The gang (Luneth, Alain and Mairin) looked up at the sign right above them that read:
Vermilion City
"After two weeks of traveling." Alain started.
"We're finally here!" Mairin cheered, pumping her fists in the air.
During those two weeks, Luneth had trained with her Pokémon and four of them had evolved. One of her female Eevee's finally evolved into Sylveon, which she named 'Stella', her shiny male Eevee into an Umbreon, which she named 'Zunair', her other female Eevee evolved into an Eevui which she named 'Solana' and Digger evolved into Sandslash. Oddly enough, they lost her brother and his friends, again. Luneth could swear that Ash believes that he's going in the right direction when he clearly has the lack of the sense of direction.
Right now, they've finally arrived in Vermilion City.
"Now I can finally take a nice hot bath and sleep in a real bed!" Mairin smiled.
"And we can finally do some laundry." Alain said.
"Let's also get some food and rest for our Pokémon and us." Luneth decided when she noticed how exhausted Ginko and Chespie were.
So the group headed to the Pokémon Center.
"We'll fix them right up," Nurse Joy said kindly as she took the tray that contained Luneth's Pokéballs, Mairin staring at the Pokémon Nurse blankly while Luneth and Alain sighed and leaned on the counter.
"I know why you're surprised," Nurse Joy smiled when noticing Mairin's stare. "I look like all the other nurses, don't I? My first cousin works at Pewter City and my second cousin works in Viridian City. I think I'm the prettiest one, don't you?" She said with that same kind, gentle smile and giggle all Nurse Joys wore and used. Luneth, Alain and Mairin just blinked at her. Whatever else Mairin was planning to say, interrupted by the center doors opening and a boy's shout.
"Hurry!" The boy cried, calling attention to the rolling cot with a severely hurt Rattata on it. "You'll be okay, Rattata," the boy murmured, sounding on the verge of tears as Chansey rushed the cart through the lobby. "Hurry!"
"That Rattata is in rough shape," Alain noted, face serious. "I wonder what happened."
Nurse Joy stood then, hands on hips in disapproval. "Oh! It's the fifteenth one brought in this month!" She frowned.
"This month?!" Luneth repeated, deep seated disapproval of her own settling in her chest as Nurse Joy wordlessly led them to a room full of occupied beds holding various injured Pokémon.
"This is terrible." Alain muttered as he took them all in.
"They all lost to Lt. Surge, the Vermilion City gym leader." Nurse Joy informed, upset.
Luneth looked at all of the trainers with their injured Pokémon with pity. She couldn't understand why Lt. Surge had to be so brutal to all these Pokémon. She knew that you didn't need to so badly hurt the opponent's weaker Pokémon if you were experienced and knew your Pokémon well, two things a gym leader of all things should be. Luneth did not like how this Lt. Surge was so readily destroying his weaker opponents, especially considering most of them are so young and inexperienced. To her point of view, Lt. Surge is a huge bully to all inexperienced trainers.
A ding sound was heard nearby which meant that her Pokémon were healed.
"Oh? That signal means your other Pokémon have recovered." Nurse Joy happily led the trio out into the lobby where Luneth's Pokéballs were waiting on a tray with a content Ginko sitting by them, finishing a small apple.
"Hey Ginko!" Luneth cried, getting an enthusiastic reply back as Ginko leapt into her waiting arms and nuzzled her soft cheeks against hers. "Glad you're back to one hundred percent!" Luneth cooed.
"So what Pokémon are you going to use against Surge?" Alain asked.
"I think I know the perfect one." Luneth said.
She took her Pokéballs and placed them back on her belt. Then she transferred Capala onto her team. She released her Alolan Raichu from his Pokéball.
"Raichu! (Hi Luneth!)" Capala greeted when he appeared in front of Luneth.
"Hey Capala. It's great to see you." Luneth greeted back, "Capala, I need a favor from you."
"Rai? (What kind of favor?)" Capala asked.
"Would you mind doing another gym battle with me?" Luneth asked.
Before Capala could answer, he was interrupted as a hospital cot wheeled past them.
"Please hurry!" The boy trainer cried as he ran along the cot holding his injured Pidgey. "Just hold on, Pidgey!"
