Scent-sational Erika of Celadon Gym, Chapter 12

Now, I'm sure everyone knows I have nothing but respect and love for the Pokemon Centers of the world, and all the Nurse Joys that run the places. I thank them every day for letting me stay the night, free of charge, every time I need to. But every once in a while, it sure is a treat, if nothing else, to be able to stay in the lap of luxury known as a real hotel. When Officer Jenny said the city would put me up for the night, she certainly didn't mean some cheap motel on the side of the road by the train station, oh no. I got to stay at the possibly world-famous Celadon Skyline Resort. On the seventeenth floor, too!

The hotel room was decorated with a red and gold theme, almost like royalty. The bed was huge, a queen size big enough to fit at least three people. An enormous TV across from the bed was mine to use, as well as enough space nearby for a Pokemon friend to rest easy outside their Pokeball. The bathroom as well as amazing to behold, and I think it might've been almost as big as my bedroom back home! Officer Jenny told me that I was free to make use of the room service provided I didn't order enough food to rouse suspicion, and to check out the next morning when I was well-rested. I made sure I didn't have to comply with anything police related the next day, and it was the perfect escape from my travels.

Well, enough gushing about the hotel, its customer service, complimentary food, and even treatment of Pokemon with exquisite pillows for them to rest outside their small prisons. Okay, I'll stop for real now. So, I woke up the next morning, feeling more refreshed than ever before, I think. After making use of the free bathrobe-last mention of the hotel, honest-and taking an early shower, I woke Vulpix up for some breakfast.

And while I was on my way to the Celadon Gym that morning, I figured it was time to get acquainted with my two newest Pokemon. I first reached for Dratini's Pokeball, a friend that had been most helpful during my trip to the power plant the other day.

"Be nice to him, Vulpix," I told my furry little companion. She scratched the back of her ear. Taking it as a yes, I released Dratini from his Pokeball. Once the little snake was free, he looked at me, then at Vulpix. Maybe he was expecting another swim job? I leaned in close to him.

"Hey there, little guy," I said, patting him on the head. "Don't worry, I don't think you'll have to help us swim across anymore rivers. At least, I hope not."

Dratini enjoyed the attention, even slithering up against me. I gave him a nice hug, make him feel like part of the family. After that, I went over to my bag on the table, taking out the other Pokeball, and my Pokedex. After all, I needed to make sure I knew just what Dratini is capable of in battle, if I wanted to try him out at today's matches.

"Dratini, the Dragon Pokemon. Long considered a mythical Pokemon until recently, when a small colony was found living underwater." I tapped a button on the Pokedex, which changed the information displayed on Dratini to his abilities.

"Dratini is capable of using the abilities: Wrap, Thunder Wave, Twister. It is female."

"Oh! So you're a girl Pokemon! I'm so sorry, girl," I said, stroking the back of her head. She didn't seem to mind the confusion. With all that information drilled into my head, I turned to the Pokeball in my hands.

"Alright you two, the Pokemon in this ball was saved from Team Rocket. I don't know what kind of Pokemon it will end up being, but remember, whatever it is, he's probably just afraid of meeting new people. Be nice, okay?"

Vulpix and Dratini nodded, and I released the Pokemon in the ball. After the red flash disappeared, the Pokemon that was left before us was a small, brown fox. It almost looked like Vulpix, only without the extra five tails she had. It looked at us with those big, round eyes, but didn't really seem all that hostile. I pointed the Pokedex at it.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokemon. Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to radiation from element stones."

"Mutate? Like evolve?" Eevee just stared back at me, not doing anything. I snapped shut the Pokedex, and pushed Vulpix and Dratini forward.

"Eevee, meet your new family! This is Vulpix, and Dratini."

Eevee just sat there, and didn't say or do anything to the other two. Vulpix barked a few things to him, and Dratini even offered her tail in some form of 'handshake', but Eevee didn't accept it. I figured he was just shy, so I didn't push the matter.

"Well, at least we're all acquainted. Now, everyone back to their Pokeballs, we have a big match today!"

~o~

After checking out of the hotel, I got back on the streets of Celadon, now a completely different place from yesterday. This also meant I didn't have to carry Vulpix around anymore, so I let her walk behind me as usual. After asking for directions from a police officer outside the hotel, I found myself first in front of the Celadon Department Store. I knew the gym was just further down the road, but Gary did say I should buy some water here. If that's all it took to get into Saffron City, why bother locking it off in the first place?

