159. Vermilion Gym

"Okay, please leave it to me!" Misty and Brock stared blankly at Nurse Joy in front of them.

"Huh?? Haha! You mean you don't know where we met before?" Nurse Joy smiled as she noticed the confused expressions on their faces.

"Um... yes!" Misty replied, feeling a bit embarrassed, while Brock blushed, looking starstruck.

"Haha! The Nurse Joy from Pewter City is my cousin, and the Nurse Joy from Viridian City is my cousin! But, don't you think I'm prettier than them?" Nurse Joy teased with a smile after hearing Misty's response.

"Uh..." Ash and Misty were speechless. Obviously, they all looked the same, didn't they?

"It's true! Hehe!!" Brock added, with a goofy grin.

Hearing this, Misty was momentarily speechless and tugged Brock's ear, dragging him aside. Ash, however, wasn't surprised. Brock always seemed to notice the differences between Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys, though Ash could never remember which episode that started.

"Excuse me, please step aside, Nurse Joy! Look at my Rattata!" A voice came from behind, and Ash instinctively moved aside.

A boy rushed in, holding a blackened Pokémon in his arms, on the verge of tears.

Seeing this, Misty let go of Brock's ear and turned to look. Ash peered closer and realized it was a Rattata, though it was hard to tell with its body completely scorched.

"Oh no! This is serious. Chansey, hurry, take it in right away!" Nurse Joy's expression shifted to one of concern as she quickly signaled Chansey.

Chansey responded immediately, bringing over a stretcher. The boy placed his Rattata on it, and they quickly pushed it into the emergency room.

"That Rattata is in bad shape!" Misty gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

"Yeah! It's completely burned!" Brock added seriously. It was clear that the Rattata had been hit by a powerful attack.

"Sigh... it's happened again. That's the 15th one this month." Nurse Joy frowned and sighed softly as she watched the scene.

"Huh? What's going on?" Misty asked, confused.

"These Trainers were all defeated by Gym Leader Lt. Surge," Nurse Joy explained as she took Ash's and the others' Poké Balls for safekeeping.

"Ah! Is Vermilion City's Gym Leader that strong?" Misty asked, growing concerned, knowing Ash was going to challenge him next.

"Yes! And not only is he strong, but he used to be a soldier. He never holds back against challengers," Nurse Joy replied, sounding a bit helpless. "He's so tough, and in the end, the real trouble is on our side."

It's always difficult to treat the seriously injured Pokémon. When the injuries are too severe, it's heartbreaking for Trainers.

"Is that why those Pokémon are hurt so badly?" Brock asked. As a Gym Leader himself and a Pokémon Breeder, he understood the importance of care and always fought with restraint. His style was completely different from Lt. Surge's.

As for the Cerulean Gym, Misty knew that when facing a stronger challenger, even the Pokémon at her own gym had a hard time. 

It was the first time she had seen such a ruthless Trainer like Lt. Surge, but every Trainer has their own style. While it may seem harsh, there's nothing wrong with his approach—he's preparing for the Pokémon League Conference, and the League is a tough competition by nature.

"Your Pokémon will recover soon, so I need to attend to the other Pokémon. Excuse me!" Nurse Joy bid farewell to the group and went into the emergency room.

"The Gym Leader seems like a tough opponent. Are you sure you're ready for this, Ash?" Misty asked, watching Nurse Joy leave, her concern growing as she looked at Ash.

"Isn't it normal to challenge a Gym? That's why I train hard—to face these challenges. There's no need to worry," Ash replied calmly.

To be honest, in Ash's mind, Lt. Surge was intimidating, especially for a new Trainer, but Ash didn't see him as unbeatable.

"Let's go eat first," Ash suggested. "Pikachu and the others need time to rest." 

Seeing Ash so calm, Misty and Brock didn't say much more. Though they were a bit concerned about Ash's upcoming match, they trusted that he wasn't overconfident, especially since he wasn't getting cocky after earning two Badges already.

After dinner, they returned to the Pokémon Center. Pikachu and the other Pokémon had recovered by then. It was already dark, so instead of rushing to challenge the Gym, they decided to rest at the Pokémon Center for the night.

On their way back, they saw several Trainers with injured Pokémon, all victims of Lt. Surge's powerful electric attacks. Misty and Brock were uneasy, but Ash didn't let it bother him.

After talking briefly, they all headed to their rooms to rest for the night.

The next morning, the three of them met in the dining area for breakfast. Pikachu sat on the table, munching alongside them. Misty turned to Ash.

"Ash, I heard Lt. Surge uses extremely powerful Electric-type Pokémon. Maybe you should ask Professor Oak to send you Ivysaur. It'll make things easier," Misty suggested.

Ash glanced at her, then shook his head slightly. "No, the Pokémon I have now are enough. I've trained them for days, and I want to give them a chance to battle."

Although Ivysaur had continued its training with Professor Oak, Ash didn't intend to call it back for this challenge.

"Ash, I'm just thinking about what's best for you. If you underestimate him, it could end badly!" Misty frowned, feeling like Ash wasn't taking the situation seriously enough.

"I'm not underestimating anyone. I just have confidence in my Pokémon," Ash replied, his tone steady. "Finish your food. We're heading to the Gym right after breakfast."

Misty, seeing that Ash wasn't taking her advice, puffed her cheeks in frustration. She didn't argue further, instead focusing on her meal in silence.