I.

It was with a heavy heart did Brock of Pewter City depart from his longtime companion Ash Ketchum. It felt like a decade had passed since the bright-eyed, beamish boy of Pallet pushed his way through those greige doors and onto the gym floor, the first time Brock had laid eyes on him. It still made him chuckle, even as his flight took off from Sinnoh, he remembered how Ash had earned the Boulder Badge by setting off the sprinklers. Admittedly, it wasn't a technical victory in terms of how an official league battle should be conducted, but he liked the boy's fervor. Brock thought that vigor for life, his friend's ability to get knocked down but rise again, was why he had stuck by his side for so many years. Although it felt like they had spent the entirety of their formative years together as young adults, Brock sometimes had trouble remembering exactly how long they had spent journeying. Across all of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, not to mention all the islands they had traversed too. It felt like it should've taken them nearly ten years to take that journey, but it seemed more like two or three. Time was tricky like that, he supposed. Dew on a leaf, thousands of droplets coated the surface of such a tiny parasol. Each little leaf attached to a larger branch, and each branch to the root of a tree. As the plane descended on Kanto he could see the mountains, Silver above them all, and surrounding them the green ocean of trees. Each tree spry with swaying branches, each branch coated in ruffling leaves, and on each leaf the hundreds of dew droplets, each a single life part of a much greater system. Gone by the night, just to be reapplied the next morning. Time was tricky, but Brock was simply happy to be home.

II.

The superfluous shuffle of exiting a plane attested itself to a long, dragged out family gathering. He put his mind to idle, soon he'd be back on Kanto's soil and that was enough of a respite for him. The Celadon Airport felt brand new, probably because the region of Kanto was rather old fashioned, but with Johto's technological advancements it seemed only natural that its sister country would follow suit. With a carryon bag slung over his shoulder, Brock set off to find his luggage and retrieve his Pokemon from the PC system.

"Brock!" A voice called out from behind.

He turned on his heel and looked over in the direction of the Sinnoh gate he had just ascended from. It was Jasmine, the Olivine gym leader and acquaintance of Brock. For a moment he stared, but from the second of recognition, everything changed. A chorus of angels broke out in song, the world-renowned trumpets of Slateport sounded, with fleet foot he hopped and skipped as if the industrial cement floor had turned to the cushiony clouds of yonder. His arms twisted into the shape of a heart, his vision turned a melting pink, this was the woman of his dreams. He closed in on her, if he could just reach his hand out she might take it with her own and forever they'd remain tangled in eternity.

Poison Jab

Love and pain, two sides of the same coin. Keeling over, Brock's legs buckled from the intense stab of Croagunk's Poison Jab.

"Croa," The Pokemon muttered, shaking his head and smiling to greet Jasmine.

"Oh my, I- How are you, Brock?"
Scratching his head and rising to his feet, he looked down at his froggy companion and back at Jasmine.

"Jasmine, hi. I'm sorry, not sure what came over me."
She gave an awkward smile and laugh, but readjusted and gained her composure.

"I was on the plane back from Sinnoh, but I didn't even notice you were on it too! It was so nice to see you and the others in Sunyshore, it was nice to run into another gym leader who thinks it's okay to take some time off."
He chuckled at her comment, he recalled her insecurity about wanting to compete in pokemon contests while holding the responsibility of Olivine's leader.

"Well, I'm the master at that. I've taken more than a few years off as a leader, my brother Forrest is standing in, but I'm on my way back there now to formally give him the mantle. I plan to get my doctorate in Pokemon medicine."
"Wow! That's amazing, I remember when you helped my Sparkle get medicine when she was feeling sick. The lighthouse would've been doomed without you and your friends. I think you'd make a great doctor!"
It was at this moment that Brock regretted not putting Croagunk in the PC with Chansey and Sudowoodo. It was generally mandatory to keep pokemon off planes, but he kept Croagunk in his carryon just in case. Now he wondered if his entrance had been a bit smoother, could this small conversation spelled marriage. Maybe in some other timeline it had.

"Thank you, I really appreciate that." He paused, there had to be a way to continue the talk. "In Sunyshore, you said you planned to retake your mantle in Olivine and continue training. Was it easier to land in Kanto and take the Magnet Train back to Goldenrod?"
"Yes! I could've gone by boat, but I wasn't really up for the adventure. Also, I'm visiting Erika here in Celadon, it's been ages since we've spent a weekend together and she's been pestering me for what feels like forever."
Erika, that was a name Brock didn't mind hearing. He had spent more than a few long conferences doing whatever he could to sit next to her, especially when Sabrina had almost instantly written him off as a pervert. Maybe he had it all wrong, was it Erika that was the woman of his dreams?

