[Pokémon] Hollow Sunset

[dudebot]

Hello, I am dudebot. This is the story of a young trainer, Chrome, who realizes the destiny he was reluctant to grab in the Zetsuna region.

Adventure
Rated T (13+)

[Quick notice: This is a story written in custom playwright. Though it will read like a script sometimes, there will be a few times where it comes off as novel reading. I let you know now in case you have problems with this type of format. Thank you for reading.]

[Story notice (Possible spoiler): Prior to the upbeat tone and happy conversation starting this series off, it's gonna get a bit darker. I understand that this notice may ruin the surprise factor, but if you don't like that kind of stuff, I don't want you to get too attached to the series before I ruin it for you.]


Chrome is a young, new trainer born in the big city known as Fortuna City. After accumulating a huge debt in the city, his mother moved away to the small villa known as Nomnom town. It is here that Chrome was raised alongside his friends Melancholy and Faust. One day, Faust decides to start to start his journey into the world of Pokemon. Because of this, at the age of 15, Chrome becomes introvert and shuts himself off from the world outside his room. However, that all changes when his mom decides to walk in . . .


Zetsuna Region


Chrome - Lost and Worried

A timid, young boy with an unhealthy obsession with shades of silver, Chrome had once been skeptical of pokemon since his childhood friend, Faust, left to start his very own journey. Since that day, he has found more fascination in staying in his house than going outside or visiting his other friend Melancholy. However, things change for Chrome when he is introduced to a special yellow Pokemon.

Pokemon:
Pichu
Snivy
Azurill

Melancholy - Energetic and Dedicated

An impatient young orphan girl born in the peaceful NomNom Town. Abandoned in that very town by the parents who gave birth to her, she was adopted by Professor Nemo as a sister (since Professor Nemo has a problem being considered a mother). She eventually came to befriend Chrome and Faust, two boys with polarized personalities. When Faust left, Melancholy would try her hardest to cheer Chrome up and stay by his side. When she heard that Chrome just became a trainer, she would become one too in order to stay by his side. However, her competitive streak got the best of her and she winded up staying behind a little longer in order to heal her pokemon after losing her first ever battle to Chrome.

Pokemon:
Oshawott ("Izzy")

Marie - Young and inexperienced

Marie is a young trainer desperately trying to do right by her brother. Since day one, however, she has had the toughest trouble learning how to be a trainer exactly. That all changed when she ran into Chrome. Though a bit inexperienced himself, he's been able to help her move forward as a trainer, bringing her one step closer to making her brother proud.

Pokemon:
Ponyta
Shiftry ("Shifter")
Sudowoodo
Azurill

Lita - Nova City Gym Leader

Punk, Rock and a flirtatious attitude! Lita is the Gym Leader of Nova City. She uses Rock-type Pokemon and enjoys throwing off her opponents with her consistent flirting.

[More Character Bios coming soon!]

Chapter One - The Meeting
Chapter Two - The Goodbye
Chapter Three - The Encounter
Chapter Four - The Thoughts
Chapter Five - The Bond
Chapter Six - The First pt. 1
Chapter Seven - The First pt. 2
Chapter Eight - The First pt. 3

[dudebot]

The sunrise looked good from Chrome's window. For years, he would think that as he rose from the bed. It was from the bed that he would immediately walk over to the computer and begin to surf the web. He checked his email frequently, hoping to see a message from Faust. Every time he checked, he would see the same thing: nothing. The depression from the lack of communication would push him back to his bed and he would sleep until mom cooked him breakfast.

He woke up to find his mom standing at his door with a ginger smile on her face. It was almost a teasing of the yelping excitement that soon followed.

MOM: Chrooooooooome!

CHROME:[thinking] . . . Isn't it too early to be this happy?

MOM: I know I'm supposed to be cooking breakfast and all, but I want you to get dressed and meet me outside.

CHROME: What for?

MOM: For a visit to Professor Nemo!

Chrome rarely ever talked to Professor Nemo. Though he loathed her duties to send kids on a journey of Pokémon training, she was a polite person. His mom and Professor Nemo were really close friends. There were times where it seemed like they did everything together. However, whenever they did any of that, they wouldn't normally pull Chrome into it. So, naturally, he was curious as to why she wanted him to come along at this particular moment.

Chrome put on his silver cap and his matching vest. It seemed like forever since he dressed properly enough to go outside. Melancholy would be so upset with him for not keeping up his appearance. As he walked out the house, he saw the scowl that he dreaded.

MELANCHOLY: Chrome! I told you about staying inside!

CHROME: It's not like there's a lot to do out here.

MELANCHOLY: What?! Are you saying that I'm no fun?

CHROME:[nervously] No, no, you're plenty of fun!

MELANCHOLY:[glaring] You don't look like you're having so much.

CHROME:[forces a smile] I am! I am! See?

MOM:[walks up] Aw, it's so sweet to see you interacting with someone again.

PROF.: I agree. I was afraid you fell ill, Chrome.

CHROME: Oh, hello Professor Nemo.

PROF.: Good morning, Chrome. I could use a bit of help from you.

CHROME: Really? With what?

PROF.: Well, it's better that I show you.

Chrome, Melancholy, Mom and Prof. Nemo all made the walk to the lab. Chrome had never been inside of it before. It was quite huge. Assistants were working around the clock, but they seemed to stray away from a particular section. Of this section, there were three pokeballs lying on a table. Chrome only saw a pokeball once before. It was when Faust received his first Pokémon. Before long, Chrome began to doubt tagging along.

Prof. Nemo picked up a pokeball and released the Pokémon from it. It was a Pichu. The Pichu immediately began to spark with anger as static coursed through and around its body.

CHROME: What is that?

Everyone seemed a bit dumbfounded by the question.

MELANCHOLY: You've been shacked in so long that you don't know about the most adorable Pokémon in existence?

PROF.: It's a Pichu, Chrome. Normally, I would have here Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott. However, I've found it harder to find a Snivy lately and thus opted to replace one this time with a Pikachu.

CHROME: But you said that's a Pichu.

PROF.: Yeah . . . I'm not the best trainer. I couldn't find a Pikachu, so I thought I would catch a Pichu and evolve it. And that's where the problem begins.

CHROME: Problem?

PROF.: He won't listen to me. He's also shocking just about anyone that goes near him. A trainer tried to pick him the other day and he electrocuted him. The kid has been in bed since. Your mom told me that you have a knack for soothing Pokémon.

Chrome did have a knack for soothing Pokémon . . . when he was younger. He and Faust would go out into the field next to Nomnom Town and play with the wild Pokémon. Though the adults in the town described them as insane and dangerous, they never seemed that way to him. Once, a group of wild Pokémon even followed him home. That was a long time ago though. Now, he barely interacted with them.

