The Kanto Journals: A Pokemon Crossover

Chapter 19: The Lightning American's Order

"Dolph, don't you think you're challenging a Gym far too soon?" Lucy worriedly asked Arndolfr. "You've only had a Gym battle the other day and I think you're moving on too fast."

Arndolfr and Lucy had just arrived in front of the Gym in Vermillion City early in the morning, where no one seems to be inside at the moment.

"You know what, Lucy, I think I am," replied Arndolfr, scratching the back of his neck. "I don't even know why I woke up so early just for this. I didn't even think of training my Pokémon before this battle. To be honest, I don't even know what I'm thinking right now."

Lucy shook her head in disapproval. "You should at least think of your actions before doing them, you know."

"Yes, I know," replied Arndolfr abruptly, then turned back and continued, "Maybe we should go back some other time. I'm gonna need some more time to train."

"Okay, so how are you going to train, then?" asked Lucy.

Arndolfr stopped for a moment and said, "To be honest, I also don't know. I did think of finding out what I can about this next Gym so I would be able to strategize, but it turns out that no one's here, so I guess I'll just have to train by ear."

"Hmm, not exactly a good way to start, but it's better than nothing," commented Lucy. "Tell you what, I'll go help you train. My Aipom kinda needs a bit of exercise, so I'll be helping you train with him."

Arndolfr was about to thank Lucy for his offer, but he was interrupted by an extremely loud voice coming from back at the gym they've just left.

"Oi! You there with the funny headband!"

Arndolfr and Lucy turned around to see an extremely large blond man with tanned skin and is wearing an army attire, except that his shirt was unbuttoned, leaving him with a bare chest. To be sure, Arndolfr looked left and right to make sure no one else was wearing a headband like him and then looked at the man and pointed at himself as if asking whether he really called for him.

The large man went on, "Yeah, I'm talking to you, baby! I hear you're here to challenge the Vermillion City Gym!"

In dismay, Arndolfr put his palm on his face and muttered, "Ugh! I really hate this name-calling business. First, someone calls me Arnie-boy, then a novice, and now a baby."

Arndolfr couldn't get over the fact that many people couldn't even bother asking his name and just resort on branding him that Lucy had to answer the man's question for him.

Lucy had to speak for him this time. "Well, not really. We just came to check out the Gym and hoped to find out what we can before challenging it. And there's no need to call this boy a baby. That's not nice."

"Ahahaha! You're really funny, miss!" the man roared in laughter. "But I'm afraid I won't let you go away now that you have reached my Gym! Once you enter, you must challenge the Gym! That's my new policy."

"So that means... you're the Gym Leader of Vermillion City?" Arndolfr gasped, looking at the man who, he'd daresay, is even taller than Crasher Wake.

"You bet, I am, baby!" the man boomed. "I'm Lt. Surge, the mighty Gym Leader of Vermillion City! I'll go zap you like I did my enemies during the war!"

"Okay, there will be no need to zap – " Arndolfr began, but stopped when he said the word 'zap.' "D-do you perhaps use Electric-type Pokémon?"

"Again, you bet I do!" Lt. Surge boomed once again. "Now come inside my Gym so you could see what I'm truly made of!" He then sped off inside.

Arndolfr turned to Lucy and said, "I don't think we should go in. I'm not ready for this."

"Dolph, think about it," Lucy retaliated. "Even if you don't win this one, we're going to gather a lot of info on how he battles. Besides, it's not the end of the world of you lose a Gym battle, is it?"