As night falls on the Kanto region, Brayden and Trace finally arrive in Celadon City, the most populous city in the region. Here they must find and defeat Team Rocket, as well as search for someone who can help them locate a lost Cubone. However, on their way here they were attacked by an abused Pokémon sent after them by one of the four Rocket Executives. We now join our heroes in the Pokémon Center…
"What do you MEAN, 'the restoration machine is down'?!" Brayden shouted at the nurse.
"I'm terribly sorry. It hasn't been working for weeks. We've had to treat all the Pokémon here with medicine. But because of that, we're running very short on supplies," the nurse replied.
"But there's a department store in this town! Can't you just order more?!"
"We already have, but the person who went to get it hasn't come back. The rest of us are too busy to go look for him…"
Trace began to panic, but slapped the sides of his head to regain composure.
"Okay, then I'll just go buy some Antidotes and Potions myself! Brayden, stay here and use whatever we have left, okay?"
He handed the Poké Balls containing Charmeleon, Poliwhirl and the Arbok to Brayden and dashed out of the building.
Brayden sat down on a cushion and opened his backpack. But right before he could call out one of his Pokémon, a beautiful young lady walked in. She seemed a few years younger than Brayden's mother, and was adorned in a gorgeous kimono.
"Ah, Erika!" the nurse said to the lady. "How are you doing this evening? Any luck on finding you-know-who?"
"Regrettably, no. But I think I can safely say that those uncouth villains are the reason for the restoration machine's malfunction. They must want to limit our options against them…"
Almost absentmindedly, she turned to face Brayden. She walked over to him and bowed.
"You must be Brayden, correct? My name is Erika. I am the Gym Leader of this lovely city. I am very pleased to meet you."
"Yeah, normally I'd say the same, and challenge you to a Gym battle, but my Pokémon and friends' Pokémon are hurt real bad! Can you help us?" Brayden pleaded.
Erika's kind smile turned into a concerned frown.
"Of course I will. Please come with me to my Gym."
Minutes later, inside the Gym…
"Bring out the Pokémon, please," Erika said gently.
Brayden did so, and all of them sat down on large cushions. Charmeleon, Oddish, and Butterfree were still panting from sheer exhaustion, Arbok's head was still bleeding, and the poison in the others had visibly worsened.
"Hm. They're in bad condition, but we can still help them."
Erika gently tossed two Great Balls, and from them emerged two Grass-type Pokémon. One looked like a ball of blue noodles with red boot-like feet, and the other vaguely resembled Oddish, but had a large flower blooming on top of its head.
"Tangela, Vileplume, please fetch some herbs for us," Erika instructed them.
The two Grass-types nodded and walked into another room.
Minutes later…
"There you go, Arbok," Erika said softly as she finished setting bandages on the Cobra Pokémon's head.
The Gym Leader's Vileplume and Tangela had brought in several bowls of Heal Powder and Energy Roots for Arbok and the other Pokémon to eat. To Brayden's surprise, everyone was enjoying it.
"Wait… those herbs are supposed to be really smelly and bitter. How is it that our Pokémon like them so much?" Brayden asked Erika, full of curiosity.
Erika smiled.
"Simple. They're mixed with berries lovingly grown right here in town. Not only does it make the herbs easier to eat, they also become more nutritious. In fact, each mix is made to suit each of their tastes. My Pokémon and I have become quite skilled at determining a Pokémon's preferred taste."
Erika then turned her attention to Brayden's left arm, which was still in the sling it was placed in back in Lavender Town.
"Oh my! It seems you've been hurt, too!" she said as she brought her hands to her mouth in alarm.
Brayden looked down at his arm and sighed. Though it had healed quite a lot since that horrible day Primeape had fractured it in a blind rage, it still didn't quite feel mended, and occasionally would hurt intensely for a few minutes as it had when he had been defeated by Sabrina.
"…one of my Pokémon broke it when he got angered by Team Rocket, and then he ran away…" he said morosely, looking away.
Erika looked at him, her eyes glowing with sympathy.
"Wait here, please."
She stepped into another room, then came back a minute later with a glass of water in one hand and something small in the other.
"Take this medicine. It was made from a plant that promotes bone growth. It should help your bone mend faster," Erika explained with a caring smile.
