"And remember, I want my own chance to shine," Pikachu replied.
"Right," Lincoln replied, as they rounded a corner, accidentally bumping into someone, "Oof, I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No, it's my own fault, I… wait, Lincoln?" a familiar voice said. Lincoln looked up to see Nana, and the rest of his new friends from Cerulean Cape.
"Hey guys, long time no see," Lincoln greeted.
"Likewise. So, I guess you're here to see the St. Anne too?" Rito asked, helping Lincoln up.
"That's one of the reasons. The other one is to challenge the Vermillion Gym and earn my third badge," Lincoln replied.
"'Badge'? 'Gym'?" Kotegawa asked. Lincoln then pulled out his badge case.
"Trainers like me challenge Pokemon Gyms around the region to try and earn badges from them. Collecting eight means a trainer qualifies for the Pokemon League, which is a big battling tournament to decide that region's champion," Lincoln explained.
"I get it. So, this will mark your third badge, right?" Mikan asked.
"Yes, if I manage to beat the Gym Leader. I'm heading over there now to challenge the guy," Lincoln replied.
"Any chance we can tag along?" Momo asked.
"I don't mind, but what about the St. Anne? Did you guys manage to see it?" Lincoln asked, as they began walking together.
"No, according to the dock manager, the St. Anne was delayed due to a pod of whales in the last harbor it was in. It won't be here for three days," Saki grumbled.
"But in the meantime, we can at least have our fill of what this city has to offer," Sarenji pointed out.
"Yeah, there are tons of boutiques and sweets shops," Risa added.
"Well, at least we'll have some stuff to do before the ship arrives," Lincoln commented, as the Vermillion Gym came into view, as did Brock, Misty, Raigo, and Leaf, who were just arriving, "Talk about perfect timing."
"I'll say," Raigo commented, noticing the group behind him, "Are these guys friends of yours?"
"Yep. We met them at Cerulean Cape," Misty replied, as their friends began exchanging introductions, "So, are you ready, Lincoln? Remember, Surge is very strong."
"I'm sure I'm ready. With the training session I just accomplished, I should be able to match him," Lincoln said, as the large group entered the building, which, apart from them, was completely empty and dark, "Huh, I guess they aren't back yet," he said, sounding a little disappointed.
"You sure about that?" a woman's voice asked, as six individuals emerged from the shadows.
The first was a woman with reddish brown hair, wearing a red tank-top, a pair of camo pants, and combat boots.
The second was a black-haired man with a leather jacket and similar pants and boots.
The third was an older man in a fancy suit and bowler hat.
The third was a somewhat muscular woman with her white hair styled like a power cord. She was wearing an army green colored vest and pants, as well as combat boots.
The last two were wearing similar light grey jumpsuits. One of them was a hulking man towering over the others, and the other was a shorter, blonde man, chewing on some bubblegum. Lincoln noticed each of them had Pokeballs on their belts, signifying that they were all trainers.
"So, I assume you're this gym's next challenger?" the woman asked Lincoln.
"That's right. Are any of you Lieutenant Surge by any chance?" Lincoln asked.
"Oh goodness no, young man. We're just the Gym Trainers that are looking after the place. My name is Tucker, by the way," the well-dressed man said.
"Ok, so what exactly are Gym Trainers?" Lincoln asked.
"To put it simply, we're what you would call understudies of the Gym Leader. We train under the Gym Leaders of the Kanto region to improve ourselves and our Pokemon," Tucker explained.
"Though I doubt you even need to study under the lieutenant. You're probably way more experienced than he is," the man in the leather jacket commented, "I'm Vincent by the way. Be sure to remember that name, because I'm the most likely candidate to being the next Gym Leader of this place."
"Assuming Surge doesn't give the gym over to Vasquez," the red-haired woman retorted.
"That's right. After all, I am the substitute Gym Leader if Surge should ever be away from the for long periods of time," the white haired woman, now known as Vasquez, agreed.
"As for your comment, Vincent, there's nothing wrong with wanting to learn new things, even if I do happen to be a little more experienced than the Lieutenant," Tucker said, before turning his attention to the four-remaining people, "This young woman is Mairi, who, much like myself and Vincent, is a Gym Trainer."
"Don't forget that I'm also married to the big musclehead," the red headed woman said.
"My name is Vasquez, and as I said before, I'm the acting Gym Leader whenever the Lieutenant goes on training journeys," Vasquez formally introduced herself.
"My name is Tony," the larger of the two men said.
"And the name's Steve," the shorter man said.
"So, you're wanting to challenge Surge, huh? Well, before you can challenge him, you first have to be tested to see if you're worthy," Mairi stated.
