WIND & RAIN - EPISODE 2

EXT. THE COASTAL OCEAN (DUSK)

HUNTER J's SALAMENCE sets off alongside the airship MacHeath as it bears toward the open ocean.

The Munia region rapidly shrinks into a dark blur on the horizon.

CRUISE, bound in Ariados silk upon SALAMENCE's back, lamely continues to struggle as his adrenaline peters off.

CRUISE

You'll pay for this.

HUNTER J

Not likely. Goodbye.

J shoves CRUISE from SALAMENCE's back.

CRUISE,

Falls, and falls and falls.

He hits the ocean at terminal velocity.

CUT TO:

BLACK.

EXT. UNDERWATER

CRUISE, limp and unconscious, sinks deeper into the dark water.

FADE TO:

CRUISE sits beneath the tallest tree in a beautiful garden.

Swaddled by the sunlight above and the grass below, he shares his affection with his entire family of Pokémon, petting and hugging them all.

CRUISE is licked and nuzzled from all directions by his FLYGON, but also by a FLAAFFY, a WOOPER, a DRIFBLIM, a QUILAVA, and a DEERLING.

CRUISE

(voice over)

So this is it then.

All of that was just a waste.

FADE TO:

CRUISE continues sinking, plunged in utter blackness.

CRUISE

(voice over)

My life was meaningless.

CRUISE sinks, and sinks, and sinks.

E----

(voice over)

Your life isn't over, Amos.

Your Pokémon need you.

They're waiting for you to find them.

CRUISE

(voice over)

Who are you?

E----

(voice over)

I am Edgar. My sister told me to help you and your Pokémon.

CRUISE

(voice over)

My Pokémon. Where are they?

CRUISE stops sinking.

EDGAR

(voice over)

They're alive, that's all that matters.

It won't be easy, but I want to help you. Please don't give up, Amos.

Your beautiful family needs you.

Please, accept my help.

CRUISE opens his eyes as light shines upon him from above.

CRUISE rises.

CRUISE

(voice over)

Right. My family needs me.

FADE TO WHITE -

INT. BEDROOM

CLOSE UP -

The morning sun shines on CRUISE's face.

Starlys and Taillows are singing beyond the window.

CRUISE opens his eyes.

ALEXANDER

(off screen)

He's awake!

CLARENE

(off screen)

Young man. Can you hear me? Look at me if you can hear me.

The characteristic cry of a Shuckle is also heard off screen.

ZOOM OUT -

Standing at CRUISE's bedside are an older woman in a green dress, CLARENE, and a man old enough to be CRUISE's father, ALEXANDER. Their clothes are conspicuously antiquated.

Standing beside ALEXANDER is a slightly pudgy Grovyle, MICHAEL. Beside CLARENE is a Shuckle, OONAAKANI, and closest to the bedside and looking calmly at CRUISE is an Espeon, EDGAR.

CRUISE opens his mouth to talk, but gasps and sucks painfully for air instead.

CLARENE

Don't try to speak. Your body is still healing.

I'm your doctor, Clarene. You've been asleep for two months. You were severely injured.

ALEXANDER

You were carried to the beach by a colony of Dragonair, then Edgar found you.

CRUISE slowly turns his head, his eyes meet EDGAR's.

CRUISE

(breathing deeply and painfully)

Him?

CLARENE

Yes, him. Edgar pumped your lungs for you using telekinesis for weeks. He also used telekinesis to keep your broken bones in place so they'd mend properly.

You'd be dead for sure without him.

ALEXANDER

Edgar was my little girl's Pokémon, but she's gone now.

But to see Edgar devote himself to saving you, to see you awake and aware thanks to him... Pardon me.

ALEXANDER, stifling a sob, rushes from the room.

MICHAEL the Grovyle rolls his eyes and follows him.

CLARENE

His daughter died a week before you showed up.

Her brother, the Espeon here, kept you alive, I only helped.

CLARENE inserts a wooden spoon into one of the holes of OONAAKANI the Shuckle's shell and begins stirring as she adds other ingredients from bottles kept in her medicine bag.

All the while, CRUISE and EDGAR gaze into each other's eyes.

CRUISE slowly and carefully reaches out with one hand to pet EDGAR, but the Espeon shirks away.

