October 9, 2005
Kame Village, Pokemon Market
The early morning air in Kame Village was brisk and lively as Floyd made his way through the bustling Pokemon Market. With a determined stride, he approached the market's counter, his backpack slightly heavy with its contents. Unzipping it, he revealed an assortment of pokeblocks – numerous small bags of basic grade and a handful of intermediate ones.
Upon reaching the counter, he greeted the market personnel with a friendly nod. "Hello, Mai-san," Floyd said as he carefully laid out all the pokeblocks on the counter.
"Ohayu Gozaimasu, uhm, Floyd-san," Mai replied, her greeting tinged with a hint of embarrassment, possibly due to Floyd's presence.
"Uhmmm, eto… let me just tally these up," Mai said as she began counting the pokeblocks methodically. After a few moments of calculation, she looked up at Floyd, struggling slightly with her English. "Floyd-san, you have brought 400 small bags of B-grade pokeblocks, and 64 small bags of A-grade pokeblocks. Please wait a moment, even within the same grade, there seem to be different prices," she explained.
"Just apply a standard rate for the B grade. As for the A grade, I've already prepared a detailed list," Floyd interjected helpfully, handing her a neatly written list.
"Uhm, really? Oh, thank you," Mai expressed her gratitude, accepting the list with a polite bow. "So, for the B grade, it's 35,000 per small bag, which for 400 bags totals to 1 million and 400 thousand alliance points. And for the A-grade pokeblocks, split across Ground, Grass, Fire, and Water types, amounting to 64 bags, that would be 5 million and 120 thousand Alliance points. So, the total comes to 6 million five hundred twenty thousand alliance points," she calculated.
Floyd, not fully grasping her Japanese explanation, was keen to understand the bottom line. "Uhmm, excuse me, Mai-san, could you please tell me my total points in English?" he requested politely.
"Uhm, I apologize for the confusion," Mai said, bowing slightly in embarrassment. She then respectfully informed him, "Floyd-san, your total is 6.52 million alliance points."
"I see, thank you. Now, how many high-grade berries are currently available?" Floyd inquired, thinking ahead to his next purchase.
"Uhmm, as for high-grade berries, we have only 8 left in stock," Mai replied, checking her records before providing the information.
"I'll take all of them. And could you also provide me with some low-grade berries, ones without any effects? Here's a list of what I need," Floyd said decisively, handing her another list. He then retrieved his black VIP card and handed it to Mai, ready to complete the transaction.
Mai quickly processed the transaction, her fingers deftly swiping Floyd's card through the reader. The VIP status displayed prominently on the monitor, a familiar sight given Floyd's regular visits to the market.
She attentively read through the record on the list. "The high-grade berries are priced at 150,000 alliance points each. With 8 of them, and including the low-grade ones listed here… the total comes to 1.9 million alliance points. However, with your VIP Black card, you're entitled to a 50% discount. Considering your 6.52 million points, would you like me to deduct the amount or—"
Before Mai could finish, Floyd interjected decisively, "Subtract it."
"Okay, please give me a moment," Mai responded. She busied herself with finalizing the transaction, her fingers moving efficiently over the terminal. After a few minutes, she carefully packed the eight high-grade berries along with the other items and handed them over to Floyd, along with his black VIP card.
As Floyd was about to leave, he felt his phone vibrate in his trouser pocket. He pulled it out to check, noticing the points transfer confirmation – his balance had increased to a total of 10.6 million points.
"Arigatou gozaimashita!" Mai offered a respectful bow as Floyd prepared to leave.
With a nod, Floyd hoisted the large bag of berries, its weight significant but manageable. Stepping outside the Pokemon Market, he was greeted by the sight of Munchlax and Horsea waiting for him. He smiled at Munchlax and said, "Help me carry this, will you?"
"Munchlax!" The Pokemon eagerly assisted, taking some of the load.
"Horsea~" Horsea chirped happily upon seeing Floyd.
With a gentle smile, Floyd reached out to pat Horsea on the head. "Have you been getting along with Munchlax? No mischief, right?"
"Horsea~" Horsea nodded, comfortably perched on Munchlax's head.
Turning to Munchlax, Floyd sought confirmation. "Is that so, Munchlax?"
