Hypno was located in a small forest just next to Diglett's cave. Axel had already booked the ticket for the trip and had also contacted Morgan since his city was near the forest.
"So, you're finally coming here, huh? It was about time," remarked Morgan.
"Yes, I have some work to do there. There's a Hypno of pseudo-king rank in the forest next to Diglett's cave. One of my Pokemon has an issue with it. As a native of Vermilion Gym, you must have knowledge about that Pokemon."
"Certainly, the Pokemon recently ranked up to pseudo-king rank. What's the issue you have with it?" Axel proceeded to tell Morgan the story of Gogoat.
"Damn, these Pokemon have been causing a lot of trouble, killing trainers. But we can't intervene; it's essential to maintain the food chain. I'll track the Pokemon for you. Meet me in Vermilion City. When are you arriving, by the way?"
"I'll be there tomorrow."
"Alright, see you tomorrow then. Gotta go now."
###
Having a friendly relationship with a gym leader proved to be quite advantageous. Gym leaders held significant power in their cities and wielded authority comparable to that of a mayor. Although there were only 8 gyms in the entire Kanto region, these gym cities were expansive and popular, thus the gym leaders held substantial influence.
The next day, Axel's flight landed at the airport. He awaited someone to pick him up, as Morgan had mentioned, though he hadn't specified who.
"Hello, are you Axel Blaze?" A voice came from behind, followed by a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, Axel faced a muscular man, around 6 feet tall, with blond and spiky hair, well-built biceps, and sturdy legs. He wore a green uniform.
"Yes, that's me."
"Oh, thank goodness. I recognized you, but I had to be sure. I'm Frank Surge, Morgan Surge's son," Frank introduced himself, extending his hand for a handshake.
Axel reciprocated the handshake, feeling its firmness.
"The car is waiting outside. Do you have any other luggage?" Frank's behavior seemed a bit odd for a future gym leader, but at this point, Frank was just a teenager.
Lt. Surge's first name was Frank; his title, Lt., stood for lieutenant. Frank was quite talkative and didn't pause to take a breath, continuing to ramble on.
"Man, you know, I get into a lot of trouble because of you. My father is always berating me, saying you're hard-working, a genius. Why am I so lazy? I mean, just look at these muscles."
Axel barely had a chance to respond. After half an hour of Frank's rambling, they reached their destination. The driver collected their bags, and Frank and Axel proceeded to meet Morgan.
"Axel, my man! What do you think of my city?" Morgan greeted Axel with a bear hug.
"The city is lovely and bustling with life."
"Of course it is. Come inside. Let's have dinner. You don't mind if my son joins us, do you?"
"No, I'm perfectly fine with that."
They engaged in conversation over dinner. Axel learned that Frank was only 19 years old, though he appeared older.
"I've already tracked that Hypno. I'll provide you with a map tomorrow. It's only half a day's journey on foot from here. Not too far," Morgan informed Axel.
"Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Morgan," Axel expressed his gratitude.
"It's no trouble at all. Congratulations on securing the 8th gym badge from Kent. You've made history," Morgan praised Axel, patting his back.
"Thanks. The battle was incredibly tough. I couldn't win it on my first attempt."
"Of course, it was challenging. Kent is known as the strongest gym leader for a reason. You've done well, and I'm proud of you. How about your trip to the island? How did that go?"
"It was quite productive. We made several discoveries, and Charizard ranked up to pseudo-king rank."
"Impressive, you have a substantial number of pseudo-king rank Pokemon for someone so young. I'm envious," Frank chimed in.
###
Morgan had asked Frank to join the dinner intentionally. He wanted his son to learn from Axel's example. Frank was undoubtedly a genius, yet he lacked the motivation to put in the effort. Morgan hoped that seeing Axel's determination and hard work would inspire Frank.
After some more conversation, Axel retired to the room Morgan had arranged for him. He fell onto the bed, drifting off into sleep.
Axel wasn't sure why, but flights always left him feeling drained. He consistently felt sleepy after being on a plane. Thus, he decided to rest and went to sleep. By the time he awoke, it was already late evening. The flight, which had lasted 15 hours, had taken its toll. Axel resolved to continue his journey the following day.
The next day, Morgan brought forth a proposal. "Axel, I suggest Frank accompany you on your expedition."
"The battle is between Gogoat and Hypno. I don't think Frank will need to participate," Axel replied.
"I understand. I merely want him to experience the wild. He's been out before, but always with security. Let him encounter the wild Pokemon as much as possible and only step in if absolutely necessary."
"That's fine with me."
The notion of having Frank join him wasn't what Axel had initially anticipated, but he saw the potential benefits of building a friendly relationship with the future gym leader.
After a brief conversation, both Axel and Frank packed their bags and headed to the forest.
"So, how will we handle this? Will I have to battle numerous wild Pokemon?" Frank inquired.
"No, not for now. We'll head straight to the designated area as quickly as possible. After the battle between Gogoat and Hypno concludes, we can explore the surroundings, if you'd like," Axel explained.
He was eager to resolve the battle swiftly; Gogoat had grown increasingly impatient.
"Come out, Charizard!" Axel summoned his Charizard, which unleashed a mighty roar.
Frank's eyes lit up as he witnessed the powerful Pokemon before him. The sight of Charizard, a creature of such immense strength, was truly awe-inspiring. Axel's Charizard was notably larger than the average specimen, radiating an even more imposing aura.
"Hop onto Charizard. We're taking to the skies," Axel instructed.
As they soared through the air, Axel and Frank engaged in conversation. Charizard's speed was astonishing, and Axel took advantage of the opportunity to practice his new aura move, 'Aura Coat'.
---
Ding!
Aura Coat (50% learned)
---
'I didn't expect to be able to practice this move while flying on Charizard,' Axel mused. It was indeed an effective way to train. Being the fastest flyer, Charizard's pace was unmatched. Axel was gradually becoming accustomed to its impressive speed. However, Frank was struggling to cope.
The velocity was so overwhelming that Frank couldn't even open his eyes fully. He gripped onto Charizard's body tightly, fearful of being thrown off.
"Charizard, slow down," Axel instructed. Observing Frank's discomfort, he decided to reduce Charizard's speed. As a pseudo-king rank Pokemon, Charizard's presence was sufficient to ward off wild Pokemon, ensuring they wouldn't be disturbed during their journey.
"Haven't you unlocked your aura yet?" Axel asked Frank.
"No, not yet. My dad keeps pushing me to do it, but I didn't see the need for it until now."
"It's advisable to develop your aura. It can prove quite useful."
Charizard bore additional weight on its wings due to gravity suits, each wing carrying 30 kg. Without these suits, Frank's safety would have been compromised at such high speeds.
"Frank, how strong are you, and how powerful are your Pokemon?" Axel initiated casual conversation.
"At present, I have 8 elemental rank Pokemon. One of them is on the verge of ranking up. To be honest, I just detest training. My dad constantly nags me to work harder, but I fail to see the point," Frank admitted.
Based on their conversation, Axel gleaned Frank's personality and nature. Frank was Morgan and Vermilion City Gym's prized child. His father, Morgan, was consistently pushing him to work harder, but Frank lacked the motivation. Surprisingly, considering his role as a future gym leader, Frank was a battle enthusiast.
Axel could understand Frank's situation. Growing up as the golden boy, Frank never faced financial hardships, always shielded by his father. His perspective of the world was limited due to his protected upbringing.
Morgan had discussed this with Axel, expressing his desire for Frank to learn from Axel's dedication and perseverance. Axel agreed to assist, and this excursion could be the turning point for Frank, shaping him into a different individual upon his return.
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