Story Notes:
The journey will go from Kanto to Johto, to Hoenn, to Sinnoh. I may do the battle frontiers but i don't know (we'll see when i get there)Disclaimer: Pokemon and all related characters, locations, items, ect are the copyrighted property of Nintendo and as such I claim no rights to them.I'm currently working two jobs and I'm kinda making this up as I go along, so don't be surprised if there are delays between chapters... I'll try to update this as regularly as i can (I do apologies for the delays, but that's how life goes)Updates...Genre: Adventure/Romance (relationships between characters will begin to develop after the Kanto League)Warning: One later chapter will contain fairly light scenes of sexual intercourse between two characters. (Much later chapter,will be marked for mature content) For now, I'm rating this PG 13
Chapter 6: Return to Vermilion City
"There it is" Ben pointed ahead
"Vermilion City" Alex said, "It feels like it's been a long time since we were last here"
After traveling a couple days, Alex, Ben, and Melody finally returned to Vermilion City.
"So, Surge is the leader here" Alex said
"Yep" Ben replied, "He is one of those power house trainers, so watch yourself"
"He's a little predictable in a fight, but don't let your guard down, he is very good" Ben added
"You mentioned on the way here that he uses Electric-type pokemon, right?" Alex turned towards Ben
"Yep" Ben answered, "if I remember correctly, he uses a Raichu as his primary battler"
"Can I ask you something?" Alex asked
"What is it?" Ben replied
"Just how do you know so much about these gyms we have been going to?"
"Oh yeah, well you see I already competed in the Kanto league"
"huh... I thought you wanted to be a breeder"
"Even breeders can compete in leagues" Ben laughed, "I wanted to try my hand and see how I would do in the Pokémon League, but after losing at the Indigo league, I decided to go back and focus my time and energy on becoming a breeder"
"I see, how far into the tournament did you make it?"
"I finished in the top eight"
"So what made you give up being a trainer?"
"Well, I lost without defeating a single one of opponent's pokemon" Ben answered, "after that defeat, I thought long and hard about what I may have done wrong in that battle. As I sat there thinking, my opponent walked up and said, "I really enjoyed our battle, but I don't think you put your heart into it""
""If you put your heart into something, there is nothing you can't do", those words stuck with me and ever since that day, I decided to go back to my dream of becoming a top breeder"
"Wow"
"Alex!" Melody ran up to her trainer
"What's wrong Melody?"
"I can't find Johnny anywhere" she said
"What!" Alex jumped out of his seat, "we have to find him"
"Calm down, panicking isn't going to help" Ben said, "lets split up and look around town, he couldn't have gotten far"
"Swablu, help us look for Johnny" Ben threw one of his pokeballs into the air as his Cotton Bird pokemon appeared and flew off to search
Alex and Melody took off in one direction, while Ben took off in another direction. They combed the whole city, searching everywhere, talking to everyone.
"Excuse me; have you seen a Togepi?" Alex frantically asked
"Sorry kid" someone replied, "but I will keep my eyes open"
"My friend lost one of his pokemon" Ben said, "Have you seen a Togepi anywhere?"
"I'm sorry I haven't"
After a half hour of searching, Alex and Melody ran into Ben
"Any luck..." Alex asked, obviously worried
"None at all..." Ben shook his head
"Where could he be?"
"We didn't check by the harbor" Melody said
Alex immediately ran in the direction of the harbor
"Hey wait up" Ben and Melody ran after him
"If anything happens to that little guy, I'll never forgive myself" Alex thought to himself
Upon arriving at the docks, Alex began to search for his lost pokemon. Ben and Melody arrived not long after he did.
"Alex, calm down and catch your breath" Ben said, "You're going to give yourself a heart attack"
"I've got to find him" Alex replied
"And we will" Melody said, "but you need to calm yourself"
Alex stared at them as he caught his breath; suddenly they heard a familiar sound in the air.
"Toge Toge piiii"
"Did you hear that?" Ben placed a hand to his ear
"Johnny..."Alex said
"It's coming from over there" Melody pointed
They ran, following the joyful cries to its source.
"Please, just let him be ok" Alex thought to himself
Around a corner on a pier that was barely six inches above the surface of the water, they saw a girl. She had short brown hair, about to her shoulder, blue eyes, and looked like she was thirteen years old. In her arms she had a Togepi
"Johnny" Alex called out
The girl and the Togepi turned and saw him. The Togepi began to wave its arms joyfully as it jumped out of the girl's arms and ran towards him.
"Johnny, thank goodness you're safe" Alex said with relief as he picked him up
"Don't run off like that again, you scared me" he said, "... but I'm just glad you're ok"
"Oh, so this Togepi belongs to you?" the girl asked
"Yeah, he's mine" he answered, "Thank you so much for finding him"
"You're welcome" she said, "My name's Ashley"
"I'm Alex, and this is Melody"
"It's nice to meet you" Melody waved her hand
"My name's Ben"
"It's nice to meet you all" Ashley replied
"Thanks again for finding Johnny" Alex said
"No problem" Ashley said, "I was wondering what a Togepi was doing here in Kanto"
"He just hatched a few days ago" Ben said
"I see"
"Alright mister, you've had your fun" Alex pulled out a pokeball, "back inside"
As Johnny disappeared into his pokeball, a light emerged from Alex's belt. As the light faded, Mimi appeared and dove into the water.
"Mimi... what are you doing outside of your pokeball?" Alex asked with confusion in his voice
"I guess she wanted to take a swim" Ben replied
"You have a Feebas too" Ashley said, "not much of a looker though"
Mimi looked down, depressed by her words
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to offend her"
Alex knelt down and placed his hand on Mimi's head
"It's not what's on the outside that important" he said, "it's the beauty on the inside that matters the most"
"And that's what I see when I look at her" he smiled at Mimi, causing her to blush slightly
"Hey you" a voice yelled
They all turned and saw two teenage boys standing ten feet away from them
"Can I help you?" Alex gave them an odd look
"We need to talk to the girl" one of them said
"I told you creeps to get lost" Ashley said
"You know these guys?" Ben asked
"They're just two jerks who won't leave me alone" she replied
"We just want to talk"
"I told you to beat it" she reached for one of her pokeballs
"Or what... you gonna beat us?"
"Wow... I guess not all jocks are entirely stupid"
"Stereotypes" Ben smirked, Alex and Melody laughed
"You're gonna pay for that... Go Hitmonchan"
"Go Hitmonlee"
"Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokémon. Hitmonchan specializes in punch attacks. Its moves are faster than the eye. The punches this pokemon throws are strong enough to pulverize even concrete."
"Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon. Hitmonlee can extend and retract its legs at will to kick opponents from almost any distance. First-time foes are often startled by its extensible reach."
"Go Electabuzz" Ben said
"Espeon, I choose you" Ashley threw her pokeball into the air
As the light faded, a cat-like pokemon with lavender fur, large ears, and a forked tail appeared
"What's that?" Alex pointed his pokedex at Ashley's pokemon
"Espeon, the Sun Pokémon and an evolved form of Eevee. It uses the fine hairs that cover its body to sense air currents and predict an opponent's movement. Espeon is extremely loyal to any trainer it considers to be worthy. It is said that this Pokémon developed its precognitive powers to protect its trainer from harm."
