Flint

After a while the gang finally made it to Sunyshore City. Sunyshore City was a real modern city. There were moving escalators, robots and modern buildings everywhere. On top of all the buildings were solar panels. The gang was amazed by the sights of the city. Ash remembered all the modern cities he had seen in the past.
"So this is is where we'll get our badges?" Tomo asked Ash.
"Yes, but I'm still concerned about what Lucas said before." Ash replied.
"You mean about the gym leader giving badges away for free?" Dawn asked.
"Yes if that gym leader is just giving away the badges we need to do something about it." Ash said.
"I agree." Brock added. "Just giving away badges for free will give other gyms a bad name."
Brock didn't like how gym leaders handled their jobs irresponsibly.
Thanks to Brock's Pokegear the gang found the Sunyshore Gym. It was a big dome shaped building and it had solar panels around it. An automatic voice speaker spoke to the gang when they got to the doors. 
"I am here to challenge the gym leader to earn a badge." Ash said. 
A container, next to the door, opened a lid and inside were lots of gym badges. They were the Beacon Badges and they were colored yellow and grey and shaped like a lighthouse.
"Lucas wasn't kidding when he said the gym badges were given out for free." Dawn said. "What are we going to do Ash?"
"Talk to the gym leader of course." Ash said. "I'm the type of trainer who would never want to earn a badge for free. Besides you wouldn't want to earn a contest ribbon for free, would you Dawn?" 
"Absolutely not." Dawn said.
She was the type who wouldn't want to earn a ribbon for free.
"I want to talk to the gym leader!" Ash shouted.
Unfortunately, the system ignored his words.
"Please leave." It asked him.
"This is outrageous." Ash angrily said. "I want to talk to the gym leader and I want to do it now!"
"If you want to talk to Volkner I'll take you to him." A voice said.
The voice came from a red-haired man.
"Hello there. I'm Flint of the Elite Four." The man said.
The gang couldn't believe their ears and eyes, seeing another member of Sinnoh's Elite Four. 
"If you come with me, I'll take you to Volkner because he and I are old friends." Flint said. "He'll be up there."
Flint pointed to a tall tower. This tower was called Sunyshore Tower and it was the tallest building in all of Sunyshore City. Flint and the gang boarded an elevator to go all the way to the top.
"Volkner built this tower and all the solar panels." He explained along the way up.
"Really?" Ash said.
He was surprised Volkner was a great battler, but why wasn't he acting like a great gym leader? Once they were up at the top, they immediately looked at the view.
Suddenly a Raichu appeared.
"Hi there." Flint said to Raichu.
Raichu ran up to Flint and hugged him.
"Where's your partner?" Flint asked.
Just then, a blond-haired man appeared; he was Volkner.
"Hey Flint, who are the kids?" Volkner asked.
"You have a gym challenger Volkner." Flint said.
Ash introduced himself to Volkner and asked him for a gym battle.
"You saw the badges at the gym, so just take one." Volkner said, gloomily.
"No way." Ash argued. "I'm the type of trainer who wants to earn his gym badges the right way by battling. Why aren't you accepting real gym battles?"
"I have completely lost interest in battling." Volkner said.
"Volkner, I can tell that Ash is an electrifying trainer, so please give him a chance." Flint pleaded.
Volkner ignored his words and looked up at the sky.
"I would like you to leave." Volkner said.
He was one of those gym leaders who had a empty soul. Flint didn't like this and neither did Ash and Tomo.
Flint took the gang to a cafe for coffee and sandwiches. The cafe owner was an old friend of Flint and Volkner. Ash didn't feel like eating or drinking because of what just happened with Volkner.
"Flint, why is Volkner like that?" Ash asked. "A friend of ours named Lucas said he battled Volkner a year ago and he was a really tough gym leader. But Volkner looked nothing like I imagined."
Flint sighed.
"Volkner wasn't always like this." He said.
"It's true." The cafe owner nodded. "Volkner used to be known as the Shining, Shocking Star."
"He always battled with a bolt of lightning. He was electrifying." Flint said.
Flint explained back when he was a kid, Sunyshore City wasn't like what it is now and it was full of hoodlums. He and his Infernape, back when it was a Chimchar, would battle the hoodlums every day and always won. Then one day Volkner showed up with his Pikachu. Flint and Volkner had a battle and Flint won, but the next time they battled Volkner won. So the two boys always battled each other to show who was the strongest trainer in the city. 
"Wow." Dawn said. "Did you battle so much because you didn't like each other." 
"Oh no, nothing like that." Flint shook his head.
"It's true." The cafe owner nodded. "In fact, they would always get along no matter what."
Flint then told the gang back when they were kids they came across a poacher in the forest and fought him together. In the end they drove the poacher away, but were injured in the process. The two had been best friends ever since.
"Volkner is even more amazing, but that still doesn't explain the reason he wouldn't battle." Ash said.
The cafe owner spoke next. He explained that when Volkner and Flint grew up Flint left Sunyshore to train and get stronger, while Volkner stayed behind and became the gym leader. In time Flint and his Infernape grew stronger, when it evolved from Chimchar and Monferno and he became a member of the Elite Four. As for Volkner, well he started to lose interest in battles and then he became obsessed with technology. He had always been interested in technology, and therefore he built all the solar powered systems in the city and the Sunyshore Tower. After all that Volkner became an empty shell and lost his spark for battling.
"I brought you to Volkner because I thought your spark could help him and fix him like new." Flint told Ash.
"It was a wasted trip." Volkner said.
He had just arrived at the cafe for some coffee and was listening to what they had been saying.
"Volkner, you know how I feel about your attitude right now. Snap out of it!" Flint angrily shouted.
"You came back here to give me a lecture, Mr. Elite Four?" Volkner asked.
