roadtoviridian // lt. surge // application post
• player •
Name/Alias: Essay
LJ: skorupion
Contact Info: aim // horribee, email // youressayisdue@gmail.com
Previous Characters: None!
I do, however, have a lot of roleplay experience under my belt, I'd like to think (having been in a lot of roleplays and playing seven characters total at the moment). This is also not my first time playing Lieutenant Surge, as I have played him before (and still do!) at zenithia_rpg. (: I have also played closely with another Lieutenant Surge before, so that might have helped with my experience with this guy, too. But enough of that, on with the application!
• canon character •
Name: Lieutenant Surge. He prefers to let his first name just go under the wire and untold for his own reasons. Spoilers, he is just not very fond of it at all. It's probably something kind of lame.
Age: Let's say around 39-40!
Hometown/Region: Vermilion City, Kanto, but his actual roots lie in the continent of America, the land he was born in.
Class: Gym Leader
Team:
Main Party:
Raichu // Male // Met him just before his very first battle while he was still a Pikachu. This guy is his main Pokemon, you know, the big one that paralyzes its enemies into submission! Yeah, this guy, so he's pretty important. He's Surge's greatest pal through and through, and if there's any Pokemon he can relate to most, it's Raichu.
Manectric // Male
Magnezone // Genderless
Electrode // Genderless
Pachirisu // Male
Electivire // Male
Usually Boxed:
Electrode (yes, another one!) // Male // Uses this guy when his other Electrode is out of commission.
Numerous Magnemite // Genderless // Used these guys during the war for their electrical and magnetic properties, still trains with them from time-to-time.
Numerous Voltorb // Genderless // Used for very similar reasons to the Magnemites, except replace 'magnetic properties' with explosive properties.
Pikachu // Male // Frequently switches Pachirisu with this guy. He has a soft spot for this little guy, mainly because Pikachu are canonly his favorite Pokemon, so says HGSS. Yes, even more than Raichu, but not by very much. (Also, it's the very same 'chu he had in R/B/G/FR/LG!)
History:
It is apparently widely known in the land of Kanto that Lt. Surge is the 'Lightning American', born and raised in none other than, well, America. He grew up in the city/state of New Orleans, Louisiana, thus making him quite familiar with harbor towns. He grew up an only child under a single father, formerly a man of the military himself and currently a sailor, and sadly lacked a mother. His mother was a nurse during the war his very father had been in, and was in the fact the very way that they met. The phrase like father, like son, applied here, however. His father, equally as brash and brassy, was too much for Surge's mother to handle, and they eventually broke it off shortly after Surge's birth.
Surge didn't necessarily mind growing up without his mother. In fact, he enjoyed only being around his 'old man', and he took up after him quite easily. At even 10 years old, he was an energetic boy, one to rough it up more with other boys than anything else. While he got to be a little too rowdy at times, he still managed to be friendly with a select few, usually those with equally as much of a difficult attitude as he had. When it came to girls... oh, when it came to girls. He was surprisingly nicer to them, although he maintained a level of obnoxiousness in the form of typical childish immaturity (of the grosser kind), showing off, and being an all-around pest.
In his teens, he maintained a similar level of this with a little less of his kid-like ways and, in the childish sense, immaturity, although saying he was more mature overall was very far from the truth. While he acted the same with the guys, pretty much, it was a little different with the opposite sex as puberty rolled around. With the girls around him, he grew to be just slightly more flirtatious, and especially more of a show-off. He was just exactly the type of jock would who just flex his muscles and boast to get himself popular in his classes, using that over his clearly incredible (except entirely not) mind. Yes, he was not a very intelligent boy. It is not to say that he was as dumb as the derpiest Bidoof, but he was far from smart, needing to bend things around only to keep up with grades that didn't automatically fail him.
Despite his grades and his demeanor, he at least managed to maintain some odd level of decency. His father was thankfully strict on him, used to having been that way from being in the military, just with more of a paternal sense about him. It kept Surge in line and not exactly ill-intentioned. He spent his whole life jolly and carefree until he managed to graduate high school by some crazy fluke.
There was, however, a problem: he had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. Nothing truly interested him just yet except for just one thing. The first thing he turned to was working with mechanics, and for that, he enrolled in the nearest school possible. He worked under their wing, managing to keep up with classes here much better than in regular school, where he had to deal with very dull classes such as mathematics and literature classes. This was more his kind of thing. Two years of schooling got him somewhere with this, and he wound up earning his associate's degree.
... Yet it was still not enough. So he had this experience under his belt. How would he start off? What precisely would he do with this now? He was thrilled about the idea of this at first, but now it just seemed to be a bit worthless. When he tried this, he felt he had his reasons, but now even those didn't seem quite right.
However, he was still young. He was still at his prime. His father had worked in the military and told him many a thing about his war ventures. At first, as a child, it sounded honestly terrifying. He wouldn't have admitted it back then, and he still refused to admit it, despite him having been young enough for it to be even more understandable. It was, however, the truth. At the same time, the thrill of the military just seemed to call out to him. It was the rather patriotic idea of defending his country, working for an accomplishment, and putting his own physical strength to use. It would be tough, but it was better than just sitting around and messing around with things in his hands all day.
That settled it all for him. He straight up left for the military to begin his training after successfully enlisting. He predicted that it would be cutthroat, and to his surprise, it wasn't. Oho, it wasn't. No. It was even worse than that.
The intolerable training and work his higher-ups put him and his comrades through was toil and trouble enough, to put it lightly. The stricter ways of the military was enough to whip him into shape better than anyone possibly could have, though being with his father had prepared him decently enough for it for him to be able to manage it. The way the drill sergeants and instructors treated him, stepping on his toes, ruthlessly dishing out every amount of torturous training possible, and throwing out every insult and name in the book to toughen him up had all been hard for even him to deal with at first. It worked, though. There was no denying that it did. It made him grow to be hard as a brick wall, difficult to knock down and impossible to budge. It definitely made him emotionally strengthened to the grandest lengths, but was it enough for his own body to handle the unforgiving battlefield war had to offer?
