The Abandoned Power Plant, Chapter 10
After a good night's rest at the Lavender Town Pokemon Center, as well as a delicious breakfast courtesy of the friendly and lovely Nurse Joy, I set off. My direction? North!
Obviously, I couldn't resist the temptation to explore this abandoned power plant. In a way, I thought Gary had told me about the place on purpose. While I'd be out looking for a Pokemon even he couldn't find, he'd be off in Fuchsia City collecting yet another badge. And though I wasn't exactly in a race against Gary, I knew Deneb would be moving as fast as he could to keep up with Gary. And since I wanted to keep up with Deneb...
"I'm thinking about this too much," I ended up blurting out along the way. Vulpix looked up at me like I was going crazy, which probably wasn't far from the truth. Still, I gave her a smile, and she a bark to me.
I followed Gary's instructions, and traveled north along the river. This meant I was far enough from the beaten path to avoid the occasional trainer headed south to Lavender Town from the Rock Tunnel, and thus no battles along the way. And sure enough, after a short while of walking, I spotted the large building across the river. Now all I had to do was get across the river itself. Which wouldn't have been a problem if I only knew how to swim.
I know, I know. I lived in Pallet Town, a confirmed seaside abode, and didn't know how to swim? Well, it was just something I never quite got around to learning. Or feared learning altogether. I changed my story depending on who I was talking to. Earn sympathy points to get things, I guess.
Still, now I had to get across. The river here led straight to the ocean past Lavender Town on Route 12, so it was pretty deep. Fortunately, I hadn't come all this way without a plan. I picked out Dratini's Pokeball from my belt, and released my newest friend.
The slender blue Pokemon looked up at me, ready to do what needed doing. I gave it a pat on the head before pointing out to the river.
"Listen, Dratini. I need you to help me get across the river to the other side. Can you do that?"
Dratini looked across to the other side, then to me, then again to the other side. The Pokemon nodded, but then poked at my bag. Confused, I knelt down and placed my bag next to Dratini. The blue critter wrapped its tail around the strap, and made its way into the water. Before I could say anything, Dratini was swimming across the surface to the other side, with my bag in tow just above the surface. Dratini tried his best to keep the bag dry, but I guess between the encyclopedia and the folded bike, it was a bit too heavy for him.
Once on the other side, Dratini dropped the bag off, and swam back across the river to me. He was ready to ferry the next person across.
"Guess all of us would've been too much for you, huh? Take Vulpix next."
Dratini nodded, though Vulpix wasn't thrilled at the idea. Since the only alternative was travel via Pokeball, she'd have to get a bit wet. Especially since the spare Pokeballs were already across the river. So grudingly, Vulpix followed Dratini into the river, where the blue critter helped keep her afloat as the two paddled across the surface. Well, Vulpix paddled, and Dratini sort of just glided across the surface. Once Vulpix was across, it was my turn.
It was a terrifying experience, let me say right off. However, part of the Pokemon adventure was learning to trust my critters with my very life, if need be. I knew that although Dratini was a newcomer to my team, he wouldn't let me drown. And sure enough, he helped me across the river, serving as a living floatation device as I kicked my feet underwater to speed the process up.
Once I was on the other side, I thanked Dratini and let him take a break in his Pokeball. Vulpix had already dried herself off with a few violent shakes, so all I had to do was get changed into a dry dress. I made sure to find a bush or tree nearby for some privacy, then went on inside the power plant.
~o~
There was a constant sound within the power plant.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Every few steps. Every few seconds.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A metallic sound, almost like someone banging on a pipe with the wrench or something. Never loud enough where it would sound intentional, but never soft enough where it would be like a canister or something falling on the floor. It was really distracting at first, but with time it turned into background noise. Though Vulpix was on edge the entire time.
Since this place wasn't exactly nature, I guessed the kinds of Pokemon we'd be finding around here would be strange. At the very least, they wouldn't be the usual Rattatas and Pidgeys. And that knowledge is what had me on edge the most.
I turned a corner, but not before sneaking a glance first. Sure enough, there was something making that clang noise. It was a small critter, silver body, ramming against something. It had a single, large eyeball between the two distinct magnets that made up its 'arms'. A Magnemite. I pulled out my Pokedex, making use of the thing for a bit of help.