"Well, that's great," If he was going to say something, now was his chance. "Listen, Jasmine. If you're ever coming through Pewter, please stop by the gym and check if I'm around. I'd love to talk training. After all, I know a thing or two about how to properly level Steelix."

"Of course! That sounds great, but hey, I'm not so bad myself, ya know."
"Oh, no. I didn't mean-"
She giggled and playfully punched his shoulder, lifting her pack and readying her step.

"If I have some extra time after seeing Erika I'll stop through Pewter. I've always wanted to see the museum anyway!"
Brock eyed Croagunk, the frog was as unreadable as ever but he thought he might've read a bit of surprise on the pokemon's face.

"Uh- yeah, that sounds great! The museum is one of a kind."
"Okay, great!" She paused and bowed her head. "Well, Brock. I'll see you around then."
He bowed in return and saw her on her way.
"Croa."
"Yeah, that admittedly went better than I thought, but I wish I had asked for her number."
"Croa," the frog croaked, as if to say 'baby steps.'

Brock smiled and the two retrieved his luggage and both Chansey and Sudowoodo from the PC.

III.

His pack didn't have much, but it was filled with the basic components of travel. He had a PokeNav that was surely outdated, yet it surprisingly picked up signal here in the Kanto region. It could've been that Celadon was a big city, yet he was somewhat apprehensive to see how his country had started modernizing. There were potions, antidotes, and other medicinal herbs that filled the compartments of his bag, but his supplies were running low. Now latched onto the outside were Chansey and Sudowoodo, as well as Croagunk's pokeball which had previously been loose in the bag. Opposite his latched pokeballs was his trusty frying pan, hanging just the same. A few changes of clothing stuffed his bag, and that was all he carried. It was all a man like him needed, yet, there was one thing he was lacking in: Food.

Airport dining wasn't exquisite, but it'd have to do for now. A rice ball seemed in order, or as Unovan's called them, "donuts" for some odd reason. He, Ash, and Misty ate these relentlessly during their travels through Kanto, and the gooey bite brought him back. Wafting in the steam brought him back, he could almost see Pikachu cradling a bottle of ketchup across the table as the three laughed. For a moment in time, he felt lonelier than he ever had. No matter, he'd soon be back in Pewter City and stomping the grounds where he once had learned what it meant to be a leader. Croagunk nibbled on the last of the poffins they had smuggled from Sinnoh, he'd have to slowly get used to Kanto's cuisine as it differed quite heavily from the pokemon's home country's. Brock shared a small laugh with himself as he took the final bite of his rice ball, and thereafter received a call on his Nav. The caller ID read MISTY. His heart skipped a beat, he hadn't seen that name in a long, long time. He licked the rice from his fingers and quickly pressed to accept.

"Misty?" Brock said, slightly nervous as excitement overtook him.

"Brock! It's Daisy, Misty's sister."
For a moment Brock's mind wandered, The Water Flowers of Cerulean City. They were astonishing. He wasn't opposed to traveling to Cerulean City before going home just to see them alone. Not to mention Daisy, just that voice alone was enough to paint an image.

"Brock! Hey, are you listening to be brickhead?"
He perked up, it wasn't Misty but it was definitely her sister.

"Yes, Daisy. How are you?"
"Horrible!" She screeched, causing Brock to rip the phone away from his ear. "Misty has grown ill, like, really really ill. The doctor in town has come to visit her multiple times, but nothing seems to be working. Could you rush here soon, please! She told me you'd be coming home soon, apparently Ash told Oak in one of his recent calls and word of your arrival had spread. Coul-"
"Daisy, please. You're talking a mile a minute. My expertise is in Pokemon medicine, but- I know a thing or two about human medicine too. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thank you, Brock!"

Daisy hung up the phone and Brock turned to Croagunk. It's blank stare wandered off into the airport's maw, but it was time to move.

"Sorry buddy, but you've gotta get back in the ball."

Struggling, Croagunk tried to resist and held its arm out, as if to point at something. Brock took hold of his partner and returned him to his capsule, latching it onto his backpack's hook.

"Alright Misty, this wasn't how I'd planned to see you again, but I'm coming," Brock said out loud, gathering his belongings and setting off.

The newly returned Kantonian made for the airport's main entrance hall, and from the level above, a hooded figure stared down at him. The figure watched as Brock left the airport, and snickered at the thought of a pointing Croagunk. They dipped backwards into an elevator, a hand sneaking out from beneath the cloak and sending the lift downwards.