It was not the end of what he needed to know, however. He soon realized that he had to be sent out to territory that the most average of Americans like him would find to be very foreign. One of the piloting instructors was a Pokemon trainer, one that primarily worked with the electric-type. In the battlefield, Pokemon were usually used as ruthless weapons of war, with Voltorbs being grand explosives, Magnemites being essential for their magnetic properties being enough to induce flotation, and Pikachus being electrical powerhouses with enough juice to power airplanes.
Surge, however, questioned the instructor with a quirked eyebrow and confusion etched on his features. "The hell is a poke mon?" He asked, his pronunciation of the word a bit off. They were Pokemon, creatures capable of abilities beyond the average human's wildest imagination. Some could use even grass to ward off opposing forces, while others bore the power of flames to melt the enemy's strategy and just about everything else. That was just the tip of the iceberg, too. There were electric-types, ice-types, water, psychic, ghost, rock, ground, and a few more types that could be mentioned. If Surge expected to get through battle, he'd need to utilize forces that he was vastly unfamiliar with. Forces that weren't even used when his father took armies of men head on.
He was given multiple Pokemon, most of them being Voltorbs and Magnemites, and the other being a freshly-captured, mostly-untamed Pikachu. It was one of the few remaining, and Surge would be one of the last ones to own one until more were found and 'recruited'/captured for war. This Pikachu was a little disobedient, and boy, did it show. The first thing it did in reaction to meet Surge for the first time was turning away from him, folding its arms and giving out a few sparks, as if saying, "I don't care. I don't want to help you."
This was the start of something that would be quite a ride, Surge predicted.
War came. Oh, did it ever come, and did it ever come with plenty of force in store. Surge was one of many men sent out for their first battle, having been sent out to scout the grounds first and approach on foot. The Voltorbs and Magnemites were more attentive to their new master, more than willing to hear every command and rush out to fulfill their duties when the time came. The Pikachu, however, rarely cared. As they went on, the Pikachu only bothered to initiate battles with whichever Pokemon they came across, wanting to focus on its own battles than that of the humans it had to needlessly follow. Why did it stick around then? Surge wasn't sure, and to this day, he still isn't. Perhaps it used them for navigational advantages, or to lure other Pokemon out into the open for it to brutally attack. Whatever the reason, he could only grit his teeth and hope that the Pokemon would actually be a useful asset.
It would soon prove its strength. Surge wandered out with the troops, and soon enough, they were ambushed in a flash of lightning. It had all happened so quickly, yet the lieutenant could perfectly remember it as if it had happened yesterday. One minute, they were moving along the trenches, firearms and Poke Balls in hand and stealth in their movements. Another group from the enemy forces began to approach, equally as silent, and unfortunately for the Americans, they were the first to be noticed, the first to be attacked. The bloodcurdling screams and war cries of soldiers quickly filled the air, intertwining with the unsettling gun shots and explosions that rang through the area.
Surge fought with all of his might, being forced to battle for his life until his muscles and body could strain him to the point of even keeling over right there. Voltorbs self-destructed in the enemies' faces. Magnemites lifted him around to dodge enemy fire, and then return it with an electrifying spark. It was still not enough, though, and he was beginning to wear out fairly quickly. They were ganging up on their army, including him, and taking more lives. His very own was now in grave danger, and he was losing his luster to fight. He felt about ready to pass out.
The last thing he remembered was seeing a flash of yellow and red jolt past him, and the bright illumination of a Thunderbolt before he blacked out.
He woke up after the fight, finding himself in the safety of one of the tents at the base. It was over, but the war was far from finished. He would, however, need his time to heal and recuperate from the battle. But how... how did he make it out alive?
He looked to his side, only to see that very Pikachu near him. It was obviously battered and bruised, injured to the point that he wasn't even sure if it would make it beyond the night. He hoisted himself back up from the cot, hissing and attempting to ignore the pain that coursed through his ribs and limbs. He reached out with a single hand and placed it on the yellow mouse's head.
Had... had it fought to save his own life? He was unsure, especially considering its disobedience for him earlier. It refused to even give him a second glance, so why would it fight for him? Perhaps it had finally been tamed. Maybe it accomplished as much as it wanted to with small wild Pokemon, and wanted to take on the burlier humans next. Maybe it had somehow grown some semblance of respect for him. He didn't know, and at the time, he honestly didn't care. The fact that he was alive was perfect enough for him, even if it might not have lasted for long.
It didn't take too long for them to head out again, and yet the Lt. Surge and the Pikachu remained. It was knocked out very badly, and the fact of the matter was that it would probably not even make it. It seemed very weak, helpless, and unable to be saved. Surge knew this, yet he had to remain at his cot to heal, to watch as the Pikachu would likely wither away and die before his eyes.
He could remember what happened next too vividly. He remembered as the Pikachu peeked its little eyes open, speaking up with a soft, "Chuuuuu..." It was alive. It was very feeble and unable to get back out there, but it was alive. Surge didn't notice for a good while, but he was unable to hold back a grin when the Pikachu awoke. It wasn't even expected that it would do so much as open its eyes again, so it felt like a step towards recovery.
Surge spoke up. "You doin' okay?" He asked, only for the Pikachu to perk its ears up at his voice. It recognized him quickly, and made a gentle squeak, trying to force out some joy through its pain. The Pikachu realized that Surge had stuck by him for a while. He looked pretty nasty right now, wounded, bloody, and repulsive with sweat. He clearly needed to take his time, as did the Pikachu. They both had to stay in that cot, and he stayed by it. Like comrades. Companions.
The Pikachu tried its best, using the remainder of its energy to pull itself to its four paws. Surge could only watch in slight shock as it approached him, flopped next to his leg, and nuzzled on it as if he was its own trainer. Surge was far from the mushy and emotional type, but he couldn't deny to himself that he actually... kind of liked this. His hand went to the Pikachu's head, petting it and solidifying their new partnership.
