Pokmon Learning League

Rock Cycle

Written By
Timothy Whitfield
(Episode opens with an overhead shot of Unova
Route 6 on a mostly sunny afternoon, showing the
canopies of trees, patches of grass, rivers flowing
and a flock of Duckletts and Swannas flying
through. Now, we pan down into it and find Serena
walking about, being taken in by its calm
atmosphere. She looks over to the audience.)
Serena (casually): Hey there, guys.
(She continues onward. Now, a breeze blows
through the area and the clouds move across the
sky, casting shadows in some spots. Serena
stretches out her arms.)
Serena (to herself): Ahh. I think Braixen would love
to enjoy this.
(She gets out a Pokeball, opens it up and Braixen
appears out of it.)
Serena: Hey, Braixen. Would you like to take a
stroll through this forest with me?
Braixen: Brai-xen.
Serena: I thought you would.
(They start onward through the forest. As they go
along, Serena and Braixen take in some of the
sights theyre beholden to, from a herd of
Sawsbuck and their Deerling foraging for food, an
open field where some Petilil & Lilligant basking in
the Sun, a Tranquill fending off a Karrablast from
its nest and an Audino healing up a wounded
Poliwag. Suddenly, the ambience is disrupted by
the sound of a nearby quarrel.)
Serena (to Braixen): You hear that?
Braixen (confirming): Braix.
Serena: Lets see what is it.
(They rush over to the source. They find a group
of Swadloon and Leavanny and another of Foongus
and Amoonguss standing off face to face.)
Serena: Oh, no. This is about to get bad.
Braixen: Brai-xen.
(They all exchange intimidating looks and poses at
each other and then ferociously lash out at each
other.)
Serena: Braixen, break up this fight with a small
Flamethrower.
Braixen: Braix.
(She pulls out her wand stick from her tail and a
red flame appears at the tip of it. Now, Braixen
fires a small stream of red-orange flames down the
center between both groups, whom cease
quarreling.)
Serena: Okay, thats enough. Now, what seems to
be the problem?
(The Pokemon resume quarreling with each other.
She looks over to their area and sees there are
numerous Swadloon & Leavanny nests spread
across, with some going into the Foongus and
Amoongusss territory.)
Serena (getting it): Ah-ha. Heres an easy solution:
try dividing the area into equal sections.
(They shake their heads to say, No.)
Serena: All right, how about having it during
certain points in the day?
(They shake their heads again.)
Serena: O-kay. Hmmm
(She thinks for a minute, then gets an idea.)
Serena (to the Swadloon & Leavanny): Listen, I saw
a bigger not too far from here. You could make
that your new home. What do you think
(They ponder about it for a moment, and then nod
their heads as if to say, All right, sounds good.)
Serena (pleased): Oh, good.
(The Leavanny pick up the Swadloon and depart
for their new home. Serena waves to them.)
Serena: Good luck in your new home. (She turns
over to Braixen.) Well, come on, Braixen.
(They resume along down the path. As they
continue on their way through, they come across a
wounded wild Emolga struggling to get across the
path, scuffed up, exhausted and on the verge of
collapse.)
Emolga (very weary): Eeeee-molga.
(It collapses to the ground. Serena and Braixen
rush over to it and kneel down to its level. Serena
feels its forehead.)
Serena: My goodness. Braixen, go get some
berries, quick.
Braixen: Braix.
(She walks off. Now, Serena gets a hyper potion
out of her backpack and gently sprays it around
the affected area. Now, we see Braixen go over to
a nearby berry bush and picks a couple of Sitrus
berries and brings them back over.)
Serena: Thanks.
(She gives one to Emolga, whom eats it.)
Emolga (a little more energetic): Emolga.
Serena: Good to see youre a little better. Tell us
what happened to you.
Emolga: E-molga.
(It points over to a tree four feet where they are
and starts punching the air.)
Serena: Oh, you were protecting your home. Okay,
then. Lets get you back to your tree.
(Serena carries it over back over to its tree. She
places on a branch.)
Serena: There. Now, you get plenty of rest now.
Emolga (saying Thank you): Em-olga.
Serena: Youre welcome. See you.
(Emolga waves goodbye to Serena, who does the
same as she and Braixen resume down the path.
Cross fade to moments later, where they come
upon a wide secluded area near a river. A couple
of berry bushes sit near the edge of the border.)
Serena: This looks like a nice spot to take a break.
Braixen (agreeing): Braix.
(Serena & Braixen sit on the ground. Now, Serena
takes her boots & socks off and dips her feet into
the river.)
Serena (contented): Ahh. (She turns over to
Braixen.) Doesnt this feel good?
Braixen (contented): Brai-xen.
