After passing through the forest, eating brunch at a Pokémon Center on its outskirts, and asking Nurse Joy for the Battle Factory's exact location, the group set off again.
After they crossed another fairly short canyon, an enormous steel building resembling a factory appeared before them.
"No wonder it's called the Battle Factory..." Max looked up at the enormous factory building, impressed despite not quite understanding it. "I thought that was just its name. I didn't expect it to actually look like a factory! But... what exactly does it produce? Surely it isn't just built that way to match the name?"
"Who knows?" Xia You shook his head. "Once we go inside and look around, we'll find out."
They were just about to head into the Battle Factory when a man's voice sounded above them.
"Mr. Xia You, Ash, you're finally here!"
Hearing the voice, they looked up and saw Scott, wearing a blue shirt, smiling and waving to them from an outdoor walkway on the factory's second floor!
"Mr. Scott!" Ash was clearly delighted to see him too. "I didn't expect to find you here!"
"Huh?" Seeing him greet Scott, May asked in confusion, "You know each other too?"
"Of course." Ash smiled. "After I got off the ship, I passed the Viridian Gym on my way back to Pallet Town. Not only did I meet Mr. Scott, I even battled Granny Agatha, one of the Elite Four! That was also when Mr. Scott explained the Battle Frontier to me again."
"What? The Elite Four?"
Only then did May, Max, and Brock learn that something like that had happened on Ash's way home, and they pressed him for details.
"Well? Was Agatha strong?"
"Did you beat her?"
At that, Ash could only scratch his cheek and smile awkwardly. "Well...