Back to A Brock Prologue

            It is midday of day three of the Competition, both Brock and Julie we’re able to breeze by round three and four with easy victories, and now they wait for round five, for things to really heat up!  Down the main strip around the stadium, where all the outside festivities of the competition takes place, Brock and Julie spends the better part of the day carting around his younger brothers and sisters around.

            “Can I hold your Caterpie Julie”, one of Brock’s sisters asked.

            “Sure Lisa, but be careful not to drop him alright”, Julie, replied.  Brock’s sisters have known Julie for so long that they almost consider her as a big sister.  Wanting to hold a Caterpie of his own, Patrick tugs on Brock’s pants.

            “Ok Patrick, but remember what happened last time”, Brock said with a stern voice, to get his point across.  They all went to a playground, where Brock and Julie can drop off the children there, and rest their tired feet on a park bench, from covering nearly the whole Pokemon complex with the children.

            “Things don’t look to good for me on the fifth round Julie”, Brock said.

            “Do you know whom you’ll be facing next”, she replied.

            “Yeah, this one trainer from the Chartreuse Islands, I think his name is Roger?  I saw his fourth round match and he easily defeated the other trainer’s Caterpie with his Growlithe”

            “And bug pokemon have a weakness against fire”, Julie commented, “You better think of something fast, because you’re match is going to begin in an hour”

            “How about you, what pokemon are you facing up against”

            “This one trainer with a Cubone, I’m not quite sure…”

            “Lets head back to the stadium, (Brock shouting to the kids) Come on guys, we don’t want to be late for the fifth round”

            “Ok Brock”, they all shouted back.

            Brock’s fifth round is beginning; Julie sits down with the kids, and not wanting to break Brock’s concentration, she doesn’t even make a sound, the children on the other hand are cheering enthusiastically for their older brother.

            Roger and Brock are starring each other down, waiting for the match to officially begin, “I know you, you train with a Caterpie, I hope you remembered my fourth round match, heheh”, Roger smirked.  With his usual stern expression, Brock quietly waits for the match to begin.

            The match begins; both boys drew their Pokemon at the same time, Roger with his menacing Growlithe, and Brock with his ever-ready Caterpie.  Brock orders a string-shot, Roger counters with his Growlithe, burning up Caterpie’s attempt.  Leaving Brock’s Caterpie scared stiff at the fire pokemon, and to only make matters worse, Roger orders a roar attack.  Almost tempted to recall his frightened Caterpie, Brock instead encourages her to try and fight.

            “Now Growlithe finish it off with a Bite attack”, Roger says.   

            Brock’s Caterpie viewed the Growlithe’s sharp fangs, and ember filled mouth coming at it head on. “Caterpie watch out”, Brock yelled.  Shaking off her trepidation, Brock’s Caterpie dodged from the Growlithe at the last second and delivered a head butt to a Growlithes most sensitive part, its nose.

            “Groooow grow litheee”, it sneezed and wheezed from the intense pain of being hit in the nose.

            “Growly, shake it off, all it takes is one ember attack to take down a Caterpie”, Roger yelled out.  The Growlithe slowly got up and was about to fire an ember attack when…

            “Do it Caterpie, skunk it now”, Brock orders, Caterpie scrunched it’s small body and released it’s most putrid and foul odor at the Growlithe. The fire puppy just couldn’t stand the intense smell with its already damaged nose; it gave a last whimper before fainting.  Leaving Brock the winner, and Roger with tears in his eyes, returned his Growly and left.

            After the match, Julie and Brock’s siblings all came down to congratulate him and together, they anxiously await Julie’s upcoming battle. 

            “Hope you have an easier time with your match”, Brock said to Julie.

            “Nah the more challenging the better”, she smiled back.

            “Cubone bone bone cubone cu”, Julie’s opponent has already released his Cubone, Julie did the same with her Caterpie, letting their pokemon size each other up before battling.

            The Referee blew the whistle signaling the match to begin, “Bone club now”, the other trainer commanded.  The Cubone ran up and start to whack its bone like mad against Julie’s Caterpie, barely worming itself out of each attack. 

            “Tackle attack”, Julie said, the Caterpie flung itself at the Cubone, but it was ready and waiting for Caterpie’s attack.  The Cubone lowered its head and skull bashed Julie’s Caterpie with its skull helmet.  Stunned Julie watched her Caterpie go down, and the Cubone was coming in for another attack.  “Caterpie hurry, try a string shot”, the Caterpie tilted it’s head forward and covered the Cubone’s helmet with string shot.  Blinded from the string shot covering the two eye sockets of the helmet, the Cubone went into a rage and became even more dangerous.  Whacking it’s way toward Caterpie; the bug stuck out its tail end and tripped the unknowing Cubone over.  “Now subdue the Cubone with string shot”, Julie’s Caterpie poured on as much String shot that it could, to hold down the wild, raging pokemon.  Cubone, not being able to battle any longer, the Ref. announced Julie as the victor.

            “That was a great match Julie, now we’ll be able to advance to the Sixth round together”, Brock said.

            “Say do want to stay here for the rest of the day, and watch all the other battles”, Julie asked.

            “No, my brothers and sisters are pretty tired and I promised my mom that I’ll bring them home when are matches are over…”

            “That’s ok, I’ll come with you”

            As the two walked home, Julie and Brock have another conversation about their upcoming battles.

            “You remember the secret weapon we’ve talked about…”

            “Yeah Brock, the Skunk spray attack of our Caterpies”, Julie replied.

            “And how we’re only able to use it one time during the competition…”

            “Oh, and you had your Caterpie use it on that Growlithe”

            “I pretty much had no choice… there was no other way to defeat that Growlithe, since it could burn through string-shot so easily and I didn’t want to risk my Caterpie getting hit by a flame attack”

            “I don’t think you should worry that much about it, our Caterpies have defeated a lot of opponents without using the Skunk spray…”

            “Not to be a pessimist or anything, but the fourth day of the match is going to be the hardest of the whole competition, and I would feel a whole lot more confident if I was able to use that attack when needed”, Brock confided.

            “Well you better win the Sixth round, so we’ll be able to face each other in the Seventh to decide who’s the champion of the novice class”, said Julie.

            “I’ll try my best…”

            “There is no try, just do”

            “Heheh, all right Julie, you’ve been watching way too much Star Wars lately”, Brock laughed.

            They’ve finally arrived to their neighborhood and approached Julie’s house, “Bye, see you first thing in the morning”, Julie waved goodbye to the kids and Brock, as they headed home themselves.  When Brock got home, he shuffled the kids to bed, and went into the kitchen for a late snack.  His mom was there also, stirring some tea, watching the sunset through their backyard.

            “We’re you and Julie able to win today’s competition”, she asked.

            “Yeah mom, you should’ve been there…”

            “I know Brock, I wanted to but the restaurant has been putting a lot of stress on me, and I’ve been feeling a little sick lately.  I’ll try to be there tomorrow…”

            “That’s ok Mom, I know it’s been tough for you lately, it has been tough for us all…  Do you think he’ll ever come back…”?

            “I know your father will, but right now I don’t want to think about it… Goodnight Brock, be sure to turn the kitchen lights off when your done”.