The morning haze clung low over the fields just south of Cerulean, mist curling like lazy smoke around the tips of golden grass. The old road to Vermilion City was cracked, dotted with overgrown roots and faded waymarkers, but Ash didn't take that path. Not today.
Instead, he stood at the mouth of a wide steel hatch embedded into the hillside—half-forgotten and rust-stained, with faded red stenciling that read:
"Official Use Only – Indigo League Tunnel System: Vermilion Sector"
Pikachu stood beside him, ears twitching, eyes alert. He gave a low chirp and nudged Ash's ankle as if to say you sure about this?
Ash gave a slow nod, shifting the strap of his weathered pack. "This'll be faster—and safer. According to Athena, I caught the attention of Sabrina last time we passed through her city." He exhaled slowly, then added, "I'd rather not get too close to her right now."
Pikachu tilted his head but didn't protest.
The hatch gave a groaning clank as Ash turned the valve. With a sudden hiss of released pressure, the heavy door creaked open, revealing a descending staircase of reinforced concrete, lit faintly by rows of amber utility lights.
In the games, it was just called the Underground Path—a simple shortcut on the map, a corridor between cities where trainers could do a pokemon trade an maybe get some pokéballs, there were people to talk to but here…
But this wasn't the game.
Here, it was quiet. Too quiet.
No footsteps echoing through the passage. No idle chatter. No flicker of movement beyond the slow, rhythmic blink of maintenance lights.
Ash descended slowly, each bootstep landing with a soft, hollow thud against old concrete. Pikachu stayed close, ears up and body tense, the tip of his tail flickering with a low current.
He reached the base of the stairs and paused.
There were signs of use—barely. A few scuff marks. The faint trace of boot polish near a branching junction. But no voices. No active cameras. No League guards stationed like the rumors suggested.
Just dust and time.
Ash narrowed his eyes.
"Place feels... abandoned," he muttered.
Pikachu made a soft chrrt of agreement.
===
Eventually, they reached a final checkpoint gate. The ID scanner was long dead, its screen cracked and dark. Ash gave the manual override a sharp tug, and after a long moment of groaning resistance, the exit hatch creaked open.
Bright daylight spilled in.
They stepped out onto a narrow, overgrown path nestled behind a utility building half-swallowed by creeping vines. Above them, the sky had cleared—blue and open, with the faint scent of brine riding the wind from the distant sea.
They were just outside Vermilion City, near Route 6.
Ash turned, watching as the hatch slowly began to close behind them. A metal clang echoed once before everything fell quiet again.
No sign that anyone had followed. No sign that the League even remembered the tunnel still existed.
Pikachu stretched and gave a little shake, shedding the stale tension of the underground.
Ash adjusted his pack and looked out toward the glimmer of rooftops beyond the trees.
"Let's stop by the Center," he said softly. "Then we'll go see what kind of fight Surge has waiting."
Would he cheat on this starbadge too? I mean maybe, how Surge got taken out in the Pokemon Yellow game was with geo dude selfdestruct… An he had plenty of Geodudes in pokemon go, and transferring them to oak after the battle could work.
===========
Ash pushed open the sliding glass doors of the Vermilion Pokémon Center, greeted by the familiar hum of healing machines and the gentle voice of Nurse Joy behind the counter.
She looked up and smiled. "Welcome to the Vermilion City Pokémon Center. Can I help you?"
Ash stepped forward and handed over Pikachu's Poké Ball, though his partner was still perched on his shoulder, sparking slightly with anticipation. "Just a checkup before we take on Lt. Surge."
Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow. "Taking on the Thunder Badge? That's no small feat. Surge doesn't pull his punches."
Pikachu made a sharp "Pi-ka!" in agreement.
Joy nodded and smiled again. "Well, your Pikachu certainly looks like he's ready." She gently waved over Chansey and placed the Poké Ball on a tray. "This will just take a moment."
Ash tapped a finger to his chin. "I remember how Yellow played out. Surge loves his walls, and his Raichu is a tank… but he never liked explosions."
He selected three of the higher-leveled Geodudes from his GO app and it really only knew Self Destruct. Which was weird because they technically it shouldnt have but eh.
He hit Transfer to Party and felt the slight buzz of the Pokéball materializing into a spare slot on his belt.
By the time Nurse Joy returned with Pikachu's ball, Geodude was locked and loaded.
"All done," she said, smiling as she handed it back. "And good luck. Surge isn't exactly known for going easy."
"Yeah," Ash said with a grin. "But I'm not known for playing fair either."
Pikachu sparked once in reply, either amused or mildly scandalized.
Ash turned for the door.
"Let's go make a boom."