Medicine Across the Sea, Chapter 36
The following morning, I left the Moo Moo Farm after a nice send off by Martha and her daughters. As thanks for everything, I let them have the last Super Potion in my bag. It had been given to me by one of the Kimono Girls prior to my fight with Giovanni in the Burned Tower, and they'd need it more than I. During breakfast, Natalie mentioned one of their Miltanks had come down with something. While the Super Potion wouldn't cure her, it would keep her healthy enough until they could get the medicine they needed.
"They sell the medicine we need in Cianwood City," Martha said. "But I can't just up and go to the city and leave my girls behind."
"I'll go," I offered, as you might expect. "I'm headed in that direction anyway."
"If it's no trouble, Star dear, we'd appreciate that. The faster our Miltank gets better, the faster we can get back to selling Moo Moo Milk."
So with that, I had a new short-term goal, and one that required a bit of haste on my part. Seemed like no matter what, I always had a carrot dangling in front of me to keep me going. But I wasn't about to complain; after all, it's what kept me moving forward. And there was certainly nothing wrong with that. A bike ride through now familiar Route 39, and I arrived back at Olivine City.
This seaside metropolis reminded me a lot of Vermillion City. My destination was Cianwood, beyond the sea, so I'd have to book passage on a ship. But before I got around to that, there was one stop I had to make while here. I wandered the busy streets of Olivine for a while, until I found what I was looking for: the hospital.
I walked inside, and quickly became the center of attention. Shrugging it off, I walked up to the front desk and waited for one of the nurses to attend to me.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm looking for my friend? She was brought here from Ecruteak City a few days ago by Pidgeot. Her name is Rebecca."
The nurse nodded, and got right to typing on her computer. A moment later, she nodded.
"Yes, she was discharged early this morning. I'm afraid you just missed her."
"Really? Do you know where she went?" If she was still somewhere in the city, perhaps I could catch up to her and see her again.
"I'm afraid she went back to her home, in Violet City. An elderly man came by to pick her up." The nurse said with a frown.
"Elder Li..." I said to myself, remembering the old Pokemon trainer from Sprout Tower.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"No, but thanks anyway." I gave the nurse a slight bow, and left the hospital.
Once outside, I tried to think of a way to contact Rebecca out in Violet City. Unfortunately for me, I had never gotten her phone number while we were together, and I never gave her mine. Not that it mattered, as my Pokegear was still broken. I sighed, and looked down at Vulpix.
"Guess I'll see her again some other time. At least she's okay, right?" I told my companion.
My next destination was the port, just outside the city on Route 40. If I moved quick enough, I'd be able to catch a ferry across the sea to Cianwood that very same day.
~o~
Route 40 is a short road just outside Olivine City that connects to the ocean. Like Route 19 in Kanto south of Fuchsia City, it was simply a means for travelers and trainers alike to find a way across the ocean to their next destination. And unfortunately for me, without a water Pokemon on my team, I'd have to buy passage on a ferry this time.
There was quite a crowd on the pier that afternoon, so I had to force my way through a bit of a crowd to reach the ticket booth. It probably would've saved me a lot of trouble if I had asked someone in the crowd for help first, which I chose not to do this time.
"I'd like to buy a ticket to Cianwood, please," I asked the woman running the booth once I got there.
"I'm sorry, but the ferry has been stopped for the time being." Another hitch in my plans.
"What? Why?" The woman pointed out to Olivine City behind me.
"See the lighthouse?" I followed her finger to the distinctly different building on the edge of the city, by the shore. "The Pokemon responsible for lighting it has fallen ill. Without the lighthouse, we can't risk running anymore ships."
"Not even during the day?" At night I could understand the need for the lighthouse, but it was perfectly fine day right now.
"The bay around Olivine is prone to fog, so the amount of ferries running has been reduced. The only ferry to and from Cianwood has already departed for the day." This was more of a problem than ever.
"So there's no way to get to Cianwood for me?" I asked.
"I can't sell you any tickets, but if you have a pass, you're free to jump on the ferry like any other person," she explained.
"And where can I get a pass?"
"Sorry, we don't sell those right now." I sighed again.
"Thank you for all your help."