"Bring it on. I'm sure I'll pass, then I'll go for the Thunder Badge," Lincoln replied.
"Kid's got guts. Alright, it's right over here," Vincent said, leading Lincoln over to where a fence made up of electricity was, "Your goal is to deactivate the fence. Now, then, do you see those machines?" he asked, pointing to sixteen similar looking machines scattered around the room, each with a glowing red button.
"Yes. I assume that the buttons have to be pressed in some fashion?" Lincoln asked.
"Correct. Here's how this works. There are sixteen machines, but only two of them are for deactivating the fence. Your task is to find what two buttons are for deactivating the fence," Mairi replied.
"Sounds easy enough. I'll just press them all until I find the right ones," Lincoln replied, only for the gym trainers to chuckles.
"I'm afraid it's not quite that simple. You see, every time you press the wrong buttons, the buttons will change randomly. For example, if you pressed a right button and a wrong one, then the right button you pressed will no longer be the right one," Tucker replied.
"But that means there's only a 1 in 8 chance he'll get the right ones," Lala commented.
"Quite right. So, now you know the rules. You're test of character starts now," Mairi declared. Lincoln then began rubbing his chin in a thinking manner.
'Ok, there should be an easier way than just pressed buttons at random. Tucker said that each button resets with each wrong combination I make,' he thought, when an idea hit him, 'Wait, if that's the case, then maybe I can cheat the system,' he thought as he walked up to two machines, and pressed the buttons, only for them to buzz.
"Too bad, guess those ones weren't the right ones," Vincent taunted, only for Lincoln to press the same ones again, only to get the same buzzing noise again. He then repeated it again, "Uh, kid? It's clear those two aren't going the right switches."
"Weird… why is Lincoln only focusing on those two switches?" Rito pondered, when it hit him, "Wait, I got it! I know what he's doing! The entire system resets with each wrong combination! So Lincoln's pressing those two switches until they're eventually the right combo!"
"Whoa, I didn't think of doing that when I challenged the Gym," Raigo commented.
"Nor I. Seems kind of obvious in hindsight," Leaf added. Lincoln continued the process for about ten to fifteen minutes until…
PING-PING
Both buttons then turned green, as the fence went down, "Smart kid. He found a weakness in our character test, and exploited it," Mairi commented.
"I hope that was acceptable," Lincoln replied.
"The point of the test was to test if you could keep your cool under infuriating circumstances. How you manage to do so isn't important, as long as you managed to solve the puzzle," Tucker replied.
"In any case, you passed the test of character, and now have the right to challenge Lieutenant Surge," Vincent said, sounding quite irritated with how quickly Lincoln managed to solve the puzzle.
"So, this kid's my newest challenger?" a man's voice said, as a towering man with spikey blonde hair, wearing a green tank-top, camo shorts, combat boots, dog tags, and sunglasses emerged from the shadows, "Ah, so you're that fellow American who's been the talk of the Kanto Region as of late," Surge said.
"Y-Yeah, I am," Lincoln replied, a little shaken up with how big Surge was.
"Whoa, he's huge!" Saruyama exclaimed.
"Hmm, you're a lot scrawnier in person than on TV," Surge commented. This seemed to irk Lincoln.
"Hey, I'll have you know that size isn't everything! So, are we going to throw down, or what?" Lincoln asked.
"Ooh, someone's feisty! I like that in a challenger. Alright runt, follow me to the battlefield," Surge replied, walking to where the fence was.
"I have a name you know! It's Lincoln!" Lincoln yelled indignantly, following the Lieutenant.
"If you'll all follow me, I'll take you to the stands where you can watch the battle," Tucker offered the group, who took up the old man on his offer.
At the same time, in Luna and Luan's room,
Both sisters were getting ready for bed, while Luna was gazing at a wristwatch like device she had received from Lisa.
Flashback, sometime after the failed attempt to reseal Lincoln's door,
"And there you all go," Lisa said, passing out wristwatch like device to her mother, Leni, Luna, Lucy, and herself.
"So, what's the deal with these watches?" Lucy asked.
"I'm glad you asked. They're linked up to the Videophone, and will alert each of us when someone is calling, including the caller ID," Lisa replied.
"So that way, if Lincoln does call again, we'll know when to come in?" Rita asked.
"Precisely," Lisa replied, just as a call came in. Looking at the screen, they saw the caller was Professor Oak, "I wonder what the professor could be calling about?" she wondered, as she answered the call, the Professor's image showing up on the screen.
"Hello Lisa, I hope I didn't call at an inconvenient time," the professor greeted.