All the same, I went in through the front door, and to my surprise, it was actually quite empty. Then again, there was nothing on sale, either! Other than a desk with a couple of people behind it, and some papers on the walls, the floor was completely empty. Not much for a store when there's nothing to sell. I walked up to the counter.

"Excuse me, what do you sell here?" I asked.

"Nothing on this floor, honey," the woman said, smiling. "We only provide information here. Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Not really," I said, not wanting to go blurting out the water, in case it was some big secret. "Just looking around."

"Well, in that case, here." She handed me a brochure with a bunch of lists on it. "That's a detailed pamphlet with all our floors and their merchandise offerings. Just take the elevator to whichever floor you need, and enjoy your shopping!"

"Thank you."

I stepped into the elevator, but didn't press any buttons. According to the list, the second floor was the Trainer's Market, then the Game Shop, Gift Store, Pharmacy, and lastly the Rooftop Square. Water sounded like a necessity for trainers, so I started with the second floor. I pressed the #2 button, and waited for a moment as the elevator carried me to the second floor. I always did enjoy that strange feeling you get in your belly when the elevator is moving.

Out on the second floor, it was certainly a different place. Where the first floor was completely empty, this floor was packed with trainers all trying to stock up for their adventures. Luckily, the first thing you're supposed to see is the giant sign hanging from the ceiling that says 'NO BATTLING'. Not that it was helping keep the craziness out of the store. I fought my way to the counter, where I asked where I could buy some water.

"Water? Not on this floor. Next please!"

I was pushed out of the way by the next person in line, and shuffled through the crowd all the way back to the elevator. Normally, I'd make something of a fuss given the rudeness of even the clerks. But since it was a bit of a mess on the floor, I kept my complaints to myself. Vulpix was by the elevator this whole time, doing the smart thing and staying away from the crazed shoppers.

I hopped back in the elevator with Vulpix, but had to take a trip back down to the first floor with a bunch of other shoppers before I could be taken to the fourth floor. Another spine-tingling ride up, I came out to a similar, yet completely different scene.

This floor was also packed with people, but rather than all of them fighting to get to the counter as fast as possible, everyone here was gathered in a corner around someone. They were promoting some new perfume or something, so I just snuck past the crowd and asked at the counter for the bottled water. The man there was much nicer, and told me that the vending machines on the rooftop sold what I was looking for. After thanking him for the help, I made for the elevator again. I pressed the button with a big 'R', when someone came running towards the elevator. I held the door open for her, and she managed to sneak inside. The crowd of people came running after her, but she didn't let them through. She pressed the #1 button, but the elevator was heading up for me, first.

"You selling something to those people?" I asked, trying to calm the girl down. She was breathing quite heavily, like she was scared or something.

"Perfume," she said with a smile. "Sometimes they get a little too excited."

"Is that the one you're wearing now? It smells lovely!" I took another whiff of the stuff from her kimono, enjoying the scent. Like some kind of fruit and flower mixed together.

"Thank you! I made it myself, with a secret formula."

"I'm sure it'll be a hit!" I smiled.

The elevator stopped on the rooftop, and I got out, saying goodbye to the girl in the kimono. Vulpix followed me out this time, not enjoying the smell in the elevator. Guess she didn't like perfume. The square on the roof was lined with vending machines, all selling different kinds of drinks. Some had signs saying that they perked Pokemon up just as well as potions, but I didn't think feeding a Pokemon Soda Pop was such a good idea. Finally, I came to one vendor that sold nothing but Seafoam Spring Water, and bought a bottle. I was now extremely short on money, but fortunately, I was about to visit a gym. The gym leaders always gave out plenty of reward money for victory.

~o~

I once thought Brock's gym was the most boring of them all, but once I saw the Celadon Gym, I realized it was all a stroke of genius. Brock was a master of Rock type Pokemon, and his gym was nothing but a plain stone building. Since the Celadon Gym specialized in Grass types, it was only natural it was built like a giant greenhouse. It made me wonder, though: if Brock ever retired, would they replace him with a new Rock specialist? Or would they have to rebuild the gym to match whatever specialty the new gym leader was?

After entertaining this thought for a while, I walked into the gym, where I was instantly bombarded with that same scent from the elevator. Either I had already met the gym leader by mistake, or the gym leader was in love with that kimono girl's perfume line. There were all kinds of women tending to the hundreds of plants inside the gym, and any one of them could be the gym leader. I took a look around first, and see if I could pick out the leader just by looking at them all. Before I could eye more than a few ladies, I felt someone tap on my shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Came the voice from behind me.