Flint was becoming angrier because he disliked his old friend's attitude.
"What happened to the electrifying Volkner I know. The Shining Shocking Star?!" Flint shouted.
"We're not kids anymore Flint, you've got to grow up sometime." Volkner said.
Flint was about to argue some more, but then the cafe owner stopped him.
"Flint, I suggest you have a battle with Ash." He said.
"Me, have a battle with Ash?" Flint asked.
"I accept, let's do it Flint." Ash said.
Tomo, Dawn and Brock wanted to see a battle between Ash and Flint too. So it was decided that Ash and Flint would battle each other, and the cafe owner managed to persuade Volkner to watch. The cafe owner thought the battle would perk Volkner up.
So everyone went to the gym and Ash and Flint took their places on the battlefield while Volkner, the cafe owner, Brock, Dawn and Tomo took their seats. A robot served as the referee.
"This is will be a three on three Pokemon battle." The robot declared.
Flint sent out his Infernape while Ash sent out Empoleon.
"Ash will have the advantage with Empoleon." Dawn said.
"Empoleon, Bubble Beam." Ash said.
Infernape dodged the attack.
"Use Drill Peck." Ash said.
Empoleon charged forward with a glowing beak, but Infernape blocked it with it's arms. Flint's Infernape was a very strong Pokemon.
"Alright, let's use Aqua Peck." Ash said.
Empoleon performed a combo-attack involving Aqua Jet and Drill Peck.
Flint was impressed with the combo attack and so was the cafe owner.
"Ash is quite the trainer." He said. "Don't you agree, Volkner?"
Volkner remained silent as he watched the battle with a blank expression on his face.
"Infernape, use Flare Blitz." Flint said.
"Empoleon, Hydro Cannon." Ash countered.
Infernape and Empoleon went at each other with all they had. The surprising part was Infernape powered through Hydro Cannon and hit Empoleon head on. In addition, Empoleon fainted. Infernape was not to be taken lightly.
Ash was surprised, but he had seen a Elite Four member's Pokemon before and hadn't forgotten the battles he lost against them. He returned Empoleon and sent his Hippowdon out.
"Ground beats fire." Brock noted.
"Mud Shot." Ash told Hippowdon.
Infernape easily punched the mud away with it's fists.
"Earth Power." Ash said.
Cracks formed in the ground and headed straight for Infernape.
"Jump and dodge it." Flint ordered.
Infernape jumped clear of the cracks. 
"Mach Punch." Flint commanded.
Hippowdon was hit by a glowing fist before it could do anything and fainted. Infernape had shown it's strength once again.
Volkner was starting to get fed up and wanted to leave. He had battled many weak trainers at his gym, which is one of the reasons why he lost interest in battling. 
"You should stay and watch until the battle comes to a end." The cafe owner suggested. "He has a real spark."
Ash sent Pikachu out next. He was his last Pokemon while Flint still had Infernape. 
"Quick Attack." Ash told Pikachu.
Unfortunately Quick Attack wasn't enough to bring Infernape down. Flint was impressed with Pikachu.
"Infernape, use Flare Blitz." He said.
"Counter that with Volt Tackle Pikachu." Ash said.
The two Pokemon collided and Pikachu was pushed back.
"You okay Pikachu?" Ash asked.
Pikachu was fine.
"Infernape, Mach Punch." Flint ordered.
"Counter with Iron Tail." Ash ordered.
Pikachu was no match for Infernape's strength and was punched back into the wall. It was hit by Close Combat. He was taking a lot of damage by the minute.
"Pikachu, use Thunder." Ash said.
He decided to resort to powerful attacks now.
Infernape was hit by the thunderbolt, but it still looked no worse for wear. Flint was definitely impressed with Pikachu's strength, but he wasn't about to back down. 
"Infernape, Flare Blitz." He ordered.
Pikachu tried to dodge the attack, but it was too late. He was about to hit the wall again, but Ash ran over to stop him.
"You okay Pikachu?" Ash asked.
Pikachu was injured, but not defeated. 
"You're doing great Pikachu."
Throughout the battle the cafe owner was having a conversation with Volkner.
"You and your Pikachu acted the same when you and Flint took on that poacher." The cafe owner was the poacher he and Flint confronted in the past, but he stopped poaching because of Volkner. What compelled him to stop was the electrifying battle Volkner and his Pikachu gave him and his Houndoom. 
"So Volkner, I believe you still have unfinished business as the gym leader." The cafe owner said.
Back with the battle
"Pikachu, Hidden Power." Ash ordered.
Infernape knocked the attack out of the way with Mach Punch before proceeding to punch Pikachu.
"You can do it Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Use Volt Tackle!"
Pikachu charged at Infernape with electricity surrounding it while Infernape used Flare Blitz. The two attacks collided but Pikachu fainted afterwards. Flint was the winner. Ash ran over to Pikachu and picked him up.
"You okay buddy?" He asked.
Pikachu was exhausted, but alright.
"You did great." Ash said, giving him a hug.
Brock, Dawn and Tomo agreed that Ash's battle with Flint was great.
After that Volkner decided he still had unfinished business regarding the gym. He was going to resume being a gym leader and real battles, instead of handing out badges for free. Watching Ash and Flint's battle caused Volkner to see himself in Ash and ignited his spirit as his eyes looked alive again. He then turned to Ash.
"You were brilliant Ash." He said. "Both your spark and your Pokemon's spark really inspired me."
"Then does that mean we'll have a gym battle?" Ash asked.
"Me as well?" Tomo also asked.
"Yes." Volkner answered. "And both will be electrifying."
Ash and Tomo were happy they were going to face Volkner for real while Flint was happy to see his old friend back to normal.