In The Army Now
Surge blinked his eyes, as the lights above him were too bright. He couldn't remember much after that bright light. Was there an explosion? What happened back there in the helicopter? He closed his eyes and fell into the darkness for an interminable amount of time. When he awoke, he found himself staring up at a white ceiling.
"Where am I?" He thought. "Is this heaven?"
A face appeared before him. It took a moment for him to register his father's face.
"Yes, that's him." His father said.
"Just let him rest for now." Another voice said.
Surge wanted to ask his father what had happened, but his voice would not respond. His eyelids grew heavy.
"Look. The medication is already taking it's affect." The other voice said.
"What medication?" His father asked.
"Don't worry, it's just a deprogramming serum. It won't harm him." The other voice said.
Surge couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, and faded back into unconsciousness. For what seemed like an eternity, Surge stayed in his deep slumber. All the while, the memories of his harrowing experiences of the war that were once embedded into his mind, began to slip away. When he awoke, he had no memory of the war he just participated in. He was led away by two MP's to a small interrogation room. Surge, try as he might, could not remember a thing from the past week. Surge was made to sit in a small wooden chair in front of a large mirror. Questions were thrown at him from an unknown source. The voice was warped, so he could not figure out who was asking the questions. Surge was asked questions about the war he had just participated in. But try as he might he could not answer. The only thing he could remember was leading some troops into battle. Despite his blank memory, the only person he could remember specifically from the war was Gentleman. That seemed fine enough to the interrogator.
"You must have had an awful time back there and perhaps you've blocked it out of your memory." The interrogator said.
Surge gave no response.
"You and your platoon went to the Southern Islands to fight an army of terrorists. You and your comrades won a spectacular victory over them. While you were escaping, your helicopter went out of control and crashed onto the coast of Cinnabar Island. The bright light that you saw was the sun as your helicopter’s nose shot upward. We rescued you once we determined your location. That's all you need to know, and that's all you'll ever tell anyone. Understand!?" The interrogator said.
Surge gave an affirmative nod, and then was led out by two other MP's.
Surge found himself being barked at by his Drill Instructor. The words the Drill Instructor were throwing at him, didn't seem to phase him. He kept thinking back to the interrogation. Why didn't they let him in on the details of the war? And why is it that he could not remember anything? He could vaguely remember some of the battles, and landing on the island, but nothing more than that.
"Hey! Are you listening to me growlithe meat!?" The Drill Instructor hollered.
"Sir! Yes sir!" Surge barked.
"Good! Cuz it looked like you were lost in la-la land to me! You think that just because you've survived a war, that you can come back in here and act all cocky like you're really tough stuff don't you!? Well you are totally wrong! You are still a corporal and you will do as I say because you are still in my unit! Got that punk!?" The Drill Instructor shouted.
"Sir! Yes sir!" Surge shouted.
"Good! Now get outta my sight!" The Drill Instructor shouted.
Surge saluted and hustled out of the room. Once he was out of the sergeant's sight, he let out a deep sigh. He walked on until he found himself in the gym. He went to the back of the gym and sat down on one of the benches near the locker room. The locker room door opened and his father stepped out. Surge stood up quickly and saluted.
"At ease." The Major said.
Surge relaxed and sat back down. The Major sat down next to him.
"You really did an outstanding job back there." The Major said.
"As I was told, sir." Surge said.
"In fact, you did so well that I put you in for a commendation." The Major said.
"Really?" Surge asked.
"Yes. In fact they're even considering promoting you." The Major said.
Surge let out a sigh of relief. The Major patted his son on the back, got up and left the gym. A week later Surge got his Lieutenants insignia. Lt. Surge wore his insignia proudly. But not too soon afterwards, he turned in his resignation of commission. Lt. Surge was given an honorable discharge from the army.
Surge went home immediately following his discharge. He and Sophie got caught up on things and Surge began to finally relax. Even Raichu was enjoying the peace of not having to march and listen to shouting drill sergeants. But it wasn't too soon afterwards when Lt. Surge was approached by three familiar young men. Surge was on the dock of the bay with Sophie and Raichu, when three young men walked up in front of Surge. Surge looked up and instantly recognized the face of Gentleman, and was barely able to recognize the two medics. After a happy reunion of old war buddies, Lt. Surge dropped a bombshell on them.
"I have a great idea guys!" Surge said.
"What's that?" Gentleman asked.
"Let's open a pokémon gym! Right here in Virmillion!" Surge said excitedly.
Days later, Surge sent in his application to Pokémon League to have his gym built. Within a few weeks his application was granted and he was assigned to give the Thunder badge to victorious trainers. Surge quickly built his gym and named Gentleman and the two medics as his junior trainers. Sophie didn't want anything to do with the gym, since she didn't train electric pokémon. Not too soon afterwards, Lt. Surge's gym doors would open and a boy with a pikachu would walk through the doors and challenge him to a match for a thunder badge...