It didn't take long for them to be sent back out into battle. This time, with his Pikachu fully at his side, Surge found himself fighting even harder and with a newfound respect for his Pokemon. He suffered through battle, laughed gleefully at their victories, and attempted to shrug off their losses. They took to the air, with not only his Voltorbs and Magnemites willing to power his plane, but his Pikachu, as well. They didn't do perfect on the field, but they did well enough to survive through the war until America finally claimed its victory.
Surge remained at the military for a good while. Years, in fact. He climbed the ranks to become as strict of a CO as the ones he had learned from, one of the most successful men under America's star-spangled wings. His Pokemon grew ever as successful, as well, growing stronger and, in the case of his Pikachu, even evolving. He bonded very closely with his Pokemon since, especially the Raichu that saved his life and managed to surpass the odds.
Surge forgot just how he learned of Kanto. The name just seemed to spring up one day. Kanto. This region was apparently a cesspool of Pokemon, and it was even the very region where Pikachus were native. America was his homeland, the place he was proud to grow up in. However, this Kanto seemed to just call out to him, particularly the harbor town of Vermilion City. This Vermilion City... huh. It had a good sound to it. It seemed like a quaint place from the word spread around about it, and at the time, they lacked a gym leader, for their current one had stepped down out of retirement. They were in a long search for their next leader.
Surge retired from the military at long last and finally left for Vermilion, looking for an exciting new beginning in this world of Pokemon. He began to grow even more experienced in the field of leisurely Pokemon battling, especially on his specialization with electric-types. He had grown admittedly curious about other types of Pokemon, but they just never ranked as high as electric-types to him. He had grown too much of a fondness for the electric-type to use any other. He had a specialization, he had experience, he had strength, he had tact... he basically had everything he considered to be worthy of a gym leader. That could have been his pompous side speaking for him, but apparently, something about it was completely right. He wound up applying for and taking the position of the electric-type gym leader of Vermilion City. He became Vermilion's 'Lightning American'.
Lightning American. Ha. It had a wonderful ring to it. He couldn't deny that.
He stayed at his gym for years even after, growing too fond of his position as an experienced and well-known gym leader to ever drop it. He was partially influenced by both his liking for the job, along with the fact that he always was a bit of a show-off, and even still is to this very day. He even wound up battling the likes of Red and Ethan, two who would truly rise in their ranks as Pokemon trainers, and it was quite a privilege, at that. Both were two of the most shocking battles he felt he ever even had, enough for him to even get to confer the Thunderbadge to both of them.
Surge now keeps to Vermilion for most of his time, but certainly has a love for the sea that he can't ignore. He enjoys trips on the S.S. Anne and S.S. Aqua if he ever has his chance to, and even helps with quick sailor work on occasion if he's truly needed. When he isn't out at sea to travel to Johto or doing whatever else, he's usually either out training with his Pokemon, sticking to his very strict workout regime, frequenting bars and eateries, hanging out and rough-housing with his pals, and plenty of other things in his active lifestyle. This is life as Surge knows it, and it honestly couldn't be anymore... electrifying.
Personality:
Lt. Surge is the type of man one might call as loud and mighty as thunder upon their first impression, and honestly, that is not too far off of the mark. He truly does have a spark to his character. He is quite verbal, somewhat foul-mouthed, and full of hard talk, characteristic of what would be considered the typical drill sergeant-type of guy, all too fitting for his position as a former lieutenant. Surge's speech may be seen as crude and condescending to some, perhaps even downright rude to a few others, and not exactly easy on the ears. Needless to say, having been around men and women of the military, of his own rank, beneath, and beyond kind of made the way he expresses him a bit of a bad habit. This is not helped by the fact that he is very confident and courageous, perhaps a little too much so, to the point that he can get rather full of himself and cocky.
Despite his tough way of acting to others, Surge typically, usually means well, especially to those strong enough to match him up (i.e. Ethan in HGSS, to whom he shows great respect to after their match). In fact, most of the time, he doesn't really dislike a person or mean to do them any harm, emotionally or physically. All he usually wants to do is pal around with his buddies, have a good laugh, a meal, a drink, and pure merriment. Again, his... harder to tolerate way of acting is merely a habit of his, and it usually holds no infringement on his opinion of people. In fact, he sometimes may even come off as louder and more out there to the ones he enjoys the most.
Surge usually is not quick to make enemies or rouse up a storm. He is usually pretty laidback with rougher behavior, probably from having been hardened up by the military's rough-and-tumble ways and harsher conditions. Most of anything doesn't really bother him unless someone does something awfully crappy to him or someone he cares about. Someone insulting the electric-type with much venom in his or her tone? He will not be happy. Abuse of Pokemon in general? Even worse. Saying something extremely disgusting and terrible to him and someone he likes? He'll probably lose some respect for whoever does that. Other than that, one probably shouldn't expect for Surge to be too annoyed.
While he may come off as lax and careless at times, Surge truly can be a bit of a 'paranoid' man. He is most attentive and aware of what goes on around him, and he takes whatever measures necessary to ensure what he feels is right. I mean, whatever measures, even if it's something that isn't even that worrisome. A prime example would be his trash can puzzle, which he lays out to absolutely ensure that the trainers he fights will at least be clever and mindful enough to pass his little test. It can stretch out farther than just the smaller things, though. He shows this in harder situations, as well, such as going all-out in a battle, human vs. human or Pokemon vs. Pokemon.
This leads to this next aspect of him. In the battlefield, in a dire situation, or in a Pokemon battle (mainly the former two), Surge can come off as very much more serious. No pussy-footing around. Strategical, precise, cautious, and determined, his focus rarely wavers away from the fight. The cogs in his mind will reel with thoughts on how to get through the problem, how to pierce the enemy's weaknesses, what moves to make, this and that, that and this. He particularly sticks to military conduct, and if he has to work under someone for the better, he is most surprisingly obedient with a "Yes, sir!" to spare. The military has instilled these qualities into him, ingraining them into his personality, and it is something that will always stay with him, even though he's not in the military any longer.