(They both lay out on the grass and look up at the
sky.)
Serena: Just think of the kinds of adventures well
have here in Unova.
(Braixen nods her head in agreement. Now, they
see a cloud in the shape of a Pichu moving across
the sky.)
Serena: Thats really cute. (She turns over to
Braixen.) You think well do good in the contests
here?
Braixen: Braix.
Serena: I think so, too.
(They both sit back up. Just then, Serena spots
something shimmering at the bottom of the river
bed.)
Serena: Hmm, whats this?
(She reaches into the riverbed, digs through it and
pulls out a blue rock with mottled yellow streaks
across it.)
Serena (in awe): Wow! Would you look at that? Its
beautiful.
Braixen (concurring): Braix.
Serena: What sort of rock do you think it is?
(Braixen shrugs her shoulders.)
Serena: Yeah, thats what I thought. Hmm, perhaps
Siara may know what kind it is.
(She goes into her backpack, gets out the
Pokepilot, turns it on and speed dial calls Siara,
whom is making blueprints for a hydroelectric
generator.)
Siara: Hey, there Serena.
Serena: Hi, Siara. What are those blueprints for?
Siara: Theyre for a new hydroelectric generator
thatll draw power from the ocean.
Serena: Oh, that sounds great.
Siara: Mmm-hmm. So, what have you been up to?
Serena: Well, I helped settle a quarrel with two
groups of Pokemon and saved an injured Emolga.
Siara: Thats terrific. Congrats to you on that.
Serena: Thank you. Right now, Braixen and I are
resting up near this river and I found this pretty-
looking rock in the riverbed.
Siara: Really? Lets see it.
(She holds the rock up to the screen and Siara
thoroughly examines it.)
Siara (intrigued): Ah-ha.
Serena: Well, what kind is it?
Siara: What you have there a lapis.
Serena: Oh. Is it rare?
Siara: You bet it is. Its one of the rarest rocks in
the world.
Serena: Neat.
Siara: Mmm-hmm. You know, rocks are a bit more
complex than most would think?
Serena: Really? How?
Siara: For starters, many of them are formed in
various ways. In fact, theyre categorized into
three types: igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic.
Serena: Thats very interesting.
Siara: Yep, and each one can change into another
type in a never-ending cycle known as the rock
cycle.
Serena: Okay, but how does it start?
Siara: Well, it actually begins with magma. When it
either hits the surface, or is underground, it
undergoes a process called crystallization, where it
cools and hardens into an igneous rock. Also, what
kind it turns into depends on the chemical
composition and the rate the magma cools.
(As she goes, the animated images to the side of
her synchronize with the words.)
Serena: Ahh, okay. Now, how do they turn into
sedimentary ones?
Siara: Its a bit tricky. What happens is that rocks
go through whats called weathering, where they
get worn down over a period of time and change
into smaller rocks, or sediments. From there,
theyre transported to other locations via water,
wind, gravity or ice in whats known as erosion.
Then afterwards, the sediments are deposited, and
once enough of them have accumulated, theyre
compacted & cemented together into an entirely
new rock.
Serena: Oh, that is complex.
Siara: Yep, but were not through yet. Now, when a
rock is exposed to a lot of pressure and extreme
heat deep in the earths crust, but doesnt melt at
all, it changes the mineral composition and texture
of the rock, or metamorphoses it. Hence, a
metamorphic rock is created.
Serena: Boy, you werent about rocks being
complex.
Siara: Indeed, there are. However, the most
interesting part about it is that the cycle doesnt
always go in the order given. Igneous rocks that
are deeply buried can form into a metamorphic
without becoming sedimentary, and sometimes,
sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are uplifted
and eroded to become new sedimentary ones.
Serena: Ahh, thats very interesting.
Siara: Mmm-hmm. Now, how about we do some
trivia?
Serena: Sure thing.
(Pan down to a lower panel, displaying a diagram
featuring the three types of rock, with each one
having a blank space on the top and the bottom,
respectively.)
Siara: Okay, you all set, Serena?
Serena: Yes, I am.
Siara: Okay, then. First off, what process does
magma go through in order to form into an igneous
rock?
Serena: It goes through crystallization.
Siara: You got it. Now, what occurs when a rock is
exposed to a lot of pressure and heat?
Serena: It metamorphoses it.
Siara: Ahh, very good. What happens to rocks
when exposed to the effects of weathering?
Serena: They get worn down and turned into
sediments.
Siara: All right, then. You did great there, Serena.
Serena: Thank you, Siara.
Siara: Now, if youll, excuse me, I need to get to
these blueprints. See you later, Serena and have a
pleasant day.
Serena: Okay, you too.
