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Episode 81a: The Heartbreak of Brock (part 1)

"I'm still a little shocked you managed to evolve Hitomi with the power of the Swanna Song." Misty smiled as the group made their way down the streets of a town some days later.

"It goes back to what I've told you before about the Swanna Song--it was mainly used to beseech Arceus directly in ancient times." Brock explained. "However, the great powers it unleashed came with the cost of the person's strength--while usually it just makes you really tired for a little while, there have been documented accounts past and present of people dying of exhaustion, so those that can sing it for real are told to only sing it in a dire emergency--and Kamon potentially abusing an ancient queen's gift counted as a dire emergency."

"That's fair." Misty replied. "Although finding the local Pokemon Center's gonna be our next Swanna Song-worthy emergency if we're not careful..."

Ash wasted no time flagging down a woman as the group approached a crosswalk. "Excuse me...can you please tell us where the Pokemon Center is?"

Misty facepalmed as Brock slunk up next to Ash, guitar in hand. "I'll give you a song as thanks for your help." he offered.

"You can sing all you want when we get to the Pokemon Center, Mr. Balladeer." Misty sighed as she dragged Brock away, guitar and all.

The woman just chuckled, bemused that someone would sing to her. "After you cross the street, take a left and the Pokemon Center should be nearby the park and a convenience store."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as the crosswalk sign changed to WALK.

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"A little drink for you guys, and some for cooking later..." Brock smiled as he filled up a pot with water. by a fountain in the park.

He looked up and set the pot aside as a pale cyan rabbit-like Pokemon came racing up to the fountain, its deep teal haired master not far behind. "Nidora, come back here! You know better than to just run away from me like--WHOA!"

Brock gasped as the young girl tripped on a rock. "I've got ya!" he called as he made a flying leap, catching the girl in his arms moments before she could fall into the fountain. "Are you okay?" he asked as he checked the girl over for injuries.

"I think so..." the girl replied before looking up starry eyed at Brock. "You saved me! Never in my wildest dreams would I just fall into the arms of a knight with shining armor! Now that you've saved me from a watery fate, it's time for the wedding of our dreams!"

"Wait, what?" Brock asked, a little surprised that the girl had affections for him, much less wanting to marry him.

Misty noticed the awkward exchange from a bush. How odd...Brock has no problem approaching a girl and asking to sing for them, and he has no problem at all onstage, but when a girl does the same thing, he clams up!

"Uh, er, um..." Brock was still speechless by the girl's sudden profession of love for him. This is so weird...no girl's ever made the first move with me before...

"Over here..." Misty whispered from the bush.

After excusing himself from the girl, Brock joined Misty beside the bush. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't think you did anything wrong, I'm just puzzled." Misty explained. "How is it that whenever we find a pretty face, you're always ready to try and sing to them, but when she tried to do the same thing to you, you clammed up?"

"I've...never really had a girl make the first move on me like that before--it's usually me making the first move, and you know how that goes." Brock explained. "That, and no girl I know of has asked me to marry them immediately after meeting."

He sighed. "So what should I have done?"

Misty was about to answer when the teal haired girl returned. "If you guys need a place to stay, you can come to my house!"

"What's going on?" Ash asked as he joined Misty and Brock.

"We've found ourselves a place to stay, and an awkward situation for Brock." Misty explained as the group followed the girl down a path. "I'll explain later."

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"I can't thank you enough for rescuing my daughter, Temacu." a man with slightly graying gold-blond hair smiled as the group and the girl arrived in a large house some time later.

"Might I know my hero's name?" the girl asked, her eyes shining hopefully.

Brock swallowed hard, and did his best to not convey to the girl that he was nervous. "I'm Brock...and these are my two traveling companions, Ash and Misty."

Way to go, Brock! Misty smiled as she waved hello.

"Nice to meet you, sir." Ash smiled before noticing the man wore a lab coat over his clothes. "Are you some kind of professor, or something?"

"Yes--I collaborate with many professors across the region and with Professor Elm to better our understanding of Pokemon." Temacu's father replied.

"If you've traveled a long way, I can at least give you all a hot dinner and some tea." Temacu smiled before hurrying off to the kitchen.

Misty motioned for Brock to come closer. "As I was saying, as to what you should've done when Temacu made the first move, you should have at least politely acknowledged her feelings. Clamming up like that tells her that you're afraid of her, or worse yet, afraid of commitment."

"That's not the message I meant to send at all." Brock confessed.

"Another important aspect of a relationship is knowing what each of you wants out of the relationship, mutually drawing up healthy boundaries, and building up a sense of trust." Misty went on. "It is always exciting to want to be together in a new relationship, but don't forget to give each other space. So continue to play your music and tell your stories, and let her keep doing...whatever it is she likes to do."

She grinned. "As the old song says, 'me and you, it just takes two!'."

"You do have a point, there..." Brock smiled. "Any more advice?"

"As tempting as it is, don't put Temacu on a pedestal and declare her your only love." Misty cautioned. It may work out--in which case I would be royally happy for you both--and it may not, but a relationship is only as good as the amount of work the participants are willing to put into it."

"That's true--the friendship between the three of us was not built overnight." Brock mused. "It's been through highs, it's been through lows, and it's been through some pretty weird things, but through it all, we emerged stronger and better people for it."

"Exactly--so why not make that the goal of this relationship, and tell Temacu that in a song?" Misty suggested. "You've always wanted to sing to a girl, now here's your chance!"

To Be Continued...