"Not at all Professor. What can we do for you?" Lisa asked.
"I'm calling in regards to what we discussed a few days ago, about reserving a conference room at the Detroit Airport for Lincoln's friends, about them taking the trainer qualification test. Were you able to reserve one?" Professor Oak asked.
"I regret to inform you, but all of the available conference rooms were taken when I tried booking one for you," Lisa replied, scratching the back of her head.
"Oh, I see. Well, that's a shame. Fortunately, I had planned on such an event," Professor Oak replied.
"What do you mean, Professor?" Rita asked.
"Well, a former student of mine has just recently opened his own research laboratory in Vermillion City. I think we can have them take the exams there, then they can head on to whatever regions they wish to visit," the Professor explained.
"I see. Well, I'll have to see about relaying this information to Ronnie Anne and the others. When can we expect you to come and get them?" Lisa asked.
"It'll probably be maybe two days before I can get a large enough craft from the Pokemon League association to bring them to Kanto," Professor Oak replied.
"Ok, that should be plenty of time for them to get ready. I'll notify them immediately," Lisa replied.
"Excellent, then I'll let you off," Professor Oak replied, when…
"Hang on a minute, Professor," Luna piped up.
"Yes, Miss Luna, was it?"
"That's right. Is there any chance you can convince Lincoln to call us?" Luna asked. No one in the room was expecting Luna to ask a question like that, and were very surprised.
"I can try once he makes land in Vermillion City. I assume you're wanting to try to make amends?"
"You have no idea how much I want to clear the air with him."
"Well, it's been a few days since I last spoke to him. He should be arriving in Vermillion City any day now. When he calls, I'll let him know," the Professor mused.
"Thanks professor. We really appreciate it," Luna replied.
"You're most welcome. Now, is there anything else you'd all wish to discuss?" the Professor asked.
"I have one," Rita stepped up.
"Yes, Mrs. Loud?"
"A few days ago, we had an incident with our TV, and it no longer works. If we can get a new TV here, is there any chance we can get someway to view broadcasts from Kanto?" Rita asked.
"Hmm, that's easy to accommodate. I can get in touch with the Pokemon League association and have them supply you with a cable box that can receive Kanto region broadcasts," Professor Oak replied.
"Wonderful! I'd love to see how Lincoln does in his Gym Battles. Not that your progress reports aren't informative," Rita stated.
"No offence taken, but it will be about two days before the cable box can arrive. I can have one of Lincoln's friend's families deliver it to you when I come to collect them."
"That will do wonderfully, Professor," Rita replied.
"You're most welcome. Now, if none of you have anything further to discuss, I will need to inform my colleagues about this update," Professor Oak said.
"You girls have anything you want to add?" Rita turned to Leni and Lucy, who simply shrugged, "I think that's everything, Professor."
"Very well. I'll call again if I need anything immediately," the Professor replied, as he hung up.
"Well, looks like we're going to be quite productive for a while," Lisa commented, as she got her phone.
"At least the issue with the TV can be somewhat resolved," Rita commented.
"We can help chip in to help buy a new one, Mom," Leni said.
"That would be much appreciated Leni. Thank you," Rita replied.
Realtime,
Luan noticed the look on her sister's face, "Luna? Is everything alright?" she asked.
"Y-Yeah. Things lately kind of have me on edge, you know?" Luna replied.
"I know what you mean. Lately, I've been trying to be more careful with going about my day, not wanting to get stung by any more wasps, or clawed up by a gang of alley cats," Luan replied, as she was getting ready to climb into bed, "It seems like things really have gotten worse for us since Lincoln left."
"No question about that. All we can do is hope that things do eventually take a turn for the better for us," Luna replied, as she got up, and went to climb into bed herself.
Meanwhile, in another part of Royal Woods,
Ronnie Anne was beaming happily, as she was getting her bags packed, 'I can't believe they all agreed to let us try out for being Pokemon Trainers,' she thought, as she remembered the conversation she and the others had with their parents earlier in the day.
Earlier that day, at the McBride Household,
Lincoln's peers, along with Margo, had gathered their families together to discuss their wishes to go to a Pokemon Region to try their hands at being Trainers, "And that, in conclusion, is why we want to follow in Lincoln's steps, and try our hands at being Pokemon Trainers," Ronnie Anne said, as they had just concluded a rather professional looking presentation. The parents all had looks of contemplation. It was Harold McBride who spoke up first.
"Well kids, this was quite the informative presentation you put on," Harold stated.
"And you all looked very professional when making your cases," Girl Jordan's Mom said.
"So, you're of a mind to at least consider it?" Rusty asked.