Long story short, Surge is one vocal dude with a spice in his personality to boot. What he says might come off as a little mean or unnecessary, but don't think that he always means it. He usually actually wants nothing more than some awesome times, awesome battles, and awesome buddies. Just... awesome, awesome, awesome. He isn't quick to dislike anyone either. He can, however, be paranoid and serious when needed, such as in a dangerous position or when facing something quite problematic. He is particularly nasty to deal with in that kind of position. In regards to his paranoia, it can even apply to things like his very own gym. All and all, Surge is a guy with a powerful sense of character and plenty of guts, and Arceus be damned if he's not as electrifying as lightning itself.
Sample I:
(Prompt I: You are leaving a voicemail message for Red.)
[Kzzzzsssht. The static omitting from the worn down material makes itself quite clear at the beginning of the message. A few things can be heard mumbled as Surge fumbles with the thing, such as, "Goddamn, it was working fine earlier," and, "This thing working now?" It finally clears up after a minute, and immediately, the voice of a man could be heard. The voice of a man that truly didn't know the concept of the 'indoor voice.']
Hey, kid! [Forget that he's not truly a kid anymore. To him, Red is always a kid, especially in comparison to a man like himself.] Been a while, huh? You still slugging away with those Pokemon of yours? That Pikachu? [Typical Pikachu bias. He always held that kind of quality for the electric-type, especially Pikachu's line.] How has that Pikachu been? You even evolved it yet, kid? I bet you haven't even evolved it yet.
[A laugh can be heard.] I tell you, evolving your Pokemon's essential! You can't keep that wimpy little Pikachu a Pikachu forever! You've seen my Raichu, kid. Have you seen him recently? He could take that Pikachu of yours down before you could throw out a Thunderbolt! And if you wonder why that's fact? That's right, it's fact! My Raichu's an evolved Pokemon! He's stronger, and this time, no Pikachu can take him down! I tell you, that was just a fluke. Lucky chance. You've got another thing coming if you think you can beat me again! Do you really think you can pull that off?
[Laughter again, this time a little heavier.] Hahaha! Well, gotta say your luck's run out then! You know what? You, me, the Dojo in Saffron, name the time. You think you can take me on this time, kid? You probably can, but winnin' is gonna be the tough part!
Good luck, because guess what? You're gonna need it! Right, Raichu?
[A squeaky 'Rai!' can be heard faintly from the other end before the call finally ends.]
Sample II:
(Prompt VI: YOUNGSTER JOEY wants to battle!)
This kid held some kind of courage to be standing up against him with just a Rattata on hand. Truly, a Rattata? Those Pokemon were honestly mediocre in comparison to a fully evolved electric-type like his Raichu. If this guy- Joey was his name, apparently- thinks he can defeat him and earn his badge with just a feeble Rattata? Needless to say, he had another thing coming for him. It would not exactly be that easy, Surge believed, when they had more strength and, likely enough, battle knowledge under their sleeve.
This would be a piece of cake.
"You seriously think you can take me on with one of those things, kid?!" Surge laughed almost haughtily, fists firmly on his sides in what could be taken as a possibly intimidating stance by some. He was quite a large man, after all, at over six feet. Perhaps he did come off as frequently a bit scary? It honestly wouldn't have surprised him, despite the fact that he usually had good intentions. He had the power, determination, and appearance of a good soldier, after all. Through and through, he was used to looking frightening to others, mainly for the idea of the throwing the enemy off.
Sometimes, battling truly felt like war in a lighter sense. Sometimes, he even claimed and felt that it was war. The adrenaline-pumping action, the need for precision and strength, the focus required... yes, you could call it similar. War was worse, though, far worse. While they were not on the battlefield in the sense that the lieutenant was most familiar with, the way he handled war ran through his veins. It made him hard to sway in battle, and if anyone knew that best, it would probably be Surge himself, as self-absorbed as it might seem.
"Well, if that's how you're gonna have it, then it looks like it's play-time for the little baby," He grinned, yanking out a Poke Ball from his belt and tossing it over. "Raichu, c'mon out!"
In a flash of light, an experienced electric mouse took the field, materializing from the Poke Ball in a matter of seconds. The Pokemon, none other than Lt. Surge's faithful Raichu, let out a shrilled cry, a grin across his face and his cheeks lit with power of electrifying proportions. It laughed. Surge laughed. Their motions practically mirrored each others' as they folded their arms and stood over their opponent and his... rat.
Very quickly after, the battle was initiated. Rattata used Quick Attack. Surge yelled out a command to his Raichu, his shouting equivalent to the hollering you would hear from the battlers in the trenches. Raichu wasted no time. It was quicker. It was faster. It was stronger. It landed a devastating Thunder attack square on the enemy before the Rattata could even land a hit.
That was it. The Rattata was not even strong enough. It was levels below Surge's Raichu, and was by far not yet powerful enough to take on the likes of him. Watching the other trainer draw back his injured Pokemon, Surge, feeling rather unsympathetic, shook his head.
"Looks like you shorted out there, baby! Look at that Rattata! It never stood a chance!" He brought his muscular arms up to his chest and folded them again, his Raichu still locked in a triumphant stance on the field. "If you think you can take me on again, you're gonna have to train a lot more than THAT. That battle didn't even shock me enough! Your rat barely moved!"
The image of the Pokemon, defeated and forlorn, was still vaguely in his mind. It looked like it was in terrible condition, yet not exactly fatal. "You better run off if you're lookin' out for your Pokemon, kid. That thing's gonna need the Pokemon Center!"
The boy finally relented, leaving the gym, leaving Surge to smirk victoriously. He knew how to get past his puzzles, but while strategy was important, brawn and experience was also very much needed. He knew that far too well.
"Top percentage of Rattata? Hah, yeah, we can believe that, huh?!" He snorted. Raichu could only nod in agreement.