CLARENE

This place is called Far Island. It's concealed from most outsiders, so you've surely never heard of it.

When you're well enough to walk and talk, we can discuss finding you a way home. But for now...

OONAAKANI the Shuckle tips the contents of her shell into a bowl CLARENE is holding to one of her holes.

CLARENE (CONT'D)

The good news is that I can give you more powerful medicine since you aren't in a coma anymore.

You should begin healing much quicker now.

CLARENE holds the little bowl of juice to CRUISE's mouth.

CLARENE

Open up and drink this. Don’t bother moving.

CLARENE feeds him the juice.

CLARENE

Now get some sleep. Your body has a lot of healing to do.

Edgar, would you please? No need to use up my sleep syrup on him with you around.

EDGAR the Espeon's jewel glows, CRUISE is instantly asleep.

CLARENE

Stay here with Edgar, Oonaakani. I'll go comfort Alexander.

OONAAKANI

*gestures in agreement*

CLARENE leaves OONAAKANI the Shuckle and EDGAR the Espeon alone with the sleeping CRUISE.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM (LATER)

EDGAR is curled up beside the bed with his eyes shut. OONAAKANI is sitting nearby with her forelimbs crossed.

(Pokémon dialog in italics will be assumed to be "Poke-speak" understood only by other Pokémon.)

OONAAKANI

You did it Edgar. You kept him alive and now he's conscious again. You're a hero.

EDGAR

(eyes still shut)

I'm not a hero, Oonaakani. Saving Amos was just my job. It's what she would have wanted.

OONAAKANI

You've honored Lucia every second you've spent helping Amos, but you need to think of yourself as well. When he tried to pet you, you should have let him.

Maybe he loves you.

You might even love him, too.

EDGAR opens his eyes.

EDGAR

That would be ungrateful of to Lucia, and hurtful to Amos.

OONAAKANI

Lucia would have wanted you to be happy.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM (NIGHT)

CRUISE sleeps in the moonlit room, EDGAR lays next to the bed, still curled up, also asleep.

CRUISE grimaces in agony and stirs in his sleep, groaning.

Tears roll down his cheeks.

EDGAR lifts his head and looks at CRUISE.

CRUISE

(sleep talking)

They're gone. All my Pokémon are gone.

EDGAR rises and stands beside the bed, watching CRUISE with concern.

CRUISE

(sleep talking)

I don't deserved to be loved by Pokémon. I've failed you all.

EDGAR's gem glows softly.

CRUISE, freed from his nightmare, relaxes and slips into a calm state.

EDGAR very carefully steps up onto the bed, and lays alongside CRUISE's mending body.

EDGAR

(voice over)

I understand now, Oonakani.

EDGAR's whiskers graze Cruise's cheek. EDGAR closes his eyes.

EDGAR

(voice over)

That allowing myself to be loved by a human who needs me is what Lucia would have wanted.

CRUISE stirs in his sleep, puts an arm around EDGAR and snuggles him closer.

EDGAR

(voice over)

To honor Lucia's sacrifice. To pass on her love and allow it to flourish in another's heart, I will become this man's Pokémon, until he is reunited with his brothers and sisters.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM (MORNING)

CLARENE opens the bedroom door, OONAAKANI is beside her.

CRUISE, is still asleep, snuggled with EDGAR, who opens an eye toward the door.

CLARENE and OONAAKANI smile in subdued elation.

CRUISE

(voice over)

I've been laid up with injuries plenty of times, but never like this.

FLASHBACK -

CRUISE in a contemporary hospital room surrounded by his Pokémon.

CRUISE (CONT'D)

(voice over)

In the hospital my teammates would visit me every day, and all my Pokémon were there with me.

INT. BEDROOM (NIGHT)

CRUISE writes by candlelight as EDGAR lays alertly at his side, cuddled with him.

(The voice over dialog is the journal entry he is writing.)

CRUISE (V.O.) (CONT'D)

Now the only Pokémon I have is the Espeon who saved my life.

I've lost all my other Pokémon, and Edgar just recently lost his Trainer.

CRUISE pets EDGAR on the head. The Espeon purrs gently and nuzzles CRUISE's fingers.

CRUISE (CONT'D)

(voice over)

We seem to have taken to helping each other rebuild ourselves. It's been slow, but thanks to Edgar I'm making progress.

