QGet → battle_track (Pokémon-XD-Outskirt-Stand)
New Scene(@Temporal = Evening)
Ash and company walk through a meadow. Pikachu is riding on Ash’s shoulder.
Brock: What do you say we set up camp at those trees over there?
Benjy and Coal both nod. The bandage on Benjy’s hand from where he punched out James’s Cacnea is now coming undone. Suddenly the grass rustles behind Ash and company. The entire group turns around, but when Benjy goes to see what was rustling, nothing is to be found.
Ash: I wonder what that was?
Benjy shrugs, and the group continues to where the trees are. This takes about fifteen seconds (real time) during which time nothing is said, just the wind whistling behind Ash and company.
Refresh Scene()
Brock is setting up the camp for dinner. Benjy’s Bayleef lets himself out and stretches out in the shade, and Ash and company also let their pokémon out to get ready for dinner. Max gets the pokémon food out of Brock’s bag, and Benjy has to hold Bayleef back to prevent him from monopolizing the food.
While Benjy does this, he watches Brock add things to the stew, then looks to Brock’s backpack.
Benjy: How do you fit all that in there?
Brock: It’s collapsable, perfect for traveling.
Benjy: Then how can it be water-tight.
Brock: The frame is collapsable. Its got a flexible coating on it. Why all the curiosity all of a sudden?
Bayleef finally breaks out of Benjy’s arms, but by now all the pokémon are eating.
Benjy: I’m just wondering around.
Ash and Max groan at the joke. Benjy looks from one person to another and looks up at the sky.
Max: See any flying saucers?
Benjy: What color are they?
Ash: Well your jokes are certainly out of this world.
Benjy: To be honest, I thought those were pretty bad…
Ash: That’s the point…
Brock: Dinner is almost ready, guys. Just one more minute.
Pikachu’s ears pop up as it hears something. It looks around rapidly.
Pikachu: Pi? Pika?
Bayleef: Bey?
Bayleef obviously doesn’t hear what Pikachu hears, but is amused as it looks around. Ash lets out Treecko and it comes over, also confused by Pikachu’s actions. Pikachu points in a direction and Treecko watches carefully. Bayleef sniffs the air and lies back down on some weeds, before turning over and rolling in them. May and Max laugh at this behavior, but Bayleef just eyes them curiously, then goes back to rolling.
Brock: Alright everyone, dinner is ready.
Pikachu: Pika!
May: What’s wrong?
QST.camera zooms onto Pikachu’s line of sight and enters the bushes. An unidentifiable fuzzy creature with a rat-like tail darts off into the brush. QST.camera shifts back as May calls to Pikachu. Pikachu sighs and goes to eat it’s food, still looking around.
Meanwhile, the grass rustles as the something runs around from the far side of the camp. It goes unnoticed as everyone eats. Wide eyes stare out of the brush and zero in on Pikachu. Their field of vision obtains a heart-shaped perimeter as the creature attempts some calculations. It sighs again and stares at Pikachu. Pikachu this time notices, and stares back. The creature now is gone though. Pikachu’s ears wiggle as it scans the area.
Back in the middle of the campsite, Benjy sniffs his soup nervously, then takes a small sip, turning around to survey the forest. As Benjy looks around, he suddenly spews soup out his nostrils upon seeing a small, furry creature with wide eyes sitting on a rock right next to Brock, staring at the group.
May: What?
Max: What?
Benjy nervously points at the creature, a Kuribon.
Coal: Interesting…
May: It’s cute!
Kuribon: Kuri!
Brock jumps at this, not realizing how close he was to Kuribon, almost upsetting the pot of soup. Kuribon also jumps, spooked at Brock’s response, and lands with a splash, right in the pot of soup.
QST.camera goes into split-screen between Ash, May, Max, Benjy, and some of the pokémon as Brock quickly fishes Kuribon out of the soup. She spits soup in Brock’s face, making him drop her to the ground, where Kuribon lands with a soft squelch, before wiping her eyes and mouth with her tail.
Max: What is that?
May opens her Pokédex, pointing it at Kuribon. It scans for several seconds.
May: If you say "data not available" again…
Brock: Relax May.
The Pokédex scans for another 30 seconds (real time) while Benjy stares into the sky. Ash and Coal stop eating while the pokédex tries to identify Kuribon. Meanwhile, Kuribon walks over to May, still dripping with the soup. She scoots backwards nervously.
Kuribon: Bon!
Kuribon smacks the pokédex out of May’s hands with her tail, and it goes flying into the pot of soup, where Brock quickly uses his ladle to fish it out of the pot of soup.
May’s Pokédex: Kuribon. Information on Kuribon is only available in premium mode. This pokédex is currently in standard mode. An upgrade to premium mode can be obtained free with a subscription to Professor Oak’s pokémon services.
Coal: (Through a mouthful of food) Wha is tat?
Coal gestures to Kuribon.
May: Finish chewing! Were you born in a barn or something?
*Coal swallows*
Coal: You should get yourself checked for psychic powers. (To May)
May and Coal stare at each other for about one second (real time)
Benjy: You the Jesus of Suburbia or something? (To Coal)
This comment just appears to confuse everyone.