I pushed my way through the crowd and back towards Olivine City. Vulpix joined my side again, having chosen not to follow me to the ticket booth. I plopped down on the ground next to her, unsure what to do next. Without a ship to cross the ocean, my only other option was catching a water Pokemon large enough to ride across the sea. But that meant I'd need a fishing rod, so I'd have to go back into Olivine to buy one...
"This is such a pain!" I screamed to both myself and Vulpix, before burying my head in my knees. Vulpix barked a couple times, but it wasn't at me.
"Well, we meet again." Came a familiar voice. I looked up at the source of the voice.
"You're the boy from Route 36! Alan, right?"
"That's me, and you're Star. Glad we remembered each other for this nice little chat." He looked at the mass of people around the ticket booth for the ferry.
"Don't bother," I told him, "They aren't selling any tickets now."
"I heard from someone in town, actually. Lighthouse Pokemon is sick, so everything is shut down. Sucks for me, since I don't have any water types."
"Me too," I agreed, but careful not to swear. Mom would surely wash my mouth out if I tried, even if she wasn't here to hear me.
"Guess I could just turn back and head to Mahogany Town," Alan commented, before turning to leave. He sure didn't waste any time.
"But I can't do that! I have to get to Cianwood City!" I whined. It felt out of character, but perhaps Alan could set me straight with a kind word of wisdom. Not that I was expecting much.
"Well, if the Lighthouse Pokemon is sick, perhaps you should find out if there's any medicine for it to get better. Once it's better, the ferries would return to normal, right?"
I couldn't believe it. Alan actually had a point. I shot up from the ground, ready to press onward.
"You're right! I'll head to that lighthouse right now! Thanks, Alan!"
I ran past him, not even stopping to say goodbye. I probably should've told him to wait around the city for a while, in case he really wanted to reach Cianwood City. I was certain I'd find a way to fix everything soon enough!
~o~
Glitter Lighthouse, contrary to its name, didn't have a single speck of glitter anywhere on it! Personally, I didn't much like the stuff. Quite the opposite, I feared it like I feared drowning. See, when I was little, I heard from a teacher of mine at school that glitter was made of tiny pieces of paper, and if one got into your eye, it could cut it and leave you blind. After hearing that, I instantly disassociated myself with the stuff. This of course meant extra spending for Mom, who had to replace a good chunk of my wardrobe. Before learning that, I was the kind of girl that liked the sparkly stuff on my shirts and dresses.
The lighthouse was on the pier, overlooking the ocean and effectively Route 40, though it was more to the west than south. There was still plenty of sunlight, so there was no reason for it to be switched on. It looked to be about five or six floors, meaning plenty of climbing. I looked down at Vulpix, who figured the same and was begging to be carried. But if I had to climb, so did she.
Inside, the walls were barren and the halls poorly lit. Not sure if it had anything to do with the sick Pokemon, but already it wasn't a good sign. I walked down the hall and up the first flight of stairs, counting each of the fourteen steps along the way. A little compulsion of mine. Atop that flight was another poorly lit hallway, though this one wasn't empty. Halfway down the hall, there was an old man in a suit standing against the wall.
"I'm sorry, but further entry is prohibited. Wouldn't want you or your Pokemon catching whatever it is ailing our Amphy." He stood in my way, folding the paper he was glossing over and tucking it under his arm.
"Hello, I'm Star," I said, offering my hand. The man took it and shook it gently.
"Preston, my dear. Might I inquire what it is you want here?"
"I heard the Pokemon here was sick. I just wanted to see if I could help somehow." And in turn, get across the ocean to Cianwood City myself. Preston nodded silently, looking down at Vulpix for a second before responding.
"I'm afraid short of you having the medicine Jasmine is looking for, you'd only get in the way."
"So the Pokemon is sick? Just tell me what kind of medicine it is and I'll go out and get it!" I didn't blame Preston for looking at me strangely. How many people just waltz up to someone begging to help out?
"Jasmine has already called for the medicine to be prepared and delivered. If you are sincere, take this and head to Cianwood City. Perhaps you'll make the trip faster than the deliveryman."
Preston handed me a handkerchief. Other than a strange symbol etched into a corner, it was a plain white piece of cloth. I didn't see how it was much of a message to someone, but not everything had to be written explicitly.
"So it's somewhere in Cianwood City?"
