Doctor Doom watched as the Hyper Beam erupted from Doom’s mouth. At the same moment the Raichu unleashed its Thunder attack at Doom’s massive Gyarados. Doom was mildly surprised when the two attacks did not interact. Instead both of them homed in on their targets with deadly precision. Doom would make sure to attend the Raichu’s funeral out of respect for the rodent’s audacity. Also because people crying amused Doom.
That explains so much.
Doom’s Hyper Beam consumed Raichu and the blinding light of the impact caused everyone to turn away except for Doom. Doom does not turn! After what felt like an eternity of basking in the blazing hot glow of his Pokemon’s attack the light faded and he gazed upon the Raichu which was now on the ground. The small Pokémon was burned terribly from the attack but it still clung to life. Doom frowned for a moment before the obvious conclusion came to him. Raichu’s ability to conduct electricity through its body gave it a tremendous amount of absorption ability against energy based attacks. Doom turned to Doom and saw the sight he had known he would see as soon as the light had faded: Doom was slumped down, equally unfit for battle as the Raichu across from him. Doom stepped forward and put a gauntlet on Doom’s body and carefully examined the damage.
After a moment Doom spoke. “Your rodent is clever,” Doom said. “It would not have felled Doom’s Doom by simply overpowering it. For nothing overpowers Doom. Instead it used the electricity in its attack to short circuit Doom’s nervous system and caused him to blackout. That is a fine specimen.”
Surge returned Raichu to its Pokeball and said, “The very best of its species in the world. It has been with me for years and has only been knocked out a handful of times.” Surge glanced over at the Gyarados. “This is a draw. What now?”
Doom chuckled darkly. “Fool. This is not Doom’s victory therefore it is Doom’s loss. As Doom promised you are all free to go.” Doom clapped his hands together once and the barriers around the S.S. Anne shattered into nothing. “Go now. My honor only allows me so much tolerance against having filth surround me.”
Soon only Surge remained.
“That applied to you as well, Lt. Surge,” Doom said darkly.
Surge shrugged, completely oblivious to the potential pain that awaited him if he did not tread lightly here. “I am the gym leader of this city. I assume you are taking the league challenge. If you come at me with such disregard for type disadvantages you may beat one of my Pokémon, but you won’t beat all four. You are a tough son of a gun to have raised a Gyarados to be able to hold off a Raichu like that, but toughness isn’t enough. Goodbye for now, Doctor.” Surge marched away in a manner only soldiers can pull off.
Doom snapped his fingers and a throne emerged from the wooden deck. Doom walked up to it and sat down upon the hard surface. Doom had made a mistake. As much as Doom was loathed to admit it that was what made him different than Reed Richards. Instead of ambling on without a care for intellectual honesty his rival would always assume he was right. Doom was better than that. Doom refined his ideas and learned from his mistakes. He had underestimated the people of this world. They could never surpass Doom, but if Doom only showed them raw power and blunt force they stood a chance. Doom eyed his favorite Pokémon and thought back to what Surge had said about how the different types worked. It was arrogance to put Doom in the situation he had. Doom would have to make it up to the Gyarados later.
Doom could not abide by his own arrogance any longer. He had been waltzing through Kanto as if it was his plaything without backing such an attitude up with actions. Doom did not come to have his power from laziness and assumptions. He had gained advantages through hard work and unending strength of character. Doom had done this world a disservice by going easy on it.
It was time to begin to correct that error.