CHROME:[nervously] What if it shocks me like it did the other kid?

MOM:[smiling] Well, you're in the bed all day anyways.

CHROME:[thinking] Mom, you're not worried enough about this. [speaking] I guess that makes sense.

Chrome began to walk towards the Pichu. Though still releasing volts, it seemed to calm down from watching Chrome's gentle approach. As Chrome came within inches, he rubbed behind its ear warily. For a moment, everything seemed to go well. It appeared Pichu even smiled. Chrome smiled back.

Then, he felt volts of electricity flow through his body with a rush like no other. The stinging pain immediately caused him to pass out.

He awoke, lying on his bed, to see his mom, Prof. Nemo and Melancholy all looking at him with smiles on their faces. It was pretty weird for Chrome and he was generally confused. Finally, he looked towards his stomach. Pichu was resting atop of him. The Pokémon slept peacefully.

PROF.: It seems he's accustomed to your electrical current. Since you passed out, he refused to leave your side.

CHROME:[weakly] Mission accomplished, right?

PROF.: Yeah, it seems so.

Prof. Nemo suddenly laid the pokeball that held Pichu next to him. Chrome was generally lost, but soon shocked at what he heard next.

PROF.: Take good care of him, won't you?

It seems that he became a trainer. Though he was a little disgruntled with the sudden news, he was too weak to object at the moment. Lying there, he looked at Pichu again as it slept. Thinking back, Melancholy was right. It was pretty adorable.

[dudebot]

CHROME: I don't think I would make that good of a trainer Professor Nemo.

PROF.: That's too bad, because Pichu thinks you'll make a great trainer.

Chrome attention turned to the Pichu that rested on his shoulder. He hadn't willingly received his first Pokémon and didn't really have any desire to be a trainer. He also doubted that he would be a good enough trainer compared to the ones on television that competed against the Elite Four. And then there was the Elite Four themselves. No one ever beat them on TV. If that was the goal of all trainers, would he end up wasting years of his life trying to accomplish that goal? He didn't think that would be too productive. As more time passed, Chrome's doubt increased.

Standing in Prof. Nemo's lab, he was set to put Pichu down and go back to his dormant life inside his room.

Suddenly, he felt a jolt of electricity go down his spine. He turned to Pichu to see an angered face.

PROF.: It seems Pichu can read your emotions by your body's electrical current as well. There's no letting him down.

CHROME: I was afraid you would say that.

Chrome gave Pichu a reaffirming smile. Pichu's scowl vanished and his happiness returned.

Just then, Prof. Nemo unplugged a device from the computer that she was using and walked over to Chrome.

PROF.: Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine. You have a natural affinity when it comes to caring for a Pokémon. [hands Chrome device] This is your Pokedex. It will give you information about any Pokémon you encounter. It also carries a number of features I implemented myself. It's really handy.

CHROME: Not that I don't appreciate it, but why are you giving this to me?

PROF.: It's my job as professor. Besides, from what I saw earlier, you don't know too much about Pokémon anyway. You need this. Also, you'll need these.

Prof. Nemo reached in a box and pulled out an armful of pokeballs.

CHROME: How am I supposed to carry all of those around?

PROF.: On your belt. Don't worry, they get smaller.

CHROME: Woah, that's pretty cool.

PROF.: Yeah. Even if you couldn't carry them on your belt, you could still carry them in your bag.

Chrome then remembered that he was without his bag. He got straight out of bed and into this situation. He normally carried it around whenever he went into the nearest city to shop. Seemed appropriate that he would carry it to the city for a different purpose. He thanked Prof. Nemo and promptly headed home to grab his bag.

Mom was in the kitchen, apparently washing dishes. He never understood why she did that when they had a dishwasher. As he opened up his closet, he noticed a new pair of shoes next to his backpack. His mom soon made their purpose apparent.

MOM: They're running shoes. They help you move a lot faster. Shelia and I saw them and thought they would match quite nicely with your silver vest and cap.

CHROME:[hesitantly] Thanks, mom.

MOM: I'm just glad you'll be getting out of the house, sweetie. I hated seeing you so down from Faust leaving.

Those words sealed the deal for Chrome. The last thing he would ever want to do is make his mother sad. As he looked at her, she was shining. She was so proud of this moment. How would she take it if he said he was reluctant? He would rather not find out as he put on a fake smile and left the house.

As he walked out into the open air, Melancholy blocked his path. Earlier in the day, she had been wearing a simple dress. Now, she wore a red jacket and a skull cap that only covered half her hair. She seemed to be filled with excitement as she walked to him.

MELANCHOLY: Chroooooooooome! Are you leaving?

CHROME: That's what it seems like.

MELANCHOLY: Well, how about a quick Pokémon battle before you go?

CHROME: Pokémon battle?

MELANCHOLY: Don't tell me you don't know what that is either?

CHROME: No, I'm pretty aware, I just didn't know you had a Pokémon.

MELANCHOLY: Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you. I picked my Pokémon shortly after you passed out from shock. [releases her Pokémon] He's an Oshawott, but I named him Izzy. By the way, what did you name your Pokémon?

CHROME: Uh . . . his name is Pichu.

MELANCHOLY: . . . So you didn't name him?

CHROME: Don't see the point in it.

MELANCHOLY: Well, at least you're out the house.

CHROME:[thinks for a moment] Hey, if you have a Pokémon, does that mean you're travelling to?

MELANCHOLY: Yep. I'm becoming a Pokémon Master. I'm going to do it all. Contests, gyms and collecting. I'll be the best.

Chrome was reminded of Faust again. At least this time, he would be travelling too.

CHROME: Fine, let's have a battle then. [looks to his shoulder] Are you up for it, Pichu?

Pichu jumped from Chrome's shoulder gleefully. It hadn't battled since being captured and it was itching for a fight. Chrome was a bit intimidated by how scrappy his Pichu had become. Melancholy’s Oshawott was prepared to fight as well.

MELANCHOLY: Okay, Oshawott! Use-

CHROME: Pichu, Thundershock!

Pichu shocked Oshawott with the fierce power of pure lightning. It was only a moment long, but the battle already ended. Oshawott fainted. Melancholy stood in pure confusion at how fast the match ended.

MELANCHOLY: Wait, what?

CHROME: I think I won . . .

MELANCHOLY: How? So fast!

CHROME: Well, isn't it common sense that water conducts electricity? So, a water-type would lose immediately to electricity.

MELANCHOLY: Shut up! I know common sense!

