The Vermilion Gym loomed like a fortress.
All steel bulkheads, military-grade rivets, and electrified fences. The doors hissed open with hydraulic force as Ash stepped inside, flanked by Pikachu and the Geodude he'd transferred moments ago. The gym smelled faintly of ozone, metal, and sweat.
A whistle cut through the static-charged air.
"Another challenger?" The voice echoed off reinforced walls. Heavy boots thudded into view, and Lt. Surge appeared like a storm front—tall, broad-shouldered, arms crossed over his camo vest, aviator shades glinting. "You the brat who thinks he can take the Thunder Badge?"
Ash didn't flinch. "Yeah. Name's Ash. I'm here for a star match."
That got Surge's attention.
He raised an eyebrow and grinned, sharklike. "You got guts, kid. That's a three-on-three. No healing, no swaps unless a 'mon's down. You really think your team can handle me at full power?"
Ash tilted his head slightly, just enough for the light to catch Pikachu's cheeks as they sparked in anticipation. "I'll show you what real power looks like."
Surge barked out a laugh. "Then let's light this place up!"
He stomped toward the battle platform and pointed with a dramatic sweep. "This arena's regulation steel-reinforced. Grounded. Built for storms. You're not gonna luck your way through this one, newbie."
Ash stepped onto the opposite side as the lights dimmed and spotlights flared overhead. Pikachu leapt down from his shoulder and hit the floor with a crackle of static.
"I'll shock you into surrender!" Surge roared, slamming his first Poké Ball onto the field.
A burst of red light. Out came Electabuzz, muscles rippling, fists sparking with live current.
Ash didn't hesitate. "Go, Geodude!"
The Poké Ball arced through the air and burst open to reveal the rocky, floating form of a high-level Geodude. It grunted low and deep, eyes narrowing.
Surge snorted. "A Rock type? You seriously brought that here?"
Ash didn't answer. He just pointed forward.
"Geodude—Self-Destruct."
"What—?"
Before Surge could even react, Geodude's body pulsed with white-hot energy. The entire battlefield flashed with a violent boom, smoke and dust erupting in all directions.
When the light cleared, Electabuzz was on one knee, barely standing—but wobbling.
Faint.
The ref's flag dropped. "Electabuzz is unable to battle!"
Surge's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Heh. So that's how you wanna play it?"
Ash pulled another Poké Ball from his belt. "Next."
Surge scowled as he recalled Electabuzz, the Poké Ball hissing shut.
"You're playing dirty," he muttered. "Fine. Let's see how far you get with that."
He tossed his next Poké Ball high. "Magneton—front and center!"
A trio of spinning magnets burst onto the field in a flash of red light, humming with high-frequency electromagnetic pulses. The air buzzed as if a storm was brewing overhead.
Ash stayed calm. "Same play. Let's go, Geodude number two."
The second Geodude appeared with a grunt, a little rougher, this one scarred and seasoned from plenty of GO battles.
Surge's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."
Ash met his gaze, firm. "I would. Geodude—Self-Destruct."
Another flash. Another deafening boom echoed through the steel-plated arena. The concussive wave threw smoke and static across the stands, and when it cleared—
Magneton's three bodies spun wildly, sparks cascading in a drunken spiral before the whole unit crashed to the ground with a metallic clatter.
The ref held up the flag. "Magneton is unable to battle!"
Surge's jaw tightened. "Two Geodudes. Two kamikaze strikes." He smirked, trying to hide the frustration behind his teeth. "But now you're outta tricks."
Ash nodded slowly and reached down. Pikachu, still fresh and coiled with tension, leapt forward onto the battlefield.
Surge grinned. "Finally. Let's get this over with."
He pulled his final Poké Ball and hurled it with force. "Raichu—show him real voltage!"
The evolved mouse landed with a crack of thunder, cheeks glowing orange as sparks danced around its curling tail.
Surge laughed. "Seriously? You brought a Pikachu to fight me?" He threw an arm out. "Raichu—Thunderbolt, full blast!"
The beam cracked across the field, a golden streak of lightning that slammed straight into Pikachu's chest.
"Dodge! Double Team!" Ash shouts
'Double Team pretend to dodge but use his power to power up' Tries to mentally command pikachu.
His form blurred, then split—three ghostly copies darting sideways in a flash of afterimages. But the real one stayed dead center, bracing as Raichu's Thunderbolt struck.
The lightning tore through one clone—then another—before slamming into the real Pikachu.
Instead of recoiling, Pikachu gritted his teeth and held fast.