"Hitmonchan, Comet Punch" the Punching pokemon changed and began to unleash a flurry of punches with blinding speed
"Hitmonlee, Double Kick"
"Espeon, use Psychic on Hitmonlee"
"Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch on Hitmonchan"
As Electabuzz ran towards his opponent with his fist violently sparking with electricity, Espeon's eyes began to glow as it fired a blast of psychic energy at the Kicking pokemon in front of it. The blast sent Hitmonlee skidding across the ground. While Hitmonchan and Electabuzz began to exchange punches with each other. Several punches hit Electabuzz before its Thunder Punch made contact with Hitmonchan's face.
"Hitmonchan, Fire Punch"
"Electabuzz, Protect"
As Hitmonchan prepared to jab with its fist ablaze, Electabuzz set its shield to block the attack
"Espeon, Quick Attack"
"Dodge it Hitmonlee, then use Rolling Kick"
Hitmonlee side-stepped out of Espeon's path and immediately followed with a kick to its underside.
"Now Mega Kick"
"Mimi, Water Pulse" Alex yelled
Mimi flipped out of the water and fired her attack at Hitmonlee. As Hitmonlee prepared to finish its attack, the Water Pulse slammed into its side, sending it hurtling away from Espeon.
"I'll teach you to interfere... Hitmonchan, Mach Punch!!!"
Hitmonchan's glove began to glow as it sped towards a still airborne Mimi. Alex jumped and caught Mimi in his arms, but as he turned around, Hitmonchan punched him in the gut with full force, sending him off the pier and into the ocean.
"Alex!!!" Melody screamed as she saw her trainer disappear into the depths
Ashley and Ben turned and saw him being flung into the ocean
As Alex drifted deeper and deeper, Mimi got out of her unconscious trainer's arms and dove after him. As she tried to help him, his last words to her began to run through her mind
"It's not what's on the outside that's important, it's the beauty on the inside that matters the most and that's what I see when I look at her"
Meanwhile...
"Alex!!!!" Melody called
"You're gonna regret that" Ashley growled as she turned towards the two opposing trainers
"Guys, look!!!" Ben pointed
Everyone turned and saw a bright light shining around the spot where Alex fell in. A few moments later, something breached the surface of the water. They saw a creature with cream colored skin, red eyes, and three black dots going down its neck. The top of its head was long, with a point at the end. Long, thin red 'eyebrows' extended from above its eyes and thicker red hair-like fins draped from the sides of its head. Its lower tail was covered with blue and pink scales, with striations of black, and four large scales, blue with red spots in the middle, overlapping on the tip of its tail in the shape of a fan.
"MMMIIIILLLOOO..." It let out a majestic call before swimming towards Ben, Ashley, and Melody
"What is that?" Ashley stared in awe at this creature
"I don't believe it..." Ben stood in shock, "it... it's a Milotic"
"It's beautiful...."
"And it's got Alex" Melody pointed to an unconscious Alex on the Milotic's back. Ben and Ashley quickly rushed over as Milotic swam up to the edge of the pier. They grabbed him and pulled him onto the pier, Melody rushed over.
"Alex, are you alright?"
Ben brought his hands together and started to push on Alex's chest.
"Come on buddy, breathe"
After a few pushes, Alex opened his eyes and turned himself over, coughing up sea water and gasping for air.
"You ok?" Melody asked
"Yeah..."Alex replied, still gasping for air, "I think so"
"This Milotic saved your life" Ashley said
"Yeah, but what's a Milotic doing here?" Ben pondered
"huh..." Alex coughed as turned towards his savior. But as the Milotic looked at him with a relieved look on its face, something about it seemed familiar to him... almost like he knew this pokemon
"Wait a minute..." Alex looked into its eyes. Milotic looked at him with warm red eyes. He noticed a slight blush across Milotic's face.
"Mimi... Mimi, is that you?"
Milotic smiled and began to rub its face against his cheek.
"It is her" Melody smiled
"If that's true, then your Feebas must have evolved" Ben remarked
"That little fish evolved into this..." Ashley said almost in disbelief as she reached for her pokedex
"Milotic, the Tender Pokémon and the evolved form of Feebas. At the first sign of fighting, Milotic will come up from the bottom of its lake habitat and calm any hostile feelings. Milotic are rarely seen in the wild and are said to be the most beautiful of all pokemon. Milotic are peaceful Pokémon and typically try to avoid battles. It appears to dislike conflict, and will even appear before arguing humans in an attempt to calm their minds."
"I don't believe it..." Ashley said
"Just goes to show you, pokemon are full of surprises" Ben smiled
"Thanks Mimi" Alex smiled, "You saved my life"
Mimi blushed as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Mimi closed her eyes as she wrapped her "hair" around him
"Oh brother.... Get a room" one of the guys said
Alex turned and growled as he gave them an angrily annoyed look
"All this mushy stuff is making me nauseous" the other said
"Yeah, besides we're not finished wi-"
"Mimi, Ice Beam!!!" Alex commanded
Mimi pulled away from her trainer as a light blue ball formed in front of her mouth. Light-blue beams shot forth and froze Hitmonchan in a large block of ice
"Hitmonlee, use Hi Jump K-"
"Zap Cannon!!!" Ashley cut him off in mid sentence
A yellow orb of electricity formed in front of Espeon's gemstone and was launched at the Kicking pokemon. The attack connected dead center of its chest, sending Hitmonlee flying back and skidding across the ground.
"Hitmonlee, on your feet" its trainer commanded, but it was unable to move
"Nice, Zap Cannon always paralyzes its target if it hits" Ben said as sparks of electricity still surged on Hitmonlee's body
"Mimi, use Water Pulse" Alex pointed at the ground right in between the two opposing trainers
Mimi's attack exploded right in between the two trainers, causing them both to land on their backs
"Melody..." Alex called
"Electabuzz..." Ben called
"Thunderbolt!!!" they said in unison
Both fired their attacks and zapped the two jocks as they tried to get up. After a short while, the attacks ceased and the trainers fell to the ground again.
"I'm outta here" one of them said as he recalled his pokemon and ran off with his friend not far behind him
"Hey man, wait for me!" the other stumbled behind him
"What's wrong... don't tell me you've had enough" Ashley yelled as they ran out of sight
"Guess they've had enough" Ben smiled
"I'm just glad you're ok" Melody said as she jumped and wrapped her arms around her trainer
"It's ok Melody, I'm fine" he hugged her back, "Thanks to Mimi" he smiled
"I still can't believe that she evolved into this beautiful creature" Ashley said
"As I said earlier, pokemon are full of surprises" Ben smiled
Alex put Melody down and walked over to Mimi. He placed one hand gently on her cheek and began to gently rub his hand against her smooth skin. Mimi smiled and began to lean her head into his hand.
"Thank you, Mimi" he said as he returned her to her pokeball
"You sure you're alright?" Ashley asked
"Well, my stomach hurts and all I can taste right now is salt water" Alex replied
"Let's get back to the pokemon center and see about getting you cleaned up" Ben walked up and placed his hand on his shoulder
Back at the pokemon center, while Alex showered and changed his cloths, Ashley and Ben had their pokemon treated by Nurse Joy.