CHROME: [thinking] It really doesn't seem that way . . .

MELANCHOLY: Well, it looks like I've got to stay behind a little longer and rest Izzy. [returns her Pokémon]

Melancholy’s excitement disappeared soon after. It was replaced with a type of sadness.

MELANCHOLY: We should trade items.

CHROME: What do you mean?

MELANCHOLY: You know, so we'll have something to remember each other by while we're apart. I'll start.

Melancholy took off her bag and reached in deep. She pulled out a set of red fingerless gloves.

MELANCHOLY: Here. They're my favorite pair. Though, I doubt I'll ever actually wear them, so you can.

It didn't quite match with his scheme, but he wasn't going to let Melancholy down. He put them on and smiled. It was a touching enough moment, until he realized it was his turn.

Chrome didn't have anything in his bag except a spare set of clothes and the pokeballs he just received. As he rummaged through it, trying to find something practical to give Melancholy, he spotted a silver wristband. For a moment, he started to think he had an obsession with the color. Then, he remembered that it was a gift from Faust before he left to start his journey. He used to wear it a lot, but now, he barely saw it. So, he decided it would do.

Chrome handed her the wristband with hopes that she wouldn't attack him for such a crummy gift.

MELANCHOLY: A wristband? That's an accessory I haven't tried out. I'll make it work.

Melancholy smiled back at Chrome, he blushed a little bit. Soon after, Melancholy would go back home to rest her Pokémon. Chrome found himself at the entrance of Route 601.

This is where the journey begins . . .

[dudebot]

Route 601.

Mom always called it the safest route in the Zetsuna region. Chrome could clearly see why. Almost every Pokémon he encountered was as small as Pichu. That didn't stop the mouse from outright zapping the large majority of them. He was quite the fighter, even disobeying Chrome at times to attack wild Pokémon. Whenever he became too scrappy, Chrome would simply return him to his pokeball for a time-out.

Chrome didn't spot any Pokémon that he wanted to catch in particular. But then again, he rather not be catching Pokémon at all. Still, if he was going to continue his journey, he would need to have at least two more Pokémon before getting to Nova City. Chrome was not excited at all by the dull task of searching through the herd of Pokémon to find one he liked. Maybe it was best that he just catch one of the Starly or Rattata and call it a day.

Suddenly, he spotted a noticeable green Pokémon waddle pass. It was a Snivy. Chrome pulled out his pokedex to confirm. He suddenly remembered what Prof. Nemo said earlier. It was getting harder to find a Snivy. Even being disinterested in Pokémon, he wouldn't dare pass up on such a rare opportunity. Even if he didn't like it, he knew that Prof. Nemo would definitely appreciate it.

Chrome called out Pichu from his pokeball. Pichu had long calmed down from his initial hot-blooded will to fight and was a bit more collected. He even seemed to be a bit obedient, awaiting orders from Chrome.

CHROME: Pichu, use Thundershock!

Chrome quickly discovered his first lesson that day. Grass Pokémon are naturally resistant to electricity. This was made apparent by Snivy's cold reaction to the attack. After easily shaking it off, it unleashed a flurry of sharp leaves directed at Pichu. Pichu moved to all fours and began running at a sprightly speed in an effort to dodge them. It was then that Chrome concocted another idea. Capitalizing on Pichu's speedy dodge, Chrome called out the next attack.

CHROME: Pichu, use Quick Attack!

Quickly, Pichu charged at Snivy with full speed. The impact knocked Snivy to the ground, but the assault continued. Pichu began volleying Snivy around the grass until it was too dizzy to stand. Chrome took no time to throw his pokeball at the fainted Pokémon. Once it touched Snivy, a red light seemed to grab hold of the Pokémon and cradle it inside. The mood became a bit intense. The ball shook once. Pichu stood ready to attack again. The ball shook twice. Chrome became a bit more nervous. The ball shook for a third time.

Snivy was captured.

Pichu celebrated the first capture with an entertaining dance that Chrome had never seen from him before. He seemed to be changing with each passing second. Then again, so did Chrome. Here he was catching his first Pokémon. Just yesterday, he would be stuck in his room playing video games at this point in the day. He thought about doing an entertaining dance too, for a moment. Though, the occasion hadn't been as joyous to him as it was to Pichu. As he picked up the captured Pokémon, he noticed Nova City in the distance. He was almost there.

????: Hey, kid! Wait up!

Chrome turned around to a man with a stylistic sense of taste. Dressed down in a black button-up and pants, his outfit was only contrasted by his green lab coat and thick-rimmed glasses. It was pretty snazzy for a man walking around a grassed area. The thing that stood out about him, however, was the "G" imprinted on his lab coat. A pretty nice design.

????: I noticed that you caught that Snivy. Well, me and my team could use that Pokémon for our research.

CHROME: Team?

????: Well, yes, we're the Green Team.

Even Chrome felt that the name lacked a sense of creativity.

CHROME: It's not that I don't want to help, but this is the first Pokémon I caught on my own.

????: In that case, I guess I'll have to take it from you.

Chrome was immediately shocked by the statement as the mystery man released his Shedinja from a pokeball. Pichu snapped back into seriousness.

????: Shedinja, use Shadow Ball!

Pichu barely dodged the ball void of light.

CHROME: Pichu, Thundershock!

At such a range, Chrome figured this attack should work well. However, it was here that Chrome would learn his second lesson of the day.

The attack seemed blocked by an invisible force. The mystery green man had a smirk on his face.

????: Shedinja has a nice little ability. It's called Wonder Guard.

What the man said, Chrome's pokedex confirmed. If he didn't have any move that was within weakness, all of his attacks were basically useless.

Shedinja followed up with another Shadow Ball. Pichu was helpless and unable to defend, taking the attack full on. He was knocked back next to Chrome as the trainer worried.

CHROME: Pichu, are you okay?!

Pichu got up and let off a weak smile, poised to battle again. Chrome didn't want to push the little guy too hard, but it would be difficult to escape those two. And with Wonder Guard, they wouldn't be able to do much of anything to them . . . unless . . .

CHROME: Hey Pichu, you wouldn't by any chance have a dark-type move up your sleeve, would you?

Suddenly, Pichu's demeanor changed. He looked at Chrome and gave a fiendish smirk. Immediately after, from his fur, Pichu pulled out a ball filled with electricity and threw it directly at Shedinja.

????: You should know by now that electric-type attacks don't wo-

The ball shattered across Shedinja's body, surprising the mystery man.

Chrome's pokedex beeped, indicating the move that Pichu had used. It wasn't an electric attack. The move he used was Fling. He threw whatever item he held on to at the time. And what he had was a "light ball".

