Pokemon Learning League

Coping with the Loss of a Loved One

Written By
Timothy Whitfield

(Episode opens with Ash, Pikachu, Serena and

Brock arriving in Ecruteak City from Route 38 on a
partly cloudy & windy day. Sunlight pokes through
some of the clouds, which are moving in the wind.
Serena feels the wind blowing and speaks to the
others.)
Serena: Ahh. The wind feels good today.
Ash: Yeah, it sure does.
(They go on into the city and are taken in by the
Old World atmosphere feeling.)
Ash: Man, it feels good to be back here.
Pikachu: Pika, Pikachu.
Brock: You said it.
Serena (wondering): So, what makes Ecruteak
special?
Brock: It has a lot of myths & legends surrounding
it, and it has an interesting history.
Serena (understanding): Ah-ha.
(As they go on, they take notice of the Tin Tower in
the distance, as well as passing by the Burned
Tower. Now, they go by the Ecruteak gym. We
dissolve to twelve minutes later, where the trio are
going down the street until come to a small shop,
where a special lunch is being served.)
Serena: How about we stop here for some lunch?

(Ash and Brock both nod their heads in agreement.

Moments later, they have a small lunch, which
consists of tea, rolls, curry and kabobs.)
Pikachu (satisfied): Chu!
Brock: This was a good idea, Serena.
Serena: Thanks.
(Now, minutes later, they have some Sata andagi.)
Ash (contented): Oh, this is really good.
Serena: It certainly is. (She turns over to Brock.)
So, Brock, where should we go to after this?
(Brock goes into his backpack and pulls out a map
of Johto.)
Brock: We can stop in Mahogany Town, and then
head up to Lake Rage.
Ash: Sounds good to me.
(Moments later, they finish up the rest of the food
and clean up the area. Now, they pack up their
bags and stand back up. Just as theyre about to
leave, they see on the wall a poster for a tea
ceremony being hosted by the Kimono Sisters.)
Ash: Oh, theyre having another tea ceremony.
Brock: Yeah. Lets go check it out.
(They finish up their lunch, leave the shop and
head over to the dance theatre.)

Serena: So, what are these Kimono Sisters like?

Brock: Theyre not only really beautiful and hold
great tea ceremonies, but theyre also really skilled
trainers.
Serena: Oh. What kind of Pokemon do they use?
Ash: They like to use many of Eevees evolutions.
Serena (getting it): I see.
(As they continue along down the street, Serena
takes two notice of two young trainers, Malaki and
Laura, who are sitting on a bench and have their
heads drooping & sulking, with a Lopunny and a
Meowstic comforting them & stops in her tracks.
Malaki has long, black hair, green eyes and is
wearing an orange shirt, black jeans and sneakers.
Laura has long, blonde hair in a ponytail, sapphire
eyes, and is wearing a violet t-shirt, a long skirt,
stockings and flats.)
Ash: Is there anything wrong, Serena?
Serena: Yeah. Those two over there arent looking
too good.
(She points over to the two.)
Brock (getting it): Oh. What do you think is wrong
with them?
Serena: I dont know. Lets go ask them.

(They go over to the two, who lift up their heads

and see them coming.)
Ash: Hello, there. My names Ash, and this is
Pikachu.
Pikachu: Pikachu.
Serena: Hey, Im Serena.
Brock: And Im Brock.
Laura (dejectedly): Hello. Im Laura.
Malaki (dejectedly): And Im Malaki.
Brock: What seems to be the problem?
Malaki: Our Uncle Masato just passed away last
week.
Serena (sympathetically): Oh, Im sorry to hear
that.
Laura: Its all right. Our parents havent been
taking it well, either.
Brock: Tell us. What was he like?
Malaki: Well
(Now, we dissolve to a flashback/montage, where
we the great moments they had with their uncle.
Masato has slightly grayed hair, blue eyes and is
wearing a blueish-green shirt, jean shorts and
black sneakers orange racing stripes. We see him,
along with their parents, showing them the