"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokemon. The units at the sides of its body generate anti-gravity energy to keep it aloft in the air."
"Big help there," I mumbled aloud. The Magnemite had long since noticed us, thanks to the Pokedex's loud voice when sharing information.
The floating Pokemon closed in on us, the magnets it had for arms letting out plenty of sparks. Magnemites were electric Pokemon, and while fire wasn't going to be the best choice for the fight, I had little time to find a replacement critter. Vulpix stepped up to the challenge, ready to fight back.
"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"
My small friend flooded the hallway with her attack, blasting the Magnemite and burning more than a few other things as well. Surprisingly, the Magnemite was scorched. Before I could guess as to why Vulpix's attack was so effective, however, I heard a voice coming from deep within the building.
Panicking, I scooped her up into my arms and ran back towards the entrance. Unfortunately, there were more Magnemite floating along this hallway now, trapping me between the voices and these wild critters.
"I thought I heard someone," came the voice from the other hallway. "Sounded like a kid!"
I took a quick look around, and found a dirty old cardboard box to the side. Without thinking twice, I ducked under it, and held Vulpix close so that we both made as little noise as possible. Within seconds, I heard footsteps just beyond the cardboard box.
"Look out, man. There are Magnemite all over this place." Said one of the voices.
"Where'd that kid go, then? You saw that other Magnemite fried to a crisp, didn't you?"
"Yeah, but there's no sign of this kid. Maybe he got away?"
"Shouldn't we go after him? The boss'll have our heads if we tell him about this."
"You crazy? I'm not fighting another group of Magnemite just to chase some kid. I won't mention the kid if you won't."
There was a tense silence for a few seconds. I took a slow, deep breath.
"Fine. You got a point, anyway. Let's head back. Whatever that rare Pokemon was, it's long gone now."
The two voices turned into footsteps going back down the hallway where I fought that Magnemite. Within seconds, I couldn't hear them anymore. All the same, I waited another minute or two, just in case it was some sort of trap. However, the longer I waited, the more eager I was to get out from under that box. I hadn't noticed at first because of the panic, but there was something really slimy underneath the box, as well as all over.
I finally threw the box off, and crawled away from the spot. Vulpix started growling, and I turned around to see what the slimy feeling was. It was a pile of purple goo, with my footprints still clearly marked where I had been crouched. Before I could even begin to be disgusted, the purple goo started to move and take a shape of its own. It ended up being a Pokemon I knew all too well: a Grimer.
"Vulpix, use Flamethrower!" I screamed, forgetting entirely about the possibility of being heard.
Vulpix stepped forward and blasted Grimer with her attack, melting away the slimy Pokemon to a much smaller pile of goo. Once that was done, I scooped Vulpix up into my arms again and started running towards the entrance of the power plant. Even if I had to duck past Magnemite to get out, I couldn't stay there a moment longer.
~o~
Once I was outside the building, I hid behind some trees a short ways upriver. If those two guys heard me when I ordered Vulpix to attack the Grimer, I at least didn't want to be caught in the middle of crossing the river with Dratini. I ended up waiting for almost a full hour, and no one else came out of the power plant. I guessed the two people left out some back door, or something.
Now in the clear, I took a chance to wash off a bit by the river while Dratini got to work swimming my bag and Vulpix across. This trip had served only to give me a run in with a couple Pokemon and ruin one of my dresses, so I had to make sure to give Gary Oak a piece of my mind next time I saw him. The purple goo from the Grimer just wouldn't come out of my yellow dress, and what's worse it had a terrible smell.
After Dratini helped me across the river, I hid behind some bushes and changed clothes again, this time to the still slightly damp dress from the first time I crossed the river. Though it wasn't right for me to leave behind that dirty dress, I had no choice. I wouldn't put that filthy thing back in my bag, and the stench was so bad, I didn't want to carry it back to Lavender Town with me. I'm sure if I never spoke of it again, no one would hold it against me.
When I got back to Lavender Town, there was still enough time left in the day to do something, just not be on my way to Celadon City. Now more convinced than ever that Gary had told me about the power plant on purpose to waste my time, I sulked within the Pokemon Center for the rest of the day. Vulpix, lazy fox that she is, fell asleep right away.
And though I was tempted to wake her so that at least we could be miserable together, I didn't. She was sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to rouse her.
After all, not like there was much else to do.