(She switches the Pokepilot off and puts it back in
her bag.)
Serena: Hey, Braixen, lets work on some showcase
moves.
Braixen: Braixen.
(Serena gets two Pokeball from her bag.)
Serena: Come on out, Pancham and Sylveon.
(She tosses them up and they emerge out of
them.)
Pancham: Pan-cham.
Sylveon: Sylv-eon.
Serena: Sylveon, Swift and Moonblast!
(Sylveon jumps into the air and swishes her tail,
firing multiple yellow stars with golden sparkles
around them that form in a circle. Next, she
spreads her feelers out wide and gathers energy
from the moon, which forms into an orb of pink
energy inside her mouth and fires it through the
ring of stars.)
Serena: Okay, Pancham use Stone Edge and go
into Arm Thrust!
(It slams its hand on the ground, causing small
light blue pillars of rock to appear around it. Now,
its hands glow white and knocks off pieces of the
pillars bit by bit until it forms a shape. We cut to
an aerial and see the rocks form into a Pokeball.)
Serena: All right, Braixen use Flamethrower, then
Hidden Power!
Braixen: Brai-xen!
(She points her wand stick into the sky and a red-
orange flame forms at the tip. Next, she fires a
small red-orange stream of fire from it into the sky,
waves the stick wand and it spirals around her.
Now, she forms a light blue ball of energy on front
of her hands and fires it into the spiraling flames,
then does it two more times.)
Serena (encouraging): All right, that was good.
Now, try to do them faster.
(They continue onward with their practicing. A
brief montage commences, showing each Pokemon
getting progressively improving & perfecting on
their showcase moves. It concludes with a cross
dissolve to minutes later, where theyre very worn
out.)
Serena: Okay, I think thats enough. Lets take a
break.
(They all sit on the grass in a relaxed position.
Serena gets a container of personalized Pokepuffs
out and takes three out.)
Serena: Here, guys. Youve earned these.
(She gives one to each of them and they dine on
them. Now, Serena sits with them.)
Serena: Ahh. (to her Pokemon.) Good to see
youre enjoying them.
(They nod back to her.)
Serena: (chuckles to herself.) Hmm, maybe its a
good time to do another trivia round. (She turns
over to the audience.) Hey, would you like to do it?
(She casually waits for an answer from the
audience for one and a half seconds.) Okay, then.
(Cross fade back to the diagram.)
Serena (V.O.): What determines what kind of
igneous rock the magma turns into? (She casually
waits for an answer from the audience for one and
a half seconds.) The rate it cools off and the
chemical composition. All right. Next, how are
sedimentary rocks formed? (She casually waits for
an answer from the audience for two seconds.)
When sediments are deposited, build up and are
compacted and cemented together. Okay, then.
Finally, what does a rock need to be exposed to so
it can turn into a metamorphic one? (She casually
waits for an answer from the audience for one and
a half seconds.) Extreme pressure and heat. You
got it.
(Side wipe to Serena and her Pokemon and she
casually speaks to the audience.)
Serena (casually): Great job, guys. (She turns over
to her Pokemon.) You all enjoying yourselves?
(They nod their head to say, Yes, we are.)
Serena: Good.
(She rests her head on the ground. Just then, she
hears a bubbling sound coming from the river. She
stands up.)
Serena: Huh, whats that?
(She goes over to the river and patiently waits for
the Pokemon to pop out. Suddenly, a Poliwrath
emerges out of the water. Serena pulls out the
Pokedex and analyzes it.)
Serena: Ahh, a Poliwrath.
(She puts it back in her bag. Then, she notices its
giving off a determined expression and is in a
battling stance.)
Poliwrath: Poliwrath!
Serena (confidently & with certainty): So, you want
to battle? Okay, then. Lets go, Braixen!
Braixen: Braixen!
(She gets up and goes into a battle stance.)
Serena: Braixen, use Scratch!
Braixen: Braix!
(Her claws glow white and slashes out at Poliwrath,
doing damage to it. Poliwrath grabs Braixen and
turns on its back, throwing her over its head and
doing damage.)
Serena: All right, now use Hidden Power!
(Braixen forms a light blue ball of energy on front
of her hands and fires it at Poliwrath.)
Poliwrath: Poliwrath!
(It leaps up and evades the attack. Now, it puts its
hands together and a golden sphere forms in
between them, which is then split up into several
balls of mud and are fired at Braixen, doing a good
amount of damage.)
Serena: Hold on, Braixen. Counter with
Flamethrower!
Braixen: Brai-xen!
(She points her wand stick at Poliwrath and a red-
orange flame forms at its tips. Now, she fires a red-
orange stream of fire from it at Poliwrath, dealing
some damage to it. Poliwrath fires a stream of
scalding hot water surrounded by steam from its
swirl at Braixen.)
