EM007: Moving Past Milotic

Moving Past Milotic (VSミロカロス) is the 1st chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 27.

Synopsis
Emerald continues his Battle Pike challenge, going through each room to test his "Luck". At the very end, he faces Lucy and starts the battle. Elsewhere, Noland, in the Battle Factory, checks the records and finds something odd about the Sceptile Emerald was using.

Chapter Plot
Emerald faces two virtual trainers, who use Dusclops and a Kirlia. Emerald sends his own two Pokémon, Rapidash and Starmie. Dusclops manages to freeze Rapidash, while Starmie fell asleep. The reporter thinks Emerald is unlucky enough to have his Pokémon get frozen and asleep at the very first room. Emerald remains unphased, as Rapidash breaks out of ice by using Flame Wheel, while Starmie consumed the Lum Berry and woke up. Rapidash uses Double-Edge and Starmie Thunderbolt, defeating Kirlia and Dusclops. The reporter is glad Emerald overcame those obstacles, and even if Starmie got affected by a negative status move, the Natural Cure will dispel such effects. Lucy smiles, while the reporter wonders which person was Emerald referring to, since he did claim that person sent him to the Battle Frontier and lends out Pokémon.

Emerald, however, chooses a door and faces a man. Emerald goes to send a Pokémon for the battle, but the man walks away, feeling hot, yet claiming water makes him fat. The reporter is startled, for nothing notable happened. Lucy confirms there will be many events Emerald can face - Tag Battles, Single Battles, conversations, options to heal Pokémon, Pokémon that inflict negative status effects or facing even wild Pokémon. Lucy claims one could even go through healing and conversation rooms, but the reporter knows well if Emerald takes the battles, he'd be too worn out to face Lucy herself. Lucy also reminds the reporter Emerald had to give away all his items, so he cannot use potions or similar items during the challenge. The reporter wonders how can a challenger cross 140 rooms with such strict rules. Lucy assures him if one is lucky enough, they are able to, thinking the reporter should ask Emerald how does he fare.

Emerald faces a Milotic at 42nd room - the last room of the third set. Emerald wonders a bit and runs off, startling the reporter for such an action. The reporter comes to Emerald, who goes to start another set of challenges. The reporter wants to know why Emerald ran off from Milotic. Emerald replies it was a wild Pokémon and if fast enough, he could avoid the battle. Emerald reminds the reporter the wisest decision is to avoid battle, since he may not be lucky enough to enter a room with a healing event. Plus, Emerald is given hints by the maids, who stand near the doors. Lucy pulls the reporter back, since Emerald has to start a new set of challenges. Emerald enters the 43rd room and the maid tells she heard some whispers on the room on the right. Emerald suspects this is a Tag Battle event and enters it, facing a Raichu and a Fearow. Emerald passes more rooms and is given tips by the maids, then chooses the rooms which he wants to enter.

Lucy watches on the monitors and is impressed by Emerald, who can predict which events lie in certain rooms, through the hints given by the maids. Lucy clarifies to the reporter Emerald can choose one of the rooms, in which the events are already determined, for it is more of a game to draw out luck. Lucy leaves, since it is her time to act. Emerald arrives to a set of rooms and is told, by the maid, Emerald will face something horrible - in all three rooms. The reporter sees Emerald is near the end, since he is standing in the 139th room - and, in the next one, Lucy is awaiting. Emerald knew it was coming and sends Blissey, who starts with Seismic Toss, hitting Seviper.

At the Battle Factory, Brandon, Greta, Tucker and Scott invite Noland to watch Lucy defeating Emerald, the little punk. Noland refuses, for he has to check something. Noland checks the system and cannot find the Sceptile Emerald was using in it, nor its records. Noland suspects someone has went into the storage system and planted Sceptile. Upon saying these words, Noland gets attacked.

Pokémon

 * Emerald's Rapidash
 * Emerald's Starmie
 * Emerald's Blissey
 * Lucy's Milotic
 * Lucy's Shuckle

Item
Lum Berry (explanation)