The Port of Crossroads, Chapter 46
Dawn was just breaking as the SS Aqua pulled into Slateport City the next morning. The ship's horn resounded throughout the city, much like a wake up call to the residents. Most of the passengers, Yunie and myself included, were up on the main deck, watching as the ship pulled into the harbor. Around and underneath the pier was a great beach, mostly empty at this time of day, but no doubt packed once kids were up and about. People started to gather on the pier, preparing for the ship's docking.
On board, most of the passengers returned belowdecks to gather their belongings. Both of us already had all our stuff up on deck, and we were ready to leave once the ramp was extended.
"There's so much to do here, you know," Yunie told me, pointing out a few of the buildings in the city. "There's the Oceanic Museum, the Pokemon Fan Club branch, the marketplace..."
"Okay, now I have to ask," I said, cutting her , "How do you know all this? Have you been here before?"
"No, I just read the brochure. Didn't you?" Yunie showed me the pamphlet, which pretty much listed everything she just said in the same order. I handed it back to her, shyly looking away to conceal my blush. Maybe she seemed to know everything else because she bothered to read the signs around her? I should probably make a habit of that, myself.
"So, where you going first, Star?"
"Don't know," I told her, looking out into the city. "Why don't you pick for us? Pretty sure you already have something planned, right?"
"Actually, this is where we go our separate ways." My ears perked up, and I looked back at Yunie.
"What? You serious?"
"Yeah. We weren't going to be together forever, you know. I have to get moving right away, need to get to Lilycove City for a job." Not that I wanted to see Yunie leave, but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel overjoyed. She was a fun travel buddy, but I couldn't ignore what I ended up deciding way back in Fuchsia City. A Pokemon adventure was a solo affair.
"Oh, that's a shame." I said, trying not to sound too excited at the prospect of solo travel again.
"Don't you worry, Star! I'm sure we'll meet up again somewhere on the road! After my job in Lilycove, I'm pretty much free to go where I want!" Silver lining, or inevitable doom? I decided not to think on the grim side, for Yunie's sake.
"Well, be careful out there! Wild Pokemon can be pretty nasty sometimes, wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"Aww, thanks, Star! I didn't know you cared about me so much!" I instantly turned beet red, and looked away from Yunie as she hugged me. "And to think: I thought you always hated me behind my back!"
"What? No way!" I felt a drop of sweat form on my forehead. Sometimes, she seemed to know things she couldn't possibly know, and that scared me.
The ramp was extended, and the captain was on deck. After discussing something with men from the docks, he signaled the okay for the passengers to be disembarking. We shuffled into the crowd, Vulpix in my arms so we wouldn't get separated amongst the hustle and bustle. A few men on the pier escorted everyone into the city proper before letting us go our own way. There was a patch of green grass just to my right. I slipped off one of my sandals, and felt the grass underneath my foot. I was finally back on dry land.
"Guess this is goodbye, Star," Yunie said. I looked at her, feeling my heart growing heavy and my eyes well up. I didn't want to see her go, after all.
"Like you said, we'll meet again on the road! Be careful, Yunie." I gave her one final hug, and then stood in place as she became lost in the crowd of people heading into the city.
Again, I was all alone on my journey. This was the way it had to be, of course, so I wasn't entirely sad. Hoenn was a new world waiting to be explored, and I eyed the first part in need of exploring. I turned left from the pier, spotting an outdoor marketplace just inside the city limit.
~o~
"Pokemon vitamins for sale! Get your critters into shape with these vitamins, young lady! Only ¥9800!"
I shook my head politely, not wanting to offend the third shopkeeper that tried to sell me something. Simply walking down the street in this market was enough to be the target of dozens of vendors, all trying their best to make some money. As I was trying to avoid the barrage of sales offers from the vendors, Vulpix was clearly having all sorts of fun, running around the street and taking in all the sights.
Continuing down the street, one of the stalls caught my eye. The woman was selling nothing but Pokemon dolls, which as you know is a bit of a hobby of mine. My bag was already packed in with the Jigglypuff doll I bought at the convention in Olivine City, so I tried to resist buying another. That is, until the lady started making suggestions and offers.