Luneth frowned as the kid was younger and obviously far more inexperienced if he went to an electric-type gym with a flying-type Pokémon. That did not, however, excuse the gym leader so brutally defeating his opponents.
Ginko and Capala stared at the Pidgey trainer with sadness and horror. Both didn't think that a gym leader would be so cruel to such a small Pokémon. Capala made a decision at that moment. Luneth noticed Capala's expression: determination.
"I think it's past time someone took this Surge down a peg or two, don't you think, Capala?" Luneth asked calmly as she watched the cot disappear around the corner.
"Rai-chu. (He's going down.)" Capala growled lowly in agreement, cheeks crackling with a bit of electricity.
"Espe Eevui. (His brutal ways end now.)" Ginko declared.
Then Luneth and her friends headed towards the Vermilion gym.
The group stood outside the building that was the Vermilion City gym. It looked like a warehouse with yellow lightning bolts all over it.
"So, this is the Vermilion City gym." Luneth muttered, tapping her lips in thought as she eyed the building.
"Kind of gaudy, isn't it?" Mairin commented, making Luneth sweat-dropped as she thought of Misty's own gym.
Then the doors creaked open ominously to greet darkness and two adults dressed in punk rock and exercise clothes, male and female respectively.
"Yo, I'm here for a Pokémon battle," Luneth greeted casually with a half-raised hand, "You know, to earn a Thunder Badge?"
The leather jacket wearing punk only smirked and looked behind him, arms crossed. "Hey, boss! Another victim for the emergency room," he announced in his nasally voice.
A shadowed figure walked up between the two in a deeper, more gravelly tone. "Which one?" He asked as his heavy footfalls thundered against the floor.
Luneth thought that such an entrance would unnerve a lot of kids, especially when they got a good look at how large and muscled the man was. They were probably only used to dealing with kids their own age or a bit older and none as intimidating looking as this guy. Of course, Luneth herself didn't react beyond simply blinking half in boredom and half in expectancy as she waited for the moment they could actually start to battle.
"Whoa! He's huge! Is he the gym leader you have to beat?" Mairin whispered.
Both Alain and Mairin leaned back when the man spread his arms out wide, towering over the three of them.
"Welcome to Vermilion gym!" He greeted them jovially.
Luneth scoffed, "You're the gym leader, right?"
"That's right. Lt. Surge is who I am!" Lt. Surge announced.
Capala growled as sparks came off his cheeks as he and Ginko glared at St. Surge.
"Wait, are you the challenger?" He blinked at Luneth's figure before giving another grin. "Oh! My next challenger is a cute one! Don't think I'll go easy on ya'! Okay, baby!" He chuckled in agreement.
Luneth scoffed, "I'm no baby of yours," She retorted. "The name's Luneth Ketchum, meathead."
"Ha! Relax, I call everyone who loses to me baby!" He announced with fists on hips as if it was something to be proud of.
Luneth only sweat-dropped. What was he, five? Of course, that was when the man noticed Ginko and Capala standing protectively in front of her, glaring up at him and Capala's cheeks still sparking threateningly.
"A Raichu, huh?" Lt. Surge grinned, "At least it's not an unevolved Pikachu."
"What do you mean?" Luneth asked, confused.
"Well, I'll show you why," Surge said ominously as he took out a Pokéball and enlarged it. "Go, Pokéball!" He threw it so the Pokémon was released right in front of them, the fading light revealing an arrogant but tough looking Raichu.
"Rai!" The evolved mouse type called out, a dark smirk on his face.
"A Raichu, huh?" Luneth muttered as she took out her Pokédex:
[Raichu, a mouse Pokémon of the electric element. Raichu is the evolved form of Pikachu. It can shock with more than one hundred thousand volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious.]
"I don't like going against baby Pokémon. Too weak to fight my Raichu here." Lt. Surge retorted.
"You do know that your Pikachu was a baby from the start, right?" Luneth questioned.
"True, but I turned mine into a Raichu as soon as I caught him." Lt. Surge stated.
The gangs' eyes widened slightly at Lt. Surge's words.
"You're quite annoying, you know that? Just like a certain someone I really dislike." Luneth smirked.
