Day 5
*Quite a bit has happened since we last met our teenaged protagonist. After running into the Viridian Forest, Seris attempted to make a dash straight through it, only to find out that the place and so many trees bunched up together that it was impossible for him to move through. Realizing that, he continued to make a run for it, but this time, he ran through the less dense parts of the forest. After encountering and battling several different Pokémon and trainers, he was able to make it to the other side of the woods and straight towards the entrance of Pewter City as the moon hit the highest point in the sky. he was also able to have Armada and Mirajane level up to level 11, allowing each of them to acquire a new move: Withdraw for Armada and Karate Chop for Mirajane. After making it to the Pokémon center, he checked in himself and his Pokémon with the Chansey minding the front desk with his Pokémon Center Card before heading to his room and crashing onto the bed. We now join him as he has woken from his slumber and heading out to front desk to retrieve his Pokémon with a clean set of clothes on. He appears to be conversing with his PDA about the new moves his Pokémon have acquired*
PDA: Withdraw allows the Pokémon to retract itself into its shell to bolsters its Defense more. Karate Chop allows the Pokémon to attack its opponent with a sharp chop, focusing its power directly into the side of its hand to increase the chance of critical hit.
Seris: Critical hit? What is that?
PDA: Critical hits are attacks that have hit a major point on a Pokémon's body, increasing the attack's damage output significantly. However, the chance of getting one is completely random since every Pokémon, sometimes one's of the same species, have differing weak points.
Seris: Hmmmmmm. Just like a type advantage but based on luck then? Weird...
PDA: Shall I notify you when your Pokémon have dealt or taken a critical hit while in battle?
Seris: Yes. Thank you. That'll be all.
*The PDA folds up as he enters the main lobby and heads to an empty front desk. He looks around it, still finding no one there, so he yells out*
Seris: Hello! Anyone here?! I am here to get my Pokémon!
???: Be one minute! Please wait!
*He hears a familiar voice coming from the door behind the front desk and tries to figure out where he has heard it before. Before he could though, it opens up to reveal Nurse Joy, much to Seris's surprise*
Seris: Nurse Joy? What are you doing here?
*The woman looked at him with a perplexed expression on her face before asking him*
Joy: I'm sorry. Do I know you?
Seris: It's me, Seris...From Viridian City?
Joy: I am sorry, but I don't believe I have met someone by that name before.
*He looks at her with a speechless, shocked expression before going into more detailed*
Seris: But you healed my Pokémon at the center there and gave me the package from Mister Krane!
*Finally realizing what's going on, she gives him a soft smile before giggling quietly to herself*
Seris:...What's so funny?
Joy: Ohhhh, nothing. It's just that the Nurse Joy in Viridian City is my sister.
Seris: Wait...you're telling me...that you have a sister who looks just like you. That makes more sense since you two are twins.
Joy: Twins? Oh no. She is a year younger than me!
*This statement makes Seris even more confused than the previous one, making ask...*
Seris: How is your sister younger than you and looks exactly like you?!
Joy: Well, it's not that big of a deal. Here I'll show you.
*She goes to her desk and places down a picture with a tiny plaque underneath that says "Joy Family Reunion" in front of him. However, when he inspects it, he finds more questions than answers...*
*She then points to the Joy on the bottom left as she starts to speak once again*
Joy: As you can see, her hair is braided a bit more tightly than my own. I honestly prefer mine a little looser since it lets it breath more and easier to undo. Though, I do have to admit, a lot of people mix us two up a lot.~
Seris: Just you two?! How about your whole Arceus damn family?! I cannot tell the difference!...No offense...
Joy: None taken. Actually, that is a common occurrence for my family since we all are similar, even for the IPRC. So, they made a sure-fire plan to tell us apart.
Seris:...Okay, I'll bite. How?
Joy: My hat!
Seris: your hat?
*Seris lifts his head up to look at her nurse's hat as Joy continues talking*
Joy: The color of the cross in the center of my hat tells which Nurse Joy I am to other IPRC members.
*He looks at it then looks down at the picture again before realizing it for himself*
Seris: Oh yeah. The cross's color is different on each Joy's hat. Huh... Still though, isn't it weird for you all to be named Joy.
Joy: Actually, that is our last name.
Seris: Oh, then what are your first names?
Joy: Oh, well my name is-
???: Chansey!