"Looking for decorations for your base, dear? I'll gladly give you a discount if you want to buy a doll today!"
"Base? What's that?" I tried my best to ignore the discount comment, finding myself more tempted than ever.
"Oh, you're not from Hoenn, then?" That knowledge seemed to light up her eyes all the more.
"No, ma'am. I just came from Johto on the SS Aqua." I continued to window shop as we talked, inching ever closer to buying another doll.
"Well, let me explain then: here in Hoenn, the kids have this hobby while they're out on the road. They call them 'Secret Bases'; simply put, they're like tree-houses they make on the routes."
"You mean they build places to live by themselves?"
"Not quite. See, the Hoenn routes are quite packed with little nooks and crannies, all begging to be taken by someone and turned into a little shelter of sorts. All you need to do is keep an eye out for them! They could be in hollowed out trees, or caves. As such, another hobby is to decorate their bases with all sorts of little trinkets."
"And dolls are just one of those many trinkets?"
"They certainly add an adorable charm, don't they? Girls are always buying dolls for their rooms, but that certainly doesn't mean boys don't!" That may have sounded unrelated, but her explanation of these secret bases pushed me further into buying a doll. It wouldn't just be another useless toy to lug around, but a piece of furniture for my own secret base!
"Then I'll buy one! Are these the only dolls you have on sale?" She had a decent selection, including plenty of Azurill and Marill dolls. However, I wanted something different.
"Well, I have a couple other kinds back here somewhere. Have a Pokemon in mind?"
"Not exactly, but I would love something cute!" This meant a Vulpix doll, of course, but she didn't have one. Instead, she produced a small bird Pokemon doll.
"How about this one? It's a Torchic doll! Isn't it adorable?" Indeed it was! I felt like I could hug it to death on the spot, if it were alive.
"It's so cute! How much?"
"¥3000 normally, but I'll give it to you for ¥2000!" It was a steep price still, but I couldn't very well say no after such a markdown. Maybe I was a poor buyer or haggler, but in my eyes, the price was worth it. That doll was mine!
"Thank you, dear! I hope you visit again in the future!"
~o~
The beach was now filled with people. Most of them were familiar faces from the SS Aqua, and all of them looked like they were having the greatest time of their lives. I looked down at Vulpix, who tilted her head at me, as if to ask what I was waiting for to get down there.
"You're right! There's no hurry, so let's go and relax on the beach! Come on!"
Before running down there, I had to make a stop by the Pokemon Center, of course. I left my bag and Pokemon in the care of the resident Nurse Joy, which no longer surprised me. They seemed to exist all over the Pokemon world, so maybe they were a super special kind of Pokemon themselves?
Once I was in my bathing suit, I wrapped myself up in a towel and ran out to the beach, Vulpix leading the way. Another kid enjoying one of the last warm days of the year didn't draw much attention, and soon enough I was right at home in the sand. I splashed around in the shallow water for a while, relaxing in the sun while Vulpix stood watch by my towel. If the afternoon would only remain this tranquil, though.
I heard Vulpix barking after a little while. I looked over to her, spotting two little kids standing in front of her. She continued to bark them, but not in a hostile manner. I sighed, and got out of the water. I walked over to my Pokemon, catching the attention of the kids.
"Hello! Is this your Pokemon?" The little girl asked. She must've been four or five years old, wearing a tube around her waist so she could safely play in the ocean.
"Yeah," I said, picking up my towel to dry myself off a bit. Vulpix didn't look angry at the kids, just a bit concerned. "I'm Star, is something wrong?"
"No," said the boy, who was also wearing a tube, "we just wanted to see your Pokemon. She's so cute!"
"Actually, we did want something: a Pokemon battle!" The little girl raised her arm into the air. The challenge took me by surprise, to say the least. The little boy produced a Pokeball from his bathing shorts, and the girl also suddenly carried one in her hands. Before I could ask where they got them from, they released their critters.
The girl had a Marill, while the boy had a Pokemon I didn't recognize. It was small, with a few shades of brown fur, all spiked out as if it could poke you. Vulpix stood before the two critters, growling at them and ready to battle.