"Munchlax!" the Pokemon affirmed with a nod.
Floyd regarded Munchlax with a mix of pride and appreciation. "I'm entrusting these berries to you. You're close to a breakthrough with the basic grade, I can tell. I'm heading to the laboratory now," he said, acknowledging Munchlax's remarkable progress in pokeblock making, catching up to Chen Xin and Kanraku in a surprisingly short time.
Floyd's appreciation for Munchlax stemmed not just from its unique abilities but also from its dependable nature. Munchlax rarely caused him any trouble, making Floyd cherished this guy on his team.
Turning to Munchlax, Floyd issued a light-hearted yet serious warning, "And make sure Horsea doesn't overindulge in pokeblocks, okay? We don't want her getting too bloated."
"Munchlax!" The Pokémon thumped its chest in a reassuring gesture, signaling its understanding. Internally, Munchlax had its own cheeky thought: 'Since Floyd said not too much for Horsea, then I will eat a few extra for myself.'
After bidding farewell to Munchlax and Horsea, Floyd decided not to visit his other Pokémon still undergoing training; he had already tended to their needs earlier in the day.
Upon returning to the vicinity of the laboratory, Floyd noticed a noticeable increase in people around. This was a stark contrast to his first visit, which only included Kanraku, his disciples, Suzuki Akiko, and Suzuki Ryota. Now, five new faces had joined the mix. The laboratory, it seemed, was gradually becoming a bustling hub of activity.
Adjacent to the laboratory was an academy dedicated to educating children about Pokémon. It was a place of learning and discovery for those intrigued by these fascinating creatures.
The newcomers, recognizing Floyd, offered nods and respectful bows, though none dared to approach him directly. Floyd, despite being a foreigner, had clearly established a significant presence in this community.
Acknowledging their greetings with a simple wave of his hand, Floyd made his way quickly towards Kanraku's laboratory.
Upon entering, Kanraku greeted Floyd with a nod and gestured for him to follow. They ventured into an area that resembled a forest, a deceptive facade as it was still part of the laboratory's expansive and versatile environment.
Here, the four guardians were already assembled, awaiting their arrival. Kanraku, holding a pokeball, looked between Floyd, the guardians, and the pokeball in his hand with a sense of purpose.
The guardians began to demonstrate their prowess. Blastoise executed Shell Smash twice in quick succession, Pidgeot soared skyward, Graveler positioned itself in a stance of readiness, and Shiftry invoked Sunny Day, basking in the intensified sunlight to activate its Chlorophyll ability.
Floyd observed each guardian intently. It was a rare opportunity to witness the four guardians of the village together. Apart from a live broadcast that had occurred previously, this was only the second time Floyd had seen all four united.
Kanraku, with a decisive motion, released the pokeball. Out emerged Ursaluna, its body showing signs of wear and injury, yet its spirit undaunted. Despite its evident fatigue, Ursaluna let out a thunderous roar, charging towards Kanraku with a Headlong Rush attack.
Graveler, quick to react, positioned itself between Kanraku and the charging Ursaluna, using Protect to shield from the imminent impact.
BANG!
The collision was intense; Graveler, despite its sturdy form, struggled under the sheer force of Ursaluna's attack. Seizing the moment, Shiftry made its move, appearing behind Ursaluna and unleashing a swift Leaf Blade.
SLASH!
ROAR!
The attack enraged Ursaluna even further. With a swift motion, it countered with Metal Claw, aiming directly at Shiftry. But before the strike could land, Pidgeot, diving from above, executed a powerful Brave Bird, slamming into Ursaluna with incredible speed and force.
"ROAR!"
Ursaluna's roar of pain echoed through the area. Already injured and now subjected to a barrage of attacks, its anger surged, fueling a desire to retaliate against each of its opponents.
Its fierce gaze locked onto Pidgeot, with a murderous intent, but Pidgeot was elusive, aware that it wasn't alone in the battle.
Just then, Blastoise launched a Hydro Pump, the high-pressure water jet hurtling towards Ursaluna.
Wheeeeeesh… BANG!
ROAR!
Another roar of pain resounded as Ursaluna endured the full brunt of Blastoise's attack. The relentless onslaught continued, each of the four guardians executing their moves in rapid succession.
