Upgrade 3.0 Beta
Brock looked out the window of his room. It had been three weeks since Ash and Misty left him with Professor Ivy, and he was growing restless. He needed some action, preferably from the opposite sex. Unfortunately, Professor Ivy's 6' 7" boyfriend who had more muscles than brains disagreed with his plans. He met Ryan the day after he decided to stay. If he had known about him, he had taken his chances with Ash and Misty in the Orange League.
"Brock," one of Ivy's dorky assistance called. "When are you going to make dinner?"
Brock sighed. He felt just as confined as when he was Pewter with his family, but at least he did get study under Professor Ivy. That is when Ryan was not around.
"I wonder if I can catch up with Ash and Misty," he thought but dropped his head when he thought they were probably enjoying time alone together.
"Why can't I get a girlfriend?" he sighed as he walked downstairs to the kitchen.
Ivy was getting worried about Brock. Not so much because he was not feeling okay, but that if he left, she and the girls would be back to living in a pigsty. That night, after Ryan had left and Brock was asleep, she talked with her assistance about what to do with Brock.
"Well," Julie replied. "One of us could try and date him."
"I rather date a Primeape," Harriet snapped back.
Ivy shook her head. "That's not a bad idea, Julie," she said with a weak smile. "How about you do it?"
"Sorry," Julie laughed. "Brock's not my type."
Harriet and Ann coughed "chicken" in a bout of wheezing. "Sorry. Must be some stun spores in the air," Ann replied as Ivy and Julie were giving them the evil eye.
They then tried to come up with another plan when Ann suddenly got an idea. "How about using the computer dating service in town," she suggested.
"Not a bad idea," Ivy replied as thought about it. "After all, this is an island. I doubt there be anybody from the other islands in the database."
"Good," Harriet told them. "I'll take him there tomorrow."
Brock sighed as he was being dragged into town by his least favorite brat. This one was always complaining about how hard her work was and always tried to shove it off on him.
"Where are we going?" he asked her.
"Hopefully, somewhere to get you a girlfriend," she replied.
Brock perked up when she said that. "Great," he shouted. "Is it Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny?"
"I don't know," Harriet laughed nervously. "I'm taking you to the computer dating service."
"But that's for losers that can't get a date," Brock whined.
Why do you think I'm taking you there, she thought as they walked into town.
"Hello," a young woman greeted the two as they walked into the building. "My name is Laura, how may I help you?"
"My friend here needs you to fix him up," Harriet answered.
Brock just had a stupid look on his face. "You're pretty," he sighed. "How about we skip this computer thing and go have lunch."
Laura clinched her fist. "If I had a nickel for every time…" she growled. "Have a sit."
Brock obediently sat down in a chair on the away from the receptionist. Harriet sighed and told Brock she was going shopping and that she would go home by herself.
Five minutes later, Laura came up to him and told him follow her to a room in the back.
"Anything, you say," Brock replied still in his dreamlike state.
Laura led him to a back room, handed him a survey, and told to complete it. She then left him there and returned to her desk up front.
Suzie walked off the blimp's ramp. She had come to Valencia Island to gather some information from Professor Ivy which meant she have to stay on the island for a few weeks. Also, there was a breeders dance during her stay and there would probably get some useful advice there. Unfortunately, it required her to have a date.
She was not looking for anything long-term, but she hated going to a local male escort service. Then she saw the advertisement for a computer dating service.
"What do I have to lose?" she sighed as she walked to its building.
Brock was actually taking the test serious and was answering the questions honestly. Well, mostly honest.
"Let's see," he said as he read a question. "Are you looking for a long-term relationship?"
He thought about that. I would like one, just like Ash and Misty's, he thought, but I really should keep my options open. He checked no.
"Favorite pokémon," he read. "That's easy, Vulpix."
Suzie was escorted to on the testing rooms by Laura and given a test. She sat down and looked over some of the questions.
"Like I really want a long-term relationship with a loser using a computer dating service," she laughed.
The next question made her think for a few minutes. "I really loved my Vulpix," she sighed remembering the boy she had given her to. I should've taken his offer and let him join me, she thought wistfully.
Brock walked up to Laura's desk and handed her the test. "Be back in an hour to see the results," she told him.
