Chapter 7

For two days, Emmet and his team continued their journey through the Viridian Forest, applying Efficiency Mastery (EM) techniques as they went. While traveling, they focused on stamina, balance, and agility, running through the forest's uneven and obstacle-laden terrain. At night, they used EM to meditate on individual projects, allowing for a well-rounded yet intensive training regimen.

Emmet found himself increasingly proficient in his Psychic exercises. Setting up camp telekinetically had become second nature to him, and he felt on the cusp of telepathic communication with his Pokemon. His ultimate goal was the ability to command them in the heat of battle without causing distraction. Beyond that, he aspired to develop teleportation skills, a feat accomplished by only the most exceptional Psychic talents in history.

Firefly, on the other hand, remained fixated on perfecting her Fire Type skills. She aimed to produce flames that were hotter, faster, and more energy-efficient. Her arbitrary yet firm goal was to sustain a Flamethrower attack for three minutes straight, something she set her mind to with a laser-like focus.

Eevee had set her sights on evolving into a Sylveon. After gleaning what she could from Emmet's vague descriptions, she had managed to invent a unique Fairy-type attack. Now, she was honing her familiarity with the Fairy-type energy. Emmet wished he could offer more guidance, but the scarcity of available information on the Fairy type limited his ability to assist.

Upon exiting the forest, Emmet and his team arrived in Pewter City as dawn broke on the third day since their encounter with Samurai. Without hesitation, he headed straight for the Pokemon Center.

"Good morning, Nurse Joy," Emmet greeted the nurse behind the desk, handing her his Pokedex, which also served as his ID.

"Good morning," Nurse Joy replied, taking the Pokedex and starting to enter his information into her computer.

"Are you aware that your Charmander, Firefly, needs a thorough check-up, as per your sponsor's and Viridian's Nurse Joy's instructions?" she inquired.

Emmet nodded. "Is there a similar note for Eevee?"

Nurse Joy typed a few more keys before answering, "No, there's just a note to monitor her development if you decide to check her in. The directive about Charmander is mandatory. Every time you visit a Pokemon Center after a certain period, she must be submitted for tests. Eevee is only to be checked if you specifically bring her in for treatment."

Though slightly irked by the stringent requirement for Firefly, Emmet decided to let it go. If Professor Oak had mandated it, there had to be a reason.

After leaving Firefly and Eevee in Nurse Joy's care, Emmet took the opportunity to head to his assigned room for some much-needed self-care. He indulged in an intense bath, scrubbing off layers of dirt and grime that he'd accumulated while traversing Viridian Forest. The feeling of finally being clean couldn't be understated.

Finishing his bath, Emmet made a quick trip to the Pokemon Center's laundry facility. His clothes, stinking from hours of daily exercise, desperately needed a wash. As he tossed them into the machine, he chuckled to himself, thinking that perhaps the reason they'd avoided more frequent Pokemon encounters was that even wild creatures couldn't stand the stench of his sweat-soaked attire.

Just then, the intercom of the Pokemon Center beeped to life. "We have a call for Emmet Grant. Please come to the communication area," a staff member announced.

He made his way to the phone booth designated by a beeping red light, noticing that the call was from Professor Oak. A sense of curiosity settled in; calls from Oak were usually important.

"Hey, Professor Oak! Good to see you. Is everything alright?" Emmet greeted his sponsor as he picked up the phone.

"Yes, Emmet, everything's fine. I just received an alert that Charmander's health report was submitted. Do you have time to go over it now, or is there something pressing on your end?" Oak inquired.

"I have the time, Professor. Firefly's done, but Eevee's check-up is next," Emmet responded.

"I like the name Firefly. But tell me, why did you decide to cut your time in Viridian Forest short? It seems a bit rushed," Oak questioned, a puzzled look on his face.

"Well, both Firefly and Eevee have made such rapid progress that it felt like we were just wasting time there," Emmet explained.

Professor Oak interrupted, shaking his head. "You shouldn't be so hasty, Emmet. There's always room for improvement. You should consider staying in Viridian Forest until both Eevee and Firefly can easily defeat wild Beedrills."

