Top secret

Scene change

Emerald: (Huffs) She didn’t think I was strong enough! She didn’t think I could beat Team Rocket, so she had to make me do some stupid test!

He kicks a pebble on the streets of Celadon City. Beedrill watches.

Emerald: Beedrill, I’m strong, right?

Beedrill: (Pauses) Bee?

Emerald: (Groans) Yeah, we did lose… (Puffs) Let’s check out that, uh, university Leaf was talking about.

Emerald walks along the streets, seeing a large dome-like building.

Beedrill: (Points) Bee?

Emerald: I think so!

Emerald walks over to the building. Beedrill sees Leaf and Khoury from a window, nodding.

Beedrill: Bee!

Emerald: (Notices) Good eye!

He rushes inside with Beedrill, running through the halls. Emerald checks multiple rooms until he finds Leaf, Khoury, Professor Oak, Gary, and a tall man in a business suit.

Emerald: Hey, Leaf, Khoury!

They all break from conversation, noticing Emerald.

Leaf & Khoury: Hey!

Gary: (Groans) This kid, again…

Professor Oak: Hello! How nice to see you again.

Emerald waltzes in with Beedrill.

Leaf: Did you beat Erika?

Emerald: (Groans) No, she did some stupid test on me and gave me the badge, but I didn’t want it.

The tall man overhears this, cocking his head.

Man: You refused a badge she… handed out?

Emerald: (Perks up) Huh? Oh, yeah! I didn’t want a stupid badge if I didn’t win it!

Man: That’s interesting. Very honorable.

Gary: Honorable, but stupid! I’ve got three badges now, (shows Rainbow Badge) and you’ve got two.

Khoury: W - we know that -

Gary: What’s that?

Leaf: (Glares at Gary) It’s the only thing you’ve been talking about this entire time. (Mockingly) That battle was so easy, my Machop evolved into Machoke and took out her entire team!

Gary: Pfft, well it’s true!

Man: Quiet. (Turns to Emerald) Ignore Gary, he’s another… (chuckles) Oak.

Professor Oak: (Smirks) Hence why I beat you in the Indigo League finals, Giovanni?

Emerald: (Widens eyes) Wait, you’re Giovanni? The gym leader?

Giovanni: Ah, yes. Although my rankings do not define who I am at my core, a battler.

Leaf: He came here today to lecture with Professor Oak! (Sighs dreamily) It was very interesting, learning about the typings and how the fairy type affected them -

Professor Oak: To the best of our knowledge.

Giovanni: Ah, well. I’ve been… away from my gym recently, and so the Pokémon Association’s forced me to do part-time lectures here. (Groans) I didn’t have to do this when I was apart of the Elite Four.

Professor Oak: (Chuckles) Because you weren’t tied down to a gym, like you are now.

Emerald: You were a part of the Elite Four?! Woah!

Giovanni: Second member, succeeded by Bruno himself. I was let go by Lance for defying orders.

Professor Oak: He put it as, “rogue behavior.”

Emerald: (Whispers to Gary) Does this guy ever smile?! He looks so, so stoic!

Gary: (Whispers back) I don’t think he’s smiled once in his life!

Giovanni: (Raises eyebrow) I’ve smiled before.

Emerald and Gary both gulp. Leaf glares at Emerald.

Giovanni: (Continues) Mostly when I’m up against worthy opponents. However, (smiles) I doubt I’ll get that from either of you.

Emerald: H - hey! I’ll beat you anyday!

Leaf: Like Lt. Surge and now Erika?

Giovanni: (Chuckles) At least you fight for what you believe in. I used to be a lot like you, arrogant and believing I was the best.

Professor Oak: Until you had lost to me.

Giovanni: (Shakes head) I learned there was only room for improvement. No matter what I tried, there would always be someone ahead of me or someone catching up.

Professor Oak: (Chuckles) I was that someone catching up. I lost to Giovanni every single time, however I stuck to my goal of becoming champion. There was a popular saying in my youth, ah, it went something like… (Gary groans, joining in with the saying) “Keep up or you’ll fall behind.”

Emerald: (Turns towards Gary) You hear that, Gary?! I’m gonna beat you one day!

Gary: (Scoffs) Yeah, right. You’ve lost every time to me.

Giovanni: (Smirks) Almost reminds me of our rivalry, Samuel. (Tilts head) That kid, he reminds me a lot of a Vitorrio, now that I think of it. Physically, but also… his sense of honor, that burning ambition to prove himself. (Speaks to Emerald) What’s your name?

Emerald: (Jolts at Giovanni) Huh?

Giovanni: Your name.

Emerald: Emerald Corazón!

Giovanni: (Widens eyes) Emerald… Giovanni Corazón?