"Well, I think I speak for the rest of us when I say that I don't really like the idea of you being in different parts of the world for extended periods of time," Giggles' father replied.
"But Dad, we're plenty responsible," Giggles pointed out.
"I know you are, pumpkin, but, it's just that nagging feeling at the backs of our heads. After all, these 'Pokemon' as you call them, while they do sound interesting, the could also be dangerous, which is to say nothing of that 'Team Rocket' group you've talked about. What if there are even worse organizations out there?" her father replied.
"Don't worry. We're bound to avoid guys like those like the plague. You all did raise us to identify and avoid hazardous situations like that," Stella countered.
"Could you kids go to the next room? We should all discuss this privately," Maria requested. The kids all did as the Santiago Matriarch requested, and went to Clyde's room.
"So, what do you guys think?" Ronnie Anne asked the others.
"Well, it's pretty much up in the air. After all, what we're asking is a pretty big deal after all," Tabby replied.
"But with how we handled that presentation, I'm sure they'll at least consider it," Zach pointed out.
"That may be, but it's still up to them to decide," Stella replied. Minutes later, a knock was heard at the door.
"Ok kids, you can come out now," Howard called out.
"Well, it's now or never," Ronnie Anne said, as they exited the bedroom, and made their way back out to the living room.
"Alright, after some debate, we have all decided to agree to send you to these Pokemon regions," Girl Jordan's father said. The kids were all ecstatic about it, even Haiku.
"However, we do have some conditions," Maria stated.
"For starters, we want to meet with the Professor that your friend was living with," Haiku's father said.
"Sounds reasonable," Haiku replied.
"And depending on how our meeting with him goes, we'll need each of you to take a chaperone with you," Stella's Mother declared.
"I suppose that's fair," Stella replied.
"I'll call up Lisa and let her know, about this. We can meet up with her tomorrow and have a chat with the Professor," Ronnie Anne declared.
"Very good. Now, we won't discuss this any further until AFTER we talk to the Professor, agreed?" Harold asked.
"That'll be fine, Dad," Clyde replied.
"Good. Now, we'll head home to get things ready," Rusty's father said, as they all left the McBride residence.
Realtime,
Ronnie Anne couldn't be more excited. After all, she was going to be trying what Lincoln's been up to for the last few weeks, "Of course, we will still need a chaperone, but who would be available on such short notice?" she wondered aloud.
"Well, we might have a suggestion," Ronnie Anne turned to see Bobby and Carlota standing in her doorway, "If you and your friends need some chaperones, then we're more than willing to fill the job," Bobby said.
"Wait, really? But don't you have a job, Bobby?" Ronnie Anne asked.
"I got fired from it the other day. Besides, I think some time away from Lori will not only do me a lot of good, but for her as well," Bobby replied.
"Can't argue with you there. After all, she needs to learn that family is the top priority, not romance," Carlota replied.
"When she comes over tomorrow, I'll discuss it with her. But my mind is made up, and I'm not backing down," Bobby stated firmly.
"Good on you," Ronnie Anne commended.
Lincoln:
Pikachu
Level: 26
Gender: Male
Ability: Static
Nature: Mild
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Thundershock, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Protect, Thunder Punch, Iron Tail, Volt Tail (Hybrid Move), Thunder Wave
Charmeleon
Nickname: Inferna
Level: 19
Gender: Female
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Naïve
Pokeball: Level Ball
Moves: Ember, Metal Claw (Egg Move), Smokescreen, Growl, Protect, Thunder Punch
Kirlia (Shiny)
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Synchronize
Nature: Timid
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Growl, Teleport, Confusion, Disarming Voice, Double Team, Misty Terrain (Egg Move), Protect, Thunder Punch, Psybeam
Poliwag
Level: 20
Gender: Male
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Jolly
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Gun, Water Sport, Hypnosis, Protect, Water Pulse
Sandshrew: (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Andrea
Level: 23
Gender: Female
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Poison Sting, Defense Curl, Rapid Spin, Fury Cutter, Magnitude, Metal Claw (Egg Move)
Riolu
Level: 20
Gender: Male
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quirky
Pokeball: Luxury Ball
Moves: Quick Attack, Counter, Metal Claw, Endure, Vacuum Wave (Egg Move), Protect, Thunder Punch
Bulbasaur (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 19
Nickname: Aizami
Gender: Male
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Serious
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder, Vine Whip, Protect
Squirtle (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Raphael
Level: 15
Gender: Male
Ability: Rain Dish
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Gun, Aqua Jet (Egg Move)