Struggling to contain his laughter, Emmet plugged his Pokedex into the video call station. "You might want to see this," he said, hitting play on a video he'd recorded of Firefly dominating a quartet of Beedrills.

Oak's face went through a sequence of reactions as he watched the video. Initial disbelief turned into awe, then morphed into a sort of scholarly excitement. It was a textbook case of someone having to recalibrate their preconceived notions in real-time.

Clearing his throat, Oak finally spoke, "Well, it's abundantly clear that Viridian Forest is no longer a challenging environment for your Pokemon. I suppose it's about time you moved on." He paused for dramatic effect, then added, "As I've always said, you should proceed when you feel it's right."

Emmet chuckled at Professor Oak's quick about-face. "So, should I also get a video of Eevee taking down a trainer's Scyther to make my point further?" he said, his voice tinged with playful sarcasm.

Professor Oak let out a hearty laugh. "Emmet, you're quite the character! But yes, please do send me that video later. For now, let's focus on Firefly's health report, shall we?"

Starting to read the report from his screen, Professor Oak's expression turned serious. "Firefly has shown remarkable growth. She's reached the size that most Charmanders only achieve when they're close to evolving. However, I'd recommend holding off her evolution for at least another month. This isn't just about physical maturity; psychological readiness is equally important."

Oak continued, scrolling through the document. "Her weight is well within the expected range for her height, and her muscle development is outstanding. Believe it or not, she's in the top 0.5% of her species in terms of physical strength. Even my champion-level Charizard wasn't this formidable when he was a Charmander."

The Professor then went on to detail other aspects of Firefly's development. It was clear that the Charmander was not just healthy but also highly impressive on multiple fronts. Each additional metric seemed to reaffirm that Emmet was doing something incredibly right in his training and care.

Professor Oak concluded the discussion with a warm smile. "Emmet, you've done an excellent job with Firefly. I'm truly impressed, and I expect you'll continue to pleasantly surprise me."

"Thank you, Professor. Is there anything else I should know?" Emmet responded, visibly pleased by the compliment but also curious if there was more to discuss.

The Professor's smile dimmed slightly, and his tone took on a more serious note. "Well, yes, there is one more thing. Being an exceptional trainer like yourself can attract unwanted attention. While my sponsorship does offer you some degree of protection, you shouldn't take it as an assurance of safety. Always be vigilant."

Emmet felt a slight jolt of surprise. The warning made him feel as though his own heightened sense of caution was not misplaced, validating his instincts.

Oak continued, returning to a more instructive tone. "You should also consider capturing support Pokemon in the near future. If you aim to be a generalist trainer, you'll need a flying type for transport, a water type for aquatic navigation, and a healer for prolonged outings."

"For the flying type, consider a Pidgey or Spearow; their evolved forms are excellent. As for water, Lapras, Blastoise, Gyarados, or Tentacruel would be suitable. For a healer, a Chansey would be great, or a Clefairy if you can find one. Remember, as long as they're registered as support Pokemon, they won't count toward your limit of six."

Emmet looked puzzled. "Support Pokemon? I haven't heard of that kind of registration before. What's the difference?"

Professor Oak clarified, "It's up to the sponsor to allow or not this kind of special registration, which I'm granting you now. Pokemon registered as support cannot participate in any official battles. However, they can accompany you and battle wild Pokemon without any restrictions."

Emmet had one more question. "Can I change a Pokemon's registration status from support to battle-ready at any time?"

"You can, but there's a 15-day cooldown period between changes. Aside from that, there are no other restrictions," Oak answered.

"Thank you, Professor, for placing your trust in me. It means a lot," Emmet said, visibly grateful for the guidance and the newfound opportunities.

With that, both said their farewells, and the video call ended.

He tried to call his mom but she was unreachable, Emmet wasn't entirely surprised; she was often unavailable, especially when she was off training on Mt. Silver. He left her a voicemail, briefly explaining his current location, his progress, and his plans for the near future. He even attached the video of Firefly's dominance over the four Beedrils. After hitting "send," he couldn't help but feel a tinge of loneliness, masked swiftly by his focus on the tasks at hand.

