An intense battle ragged at the rear of a pokecentre, Ash and carmen stood at the end of the open field pikachu and nidoran stationed between them
Nidoran who had a little burned skin slashed away at pikachu who was weaving through the attack with only a little difficulty
Pikachu jumped back and used thunder shock which nidoran barely dodged before dashing in with his jaw open, ready to land a bite
Pikachu used double team appearing all around nidoran not letting it strike. Pikachu appeared behind nidoran in a blitz launching a point blank thunder bolt, effectively knocking nido out
Ash and pikachu high fived to celebrate their victory. the group had finally reached vermillion city where Ash and Carmen had to earn their third batch.
Both were doing dome last day training before trying on the gym the that same day.
"that was good you two!" Misty said entering the open field while giving some applause.
Carmen gave ash a gentle smile, damn that loss was a major confidence killer. he patted nidoran's head assuring it that they will win next time and retrieved the pokemon to give it some rest.
Ash gave carmen a hand and helped him stand up all the while grinning, it was really fun having someone else who loved the pokemon battle and whom he could always train with plus carmen was sweet, maybe a little too sweet to borderline naiveness but ash knew better
Carmen was kind but could instantly switch up if the situation called for it, that was a good things.
" Last minute jitters?" he asked
Carmen gave him a amused shook of head and walked back into the pokecentre to get his nidoran healed
==================================================================
Ash, carmen, misty and brock reached the entrance of the gym, it was a relatively huge building with a thunder sing carved on top of it along with two gates, it looked to be made of rock
"You know its not too late to back out you two"
Misty cheekily said hoping to irk the boys and break the tension, Ash gave her a smug smile
"why should we back out when we are going to win? just watch right carmen?"
Carmen nodded with a small smirk, he had spend most of the night researching on the gym and had a decent strategy
" ok ok you three lets just go inside or are we chickening out?" brock remarked
This effectively ticked off all three of the as they hurried inside, A tall man stood inside next to a fairly tall woman, both playing cards, their attention turned towards them
"Hello we are here for a pokemon match, two trainers" Brock spoke
Hearing this made the two adults cackle in laughter,
"Hey boss!! we got two more victims here!! quick quick send them to the pokecentre i want to resume playing cards"
A large figure emerged from the dark room, he was wearing a army coloured jacket with no shirt on and a cargo pant, he had spiky blond hair and two pokeballs attached two his belt.
"who?" he asked giving a smirk
"Who... he's huge!!" brock exclaimed as the man towered over them
"is he... the gym leader?" carmen whispered but was heard by all
The man opened his arms and gave a smirk, wrapping carmen around his giant arms
"Welcome to the vermillion gym!! you sure are short for a trainer, and a odd hair colour"
Carmen caught off guard by the sudden act calmed down seeing no hostility and quietly pleaded the man to but him down.
He turned to Ash, "are you the other challenger or this cute young lady?"
he asked giving misty a smile, Ash came between the two and boldly exclaimed that he was here to beat him
" oh so you baby's wanna challenge me!?"
A tick mark appeared on both ash and carmen's face while pikachu walked out gesturing the man to come and fight, flexing its nonexistent muscles.
"ha look, a baby has a baby pokemon, a pikachu?! il show you what happens when you let its balls drop"
The man called out a pokemon from one of his pokeball, A raichu!!, this eked pikachu as the evolved form towered over him, slamming its tail on the ground to make its presence known
==================================================================
The now known Sargent and Ash stood at the opposite sides of the gym, its light now on as raichu maintained its intimidating presence but that just only fueled pikachu's anger as it was ready to fight
"A-Ash you should probably use Bulbasaur as its a grass type!!" carmen shouted from the stands
Ash nodded "sorry buddy but i think carmen's right, dont you?"
Pikachu immediately deflated and gave carmen a small glare, he wanted to throw hand with that fat raichu.... but winning came first
Bulbasaur came out of its pokeball with a arrogant look matching the raichu's look perfectly as it motioned it to come and get some if he can
The referee stood in the middle and told that it was a 1v1 before beginning the match
Raichu dashed in, closing the distance between them fast and attempted a body slam which was dodged by bulba, he launched some razor leaf at raichu who was too slow to dodge and took it head on
Raichu seemed a little damaged by the attack but was still going at full power as he sent out thunder hitting bulba dead on but it did not seem to do much
" that it a-ash use the type advantage!!!"
Carmen cheered on, using a grass against a electric type was the obvious move..... well ash..... he seemed to sometimes defy physics but that was not always reliable.
Bulba gave a small smirk filled to the brim with arrogance and superiority, raichu's had a worried face, that move was its strongest but bulba took it like it was nothing
Another cluster of razor leaf was launched. it was followed by a leche seed which trapped raichu and sucked of its energy giving it to bulbasaur... the refree walked closer as the seed dissolved
" Raichu is unnable to battle, the winner is Ash ketchum!!! "
Ash jumped in joy and picked up bulbasaur swinging him around and round,
" we did it bulbasaur we did it!! we got the thunder badge!!"
The grass type nodded cheerfully giving pikachu a smile, pikachu shot him a challenging look, the bitch won one battle and dared to think that he was better than the og?
" God damn it!!! how did i lose!?" Lt. Surge stamped his feet in anger before fixiating his glare at carmen
"Kid, come down.... im gonna crush you for real now"
Carmen gulped at the intense gaze but complied and walked down the stairs, fist bumping ash on the way.
The refree yet again stood between them as both the trainer sent out their pokemon
"Go Jolteon!"
"go nidoran"