Pidgeotto (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Tangled Feet
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Gust, Whirlwind, Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Tackle, Steel Wing, Twister, Protect
Goomy (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 26
Gender: Female
Ability: Hydration
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Nest Ball
Moves: Tackle, Bubble, Absorb, Bide, Protect, Poison Tail (Egg Move)
Fearow (At Professor Oak's)
Level: 25
Gender: Female
Ability: Sniper
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Arieal Ace, Pursuit, Mirror Move, Leer, Fury Attack, Steel Wing
Beedriil (Shiny) (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 20
Gender: Male
Ability: Shield Dust
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, U-Turn, Protect
Zubat (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 21
Gender: Male
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quirky
Pokeball: Friend Ball
Moves: Absorb, Bite, Wing Attack, Astonish, Supersonic, Giga Drain (Egg Move), Protect
Cleffa (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 12
Gender: Male
Ability: Cute Charm
Nature: Jolly
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: Metronome (Egg Move), Pound, Sing Encore, Charm
Clefairy (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 17
Gender: Female
Ability: Magic Guard
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: Metronome, Double Slap, Defense Curl, Sing, Encore, Disarming Voice
Clefable (Shiny)(At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 25
Gender: Female
Ability: Magic Guard
Nature: Graceful
Pokeball: Moon Ball
Moves: (Known so far): Metronome, Double Slap, Follow Me, Minimize, Disarming Voice
Steenee (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Queeny
Level: 23
Gender: Female
Ability: Leaf Guard
Nature: Calm
Pokeball: Friend Ball
Moves: Sweet Scent, Razor Leaf, Rapid Spin, Splash, Play Nice, Grass Whistle (Egg Move)
Trapinch (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Nickname: Spirit
Level: 27
Gender: Male
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Bite, Bide, Mud Slap, Dig, Sand Tomb, Rock Slide, Focus Energy (Egg Move)
Meowth (Galar Form) (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 24
Gender: Male
Ability: Tough Claws
Nature: Wild
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Scratch, Hone Claws, Pay Day, Metal Claw, Taunt, Night Slash (Egg Move)
Meowth (Alola Form)(At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 18
Gender: Male
Ability: Pickup
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Scratch, Fury Swipes, Screech, Bite, Fake Out, Hypnosis (Egg Move)
Meowth (At Professor Oak's Lab)
Level: 22
Gender: Female
Ability: Pickup
Nature: Naughty
Pokeball: Great Ball
Moves: Taunt, Fake Out, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Fling(?), Theif, Covet (Egg Move)
Misty
Starmie
Level: 21
Gender: None
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Careful
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves (currently known): Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse
Poliwhirl
Level: 28
Gender: Male
Ability: Damp
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Pulse, Mega Punch, Water Gun,
Gyarados (At the Cerulean Gym)
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Rash
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Dragon Dance, Twister, Ice Fang, Aqua Tail
Buizel
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Careful
Pokeball: Net Ball
Moves: Water Pulse, Water Gun, Quick Attack, Water Sport, Growl, Sonic Boom
Skrelp
Level: 24
Gender: Female
Ability: Poison Point
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Lure Ball
Moves: Water Pulse, Bubble, Acid, Camouflage, Smokescreen, Tail Whip, Toxic Spikes (Egg Move)
Dewpider
Level: 23
Gender Male
Ability: Water Absorb (Hidden Ability)
Nature: Lazy
Pokeball: Dive Ball
Moves: Icy Wind, Bubblebeam, Protect Bug Bite, Spider Web, Water Sport
Squirtle
Level: 18
Gender: Male
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Bold
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Tackle, Withdraw, Bite, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Mirror Coat (Egg Move)
Krabby (At Cerulean Gym)
Level: 16
Gender: Male
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Nature: Lax
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Water Gun, Leer, Harden, Metal Claw, Mud Shot, Protect, Ancient Power (Egg Move)
Brock:
Main Party:
Geodude
Level: 19
Gender: Male
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Defense Curl, Rollout, Tackle, Rock Polish, Rock Tomb
Onix:
Level: 22
Gender: Male
Ability: Rock Head
Nature: Graceful
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Bind, Tackle, Rock Tomb, Dragon Breath, Stealth Rock, Head Smash (Egg Move)
Bronzor
Gender: N/A
Level: 27
Ability: Heatproof
Nature: Hardy
Pokeball: Dusk Ball
Moves: Tackle, Confusion, Psywave, Iron Defense, Hypnosis, Feint Attack
Budew
Gender: Female
Level: 22
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Docile
Pokeball: Pokeball
Moves: Absorb, Growth, Worry Seed, Water Sport, Mega Drain, Stun Spore, Extrasensory (Egg Move)