Celadon City Gym (Part 2)

Very early the next morning, I went out to the quiet Route 7 area to train and strategize against the upcoming battle vs. Erika. It was clear that she'd use Grass type Pokemon, so I focussed on that. I had confidence that I'd best her in a gym battle.

I had brunch at the restaurant downtown and went to the Celadon City Gym. I figured that after the gym battle tomorrow, I wouldn't go out of my way to attend the flower arrangement class, so might as well do it this morning to relax a bit.

"Good morning," the receptionist greeted me. She recognized me. "Oh, your battle is actually scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Hi, yes, I know. I was just wondering if I could use this?"

I handed her the voucher for a free introductory flower arrangement class.

"Oh, this is…!" The receptionist seemed perplexed. "I mean yes, this IS a legitimate voucher we have issued, but we currently don't have the usual instructor to lead this… Hold on. I will check for you."

She picked up the phone, evidently to call someone higher up.

"We're going to see if there's anything we can do for you," the receptionist said, hanging up the phone. She showed me to a comfy chair while I waited.

After about five minutes, I heard the doors from the inner offices of the gym open behind the receptionist. The receptionist turned around to look who walked through, looked back at her desk, then did a quick double take, standing up.

"Miss Erika!" she gave a surprise gasp. "I was told that we didn't have any suitable instructors this morning."

"Yes," Erika answered with a smile on her face. "I am very sorry for the inconvenience." She said to the receptionist, then turned towards me. I'm glad that the reception area was completely empty except for us, otherwise I would've had to deal with the obnoxious Erika fanboys.

She had a different colored kimono than I had seen her in yesterday, but it still had hues of green and deep red as the main colors. She had her hands folded in front of her and addressed me with a genuine smile and politeness.

"Our flower arrangement expert was unfortunately called away with a family emergency. We are very sorry to have caused you inconvenience," Erika explained, bowing in apology. I started waving my hands in front of me to show that it was okay, but she went on. "Even though it has been a while since I have led this program myself, it would be unbecoming of Celadon City Gym if it were to turn away a guest who has honored us with his visit. If it is acceptable with you, would you let me facilitate this morning's flower arrangement session myself?"

WOULD I?!

Before I knew what was happening, Erika herself was leading me into a small classroom with velvet-covered low tables laid out for a follow-along flower arrangement class. An assistant placed a flat vase for me, and then one for Erika, and then brought in a small selection of flowers, branches, and plants, laying them out gently. She pressed a button on the wall that caused the windows of the room to tint out and dim the room. Then she left, leaving me and Erika alone in the room.

"I would like to give you a short introduction to the art and tradition of flower arrangement. As I describe the few main features, I will show you by providing you an example here in front of me," Erika said.

"The tradition that we keep at Celadon City Gym follows a few distinct rules. First, because the flower arrangement will be placed in a space that is covered by three sides, we must focus on how the piece will look from the front side."

As Erika said this, she motioned with her hand to show me a space by the wall where a space has been prepared so that the floor is slightly raised from the rest of the room and there was a space covered on three sides.

"Second, we value the lines created by the arrangement of longer branches and flower stems, and the space between them, as opposed to trying to fill an entire basket with blooming flowers."

As an example, she meticulously measured out a branch (1.5 to 2 times the length of the flat vase length) and started placing the branches into a spiked hold at the bottom of the vase. There were so many rules to follow.

"And lastly, we value asymmetry created by the placement of these elements, and often use flowers that are not in full bloom when we place them."

Erika presented her creation, and I admired it. Then she encouraged me to create one of my own.

I picked up a branch and recalled all the little rules that Erika showed. The first branch must be such and such a length, placed here in such a way… The second branch must be 3 quarters the length of the first, etc… It just wasn't speaking to me. All these… rules.

"I think… that your arrangement was beautiful, Erika," I said. "It's traditional and wonderful. But…"

"But…?"

"It feels… trapped," I said, looking at the arrangement, surrounded on three sides. I grabbed a branch, much like the first one Erika used, but I clipped it differently.

"You said that it is important for the arrangement to have a good front side, as that is what will be visible to those in the room," I said. "But in nature, that's not what happens. In nature, plants don't get to decide where to be seen from. They just… are, and that's what makes them beautiful."

"..." Erika listened to me in silence.

"You said lines, space, and asymmetry were the next important things," I said, grabbing another branch. "And I absolutely see what makes yours beautiful, but again…" I placed my branch in a slightly different pattern than hers. "I think it's also okay to take a step away from tradition, given that you respect it."

I saw her eyes looking at my arrangement carefully.

"And finally," I said, grabbing the flower piece, one that was blooming more than the one Erika chose. "I think it's okay to express yourself more naturally, and let yourself go more." I had finished my piece, and slowly rotated my vase so we could see it from all angles.

"Haha," I laughed a little bit. "Definitely not as beautiful as yours, Erika. But maybe it will look better in the light, not stuck in the corner there."

I walked over to the wall and pressed a button. The windows cleared up and the sunlight flooded the room, hitting my flower arrangement. It seemed fuller, more natural.

Erika smiled politely. She walked over to my piece and reached her hand out, about to touch it, but retracted her hand. It seemed like she was deep in thought.

"You came to us this morning to learn a little bit about flower arrangement," she finally said, turning towards me with a warm smile. "But it seems I was the one that was destined to learn something valuable from you. Thank you."

She gave me a little bow. I bowed back.

She brewed me a cup of green tea all by herself, and we talked a little bit about her love for plants and flowers before she was called away on other important gym matters.

I felt refreshed on a spiritual level, ready to continue with my afternoon training. Tomorrow morning, after all, I would meet her as my opponent.