Benjy: It’s a joke.
Max: Yup, your jokes are definitely out of this world.
Benjy: It’s going to take me a while to get used to that meaning "bad"
Yami Benjy: I think it just means nonsensical.
New Scene()
Team Rocket is watching through binoculars from the bushes.
Jessie: Is that a Kuribon?
Meowth: Sure is! What do you say we steal it and bring it to the boss as a present?
James: Except just what would the boss do with a Kuribon? It’s not even a pokémon…
Jessie: I think we’ve blasted off enough for one day.
Meowth: What about at midnight?
Jessie: I need my beauty sleep.
With this, Jessie suddenly passes out on the dirt ground all sprawled out on the ground, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.
Meowth: I told her not to do so many–
James: Meowth! We’re on air!
Meowth: Oop!
New Scene(@Temporal = Morning)
Ash and company sit around the Brock’s cooking pot as they have breakfast. Ash comments that it tastes different.
Brock: Oh yeah, Benjy added something to it.
Max stares over at Benjy curiously.
Benjy: Just pecha berries.
Max: You know, for someone who’s from a different galaxy you sure know a lot about this place.
Benjy hesitates.
Benjy: I saw them somewhere… I think it was in Slateport.
Max: Oh…
Coal chuckles.
Coal: Max, that’s an interesting point to make though.
Max turns and looks at Coal curiously, along with Ash and May.
Coal: Of course, that ignores a much bigger question.
Ash: Which is?
Coal: How come you speak the same language?
May and Max turn to Benjy curiously. Benjy stares back at them pondering this.
Benjy: I…
Pikachu: Pika?
Benjy: I don’t know…
Benjy: That’s one thing I never considered. I was always more concerned about finding a planet with air I could breathe and food I could eat…
Brock: So Coal ,are you saying…?
Benjy: This is the language that I grew up speaking. But I guess…
Benjy: I wasn’t expecting the Spanish Inquisition…
Yami Benjy: No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.
#Monty_Python_Reference
Max: So where are you really from?
Max stares at Benjy, smugly.
Coal: I don’t doubt that he’s telling the truth though.
May: Now I’m confused…
Coal: Sorry. I’ll explain it later when I can be sure that we’re not going to be overheard, but I have a theory, and it’s a really simple explanation.
Ash: Like they have Pecha berries where you come from? (to Benjy)
Brock: What are you talking about? There’s no one out here…
Benjy: Actually, we don’t have pecha berries…
Max isn’t paying attention anymore to the discussion, and is now fiddling with his pokénav.
Max: Hey guys, there’s a planetarium in Mauville. Benjy, do you think you can show us your homeworld?
May: Can you give it a rest Max? Maybe he comes from somewhere really embarrassing like SilverStone.
Benjy sighs.
Benjy: To be honest with myself, I’ve never had a dream like this. This… Annoying.
Benjy continues to eat his oatmeal-like cereal. From the other side of the pot, fast asleep, Shroomish emits a loud burp. Benjy now quietly reaches for it’s black-and-gold ball and recalls it.
Refresh Scene()
With breakfast finished, Brock has Mudkip wash out the pot with it’s water gun. Benjy looks on, feeling slightly sick to his stomach.
Ash: You feeling okay?
This comment distracts Brock who is holding the pot so that water gun hits him in the face. He quickly repositions the pot.
Benjy: I’m fine.
Benjy: If Ash and his friends can eat that stuff for a couple months, then I can definitely take it for a few days. Worst case I throw up…
Benjy: I’ll feel better when we get to Mauville.
Ash nods, understandingly.
Benjy: I hate camping.
Unbeknownst to Benjy, Brock washes out the inside of the pot with some disinfectant now that Mudkip has sprayed it clean of visible chunks.
Ash: Alright everyone, we’re ready to go!
Benjy turns to follow Ash.
Brock: Just a minute! Let me finish drying this! Hey guys!
Benjy: We’re waiting!
Brock quickly finishes drying his pot and puts it in his pack, before he rushes to catch up with everyone else who are ready to go.
QST.camera zooms ahead through the forest, to a clearing. Here, Kuribon sits on a branch, watching Ash and company enter, and pass through the clearing. About three quarters through the clearing, May stops, and looks up past Kuribon.
May: Hey, it’s the end of the cycling road!
Benjy quietly acknowledges this.
Max: Not far to Mauville now.
Coal: Yeah thanks, just think what would’ve happened if I’d missed that historic landmark…
Ash looks at Coal curiously.
Brock: You know, that really wasn’t called for.
May: Brock, it’s probably just his time of month.
Save for Max, everyone turns to look at May curiously.
Ash: What do you mean?
May: Mom said that when–
Brock: Sorry, this discussions over.
Ash: Hold on… You can’t just–
Brock: This is not an appropriate topic. Lets talk about something else
This comment confuses Ash and May, (and Benjy too somewhat). Max isn’t paying attention, and Ash is content to let the subject go. This leaves the group to restructure itself to have Benjy and May in the back, talking about something which is unintelligible to QST.camera. May giggles on occasion. As Ash and company exit the clearing QST.camera zooms out back to Kuribon, as James tries to sneak up behind it with a net.