Brock headed out to get something to eat since he missed breakfast that morning. As soon as he walked out the front door, Suzie walked over to Laura. "Finished," she told the annoyed receptionist.
"Check back in hour for a match," she told her.
Laura shook her head as Suzie left. "I really need to get in a new line of work," she sighed. "I know Giovanni says this is a great way to make money, but there has to be a better use of talents in Team Rocket."
She glanced at the two tests laying on her desk. "Hm, both not looking for long-term," she said as she read over it then she got an idea.
"I'll just set these two up so I don't have to punch all this in to the computer," she said as she tossed the tests in the garbage bin. "These seem just 'perfect' for each other."
"Are the results in?" Brock asked when he returned.
"Yes," Laura smiled. "We had 95.6% match."
Brock grinned. "Who is she?"
"She'll be here soon," she told him. "How about you wait in that room over there."
After Brock entered the room, Suzie walked in two minutes later.
"We got the perfect match for you," Laura told the young breeder. "In fact he's, waiting in that room over there."
"Thank you," Suzie replied nervously.
She walked up to the door fighting off the urge to turn and run.
"Here goes nothing," she said as she opened the door.
"Hi, my name is…" a voice from said as she opened the door. "Suzie!"
"That's a weird name for a…" she thought until she saw the young man waiting inside. "Brock!"
They both stood there staring at each other. "You're looking good," Brock said breaking the silence.
Suzie blushed. "How's my Vulpix?" she asked.
"Take a look," he told her as he pulled out a pokéball.
"Vul," she asked as she appeared. When she saw her former trainer, she shouted for joy and leaped into her arms.
Suzie laughed. "I see you've been taking good care of her," she said.
Now Brock blushed. "Thanks," he replied. "What are doing here, Suzie?"
She looked at him. "Let's talk about this at some place more private," she said as she let Vulpix jump onto the ground.
"Okay," he sighed. Over the years he learned when he was getting the cold shoulder.
When they walked past Laura, she reminded them about her fee. They paid the money and walked over to a café across the street.
"Another set of satisfied customers," she sneered as she counted the money.
"So, you're studying under Professor Ivy now," Suzie said as they walked to her hotel.
"Yeah," he told her, "but I think I should've stayed with Ash and Misty. At least with them, I didn't have to do all the work."
Suzie nodded. She was not really surprised Brock had left the two. He tried to join her once, and she heard Ivy was very beautiful.
"Well," she told him, "I'll be on the island for a few weeks. Maybe we should get together on a couple dinners."
Brock perked up when she said that. "You know," he told her, "there's a breeder's dance next week. I was wondering if…"
Suzie laughed. "Why do you think I went to a dating service in the first place?"
Brock blushed. "Guess, I've been around Ash too long."
The next week was perfect for Brock, and the girls were noticing that he was out of his depression. His meals were getting better, and he stopped hitting on Ivy much to Ryan's delight.
The night of dance, he did not return back to Ivy's lab. The girls thought he had spent the night with his new girlfriend. When Ivy went out to check on the pokémon, she noticed Brock and Suzie on the beach watching the sunrise.
She smiled. At least he is happy now, she thought.
Brock watched as Suzie packed her things. "I'm really going to miss you," he told her.
Suzie sighed. This is why I didn't want anything long-term, she thought.
"You knew I was leaving," she replied.
Brock thought for a moment and said, "Mind if I join you on your journey?"
Suzie was shocked by the offer. She thought that he was beginning to like here. "What about Professor Ivy?" she asked.
"Oh," Brock replied. "I'm sure she and the girls can get along fine without me."
Suzie smiled. "Yes," she answered him. "I love you to come with me."
Suzie decided to stay an extra day so Brock could pack. When they left the next day, Ivy's assistants were begging Brock to stay.
"Who will do the cooking?" Julie asked.
"Who will do the cleaning?" Ann plied.
"Who will do my work?" Harriet demanded.
Brock laughed nervously when he told him that they were doing just fine before he arrived.
As he and Suzie walked out sight, hand in hand, Julie turned and whacked Ann on the back of the head.
"Great idea, genius," she snapped. "Now we no longer got our slave."