Serena: Dodge it!
(She jumps up out if the attacks path and narrowly
evades it.)
Serena: Braixen, use Hidden Power!
Braixen: Braix!
(She forms a light blue ball of energy on front of
her hands and fires it at Poliwrath, doing damage
to it.)
Serena: Good. Now, use Heat Wave!
(Braixen points her wand stick at Poliwrath and a
white flame forms at the tip. Now, she fires a
round orange flame from it at Poliwrath, dealing
damage.)
Serena: Great job there.
Braixen: Braixen.
(Poliwrath clenches its fists and they glow red with
red-orange energy pulsating off them a-la an
explosion. Now, it charges forward and punches
Braixen with them, dealing a good amount of
damage and knocking her to the ground.)
Serena: You okay, Braixen?
(She gets back up and nods to her.)
Serena: All right. Use Scratch!
Braixen: Braix!
(Her claws glow white and slashes out at Poliwrath,
doing damage to it. Poliwrath puts its hands
together and a golden sphere forms in between
them, which is then split up into several balls of
mud and are fired at Braixen.)
Serena: Quick, Braixen, dodge and go into
Flamethrower!
(She swiftly shifts to the right and evades the
attack. Now, she points her wand stick at
Poliwrath and a red-orange flame forms at its tips.
Now, she fires a red-orange stream of fire from it
at Poliwrath, hitting its weak spot and dealing
damage to it.)
Serena: Braixen, Hidden Power!
Braixen: Braix!
(She forms a light blue ball of energy on front of
her hands and fires it at Poliwrath. However,
Poliwrath shifts to the left and avoids the attack.
Now, it fires a stream of scalding hot water
surrounded by steam from its swirl at Braixen,
dealing a great amount of damage.)
Serena: Use Flamethrower!
(Braixen points her wand stick at Poliwrath and a
red-orange flame forms at its tips. Now, she fires a
red-orange stream of fire from it at Poliwrath,
dealing some damage to it. Poliwrath puts its
hands together and a golden sphere forms in
between them, which is then split up into several
balls of mud and are fired at Braixen, doing a good
amount of damage.)
Serena: Braixen, Heat Wave, now!
Braixen: Braixen!
(She points her wand stick at Poliwrath and a white
flame forms at the tip. Now, she fires a round
orange flame from it at Poliwrath, land a direct hit
and dealing damage. Poliwrath collapses to the
ground and faints. Serena comes up to Braixen
and hugs her.)
Serena (proudly): You were amazing, Braixen.
Braixen: Braixen.
(The Poliwrath picks itself up, walks up and
honorably bows to them. Serena & Braixen do to
the same and Poliwrath hops back into the river.)
Serena: That was very noble of it to do that.
Braixen: Braix.
(Now, we cross-fade to minutes later, where
everyones resumed practicing their moves.)
Serena (enthusiastically): All right, guys. One more
time.
(Pancham slams its hand on the ground, causing
small light blue pillars of rock to appear around it.
Now, its hands glow white and knocks off pieces of
the pillars in rapid succession, forming them into a
star shape with a small diamond in the center.
Next, Sylveon jumps into the air and swishes her
tail, firing multiple yellow stars with golden
sparkles around them that form in a circle. Next,
she spreads her feelers out wide and gathers
energy from the moon, which forms into an orb of
pink energy inside her mouth and fires it through
the ring of stars, which loops through it three more
times. Now, Braixen points her wand stick into the
sky and a red-orange flame forms at the tip. Next,
she fires a small red-orange stream of fire from it
into the sky, waves the stick wand and it spirals
around her. Now, she forms a light blue ball of
energy on front of her hands and fires it into the
spiraling flames, then does it five more times in
rapid succession. The balls coil up the flame spiral
and explode at the top a la fireworks, all while
Braixen does a pirouette inside it.)
Serena: That was great, guys! They were perfect!
(They bow and gesture to her to say, Thank you.)
Serena: Everyones sure going to impressed by
them. More importantly, though, Im proud of all of
you.
(They gather together and give each other a group
hug. Now, they turn over to the audience.)
Serena (casually): Thank you, guys.
(Fade in to moments, where we see her Pokemon
playing around with each other, while Serena
relaxes with her feet in the river.)
Serena: That was an interesting episode. Did you
guys enjoy it? (She casually waits for an answer
from the audience for one second.) Ahh, all right.
Ill see you later.
(She casually waves goodbye to the audience and
goes back to her business. Now, we go to an aerial
shot of everyone enjoying themselves, pull away
from them and fade to black, ending the episode.)