Emmet sat down for a moment, his mind returning to Professor Oak's advice about support Pokemon. He weighed his options carefully. A Clefairy with the move Gravity caught his interest; not only would it serve as a capable healer, but he could also use Gravity as a training tool for his other Pokemon. As for a flying type, he found himself leaning toward a Pidgeot due to its temperament, as compared to Fearow. However, he decided that should wait until after Mt. Moon; for now, he'd concentrate on his existing team and possibly capturing a Clefairy.

Emmet found a secluded corner in the Pokemon Center where he wouldn't disturb anyone. To pass the time, he began juggling office supplies—pens, notepads, even a stapler—with his psychic powers. His concentration and focus seemed almost effortless, a reflection of his EM training. Each object floated and rotated in a hypnotic dance that he controlled, his eyes narrowed in focus but with a glint of amusement.

Suddenly, the intercom system buzzed to life. "Emmet Grant, your Pokemon are ready for pickup at the front desk," announced a cheery voice, breaking his concentration and sending the stapler crashing down onto the table. A tad embarrassed but mostly relieved, he gathered the supplies and headed toward the front desk.

At the front desk, Nurse Joy handed over his Pokeballs with a bright smile. "Your Pokemon are in excellent health," she said. "You've taken great care of them, Emmet. Especially your Eevee; I must say, it's been ages since I've seen fur this soft and lustrous. Keep up the good work!" Emmet felt a sense of pride swell within him. He thanked Nurse Joy and pocketed his Pokeballs, his mind already running through plans for his battle against Brock.

Emmet expressed his gratitude to Nurse Joy for her kind words and promptly exited the Pokemon Center. He glanced at the sky, noticing that he still had some daylight to work with. Deciding not to waste any more time, he made a beeline for Brock's Gym, hoping to schedule his gym challenge. If luck was on his side, he might even be able to complete the challenge before day's end.

As he walked, his thoughts turned to Brock himself. Emmet felt a sense of pity for the gym leader, whose father Flint had abandoned him and his nine siblings, forcing Brock to take on the responsibilities of both the Gym and his family. Emmet tried to imagine himself in Brock's shoes—stepping up to manage a gym at the tender age of 15. Even with EM training under his belt, the thought was overwhelming. The level of responsibility Brock bore was immense: a gym leader, a caretaker for his siblings, and a stand-in parent.

Emmet shook his head, his brows knitting together in disapproval. In his opinion, Flint deserved to be incarcerated for abandonment. The weight he had dumped on Brock's young shoulders was completely unjustifiable. Emmet felt that kind of responsibility was too much for anyone to bear—whether they were 15 or even 30 years old. The weight of the thought settled in his mind as he finally approached the gym.

Emmet stepped into the gym, immediately noting its simplistic design. While he expected a Rock and Ground theme, he was struck by the gym's state of disrepair—burned-out lamps, a thin layer of dust covering seldom-used equipment, and a noticeable lack of staff. The only exception was a young girl, likely no older than 13, manning the front desk. Her features resembled Brock's, making Emmet conclude that she must be one of his siblings.

"Welcome to the Boulder Gym, home of the mighty Gym Leader Brock, the best there ever was! What can I do for you?" The young girl's face lit up as she greeted Emmet, her words drenched in adoration for her older brother.

Moved by the sibling love and devotion on display, Emmet smiled and responded, "Hello, I'm Emmet. Do you know if Brock has any openings for a gym challenge today?"

Yolanda, whose name Emmet caught from a plaque on the desk, eagerly grabbed a large booking book and began flipping through its pages. Her fingers moved quickly, scanning for available slots.

Her face lighting up, Yolanda exclaimed, "You're in luck! There's an opening in just an hour. Would you like to book it?" At Emmet's nod, she jotted down the appointment. "Hold on one moment, please!" she said, springing up from her chair and darting through a door behind her.

Emmet was still absorbing the fact that he was about to undertake his first gym challenge when he heard Yolanda's voice echo from the depths of the gym. "Brock! Brock!"

A muffled, gruff reply resounded, "What?"

"What are you doing!?"

"Training Geodude! Why!?"

"You have a challenge!"

There was a pause before Brock's voice boomed again, "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?!"

Yolanda's delighted giggles filled the air, completing the comedic interlude. Emmet couldn't help but smile at the casual yet heartfelt dynamic between the siblings.