As he does, James neglects to check the thickness of the branch he’s walking on, and suddenly the branch breaks off underneath him, causing him and Kuribon to tumble down to the ground. Kuribon lands with a soft *plop*, while James lands hard on his stomach. Kuribon now darts away, as the falling branch bonks James on the head.
New Scene()
Ash and company continue to walk along the path. Pikachu, riding on Ash’s shoulder turns and perks it’s ears up.
Ash: Hey Pikachu, did you hear something?
Pikachu: Pikapika…
Benjy: Like a very soft thump, you mean?
Before anyone can respond to Benjy, Max interjects:
Max: Hey everyone! I can see Mauville!
As the group moves closer, Mauville becomes visible through the trees.
Ash: Finally.
Pikachu: Pika-Chu!
New Scene(iSystem.setMusic(Pokémon>RSE>Mauville Theme))
Ash and company walk down the road towards Mauville, approaching the city’s limits.
Yami Benjy: You did pretty well given how you claim you hate camping.
Benjy: For some reason its not that bad on this planet.
Yami Benjy: That’s good, because I have a feeling that we’ll be doing a lot of it.
As the group continues to walk, Benjy spies a nanab berry plant and goes over to it to pick some berries. The rest of the the group stops while Benjy approaches the plant and tries to pull a berry off of the plant.
May: Is it not quite ripe yet?
Brock: Doesn’t look like it…
Coal: You need to pull harder. Let me show you–
Coal walks over to the plant, and Benjy backs up. Coal now grabs the berry by it’s stem and gives a massive yank. This doesn’t succeed, forcing Coal to re-adjust his grip and yank again. This yank doesn’t dislodge just the berry, but uproots the entire plant, much to the shock of everyone else, whom stare as Coal proceeds to rip off the eight or so nanab berries.
Refresh Scene()
Benjy plants a some berry in the ground where Coal ripped out the nanab plant while everyone gathers around.
Coal: And that’s how a man gathers berries.
May: Maybe a crazy one.
QST.camera now zooms in on Benjy as he finishes planting the berry, looking slightly upset. Benjy now stands up and shakes the dirt from himself, padding the soil down with his foot.
Coal: Here, let me–
Benjy holds out his hand to stop Coal.
Benjy: I know how to plant them. I’ve been gardening since I was three years old.
With this, Ash and company start walking through the outskirts of Mauville again.
Ash: Wait, really?
Benjy nods.
Benjy: Yeah, my mother taught me. She’s an avid gardener when she’s not wrapped up in her teaching or doing research.
Unbeknownst to Ash and Benjy, Brock looks just the slightest bit saddened by hearing this comment.
May: Max, you said that there was a planetarium here, right?
Max: Yeah, but the pokénav didn’t say if it costs anything to get in.
Brock: We can ask when we get to the Pokémon center.
Ash: We aren’t going straight to the gym?
Brock: Why are you so anxious for this–?
Max: He probably wants to get four badges so he can challenge dad. Right Ash?
Ash: That’s just a small part of it.
Ash sighs.
Ash and company now pass a poké mart, and Brock gives a wink to a young woman inside the store, which includes the animation of a pink heart-shaped bubble. Much to everyone’s surprise, the young woman winks the same heart-shaped bubble back at Brock. Brock winks back, and QST.camera goes into split-screen (six ways) showing the expressions of Ash, May, Max, Benjy, Coal, and finally Pikachu.
New Scene()
Ash and company (minus Brock), are walking along the sidewalk. The Millennium Gameboy Advance suddenly makes a shield around Benjy to protect him from a Taillow on the street lamp above’s defecation.
Ash: Did you just say Brock got a date?!
Benjy: Bound to happen eventually.
Coal: That’s just mean…
Benjy: How so?
Coal: Never mind…
May: The real question is if there’s going to be a second one.
Max: And where our food is coming from if there is.
As the group continues to walk along, a loud *zap* is heard behind them and the Taillow falls to the ground, electrocuted by some part of the streetlight. This is followed by a loud *thud*, as a winged pig falls to the ground, also electrocuted.
Narrator: With Brock having gotten a date, somehow, our allies search for the Mauville gym. But as they get close, they’re in for a nasty surprise…
Ash is leading the group, and as he walks, he suddenly gets hit with a bolt of electricity. Ash cries out, startling everyone else, but Coal quickly grabs him and drags him backwards, to a safe location. For some reason Coal does not seem to be affected by the electric charge in the air.
Max: Ash, you okay?!
Ash flinches.
/#Ash makes the following comment because he ’s disoriented#/
Ash: T-that wasn’t there yesterday…
Benjy: I don’t understand how that’s physically possible…
May: What do you mean?
Benjy: Air is a very poor conductor of electricity.
As Benjy says this, he scans the ground behind him, then darts backwards to where a stick is lying in the gutter, and picks it up.
Max: What are you doing?