"There's a pharmacy there, next door to the city gym. Jasmine made the order today, so if you hurry, you could make it there and back by tomorrow evening. There's a ferry that travels to and from the island city daily."
"But that ferry won't let anyone on unless they have a pass," I explained to Preston. The older gentleman scratched his chin for a moment before answering.
"Take this, then." He handed me a card next, with the picture of a Dewgong on it. There were a few words written on the card, but I didn't get to read them before he explained what it was.
"It's a pass for the ferry. You'll be able to get on with it."
"Really? Thank you!" I couldn't believe how easy that had been.
"My pleasure. Now, can I trust you to bring back the medicine in a timely fashion?"
"You bet! I'll be at the pier first thing tomorrow!" I turned around and made for the stairs, when Preston held me back. I looked back at him as he adjusted his hat.
"Why are you so eager to lend aid, young lady?"
"Well, I know what it's like to be sick. And if the Pokemon doesn't get better, won't that make it hard for ships to dock in the city? I mean, that's what the lighthouse does, right?" My answer showed obvious signs of self gain, but everything I said was truthful. I wouldn't want that Pokemon to remain sick, and I most certainly didn't want to let Martha and her daughters down.
"Thank you again for your help," Preston said, tipping his hat.
"No problem! I'll be back as soon as I can with the medicine!"
~o~
As always, the Pokemon Center was more than willing to let me stay the night. Of course, while I left my critters with Nurse Joy at the front desk, I made a stop by the second floor, where the phones were. Mom was probably going crazy by now, not having heard from me in a few days. I dialed home, and the phone didn't even ring a full one time before she picked it up.
"Hello? Star? Is that you?" She sounded desperate on the other line.
"Yes Mom, it's me." The screen switched on, showing me her face. That short time without hearing from me had really hit her nerves. She looked like she hadn't stopped pacing since my last call.
"Mom, you look sick, are you okay?"
"Yes, yes I am. I'm not sick, Star, just sick with worry! Why didn't you call sooner?" I thought about that for a moment, remembering that I hadn't talked to her since I stopped by Violet City again to meet up with Rebecca. With all the craziness in Ecruteak City, I never once picked up a phone there.
"Sorry, I ran into a bit of trouble in Ecruteak City. I'm okay, though! I'm in Olivine City now."
"Well, I'm happy to hear that you're okay, but you do have that Pokegear! Why don't you call me more often?" I looked down at the device on my wrist.
"Mom, you know this thing is broken. Can you ask Professor Oak if he knows someone who can fix it?"
"As a matter of fact, I do!" The Professor's voice rang out from behind Mom. A moment later, Oak was looking at me through the screen.
"Professor? Why are you there?"
"Paying your mother a visit. Your friend Deneb is here as well. As for your Pokegear, I believe if you send it directly to Devon Corp, they'll repair it for free! They pride themselves on exemplary customer service."
"Where are they?"
"Rustboro City, out in the Hoenn region. You'll have to pay a small delivery fee to have it shipped out there, but otherwise it's totally free of charge! By the way, Star, insert your Pokedex into the phone there. I recently updated the system to account for even more Pokemon from other regions. I doubt you'll find yourself there anytime soon, but-"
"Alright, that's enough, Professor! It's my daughter!" Mom pushed Professor Oak off the screen, and grabbed onto the phone with both hands, as if trying to hold me in place.
"Star, you're in Olivine City, right? I'll send you some extra money so you can get that Pokegear fixed! I don't want to go this long without talking to you again!"
"Mom!" I looked behind me, but fortunately there was no one around to hear her screaming into the phone. "Relax, okay? I need to get it fixed, but I can't just stay here waiting for that money."
"What? Why not?" I sighed, figuring I'd have to explain the situation.
I told her about the Pokemon at the Lighthouse, the trip across the ocean to Cianwood, and returning to the farm to deliver the medicine for Martha. It surprised me a little as I told the story just how busy I'd become in so short a time.
"That's my girl!" Mom practically screamed into the phone. "Always helping out! I'm so proud of you!"
"Mom, you're embarrassing me," I said with a bit of a blush. Professor Oak was still somewhere nearby, listening in no doubt.
"But about that Pokegear! We need to get it fixed, so I have to send you the money somehow!"