"So what was that all about back there?" Ben asked
"Oh, you mean those two guys?" Ashley replied, "Just two jerks looking for trouble"
"Well, then I guess it's a good thing we ran into each other"
"Yeah, I guess so"
"Your Espeon was pretty impressive back there"
"Thanks" Ashley smiled, "I've had her since I was a little girl"
"Sounds just like me and Melody" Alex said as he and Melody walked over
"Well you're looking a lot better" Ben said
"Feel better too" Alex said jokingly
"Melody... that's this one here right?" Ashley looked over at the Emotion pokemon next to him
"Yep, that's her" he nodded
Ashley reached for her pokedex
"Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon and the evolved form of Ralts. Kirlia is able to sense the feelings of its trainer, and when it becomes happy, it will start to dance. Kirlia are also able to see into the future and are known for forming bonds with their trainers."
"Bonds..." Ashley said slightly confused
"Let's just say she and I are pretty close" Alex replied
"So you two have known each other a long time huh?"
"Yeah, we met when I was six years old" Alex looked at Melody, "Ever since we met, there's been this connection between her and me. I can tell what she's feeling and she can read my thoughts and feel my emotions"
"Wow, that's pretty incredible" Ashley replied
"Yeah"
"So where are you guys headed?"
"I've got a battle with Surge down at the gym here"
"You're in for a tough battle"
"How do you know?" Alex asked
"I just beat him" Ashley pulled out her badges and showed her Thunder Badge, "And I gotta say it wasn't easy. Surge's strategy is to try and beat his opponents with pure power"
"If he relies on power to win, maybe we can out speed him" Alex said
"So, who are you going to use?" Ben asked
"Probably Lucas or Zack" Alex replied
"Who are Lucas and Zack?" Ashley looked at him
Alex reached for his belt and grabbed two pokeballs. As they opened, Zack and Lucas appeared in of him.
"This is Lucas" he pointed at his Riolu, "and this is Zack" he pointed at his Gible
Ashley reached for her pokedex
"Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon. When sad or scared, Riolu's aura becomes stronger as a way of signaling its allies. Riolu are playful, energetic, and loyal."
"Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. Gible once lived in the tropics, and to avoid cold it lives in caves warmed by geothermal heat."
"Where are you from?"Ashley asked
"I'm from Solaceon Town in Sinnoh" Alex answered
"Well, that explains a lot" Ashley replied, "So, what's your sixth pokemon?"
"This is Sophia" Alex let his Vulpix out of her pokeball
"Aw, so cute" Ashley walked over to the small Fox pokemon
Sophia looked up at Ashley curiously as she knelt down to pet her. She gently placed her hand on the small pokemon's head and began to gently run her fingers through Sophia's hair. She smiled as Ashley started to scratch the top of her head.
"Let's see what the pokedex has to say about this little one" Ashley said
"Vulpix, the Fox Pokémon. At birth, Vulpix has only one tail, which splits and grows more beautiful and warmer as it gets older. Vulpix usually have a friendly, if not spoiled, temperament and are quite affectionate towards those they trust. It has a flame in its body that will never go out and as such, has the ability to breathe fire."
"She's so adorable and her fur is so soft" Ashley commented, "I've seen a couple Vulpix back home in Johto, but I've never pet one before"
"You live in the Johto region?" Alex asked
"Yep, I'm from Goldenrod City" she answered
"Hey, what would you say to having a battle with me?" she asked
"I'd say, you're on" he replied
Outside the pokemon center, there was a small battlefield set up for trainers to practice. Ashley and Alex took their places and readied themselves for battle.
"Alright you guys, this will be a one-on-one match" Ben took his place as referee
"Got it" they replied simultaneously
"Alright Lucas, I choose you"
"Then in that case, I choose Scyther"
Out of Ashley's pokeball, a large mantis shaped pokemon with blade-like arms appeared
"What the heck is that?" Alex reached for his pokedex
"Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. Scyther's blade-like forearms have the power to slice through a log in a single blow and it is also gifted with incredible speed. When confronted by a trainer, they will react very aggressively to defend themselves, but when trained, Scyther can be among the most loyal Pokémon on any trainer's team and hate to give-up."
"This isn't going to be easy for Alex. Scyther is a combination Bug/Flying type, which means Lucas' Fighting-type moves aren't going to have much effect" Ben thought to himself, "Although, Scyther's Bug-type attacks aren't going to be very effective against Lucas either"
"Alright, let's kick things off" Alex said confidently, "Lucas, Quick Attack"
"We'll use Quick Attack as well"
Both pokemon collided, but Lucas was the one sent flying. The Riolu landed on his feet and stood ready to have another go
"It's pretty clear you've done a good job raising this one" Ashley said, "but we have the advantage by type" she smiled
"Battles aren't just about type" Alex said, "It's about the trust between a pokemon and its trainer"
With those words, a bright light engulfed the Emanation pokemon
"Lucas..." Alex looked in awe
"It's evolving..." Ben said with amazement
As the light faded, a new pokemon appeared before them. It was much taller than Riolu with three spikes on its body. One on the upper-side of each of its wrists and one on the center of its chest. Its torso was also colored with yellow fur and its thighs are in the shape of what looked like blue shorts.
"A Lucario..." Alex said with surprise and amazement
"Lucario, the Aura Pokémon and the evolved form of Riolu. Lucario are sensitive to a type of energy called Aura. By studying these waves of energy, Lucario are able to predict the movements and thoughts of their opponents. Lucario are also able to understand human speech; some people say that they can even speak it. Lucario are considered to be prideful creatures and are extremely loyal to their trainers. Lucario also have a natural sense of justice."
"Awesome..." Alex smiled
"Congradulations on your Riolu evolving" Ashley said, "but remember we're still in the middle of a battle"
"How could I forget?"
"Then let's get back to it... Scyther, Slash attack"
Before Alex could give him a command, Lucas brought his paws together and as he spread them apart, a light green bone of energy appeared. As Scyther prepared to strike, Lucas swung the bone and blocked the attack. Scyther struck again as Lucas parried the attacks. After four strikes, the bone disappeared and Lucas back-flipped away from the Mantis pokemon.
"That was Bone Rush" Ben said
"Sweet, we got a new move" Alex smiled
"Too bad it won't work on Scyther" Ashley replied
"She's right, Ground-type moves don't work against Flying-type pokemon" Ben said
"Darn it, are you serious?!" Alex said in disbelief
"Unfortunately yes" Ben nodded
"Scyther, Quick Attack" Ashley commanded
"Lucas, Force Palm" Alex responded
"Double Team, let's go!"
Just before their attacks collided, Scyther disappeared and split into multiple copies of itself around the Aura pokemon
"What did the pokedex say?" Alex thought, "Oh yeah, Lucas try to sense Scyther's aura" he yelled
Lucas closed his eyes and began to focus its aura. He could see the auras of everyone around him, as he focused he could see which were the illusions and could see the real one. He didn't know why, but Alex could feel that Lucas had located the real one.