possibilities of what Pokemon can do, to caring for

any injured and young wild Pokemon, and teaching
them new moves. Now, we see him giving
beginning trainers some training tips and shows
them unique catching methods, as well as
demonstrating how to sneak up on a wild
Pokemon. Then, we see them having fun with
Lopunny & Meowstic, and also having a good time
with the family at the beach. Montage ends with
them looking out at a beautiful sunset. Flashback
to the present day.)
Ash: Thats pretty amazing.
Malaki: Yeah. And now, they wont be the same
anymore.
(They both lower their heads & each shed a single
tear.)
Brock: How have you been coping with it?
(Malaki & Laura both wipe off their eyes.)
Laura: Not too well. Weve mourned over it,
accepted that hes gone and even honored him by
taking care of his Pokemon, but its only helped a
little.
Brock: Well, dont worry. Diana can help you out
with this.
(He goes into his backpack, takes out the
Pokepilot, turns it on, and calls Diana, who is

watching a Pokemon race and studying the

movements of the Pokemon. She pauses the
video.)
Diana: Hello, guys. Hows it going?
Brock: Were doing well, Diana. What kind of short
are you working on now?
Diana: It involves a very dangerous race to try &
get off an island before it sinks into the ocean.
Ash: That sounds intense.
Diana: Oh, it will be. (She takes notice of Laura &
Malaki.) Hello, there. Im Diana.
Malaki (sadly): Hi, Im Malaki and this is Laura.
Diana: Is there something wrong with them?
Brock: Yeah, there is. Their uncle had passed away
last week.
Diana (sympathetically): Oh, thats sad to hear.
Serena: Yeah, and they need some help coping
with it, so do you know anything they can do?
Diana: Of course I do. To start with, there are some
phases that you might go through over the next
few weeks. Therell be times where youll feel
lonely and act like no one knows how you feel.
Remind yourself that other people have also felt
the way you do and that this is normal.

Serena: Okay, whats next?

Diana: Another way is to find or do something
thatll give you comfort, like playing with your
Pokemon, going for a swim or having lunch with a
good friend.
Brock: All right, now what?
Diana: This next one is one thats very common,
but helpful: knowing that things will get better.
The first year after someones passing is always
the hardest time, as youll experience many first
occasions without that loved one being there, but
know that everything will improve from there.
Ash: Okay, whats the next thing they can do?
Diana: Try to look for & talk to someone you trust
about your feelings. Yes, it may be obvious, but
doing this will help you clarify your confusion, as
well as ease the pain & anger.
Laura: Okay, what else?
Diana: Dont ignore their passing. Trying to
suppress your feelings is not only unhealthy, but
itll also cause them to come out in some other
way, such as getting angry at close friends or
crying at random points.
Malaki: All right, anything else?

Diana: One other way is to be sure that you have a

support group with your family & friends.
Sometimes, it helps to cope with problems by
having people you can talk to, and Im sure youre
already doing that.
Ash: Those are some pretty good ways of doing it.
Diana: Indeed they can be, which is why Im going
to show you something.
Serena: Okay, Diana.
(Pan up to an upper panel showing four trainers
trying to cope with a respective loss.)
Diana: All right, you guys ready to do it?
Brock: You bet.
Diana: Very well, then. Here, this man is grieving
over the passing of his grandfather. How do you
think hell cope with it?
Brock: Hell look for & talk to a friend he trusts.
Diana: All right, Brock. Now, girl is coping with the
loss of her father. How do you think shell cope
with it?
Laura: She might go through a phase before she
gets better.
Diana: Very well, Laura. Now, this boy and his
Litleo are mourning over the loss of grandmother,

who was also their original teacher. How do you

think hell cope with it?
Malaki: He wont ignore his passing or suppress his
feelings in any way.
Diana: All right, Malaki. You guys
Ash: Thanks, Diana.
Pikachu: Pika.
Diana: No problem, Ash. Now, I better get back to
animating this. See you guys later. Oh, and I hope
you two feel better.
Malaki & Laura: Thanks, Diana.
(Brock turns the Pokepilot off, and puts it back in
his pocket.)
Laura: By the way, where are you guys heading to?
Serena: Oh, were going off to a tea ceremony.
Laura: That sounds interesting.
Brock: Yep. Would you two like to come along?
(Laura & Malaki think for a few seconds and nod
their heads.)
Brock: Okay, then. Lets go.
(They get up from the bench and they all head off
to the tea ceremony. As they go along, Malaki
hears a faint cry.)