Benjy motions to Max to stand aside, and then throws the stick at the charged area. The stick hits something invisible, then sticks in the air for about a second and a half, as Ash and company all watch it nervously. The stick then combusts, much to the shock of Ash, May, and Max.
May: What just happened?
Benjy: Looks like the laws of physics just up and quit right there. It’s probably some kind of dimensional disturbance…
May: What are you trying to say?
Benjy: Anomalous physics imply some kind of spacial anomaly.
Ash: You mean like a…
Benjy: A portal, yes…
Coal: Hold on, before you charge right into that might-be portal–
Benjy: It might not lead to the same universe, yeah I’m aware…
Coal: No, no, I mean, there’s another explanation. The gym leader in this town, Wattson, specializes in electricity.
Benjy: But the fact that it stays in the air like that means the physical laws are messed up, which implies that there’s some kind of disturbance in space-time.
Coal: Or it’s just magic.
Max: Is that your answer for everything you don’t understand?
Coal: A hyperbolia spell. Excuse me, hyberpolia. /#(Hy-burr-paul-ee-ah)#/
Coal stares at the air in front of him.
Ash: I don’t know, neither explanation makes much sense to me.
Coal: Benjy.
Benjy turns to Coal.
Coal: Back in your world, when you had the spacequakes, did you see electromagnetism affected?
Benjy ponders this for several seconds.
May: Benjy?
Benjy: No. Just gravity. If the equations of electromagnetism were effected, then the air would be… Plus Ash’s body would have fallen apart.
Ash: What?!
Coal: It looks like the hyberpolia spell alright. It’s used to change the conductivity of a gas.
May: But why would anyone do that?
Coal: Playing around? It looks like someone was trying to build a certain kind of unscientific railgun.
#Reference: "A Certain Scientific Railgun"
Ash, May, and Max just stare at Coal.
Max: Just because you don’t know how it works doesn’t mean it’s magic!
Ash: I mean, we’re all older than that, aren’t we?
Coal smacks his palm to his forehead.
Coal: I know magic when I see it.
With this Coal quickly sticks his arm into the electromagical field. The air sparks, then stops.
Coal: Taken care of.
Benjy picks up another stick and tosses it at the area of the air. It sails right through. Benjy blinks confused.
New Scene()
Ash and company approach the Mauville gym. As they do, Coal appears to pull another charge out of the air. Ash approaches the door and hesitates to touch the knob or ring the doorbell.
Ash: Um…
Benjy: Coal?
Coal appears to get a shock from pushing the doorbell, but he absorbs most of it.
Ash: Coal?
Coal: (bleep)! Wattson really rigged this thing.
Coal shivers, staring at the doorknob, while a camera above Coal’s head swivels slightly to get a better view of Coal.
New Scene()
Wattson stands in his office with his assistant behind him, watching everything that is happening to Ash and company through the camera, which is displaying the live feed to a screen in front of him. Wattson chuckles.
Wattson’s Assistant: Um, sir, do you think you might have gone overboard?
On the screen, Ash reaches for the doorknob, but Coal quickly swats his hand away.
Wattson: Nah, they’re smart kids. Let them figure it out.
Revert Scene()
Ash and company stare at the door.
Coal: That knob is electrified. If you touch it, the electricity is going to go right through your body into the ground.
Ash: How do you know?
To prove Coal right, the doorknob suddenly emits a large spark, causing everyone to jump backwards.
Coal: Wattson is famous for his love of setting traps. I’ll show you.
Coal reaches into his pocket and pulls out a fame checker, as he pushes the button to wake it from sleep mode, electricity arcs from the doorknob into Coal’s device. Coal drops the fame checker, where it hits the ground and bursts into flames, leaving Ash and company speechless. Coal stares at his hand, his hair standing on end.
May: What was that?
Coal: That was a fame-checker.
Coal looks up at the camera mounted above the door to the gym.
Coal: You’ll pay for that, (bleep)!
Coal now turns back to Ash, May, Max and Benjy.
Coal: I need you guys to get back to a safe distance.
Ash: But…
Coal: Don’t worry, I’ll get you in. Just go! Run!
Coal mouths "This means war" towards the door-frame mounted camera.
Coal: Pichu…
Coal’s Pichu pops out of his shirt.
New Scene()
Ash, Benjy, May, and Max are in an alleyway between two buildings across the street, taking shelter behind some boxes. Benjy is searching through his backpack.
May: What’s going on?
Benjy: Don’t know… Give me a second. Where’s my periscope.
Max: What’s that?
Benjy: It’s used for looking around corners…
Benjy continues to rummage, then pulls out a foot-long periscope.
Benjy: Here we–
Without warning, a powerful shockwave from the other side of the boxes strikes everyone, sending them flying several yards down the alley. Everyone lands hard, Benjy on his side, scraping his shoulder. Ash and May crash down on their knees, while Max lands flat on his back.
May: Max!
Ash: Was that–?
A loud *pop*, followed by a crashing sound echo through the alleyway as Ash, May, Max, and Benjy pick themselves up and dust themselves off.
Ash: Benjy–your shoulder is…
Benjy: Not good… I know.