"Alright, now use Quick Attack"
Lucas speed forth and slammed into the Mantis pokemon as the copies disappeared
"How did you know which was the real one" Ashley said with surprise
"That's the power of Aura" Alex smiled
"Scyther, Slash"
"Lucas, Quick Attack"
Scyther slashed Lucas, sending him back several feet
"Aerial Ace"
Scyther flew at the Lucario as white streaks came off it. As Lucas got to his feet, Scyther slammed into him at high speed.
"Lucas is unable to continue; therefore the victory goes to Scyther" Ben said
"You ok buddy?" Alex ran to his Lucario
Lucas looked up at his trainer. Alex could see that Lucas was upset about this loss.
"Don't feel bad buddy, you did great" he smiled, "Now come on, cheer up. I'm gonna need you when we face Surge"
Back at the pokemon center...
"Lucas looks a little upset" Melody said as she got Alex's attention
"I think that battle injured his pride" Alex said
As Lucas sat off by himself with his head lowered, something from behind made him jump a little. It was Sophia. She walked around in front of him and looked up at him.
"Vul Vul Vulpix"
"What's she saying to him?" Alex asked
"I believe in you, Lucas" Melody translated for him
"Sophia..." he smiled as his Vulpix comforted her friend, jumping into Lucas' lap and rubbing her face against him
"Lucario" Lucas said as he smiled at his childhood friend
"Thank you" Melody translated
Alex walked up to his two pokemon, knelt down and smiled at them.
"Thanks Sophia" he placed his hand on her head, "You ready to kick some butt, Lucas?" Alex looked at his Lucario
Lucas smiled and nodded at his trainer.
"Let's go get him"
Alex, Ben, Melody and Ashley all made their way to the Vermilion City gym, which looked like a large warehouse with lightning bolts painted on it. Inside was a light room with a battle arena and a very large man. He was unbelievably tall, very muscular and he wore a military looking outfit. He also had spiky blond hair.
"Let me guess, you're Lt. Surge..." Alex said
"Don't tell me you're here to challenge me for a badge, pipsqueak" he replied
"Actually... yes I am and my name's not pipsqueak, it's Alex"
"Oh brother, this shouldn't take too long" Surge scoffed
Both of them took their places on the battlefield as one of Surge's attendants took their place as a referee.
"This will be a one-on-one battle between the gym leader, Lt. Surge and the challenger, Alex" the referee announced
"Let's go, Raichu" Surge released his pokemon
"Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon and the evolved form of Pikachu. Its tail unleashes electricity into the ground. When the charge in its cheeks have reached full charge, its ears are raised."
"Go, Lucas"
"Let's end this quickly Raichu" Surge cracked a smile
"Don't think this is going to be easy" Alex said
"Let the battle begin" the referee started the battle
"Raichu, Thunderbolt"
Raichu's cheeks started to spark violently, and launched a massive bolt of electricity towards it opponent
"Lucas, dodge it and use Quick Attack"
The Aura pokemon leapt out of the bolt's path and instantly sped towards its opponent, slamming into it hard
"Iron Tail"
Raichu's long tail began to glow white
"Use Bone Rush"
As Raichu whipped its tail at Lucas, he formed his move and used the bone as a staff to defend against the attack
"Volt Tackle" Surge commanded
Raichu's body became engulfed with electrical energy as it charged towards the Aura pokemon
"Dodge it quick"
Raichu collided into Lucas with full force before he could move out of the way. The force from the attack sent Lucas straight into one of the walls of the gym
"Thunderbolt"
Raichu immediately followed up with a blast of electricity, causing further damage to its opponent
"Lucas, you alright?!"
"Let's finish this, Raichu Focus Punch!"
Raichu's right hand began to glow bright blue
"I think this is it..." Ben said, "even though Lucario is a Fighting-type, it has Steel-type characteristics, which means that Fighting-type moves are really effective and Focus Punch is as strong as they come"
"Guess Raichu was too much for his Lucario to handle" Ashley shook her head
"Come on buddy, don't give up" Alex tried to boost his confidence, "I know you can do this"
"Lucas, hang in there" Melody yelled
Lucas got to his feet and brought his hands together in front of him. A blue ball of energy began to form in the center of his hands
"What's that pokemon doing?" Surge stared at the Lucario
"Ben, what is that?" Ashley asked
"Are we seeing things... or is that Aura Sphere?!" Ben said in shock
"I don't believe it..." Alex stared at the ball of energy, "Lucas can use Aura Sphere now?!"
Lucas cracked a smile
"Like that's gonna help" Surge said, "Raichu, finish it with Focus Punch"
"Lucas, Aura Sphere!!!" Alex yelled
As Raichu ran at Lucas, the Aura pokemon threw the sphere at the incoming Mouse pokemon, hitting it in the center of its chest. Raichu flew back and hit the ground several feet back.
"Nice shot" Alex cheered
"Raichu, Iron Tail"
"Bone Rush"
Raichu whipped its tail at Lucas again, but the Lucario dodged the incoming attack and immediately followed with an attack of his own, scoring four hits before the bone disappeared
"Thunderbolt"
"Quick Attack, then go into Force Palm"
Using the speed from its move to his advantage, Lucas nimbly dashed past Raichu's electric attack and thrust his paw into the Mouse pokemon's chest, unleashing a powerful blast of energy sending his opponent flying backwards
"Volt Tackle!!!" Surge was obviously getting annoyed with his opponent
Raichu immediately charged, its body engulfed with electricity once again
"Aura Sphere"
The Aura pokemon launched his attack straight into the incoming Raichu's path. The two met, Raichu took the Aura Sphere in the face, causing it to lose its attack and tumble across the ground
"Focus Punch"
Raichu's fist started to glow light-blue again
"Quick Attack"
Before Raichu could finish preparing its attack, Lucas slammed into it at high speed
"Finish it with Bone Rush" Alex commanded
Lucas immediately formed the bone and attacked, making five clean hits to Raichu. The last one that hit the Mouse pokemon sent it hurtling towards its trainer and hitting the ground hard.
"Raichu is unable to battle, Lucario wins. Therefore, the winner of this battle is the challenger, Alex" the referee announced
"You did it!" Alex cheered as he ran to his friend
"He did it..." Ashley said almost in disbelief "...he actually won..."
"You were unbelievable, pal" Alex hugged Lucas
Lucas looked at his trainer and smiled.
"He really has a lot of faith in his pokemon... doesn't he?" Ashley said in amazement
"The trust between this kid and his pokemon is truly something to behold" Ben smiled
Ashley couldn't help but smile as well
Alex turned as Surge walked towards him
"Here..." Surge stretched out his hand; "you earned this Thunder badge" he smiled
"Thanks" Alex smiled as he accepted his prize
Ben, Alex, Ashley, and Melody headed back towards the pokemon center. Melody giggled as Alex wouldn't stop staring at his new badge
"How long are you planning on staring at that?" Ashley looked over at him
"Give him a break..." Ben laughed, "That was a tough battle"
"You can say that again" Alex nodded, "so Ben, what's our next stop?"
"There is a gym over in Celadon City" Ben replied, "You want to try your luck there?"