Chrome and Pichu then took this time to run away towards Nova City.

????: Shedinja, quick, stop them!

Shedinja was unable to respond. The electricity the ball held managed to paralyze it and it couldn't make any moves. The mystery man attempted to chase after, but he couldn't compare to the speed of Chrome with his brand new running shoes. Chrome would really have to thank Mom when he got the chance.

[dudebot]

Nova City.

Chrome was exhausted. The run to the Pokémon Center left him tired, laid out on the settee inside the healing station while waiting for his Pichu and Snivy to be revitalized. Such a day’s worth of events were worthy of documentation, he thought. It did discourage him, though. To think, he had only been on this journey for a few hours and he already found himself in more trouble and pain than he ever did lying in his bed. And this was just on the way to the first city. He hadn’t even gotten to his first gym yet, let alone the Elite Four. Was he really fit to be training . . . no, to be caring for a Pokémon?

He would perish the thought before Pichu arrived. He didn’t want the displeasure of feeling another shock down his spine. Beyond that, he didn’t want the displeasure of letting Pichu down.

Soon, Nurse Joy returned with his two Pokémon. Pichu exited his pokeball with a joyous leap and dance. He was naturally charismatic, even after the events that passed. Soon after, he scurried up to Chrome’s shoulder. Afterwards, Chrome let Snivy out. Unlike Pichu, Snivy appeared to be in a state of confusion, probably not completely aware of its capture yet. Chrome kneeled down to him and gave a smile as best he could.

CHROME: Welcome to my team! It’s short, but we’ve got heart.

Upon saying the word “heart,” he felt his own jolt. Pichu gave him a mild shock before jumping off his shoulder in order to welcome Snivy. Had Pichu known that Chrome didn’t speak with complete confidence? He simply blamed it on Pichu’s impulse to get to Snivy and shook it off.
After the introduction to Snivy, Chrome thought it best to contact Prof. Nemo and inform her of what happened. He quickly made his way to one of the videophones in the lobby.

PROF.: Sounds like quite the day.

Prof. Nemo spoke as if the events were child’s play. She had no type of worry in her voice and didn’t even ask if they had been alright. The entire response made Chrome very uneasy.

PROF.: I’m glad to see Pichu keeping you safe. However, I’m even happier to see you keeping Pichu safe. You’re really shaping up as a trainer, Chrome. Quite quickly too, if I say so myself.

Chrome didn’t expect those words at all. He thought it to be a terrible job. Yet, here was a renowned professor telling him that he was doing a good job. It was a little bit of a confidence boost.

PROF.: Anyway, it seems like you’ll be holding on to that Snivy, so I don’t really see the point in you contacting me. Are you going to be challenging Nova City’s gym leader, Lita?

CHROME: I suppose. That’s what trainers do, right?

PROF.: Indeed it is, Chrome.

Chrome was about ready to hang up, but he suddenly remembered the question he originally intended to ask.

CHROME: Hey, Professor Nemo, have you ever heard of the Green Team?

Prof. Nemo seemed shocked by the mention of the name. It seems she did know something.

PROF.: So they’ve made it to Nova now, huh?

CHROME: Who are they?

PROF.: They’re a crazy activist group that tries to promote more rural areas and less urban cities. They’ve been lying low lately, but they’ve never gone any farther than Fortuna City. That’s why I’m shocked to hear you mentioning them.

Fortuna City. It was Chrome’s birthplace. Now, it was crowded by activists. Still, why would an activist openly attack Chrome for his newly caught Pokémon?

CHROME: Thanks, Professor.

PROF.: No problem. Hey Chrome, when you’re finished battling the Nova Gym, give me a ring. It’s something I want you to do for me.

CHROME: Uh, sure. No problem.

PROF.: Alright, see you later.

The Professor hung up. The talk with her gave him the boost he needed to get through this city and actually make some strides in this journey of his. Though, even he was unsure of how long this would last.

Walking out the door, Chrome took a deep breath with Pichu of his shoulder, appearing to mimic him. He took a good look at the clear sky and decided to make his way towards the gym.
Just then, a woman ran into him at full force, knocking him down and falling on top of him. The awkward positioning caused both parties to become silent for a brief moment until the mystery woman finally struggled to get off of him.

????: Sorry! I am so sorry!

She was quite embarrassed, made obvious by her red face as she helped him up.

CHROME: Uh, it’s alright. We all have our moments.

????: I was in such a rush that I didn’t even pay attention to the door opening. I’m Marie, by the way.

CHROME: Hi there, I’m Chrome. What were you in a rush for, Marie?

MARIE: I was going to go out into Route 603 to catch an Azurill near the lake before the sun sets. They don’t show during the nighttime and I’m always forgetting to grab one during the day.

CHROME: Um, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what do you need an Azurill for anyways?

MARIE: Well, I think he’ll be a cutie for Pokémon contests. But I really want to catch one in order to have a better chance against the Gym Leader, Lita. She’s a Rock-type master.

Chrome and Pichu both tensed up a bit. Even the young Pichu knew that rocks didn’t conduct very well. He would be at a huge disadvantage if he fought against one of Lita’s Pokémon. To add, Chrome only had two Pokémon. He was busy only catching special ones that he forgot about how he might actually need some of the more prominent ones. In that moment, Chrome made his first strategic decision as a trainer.

CHROME: In that case, you don’t mind if I come with you, do you, Marie?

Marie’s blush got brighter.

[dudebot]

Added Chrome's bio and a sprite to help imagine him!

[dudebot]

CHROME: Hey Marie, have you ever caught a Pokémon before?

MARIE: Uh, of course I have! Yeah . . . well, maybe not really.

CHROME: Huh? But you have three Pokémon already!

Chrome had the pleasure of watching Marie attempt to catch an Azurill over and over again. From the beginning, her method had been flawed. Upon seeing one, see immediately threw a pokeball. It had little effect and the wild Azurill busted out quickly. Afterwards, she attempted to battle it . . . with a rock-type. Her Sudowoodo didn’t last long as the scruffy young water mouse did away with it with a few short attacks. Chrome could see the panic that she tried so desperately to hide. He finally asked her his question and was shocked by her answer.

MARIE: Well, actually, I just started my journey not too long ago . . . and I’ve never needed anyone but these three until I tried to battle Nova Leader Lita. She beat my Pokémon easily. So, I’ve been stuck in this town trying to catch an Azurill, but I always forget to come here on time.

CHROME: Then, how did you catch those Pokémon?