"Well then, let's just see which Raichu is the strongest." Lt. Surge taunted.
"You're on." Luneth narrowed her eyes at him.
The lights flickered on to illuminate the field, the referee's voice echoing in the metallic, high ceiling room.
"The Pokémon battle will now begin. Only one Pokémon may be used. The gym leader, Lt. Surge, has chosen Raichu. The challenger, Luneth Joy, has chosen Raichu. No time limit. Let the battle begin."
"Go Raichu!" Lt. Surge shouted.
"Quick Attack, Capala!" Luneth called.
"Give it a Mega Punch, Raichu!" Surge smirked.
"Agility then Tackle!" Capala easily dodged the punch with a smirk, attacking at Raichu's now vulnerable back.
"What the-" Surge stammered in shock.
"The problem with evolving a Pokémon too early...is losing basic support moves that enhance things like speed." Luneth informed, still smirking.
"Grr, it don't matter! Raichu, Body Slam!" Surge growled.
"Double Team around him, Capala." Luneth said calmly.
Then Raichu hit the dirt, dispelling one illusion, only to get dizzy, whipping his head to see all the Capala's surrounding him.
"Argh, that's it! Raichu, give 'em a Thunderbolt! Shut it down!" Surge shouted.
Raichu angrily complied, frustrated at the moving target, going full power and breaking the glass windows and ground beneath him.
"The end of da' match!" He boasted.
Luneth only raised a hand to shield her eyes, blinking once and grinning victoriously at seeing Capala who was perfectly fine with his tail glowing a metallic color with small sparks on electricity coming off it.
"Huh...what." Surge gawked.
"Capala used his Iron Tail attack as a lightning rod and absorbed the electric attack." Alain helpfully informed.
"Great thinking, Capala!" Mairin cheered.
"Raichu, give it another Thunderbolt!" Surge directed, now nervous. Raichu attempted to comply, once then again, only to come up with nothing but some weak static from his cheeks, confusing both Pokémon and trainer. "Do somethin'!" He urged in shock.
"It's over," Alain smiled. "Raichu ran out of electricity."
"Alright! Go for it, Luneth!" Mairin cheered.
"Quick Attack, Capala!" Luneth grinned.
"Raichu, Take Down, now!" Surge ordered hastily, still too slow as Capala landed a solid hit straight to Raichu's middle followed by an electric charged tail whip to the face that guaranteed a knockout.
Surge gripped his head, shocked. "Unbelievable!"
"You did it, Capala!" Luneth enthused.
"Eevui! (Well done!)" Ginko cheered.
Alain nodded with proudness.
"Good job, Capala!" Mairin jumped up in joy.
"Rai-chu!" Capala smiled and held up a peace sign with one paw, the other on his waist: a victory pose.
"Congratulations," Surge amiably shook Luneth's hand. "Nice job Luneth, Capala! As proof of your victory, a Thunder Badge!" He presented her a yellow and orange sunflower badge, placing it in her open palm.
"You should be proud! You and your Raichu really fight good together." Surge complimented.
"Thank you very much!" Luneth beamed, grinning widely at the glittering pin, "Awesome, Capala! We've got a Thunder Badge!" Luneth pumped her fist in the air, Ginko jumping to her shoulder and joining her celebration. Capala held onto her other shoulder and gave another peace sign on his paw.
"Rai-raichu!" He cheered, the gym members all clapping in congrats and smiling sincerely.
"Nice victory, Luneth! You're no baby!" Surge declared.
"Congratulations, Luneth." Alain clapped.
"Already three badges! Way to go, Luneth!" Mairin enthused.
"Rai-rai-rai~!" Even Raichu clapped sincerely for his opponent, making Capala bashfully scratch the back of his head.
"Rai~!"
"It's all thanks to you, Capala!" Luneth gushed, nuzzling her cheek with Capala's, cuddling him in her arms.
Ginko smiled, joining the nuzzling, "Eevui eeve, Eevui. (You're a very strong Raichu, Capala.)"
"Raichu~!(Thanks you guys!)" Capala cooed approvingly, nuzzling between Luneth and Ginko's cheeks happily.