Two weeks after waking from my coma, I could speak again. I had a hell of a lot to talk about.

INT. BEDROOM - DAYTIME

CLARENE mixes medicine for CRUISE.

CLARENE

Alexander told me you boasted all morning about what an amazing Trainer you are.

CRUISE takes a labored breath, but it isn't as painful as before.

CRUISE

Yep. I won all sixteen of my region's badges and beat the Elite Four. And that was just for fun.

CLARENE

Impressive. Did you ever challenge the Champion?

CRUISE

No way.

Shania is on a whole other level.

I could never do as good a job as as she does running the Munia League, even if I beat her.

Battling is just a hobby for me. Pokémon Skyball is where my heart really lies.

CLARENE

Pokémon Skyball?

CRUISE

It's the hottest sport around in Munia and Unova.

At least it was till Pokémon Boccer came around, but that's not a real sport anyway, and -

CLARENE

So you're an athlete? I'd hardly have thought the way you've laid around this week.

To rebuild yourself I'd like you to walk at least quarter mile per day, however much it hurts.

After all the open fractures you bragged about to Alexander I know you can handle it.

CLARENE pours the medicine into a cup.

CLARENE

Take this syrup, then you can tell me all about Skyball. But you have to promise to start walking more often.

Deal?

CRUISE nods, and then swigs down the syrup.

CRUISE

Well, first I gotta tell you more about my team, the Arverna Cyclones.

We're absolutely, without a doubt -

CRUISE (CONT'D)/NEWSCASTER

The most popular team in the sport of Pokémon Airball -

CUT TO:

INT. NEWSROOM

A television NEWSCASTER sits behind his desk.

NEWSCASTER (CONT'D)

- officially loses its star player.

Arverna Cyclones team captain Amos Cruz Elroy, has been pronounced dead after a prolonged search and rescue effort.

SHOT OF -

Police comb a beach with Herdier, Arcanine, and other appropriate Pokémon.

NEWSCASTER

(voice over)

The Airball superstar known as "Cruise" by fans and teammates was last seen off the coast of the Munia region parish of Bellport, training with his Flygon, Sophia.

SHOT OF -

CRUISE and SOPHIA flying alongside other Arverna Cyclones teammates in an Airball match.

NEWSCASTER

(voice over)

While perfecting the arial maneuvers that made his once obscure home town in the District of East Unova famous, Elroy and his Pokémon vanished without a trace.

SHOT OF -

CHASE, a man CRUISE's age in an Arverna Cyclones uniform. A Wingull rests on his shoulder. A microphone is held to his face by an off screen reporter. Tears roll down his cheeks.

CHASE

I don't know. It's been more almost three months and we still don't have answers, he was just gone, no warning, no call for help, nothing.

It was a beautiful day, the weather was clear, I have no explanation, none of us do. I hope Cruise is alright, and Sophia, we want them to be okay but we're sure something funny went down.

REPORTER

(off screen)

So you suspect fowl play?

CHASE

Since Perfume Bay? Hell yeah.

SHOT OF -

A sea of protestors occupy the parking lot in front of a monolithic office building.

CRUISE, standing atop SOPHIA in the midst of the crowd, rallies them with a bullhorn.

NEWSCASTER

(voice over)

As a spokesman for the Munia Environmental Conservation Society, MECS, Cruise Elroy was key in organizing that massive three day protest that lead to the shutdown of a Munia Lighting Company power plant in the Perfume Bay area of Munia's parish of Clearwind.

INT. NEWSROOM

NEWSCASTER

MULICO's license to operate in Clearwind remains suspended due to pollution violations, costing the company billions, and leading to tougher regulations, the lasting legacy of an athlete respected for his love of Pokémon, and the environment.

Cruise Elroy will be honored at a public memorial at the Arverna City Arena in East Unova, next Saturday.

CUT TO:

The televised news report is being displayed on a monitor mounted on the wall of a room.

INT. BOARD ROOM (NIGHT)

The boardroom is within a great skyscraper. A cityscape can be seen beyond the window.

Three suited men sit around the table watching the news on the monitor.

The man at the lead of the table, EINS FELIX, is in his late fifties.

FELIX raises a TV remote and turns off the monitor.

A book rests on the table in front of him.