MARIE: They were my brother’s. Since he has so many, he gave me these three to start my own journey. So far, I’m off to a bad start, aren’t I?
Chrome could relate. His primary reason for even going along with this journey was to make Mom proud. As he looked at her saddened expression, slightly covered by her golden strands of hair, he knew that she was only trying to amount to being a trainer that would impress her brother.

CHROME: How about I help you?

MARIE: What, you’d do that?

CHROME: Sure. I only just started my journey a few hours ago, but I already dealt with enough that I can be of some help. Plus, I caught a Pokémon not too long ago myself.

Marie was legitimately impressed by Chrome. Even though he was a newer trainer than herself, he made more strides simply by catching a Pokémon. His sympathetic smile should’ve been a little insulting, pitying her for being unable to accomplish a simple task. She couldn’t see the insult; she was too distracted by the smile in itself. It caused her to blush uncontrollably yet again.

CHROME: First, let me check the Pokedex.

This was Chrome’s first time using the Pokedex more thoroughly. Before, he had only used it to tell him about a Pokémon he spotted. Now, he accessed the feature that would allow him to pick up on weaknesses and resistances for her.

CHROME: Okay, tell me the names of your two remaining Pokémon.

MARIE: Uh, Shiftry and Ponyta.

CHROME: Alright, call out your Shiftry.

Marie did as Chrome asked without question. The Azurill attempted to use the same attacks on Shiftry off the bat. Shiftry merely shook them off.

CHROME: Grass-types are naturally resistant to Water-types. It’s similar to watering a plant.

Chrome hadn’t actually known that before reading the Pokedex. It proved to be a little more useful than he originally thought. He watched Marie’s face light up as she called her out her attack.

MARIE: Shifter, use Pound!

It seems like she also liked to nickname her Pokémon.

After a while, Azurill could take no more, which let Marie know it was okay to throw a pokeball. Marie tensed up at the pressure, similar to the same intensity Chrome when attempting to catch Snivy. After rumbling around the ball stood still. Marie caught her first Pokémon.

Chrome watched with joy as Marie jumped up and down gleefully. This is the happiest he has seen her since she ran into him. A part of him felt good. He was starting to see the upside to being a trainer through another person. He wasn’t quite able to soak in the feeling of his first capture because of the mysterious man who attacked him. Looking at Marie, he saw what he missed. It was a feeling of accomplishment, becoming better and stronger through experience. Maybe that was the feeling that Mom wanted him to feel so badly when she forced him out of the bed that morning. But he was just as fine with this feeling too. Suddenly, Marie surprised him by disrupting his thoughts with a hug.

MARIE: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Chrome!

Chrome began to blush a bit.

CHROME: Don’t mention it. I enjoyed seeing the look on your face.

MARIE: We’re going to be good friends, I can tell.

CHROME: What do you mean by that?

MARIE: You’re my good luck charm! I’m going to stick close to you!

Those words caused Chrome’s heart to pound a bit. The day hadn’t ended and here he was with a travelling partner. It had been nothing but a roller coaster of adventure for him in these last few hours. This all before he even got the chance to meet the Nova Leader Lita. He wasn’t against travelling with someone. He just didn’t think he would be doing it with someone he just met. Then again, he didn’t think he would be leaving his room in the morning either.

MARIE: Now we have to help you catch one!

CHROME: No need to do that really.

MARIE: Huh? Why is that?

Chrome pulled a pokeball from his waist.

CHROME: I kinda caught one a while ago.

Marie’s blush got a little bit brighter.

[dudebot]

More bios added!

Return of the series!

[dudebot]

Chrome felt the atmosphere change as he stood before the Gym Leader of Nova City, Lita. She sat on her Leader's Throne looking down at him.

Marie opted to rest after finally catching the water Pokemon necessary to challenge Lita. Chrome, not exerting too much of his energy, decided that now was a better time than any to challenge Lita.

Lita's gym wasn't as simple of a challenge as Marie made it seem. Upon entering, Chrome immediately noticed that the gym was a lot bigger on the inside that it seemed on the outside. The floor of the building was lowered past ground level in order to accommodate the terrain and rocky hills that were added. Chrome assumed that it was there for the ambiance, but he soon learned that it had it's meaning.

The first hour or so in the gym was spent battling lesser trainers. It was a bunch of understudies of the leader, all with one or two Pokemon of their own. Low-level Pokemon which were easy to handle with his Azurill, like Geodude and Diglett. Though it was a bit of a hassle to battle them, he gained experience that he needed with Azurill. They started to build a better understanding with each other. That was always a plus. Though Chrome wasn't particularly excited to be here when he could be at home browsing the internet or watching TV.

Standing before Lita brought about a different feeling for him. He didn't notice it at first, but as she stared him down, his body twitched. A rush of nervousness took hold of his body. After a brief moment, he was back to normal. Finally, she spoke.

LITA: Yo! Finally! Someone made it to me!

Gym Leader Lita jumped from the Rock-based seat. A full view of her body exposed various tattoos, only cut off by the tank-top she wore. Her red hair was draped by a tight-fitting black skull cap. Her clothing decisions complimented her lazy, laid-back demeanor.

LITA: I've been, like, waiting forever for someone to reach me! I don't even remember how many days ago the last person I battled got here. What's your name?

CHROME: Oh, my name is Chrome.

LITA: Well, hello Chrome. If you were just a little older, I might consider skipping this battle and making a man out of you.

Chrome felt his nervousness elevate once again. This time, he was red with embarrassment.

CHROME: WHAT?!

LITA: Don't be so stiff, kid, I was only kidding! Besides, how old are you?

CHROME: Um, I'm fifteen.

LITA: Ohhh, 3 more years.

Lita licked her lips. Chrome's heartbeat was erratic.

LITA: It's so cute to see you break. Makes me want to do it more. Alas, we've got a battle to conduct, don't you think?

Chrome snapped to attention happily. He would've done anything to get away from that awkward conversation.

LITA: Is this your first gym battle?

CHROME: Yes, ma'am.

LITA: Ohhh, such a gentleman too. Well, allow me to explain the rules of a Gym Battle to you. With my subordinates, they aren't allowed to carry more than two Pokemon when going against you. When you've beat enough of them, you go up against me. As per my gym's rules, I will use three of my Pokemon against three of your Pokemon.

Conveniently enough, that was all that Chrome had.

LITA: The Pokemon are interchangeable at any point during the battle. However, to prevent any long-term injuries or death, when your Pokemon has fainted, they can't be drawn out again. The battle is over once all three Pokemon has fainted. If you win, you will receive the Terra Badge, one of the eight badges needed to challenge the Elite Four and receive a chance to become champion of the Pokemon League. Do you understand all of this?

CHROME: All clear.

