CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Amy turned back to look at Vermilion City a final time before heading north for the route which would take her into Saffron City.
She tried not to dwell on her feelings as she enjoyed the afternoon warmth. Trainers of varying age and appearance, Pokemon of all shapes and sizes battling by the trees waving in the light breeze. Amy approached the checkpoint and entered the building, giving a quick nod to the familiar receptionist and exiting into Saffron City.
Saffron City was hot and humid, with the constant civilian chatter that surrounded her as she enveloped herself into the crowd. Growlithe barked and Nidorina yapped as they caught up to Amy and Cubone tried to jump into Amy's arms. Amy was quick to shepherd them into Pokeballs for safety.
Glancing up at the tall skyscrapers, Amy felt in her pocket for her Badge case. Now that she had three Badges, she felt stronger within herself as a Pokemon Trainer. Every battle she had fought ever since departing the S.S. Anne in Pallet Town boosted her confidence and her skill.
Amy approached the checkpoint at the west end of the city, passing through and remembering this was where she had battled Garret, for the prize of her Moon Stone. The route along which she walked put her in between Celadon City to the west and Saffron City to the east.
The day was sunny, with a gentle breeze whistling through the air. Overhead, Pidgeys flew through the air and in a nearby patch of grass, Rattata fought with each other while a Raticate watched with interest. The path from Saffron City to Celadon City was a short one. Amy's heart thumped as the familiar tall buildings came into view... it hadn't been so long that she had been away. Amy took a deep breath as her feet left the path behind and entered the cobblestoned paths of Celadon City.
Amy was a little nervous as she walked through Celadon City, but the excitement of seeing it in all its cosmopolitan glory reminded her of why she loved it. There were chic cafes on corners with parasols over the outdoor tables; tall buildings with glass windows which reflected the blue of the sky; shopping outlets with mannequins displaying the latest clothing, accessories and jewelry on offer.
Amy glanced at a shop display, wondering when she might be able to afford such luxury again, when she noticed her reflection in the window. Her hair hung lank and listless, a dull blonde colour to match the pale tone of her face. Her eyes had circles around them and her skin looked pallid. Her fingernails were chipped and her hands felt greasy without the creams and lotions she could no longer afford. Life as a Pokemon Trainer sure was tough.
Amy sighed and turned away from her reflection. If this was how she looked as a Pokemon Trainer on a low budget... there was nothing else for it but to embrace who she was. She couldn't afford the upkeep of her beauty regimen. She would just have to stop caring about her looks - easier said than done.
All too aware of how suddenly greasy her hair and skin felt, she decided to search around for a hotel to have a nice bath. She avoided the row of five-star hotels; the price of a room would bankrupt her. She walked around to find some cheaper hotels, choosing a small inn at random. The reception was kitschy, with several big vases around the room filled with overbearing flowers. A Meowth was curled up at the foot of the staircase leading to the suites. As Amy approached the reception desk, she noticed an antique clock ticking sedately on a mantelpiece over a roaring fireplace.
"Welcome to the Celadon Inn!" smiled the receptionist, an elderly lady wearing spectacles and her grey hair in a tight bun. "Would you like to book a room?"
"Yes, please." said Amy, as the receptionist retrieved a large reservations book and a ballpoint pen. "Do you accept Pokemon in your rooms?"
"We offer Pokemon and non-Pokemon suites," she smiled, looking down at Growlithe, Nidorina and Cubone. "I assume you want the latter?"
Amy nodded. "How much are your rooms?"
"I have a suite with a single bed and three Pokebeds for $450 a night." replied the receptionist.
It was amazing how much Celadon charges for accommodation, even in the cheaper inns, Amy thought.
"I'll take it," said Amy, handing over the cash and receiving a room key in return. "Thank you very much."
"You're welcome," smiled the receptionist.