Electricity danced across his fur—into his fur—vanishing into him like water into parched earth. His cheeks began to glow brighter, power building.
"GREAT! QUICK ATTACK PIKACHU!" Ash shouts
'Lead with quick attack into Iron Tail, dont let him know you are immune to electricity if it. Fake it and take the powerups'
Ash was using proper tactics for this fight one more double team and a hit an Pikachu out speed 3 more hits and He will will trump him in power without Gigavolt Havoc.
Pikachu blurred forward in a streak of speed, his form practically vanishing as his paws struck the ground in a rapid-fire blur. Raichu barely had time to brace before Pikachu slammed into him under the chin, sending the bigger electric-type stumbling back with a surprised grunt.
"Don't let up!" Ash snapped. "Double Team!"
The gym flickered as half a dozen Pikachus split outward like a lightning storm of illusion, swirling around Raichu in unpredictable orbits.
"Counter it! Thunder Punch!" Surge barked, pointing directly at the clone in front.
Raichu lunged forward—and hit air. The clone fizzled as the real Pikachu dropped from above with a shining tail, glowing silver like a sharpened blade.
CRACK!
The Iron Tail struck square across Raichu's back, sending him skidding across the floor with a heavy thud.
Surge's grin faltered. His Raichu got back up—hurt, but not out.
And then he did exactly what Ash wanted.
"Raichu—Thunderbolt! Put him down!"
Lightning shrieked again, tearing through another "clone" as pikachu took the SP Attack and Speed boost.
Ash didn't speak. Didn't smile. Just watched.
Surge didn't know it yet, but the battle was already lost.
He just hadn't realized he was feeding the very weapon that would destroy him.
"I WILL HIT YOUR MOUSE EVENTUALLY!" Surge bellowed, fists clenched, voice echoing off the metal rafters of the gym.
Ash said nothing. He didn't need to.
Pikachu's illusions spun tighter, sharper—every step now trailing sparks. His eyes blazed like twin volts. His body had soaked enough current to power a Small country for several months. And Ash knew it.
A quiet breath. A pause.
"Now," Ash said, just loud enough for his partner to hear. "Thunderbolt."
It wasn't shouted. It wasn't dramatic. It was a command.
The real Pikachu surged forward—no clones now. Just raw, channeled electricity humming through every muscle fiber. The bolts that leapt from his cheeks weren't wild or uncontrolled—they were precise. Focused.
Like a blade of lightning.
The beam hit Raichu before Surge could even shout a counter.
BOOOOM—!
The blast lit up the gym like a midday sun, throwing sparks in all directions and kicking up dust from the cracked floor tiles. Raichu howled, caught in the center of the shockwave, his own static field collapsing around him like glass shattering under pressure.
When the light faded, the smoke curled upward in twisting ribbons.
Raichu lay slumped in the center of the ring, chest rising and falling—but he wasn't getting back up.
Silence reigned.
Then, slowly, the scoreboard lights blinked.
WINNER: ASH.
Surge stared, jaw tight. "That… wasn't normal."
Ash gave a faint smirk. "You told me it was full power. I just agreed."
Pikachu trotted back to his trainer's side, cheeks still glowing faintly.
Ash knelt and gave him a quiet scratch behind the ear. "Nice work."
Surge stood in stunned silence for a long beat, arms crossed tight over his chest as he stared at the fallen Raichu, then at Ash.
"…Hmph." He finally exhaled through his nose and cracked a thin grin. "Kid… I gotta admit, you played me."
Ash didn't answer, but the look in his eyes said everything.
Surge reached into the pouch at his belt and pulled out a badge unlike the one most trainers received. It was larger, sharper in shape—etched with a radiant starburst at its center, and ringed in silver trim.
"This ain't your average Thunder Badge," Surge said, flipping it once in his fingers before tossing it toward Ash. "This is a Star Badge. You earned it by beating me at my best. No restrictions. No holds barred. Only trainers who fight in full-power gym matches get these."
Ash caught it midair. The metal was warm—still faintly buzzing with static.
He tucked it into his badge case without a word.
Surge gave a curt nod. "Your Pikachu… he's different. Not just strong—tactical. You didn't win 'cause of luck. You won 'cause you outplayed me."
Then, with a short laugh, he added, "Kinda makes me wanna re-evaluate my Raichu's training."
Ash gave a half-smile. "Maybe teach it to stop feeding power to lightning rods."
Surge blinked. Then scowled. "You little—!"
But he was laughing.
Ash turned, Pikachu on his shoulder again, the Star Badge gleaming in his case. Two down.