Benjy stares down at his smashed periscope, and then quickly pulls a hand-towel out of his backpack and wraps it around his shoulder, following Ash, May, and Max out of the alleyway as Coal beckons to them from in front of the gym.
Refresh Scene()
Ash and company (except for Brock) re-unite in front of the Mauville gym. Paint has been blown off the walls of the building and the windows and door-mounted camera are completely shattered. The door to the gym lies smoldering in the entry way
Max: What did you do?!
Coal: For legal reasons, I’m not going to tell you that.
Pichu: Pichu-pichu!
Benjy scans over the outside of the building.
Ash: You think it’s safe to enter?
Benjy: Trying to determine that…
Max: Weren’t you all excited just a couple minutes ago?
Ash: Yeah, but I don’t want to be crushed–I mean it looks ready to collapse…
Benjy: Actually, the damage appears to be pretty superficial.
Benjy places his hand against the crumbling wall, and then kicks at it, but the wall doesn’t budge. This inspection is good enough for Coal, who starts to enter the building. Ash shrugs, and follows him. Benjy enters last after May and Max, continually double-checking his evaluation.
QST.camera now moves to follow the group as they move down the hallway.
Coal: I’m glad you’re coming to battle him. He’s had too much time on his hands.
Benjy: Stop!
Ash, May, Max, and Coal all stop walking.
May: Something the matter?
Benjy: Right in front of you, hidden panel.
Ash, May, Max, and Coal now step to the sides of the meter-wide hallway (both sides, 2 on each) so that Benjy can get to the front of the group.
Max: Hidden Panel?
Benjy nods, and bends down to outline on the ground the edge of a hidden panel.
Coal: Excuse me…
Coal walks in front of Benjy, and pulls out a metal wedge with a rubber handle, and bends down to open the panel.
Coal: Lets see if there’s anything dangerous down here.
Benjy: Probably going to be an easy battle when we get to him.
Ash: What makes you say that?
Benjy: It looks like he’s spend all of his time inventing and playing with magic–
Benjy gestures at Coal.
Benjy: And none of his time training.
Coal: Sure looks like that.
With a pop, Coal pries the panel open, revealing a bunch of gears, seemingly made of light, underneath it. Everyone else stares as Coal examines the gears.
Coal: Just step over it. I can’t tell for sure, but I think that panel was supposed to be spring-loaded, or something.
With this, Coal steps over the panel, followed by Benjy, and then everyone else. QST.camera then moves through the wall to where Wattson is watching Ash and company through other cameras (he even has a camera following Brock on his date).
Wattson: So *he’s* back.
Wattson giggles.
Wattson’s Assistant: What’s so funny?
Wattson: I want to know his reaction to *it*.
Wattson’s Assistant: It?
Wattson turns to face his assistant, then makes some arm movements, as if he’s pawing at something.
Wattson’s Assistant: You can’t be serious!
Wattson: Come on, it’ll be fun. And it’s not like anything else in the gym will provide him with a challenge…
Wattson’s Assistant: Do you want to die, sir? We haven’t–
Wattson: You can think of this as its beta test.
Wattson’s Assistant: If you need me then, I’ll be under a rock.
With this comment, Wattson’s Assistant turns to leave.
Wattson: If you’re going to go to the pub, at least take your phone with you. One of those kids might want a gym battle.
Wattson’s Assistant: I highly doubt it after what you’re about to put them through.
Wattson responds by laughing uncontrollably.
New Scene()
Ash and company (minus Brock) are in a room with moving gears and platforms between them and the exit. Instead of getting on the gears, Ash, May, Max, and Pikachu are waiting for Benjy and Coal to finish examining some wires that were previously underneath a panel in the floor.
Benjy: Doesn’t matter which one you unplug. If the circuit doesn’t connect, it can’t go.
Coal: Except one of them might be the lighting to the room.
Benjy: You don’t think he put them on the same circuit?
Coal: If he did, he’s an idiot. I doubt they take the same voltage.
Benjy stands up and looks around.
May: Did you figure it out?
Benjy: Coal. Lightswitch.
Coal: Huh?
Benjy: The lighting wires are probably in that panel on the wall near the light-switch.
Coal: Then what is this thing?
Coal pulls a small, 3" by 1" black box out of the flooring panel, being careful not to disconnect it, and stares at it while the gears of the ride whirr behind him.
Benjy: Don’t know.
Coal: What’s with all the resistors?
Benjy: Actually, I don’t thing those bands are resistors…
Coal: Of course, it would be helpful if Wattson would actually label things.
Max: What are you guys talking about the light-switch for?
Benjy: We don’t want to turn off the power to the entire room when we turn off the power to that ride.
Benjy turns to Coal.
Benjy: Coal, that’s probably some kind of control box.
Coal: That’s what I figured.
Coal pops the box open revealing something inside that looks like a motherboard of a computer, except in miniature. Careful not to touch the circuitboard, Coal turns it over using the halves of the box as gloves, then scratches his chin, tracing where the wires go under the floor. Coal now puts the box down and walks to the edge of the panel, and proceeds to try to yank up a large piece of linoleum that wasn’t part of the panel.