Amy was careful not to disturb the sleeping Meowth as she ascended the staircase, walked down the hallway to her room and unlocked the door, entering her suite. It wasn't spacious, but what it lacked in size it made up for in amenities. The bed had a feather duvet with double pillows, the bathroom had a cozy dressing gown hanging up and there was a bowl of fresh fruit on the coffee table. It was all a bit claustrophobic with the furniture so close together, but it maximised the use of space to provide a comfortable suite.
Growlithe, Nidorina and Cubone settled in their new Pokebeds, but quickly came running when Amy put some Pokefood in their bowls. As they ate noisily and contentedly, Amy kicked off her shoes and settled on the bed, retrieving her Badge case, looking again at her Badges. Her next Gym battle would be against Erika, the Grass-type Gym Leader of Celadon City.
After healing his Pokemon, Daniel and Natalie's next goal was to reach Celadon City. The route would take them to Saffron City, where due west was Celadon City.
"Do you think we'll run into Amy?" asked Daniel, after a long silence.
"Leave it, Daniel," warned Natalie, though privately she would've welcomed the addition of a third companion on their travels. "Just let it go, already."
They passed through the checkpoint in silence, past the receptionist who bid them a good day and emerging into Saffron City. Their shared dour silence could not compete with the wonder they shared at seeing such a large city - the bustling crowds, the many shops, the tall buildings - it was an entirely new experience, one which drove the sudden departure of their new friend from their minds.
"Look how tall the buildings are!" exclaimed Natalie, jumping out of the way to avoid collision with an oncoming cyclist. She shielded her brow with her hand to block out the sunlight as she glanced up.
"Careful, Natalie!" said Daniel, pulling her back onto the sidewalk before she got run over. "There's so many vehicles! Pallet Town is a handkerchief compared to this place!"
"We should put our Pokemon in their Pokeballs to make sure we don't lose them," said Natalie, as she searched inside her backpack for her Pokeballs.
"I agree," said Daniel, as their dual flashes of red light returned all their Pokemon inside their Pokeballs.
"So, which way is Celadon City?" asked Natalie.
Daniel retrieved his Town Map and consulted it, as irritated pedestrians walked around him to get to their destination. "Celadon City is to the west, so we should head that way."
"OK. Let's go!" smiled Natalie.
Navigating the traffic and footpaths of Saffron City was no easy feat. Twice they almost got separated and once Daniel misread the light at a pedestrian crossing, almost colliding with a vehicle. Soon enough, they made it to the checkpoint west of Saffron and entered, this time managing to communicate a greeting to the receptionist before exiting onto the route between Saffron and Celadon City.
The route was a wide, straight path to Celadon City, bordered on either side by thick trees and tall grass. On the left, there was a small shack which had a sign reading 'Underground Path - Celadon to Lavender'.
"That seems like a useful path," Natalie noted, as they walked along the route. "Navigating Saffron's traffic is no easy task."
"Tell me about it!" remarked Daniel.
"What do you know about our next Gym in Celadon City?" asked Natalie.
"The Gym Leader is Erika. She uses Grass-type Pokemon," said Daniel.
"Grass-Types... " Natalie pondered, standing still for a moment. "Another Gym at which I have a type disadvantage.
Daniel turned to her. "It's only because you're specialising in one Type. Trust me, there'll be Gyms where you'll have a Type advantage!"
Natalie managed a grim smile as she looked up. "You're right. Thanks."
Daniel and Natalie continued on, the tall towers of Celadon City slowly coming into view.
Amy walked around Celadon City, reacquainting herself with where everything was. She avoided the gated community town where her mother and friends lived, instead veering off to where the Celadon Department Store was. Six stories tall, the Celadon Department Store was one of the main attractions in Celadon City, providing wares for any discerning consumer. Many afternoons Amy had spent shopping here, laden with purchases after an organic lunch at a gourmet establishment.