Name/Alias: Essay
LJ: skorupion
Contact Info: aim // horribee, email // youressayisdue@gmail.com
Previous Characters: None!
I do, however, have a lot of roleplay experience under my belt, I'd like to think (having been in a lot of roleplays and playing seven characters total at the moment). This is also not my first time playing Lieutenant Surge, as I have played him before (and still do!) at zenithia_rpg. (: I have also played closely with another Lieutenant Surge before, so that might have helped with my experience with this guy, too. But enough of that, on with the application!
• canon character •
Name: Lieutenant Surge. He prefers to let his first name just go under the wire and untold for his own reasons. Spoilers, he is just not very fond of it at all. It's probably something kind of lame.
Age: Let's say around 39-40!
Hometown/Region: Vermilion City, Kanto, but his actual roots lie in the continent of America, the land he was born in.
Class: Gym Leader
Team:
Main Party:
Raichu // Male // Met him just before his very first battle while he was still a Pikachu. This guy is his main Pokemon, you know, the big one that paralyzes its enemies into submission! Yeah, this guy, so he's pretty important. He's Surge's greatest pal through and through, and if there's any Pokemon he can relate to most, it's Raichu.
Manectric // Male
Magnezone // Genderless
Electrode // Genderless
Pachirisu // Male
Electivire // Male
Usually Boxed:
Electrode (yes, another one!) // Male // Uses this guy when his other Electrode is out of commission.
Numerous Magnemite // Genderless // Used these guys during the war for their electrical and magnetic properties, still trains with them from time-to-time.
Numerous Voltorb // Genderless // Used for very similar reasons to the Magnemites, except replace 'magnetic properties' with explosive properties.
Pikachu // Male // Frequently switches Pachirisu with this guy. He has a soft spot for this little guy, mainly because Pikachu are canonly his favorite Pokemon, so says HGSS. Yes, even more than Raichu, but not by very much. (Also, it's the very same 'chu he had in R/B/G/FR/LG!)
History:
It is apparently widely known in the land of Kanto that Lt. Surge is the 'Lightning American', born and raised in none other than, well, America. He grew up in the city/state of New Orleans, Louisiana, thus making him quite familiar with harbor towns. He grew up an only child under a single father, formerly a man of the military himself and currently a sailor, and sadly lacked a mother. His mother was a nurse during the war his very father had been in, and was in the fact the very way that they met. The phrase like father, like son, applied here, however. His father, equally as brash and brassy, was too much for Surge's mother to handle, and they eventually broke it off shortly after Surge's birth.
Surge didn't necessarily mind growing up without his mother. In fact, he enjoyed only being around his 'old man', and he took up after him quite easily. At even 10 years old, he was an energetic boy, one to rough it up more with other boys than anything else. While he got to be a little too rowdy at times, he still managed to be friendly with a select few, usually those with equally as much of a difficult attitude as he had. When it came to girls... oh, when it came to girls. He was surprisingly nicer to them, although he maintained a level of obnoxiousness in the form of typical childish immaturity (of the grosser kind), showing off, and being an all-around pest.
In his teens, he maintained a similar level of this with a little less of his kid-like ways and, in the childish sense, immaturity, although saying he was more mature overall was very far from the truth. While he acted the same with the guys, pretty much, it was a little different with the opposite sex as puberty rolled around. With the girls around him, he grew to be just slightly more flirtatious, and especially more of a show-off. He was just exactly the type of jock would who just flex his muscles and boast to get himself popular in his classes, using that over his clearly incredible (except entirely not) mind. Yes, he was not a very intelligent boy. It is not to say that he was as dumb as the derpiest Bidoof, but he was far from smart, needing to bend things around only to keep up with grades that didn't automatically fail him.
Despite his grades and his demeanor, he at least managed to maintain some odd level of decency. His father was thankfully strict on him, used to having been that way from being in the military, just with more of a paternal sense about him. It kept Surge in line and not exactly ill-intentioned. He spent his whole life jolly and carefree until he managed to graduate high school by some crazy fluke.
There was, however, a problem: he had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. Nothing truly interested him just yet except for just one thing. The first thing he turned to was working with mechanics, and for that, he enrolled in the nearest school possible. He worked under their wing, managing to keep up with classes here much better than in regular school, where he had to deal with very dull classes such as mathematics and literature classes. This was more his kind of thing. Two years of schooling got him somewhere with this, and he wound up earning his associate's degree.
... Yet it was still not enough. So he had this experience under his belt. How would he start off? What precisely would he do with this now? He was thrilled about the idea of this at first, but now it just seemed to be a bit worthless. When he tried this, he felt he had his reasons, but now even those didn't seem quite right.
However, he was still young. He was still at his prime. His father had worked in the military and told him many a thing about his war ventures. At first, as a child, it sounded honestly terrifying. He wouldn't have admitted it back then, and he still refused to admit it, despite him having been young enough for it to be even more understandable. It was, however, the truth. At the same time, the thrill of the military just seemed to call out to him. It was the rather patriotic idea of defending his country, working for an accomplishment, and putting his own physical strength to use. It would be tough, but it was better than just sitting around and messing around with things in his hands all day.
That settled it all for him. He straight up left for the military to begin his training after successfully enlisting. He predicted that it would be cutthroat, and to his surprise, it wasn't. Oho, it wasn't. No. It was even worse than that.
The intolerable training and work his higher-ups put him and his comrades through was toil and trouble enough, to put it lightly. The stricter ways of the military was enough to whip him into shape better than anyone possibly could have, though being with his father had prepared him decently enough for it for him to be able to manage it. The way the drill sergeants and instructors treated him, stepping on his toes, ruthlessly dishing out every amount of torturous training possible, and throwing out every insult and name in the book to toughen him up had all been hard for even him to deal with at first. It worked, though. There was no denying that it did. It made him grow to be hard as a brick wall, difficult to knock down and impossible to budge. It definitely made him emotionally strengthened to the grandest lengths, but was it enough for his own body to handle the unforgiving battlefield war had to offer?