Max: Hmm, let me see…
Max starts to reach for the circuitboard, but before he can touch it, Benjy grabs him around the chest and drags him backwards.
Max: Ack!
Benjy: Those are live wires!
Max: Hey–
Max starts struggling, but Benjy holds him tight.
Benjy: There’s current running through them! You’re going to–
Max: Coal was handling them!’
Benjy: Coal didn’t touch the metal though–
Coal is still trying to figure out where the wires lead, and mumbles the following line:
Coal: Yeah, if you touch it, you’ll get electrocuted and probably die.
Max flinches as Coal says this. Coal stands up again, and Benjy releases Max, now confident that he’s not going to try to touch the wires again.
Coal: It looks like they both power the gears… So probably the whole thing makes a circuit.
Ash: Wait, Coal… Do you think it will disable the door too?
Coal: Maybe, but we’ll handle that a different way.
Ash: A different way?
With this, Coal presses the two halves of the box together and removes one of the wires. The gears quickly stop moving and quiet down, and the door pops open.
May: It… work…
Ash, Benjy, Coal, and Max turn towards May who is shaking.
Ash: May are you ok–what?
Benjy, Max and Coal quickly arrive at the sides of Ash and May, all staring straight ahead at a Raikou in the hallway, staring straight down at them.
Max: Um… What is that?
Ash already has his pokédex out and ready to answer this question.
Ash’s Pokédex: The target apparatus was constructed with PlusPlus-brand robotic arms and an obsolete Metachine two-and-a-half-core processor.
Ash looks between the (mecha) Raikou and his pokédex in confusion, then stares at the Raikou.
Ash: Do you think the static in the air scrambled it?
Benjy: Shouldn’t be possible.
Benjy: The only effect I could imagine it having would be to demagnetize it, but then it shouldn’t work, period…
Max: Yeah, if that happened, you’d never be able to scan electric-type pokémon…
Ash: Yeah, I guess that’s true…
The mecha Raikou sparks and roars, causing everybody to jump.
Coal: Could be a side effect of the spell he used earlier.
Max: Assuming that was real.
The mecha Raikou suddenly begins to crouch, and then in an instant springs at Benjy. The Millennium Gameboy Advance activates with a flash, creating a barrier around Benjy, which is all that is now supporting mecha Raikou.
Yami Benjy: Anybody got any ground types?!
Coal: Actually–
Ash: Pikachu, thunder!
Thunder shoots at Raikou, causing it to leap backwards off of the barrier around Yami Benjy. The barrier, now hit with Pikachu’s thunder, shatters.
Yami Benjy: Bayleef!
Bayleef emerges from his ball staring intently at the mecha Raikou, with an expression halfway between anger and excitement. Ash has Pikachu use thunder again, but the mecha Raikou dodges. Yami Benjy now has Bayleef attack with flower pulse, but the mecha Raikou darts out of the way again. Yami Benjy starts to curse under his breath.
Ash: Thunderbolt!
As the mecha Raikou avoids flower pulse, it dives right into Pikachu’s thunderbolt, which appears to damage it, although not in the way it should. It now turns towards Ash and Pikachu and sparks.
Yami Benjy: Something’s not right…
The mecha Raikou leaps towards Ash and Pikachu.
Yami Benjy: Bayleef, ram!
Bayleef crashes into mecha Raikou mid-leap sending it flying across the room. Pikachu now strikes it with another thunderbolt, which appears to cause it to flinch.
Ash: Something’s not right?
Yami Benjy: It’s not moving like a pokémon. It’s too…
The mecha Raikou now stands up and sparks, preparing to pounce again.
Yami Benjy: …mathematical.
May/Max: Huh?
Ash: Pikachu–
The mecha Raikou immediately springs aside, as if dodging something imaginary, then jumps at Ash.
Ash: Iron tail!
Pikachu leaps at the mecha Raikou, with it’s tail striking the underside of its chin. Something pops, and the mecha Raikou’s head suddenly falls off. The rest of it’s body falls to the ground, where it immediately falls over, crackling with electricity.
Ash, May, Max, Pikachu, Bayleef, and Yami Benjy stare at what’s become of the mecha Raikou.
May: It was a machine?!
Coal: Remember: this guy has way too much time on his hands.
Coal now approaches the mecha Raikou’s body and searches it quickly without touching it, then reaches for a switch on its underside to switch it off. Pikachu twitches as Coal does so, as if it’s having an extremely mild seizure.
New Scene()
With the room with the gears behind them, Ash and company (still without Brock) wait for May to finish climbing over the gears and up onto the platform, before continuing down the hallway. Pikachu rides on Ash’s shoulder, still twitching.
Yami Benjy: I’ve got a feeling that that robot was supposed to wait here to surprise us.
Coal: You think there are more?
Yami Benjy shrugs.
Yami Benjy: Don’t think it would be much fun to try the same thing twice.