"They're quite a team." Mairin smiled.
"Yes, indeed." Alain agreed easily, arms crossed and nodding.
It was near evening time when the gang were sitting down to eat in the Pokémon center's cafeteria. Alain and Mairin were proud of Luneth and Capala. They were having a small celebration for the obtaining the Thunder Badge.
"No offense Luneth, but the Nurse Joy here is quite scary." Mairin commented, slightly shivering.
"Yeah." Alain agreed with a blue forehead.
Earlier, they witnessed Nurse Joy's wraith against Lt. Surge. She was absolutely furious with Lt. Surge. Luneth could have sworn that Surge was shaking in his boots. After his Raichu was healed, he admitted to Nurse Joy that Luneth was a great opponent and had a great time battling her. Luneth had also sent back Capala and Digger (Sandslash) back to the lab after they were healed. Then she brought Freya (Shiny Charizard) onto her team.
"Man am I starving!" A male voice shouted.
The gang turned to the voice and saw Ash and his friends entering the cafeteria.
"Oh look, it's Ash, Brock and Misty." Mairin said.
Ash, Brock and Misty then catch sight of Luneth, Alain, Mairin and their Pokémon.
"Hey Luneth, Alain, Mairin!" Ash called out, waving at the three.
The three trainers waved back.
So Ash and his friends joined Luneth and the others for dinner. As they talked, Ash was surprised that Luneth had won against Lt. Surge.
"You beat Lt. Surge?!" Ash exclaimed.
Luneth nodded, "Yup. I got the Thunder badge for beating him." She showed him her Thunder badge.
Ash quickly stood up from his seat and pumped his fist in the air, "Tomorrow, Pikachu and I will beat Lt. Surge!" He declared.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.
"I wish you luck, Ash. He probably won't be easy to beat." Luneth advised.
"Don't worry, I know we'll win for sure!" Ash assured her.
Pokémon Obtained:
Luneth: Shiny Eevee (Ginko)(F), Pidgeot (Cardinal)(M), Scyther (Hecate)(F), Shiny Riolu (Cairo)(M), Shiny Snivy (Minerva)(F), Shiny Charizard (Freya)(F)
Alain: Charizard (M), Metagross (Genderless), Steelix (M), Zubat (M), Shiny Zorua (M), Frigibax (M)
Mairin: Chespin (Chespie)(M), Gogoat (Grazer)(F), Paras (Kinoko)(F), Clefairy (Pixie)(F), Petilil (Lily)(F), Sewaddle (Taylor)(F)
Professor Oak's Lab:
Luneth: Nidoran (Fonda)(F), Beautifly (Choko)(F), Swablu (Avaley)(F), Mankey (Bruce)(M), Buizel (Itachi)(M), Clefable (Shayla)(F), Shiny Feebas (Moana)(F), Shiny Fennekin (Rogue)(F), Mienfoo (Mulan)(F), Glaceon (Aira)(F), Leafeon (Patia)(F), Gengar (Jasper)(M), Shiny Chimchar (Pyro)(F), Galarian Ponyta (Nelia)(F), Shiny Chespin (Eithne)(F), Rockruff (Remus)(M), Meowstic (Yuki)(F), Oshawott (Morrow)(M), Sylveon (Stella)(F), Espeon (Solana)(F), Shiny Umbreon (Zunair)(M), Eevee (F), Eevee (F), Eevee (M), Sandslash (Digger)(M), Alolan Raichu (Capala)(M)
Alain: Beedrill (M), Nidoran (M), Scyther (M), Tyranitar (M), Chestnaught (M), Hisuian Braviary (M), Shiny Squirtle (M), Piplup (M), Cufant (F), Lokix (M), Magby (M), Axew (M), Rockruff (M), Alakazam (M), Meowstic (M), Unfezant (M)
Mairin: Butterfree (Nabi)(M), Clefairy (Pixie)(F), Flabébé (Bébé)(F), Grookey (Hiro)(M), Pansage (Sage)(M), Turtwig (Ardan)(M), Skitty (Kissa)(F)
There is mention of Eevee evolving into an eevui? What is that? And Surge congratulates a Pikachu for winning.