It was not the end of what he needed to know, however. He soon realized that he had to be sent out to territory that the most average of Americans like him would find to be very foreign. One of the piloting instructors was a Pokemon trainer, one that primarily worked with the electric-type. In the battlefield, Pokemon were usually used as ruthless weapons of war, with Voltorbs being grand explosives, Magnemites being essential for their magnetic properties being enough to induce flotation, and Pikachus being electrical powerhouses with enough juice to power airplanes.
Surge, however, questioned the instructor with a quirked eyebrow and confusion etched on his features. "The hell is a poke mon?" He asked, his pronunciation of the word a bit off. They were Pokemon, creatures capable of abilities beyond the average human's wildest imagination. Some could use even grass to ward off opposing forces, while others bore the power of flames to melt the enemy's strategy and just about everything else. That was just the tip of the iceberg, too. There were electric-types, ice-types, water, psychic, ghost, rock, ground, and a few more types that could be mentioned. If Surge expected to get through battle, he'd need to utilize forces that he was vastly unfamiliar with. Forces that weren't even used when his father took armies of men head on.
He was given multiple Pokemon, most of them being Voltorbs and Magnemites, and the other being a freshly-captured, mostly-untamed Pikachu. It was one of the few remaining, and Surge would be one of the last ones to own one until more were found and 'recruited'/captured for war. This Pikachu was a little disobedient, and boy, did it show. The first thing it did in reaction to meet Surge for the first time was turning away from him, folding its arms and giving out a few sparks, as if saying, "I don't care. I don't want to help you."
This was the start of something that would be quite a ride, Surge predicted.
War came. Oh, did it ever come, and did it ever come with plenty of force in store. Surge was one of many men sent out for their first battle, having been sent out to scout the grounds first and approach on foot. The Voltorbs and Magnemites were more attentive to their new master, more than willing to hear every command and rush out to fulfill their duties when the time came. The Pikachu, however, rarely cared. As they went on, the Pikachu only bothered to initiate battles with whichever Pokemon they came across, wanting to focus on its own battles than that of the humans it had to needlessly follow. Why did it stick around then? Surge wasn't sure, and to this day, he still isn't. Perhaps it used them for navigational advantages, or to lure other Pokemon out into the open for it to brutally attack. Whatever the reason, he could only grit his teeth and hope that the Pokemon would actually be a useful asset.
It would soon prove its strength. Surge wandered out with the troops, and soon enough, they were ambushed in a flash of lightning. It had all happened so quickly, yet the lieutenant could perfectly remember it as if it had happened yesterday. One minute, they were moving along the trenches, firearms and Poke Balls in hand and stealth in their movements. Another group from the enemy forces began to approach, equally as silent, and unfortunately for the Americans, they were the first to be noticed, the first to be attacked. The bloodcurdling screams and war cries of soldiers quickly filled the air, intertwining with the unsettling gun shots and explosions that rang through the area.
Surge fought with all of his might, being forced to battle for his life until his muscles and body could strain him to the point of even keeling over right there. Voltorbs self-destructed in the enemies' faces. Magnemites lifted him around to dodge enemy fire, and then return it with an electrifying spark. It was still not enough, though, and he was beginning to wear out fairly quickly. They were ganging up on their army, including him, and taking more lives. His very own was now in grave danger, and he was losing his luster to fight. He felt about ready to pass out.
The last thing he remembered was seeing a flash of yellow and red jolt past him, and the bright illumination of a Thunderbolt before he blacked out.
He woke up after the fight, finding himself in the safety of one of the tents at the base. It was over, but the war was far from finished. He would, however, need his time to heal and recuperate from the battle. But how... how did he make it out alive?
He looked to his side, only to see that very Pikachu near him. It was obviously battered and bruised, injured to the point that he wasn't even sure if it would make it beyond the night. He hoisted himself back up from the cot, hissing and attempting to ignore the pain that coursed through his ribs and limbs. He reached out with a single hand and placed it on the yellow mouse's head.
Had... had it fought to save his own life? He was unsure, especially considering its disobedience for him earlier. It refused to even give him a second glance, so why would it fight for him? Perhaps it had finally been tamed. Maybe it accomplished as much as it wanted to with small wild Pokemon, and wanted to take on the burlier humans next. Maybe it had somehow grown some semblance of respect for him. He didn't know, and at the time, he honestly didn't care. The fact that he was alive was perfect enough for him, even if it might not have lasted for long.
It didn't take too long for them to head out again, and yet the Lt. Surge and the Pikachu remained. It was knocked out very badly, and the fact of the matter was that it would probably not even make it. It seemed very weak, helpless, and unable to be saved. Surge knew this, yet he had to remain at his cot to heal, to watch as the Pikachu would likely wither away and die before his eyes.
He could remember what happened next too vividly. He remembered as the Pikachu peeked its little eyes open, speaking up with a soft, "Chuuuuu..." It was alive. It was very feeble and unable to get back out there, but it was alive. Surge didn't notice for a good while, but he was unable to hold back a grin when the Pikachu awoke. It wasn't even expected that it would do so much as open its eyes again, so it felt like a step towards recovery.
Surge spoke up. "You doin' okay?" He asked, only for the Pikachu to perk its ears up at his voice. It recognized him quickly, and made a gentle squeak, trying to force out some joy through its pain. The Pikachu realized that Surge had stuck by him for a while. He looked pretty nasty right now, wounded, bloody, and repulsive with sweat. He clearly needed to take his time, as did the Pikachu. They both had to stay in that cot, and he stayed by it. Like comrades. Companions.
The Pikachu tried its best, using the remainder of its energy to pull itself to its four paws. Surge could only watch in slight shock as it approached him, flopped next to his leg, and nuzzled on it as if he was its own trainer. Surge was far from the mushy and emotional type, but he couldn't deny to himself that he actually... kind of liked this. His hand went to the Pikachu's head, petting it and solidifying their new partnership.
It didn't take long for them to be sent back out into battle. This time, with his Pikachu fully at his side, Surge found himself fighting even harder and with a newfound respect for his Pokemon. He suffered through battle, laughed gleefully at their victories, and attempted to shrug off their losses. They took to the air, with not only his Voltorbs and Magnemites willing to power his plane, but his Pikachu, as well. They didn't do perfect on the field, but they did well enough to survive through the war until America finally claimed its victory.
Surge remained at the military for a good while. Years, in fact. He climbed the ranks to become as strict of a CO as the ones he had learned from, one of the most successful men under America's star-spangled wings. His Pokemon grew ever as successful, as well, growing stronger and, in the case of his Pikachu, even evolving. He bonded very closely with his Pokemon since, especially the Raichu that saved his life and managed to surpass the odds.
Surge forgot just how he learned of Kanto. The name just seemed to spring up one day. Kanto. This region was apparently a cesspool of Pokemon, and it was even the very region where Pikachus were native. America was his homeland, the place he was proud to grow up in. However, this Kanto seemed to just call out to him, particularly the harbor town of Vermilion City. This Vermilion City... huh. It had a good sound to it. It seemed like a quaint place from the word spread around about it, and at the time, they lacked a gym leader, for their current one had stepped down out of retirement. They were in a long search for their next leader.
Surge retired from the military at long last and finally left for Vermilion, looking for an exciting new beginning in this world of Pokemon. He began to grow even more experienced in the field of leisurely Pokemon battling, especially on his specialization with electric-types. He had grown admittedly curious about other types of Pokemon, but they just never ranked as high as electric-types to him. He had grown too much of a fondness for the electric-type to use any other. He had a specialization, he had experience, he had strength, he had tact... he basically had everything he considered to be worthy of a gym leader. That could have been his pompous side speaking for him, but apparently, something about it was completely right. He wound up applying for and taking the position of the electric-type gym leader of Vermilion City. He became Vermilion's 'Lightning American'.
Lightning American. Ha. It had a wonderful ring to it. He couldn't deny that.
He stayed at his gym for years even after, growing too fond of his position as an experienced and well-known gym leader to ever drop it. He was partially influenced by both his liking for the job, along with the fact that he always was a bit of a show-off, and even still is to this very day. He even wound up battling the likes of Red and Ethan, two who would truly rise in their ranks as Pokemon trainers, and it was quite a privilege, at that. Both were two of the most shocking battles he felt he ever even had, enough for him to even get to confer the Thunderbadge to both of them.
Surge now keeps to Vermilion for most of his time, but certainly has a love for the sea that he can't ignore. He enjoys trips on the S.S. Anne and S.S. Aqua if he ever has his chance to, and even helps with quick sailor work on occasion if he's truly needed. When he isn't out at sea to travel to Johto or doing whatever else, he's usually either out training with his Pokemon, sticking to his very strict workout regime, frequenting bars and eateries, hanging out and rough-housing with his pals, and plenty of other things in his active lifestyle. This is life as Surge knows it, and it honestly couldn't be anymore... electrifying.
Personality:
Lt. Surge is the type of man one might call as loud and mighty as thunder upon their first impression, and honestly, that is not too far off of the mark. He truly does have a spark to his character. He is quite verbal, somewhat foul-mouthed, and full of hard talk, characteristic of what would be considered the typical drill sergeant-type of guy, all too fitting for his position as a former lieutenant. Surge's speech may be seen as crude and condescending to some, perhaps even downright rude to a few others, and not exactly easy on the ears. Needless to say, having been around men and women of the military, of his own rank, beneath, and beyond kind of made the way he expresses him a bit of a bad habit. This is not helped by the fact that he is very confident and courageous, perhaps a little too much so, to the point that he can get rather full of himself and cocky.
Despite his tough way of acting to others, Surge typically, usually means well, especially to those strong enough to match him up (i.e. Ethan in HGSS, to whom he shows great respect to after their match). In fact, most of the time, he doesn't really dislike a person or mean to do them any harm, emotionally or physically. All he usually wants to do is pal around with his buddies, have a good laugh, a meal, a drink, and pure merriment. Again, his... harder to tolerate way of acting is merely a habit of his, and it usually holds no infringement on his opinion of people. In fact, he sometimes may even come off as louder and more out there to the ones he enjoys the most.
Surge usually is not quick to make enemies or rouse up a storm. He is usually pretty laidback with rougher behavior, probably from having been hardened up by the military's rough-and-tumble ways and harsher conditions. Most of anything doesn't really bother him unless someone does something awfully crappy to him or someone he cares about. Someone insulting the electric-type with much venom in his or her tone? He will not be happy. Abuse of Pokemon in general? Even worse. Saying something extremely disgusting and terrible to him and someone he likes? He'll probably lose some respect for whoever does that. Other than that, one probably shouldn't expect for Surge to be too annoyed.
While he may come off as lax and careless at times, Surge truly can be a bit of a 'paranoid' man. He is most attentive and aware of what goes on around him, and he takes whatever measures necessary to ensure what he feels is right. I mean, whatever measures, even if it's something that isn't even that worrisome. A prime example would be his trash can puzzle, which he lays out to absolutely ensure that the trainers he fights will at least be clever and mindful enough to pass his little test. It can stretch out farther than just the smaller things, though. He shows this in harder situations, as well, such as going all-out in a battle, human vs. human or Pokemon vs. Pokemon.
This leads to this next aspect of him. In the battlefield, in a dire situation, or in a Pokemon battle (mainly the former two), Surge can come off as very much more serious. No pussy-footing around. Strategical, precise, cautious, and determined, his focus rarely wavers away from the fight. The cogs in his mind will reel with thoughts on how to get through the problem, how to pierce the enemy's weaknesses, what moves to make, this and that, that and this. He particularly sticks to military conduct, and if he has to work under someone for the better, he is most surprisingly obedient with a "Yes, sir!" to spare. The military has instilled these qualities into him, ingraining them into his personality, and it is something that will always stay with him, even though he's not in the military any longer.
Long story short, Surge is one vocal dude with a spice in his personality to boot. What he says might come off as a little mean or unnecessary, but don't think that he always means it. He usually actually wants nothing more than some awesome times, awesome battles, and awesome buddies. Just... awesome, awesome, awesome. He isn't quick to dislike anyone either. He can, however, be paranoid and serious when needed, such as in a dangerous position or when facing something quite problematic. He is particularly nasty to deal with in that kind of position. In regards to his paranoia, it can even apply to things like his very own gym. All and all, Surge is a guy with a powerful sense of character and plenty of guts, and Arceus be damned if he's not as electrifying as lightning itself.
Sample I:
(Prompt I: You are leaving a voicemail message for Red.)
[Kzzzzsssht. The static omitting from the worn down material makes itself quite clear at the beginning of the message. A few things can be heard mumbled as Surge fumbles with the thing, such as, "Goddamn, it was working fine earlier," and, "This thing working now?" It finally clears up after a minute, and immediately, the voice of a man could be heard. The voice of a man that truly didn't know the concept of the 'indoor voice.']
Hey, kid! [Forget that he's not truly a kid anymore. To him, Red is always a kid, especially in comparison to a man like himself.] Been a while, huh? You still slugging away with those Pokemon of yours? That Pikachu? [Typical Pikachu bias. He always held that kind of quality for the electric-type, especially Pikachu's line.] How has that Pikachu been? You even evolved it yet, kid? I bet you haven't even evolved it yet.
[A laugh can be heard.] I tell you, evolving your Pokemon's essential! You can't keep that wimpy little Pikachu a Pikachu forever! You've seen my Raichu, kid. Have you seen him recently? He could take that Pikachu of yours down before you could throw out a Thunderbolt! And if you wonder why that's fact? That's right, it's fact! My Raichu's an evolved Pokemon! He's stronger, and this time, no Pikachu can take him down! I tell you, that was just a fluke. Lucky chance. You've got another thing coming if you think you can beat me again! Do you really think you can pull that off?
[Laughter again, this time a little heavier.] Hahaha! Well, gotta say your luck's run out then! You know what? You, me, the Dojo in Saffron, name the time. You think you can take me on this time, kid? You probably can, but winnin' is gonna be the tough part!
Good luck, because guess what? You're gonna need it! Right, Raichu?
[A squeaky 'Rai!' can be heard faintly from the other end before the call finally ends.]
Sample II:
(Prompt VI: YOUNGSTER JOEY wants to battle!)
This kid held some kind of courage to be standing up against him with just a Rattata on hand. Truly, a Rattata? Those Pokemon were honestly mediocre in comparison to a fully evolved electric-type like his Raichu. If this guy- Joey was his name, apparently- thinks he can defeat him and earn his badge with just a feeble Rattata? Needless to say, he had another thing coming for him. It would not exactly be that easy, Surge believed, when they had more strength and, likely enough, battle knowledge under their sleeve.
This would be a piece of cake.
"You seriously think you can take me on with one of those things, kid?!" Surge laughed almost haughtily, fists firmly on his sides in what could be taken as a possibly intimidating stance by some. He was quite a large man, after all, at over six feet. Perhaps he did come off as frequently a bit scary? It honestly wouldn't have surprised him, despite the fact that he usually had good intentions. He had the power, determination, and appearance of a good soldier, after all. Through and through, he was used to looking frightening to others, mainly for the idea of the throwing the enemy off.
Sometimes, battling truly felt like war in a lighter sense. Sometimes, he even claimed and felt that it was war. The adrenaline-pumping action, the need for precision and strength, the focus required... yes, you could call it similar. War was worse, though, far worse. While they were not on the battlefield in the sense that the lieutenant was most familiar with, the way he handled war ran through his veins. It made him hard to sway in battle, and if anyone knew that best, it would probably be Surge himself, as self-absorbed as it might seem.
"Well, if that's how you're gonna have it, then it looks like it's play-time for the little baby," He grinned, yanking out a Poke Ball from his belt and tossing it over. "Raichu, c'mon out!"
In a flash of light, an experienced electric mouse took the field, materializing from the Poke Ball in a matter of seconds. The Pokemon, none other than Lt. Surge's faithful Raichu, let out a shrilled cry, a grin across his face and his cheeks lit with power of electrifying proportions. It laughed. Surge laughed. Their motions practically mirrored each others' as they folded their arms and stood over their opponent and his... rat.
Very quickly after, the battle was initiated. Rattata used Quick Attack. Surge yelled out a command to his Raichu, his shouting equivalent to the hollering you would hear from the battlers in the trenches. Raichu wasted no time. It was quicker. It was faster. It was stronger. It landed a devastating Thunder attack square on the enemy before the Rattata could even land a hit.
That was it. The Rattata was not even strong enough. It was levels below Surge's Raichu, and was by far not yet powerful enough to take on the likes of him. Watching the other trainer draw back his injured Pokemon, Surge, feeling rather unsympathetic, shook his head.
"Looks like you shorted out there, baby! Look at that Rattata! It never stood a chance!" He brought his muscular arms up to his chest and folded them again, his Raichu still locked in a triumphant stance on the field. "If you think you can take me on again, you're gonna have to train a lot more than THAT. That battle didn't even shock me enough! Your rat barely moved!"
The image of the Pokemon, defeated and forlorn, was still vaguely in his mind. It looked like it was in terrible condition, yet not exactly fatal. "You better run off if you're lookin' out for your Pokemon, kid. That thing's gonna need the Pokemon Center!"
The boy finally relented, leaving the gym, leaving Surge to smirk victoriously. He knew how to get past his puzzles, but while strategy was important, brawn and experience was also very much needed. He knew that far too well.
"Top percentage of Rattata? Hah, yeah, we can believe that, huh?!" He snorted. Raichu could only nod in agreement.