"You read my mind" he smiled
"So Ashley, where are you heading next?" Ben asked
"I'm actually headed for Celadon City too" Ashley answered
"I've got an idea" Alex said "...why don't you come with us?"
"Travel with you guys?" she was a bit surprised by his proposal
"If you'd like to, of course" Ben replied
Ashley thought about it for a minute
"Sure... I'd love to" she answeredChapter End Notes:Sorry this one took so long... things are a little crazy here and i had another projec
"Vermilion City" Alex said, "It feels like it's been a long time since we were last here"
After traveling a couple days, Alex, Ben, and Melody finally returned to Vermilion City.
"So, Surge is the leader here" Alex said
"Yep" Ben replied, "He is one of those power house trainers, so watch yourself"
"He's a little predictable in a fight, but don't let your guard down, he is very good" Ben added
"You mentioned on the way here that he uses Electric-type pokemon, right?" Alex turned towards Ben
"Yep" Ben answered, "if I remember correctly, he uses a Raichu as his primary battler"
"Can I ask you something?" Alex asked
"What is it?" Ben replied
"Just how do you know so much about these gyms we have been going to?"
"Oh yeah, well you see I already competed in the Kanto league"
"huh... I thought you wanted to be a breeder"
"Even breeders can compete in leagues" Ben laughed, "I wanted to try my hand and see how I would do in the Pokémon League, but after losing at the Indigo league, I decided to go back and focus my time and energy on becoming a breeder"
"I see, how far into the tournament did you make it?"
"I finished in the top eight"
"So what made you give up being a trainer?"
"Well, I lost without defeating a single one of opponent's pokemon" Ben answered, "after that defeat, I thought long and hard about what I may have done wrong in that battle. As I sat there thinking, my opponent walked up and said, "I really enjoyed our battle, but I don't think you put your heart into it""
""If you put your heart into something, there is nothing you can't do", those words stuck with me and ever since that day, I decided to go back to my dream of becoming a top breeder"
"Wow"
"Alex!" Melody ran up to her trainer
"What's wrong Melody?"
"I can't find Johnny anywhere" she said
"What!" Alex jumped out of his seat, "we have to find him"
"Calm down, panicking isn't going to help" Ben said, "lets split up and look around town, he couldn't have gotten far"
"Swablu, help us look for Johnny" Ben threw one of his pokeballs into the air as his Cotton Bird pokemon appeared and flew off to search
Alex and Melody took off in one direction, while Ben took off in another direction. They combed the whole city, searching everywhere, talking to everyone.
"Excuse me; have you seen a Togepi?" Alex frantically asked
"Sorry kid" someone replied, "but I will keep my eyes open"
"My friend lost one of his pokemon" Ben said, "Have you seen a Togepi anywhere?"
"I'm sorry I haven't"
After a half hour of searching, Alex and Melody ran into Ben
"Any luck..." Alex asked, obviously worried
"None at all..." Ben shook his head
"Where could he be?"
"We didn't check by the harbor" Melody said
Alex immediately ran in the direction of the harbor
"Hey wait up" Ben and Melody ran after him
"If anything happens to that little guy, I'll never forgive myself" Alex thought to himself
Upon arriving at the docks, Alex began to search for his lost pokemon. Ben and Melody arrived not long after he did.
"Alex, calm down and catch your breath" Ben said, "You're going to give yourself a heart attack"
"I've got to find him" Alex replied
"And we will" Melody said, "but you need to calm yourself"
Alex stared at them as he caught his breath; suddenly they heard a familiar sound in the air.
"Toge Toge piiii"
"Did you hear that?" Ben placed a hand to his ear
"Johnny..."Alex said
"It's coming from over there" Melody pointed
They ran, following the joyful cries to its source.
"Please, just let him be ok" Alex thought to himself
Around a corner on a pier that was barely six inches above the surface of the water, they saw a girl. She had short brown hair, about to her shoulder, blue eyes, and looked like she was thirteen years old. In her arms she had a Togepi
"Johnny" Alex called out
The girl and the Togepi turned and saw him. The Togepi began to wave its arms joyfully as it jumped out of the girl's arms and ran towards him.
"Johnny, thank goodness you're safe" Alex said with relief as he picked him up
"Don't run off like that again, you scared me" he said, "... but I'm just glad you're ok"
"Oh, so this Togepi belongs to you?" the girl asked
"Yeah, he's mine" he answered, "Thank you so much for finding him"
"You're welcome" she said, "My name's Ashley"
"I'm Alex, and this is Melody"
"It's nice to meet you" Melody waved her hand
"My name's Ben"
"It's nice to meet you all" Ashley replied
"Thanks again for finding Johnny" Alex said
"No problem" Ashley said, "I was wondering what a Togepi was doing here in Kanto"
"He just hatched a few days ago" Ben said
"I see"
"Alright mister, you've had your fun" Alex pulled out a pokeball, "back inside"
As Johnny disappeared into his pokeball, a light emerged from Alex's belt. As the light faded, Mimi appeared and dove into the water.
"Mimi... what are you doing outside of your pokeball?" Alex asked with confusion in his voice
"I guess she wanted to take a swim" Ben replied
"You have a Feebas too" Ashley said, "not much of a looker though"
Mimi looked down, depressed by her words
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to offend her"
Alex knelt down and placed his hand on Mimi's head
"It's not what's on the outside that important" he said, "it's the beauty on the inside that matters the most"
"And that's what I see when I look at her" he smiled at Mimi, causing her to blush slightly
"Hey you" a voice yelled
They all turned and saw two teenage boys standing ten feet away from them
"Can I help you?" Alex gave them an odd look
"We need to talk to the girl" one of them said
"I told you creeps to get lost" Ashley said
"You know these guys?" Ben asked
"They're just two jerks who won't leave me alone" she replied
"We just want to talk"
"I told you to beat it" she reached for one of her pokeballs
"Or what... you gonna beat us?"
"Wow... I guess not all jocks are entirely stupid"
"Stereotypes" Ben smirked, Alex and Melody laughed
"You're gonna pay for that... Go Hitmonchan"
"Go Hitmonlee"
"Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokémon. Hitmonchan specializes in punch attacks. Its moves are faster than the eye. The punches this pokemon throws are strong enough to pulverize even concrete."
"Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon. Hitmonlee can extend and retract its legs at will to kick opponents from almost any distance. First-time foes are often startled by its extensible reach."
"Go Electabuzz" Ben said
"Espeon, I choose you" Ashley threw her pokeball into the air
As the light faded, a cat-like pokemon with lavender fur, large ears, and a forked tail appeared
"What's that?" Alex pointed his pokedex at Ashley's pokemon
"Espeon, the Sun Pokémon and an evolved form of Eevee. It uses the fine hairs that cover its body to sense air currents and predict an opponent's movement. Espeon is extremely loyal to any trainer it considers to be worthy. It is said that this Pokémon developed its precognitive powers to protect its trainer from harm."