*They both look to the side surprised as they see Chansey next to Nurse Joy holding a tray with two pokéballs on it*
Joy: Oh! Chansey! Please, do not scare me like that!
*The Pokémon nods before placing the tray gently on the counter*
Joy: Ah. These must be the Pokémon you left with us, am I right?
*Seris goes over to the tray and picks them up, inspecting them*
Seris: Yeah. These are definitely my two!
*He clips them both to his side as Joy continues talking*
Joy: But anyways, besides my family, there is one other person that can tell who's who without any visual aids of any kind is.
Seris: You're kidding me! That person must be incredibly skilled in order to do that.
Joy: Well, of course he is. In fact, he is the Gym Leader of Pewter City!
*Upon hearing this, Seris realizes then and there that the person with that much attention to detail being the Gym Leader, he must know something about Red. With that mind, he asks Nurse Joy for directions to the gym before wishing her farewell. After a few minutes, he finally walks up to a building with a sign of the left of it that reads "Pewter City Gym. Gym Leader: Brock"*
Seris: Rock solid?
*He thinks about the phrase a bit, imagining him to be a body builder of some sort. Feeling intimidated by this, he Shakes the thought out of his mind before moving onward into the gym. Inside, he walks into the side of a stadium like field with dirt and rocks around as terrain instead of astroturf. Up ahead, he sees a teen in some camping gear sitting on a rock on the side near the midway point and a barely visible man standing on a stone platform with a huge boulder behind him, looking straight towards Seris without making a sound. As he walks down the field, he looks to his left and right, noticing chairs for bystanders to watch from above. The camper looks at Seris before calling him out*
Camper: Hey you! Are you trying to challenge Brock?!
*Seris looks at him before replying*
Seris: Ummm. No. I Just wanted to ask him a question about something.
Camper: Well, you are a trainer, right? Whether you are challenging him or not, you are ten thousand years from meeting him!
Seris:...Yeah. I am just going to continue onward...
*Before he could take another footstep, a Pokémon lands in front of him, looking at him fiercely as Seris steps back away from it*
???: Geeoooooo!
Seris: Woah! Dexter! Scan!
PDA: Geodude. The Rock Pokémon. A Rock and Ground type. It climbs mountain paths using only the power of its arms. Because they look just like boulders lining paths, hikers may step on them without noticing.
(EVQ: I like to add to that with another entry that states that some people hurl them in snowball fights! WHO DOES THAT?!)
*The camper gets off his rock and slowly walks behind the Pokémon, looking at Seris*
Camper: If you want to see Brock, then you'll have to beat me first.
Seris: Errr! Fine then!
*Knowing the Pokémon's typing, he grabs a pokéball from his clip and throws it in front of him*
Seris: Armada! Make this quick!
*The ball unleashes Armada onto the dirt field before it looks up at the Geodude*
Armada: Squiirrtle!
Seris: Dexter! Battle HUD!
*Dexter pops out and shows the Geodude's level is one lower than Armada's. Seeing this makes him smiles as he prepares for a full-on attack*
Seris: Okay Armada. Hit him with a Bubble attack!
*Armada breathes in before opening his mouth, releasing several bubbles towards Geodude*
Camper: Geodude. Defense Curl.
*Geodude tilts his body downward a bit with his arms crossed over his face, bolstering his defense a bit but the bubble hits their mark hard and puts the Pokémon on the ground struggling hard to get back up, with its bar hanging by a sliver*
Camper: Oh man. Try going in with a Tackle attack!
Seris: You do the same, Armada!
*Both Pokémon looks at the other and lunge at each other, colliding with the other. However, Armada is able to prevail, knocking Geodude into the air and onto the ground with swirls in his eyes while Armada lands back down on the ground on his feet*
Camper: Geodude! Return!
*The teen retrieves his Pokémon as Seris and Armada look at him with determination in their eyes*
Seris: We beat you. Now, let us through.
Camper: Not yet! I got one more Pokémon left!
*He throws out his last Pokémon before resuming the battle. As the battle rages on, the man on the stone platform is watching this carefully, analyzing seris and the way he uses his Pokémon*
Seris: Armada! Bubble one more time!
*Armada lets out another flurry of bubbles onto the Sandshrew in front of it as the Pokémon collapses forward with swirls in its eyes*
Camper: Sandshrew! Return!