Chrome felt like he was reading the Terms & Conditions of Pokemon. Though he listened to the key issues, he most certainly dazed on most of the stuff. He definitely didn't want to hear it again though.

LITA: Well, let's do this. It's time to Rock 'n Roll!

Chrome couldn't help but feel like that was a pun. Probably a double pun considering her Punk rock appearance.

LITA: Come on out, Cranidos!

CHROME: Azurill!

LITA: Ohhh, how disappointing! I expected something a little more manly from my handsome man!

Chrome really couldn't handle all of this not-so-subtle flirting from Gym Leader Lita.

CHROME: Azurill, use Bubble!

Azurill was quick to execute. Unfortunately, Cranidos proved to be much too fast and dodged the attack with relative ease.

LITA: Cranidos, use Rock Tomb!

Suddenly, the short-handed Pokemon picked up rocks and threw them towards the young Azurill. Azurill dodged the rocks one by one as they came. It wasn't long, however, before Chrome realized what Lita was doing. Cranidos was literally creating a rock tomb for Azurill. She had Azurill purposely dodge as to fall into the tomb.

Chrome wasn't about to let that happen.

CHROME: Azurill, get out of that circle of rocks! It's a trap!

Azurill heeded to the advice well.

LITA: Just where I want you! Cranidos, use Headbutt!

As Azurill jumped, Cranidos had his target suspended in midair. It made Azurill unable to dodge. The move was a direct hit. Azurill fell back towards Chrome.

CHROME: Hey, Azurill, are you alright?

Chrome's tone was rather mellow. Though the battle was tough, he couldn't say that he felt the intensity in the moment as much as he thought he would. Even so, Azurill responded vigorously. He wasn't trying to lose to a rock-type. Chrome noticed his dedication. Though, he was pretty sure that Lita would try that tactic again. Maybe he could use it to his advantage.

CHROME: Azurill, Tackle!

LITA: Cranidos, Headbutt!

This time, the Headbutt only knocked Azurill back a little. It was still enough to execute another Rock Tomb.

LITA: Rock Tomb!

CHROME: Get out of that circle!

Azurill complied with the request again. Though it was a little confused, it followed Chrome's order without a second thought.

LITA: Here we go again! Cranidos, Headbutt!

Chrome had the perfect set-up.

CHROME: Azurill, use Water Gun!

Cranidos, charging at Azurill at full speed, was unable to dodge the move. At its launch, the two pokemon were mere inches away from each other. The move connected without a single problem. It was a critical hit.

The combination of the blunt force of the Water Gun and the hard fall to the rocky ground immediately rendered the Cranidos unconscious. Lita returned him to his pokeball.

LITA: Pretty good. Split-second thinking and recklessness has never made me feel so good!

Chrome felt like that was innuendo.

LITA: Come on out, Lunatone!

Now, this felt a bit weird. Chrome didn't take any time to check his PokeDex on this one. He was right to. Lunatone wasn't just a rock-type. He was a Rock/Psychic-type. To add, fatigue clearly set in with Azurill. He battled through the entire gym up until now and he was visibly tired after launching that Water Gun.

LITA: Lunatone, launch a Psychic attack!

Azurill would find that dodging was pointless. He could feel Lunatone's grasp on him before being violently flung across the field. Once Lunatone loosened his grip, it was obvious that Azurill fainted.

LITA: You can't imagine how many trainers used to come in here with some random water Pokemon that they caught. Every time they did it, I would just let them breeze past my first Pokemon. Give 'em a sense of confidence, y'know? But I'll let you know now. It's going to take more than weaknesses to beat a Gym Leader.

For the first time in this battle, Chrome started to feel the intensity.

[dudebot]

CHROME: Pichu, come out!

Chrome's strategy had its flaws. He wasn't above admitting that, especially at this point. He knew about the type disadvantage that Pichu had. Snivy hadn't seen a single battle, he lacked the experience. In a Gym battle, he wouldn't take that chance just yet.

LITA: Using an electric? [moans] That reeks of desperation, sweetie.

He didn't disagree with what she said, but he really didn't feel comfortable with the way she said it.

LITA: Lunatone, use Rock Slide!

The Rock Slide was relentless on Pichu as the little mouse struggled to dodge as much of the move as he could. Hit by multiple rocks, Pichu was off to a bad start.

CHROME: Pichu, use Tackle!

Buying time wasn't going to cut it. To make matters worse, he couldn't take the time out to check the Pokedex. All he could do is prolong the battle until he could think of his next move.

That wasn't going to be an option for long either, as Lita's Lunatone effortlessly dodged the stalling move.

LITA: Kinda close. Lunatone, use Stone Edge!

Direct Hit. Not a good thing at all. Pichu was knocked back beside Chrome. Chrome's body froze.

CHROME: Are you alright, Pichu?

Pichu began digging through Chrome's bag. Chrome was a bit confused until he saw what Pichu pulled out.

To stock up on things for his journey, Chrome stopped by the Nova Mall. While there, he took priority on replacing the Light Ball that Pichu smashed across Shedinja. He also thought to buy many more in case they would come across it again.

Pichu thought this better a time to use that strategy. Chrome was hardly in a place to disagree. Pichu marched back on the battlefield, tucking the Light Ball under his skin. He then charged towards Lunatone at full speed.

LITA: Lunatone, one more Rock Slide!

Once again, Pichu struggled to dodge the attack. This time, a little more determined, he pushed to move faster until he was close enough to Lunatone.

CHROME: Pichu, Fling!

With a dirty look, Pichu flung the ball directly at Lunatone. Lunatone's lateral movement wasn't enough to dodge the ball of lightning. It flailed a bit as it hit the ground, paralyzed from the shock. For a moment, Pichu was high in celebration, another sign of his arrogance.

LITA: Lunatone, use Psychic.

Pichu was halted in the middle of his celebration as he flew across the room. He fell to the floor . . . fainted.

LITA: You better start thinking of another way to earn this badge, babe.

Reluctantly, Chrome called out his last Pokemon.

CHROME: Come on out, Snivy.

Chrome's words were unenthusiastic. His voice became monochromatic. Slowly, he lost a bit of hope in this battle.

LITA: I see you've been hiding your ace. I love a man who can spring some surprise on me.

She must have been referring to the recent rarity of Snivy, he thought.

CHROME: Snivy, use Pound.

Snivy gave Chrome a look of pure confusion, then a look of condescending disobedience. Instead of using the move requested, Snivy attacked with a barrage of leaves.

Lunatone and Lita were both surprised by the move. Neither had nearly enough time to react to its speed and the hobbled Lunatone couldn't mount a strong enough psychic defense. That quick, Lunatone was rendered unconscious.

