Show them your Marsh Badge

“Hehehe… Yesterday I beat the Saffron Gym Leader and got…”

You reach into the badge pocket of your backpack and retrieve… nothing.

……

It’s not there. In fact, none of them are there. All your badges are gone.

…………

A bloodcurdling cry can be heard in every corner of Saffron City, prompting the numerous stray pigeons to fly away in droves. A slight breeze can be felt across the planet as a sound wave ripples across oceans and through mountains. Somewhere in space, the crew aboard an alien spacecraft has a panic attack as they fear the sound they’ve picked up is the battlecry from an enemy vessel. At least, that’s how you imagine the sound you make.

Items Lost: Cascade Badge, Thunder Badge, Soul Badge, Rainbow Badge, Marsh Badge

Master Kim and Charlotte are still covering their ears, but that doesn’t stop you from dropping to your knees and clinging to the blonde master, bawling your eyes out all the while.

“YOU FOOL! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU- Oh. You’re crying.” She pauses a moment before declaring, “Charlotte! Mediate this issue! I have no skill in handling emotional problems!”

“Y-Yes sensei! Emilia, what’s wrong?”

You look up at Charlotte with your saddest sad eyes. “THEY’RE GOOOOOOOONE!”

“WHAT’S GONE!?” Kim sputters. “ASK HER WHAT’S GONE!”

Charlotte echoes, “What’s gone, Emilia? Did you lose something?” She rubs your head reassuringly.

“MYYYYYYY BAAAAADGEEEEEEEEESS!!!”

“SHE LOST HER BADGES!?”

Ignoring her teacher, Charlotte asks, “You lost your badges? That’s terrible! Where did you see them last? Maybe we can backtrack and find them.”

Through sobs and sniffles, you recount all of your experiences from the prior day in vivid, excruciating detail. In your **** state, your filter is completely off, so you spend way more time describing the events of Sabrina’s Gym than necessary.

Charlotte remarks, “W-Wow, that sounds terrible. What a harrowing experience! I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like that myself. Oh my…”

“Focus, Charlotte!” Master Kim scolds, though her flushed cheeks suggest she’s a bit thrown off as well. “Given your story, Emilia, it’s obvious what happened. Before you woke up, Sabrina removed your badges from your backpack as a precautionary measure in case you escaped. As long as she has them, you’ll have to return and challenge her again.”

You shudder at the thought. Even if battling her wasn’t hard, just being around her was extremely dangerous. And, judging from what you saw on TV, you might get squashed on your way there! Still recovering from your crying fit, you manage, “At least she’ll *sniff* be easy to beat again. *sniff*”

Kim crosses her arms, closes her eyes, and taps her foot for a few seconds. “…YOU FOOOOOL!!!”

Both you and Charlotte are knocked onto your asses by Master Kim competing with you for World’s Most Startling Scream.

“You truly think Sabrina is easy to beat? You’re just as ignorant as my old students! That psychotic girl only let you win in hopes of being your friend!”

“WHAT!?”

“I’M CERTAIN!!! Each of her pokemon has exceptional abilities, and her own psychic talent makes her more synchronized with her pokemon than any other trainer in the Pokemon League! To underestimate her is to admit defeat before the battle has even begun!”

“N-No way!” you argue. “I get that she was crazy and lonely, but she wouldn’t throw an official league match as a Gym Leader just for that… would she…?”

“You dare doubt me? Consider this. When the League was interested in setting up a Gym in Saffron City, the only one interested in being the leader was myself. It wasn’t until they announced the location of the Gym that Sabrina showed interest, and that location was her old school. Do you know why?”

“Why?”

“BECAUSE SHE NEVER MADE ANY FRIENDS AT SCHOOL, AND SHE STILL HASN’T GIVEN UP!”

Your eyes go wide, your bottom lip trembles, and… you attach yourself to Kim’s legs and start crying again. “THAAAAAAT’S SOOO SAAAAAAAAD!!!”

“No! You were supposed to be terrified of her insanity, not be moved to tears! Charlotte! Mediate!”

“E-Emilia, you’re sympathizing with a crazy girl. Even I know better than that…”

“Wait *sniff* why’s Sabrina the Gym Leader and not you, Master Kim?” you ask.

“Grrr… can’t you figure that much out for yourself? SHE BEAT ME IN A BATTLE!”

“Did she *sniff* do things *sniff* to you?”

Master Kim sputters, “Sh-She was just as crazy back then as she is now, and that’s all I have to say on the matter! It was good to see you Emilia, but I must return to my class, and you must regain your badges. Feel free to return again if you find time, though I expect you to lift the shame of losing your badges before then.”