*He retrieves his Pokémon again as Seris does the same while walking up to him with the PDA notifying him that Armada has leveled up to 12*
Seris: Now, can I see Brock?!
Camper:...Fine. You may see Brock, but you will not be able to defeat him.
*He disregards this as he walks past him and makes his way to the other side of the stadium, looking at the man on the platform. To his surprise, he looks like an ordinary guy with a casual feel to his clothing. He jumps off the platform slightly while walking over to Seris with a stern expression. He looks down at him, but his expression then changes to a happy and welcoming one, like he was anticipating Seris to make it towards him*
???: So, you're finally here.
Brock, The Rock-Solid Gym Leader
Brock: I'm Brock. I'm Pewter's Gym Leader. Who are you?
*Seris mentally sighs in relief as he gives Brock a smile*
Seris: I'm Seris. I came here to ask you a question actually.
Brock: Oh? Is that right? Then, by all means, tell me and I'll answer it to the best of my abilities.
Seris: I am looking for a man and I was told by a friend to check the gym leaders, and since you had an attention to detail, I think you might be able to help. He name is Red.
*As soon as Seris mentioned his name, his expressions turns cold suddenly as he talks sternly to him*
Brock: I see...You are looking for him, huh...
Seris: Yeah?... Is that a prob-
Brock: I cannot help you in that matter.
*Seris is surprised by how cold Brock is toward him after mentioning Red, so he pries further*
Seris: Why not?!
Brock: Because I am sick of people coming here, wanting to know where he is so he can challenge him for his title!
Seris: I am not here for his title!
Brock: Pure Bouffallant! Everyone who asks wants to find him!
Seris: I'm not!
Brock: Then why are you here!
Seris: FOR HIS MOTHER'S SAKE!
*The argument settles down as Brock heard Seris's last statement and questions it*
Brock: His mom?
Seris: That's right! His mom and my mom are very close friends so I promised her that I would find him and bring him back home to her.
*Hearing this, Brock crosses his arms as he looks down a bit, pondering on the situation he has been dealt with. He sighs before looking back up at Seris and says*
Brock: Very well, seeing how you gave me a reason no one else has given me before and how your Pokémon were lower leveled than most, I'll believe.
Seris: Alright, so you'll tell me where he might be.
Brock: Not quite...
*He turns away from Seris as he gets back on the platform and walks towards the boulder behind it*
Brock: I'll make you a deal. If you can beat me in a Pokémon battle fair and square, I'll tell you all I know about Red.
Seris: What?! Why not just tell me.
Brock: Because I want to see your determination through you and your Pokémon's actions, not by your words. By the way, while we are battling, there are two rules to know. One: We each can use a certain number of Pokémon for Gym Battles and two, for this battle in particular, you are not allowed to use that device on your wrist.
*He points towards Seris's PDA and he starts to complain*
Seris: Why not?! I need this to make sure my Pokémon are okay.
Brock: That device is a luxury, not a necessity. You need to understand when you're Pokémon is okay to fight or not. In the matter of safety, all gyms is outfitted with a sensor system that will automatically return any Pokémon to its pokéball if its health gets too low. Besides, another trainer with the same device on beat me without using it either, so I expect the same from you as well.
Seris: Another trainer with a PDA? Mickey said he would stay back in Viridian to train more so...It must be the ninja girl from Pallet Town! Why didn't she use her PDA?... ...Fine. I agree to your conditions, Brock.
Brock: Good. Now, seeing how you didn't ask to battle me, I am guessing this is your first time fighting a Gym Leader?
*He goes over to the boulder while talking and he pushes it a bit to reveal a hidden drawer inside containing multiple pokéballs in 8 rows*
Seris: Yeah, that's right. You'll be my first.
Brock: I see...
*He grabs the two balls in the first row before pushing the drawer back into place and turn his attention back to Seris before walking towards him while talking*
Brock: Then for this battle, it'll be two on two. Do you understood and accept the rules I laid out for you?
*Brock stops at the edge of the platform as he looks at Seris while the teen nods in confirmation*
Seris: I accept, Brock.
Brock: Then...
*Brock clears his throat a bit before shouting bravely*
Brock: As Gym Leader of Pewter City, I accept your challenge.
*As soon as he uttered those words, the lights in the building the turn off before a set of lights on the ground light up making an outline of an official Pokémon battle arena. Suddenly, spotlights come on, focusing on the arena itself, with the rest of the gym covered in shadows. Seris looks around in amazement as Brock chuckles to himself as he shouts at him*
Brock: Not what you expected from a gym battle huh?