Malaki: You guys hear that?

Ash: Yeah. Its over there.
(They go over to the source and find an injured &
young Timburr stumbling around and looking really
tired and hungry.)
Malaki: That Timburr isnt looking too good.
Brock: Youre right.
Malaki (confidently): Let Laura and I handle this
one.
(He and Laura go over to it.)
Malaki (gently): Hey, you feeling all right?
(It trembles & shakes its head.)
Malaki: Dont worry, well help you out. (He turns
over to Laura.) Laura, you have any food with you?
Laura: Let me see.
(She goes into her bag and gets a small can of
Pokemon food.)
Laura: Here you go.
Malaki: Thanks. (He pours out a handful and gives
it to Timburr.) Here, have some of this.
(Timburr sniffs the food and eats it.)
Timburr (happily): Tim-burr.
Malaki: Glad you like it.

(Laura pulls out a Super Potion.)

Laura: Now, Timburr, please hold still. This wont
hurt a bit.
(She gently sprays the potion on some of its
wounds.)
Brock (impressed): Your uncle taught you two very
well.
Laura: Yeah, he sure did. (She turns back over to
Timburr.) Hey, how about you tell us where you
live?
(It nods its head in agreement and points them in
the right direction. Dissolve to moments later,
where they arrive at the location. Laura knocks on
the door and a lady, named Belle, answers it. She
has blonde hair, red eyes, and is wearing a silk
dress, stockings and flats.)
Belle: Yes, how can I help you?
Laura: Excuse me, maam, but is this your Timburr?
(She looks down at it & examines it.)
Belle: (gasps in happiness.) Yes, it is.
(She picks it up & hugs it.)
Belle (lovingly): Oh, Timburr. I was so worried
about you.
Timburr (happily): Timburr.

(She turns over to Malaki & Laura.)

Belle: Thanks for taking care of it for me & helping
it out.
Laura and Malaki: Youre welcome, Miss.
Belle: Hang on, let me give you something.
(She gets out a bowl full of berries and gives both
of them some Leppa & Sitrus berries.)
Both: Thank you.
Belle: Youre welcome. You have a good day now.
(She closes the door and the duo return to the
trio.)
Serena (complementing): That was really nice of
you two.
Both (appreciatively): Thanks, Serena.
Brock: So, guys, how about we do one thing before
we get going?
Ash: All right, Brock. Lets see if the viewers are up
for doing this.
Serena: Okay. (She turns over to the audience.)
Hey, you guys up for doing this? (She casually
waits for an answer from the audience.) Oh, all
right.
(Dissolve to three more trainers mourning over the
loss of their respective loved ones.)

Ash (V.O.): Okay, lets do it. Here, this trainer is

grieving over the passing of her mentor, her
grandfather. How do you think shell cope with it?
(He casually waits for an answer from the audience
for one and a half seconds.) Do something thatll
give her comfort. All right.
Serena (V.O.): Now, this boy is trying to cope with
the loss of his aunt, who was a great Pokemon
doctor. How do you think hell cope with it? (She
casually waits for an answer from the audience for
one and a half seconds.) By knowing that thing will
get better in the future. Okay, then.
Brock (V.O.): Lastly, this trainer is mourning over
the loss of his mother, who was a great
coordinator. How do you think shell cope with it?
(He casually waits for an answer from the audience
for one and a half seconds.) By having a support
group with his family & friends. Very well.
(Dissolve back to the gang and Serena casually
speaks to the audience.)
Serena (casually): You guys did great.
Brock: Well, lets get going.
(Moments later, they arrive at the garden where
the tea ceremony, One of the Kimono Sisters,
Sumomo, comes up & greets them. She has
purple eyes, and is wearing a black wig, a pink