FELIX

This development certainly is unexpected. What say you two?

DARRYL BRAHAM, older than FELIX and far less vibrant, sits up in his seat.

BRAHAM

That Elroy character's stunt at Perfume Bay cost us all at MULICO a fortune. To be rid of him for good is a godsend.

The third man, notably younger than the others at thirty-nine years, and more snappily dressed, GRINGS KODAI, speaks out.

KODAI

Cruise has been trouble for us before, but his disappearance will surely cause trouble as well.

After Perfume Bay, I kept Cruise from openly assisting MECS by threatening to cut TV coverage of the Arverna Cyclones.

In his absence, however the surge of support and interest in anything Elroy related has grown beyond my ability to suppress.

FELIX

Are you aware Mr. Braham, that the public memorial for Cruise will also serve as a fundraiser to benefit environmental activists in Munia?

All of Munia and Unova will be watching and sending money, and your little friends at MECS will have all the funds they need to continue acting against MULICO.

BRAHAM grits his teeth.

BRAHAM

Well do something damnit!

What am I paying you two for?

Kodai, can't you contrive some emergency to distract people from watching the funeral?

KODAI

Infeasible. Not only is this the funeral of a celebrity, but the Munia Leauge's Champion will be speaking there as well.

Nothing can beat those ratings.

I'll have to contrive a technical difficulty.

BRAHAM

The Champion plans to speak at Elroy's funeral?

KODAI

No.

She will attend, and deliver a rousing speech on the outbreak of disease that's been killing Pokémon in Munia.

But for now, the thought of speaking there has yet to cross her simple little mind.

BRAHAM stands and slams his hands on the table, glaring at KODAI, who sits unflinchingly with his hands neatly folded.

BRAHAM

Well mister "I see the future", if you're so in tune with what's yet to come why couldn't you foresee the death of Cruise Elroy in the first place?

KODAI

My visions show me the future. What events I am shown in these visions are not of my choosing.

Besides, Cruise Elroy isn't dead.

FELIX raises an eyebrow. BRAHAM is agape.

BRAHAM

What?

FELIX

Where is he then? What do you know, Kodai?

KODAI

Cruise Elroy is without a doubt, alive.

He will return to Munia, and will cause us problems.

FELIX

When will he return?

KODAI

Some day.

FELIX

Some day, Kodai? Rather vague for a great prophet like yourself.

KODAI grimaces.

KODAI

My future vision was clouded.

FELIX

As it often is these days.

Your powers are fading, aren't they?

KODAI grunts, biting his lip.

KODAI

I have a plan to fix that. In due time.

FELIX

No matter. We'll act immediately. The old fashioned way. On instinct.

BRAHAM

Then what do we do, Felix? My company's future depends on -

FELIX rises from his seat. The chair scrapes the floor as it is shoved back.

FELIX

A lot more is riding on our plan than the fate of your company Mr. Braham.

KODAI also rises as FELIX walks to the great windows of the high rise office and looks into the starless, light polluted sky, holding his book.

FELIX

So, let's get started.

FELIX looks through the pane of glass into the sky.

CROSSFADE TO:

EXT. FAR ISLAND (NIGHT)

THE SKY -

The starry sky above Far Island is glorious.

CLARENE

(off screen)

Pokémon are beings who came to this world to rebuild it after the Great Annihilation.

Orange sparks rise into the starscape and flicker out in an instant.

PAN DOWN -

A fire is lit in the yard behind ALEXANDER's house.

Around the fire sit CLARENE with OONAAKANI the Shuckle by her side, ALEXANDER with MICHAEL the Grovyle sitting beside him, and CRUISE, who is reclining on a mat, propped up by pillows.

EDGAR is curled up beside CRUISE, and they all gaze into the stars.

CLARENE

And ever since those days, Pokémon have inhabited the world. Some of them living in the wild to uphold the laws of nature...

CLARENE pauses as a wedge of honking Swanna glides high above the treetops and out of sight.

CLARENE

...while other Pokémon, like our brothers and sisters here beside us, have devoted themselves to humanity.

They are our friends, our partners, our guardians.

The Pokémon who are part of our lives lend us their strength and talent so that we may learn to be more like them, and in doing so eliminate suffering from the world.