"Hitmonchan, Comet Punch" the Punching pokemon changed and began to unleash a flurry of punches with blinding speed
"Hitmonlee, Double Kick"
"Espeon, use Psychic on Hitmonlee"
"Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch on Hitmonchan"
As Electabuzz ran towards his opponent with his fist violently sparking with electricity, Espeon's eyes began to glow as it fired a blast of psychic energy at the Kicking pokemon in front of it. The blast sent Hitmonlee skidding across the ground. While Hitmonchan and Electabuzz began to exchange punches with each other. Several punches hit Electabuzz before its Thunder Punch made contact with Hitmonchan's face.
"Hitmonchan, Fire Punch"
"Electabuzz, Protect"
As Hitmonchan prepared to jab with its fist ablaze, Electabuzz set its shield to block the attack
"Espeon, Quick Attack"
"Dodge it Hitmonlee, then use Rolling Kick"
Hitmonlee side-stepped out of Espeon's path and immediately followed with a kick to its underside.
"Now Mega Kick"
"Mimi, Water Pulse" Alex yelled
Mimi flipped out of the water and fired her attack at Hitmonlee. As Hitmonlee prepared to finish its attack, the Water Pulse slammed into its side, sending it hurtling away from Espeon.
"I'll teach you to interfere... Hitmonchan, Mach Punch!!!"
Hitmonchan's glove began to glow as it sped towards a still airborne Mimi. Alex jumped and caught Mimi in his arms, but as he turned around, Hitmonchan punched him in the gut with full force, sending him off the pier and into the ocean.
"Alex!!!" Melody screamed as she saw her trainer disappear into the depths
Ashley and Ben turned and saw him being flung into the ocean
As Alex drifted deeper and deeper, Mimi got out of her unconscious trainer's arms and dove after him. As she tried to help him, his last words to her began to run through her mind
"It's not what's on the outside that's important, it's the beauty on the inside that matters the most and that's what I see when I look at her"
Meanwhile...
"Alex!!!!" Melody called
"You're gonna regret that" Ashley growled as she turned towards the two opposing trainers
"Guys, look!!!" Ben pointed
Everyone turned and saw a bright light shining around the spot where Alex fell in. A few moments later, something breached the surface of the water. They saw a creature with cream colored skin, red eyes, and three black dots going down its neck. The top of its head was long, with a point at the end. Long, thin red 'eyebrows' extended from above its eyes and thicker red hair-like fins draped from the sides of its head. Its lower tail was covered with blue and pink scales, with striations of black, and four large scales, blue with red spots in the middle, overlapping on the tip of its tail in the shape of a fan.
"MMMIIIILLLOOO..." It let out a majestic call before swimming towards Ben, Ashley, and Melody
"What is that?" Ashley stared in awe at this creature
"I don't believe it..." Ben stood in shock, "it... it's a Milotic"
"It's beautiful...."
"And it's got Alex" Melody pointed to an unconscious Alex on the Milotic's back. Ben and Ashley quickly rushed over as Milotic swam up to the edge of the pier. They grabbed him and pulled him onto the pier, Melody rushed over.
"Alex, are you alright?"
Ben brought his hands together and started to push on Alex's chest.
"Come on buddy, breathe"
After a few pushes, Alex opened his eyes and turned himself over, coughing up sea water and gasping for air.
"You ok?" Melody asked
"Yeah..."Alex replied, still gasping for air, "I think so"
"This Milotic saved your life" Ashley said
"Yeah, but what's a Milotic doing here?" Ben pondered
"huh..." Alex coughed as turned towards his savior. But as the Milotic looked at him with a relieved look on its face, something about it seemed familiar to him... almost like he knew this pokemon
"Wait a minute..." Alex looked into its eyes. Milotic looked at him with warm red eyes. He noticed a slight blush across Milotic's face.
"Mimi... Mimi, is that you?"
Milotic smiled and began to rub its face against his cheek.
"It is her" Melody smiled
"If that's true, then your Feebas must have evolved" Ben remarked
"That little fish evolved into this..." Ashley said almost in disbelief as she reached for her pokedex
"Milotic, the Tender Pokémon and the evolved form of Feebas. At the first sign of fighting, Milotic will come up from the bottom of its lake habitat and calm any hostile feelings. Milotic are rarely seen in the wild and are said to be the most beautiful of all pokemon. Milotic are peaceful Pokémon and typically try to avoid battles. It appears to dislike conflict, and will even appear before arguing humans in an attempt to calm their minds."
"I don't believe it..." Ashley said
"Just goes to show you, pokemon are full of surprises" Ben smiled
"Thanks Mimi" Alex smiled, "You saved my life"
Mimi blushed as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Mimi closed her eyes as she wrapped her "hair" around him
"Oh brother.... Get a room" one of the guys said
Alex turned and growled as he gave them an angrily annoyed look
"All this mushy stuff is making me nauseous" the other said
"Yeah, besides we're not finished wi-"
"Mimi, Ice Beam!!!" Alex commanded
Mimi pulled away from her trainer as a light blue ball formed in front of her mouth. Light-blue beams shot forth and froze Hitmonchan in a large block of ice
"Hitmonlee, use Hi Jump K-"
"Zap Cannon!!!" Ashley cut him off in mid sentence
A yellow orb of electricity formed in front of Espeon's gemstone and was launched at the Kicking pokemon. The attack connected dead center of its chest, sending Hitmonlee flying back and skidding across the ground.
"Hitmonlee, on your feet" its trainer commanded, but it was unable to move
"Nice, Zap Cannon always paralyzes its target if it hits" Ben said as sparks of electricity still surged on Hitmonlee's body
"Mimi, use Water Pulse" Alex pointed at the ground right in between the two opposing trainers
Mimi's attack exploded right in between the two trainers, causing them both to land on their backs
"Melody..." Alex called
"Electabuzz..." Ben called
"Thunderbolt!!!" they said in unison
Both fired their attacks and zapped the two jocks as they tried to get up. After a short while, the attacks ceased and the trainers fell to the ground again.
"I'm outta here" one of them said as he recalled his pokemon and ran off with his friend not far behind him
"Hey man, wait for me!" the other stumbled behind him
"What's wrong... don't tell me you've had enough" Ashley yelled as they ran out of sight
"Guess they've had enough" Ben smiled
"I'm just glad you're ok" Melody said as she jumped and wrapped her arms around her trainer
"It's ok Melody, I'm fine" he hugged her back, "Thanks to Mimi" he smiled
"I still can't believe that she evolved into this beautiful creature" Ashley said
"As I said earlier, pokemon are full of surprises" Ben smiled
Alex put Melody down and walked over to Mimi. He placed one hand gently on her cheek and began to gently rub his hand against her smooth skin. Mimi smiled and began to lean her head into his hand.
"Thank you, Mimi" he said as he returned her to her pokeball
"You sure you're alright?" Ashley asked
"Well, my stomach hurts and all I can taste right now is salt water" Alex replied
"Let's get back to the pokemon center and see about getting you cleaned up" Ben walked up and placed his hand on his shoulder
Back at the pokemon center, while Alex showered and changed his cloths, Ashley and Ben had their pokemon treated by Nurse Joy.