Hearing this, Brayden felt at ease. He felt safe and secure being here with his Pokémon, Trace's Pokémon, and Erika. It was almost like he was back home with his mother.
"Thank you, Erika," Brayden said before swallowing the pill. "After all we've been through lately, this means a whole lot."
"I'm truly glad to be of help to you," Erika replied. "After all, you must recover your full vitality if you're to save our town from those Team Rocket scoundrels."
Brayden nodded, now feeling much more confident.
After a brief pause, Erika spoke again.
"Pardon me for asking, but where is the other boy? Professor Oak told me that both of you were going to assist."
"Trace? Oh, he went to the Department Store to get some more potions and stuff. I bet the nurse at the Pokémon Center will let him know that I'm here with you."
"I see. I thought this Charmeleon seemed familiar," Erika said pleasantly as she looked at the Flame Pokémon, who smiled at her.
"It's been some time since I've seen these two. But wait one moment…"
Erika looked all around at the group of Pokémon, full of worry.
"What's wrong?" Brayden asked anxiously.
"Where's that brave Pikachu who helped me rescue that boy?"
Brayden was unsure of what to say first, that Pikachu was being forced to stay inside Pokémon Tower, or ask what she meant by "saving Trace." Come to think of it, hadn't Trace told him about something similar that had happened in this very town before they had met?
"Well, it's kind of a strange story—"
Suddenly the door to the Gym burst open, and a frantic Trace ran inside flailing his arms in panic.
"I don't know why but a bunch of angry Raticate are after me!"
Sure enough, three large rodent-like Pokémon with webbed feet and scaly tails appeared outside and leapt through the open door.
Brayden got up to order Wartortle to attack the intruders, but Erika was faster.
"Victreebel, Leaf Storm!" she cried as she threw a Great Ball.
The disturbing plant Pokémon that shot out of the capsule screeched loudly as it swung one of its large leaves outward, launching a massive barrage of smaller leaves at the trio of Raticate.
The Normal-types cowered in fear as the leaves harshly slammed into them and sent flying helplessly out of the open door and into some distant trees. Tangela then ran to the door and pulled it shut with her vines.
Brayden, Trace and their Pokémon simply watched, eyes wide with amazement.
Erika stared at them blankly, then laughed, sounding somewhat embarrassed.
"Oh my! That was rather unladylike, wasn't it? With all this excitement going on, I'm losing my composure!"
"Well, you chased those Raticate off, so it's fine! I'm so happy to see you again, Erika!" Trace said as he hugged the Gym Leader.
"Likewise! I see your little Charmander evolved. I trust you've been growing stronger as well?"
Trace grinned and chuckled.
"I got another badge from Koga in Fuchsia City! I lost to Lt. Surge when I went back home to Vermillion… but it's okay, because I met Brayden! You wouldn't believe all the crazy adventures we've been having!"
"I'm sure you've had a lot of fun. And yet…" Erika's happy smile changed to a concerned frown. "…It seems you've also faced great hardships as well."
Brayden and Trace both sighed deeply. To call the recent events "hardships" was an understatement. And so they told her all about it. How in the three weeks they'd been traveling together, they had narrowly stopped Ariana from stealing the S.S. Anne and everything on it, been insulted by Blue, nearly overrun by Elite Rocket Grunt Loki, been separated from Primeape and Pikachu, and nearly lost their lives to the ghost Marowak.
"My goodness. You poor children. Your poor Pokémon. I am truly sorry that you've had to suffer all these things, and at such a young age, too," Erika said as she shed a few tears. "But that still leaves the question of why you arrived her with your Pokémon in such terrible shape."
"Actually, it was because of Arbok," Brayden said.
"Yeah. Turns out, Ariana had sent an Ekans to spy on us. Those Rocket bullies abused it really bad, to the point of putting some kind of speaker on its head. When Brayden's Pidgeotto found it, Ariana's voice came out of the speaker and told it to destroy us, and then it suddenly evolved!"
"It attacked us, but it didn't seem in control of its actions. It kept thrashing around in pain between attacks, so Butterfree kept it still with Confusion so Charmeleon could remove Team Rocket's chip from its head! That's why Arbok's head was bleeding! We had to remove the chip to remove their influence over it!"