On Far Island, this is the belief we've always lived by. It is why we value the love of Pokémon above everything else.

CRUISE continues to gaze into the sky as he slowly pets Edgar.

CRUISE

I can believe that.

But if Pokémon obey humans to help us end suffering, then why do they obey people who do nothing but cause suffering?

CLARENE

There's no simple answer to that.

I only know that when given a choice between good and evil, Pokémon in their natural state have been far more reliable in siding with good than people have.

ALEXANDER

We don't pretend that bad people don't use Pokémon for evil. That's why we treat Pokémon Training as a martial art.

There's an Academy on this island of Trainers and Pokémon who spend their entire lives preparing to fight evil.

CRUISE laboriously sits up on his mat, rising from the pillows.

EDGAR springs to his feet.

CRUISE

I want to join them.

We both do, my brother and I.

ALEXANDER

Not yet, Cruise. You've got the mind and spirit for it, but not the body.

CLARENE

He's right. Their training is extremely severe. They run the entire eastern beach of the island every morning, and in spite of your promise to me, you've yet to even walk out of sight of Alexander's home yet.

Speaking objectively as a doctor I could never recommend -

CRUISE

We'll see then. Edgar, help me up, please.

EDGAR uses telekinesis to gently lift CRUISE to his feet.

Leaning on a wooden walking stick, CRUISE begins to hobble away from the fire, with EDGAR by his side.

ALEXANDER rises, his Grovyle continues to lay at his feet.

ALEXANDER

Hey there, where do you think you're going? You heard Clarene!

CRUISE

Me and Edgar are gonna talk a walk down the beach. Gotta start somewhere, right?

ALEXANDER

You've never even been to the beach.

CRUISE

No, but Edgar knows the way.

CRUISE and EDGAR slowly continue off into the darkened village.

ALEXANDER begins to follow.

ALEXANDER

Get back here! Are you craz-

CLARENE

Stop. Let him go, Alex.

ALEXANDER stops, and watches as CRUISE and EDGAR vanish into the night.

CLARENE

He needs the exercise. Physically, and

mentally.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST TRAIL (NIGHT)

CRUISE and EDGAR make their way down a narrow trail in a claustrophobic and shadowy forest.

CLARENE

(voice over)

We can could keep him in bed another few months, keep giving him medicine. His body would mend eventually, but not his spirit.

CRUISE trips over a root and falls forward. EDGAR rushes in to break CRUISE's fall, and crumples to the forest floor with him. Both yelp with pain.

CLARENE

(voice over)

But for Cruise to truly heal, he needs more than what I as a doctor can give him.

With great effort, EDGAR lifts himself from the ground, hoisting CRUISE up along with him. He then telekinetically lifts CRUISE to his feet again.

EDGAR picks the cane from the ground and hands it to CRUISE.

CLARENE

(voice over)

Something to live for. To fight for.

CRUISE strokes EDGAR's head briefly with his free hand as EDGAR presses his head against his thigh in a cat-like gesture of affection, though neither smile.

CRUISE and EDGAR continue steadfastly through the forest together.

CLARENE

(voice over)

That man's other brothers and sisters are out there somewhere, waiting for him.

AERIAL SHOT -

From above, we see that the trail CRUISE and EDGAR are walking along is leading them toward the beach, their arrival at the coast is imminent.

CLARENE

(voice over)

And when the time comes, he wants to be ready to fight alongside them...

CUT TO:

UNDERWATER -

A Dragonair with a cracked horn swims fiercely toward the beach.

Dangling from the Dragonair's mouth like a string of pearls is CRUISE's belt clip, the six Pokéballs still firmly attached.

CLARENE

(voice over)

...to fight the evil in the world that tore them apart...

CAMERA RISES FROM THE WATER -

CLARENE

(voice over)

...and to defend the good that will bring them together again...

CRUISE and EDGAR emerge from the forest and set foot upon the beach. They stand side by side and look out into the sea, which is lit by a bright, full moon.

The Dragonair leaps from the water.

CRUISE sees the water dragon bearing his Pokémon, and is in silent awe.

CLARENE

(voice over)

Because that is the destiny of a Pokémon Warrior.

END OF EPISODE 2 - "POKEMON WARRIOR"

NEXT TIME:

A family is reunited.

ARE YOU PREPARED?