"So what was that all about back there?" Ben asked
"Oh, you mean those two guys?" Ashley replied, "Just two jerks looking for trouble"
"Well, then I guess it's a good thing we ran into each other"
"Yeah, I guess so"
"Your Espeon was pretty impressive back there"
"Thanks" Ashley smiled, "I've had her since I was a little girl"
"Sounds just like me and Melody" Alex said as he and Melody walked over
"Well you're looking a lot better" Ben said
"Feel better too" Alex said jokingly
"Melody... that's this one here right?" Ashley looked over at the Emotion pokemon next to him
"Yep, that's her" he nodded
Ashley reached for her pokedex
"Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon and the evolved form of Ralts. Kirlia is able to sense the feelings of its trainer, and when it becomes happy, it will start to dance. Kirlia are also able to see into the future and are known for forming bonds with their trainers."
"Bonds..." Ashley said slightly confused
"Let's just say she and I are pretty close" Alex replied
"So you two have known each other a long time huh?"
"Yeah, we met when I was six years old" Alex looked at Melody, "Ever since we met, there's been this connection between her and me. I can tell what she's feeling and she can read my thoughts and feel my emotions"
"Wow, that's pretty incredible" Ashley replied
"Yeah"
"So where are you guys headed?"
"I've got a battle with Surge down at the gym here"
"You're in for a tough battle"
"How do you know?" Alex asked
"I just beat him" Ashley pulled out her badges and showed her Thunder Badge, "And I gotta say it wasn't easy. Surge's strategy is to try and beat his opponents with pure power"
"If he relies on power to win, maybe we can out speed him" Alex said
"So, who are you going to use?" Ben asked
"Probably Lucas or Zack" Alex replied
"Who are Lucas and Zack?" Ashley looked at him
Alex reached for his belt and grabbed two pokeballs. As they opened, Zack and Lucas appeared in of him.
"This is Lucas" he pointed at his Riolu, "and this is Zack" he pointed at his Gible
Ashley reached for her pokedex
"Riolu, the Emanation Pokémon. When sad or scared, Riolu's aura becomes stronger as a way of signaling its allies. Riolu are playful, energetic, and loyal."
"Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. Gible once lived in the tropics, and to avoid cold it lives in caves warmed by geothermal heat."
"Where are you from?"Ashley asked
"I'm from Solaceon Town in Sinnoh" Alex answered
"Well, that explains a lot" Ashley replied, "So, what's your sixth pokemon?"
"This is Sophia" Alex let his Vulpix out of her pokeball
"Aw, so cute" Ashley walked over to the small Fox pokemon
Sophia looked up at Ashley curiously as she knelt down to pet her. She gently placed her hand on the small pokemon's head and began to gently run her fingers through Sophia's hair. She smiled as Ashley started to scratch the top of her head.
"Let's see what the pokedex has to say about this little one" Ashley said
"Vulpix, the Fox Pokémon. At birth, Vulpix has only one tail, which splits and grows more beautiful and warmer as it gets older. Vulpix usually have a friendly, if not spoiled, temperament and are quite affectionate towards those they trust. It has a flame in its body that will never go out and as such, has the ability to breathe fire."
"She's so adorable and her fur is so soft" Ashley commented, "I've seen a couple Vulpix back home in Johto, but I've never pet one before"
"You live in the Johto region?" Alex asked
"Yep, I'm from Goldenrod City" she answered
"Hey, what would you say to having a battle with me?" she asked
"I'd say, you're on" he replied
Outside the pokemon center, there was a small battlefield set up for trainers to practice. Ashley and Alex took their places and readied themselves for battle.
"Alright you guys, this will be a one-on-one match" Ben took his place as referee
"Got it" they replied simultaneously
"Alright Lucas, I choose you"
"Then in that case, I choose Scyther"
Out of Ashley's pokeball, a large mantis shaped pokemon with blade-like arms appeared
"What the heck is that?" Alex reached for his pokedex
"Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. Scyther's blade-like forearms have the power to slice through a log in a single blow and it is also gifted with incredible speed. When confronted by a trainer, they will react very aggressively to defend themselves, but when trained, Scyther can be among the most loyal Pokémon on any trainer's team and hate to give-up."
"This isn't going to be easy for Alex. Scyther is a combination Bug/Flying type, which means Lucas' Fighting-type moves aren't going to have much effect" Ben thought to himself, "Although, Scyther's Bug-type attacks aren't going to be very effective against Lucas either"
"Alright, let's kick things off" Alex said confidently, "Lucas, Quick Attack"
"We'll use Quick Attack as well"
Both pokemon collided, but Lucas was the one sent flying. The Riolu landed on his feet and stood ready to have another go
"It's pretty clear you've done a good job raising this one" Ashley said, "but we have the advantage by type" she smiled
"Battles aren't just about type" Alex said, "It's about the trust between a pokemon and its trainer"
With those words, a bright light engulfed the Emanation pokemon
"Lucas..." Alex looked in awe
"It's evolving..." Ben said with amazement
As the light faded, a new pokemon appeared before them. It was much taller than Riolu with three spikes on its body. One on the upper-side of each of its wrists and one on the center of its chest. Its torso was also colored with yellow fur and its thighs are in the shape of what looked like blue shorts.
"A Lucario..." Alex said with surprise and amazement
"Lucario, the Aura Pokémon and the evolved form of Riolu. Lucario are sensitive to a type of energy called Aura. By studying these waves of energy, Lucario are able to predict the movements and thoughts of their opponents. Lucario are also able to understand human speech; some people say that they can even speak it. Lucario are considered to be prideful creatures and are extremely loyal to their trainers. Lucario also have a natural sense of justice."
"Awesome..." Alex smiled
"Congradulations on your Riolu evolving" Ashley said, "but remember we're still in the middle of a battle"
"How could I forget?"
"Then let's get back to it... Scyther, Slash attack"
Before Alex could give him a command, Lucas brought his paws together and as he spread them apart, a light green bone of energy appeared. As Scyther prepared to strike, Lucas swung the bone and blocked the attack. Scyther struck again as Lucas parried the attacks. After four strikes, the bone disappeared and Lucas back-flipped away from the Mantis pokemon.
"That was Bone Rush" Ben said
"Sweet, we got a new move" Alex smiled
"Too bad it won't work on Scyther" Ashley replied
"She's right, Ground-type moves don't work against Flying-type pokemon" Ben said
"Darn it, are you serious?!" Alex said in disbelief
"Unfortunately yes" Ben nodded
"Scyther, Quick Attack" Ashley commanded
"Lucas, Force Palm" Alex responded
"Double Team, let's go!"
Just before their attacks collided, Scyther disappeared and split into multiple copies of itself around the Aura pokemon
"What did the pokedex say?" Alex thought, "Oh yeah, Lucas try to sense Scyther's aura" he yelled
Lucas closed his eyes and began to focus its aura. He could see the auras of everyone around him, as he focused he could see which were the illusions and could see the real one. He didn't know why, but Alex could feel that Lucas had located the real one.
"Alright, now use Quick Attack"
Lucas speed forth and slammed into the Mantis pokemon as the copies disappeared
"How did you know which was the real one" Ashley said with surprise
"That's the power of Aura" Alex smiled
"Scyther, Slash"
"Lucas, Quick Attack"
Scyther slashed Lucas, sending him back several feet
"Aerial Ace"
Scyther flew at the Lucario as white streaks came off it. As Lucas got to his feet, Scyther slammed into him at high speed.
