"How could you call it a rat? It's an electric mouse," Lin Hao corrected her.
"It doesn't matter what you call it!" May's face flushed with agitation. "This is an official Gym battle!"
"I know it's official." Lin Hao slowly crouched down and looked at Pikachu, who was about to lie down on the floating platform for another nap.
"Pikachu, stop sleeping. Get up and get to work."
"Pika..." Without even opening its eyes, Pikachu rolled over and turned its back on him.
"If you win, I'll give you extra food at lunch. Ten of those Pinduoduo cubes."
Pikachu's ears shot upright, and it sprang to its feet in a flash. Two bursts of golden sparks erupted from its cheek pouches. Its expression hardened, and its eyes grew serious. "Pika!"
"Good. That's the spirit." Lin Hao stood up.
Across from him, Daisy couldn't help laughing. "Your Pokémon is pretty cute, handsome." She waved a hand. "But being cute won't be enough to beat me. Goldeen, use Water Gun!"
Goldeen leaped out of the pool and spat a powerful jet of water, sending it hurtling straight toward Pikachu.
"Pikachu, dodge," Lin Hao commanded casually. Pikachu stood motionless on the floating platform, and the jet struck it square in the forehead.
"It's over!" May covered her eyes. "This Pikachu's reactions are way too slow!"
Yet when the spray cleared, Pikachu hadn't been knocked away. It simply stood there as though nothing had happened and shook the droplets off its body. It even gave a contented sneeze. "Pikachu."
"What?!" Daisy froze. "Goldeen's Water Gun didn't do any damage?"
"It has thick skin," Lin Hao said vaguely. He couldn't exactly tell her that the system had maxed out this Pikachu's defensive talents.
Never mind Goldeen's Water Gun-even if Kyogre hit it with Hydro Pump, it could take a few blasts as though it were having a bath.
Inside the system space, Groudon let out a mocking roar. "Roar, roar! (That Water Gun wasn't even enough to wash the big mouse's feet.)"
"Thick skin won't help!" Daisy pressed her lips together. "Goldeen, charge in and use Horn Attack!"
Goldeen abruptly accelerated through the water. Its horn shone white as it rammed at Pikachu's floating platform with all its strength.
"That should do it." Lin Hao yawned. "Pikachu, use your most ordinary Thunderbolt. Remember to hold back a little. Don't blow up their pool."
"Pika~chu!" Pikachu chuckled. It didn't even jump, merely pressing its two little paws against the water's surface.
In the blink of an eye, golden light erupted from Pikachu's body-thousands upon thousands of thick golden bolts!
The lightning raced across the surface and spread over the entire pool. "Bzzzzzzzt!"
The piercing crackle of electricity rang throughout the Gym as waves of heat rolled through the churning water! Huge clouds of scalding steam rose into the air!
As the deafening noise spread, every light bulb in the Cerulean Gym flickered at once, then shattered in a series of bangs.
The arena fell into darkness. Only the dense web of golden electricity in the pool kept dancing wildly, illuminating everyone's ashen faces.
Goldeen didn't even have time to scream. Its eyes rolled back as it floated to the surface, its body charred black, a roasted aroma drifting through the air.
The entire arena fell silent. Penny and Ayame stared blankly from the sidelines. Daisy stood rooted to the spot, pointing at the pool, unable to utter a single word for a long moment.
May grabbed Lin Hao by the collar.
"You call that an ordinary Thunderbolt?!" Her voice echoed through the Gym. "It electrified the entire pool with high-voltage current! That was at least Million Volts!"
"Water conducts electricity. That's basic middle-school physics." Without a change in expression, Lin Hao pried her hand away.
"Bullshit! What middle-school physics class taught you how to boil an entire pool of water on the spot?!"
"Probably because the pool was too small and the resistance wasn't high enough. Ask Newton if you don't believe me."
"Who's Newton? A professor from Kanto?!" May stamped her feet in fury.
"A great thinker who got hit on the head by an apple." Lin Hao turned toward Daisy, who was still standing there in a daze. "Gym Leader, does this count as my win?"
Daisy swallowed and forced herself to regain her composure. "Y-yes... you win." She hurriedly took out a Poké Ball and recalled Goldeen, whose eyes were still rolled back.
She didn't even dare send out a second Pokémon. How was she supposed to fight that? If she kept sending them out, their next meal would probably be a grilled seafood feast.
Trembling, Penny took out a blue, water-drop-shaped Badge, walked up to Lin Hao, and handed it to him. "Th-this is the Cascade Badge. Handsome, your Pokémon is really amazing."
"Thanks." Lin Hao casually stuffed the Badge into his pocket.
"Um..." Ayame approached, her gaze shifting uncertainly, but she couldn't stop herself from asking, "Are you really not staying for dinner? We could treat you to a barbec-no, a big feast."
"No, thanks. I'm just an ordinary guy. I can't digest anything too fancy." Lin Hao turned, grabbed May, and left.
"Let's get out of here. If they ask us to pay for the electricity and the light bulbs, we'll be in trouble," he whispered.
The two jogged all the way out of the Cerulean Gym. As soon as they were outside, May shook off Lin Hao's hand. "Why are you running?! Feeling guilty, are you?"
"What do I have to feel guilty about?" Lin Hao rolled his eyes. "I earned that Badge fair and square. Or would you rather stay and help me pay for all those shattered bulbs?"
At the mention of paying, May immediately fell silent. "Just how much more are you hiding from me?!" She caught her breath. "I'm going to the restroom. Stay right here!"
"Go on, then. Remember to call for help if you fall in." Lin Hao waved her off. May shot him a vicious glare, then turned and ran toward the Public Restroom in the distance.
Watching her retreating figure, Lin Hao curled his lip. "Definitely off to tattle on me again."
Inside a restroom stall, May made sure no one was around, then took a black Communicator bearing the League emblem out of her inner pocket.
She pressed the encryption button for the Top-Secret Channel. The Communicator flashed a few times, and a deep voice came through:
"This is Lance. Investigator May, what's the emergency?"
Before you continue