The Millennium Gameboy Advance emits a gentle glow just as Yami Benjy finishes talking. Benjy hesitates, allowing Coal to turn the corner in front of him. A few feet down the hallway, Coal reaches for the handle of a door with a large picture of lightning on it. The others all look on nervously.
Coal: We’re here.
Coal slowly eyes the door, and turns his hand around and proceeds to knock on the door, without touching the knob.
Wattson’s Voice: Come in…
Coal: Open it.
At first nothing happens, except that May and Max appear to shiver slightly. Then the door suddenly swings open, revealing a room that looks somewhat like the inside of a laboratory. Wattson is standing at a desk in front of a series of monitors. Ash and company walk into the room after Coal.
Wattson: Wahaha! Coal, it’s been a while! What brings you back after all this time?
Max: You know each other?
Wattson: Of course! What’s it been?
Coal: I’m not sure.
Coal now turns to Ash and company.
Coal: I know him from when I fought him for my badge.
May: You have his badge?
Wattson: Coal got second place in the Hoenn league.
Ash stares at Coal nervously, which Coal quickly catches on to.
Coal: I haven’t fought competitively for quite a while, Ash.
Wattson: Good thing those badges don’t have an expiration date. Right Coal?
Wattson winks at Coal.
Wattson: Or did you lose it?
Coal: I’m not the one challenging you this time.
Wattson scans Ash and company closely, then walks back over to look at his monitor setup again.
Wattson: So who is it… Don’t tell me… Don’t tell me… I love the suspense.
May: But doesn’t he have to find out eventually?
Wattson grins as he checks the display.
Wattson: And the referee that travels with you is out on his date…
Ash: Is that a problem?
Max: Wait… How did he know that.
Coal: Magic.
Wattson laughs loudly again as he stares at his monitor.
Wattson: It’s a problem because my assistant had a family emergency…
Ash: Ah! What happened?!
Wattson: That’s confidential.
Wattson: That’s what I’m choosing to call the pub, anyways.
Max: Coal, just because you don’t know how he did stuff doesn’t mean it’s magic! (whisper)
Coal: I know he used magic because… (whisper)
Coal sighs.
Coal: I was the one who taught him. (whisper)
Max: Sure you were… (whisper)
Max: And with that, you’ve officially gone off the deep end.
Wattson: Wahaha!
Ash and company back away slightly at Wattson’s burst of laughter. Wattson spins around with his forefinger outstretched, such that it winds up pointing at Benjy.
Wattson: It’s you, isn’t it!
Benjy shakes his head.
Wattson: I could’ve sworn… There’s something different about you.
At this point Ash steps forwards.
Ash: I’m the one who came to challenge you for the dynamo badge. Benjy’s aiming for the grand festival…
Benjy: Actually, I’m just trying to get home. (mumble)
Wattson looks amused, then suddenly bursts out laughing.
Wattson: Coal, what do you say we team up to take on these two?
May: Weren’t you listening? Benjy’s a coordinator…
Wattson: I’ve never seen a coordinator that looks like that. Wahahahaha!
Benjy taps May on the shoulder, and she jumps.
Benjy: To be honest, I only took part in that contest because… (whisper)
Benjy gestures at the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
May: ?
This interaction is cut short by Wattson’s laughter.
Wattson: Come on Coal! It will be just like old–
Coal: I’m not up for it.
Benjy takes a step backwards, leaving Ash facing Wattson. Ash appears lost in thought for a couple seconds.
Ash: You don’t think you can win by yourself. Do you?
Wattson stares at Ash curiously. Benjy, May, and Max watch Ash nervously, while Coal watches the situation, amused.
Wattson: Win or lose, I, Wattson, the leader of the Mauville Gym shall electrify you!
New Scene()
Ash and Wattson face each other across an indoor battlefield about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. The battlefield takes up most of the room, with a few feet on each side for walking and some bleachers built into the walls for bystanders. A girl with spiky purple hair stands at the referee’s position, red, green, and yellow flags in her left hand and a duel disk strapped to her right wrist.
Referee: Listen up! This will be a three-versus-three single battle. However, since the challenger successfully defeated unit oh-three, unit oh-three will count as one of the gym leader’s pokémon.
This comment comes off as a shock to Ash and company, as well as to Wattson.
May: So Ash is already at an advantage?
Benjy: It would appear so…
Referee: However, since this puts the challenger at an advantage, the gym leader and the challenger will both be allowed substitutions.
Max: So is that good or bad? (whisper)
The Millennium Gameboy Advance emits a gentle glow.
Yami Benjy: Substitutions won’t make much of a difference in this battle. (whisper)
Ash appears a bit surprised at both announcements made by the referee.
Referee: Ready? Set?
Ash and Wattson both nod.
Referee: Then start the music.
↳ QST.play(battle_track)
Wattson: I’m starting with you, Voltorb!
Wattson pulls out a poké ball and sends a Voltorb onto the floor.
Ash: Lets go! Pikachu!
Pikachu leaps from Ash’s shoulder.
Ash: Start with thunderbolt!
Wattson: Rollout!
Voltorb speeds towards Pikachu, whom seems a bit disturbed as it constantly twitches, somewhat oblivious to Voltorb.