"Okay, which of you two kids will I fight first?"
"Both of us!" They screamed in unison. I shook my head.
"That's against the rules! It's only one on one, isn't it?" Before the kids could answer, my mind wandered back to Brawly. He did say the League rules in Hoenn were different, so two-on-one could be allowed, I guessed. It wouldn't have been my first battle of the like, but certainly the first time it was an official battle.
"Nope! We're battling as a team, so you can battle with a friend, or use two of your own Pokemon! My name is Ricky, I forgot to introduce myself."
"And I'm Hailey! So, let's begin!"
Before I could introduce myself to them, they put some distance between us. The battle was pretty much on, so the chance of running back to the center to collect my other Pokemon was out of the question. It would be up to Vulpix alone to beat both their critters. With seventeen badges under my belt, I was hoping even two against one wouldn't be a problem.
"Zigzagoon, Tackle!" Ricky called out.
"Marill, Bubble!" Hailey shouted.
"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"
Vulpix vanished from sight, evading Zigzagoon's attack easily. She reappeared behind him, slamming him into the sand. However, Vulpix was struck by Marill's Bubble attack from behind, which only made the effective attack considerably more powerful.
"Vulpix, Tackle Marill!"
"Zigzagoon, Headbutt!"
"Marill, Tail Whip!"
Marill managed to wag its tail just in time, causing Vulpix to lose her focus just before she rammed into Marill. Zigzagoon then crashed into Vulpix from behind, burying her deep into the sand because of her lowered defenses. Alone, they wouldn't be a problem, but Vulpix just wasn't fast enough to evade both attacks, especially fighting on the uneven sand. She was already starting to look sluggish, so I needed to turn the tables on them.
"Vulpix, Confuse Ray on Marill!"
"Marill, Water Gun!"
"Zigzagoon, Sand-Attack!"
Vulpix's eyes locked with Marill's, and the blue Pokemon instantly became disoriented. However, because Vulpix was concentrated on her attack, Zigzagoon's attack landed dead on, and she was blinded almost completely. Marill tried to aim her attack, but couldn't quite lock onto Vulpix, missing her completely.
"Zigzagoon, Headbutt!"
"Marill, try Water Gun again!"
With Vulpix blinded, I couldn't order anything that would make much of a difference. Zigzagoon rushed in to slam Vulpix again, when it occurred to me.
"Vulpix, defend yourself!"
Vulpix dug into the sand, covering her head and eyes with her paws. Zigzagoon tackled her hard head first, but Vulpix was hardly fazed by the blow. At that same time, Marill tried to aim her attack again, but because both critters were so close to each other, the Water Gun struck Zigzagoon instead of Vulpix.
"Vulpix, try and Quick Attack Marill!"
Vulpix rose her head, rubbing as much of the sand out of her eyes as she could before she vanished. Marill was standing firm, trying to snap out of the confusion, when Vulpix reappeared just beside her. The attack didn't connect entirely, but Marill was knocked around enough to land in the sand. Now she was blinded as well as confused.
"Zigzagoon, finish this with one more Headbutt!"
"Marill, don't do anything yet!"
The small brown Pokemon shook off the previous water attack, and charged towards Vulpix. She still didn't have her sight back entirely, so I went with the table-turner strategy again.
"Vulpix, run to the left!"
Her vision still blurry, she noticed the blue Pokemon nearby, and ran behind it. Zigzagoon turned slightly to match up with Vulpix, but slammed into Marill instead, knocking her into the air and back into the sand. She was out of commission now, and so was Zigzagoon!
"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"
Vulpix forced her vision, spotting the brown mass of fur ahead of her. She opened her mouth, and blasted the Pokemon with a spray of fire. After the flames died down, Zigzagoon cried out in pain, and fell over. The battle was mine!
"Aww, man!" Ricky cried out, returning his Zigzagoon to its Pokeball. Hailey did the same for her Marill, then the two kids ran up to me. Vulpix slowly walked back to my side as well, tired from the intense battle.
"Wow, you're really good! Are you on a Pokemon adventure?" Hailey asked, her eyes wide with admiration despite losing just now.