Seris: Yeah. I just thought you battle me right there and then.
Brock: When it comes to gym battles, we gym leaders like to solely focus on what's in front of us, whether its the battle itself, the Pokémon we guide and fight, or the trainer we face. Speaking of facing off, you might want to get into your spot on the other side.
*Seris nods as he walks towards his lit-up box parallel to Brock's. Once he gets in and faces the gym leader, Brock looks at him with a serious but friendly face*
Brock: I should warn you, Seris. My rock-hard willpower is evident even in my Pokémon. I intend for you to show me the best you got.
*Seris nods as he grabs a pokéball from his side as Brock expands one of his in his hand*
Seris/Brock: Mirajane, let's go! / Go! Geodude!
*The two throw their pokéballs and release their Pokémon onto the battlefield, with Mirajane skidding in with a fighting stance and Geodude slamming in with his arms crossed his face before extending outward, pumping his fists once*
Mirajane: Wwwwrooooooochet!
Geodude: Duuuude!
*The two stares at each other intently, waiting for their trainers' commands*
Seris: Mirajane. Get in close and use Karate Chop!
Mirajane: Woooochet!
*She picks up the pace quickly by sprinting straight towards Geodude, but the rock Pokémon holds it ground*
Seris: Why is it just staying there? It's like its waiting for...the attack...wait a minute!
*Seris has a flashback to when he did the same thing with Armada against Mirajane, but she was able to dodge it by climbing up the water Pokémon*
Seris: Brock must be wanting it to attack from the side to dodge it by going above! Mirajane, use Karate Chop swinging downwards!
*Once it gets in front, Mirajane takes its left paw and pulls it back behind her and brings it straight down at the opposing Pokémon*
Brock: Now Geodude, Defense Curl!
Geodude: Duude!
*Like the previous one, he crosses his arms across his face to bolster his defense but angles it upward to cushion the blow. The attack connects with Geodude staggering a bit before resuming finishing its move and looking back at Mirajane with determination to prevail*
Seris: This one is tougher than the last one... Mirajane. Karate Chop it again!
Brock: Geodude! Counter it with Defense Curl!
*Like before, the two use the same moves with the attack connecting, but Geodude is looking a bit worse for wear now*
Seris: We got him on the ropes Mirajane! Use Low Kick!
Brock: Defense Curl, quickly!
*Geodude tries to do so, however Mirajane proved to be first by going low and sweep the Pokémon from under itself and fall over backwards with a loud thud. When the dust from the dirt clears, it shows the rock Pokémon with swirls in his eyes before he is automatically returned to his pokéball before an automated intercom calls out over the stadium loudspeaker*
Intercom: GEODUDE IS UNABLE TO BATTLE!
*Seris gets surprised by this as Mirajane looks back at his trainer, watching his reaction along with Brock*
Seris: What the!
Brock: Relax. It's just sensor system I told you about earlier. It records which trainer is participating thanks to our Trainer IDs, what Pokémon comes out and announces when it is unable to battle and who is victorious at the end. Every gym has it for show.
Seris: And he says my device is a luxury, not a necessity...
*As he is thinking this, Brock puts away Geodude's pokéball and pulling out another one pointing it towards him*
Brock: Looks like I am down to my last one.
Seris: One more Pokémon away until you tell me what you know.
*Brock chuckles a bit to himself before looking at Seris*
Brock: Don't get too cocky, because this battle...
*Brock pulls back and throws the ball high into the air as it unleashes a giant white aura around the stadium revealing.... *
Brock: ...is just getting started!!!
???: BRRRROOOOOOOOAAAARRRRR!!!!
*Both Seris and Mirajane look up at the giant snake/rock Pokémon as it roars out*
Seris: What is...that thing?...
Brock: This is my Onix. The signature Pokémon of the Pewter City Gym and one of my closest friends. If you want my knowledge, you and your Pokémon will have to beat him.
*Hearing this, Seris snaps out of his intimidation and looks at the Pokémon with determination in his mind but still having a bit of fear in the back of his mind*
Brock: Okay Onix. Use Tackle attack!
*The rock snake slithers quickly towards Mirajane as she waits for a command. Hesitant, Seris tries to end this quickly*
Seris: M-Mirajane. Use Karate Chop on it!