"Yes, I'm looking-" I stopped, and noticed it was the kimono girl from the elevator.

"Oh! You're that young girl I just met at the Department Store." She said, recognizing me as well.

"Yeah, I'm Star."

"I'm Erika. Can I help you find anything?"

"Well, I'm looking for the gym leader here." Erika's expression darkened a bit.

"You're a Pokemon trainer?"

"Yeah, Vulpix here was my first Pokemon. We're trying to get into Victory Road."

"Well, if you're looking for the gym leader, I'm afraid you've already found her." I took a step back.

"You're the gym leader?" Erika nodded.

"You've challenged me to a Pokemon battle, so I'm afraid until it's done, we cannot chat anymore like friends." She walked towards the other ladies, clapping her hands a few times to get their attention. After they were all dismissed, Erika took her position on the other side of a clearing.

"Are you ready, Star?" Erika was pretty calm about the whole affair.

"Um, yes. What are the rules?"

"We will each use three Pokemon. Once either of us has lost two of them, the match may be declared over by me. Are you ready?" I nodded, and looked down at Vulpix. After so many gym battles she had to sit out because she was at a disadvantage, she'd finally have her time to shine.

Erika released her first Pokemon, a small mass of blue vines. I pulled out my Pokedex to see just what kind of Pokemon that was.

"Tangela, the Vine Pokemon. Its identity is obscured by masses of thick, blue vines. The vines are said to never stop growing."

Though the Pokedex didn't give me any real useful information, it didn't change the fact that Tangela was just another Grass type Pokemon. Vulpix was out on the field, and the battle just waited for Erika's first command. This would probably be the easiest gym battle yet, not counting Cerulean City.

"Tangela, Constrict!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

Erika no doubt knew I'd go with a fire attack first, still she ordered her Tangela to attack head on. Vulpix opened her mouth and let loose a wave of fire, covering Tangela entirely. After a few seconds, Vulpix stopped her attack, and Tangela fell over, completely burned. That was almost too easy, actually. Erika called back her Tangela.

"I guess you weren't kidding when you said Vulpix was first Pokemon." She picked out her next critter, and threw it out onto the field. It was a familiar one: Weepinbell.

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

"Weepinbell, jump and use Stun Spore!"

This time, I admit I got a little cocky. Vulpix's Flamethrower missed completely, and Weepinbell rained down that painful powder all over her body. She yelped a little when she realized she couldn't move, and Weepinbell bounced over to her side.

"Weepinbell, please carry Vulpix back to Star, she can't fight anymore in this condition." Weepinbell lifted Vulpix off the ground in its large leafy hands, and handed her to me.

"Thank you, Erika, for not attacking her like this." I was grateful she spared Vulpix any further pain, but also a bit disappointed I lost my stronger combatant.

"I may be a gym leader, Star, but I won't beat on a Pokemon that just can't fight anymore. Please, pick your next challenger."

I thought about the next Pokemon for a moment. With Vulpix out, my edge over Erika was gone, and I needed to rethink my battle plan. Though Mankey could probably take her Weepinbell, one false move and she'd spray him with Stun Spore again. Erika was probably betting on winning with that move alone, so I decided to fight her fire, with my own. I reached for Dratini's Pokeball and released her.

"Your move, Star." Erika said in her usual soft tone.

"If you insist: Dratini, Tackle!"

"Weepinbell, Stun Spore!" Suddenly, letting me go first made sense.

"Dratini, no! Thunder Wave!"

The quick change in orders may have been a risky move, but it was my only chance of turning the tables on Erika. Weepinbell jumped into the air, spraying that pollen all over the field, but Dratini backed away enough to avoid it. The small nub on her forehead began to glow a bright yellow, and Dratini shot forth a golden ring at Weepinbell. It hit the Pokemon right on, and Weepinbell fell to the ground, paralyzed.

"Dratini, take Weepinbell back to Erika, he can't fight anymore." I said, echoing Erika's own words. I admit, that was very satisfying.

"That won't be necessary, Star." Erika called back her Weepinbell, leaving Dratini as the winner. Erika said she'd call off the battle once two of her Pokemon were down, so I expected the fight to be over. However, she reached for another Pokeball at her side. Out came another Pokemon I knew: Gloom.