headband, a green kimono with a yellow

undersash that has a bubble decoration and
sandals.)
Sumomo: Welcome, everyone.
(She bows to them.)
Sumomo: We hope you enjoy the tea ceremony
today.
(They bow back to her and go on through the rest
of the area. Now, they stop by a small group,
where Tamao is giving a demonstration of the art
of ikebana, or flower arrangement. Tamao has
brown eyes, and is wearing a black wig with an
orange headband, an orange kimono with purple
markings on it & a pink undersash and sandals.)
Tamao: Its very important to know just where each
flower goes.
(She places one flower in the center.)
Serena: Those flowers look really beautiful.
Laura (agreeing): Yeah, they sure are.
(They continue on through. Three and a half
minutes later, they find the next Kimono Sister,
Koume, who is playing a tune on her shamisen.
She has dark green eyes, and is wearing a black
wig with a beige headband and light blue kimono

with an orange undersash. It also has a large

heart on it.)
Laura: That is a lovely song shes playing.
Ash: Yeah, it sure is.
(They resume on through the garden. Brock looks
over to the duo.)
Brock: So, you two feeling a little better now?
Malaki: Actually, yeah we are.
Brock: Good to hear.
(Now, we cross-fade to two minutes later, where
they come to an outdoor tea room.)
Brock: Well, here it is. Lets head inside.
(They enter the room, where Satsuki is sitting in
her place with a tea set by her side. She has
amber eyes, and is wearing a black wig with a
green headband in it and a blue kimono with a
light blue undersash.)
Satsuki: Welcome, honorable guests.
(They all sit down on their knees and bow. Pikachu
rests on Ashs lap.)
All: Thank you.
Satsuki: Feel free to relax and please enjoy the tea.

(She pours the tea into tea bowls and stirs them
with a whisk.)
Serena: So, is the tea any good?
Ash: Oh, just wait and see.
(Satsuki hands them each a bowl.)
Satsuki: Be sure you turn your bowl before you
drink.
(She turns her bowl and sips from it. The others do
the same thing.)
All (contended): Ahh.
(Just then, her youngest sister, Sakura, comes in.
She has purple eyes and is wearing a black wig
with a yellow headband in it and a pink kimono
with a blue undersash.)
Sakura: Hey, there guys.
Brock: Hey, Sakura. Howve you been doing?
Sakura: Just terrific, Brock.
Brock: Good to hear.
(Sakura takes notice of Serena, Laura and Malaki.)
Sakura: Oh, hello. Im Sakura.
Serena: Nice to meet you. Im Serena.
Laura: Hi, Im Laura.
Malaki: And Im Malaki.

(She comes in and sits next to Satsuki.)

Sakura: So, how are you guys enjoying the tea?
Serena: Its terrific.
Sakura: Thats great to hear.
(The other sisters come in.)
Sumomo: Hi, Im Sumomo.
Tamao: Hey, Im Tamao.
Koume: And Im Koume.
Laura, Malaki & Serena: Nice to meet you.
Malaki (curiously): So, are you all really good
trainers?
Satsuki (reaffirming): Indeed, we are. We do a lot
of training with them.
Malaki: Thats great.
Tamao: Mmm-hmm. Oh, speaking of which, we got
some new ones not too long ago. Would you like to
see them?
Ash: Sure.
(Satsuki, Sakura and Tamao each take out one
Pokeball.)
All: Go!
(They toss them up and a Glaceon, Sylveon and a
Leafeon emerge from them.)

Sylveon: Sylveon!
Leafeon: Leafeon!
Glaceon: Glaceon!
Serena (impressed): They all look really good.
Sakura (flattered & appreciatively): Well, thanks
Serena.
(Glaceon comes up to her and gives her a friendly
snuggle.)
Brock: They all look very healthy.
Sakura: Yep, and they know plenty of good moves,
too.
Ash: Thats cool.
Sakura: Thanks, Ash.
Laura (wondering): So, what kind of plans do you
guys have after the tea ceremony?
Sumomo: Yes. Were going to do some training
later on.
Ash (intrigued): Sounds nice. Do you mind if we
join you later?
Sumomo: No, not at all.
Ash: Oh, good.
(They all turn over to the audience.)
All: Thanks a lot, guys.

Pikachu: Pika.
(Now, we dissolve to moments where the gang and
the Kimono Sisters are chatting with each other.)
Brock: That was an interesting episode. Did you
guys enjoy it? (He casually waits for an answer
from the audience for one second.) Oh, all right
then. Well see you next time.
(They causally wave goodbye to the audience and
resume on chatting. Now, we fade to black, ending
the episode.)