Mirajane: Woooochet!
*She starts running towards the Pokémon as she prepares to strike it head on as well. When they met face to face, both Pokémon strike head on with Mirajane hitting the side of Onix's head while he slammed into her with enough strength to send her flying up a bit*
Seris: Mirajane!
Brock: Now Onix! Hold her tight with your tail!
*As Mirajane falls down, she is caught by his tail and is quickly wrapped around as she struggles to get out of his grip*
Mirajane: Woooooooo...
Seris: Mirajane!
Brock: What are you going to do, Seris?
*Seris looks at Brock when asks that question*
Brock: You cannot recall your Pokémon while it's bond by Onix's tail and you cannot send out another Pokémon while it is out. Even you did switch, your other Pokémon is slower than the one out right now, meaning it will be easily wrapped up just like her. So will you continue to fail your Pokémon, or will you surrender the match?
*With these words uttered, Seris looks a bit afraid as he looks down, contemplating the situation in front of him. If he continues the battle, Mirajane will get more hurt, but if he surrenders, he'll never get the information on Red that he needs. He looks downward more as he doesn't have a single idea on what to do...*
...
...
...Woooooochet!!!
*He suddenly hears something, snapping him out of the doubt in his mind and looking to where it came from*
???: Woochet!!!
*He looks up and sees Mirajane calling out to him and looking down at him, wanting to know what to do next*
Seris: M-Mirajane!
Mirajane: Ch-Chet! Wooooochet!
Seris: You...you still want to fight?...
Mirajane: Woochet.
*They both look into each other's eyes as both look like they are staring at each other's souls through their eyes, with Seris's being filled with doubt and uncertainty while Mirajane's is filled with a fiery passion to win. The two souls flicker back and forth before Seris's eyes lights up like hers and blinks before giving her a confident nod*
Seris: Right. You got it, Mirajane!
*Seris looks back at Brock with fierce determination before speaking*
Seris: Alright, Brock. You have told me two of the options I could choose from but I get a better option in mind.
*Brock tilts his head a bit in confusion and asks*
Brock: And what option would that be??
Seris: This!
*Seris looks back at Mirajane and shouts loudly and confidently*
Seris: Mirajane! Breeeaakkk...OOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUTT!!!
*As he shots with all he's got, he motions with Mirajane as she slowly pushes arms outward until both of them push out completely, one mirroring the other as he breaks through the shadow of doubt and the other breaking out of the rock snake's grip as it slithers back a bit. Mirajane lands on her feet as gets back into its fighting stance before looking back at her trainer*
Mirajane: Woochet.
Seris: Yeah...I am feeling a lot better now thanks to your willpower. Now...you ready to end this battle!
Mirajane: Woooooochet!
*The two look back at the other pair as they admire a bit at their commitment to continue*
Brock: I must say I am impressed by you two's determination to win, but you'll be crushed down by the wait of my Onix.
Onix: Brroooooar!!
Seris: Weight........wait a moment...
*Seris looks at the giant Pokémon and all its segments before realizing something*
Seris: That's it! Mirajane. Come towards me.
*Mirajane looks over at her trainer, confused but still runs to him*
Brock: What's wrong? I thought you two were ready to take me and Onix down?
Seris: We are.
*He kneels down in front of Mirajane and looks at her, eye to eye*
Seris: Mirajane. I want to ask you, do you trust my judgment from here on out?
*Without a second thought, she nods in agreement with his statement before he smiles at her*
Seris: Good. Because we are going to win this. Just follow what I say and whatever you do, don't let up.
Mankey: Woochet
*She nods again before slowly standing back up*
Brock: Hey! What's the hold up, Seris? Are we going to continue the battle?
Seris: Oh, we are. Alright, Mirajane. Run at Onix at full speed*
Mirajane: Wooooocheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-
*She starts running from where Seris is standing straight towards Onix, slowly kicking up dirt and debris creating dust clouds behind her*
Brock: Going for another head-on collision course i see. Well, it'll end up like last time! Onix! Tackle attack once again!
Onix: Broooooarr!
*He starts slithering quickly at Mirajane, getting ready to hit her and throw her up in the air to grab her once more*
Seris: You're half right, Brock.
Brock: What?...
*The two get closer towards each other ready to collide*
Seris: It is a collision course but...
*They are just about to ram into each other*
Seris: ...it's a head under one! Mirajane! Power slide under Onix with Low Kick!