"I see…" Erika whispered. "Trace, I think those Raticate were sent after you by Team Rocket!"
"What?! Seriously?!" Trace shouted.
"Of course!" Brayden said. "Ariana must've tipped off the Grunts stationed here just in case we defeated Arbok! That means that one of them must have seen you when you went to the Department Store! Agh! I never should've let you go there alone, Trace!"
"Darn it! You're right! Now they know we're here!" Trace moaned as he slapped himself in the face.
"Now I'm certain that Team Rocket is behind the Pokémon Center machine's malfunction. It was a cunning trap to lure you to the Department Store. It's likely they anticipated you would attempt to interfere after you defeated them in Vermillion City," Erika said grimly.
"But the joke's on them," Brayden said with a determined grin. "By sending those Raticate after us, they gave themselves away! They MUST be hiding in the Department Store. Tomorrow, we're going in and kicking them out!"
"Yeah! I just hope it'll get us on track to finding Cubone…" Trace said.
"That's right! You boys need to find that lost Pokémon to convince that Marowak to release your Pikachu," Erika said.
"That reminds me, Erika. Agatha appeared to us before we left Lavender Town, and she told us that someone in Celadon City would help us find Cubone. Could she have been talking about you?" Brayden asked.
Erika shrugged.
"I don't know, but if it means saving that Pikachu, I'll do my best!"
Somewhere nearby…
A little Pokémon felt a chill, and opened his eyes. What he saw filled him with fright. Instead of the cave he had lived in for the past year, he was in a cage inside a dark building.
"Cu…bone?"
He remembered scary people wearing black clothes, who had taken away his dear mother, had found him when he stepped outside the cave and gotten a little too close to the big town full of people.
And then he remembered the reason they had taken others of his kind in the first place, and, panic-stricken began crying hysterically.
"CU…CUBONE!"
"Eep! Q-quiet down or you'll get us caught!" someone said fearfully.
"Shhhh! Go back to sleep, you little runt!" another voice hissed. "Venonat, Sleep Powder!"
A strange powder drifted over the cage, and Cubone passed out once again.
"Sheesh! Why'd we nab this little thing anyway?" the Grunt complained under his breath. "Nobody wants Cubone skulls anymore, not after all that 'ghost' business in Lavender Town!"
"Maybe not, but Cubone are still wanted by Trainers around the world," the other Grunt pointed out. "I bet we could get a lot of money for selling it to the right person. Isn't that what the Executives want? What all of us want?"
"Good point. But it's late now, so we better get some rest while we can. We'll discuss it with our leader tomorrow."
The other Grunt yawned.
"All right, sure. Tomorrow…"
Brayden and Trace have met up with Celadon Gym Leader Erika, and their Pokémon have been healed! Next chapter, our heroes investigate the Department Store! Get ready for another showdown with Team Rocket!
Brayden's Current Team
Wartortle
Moves: Water Pulse, Rapid Spin, Bite, Surf
Ability: Torrent
Hardy Nature
Hates To Lose
Eats Anything.
Pidgeotto
Moves: Twister, Aerial Ace, Quick Attack, Agility
Ability: Keen Eye
Docile Nature
Good Perseverance
Eats Anything.
Butterfree
Moves: Confusion, Silver Wind, Flash, Double Team
Ability: Compound Eyes
Quiet Nature
Highly Curious
Likes Dry Food, Hates Sweet Food.
Oddish
Moves: Mega Drain, Acid, Stun Spore, Razor Leaf
Ability: Chlorophyll
Modest Nature
Alert To Sounds
Likes Dry Food, Hates Spicy Food
Electrode
Moves: Thunderbolt, Rollout, Screech, Explosion
Ability: Static
Naughty Nature
Somewhat of a Clown
Likes Spicy Food, Hates Bitter Food.
Trace's Current Team:
Charmeleon
Moves: Metal Claw, Flamethrower, Brick Break, Swords Dance
Ability: Blaze
Bashful Nature
Quick To Flee
Eats Anything
Poliwhirl
Moves: Surf, Double Slap, Mud Shot, Substitute
Ability: Damp
Gentle Nature
Takes Plenty of Siestas
Likes Bitter Food, Hates Sour Food