"I am, actually. I was just relaxing here when you guys wanted a Pokemon battle. Now, I have to cut my time here at the beach short, because Vulpix is tired from fighting." I didn't mean for that to sound like a scolding, but that's what the two kids took it as.
"I'm sorry," said Ricky, looking down at his feet instead of me directly. "We just wanted to have some fun."
"I'm sorry, too. We didn't mean to pick on you."
"Hey, don't feel so bad, you two," I told them, giving each a pat on the shoulder. "You make it sound like you're a couple of bullies and I'm the little kid here. Cheer up, okay?"
"Oh! Almost forgot, rules are rules. Here, this is from us to you!" Ricky reached into his shorts pocket to produce a small plastic card. It was a pass for the Oceanic Museum in the city, good for one visit.
"Thanks, but it's okay. It was just for fun-"
"Nope! Rules are rules! We lost, you won, you get the ticket! Right, Ricky?" Hailey said, the sudden mood swing throwing me off.
"Right! See you later, Star! Bye!"
And just like that, the two kids ran off back towards the water. I smiled at them, finding their short attention span a bit funny. I watched as they got back into the ocean, splashing around and having a fun time, just like normal kids. Vulpix asked me to carry her, so I picked her up in my arms, where she curled up and tried to rest. I looked out towards the ocean and the kids again, remembering a time when I was that small and carefree.
~o~
The next morning, after a delicious breakfast at a local diner in the city, Vulpix and I made for the Oceanic Museum on the other side of the city. If I hadn't battled with Hailey and Ricky the day before on the beach, I'd have moved on from Slateport, since there was no gym to challenge here. According to a map of the Hoenn region at the Pokemon Center, the region contained sixteen cities and towns throughout the island, much more than Johto or Kanto separately. I'd probably be out exploring the region for a few months, at least.
For a museum, the Oceanic one didn't seem to have very many guests that morning. Afraid it'd be closed for some reason, I ran to the front door, but the sign said it was open. However, as I peered through the windows, I didn't see anyone in the lobby or minding the entrance.
"Something's wrong, Vulpix," I told my foxy companion. "Should we go inside, or call the police?"
Vulpix barked, then scratched at the door. That meant she wanted to go inside and check it out for herself. Against my better judgement, I opened the door and let her in first, telling her to remain as quiet as possible until we knew what was going on inside. Beyond the lobby, there were some stairs leading up to the second floor. I stood in front of them, trying to hear if there was anyone up there. I heard voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Vulpix's ears perked up, and she spun around, barking loudly at something behind me.
"Vulpix! Be quiet!" I turned around, spotting a woman in a blue outfit. She had a Pokeball in her hand, while her blue outfit, resembling a sailor's uniform, was marked with a skull and crossbones.
"What are you doing here? Surrender now, or prepare to be taken by force!" She released her Pokemon, a large blue and red fish sporting a mean face. Despite it being a fish, it seemed to float effortlessly in the air. I backed away from the stairs, and Vulpix stood in front of me, ready to battle the advantageous Pokemon. I scanned it before the battle began.
"Carvanha, the Savage Pokemon. Carvanha's strongly developed jaws and its sharply pointed fangs pack the destructive power to rip out boat hulls. Many boats have been attacked and sunk by this Pokemon."
"What are you doing?" Another person ran down the stairs, this one in a red outfit, but completely different from the sailor style uniform the woman had.
"An intruder! I was about to take care of her!"
"Delay that! We've been compromised, so fall back! We have to get out of here before the media and police arrive!"
I remained glued to my spot, watching as the man in red dove through a window to escape, and the woman ran upstairs, ignoring me completely. Confused, I ran after the woman upstairs, a Pokeball in my hand to aid me should there be more people up here. There were two other people in blue sailor outfits, but they were already on their way out of windows as I got on the floor. The woman who was about to battle me huffed in my direction, then followed her similarly dressed companions out the window.
I ignored the people tied up on the floor for a second, and ran to the window. It was a two story fall into the ocean, yet they didn't even hesitate to leap to their potential doom. But they survived the fall, and were riding off to the north, on top of water Pokemon. Once they were out of sight, I turned my attention back to the hostages. I started with a young man, untying his hands and removing the gag over his mouth.