LITA: Misdirection? You're full of things I like, kid.

Misdirection. Right. That's totally what he was going for. Snivy directly disobeyed Chrome for his lack of knowledge towards her moveset. Chrome didn't know Snivy's move, but more so, he didn't know that a grass-type had a strength against rock-types. It seemed that the problem that he and Snivy had with experience and understanding would help him get to an even fight.

LITA: Well, you made it this far, you better not disappoint me. Come on out, Golem!

The feeling that Chrome got was weird. It wasn't a feeling he experienced coming into the battle. It was a sense of urgency. It would be a waste to lose now. Winning was the only option.

[Knightfall]

Alright, I figured this would be a good place to review. Please note that I have only read the first two chapters at the current time of posting.

Anyways, first off, I'd like to point out how unique I think this story is. Blending the elements of novel writing and a playwright, it's something that I have never seen before, and it is definitively something I want to see more of.

You spend a good amount of time on characterization. I feel like I can firmly see who Chrome, Melancholy, and even Chrome's mother are in my mind's eye, even without looking at the pictures at the top.

I also enjoy the backstory you have behind this. I'm intrigued ever so slightly at the debts Chrome's mother accumulated in Fortune City, hopefully more on this is revealed, as it is a neat bit of the plot. The same with Faust, since his character's absence had such a profound effect on Chrome, I would love to see more of that plot in the future.

Moving on, while I do enjoy the script format, I do feel some of the potential for making really good scenes and describing the world around the characters is lost somewhat. Also, at least in the first two chapters, you have a few mistakes in grammar. Mostly commas, but I saw at least one spelling mistake.

When Chrome is first thinking:
CHROME:[thinking] . . . Isn't it too earlier to be this happy?

The word "earlier" should be "early", as the sentence is in present tense, not past tense.

Other than that, I do like the interactions between Chrome and the Pichu are very well done. Though, the script format does make things seem a bit rushed. If it weren't for the novel description at times, I would have a hard time keeping track of everything that's going on.

So, there's my take on this so far. It's got lots of promise and I look forward to reading more of this.

Knightfall signing off...

[dudebot]

Originally Posted by Knightfall

Alright, I figured this would be a good place to review. Please note that I have only read the first two chapters at the current time of posting.

Anyways, first off, I'd like to point out how unique I think this story is. Blending the elements of novel writing and a playwright, it's something that I have never seen before, and it is definitively something I want to see more of.

You spend a good amount of time on characterization. I feel like I can firmly see who Chrome, Melancholy, and even Chrome's mother are in my mind's eye, even without looking at the pictures at the top.

I also enjoy the backstory you have behind this. I'm intrigued ever so slightly at the debts Chrome's mother accumulated in Fortune City, hopefully more on this is revealed, as it is a neat bit of the plot. The same with Faust, since his character's absence had such a profound effect on Chrome, I would love to see more of that plot in the future.

Moving on, while I do enjoy the script format, I do feel some of the potential for making really good scenes and describing the world around the characters is lost somewhat. Also, at least in the first two chapters, you have a few mistakes in grammar. Mostly commas, but I saw at least one spelling mistake.

When Chrome is first thinking:
CHROME:[thinking] . . . Isn't it too earlier to be this happy?

The word "earlier" should be "early", as the sentence is in present tense, not past tense.

Other than that, I do like the interactions between Chrome and the Pichu are very well done. Though, the script format does make things seem a bit rushed. If it weren't for the novel description at times, I would have a hard time keeping track of everything that's going on.

So, there's my take on this so far. It's got lots of promise and I look forward to reading more of this.

Knightfall signing off...

This is exactly why I'm using this format in this story. I want to be able to improve on that. I can't say for sure if I have (since your review is based on the first two chapters, which I wrote in the infancy of my skill towards this format), but I think there's much potential to it. I always thought that the dialogue format in playwriting could make it easier to understand who's doing what. But, when you add that, you take away the descriptiveness of novel writing. Trying to find a balanced story that is both entertaining and enjoyable, while also being fairly simple and understandable.

Thanks for the heads up on the spelling and grammatical errors. Since I haven't been looking back on these chapters, I would've likely missed it.

----------
Conclusion of the First Gym Battle is likely tomorrow.

[dudebot]

The air in the gym was different than before. This was no longer a match between a flirty punk rock girl and a uninterested kid forced to pursue action by a violent Pichu. At this moment, even Chrome felt it. This was a battle between a prestigious Gym Leader and a aspiring Trainer. It reminded Chrome of the spark that Pichu gave him before they started their journey. He surely wouldn't ease up on the voltage if Chrome lost here, after everything that he did. The air was most certainly different. Singed even. Smoking with the burning desire to win from both sides.

Lita looked at her pokeball and gave it a solemn kiss.

LITA: Golem, let's turn it up!

This was the beginning of the end. Both were heavily invested now. Much different than the start of this match-up.

LITA: Golem, use Rollout!

As quick as it exited its pokeball, Golem formed into a ball of his own. Rolling with great acceleration, he made his way towards Snivy.

CHROME: Dodge it, Snivy!

As Snivy attempted to dodge the move, her tail was caught under the Golem as he rolled past her. Chrome honestly had no real idea of what he could do. He didn't know nearly enough to mount any offensive strategy with Snivy. At best, all he was to Snivy was a cheerleader. Chrome figured this to be a better time than any to check his Pokedex for some information on Snivy.

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Snivy dodged Golem's second Rollout rush towards her. As Golem missed the Rollout, he circled around back to the point the he started and charged at Snivy again, constantly picking up speed and making the attack stronger. Snivy was long fed up with waiting on Chrome to call out a command and prepared to act on her own. However, any wrong move at this point would spell out a loss for her. she knew that all too well. Snivy wasn't a dodgy Pokemon, though. She was "attack first", for the most part. And eventually, she wouldn't be able to dodge.

CHROME: Snivy, restrain Golem with Vine Whip!

Chrome's tactic took no more than a few moments to get through to Snivy. Snivy dodged the third Rollout to a tee with it only missing by an inch. Vines popped from the sides of her neck and then attached themselves to a rolling Golem. The friction and force would prove to hurt Snivy a bit, but she held her ground. Standing firm, Snivy jerked her vines back, slowing down Golem's momentum. The struggle Golem put up to keep his speed going began to grind the ground and soon created a huge dust fog.

Snivy retracted her vines after being unable to see Golem. Chrome was ready to call out the Razor Leaf attack once the dust cleared. Once it settled, Golem was nowhere to be found. He disappeared from the battlefield. Chrome felt his stomach curl as he scanned the area. The last thing he needed was an unexpected Rollout. Suddenly, Chrome noticed a hole in the ground.