Brock: Onix! Fall back!!! Get out of there!!!
*Onix heard his trainer's call, but it was too late as Mirajane extended her left leg out and power slid down underneath Onix and kicked him under his stone chin, slowly sending his head up into the air. Mirajane continues to slide under him as she kicks up the next rock segment attached to Onix up into the air with him, with the rest of the segments following in order as Mirajane slides under them*
Seris: You know what they say, Brock. The bigger they are...
*Mirajane kicks up the last few segments into the air as the rock snake is completely in midair twirling from the damage of the move and losing his balance and momentum*
Seris: ...the harder they fall!
*Onix then crashes down hard onto the stadium floor, surrounding himself in a dust cloud as Mirajane finishes her power slide and gets back up with a few scrapes on her leg and feet. As the dust settles, it reveals Onix laying down on the ground sideways with swirls in his eyes before turning into a red aura and returning to his pokéball*
Intercom: ONIX IS UNABLE TO BATTLE! THE VICTOR OF THIS GYM BATTLE GOES TO THE CHALLENGER, SERIS NOVA!!!
*Seris looks out at the battlefield is stunned before uttering two words*
Seris: We won...We won...Hahaha...We WON!!
*He raises his fist in the air as Mirajane nods in acknowledgement of her and her trainer's accomplishment. Brock looks down at Onix's ball and smiles*
Brock: You did, Onix. Get some rest for now.
*He puts the ball away before jumping off his platform and starts walking over to Seris as the lights on the floor turn off and the spotlights turn off with the gym lights coming back on simultaneously. Seris sees this and starts towards him as well. After his PDA notifies him on Mirajane's level up, they both make it to the center of the gym, looking at each other eye to eye*
Brock: I took you for granted, because of that, I lost this battle. It was quite an impressive idea to power slide underneath Onix.
Seris: Well, I actually got it from what you an Onix did earlier.
Brock: From what we did?
Seris: Yeah. When you mentioned using Onix's weight on us, it made me remember Mirajane's Low Kick, which increases its power the heavier the opposing Pokémon is. With Onix having so many heavy segments, it was a guaranteed heavy hit if we slid underneath, which made him get flung into the air like he did to her.
Brock: Using our own strategy and baiting us into it at the last second is quite the ploy i must say. Now, since you beat me, I shall tell you all I know about Red.
Seris: Alright then, let me have it.
Brock: very well then. Red location is...
*Seris and Mirajane look innately at him waiting for their desired answer*
Brock: ...currently unknown to me.
*Seris and Mirajane fall backwards onto the floor from that anticlimactic answer before they both stand back up with Seris grabbing Brock's collar and shaking him back and forth, furiously*
Seris: YOU SAID YOU KNEW WHERE RED WAS, SON OF A BISHARP! WHY DID YOU LIE TO ME AND MAKE ME ARCEUS DAMN BATTLE YOU!!!!
Brock: Stop-shak-ing-me-I-was-not-fin-nished!
*He lets go of Brock, allowing him to breathe a bit before continuing to speak while the pair look at him with irritated eyes*
Brock: Yes. I do not know where Red is, but I did say I will give all the knowledge I have on him.
Seris: And that is?...
Brock: He hasn't visited this gym in over a year, so I have no idea what was planning on doing during that period...
Seris: It's just like with Ms. Toyoshima...
Brock: ...but, there is another person who is, or was, as close to Red as he was close to his mom.
Seris: Someone close to Red that he considers them a family member?
Brock: More like... more than friends, if you get what I mean...
Seris: ........Ohhhhhhhhh! They're a couple.
Brock: Yeah, but I don't know now, I would ask her once you find her.
Seris: Alright, so where is she? Someone in town?
Brock: Well, she's actually the Gym Leader of Cerulean City...
Seris: CERULEAN CITY!!!..... Where is that?
Brock: Got a map?
*Seris nods as he puts down his bag before rummaging through it and pulls out his map, slowly opening it up*
Brock: From here, you would head east through Route 3 and through the tunnels into Mt. Moon. Once you get to the other side, just make your way down Route 4 and you'll arrive in Floral Lagoon City. It should take you a few days though, so make sure to stock up on some stuff, alright?
Seris: Sure, thanks.
*He puts away his map and Mirajane back into her ball before putting his bag back on him and starts heading out*
Seris: Well, I guess I'll hea-
Brock: Wait!