"Are you alright, sir?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, young lady, for helping us!" Once freed, the man started releasing the others alongside me. Vulpix stood by the stairs, keeping watch in case any more trouble was on its way.
"Who were those people? Why did they tie everyone up here?"
"I'm not sure," said the young man. "They stormed in here early this morning, demanding a bunch of files and artifacts. I didn't know what they were talking about."
"That's strange," I said, thinking about the people. They were dressed strangely, and yet it all seemed familiar. "Could they have been part of Team Rocket?"
"Actually," came another voice, this one from the stairs, where Vulpix was barking at the newcomer. I told her to come back to my side, allowing the man to continue talking. "They were members of Team Magma, and Team Aqua."
"Captain Stern! Thank goodness you weren't here!" The young man ran over to the gentleman, shaking his hand. I released the last of the receptionists before going up to this Captain Stern myself.
"Teams Magma and Aqua? Who are they?"
"In short, they are extensions of Team Rocket, the criminal organization from the Kanto region. However, with Rocket officially disbanded, as far as the world knows, they've become separate entities, and donned new names."
"Captain," cut in the young man, "they were looking for some files and artifacts. I didn't tell them anything, because I didn't even know what they were looking for."
"Quite alright, I have the files they were seeking right here with me! It's a good thing the delivery boy was late today."
"So, what are these files? Why would they hold hostages to get them?" I was curious, and despite not wanting to get involved in yet another Rocket related matter, I was finding it hard to turn a blind eye to all this.
"Information regarding a Pokemon, and I'd rather not say anything beyond that. Young lady, you've done everyone here a great service in disrupting their operation, and for that, I offer you my deepest gratitude."
All the gratitude in the world didn't satisfy my curiosity, though there was little I could do about it. Once outside, the police and the media were all over the lawn of the museum, just as the criminals feared. Captain Stern made an announcement to the reporters, informing them all of what happened in the building, and my own heroic intervention. Not that I did anything in particular. Once most of the reporters had dispersed, content with their stories, one woman and her cameraman approached me.
"Excuse me, are you Star, of the Johto region?"
"Actually, I'm from Kanto. But how did you know that?"
"My name is Gabby, and I'm a reporter with the Hoenn National News. Tell me, just who were the people who took the employees of the museum hostage?" She held the microphone to my lips, though I was scared to say anything. Captain Stern had gone out of his way to keep details of the two Teams' dealings from the media, so I wasn't sure I could go blabbing about it all on a whim.
"I- I don't know. I only scared them away when I went inside the building."
"Are you sure, dear?" Again, the microphone to my lips so I could answer and be heard perfectly.
"Yes, I am. Now, how did you know my name?" Gabby lowered the microphone, and signaled to her cameraman to stop rolling.
"I heard from Darrin, at Dewford Hall. He told me about a spunky new trainer from abroad, so I followed your trail here to Slateport, to get a word with you for a story. My luck to find you, and the story about the hostages here!"
"Gabby, we're running short on time," said the cameraman behind her.
"Right, thanks Ty. Listen Star, I have to go and get this story in ASAP. Have an idea where you're headed next?"
"Um, no. I'm just going where I want to...?" I wasn't sure why she wanted to know, either.
"Well, no worries: tracking down people is my specialty! I'll see you again soon! I want to finish this interview!"
Gabby snapped her fingers, and Ty the cameraman started after her. Once the two were gone, I felt someone standing behind me. It was Captain Stern.
"Reporters," he scoffed, before turning to me. "Star, I know I can't force you, but try not to say anything about what happened here. Last thing Hoenn needs is a nationwide panic, like in Johto when Team Rocket took control of the Radio Tower."
"Okay, I understand." I nodded.
Stern went back inside the museum, still having to tend to the police. The day was already off to a memorable start, so I figured why not keep it going? Mimicking Gabby, I snapped my fingers, which caught Vulpix's attention and put her on point.
"Come on, Vulpix! Let's get moving!"