Chrome didn't know much about Pokemon prior to his journey. He often stayed away from Pokemon-related content on both the internet and television. Because of this, he wasn't savvy to most of the moves there were in the world. For his Pokemon, he had the Pokedex tell him what they could do. However, he could never be sure of what to expect from the moves of his opponent. Up until this point, he never needed to pay much attention to the moves his opponents had in store. If nothing else, this match would teach him about strategy and tact.

LITA: Love how distressed you're looking. When you're rock hard there's only one place you can go.

Innuendo? Now of all times? Or maybe a hint . . . hidden behind innuendo. It was no doubt that Golem must have dug the hole then.

Dug the hole . . . Dig. It was such an obvious move. Chrome knew that it meant he'd be popping up to attack soon, so he would have to be razor sharp on his reflexes. When Golem popped up, he and Snivy would react on it quick enough. But if that didn't work . . .

Suddenly, the ground below Snivy caved in. Instead of popping out, Golem pulled Snivy in.

LITA: I like to take things to new extremes. [moans] Maybe we should do like our Pokemon and play under the sheets.

Chrome thought that one was actually pretty elaborate. Sheets of rock and all, she's really good at coming up with these things on the fly.

Soon, Snivy was tossed out of the hole originally created by Golem. She was bruised and battered. Yet, Snivy was still able to stand.

Lita licked her lips. This battle was reaching its climax. She didn't decide on whether she wanted to use that line to flirt or not. To be honest, she was more interested in the battle than she let on to be. It wasn't too often that trainers beat her. Most just came in with the hopes that water Pokemon was enough to get through the entire gym. She could tell that they weren't at all connected to their Pokemon, and often, that's why they always lost to her. Some didn't even make it past her second Pokemon.

So, why is it that this newcomer, this brand new trainer, was putting up such a good fight? He showed up with a freshly caught Azurill, a type-disadvantage Pichu and a Snivy who was prompted to make moves on her own. It was as if he trusted his Pokemon to make their own decisions. Either he was a really smart trainer or a really reckless one. Whichever it was, he was really making this a moment to remember.

But, it was time for this moment to come to an end.

LITA: Alright, Golem, transform and Rollout!

A reference that wasn't entirely made of flirt? Chrome was impressed.

Again, Golem formed into a ball and picked up speed as he approached Snivy. She tried to dodge the first attack, but she was hit without much resistance. Still able to stand, Snivy waited for Chrome's next command. He knew what he had to say, he just waited until the right time to say it. Hopefully, his trust in Snivy wasn't misplaced.

Golem rolled around the field, picking up more speed. Again, he charged at Snivy. More velocity, more force.

CHROME: SNIVY! USE POUND!

Fully invested, Chrome shouted his command from the top of his lungs.

Lita was confused as to why that move would seem strategically sound to him in this moment.

Snivy leaped high into the air, constantly rotating her body. As Golem rolled beneath her, Snivy extended her tail and came down with great force on top on Golem. The impact shattered the earth beneath them. Snivy's tail, which was hurt from earlier, now throbbed in pain completely as she fell to the ground. She hadn't fainted, but the pain would prevent her from being able to get up.

Strangely enough, Golem stopped in that spotted. He didn't move, he didn't continue to spin. He stopped on that very spot from that very move.

LITA: Golem?

Golem came out of his ball form and passed out right before Lita's eyes. Lita was verily confused from what happened until she looked at Chrome's Snivy. Snivy rose to her feet with little difficulty.

Chrome did put his trust into his Pokemon. It was the basis for him using Pound in the first place. Seeing as Snivy knew what would affect her opponent, the Dig that Golem used gave her a perfect opening to use Absorb, being right next to Golem. Because of that, Rollout would become slower in battle later, thus making it weaker. Snivy was able to time and catch the second Rollout because it was noticeably slower than last time. It also made Snivy's pound attack stronger. Both an unsuspecting Lita and Golem had no idea about the Absorb and thus took the move for granted.

Chrome won.

LITA: [softly] Congratulations on beating me. [walking towards Chrome] On behalf of the Nova City gym, I present you with the Terra badge.

Chrome was very proud to receive the badge, but his expression was more towards how soft-spoken this rambunctious Gym Leader became. She would soon confirm.

LITA: Don't worry, I'm not upset. I'm just worn out. I reached my limit.

CHROME: [thinking] Don't ask. Just let it slide.

Chrome then accepted the badge.

LITA: Chrome, was it?

CHROME: Uh . . . yeah.

LITA: You're quite something, y'know? I mean, I've battled hundreds of trainers over the last month alone. Not once have I noticed any trainer putting any part of the battle in their Pokemon's hands. They all just call out attacks and follow their own strategy in hopes that their Pokemon will follow it too. You're different though. You put enough trust in your Snivy that it was able to change the complexion of the battle without me or Golem even noticing. It's like you have a natural gift of connection with Pokemon.

CHROME: [blushes] Uh, thanks. I just figured Snivy would know better what to do in that situation than I would.

LITA: Chrome . . .

CHROME: Yes?

LITA: . . . I'm turned on by you.

CHROME: [surprised] What?!?!

LITA: Everything about you has gotten me bothered. Normally, I flirt with my opponents to disrupt their moves.

CHROME: [thinking] So that's what it was.

LITA: But with you, I was only disrupting myself with the flirting. I was so into it that I started to take moves at face value. And when I lost that battle, I felt my body shiver. It was just amazing. I've never felt like that before.

CHROME: Um . . .

LITA: I guess what I'm trying to say is, you may be a newcomer, but you lay it down like a pro.

Chrome couldn't get any more red. Lita laughed, seeing Chrome's flushed expression. After the exchange, Chrome figured it best to get out of there before she forgot about the age of consent.

---------

He headed back to the Pokemon Center to find Marie there. He showed her the Terra badge.

MARIE: [delightfully] I'm so happy for you! Was it hard?

Chrome resisted making a pun along the lines of "Rock hard." Lita rubbed off on him. Even as he thought that, it only came out dirty.

CHROME: Pretty tough. By the way, were you planning on taking your Shiftry to the Gym?

MARIE: Who, Shifter? Not really. Should I?

CHROME: Yes.

Chrome and Marie talked some more about his experience before Marie would call it a night and head to sleep.

After Chrome's pokemon were healed, as he took them back, he looked at Snivy's pokeball. It reminded him, Professor Nemo asked him to call back when he beat Lita. Chrome decided that it would be best to call her in the morning after he and his Pokemon had some rest.

Besides, after winning one badge, it was evident that they had a long journey ahead of them.