*Seris almost falls forward from hearing Brock's yell, but he regains his balance before looking back at him*
Seris: What is it? Did you just remember some more info?
Brock: No. You just forgot one thing.
*Seris tilts his head a bit as Brock goes over to his platform quickly and pushes the boulder behind it again, revealing a different drawer. He pulls some stuff out of it before pushing it back in and walking over to Seris's position*
Brock: Since this battle was an official gym battle, as proof that you bested me, I present you with your first Pokémon League Gym Badge: The Boulder Badge!
(EVQ: I know it says Silver City on the picture but that is how I found these pictures. It'll be different for the Cascade badge as well but after that, everything is fine. I just REALLY like the look of it.)
*Seris takes it from Brock as he looks at it shimmer in the light, but then Brock hands him two other items: A handheld display case with a light on the bottom and a micro-SD card that has the number 39 on it*
Seris: What are these?
Brock: That is your badge case. Mister Krane sent these to me to give to his testers of his new invention. He told me that once you sync it to your PDA, the device will record and tell you what badges you have obtained without having to take them up once they have been placed in the case. He also told me that some Pokémon aren't allowed to use moves outside of battle until you obtain a certain badge.
Seris: Alright?... What about the card?
Brock: Well, that card will allow you to build tHE OVERLAY NETWORK TO XYZ SUMMON, NUMBER 39: UTOPIA!!!!!
(EVQ: CUUUUUT!!! Wrong anime!!!)
------------------------------------------------------*BEEP*----------------------------------------------------
(Take 2. Screen. Marker. *clap*)
Brock: That card contains the Technical Machine for one of your Pokémon to learn the move, Rock Tomb. Once you slip it into your PDA, it'll transferred from the card into the device. However, once you teach a Pokémon a TM move, that TM will be lost since it technically gets downloaded into the Pokémon.
Seris: Downloaded into the Pokémon? What do you mean by that?
Brock: He said you would see once you do it.
Seris: Alright then?...
*He puts the badge into the case and puts both his case and TM into a pocket in his bag*
Brock: Good luck on the rest of your journey. I hope you are able to find Red and bring him back home safely.
*Brock extends his hand out to shake as Seris Takes his hand firmly and shakes it*
Seris: Thanks. Before I go though, I did remember something else as well that I wanted to ask you.
Brock: What's that?
Seris: Nurse Joy was the one who told me about attention to detail since you were the only one who can tell the other Joys apart without the use of their hat's cross's color. How are you able to figure out who's who then?
Brock: I'm glad you asked!
*He goes into his pocket quickly and pulls out the same family reunion picture that Nurse Joy had earlier*
Seris: How did he get that?!
*Brock then points at the top left Joy before slowly going down the row*
Brock: Joy from Viridian City wears her skirt shorter than the other Joys. The Celadon City's Joy uses styling gel in her luxurious hair. Saffron City's Joy wears Exotic Vileplume Perfume No. 12. Then, there's the vivacious Vermillion City Joy...
(EVQ: Guess the Episode reference, get a shout in the next episode.~)
*As Brock spots off the rest of the differences, Seris only had one thing going through his mind*
Seris: He went from respectable to Arceus-tiered creepy in less than 3 seconds!...
Brock:...Oh, what I would give to have one of them look me in the eyes of want and desire. Just one little confession would ascend me up from the ground and into fantasies!!!
*Without either of them noticing, they hear a weird noise*
???:cccrooooooaGUUUNK!
Brock: HURGH!
*Surprised by this, Seris sees Brock's face turn a shade of purple on the upper half of his face before slowly starting to fall down while trembling*
Brock: W-W-Why...me...
*He completely falls down, revealing a weird purple frog-like Pokémon behind him with a hand up that is eerily glowing before slowly dissipating. The Pokémon then grabs hold of the bottom of Brock's shirt before dragging him along to the other exit of the gym*
???: Croooaahohohoho...
(Translation: And I'll be the one that drags you right back into reality...)
*After seeing that all unfold, Seris blinks his eyes a few times before saying*
Seris:...I feel like I am missing something here...Oh yeah. I better head back to the center to heal and prepare for my journey to Cerulean City.
*With a game plan in mind, Seris walks towards the exit of the gym so he can rest for tomorrow, as his journey now leads him to a new badge and a new lead to finding Red*