"My final Pokemon, Star. Defeat her, and the Rainbowbadge is yours."

Dratini got a little closer to Gloom, but then backed away twice as fast. Something scared her away, something I had heard stories of. It looked like I'd have to end this battle in the same manner as the one before it.

"Dratini, Thunder Wave!"

"Gloom, get closer to Dratini!"

Dratini charged up the nub on her forehead, but before she could release the attack, Gloom got too close. Dratini started to panic, and ran back towards me, slithering between my ankles for safety.

"Has your Dratini forfeit the match?"

"No! She's just-" But I didn't have an excuse to give Erika. I ended up ripping Dratini off my leg and forcing her back into the arena. She ended up right in front of Gloom. She stood there for a moment, frozen to the spot.

"Gloom, Sweet Scent!"

Gloom spout a cloud of dust towards Dratini, and she wobbled for a bit before she fell over, completely knocked out.

"Dratini is unable to battle anymore. Please choose your next Pokemon, Star."

Once Dratini was back in her Pokeball. I reached for Eevee's next. I stopped short, though, realizing he'd have the same problems with Gloom's stench as any other Pokemon. I didn't want to believe Erika could win this fight by just standing there smelling like something, but all of my Pokemon needed to breathe somehow. That is, all of them but one. I reached for his Pokeball, and released Beedrill.

"Oh my, a bug? Desperate, aren't we?" Erika almost sounded as if she were mocking me.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting!"

"Gloom, Poison Powder!"

It was a battle of toxins, with Gloom spraying Beedrill head on with that harmful powder, and Beedrill crashing into Gloom stinger-first. By the look of Gloom, she had been poisoned, but so had Beedrill. Now, it was only a matter of time before either one of them fell. I reached for my Pokedex, and checked to see what Gloom's type was. She was Grass/Poison, which meant the status effect wouldn't weaken her as quickly as Beedrill.

"Beedrill, stop flying!"

The command was certainly strange, but he didn't disobey. Beedrill touched down on the ground, standing ready in case Gloom attacked. Erika was a bit confused at my order, but didn't say anything.

"Beedrill, lie down!"

Again, Beedrill looked at me like I had gone crazy, but did as ordered. This time, Erika had to say something.

"Are you giving up, Star?"

"Not at all. Are you, Erika?"

"We'll wait this battle out, if that's what you'd like."

And so we did. For minutes, we stood there, watching as our Pokemon slowly got weaker and weaker by poison. Beedrill was having trouble staying awake, but Gloom was having even more trouble. Erika hadn't ordered Gloom to sit down, so she was spending more energy being on the ready for any more commands or attacks from Beedrill. After a few more minutes, Gloom just couldn't take it anymore, and fell backwards. The poison had finally exhausted her.

"Gloom!" Erika ran over to her Pokemon, a medicine in hand. I called back Beedrill to his Pokeball, and ran over to Erika's side.

"Is she alright?" I asked, watching as Erika sprayed the antidote on her.

"Yes, she'll be fine after a night at the Pokemon Center. I must admit, Star, you certainly proved me wrong."

"About what?"

"I thought the battle was mine, since Gloom was part Poison type, she'd outlast your Beedrill. Guess I should've followed your lead and told Gloom to take it easy."

"It's a good thing you didn't." I smiled, showing her there were no hard feelings over the battle.

"Well, you've earned this, then." Erika reached into her kimono, producing a badge. It was shaped like a flower, and had different colors on every petal. The Rainbowbadge indeed.

"Thanks, Erika." I pulled out my trainer card, attaching the badge to the fourth slot on the back.

"Oh! One last thing," she said, running over to a closet by the entrance. She came back with a small bottle in the shape of a flower.

"What's this?"

"Floral Extract, my newest idea for a perfume. I know your Vulpix may not like it, but that shouldn't stop you from smelling like a flower. You're certainly beautiful enough!" I blushed a bit and looked away.

"Y-You think so?"

"Of course! I'm sure the boys all think the same thing!"

After thanking Erika again for everything, I made a stop by the Pokemon Center, as is the ritual. While my Pokemon got the treatment they deserved, I took the bottle of the perfume and stared at it for a while. If what Erika said was true, then perhaps this was the edge I needed to finally win over Deneb. I sprinkled a bit of it on my neck, smelling the delightful scent as it surrounded me. Next time I ran into Deneb, or maybe even Gary, I'd have to try it out for real.