Ash: Pikachu!
Pikachu turns to see Voltorb rushing at it.
Ash: Thunderbolt!
Pikachu sparks, then suddenly launches a massive electric blast across the floor at Voltorb. This blast tears into the floor before striking Voltorb a couple meters away. Immediately upon being hit by the charge, Voltorb stops moving, being forced into the air by electromagnetism. This only lasts for about one second, before the electricity, shoots into the floor, which crackles with energy. Voltorb crashes to the floor, unconscious.
May: Wow…
Max: Did Pikachu get more powerful?
Yami Benjy: Something’s not right.
As Pikachu twitches nervously, Wattson stares at it, confused. QST.camera follows May and Max as they look around, to see that Coal and the referee are also staring at Pikachu. The floor glows underneath Pikachu and Voltorb.
Yami Benjy: Wattson!
Wattson stumbles backwards as he turns towards Yami Benjy.
Yami Benjy: Recall Voltorb now!
Yami Benjy’s voice is full of urgency, and Wattson doesn’t question this instruction, and quickly pulls out Voltorb’s poké ball, pressing the button to recall Voltorb off of the battlefield. As the red light that recalls Voltorb fades, the ground begins to pulse with light under Pikachu.
Ash: Pikachu! You need to get out of there too!
Pikachu turns to Ash, and tilts it’s head.
Ash: Pikachu! Get away from there!
Pikachu still doesn’t seem to respond.
Ash: Pikachu come here!
He (Pikachu) looks around, then starts walking towards Ash, as if in a trance.
Ash: Pikachu, I’m going to–
Ash’s gentle tone is cut off by a sudden explosion in the floor of the gym. This not only blasts a 6-foot wide hole in the floor of the gym, but sends pieces of the floor shooting throughout the gym. Benjy, May, Max, and Coal all dive for cover. Ash cringes as Pikachu continues towards him, still looking heavily dazed.
As Pikachu reaches Ash, Ash reaches down to touch him (Pikachu), and is immediately zapped by a gigantic electric charge. Pikachu collapses in a heap next to his trainer.
May and Max immediately run over to Ash.
Max: Ash!
Ash: I’m okay…
Ash starts to get up, but collapses to the ground as May and Max look over him. Ash now tries to roll onto his side and a Poké ball falls of his belt, opening and letting out Treecko, whom stands over his trainer with an expression of concern. Suddenly, the referee raises a blue flag.
Referee: Emergency! I’m suspending the battle!
Ash: …Wait…
QST.camera synchronizes with Ash’s vision.
Coal: Somehow Pikachu has taken on too much power. We need to get it to the Pokémon center quickly.
Yami Benjy: That’s not possible.
May, Max, and Coal all turn to Yami Benjy who is staring at the door off of the battlefield.
Coal: Why isn’t that possible?! (upset)
Yami Benjy: The door’s not responding!
Coal clenches his fist and walks towards the door angrily.
Coal: Then I’ll take it out with my–
Wattson: STOP!
Coal: I’m not–
Wattson: It’s not safe!
Coal freezes in mid-stride next to the door, as if he’s getting ready to break it down. Then, after scanning the door, Coal’s fist starts sparking and he punches the door with his electrified fist. The results are instantaneous: Coal is hurled across the entire battlefield through the door on the wall behind Wattson, breaking it into pieces. QST.camera zips to where Coal lies with the wind knocked out of him, in Wattson’s lab.
Coal: What… The… (bleep)…
Refresh Scene()
Coal lies on the floor while Benjy fiddles with Wattson’s video screen. Benjy holds a cell phone to his ear.
Coal: Uhh…
Benjy: They say it’s going to be about an hour until they can get us out.
Coal lets out a long sigh. QST.camera now shifts into the room with the main battle, where May and Max have helped Ash get back to his feet.
Referee: This is boring…
Ash doesn’t seem to notice this comment as he stares at Pikachu who is lying on the floor, shivering. Ash starts to reach towards Pikachu, but as he does, May and Max both grab him and prevent him from touching Pikachu.
Max: Ash don’t!
May: You’ll get electrocuted!
Ash now shivers in May and Max’s grip, but as he relaxes both May and Max let go of him.
Ash: I can’t do *nothing* though…
QST.camera synchronizes with Ash’s vision as he stares at Pikachu. As he does, a shirt, resembling May’s, is thrown over Pikachu. This seems to help Pikachu a little bit, and Treecko moves into adjust the shirt while being careful not to touch Pikachu. QST.camera now desynchronizes with Ash’s vision, revealing that the shirt was a spare from May’s bag.
Ash: …
Wattson: I know how you feel, Ash, but Pikachu will be alright.
Ash looks up.
Wattson: What do you say we’ll continue our battle? It’ll take your mind off of it.
May: You serious?
Wattson: Of course I am. I’ve been in this situation before, right Coal?
QST.camera shifts from Wattson to Coal, whom has just entered the room.
Coal: One condition.
Referee: Hey! I’m the ref here!
Coal: No electric attacks. It’s not safe.
...///To Be Continued///...