"Actually, I think I have an idea for that. Could you put the Professor on?" I said, coming up with an idea so crazy, I could hardly believe it myself. Mom called for the older man to come back to the phone.
"Yes, Star? Have you inserted your Pokedex like I asked?"
"Oh, not yet..." I dug in my bag quickly and did as he instructed. While the computer did its magic, I went about my idea.
"Professor, you said the Devon Corp is in Rustboro City, right?"
"That's right. You can have them fix or replace your Pokegear in a jiffy!"
"And what if I just went there myself?" As expected, Mom pushed the old man off screen and clutched onto the phone.
"What!? You're going to Hoenn?"
"Mom! Please, calm down," I said in a hushed tone. "I was thinking about it, is all. I'd like to see the region myself."
"But, you haven't been home in so long!" She was grasping, but I couldn't blame her.
"Mom, I've only been in Johto for a few weeks, maybe a month." The passage of time wasn't something I kept much track of, as you know. Mom struggled to find the right words to convince me otherwise, but after a few false starts and some mumbling, she let out a sigh.
"I won't be able to stop you, huh?"
"I'm sorry," I said, feeling bad about it all. Maybe her plan was to guilt me into not going.
"I'll send you some money, then," she said quietly. "So that you can buy a ticket on a cruise ship to Hoenn from there."
"What? Really!?" Now I was the one screaming into the line.
"Well, you'll have to use some of the money I gave you before you left, but I think between the two of us we can manage. Do you know when you'll be leaving?" It was all happening so fast.
"I... I don't know, yet. There's still a few things I have to do here in Johto. I'll call you again and let you know." There was no need to decide on everything now, after all.
"Okay, Star. Just be sure to call me as often as you can, okay? I die with worry everyday you don't call!" By the look of her hair and face, I believed her.
"Okay, Mom. I promise. I have to go now," I said, remembering I am using the Pokemon Center's phone.
"Okay, sweetie. Take care out there, and be careful when you get on that boat tomorrow!"
"I will, Mom. Bye!"
Mom blew me a kiss, then the screen went dark. I got up and turned around, only to be scared half to death when I bumped into Nurse Joy. She handed me a tray with my Pokeballs, and Vulpix at her feet. As I put them all back in their spots, my stomach let out another loud grumble, which the good nurse heard. My face felt like it was on fire.
"Would you like something to eat? We don't have much-"
"Please," I said, cutting her off. I felt my face flush a bit hotter after realizing what I had just said. "I mean, I can pay for it if I have to!"
"Don't worry, everything's on me. This way."
It was for reasons like this that I never stayed at actual hotels on my travels. Call me cheap.
~o~
I woke up early the next morning, and after mooching off Nurse Joy and the center once more for a small breakfast, I ran out of the city towards Route 40. Surrounding the dock was a crowd of people, which didn't surprise me following yesterday. How so many people suddenly got passes for the ferry was beyond me if the ticket booth wasn't selling them yesterday.
I wiggled through the crowd, Vulpix leading the way through the small passes between people. Once the ferry started loading up passengers, I was among the first to get on, the card given to me by Preston making it an easy task. I took a seat by the ramp, watching the other people as they boarded the ferry. I didn't know very many people here in Johto, but there was always the chance of making new friends. Of course, this isn't exactly what happened on the ferry that morning.
One of the many people boarding the ferry was a familiar face. I couldn't quite place the kid at first, but he seemed familiar all the same. In fact, it was he who recognized me on the spot! He walked over to me, though his expression didn't look particularly inviting. Vulpix seemed to remember him, as she clawed at my arm a bit before she growled at the kid.
"I remember you," he said, scoffing at Vulpix. "We met a few weeks ago, on Route 30."
"Really?" I thought back, but couldn't quite place the kid on the spot. My response agitated him a bit more.
"Of course, you don't remember me. I'm sure it's hard for a cheater to keep up with all the people she's cheated." That instantly sparked a fire in my mind.
"You're that kid! The one with the Zubat and Rattata!" He nodded, opening his jacket to show off his much larger collection of Pokeballs this time. A full compliment of six, and he looked eager to get back at me for that battle.
"You know the rules, cheater. I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!" He picked one of the Pokeballs from the jacket, and prepared to launch it. