[ WP ] Lt. Surge is in the hospital recovering from PTSD caused by what he saw in the last Pokemon War .

Sgt. Surge awoke to a bright light. He got up briefly before the weight of his head pulled him back to the pillow with a light thump. `` I guess I made it...'' he mumbled to himself. He looked around for the familiar yellow lump, but he did n't see him anywhere. `` Pikachu...'' he mumbled. Lifting his head, he sees the bed right across from him, laying there, now Raichu. `` I guess I had to...'' 
 
 Months ago, his unit was assigned to holding a beach. He rose the ranks quickly, but, you need an evolved Pokemon to become an officer. Though he could have passed the officer candidates training with flying colors, he never wanted to evolve the Pikachu he had as a boy. Friends since childhood after all. He figured, Pikachu was happy being who he is, there's no reason to change him just for an extra pip on his collar. But that changed 5 days ago. 
 
 It was a quiet day like any other. Blue skies, a nice sea breeze. He and his unit was thinking about having a bbq later in the day. Guard duty is always quiet. But suddenly, they all heard a large thump; a large pokeball fell onto their beach. Puzzled, Bobby and his squirtle went to inspect it, but before anyone realized what happened, it rolled around, glowed, and self destructed. Suddenly, overhead, large shadows of Farrows and Pidgeot loomed overhead, dropping more voltorbs onto our position. Half the unit was wiped out as the voltorbs kept self destructing all over the place. Sgt. Surge barely had time to run to his fox hole with Pikachu before a Voltorb narrowly missed his head. 
 
 As soon as it began, it stopped. They all peered over the edges of their fox holes, and to their horror, an entire aquatic commando team was inbound. As far as they can tell, commandos riding their Blastoise, Starmie, and Cloisters dotted the horizon. He ordered his platoon to begin firing. Pikachu sent bolts of lightning all over the horizon. His buddy Tim began loading his Graveler up with rocks to throw. Tom was out there with his Diglet re-digging every trench to slow down the advance, but it was no use. One by one, he watched his unit members fall has cannons of water and ice began covering their beach. 
 
 Sarge was desperate, he had to do something. And so he reached into his pocketed, and pulled out the lightning stone. He looked at Pikachu, he looked back with sadness in his eyes. As Sarge reached out his right hand to touch the stone to Pikachu. Pikachu bowed his head, and acknowledged this was the only way, and one last time, said `` pika..'' 
 
 A bright light enveloped Pikachu as he evolved. Quickly, he ordered the now Raichu to unleash all the thunder and lightning and thunderbolts he can. And that's all he remembers as they both passed out from exertion. 
 
 Waking up in the hospital together, at least they made it out alive. Suddenly, the door opened and Captain Lance walked in. `` Surge!'' he said. `` You did well today, if it were n't for your Raichu wiping out the water and air invasion, we would have lost the beachhead for sure. Not to mention the remainder of your platoon!''. 
 
 `` And the rest of my men and their Pokemon sir?'' Surge muttered in reply. 
 
 `` It seems, unfortunately, over half your unit was wiped out including your Lieutenant. But fear not, we have a new batch of recruits to reform your platoon. You will all be going back to the front once you all recover in the next week. The 75th Pokemon armored needs gamma platoon and, gamma platoon needs a leader. With your new Raichu, I think you would be an excellent choice for an officer. So, congratulations, Lt. Surge. You did well today.'' Capt. Lance saluted, turned away abruptly and walked out. 
 
 Surge could n't think or process what just happened, it's all still a blur. With half his friends gone and now in charge, it seemed overwhelming. But none of this would be impossible to handle if only he still had his Pikachu. If only he did n't lose his bestfriend, nay, transform his best friend into a war machine... maybe he could have handled all his burdens. 
 
 And maybe, his right hand would stop shaking.