Amy pushed through the familiar double doors and into the large reception area. Manned by several young women, the help desk assisted customers with directions, lost children and return policies for items. To the left of the desk were a bank of elevators, while to the right was a flight of stairs. Amy opted for the stairs, getting used to the ache of exercise and watched customers pass to and fro, laden with shopping bags and carrying on in hushed, excited conversation as she climbed to the second level.
The second level was called the 'Trainer's Market', featuring aisles of different Pokeballs and Potions and items which healed various status afflictions for Pokemon. Amy restrained herself and bought one each of the status-healing medicines, as well as a few Potions and a Great Ball. That set her back a bit, but she still had enough money for food and another night's accommodation. Amy paid for her purchases and took the stairs up to the third level.
The third level sold electronics, from televisions to video games, and a brief glance of the area informed Amy that nothing on this level would appeal to her as a Pokemon Trainer. Amy moved up to the fourth level.
The fourth level was a gift shop, selling all sorts of Pokemon merchandise with a range of crafts for gift wrapping, such as ribbons. Amy browsed the aisles, stacked with plush PokeDolls of Pikachu and Clefairy the size of her palm for $50, while larger Pokedolls the size of a small child sold for $400.
As Amy neared the counter, where salespeople were handing change to eager young children purchasing their wares, she caught sight of a display case behind the counter, mounted securely on the wall and showcasing several luminous stones.
"Mommy, I want one of those!" pointed a little girl, tugging on the hem of her mother's skirt.
"We'll find you a nice Pokedoll instead, OK, sweetie? How about a Jigglypuff?"
"OK, Mommy," relented the child, allowing her mother to lead her over to the aisle of Pokedolls.
Amy stepped closer to the counter, almost nudging someone else out of the way.
"Sorry," she apologised, noticing the Pokeballs on his belt before recognising his face. "Joshua?"
"Amy," he smiled, cocky assurance written over his harsh features. "What're you doing here?"
Amy showed him her small shopping bag. "Touring the premises."
"Can't decide what to buy?" he asked, smirking with his hands in his pockets.
"Oh, you know. Is this your first time visiting Celadon?" Amy asked, wanting to get off the topic of her finances.
"Big," he grinned. "There's more than I could ever want here."
She noted his confidence at ease, nodding. "And have you occasion to battle the Gym Leader, yet?"
Joshua nodded. "Just won the Rainbowbadge."
"Nice going."
"You going to battle the Celadon Gym Leader, too? You might want to stock up on some Antidotes and Paralyz Heals. She can be tricky."
"Yes, indeed," Amy deferred.
"I saw you looking at those Stones," Joshua indicated the display case behind the counter and Amy followed his gaze. "Thinking of evolving your Growlithe?"
Surprised, Amy blurted out, "Evolving my Growlithe?"
"They're evolutionary stones. Certain Pokemon can only evolve by being exposed to a Stone. Your Growlithe is one of them."
"My Growlithe?" asked Amy. She knew Growlithe evolved, but couldn't imagine hers doing so. She liked Growlithe just the way he was.
"The Fire Stone," Joshua pointed to the large ruby stone. "There's also the Water Stone, the Thunderstone and the Leaf Stone."
"What about the Moon Stone?" Amy asked, all of a sudden.
"You still have that Moon Stone?" asked Joshua, looking about her person as though she wore it for all to see.
Intrigued, Amy nodded. "But it's not mine. I should donate it to a museum or something. It's quite beautiful."
"I wouldn't say that," Joshua bristled. "You could sell it for a lot of money."
Off-kilter, Amy struggled to say, "I don't need the money."
Joshua looked right through her, but nodded anyway. "Well, it was good to see you."
Morosely, Amy nodded and turned back to the display of elemental stones. Sell the Moon Stone? It would certainly fetch a high price. But somehow it didn't feel right. One day, she promised herself, she'd take it to the Pewter Museum of Science. She was a Pokemon Trainer, earning money through battling - not a prospector for profit.