"Lucas is unable to continue; therefore the victory goes to Scyther" Ben said
"You ok buddy?" Alex ran to his Lucario
Lucas looked up at his trainer. Alex could see that Lucas was upset about this loss.
"Don't feel bad buddy, you did great" he smiled, "Now come on, cheer up. I'm gonna need you when we face Surge"
Back at the pokemon center...
"Lucas looks a little upset" Melody said as she got Alex's attention
"I think that battle injured his pride" Alex said
As Lucas sat off by himself with his head lowered, something from behind made him jump a little. It was Sophia. She walked around in front of him and looked up at him.
"Vul Vul Vulpix"
"What's she saying to him?" Alex asked
"I believe in you, Lucas" Melody translated for him
"Sophia..." he smiled as his Vulpix comforted her friend, jumping into Lucas' lap and rubbing her face against him
"Lucario" Lucas said as he smiled at his childhood friend
"Thank you" Melody translated
Alex walked up to his two pokemon, knelt down and smiled at them.
"Thanks Sophia" he placed his hand on her head, "You ready to kick some butt, Lucas?" Alex looked at his Lucario
Lucas smiled and nodded at his trainer.
"Let's go get him"
Alex, Ben, Melody and Ashley all made their way to the Vermilion City gym, which looked like a large warehouse with lightning bolts painted on it. Inside was a light room with a battle arena and a very large man. He was unbelievably tall, very muscular and he wore a military looking outfit. He also had spiky blond hair.
"Let me guess, you're Lt. Surge..." Alex said
"Don't tell me you're here to challenge me for a badge, pipsqueak" he replied
"Actually... yes I am and my name's not pipsqueak, it's Alex"
"Oh brother, this shouldn't take too long" Surge scoffed
Both of them took their places on the battlefield as one of Surge's attendants took their place as a referee.
"This will be a one-on-one battle between the gym leader, Lt. Surge and the challenger, Alex" the referee announced
"Let's go, Raichu" Surge released his pokemon
"Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon and the evolved form of Pikachu. Its tail unleashes electricity into the ground. When the charge in its cheeks have reached full charge, its ears are raised."
"Go, Lucas"
"Let's end this quickly Raichu" Surge cracked a smile
"Don't think this is going to be easy" Alex said
"Let the battle begin" the referee started the battle
"Raichu, Thunderbolt"
Raichu's cheeks started to spark violently, and launched a massive bolt of electricity towards it opponent
"Lucas, dodge it and use Quick Attack"
The Aura pokemon leapt out of the bolt's path and instantly sped towards its opponent, slamming into it hard
"Iron Tail"
Raichu's long tail began to glow white
"Use Bone Rush"
As Raichu whipped its tail at Lucas, he formed his move and used the bone as a staff to defend against the attack
"Volt Tackle" Surge commanded
Raichu's body became engulfed with electrical energy as it charged towards the Aura pokemon
"Dodge it quick"
Raichu collided into Lucas with full force before he could move out of the way. The force from the attack sent Lucas straight into one of the walls of the gym
"Thunderbolt"
Raichu immediately followed up with a blast of electricity, causing further damage to its opponent
"Lucas, you alright?!"
"Let's finish this, Raichu Focus Punch!"
Raichu's right hand began to glow bright blue
"I think this is it..." Ben said, "even though Lucario is a Fighting-type, it has Steel-type characteristics, which means that Fighting-type moves are really effective and Focus Punch is as strong as they come"
"Guess Raichu was too much for his Lucario to handle" Ashley shook her head
"Come on buddy, don't give up" Alex tried to boost his confidence, "I know you can do this"
"Lucas, hang in there" Melody yelled
Lucas got to his feet and brought his hands together in front of him. A blue ball of energy began to form in the center of his hands
"What's that pokemon doing?" Surge stared at the Lucario
"Ben, what is that?" Ashley asked
"Are we seeing things... or is that Aura Sphere?!" Ben said in shock
"I don't believe it..." Alex stared at the ball of energy, "Lucas can use Aura Sphere now?!"
Lucas cracked a smile
"Like that's gonna help" Surge said, "Raichu, finish it with Focus Punch"
"Lucas, Aura Sphere!!!" Alex yelled
As Raichu ran at Lucas, the Aura pokemon threw the sphere at the incoming Mouse pokemon, hitting it in the center of its chest. Raichu flew back and hit the ground several feet back.
"Nice shot" Alex cheered
"Raichu, Iron Tail"
"Bone Rush"
Raichu whipped its tail at Lucas again, but the Lucario dodged the incoming attack and immediately followed with an attack of his own, scoring four hits before the bone disappeared
"Thunderbolt"
"Quick Attack, then go into Force Palm"
Using the speed from its move to his advantage, Lucas nimbly dashed past Raichu's electric attack and thrust his paw into the Mouse pokemon's chest, unleashing a powerful blast of energy sending his opponent flying backwards
"Volt Tackle!!!" Surge was obviously getting annoyed with his opponent
Raichu immediately charged, its body engulfed with electricity once again
"Aura Sphere"
The Aura pokemon launched his attack straight into the incoming Raichu's path. The two met, Raichu took the Aura Sphere in the face, causing it to lose its attack and tumble across the ground
"Focus Punch"
Raichu's fist started to glow light-blue again
"Quick Attack"
Before Raichu could finish preparing its attack, Lucas slammed into it at high speed
"Finish it with Bone Rush" Alex commanded
Lucas immediately formed the bone and attacked, making five clean hits to Raichu. The last one that hit the Mouse pokemon sent it hurtling towards its trainer and hitting the ground hard.
"Raichu is unable to battle, Lucario wins. Therefore, the winner of this battle is the challenger, Alex" the referee announced
"You did it!" Alex cheered as he ran to his friend
"He did it..." Ashley said almost in disbelief "...he actually won..."
"You were unbelievable, pal" Alex hugged Lucas
Lucas looked at his trainer and smiled.
"He really has a lot of faith in his pokemon... doesn't he?" Ashley said in amazement
"The trust between this kid and his pokemon is truly something to behold" Ben smiled
Ashley couldn't help but smile as well
Alex turned as Surge walked towards him
"Here..." Surge stretched out his hand; "you earned this Thunder badge" he smiled
"Thanks" Alex smiled as he accepted his prize
Ben, Alex, Ashley, and Melody headed back towards the pokemon center. Melody giggled as Alex wouldn't stop staring at his new badge
"How long are you planning on staring at that?" Ashley looked over at him
"Give him a break..." Ben laughed, "That was a tough battle"
"You can say that again" Alex nodded, "so Ben, what's our next stop?"
"There is a gym over in Celadon City" Ben replied, "You want to try your luck there?"
"You read my mind" he smiled
"So Ashley, where are you heading next?" Ben asked
"I'm actually headed for Celadon City too" Ashley answered
"I've got an idea" Alex said "...why don't you come with us?"
"Travel with you guys?" she was a bit surprised by his proposal
"If you'd like to, of course" Ben replied
Ashley thought about it for a minute
"Sure... I'd love to" she answeredChapter End Notes:Sorry this one took so long... things are a little crazy here and i had another projec