After several years as an official nurse, Cario was stationed at a PokeCenter in Azalea town. The league probably sent her there so that she wouldn't disturb league continuity by having black hair, after all, no one stopped by the Azalea town PokeCenter unless they had a grass type team. She had been stuck here for some time. Cario watched the gym battles regularly on her counter computer. Two new trainers entered the PokeCenter, high fived each other and went straight for the vending machine, showing off their new HiveBadges. She stood up and smiled in the traditional Joy fashion.
"Man! Did you see that?" The older one shouted. "I beat his entire team with my Ampheros!" The older of the two boys sat in one of the trainer sofas, while his friend walked up to the counter and warily handed Cario his Pokeballs.
"They're in pretty bad shape." the younger one said as he watched her put the Pokeballs onto a tray.
"Don't worry. I can get rid of any poison that Bugsy sends my way." Cario responded, happy to get any business at all.
"I told you not to use Gloom, Ming." The trainer on the couch laughed loudly as he watched the worried expression on his friend's face.
"You had to have an only grass type team to actually get beaten by Bugsy anyway" Cario mused as she watched Bugsy get beaten down over and over and over again on the monitor by another set of trainers. "And no one except gym leaders has a team based on one or two elements anymore." she sighed as she listened to the gentle hum of the rejuvenation machine.
"I'm surprised you even won that one." the trainer on the couch laughed again. Popping open his cola and taking a big swig from it.
"Hey! Shut up about it already. It's only because of me that your dad even let you start training outside of Kanto! O.K. Chris?" Ming shouted back, fed up with his friends pestering. "I can battle with the best of them!" he continued.
"Prove it." Chris countered as Cario handed Ming back his Pokeballs.
"Fine. I'll beat the next trainer who comes in here!" Ming shouted as he took a seat on the seat opposite the couch his friend was sitting on.
"Um, that might be a while." Cario interrupted. "Not that many trainers stop by here, and the regulars that do are pretty good." She warned as she tidied up a bit. In truth she was expecting a very regular trainer to walk through the door any moment now. He always showed up the same time and day every month to deposit stuff on the computerized storage system.
A few minuets passed as Chris began to organize the items in his trainer pack. The main door squeaked open and rang the bell Cario had hooked up. In stepped a male trainer in his early teens. His short brown hair seemed to absorb the light from the luminescent ceiling lights that seemed to stay on in all hours of the day, he was wearing an old trainer's pack and belt. "Oh, Ran. Right on time, by the way there's someone here to..."
"I challenge you to a battle!" Ming shouted as he interrupted Cario while jumping out of his chair. Surprised, Ran stopped and looked at the trainer.
"How many badges do you have?" Ran asked Ming as he continued his way to the counter.
"Five. Now lets battle!" Ming shouted impatiently.
"He would have had six if Lt.Surge hadn't fried his Charmander." Chris laughed.
"You're no match for me." The trainer replied as he handed Cario the items he wanted deposited.
"You know the drill." Cario almost laughingly responded.
"Fine, but you should know it by now." Ran replied as she swiveled the small audio password sensor in front of the trainer. "Sigh, Ahem Brandon Endlathall, trainer No. 33-2178." He spoke clearly into the device and waited for it to register.
"Gym Trainer Brandon Endlathall, Trainer No, 33-2178 of the Varidian City Gym, Gym Trainer S-4 class. Voice pass accepted. Transaction is on gym business and will not be monitored by League screening clause 45." The machine beeped as it processed his deposit.
"Oh, my god. I know you. Ming, don't battle him." Chris stood up as he recognized the trainer's name.
"You know me?" Ran turned as he looked at the other trainer.
"Chris. From Starcraft." Chris said as he put Brandon's name to all of his signature moves and tactics in the game.
"Ah, so you're Chris. It's an honor to meet you. And you would be?" He asked as he turned to the impatient trainer whom had just challenged him.
"It's Ming. Now lets battle!" Ming continued.
"Uh, I don't know if you were listing Ming, but he's a GYM trainer! An A-4 class trainer!" Chris shouted at his friend.
"Then I'll beat him like I beat the last three GYM LEADERS." Ming shouted back in a very cocky tone.
"Ok, I warned you. I have to watch this." Chris laughed as he stood up.
"Training field's out back. I'm coming along too, just in case something happens." Joy quickly put up her 'Back in 5' sign and grabbed her potion bag as she led them to the practice field.
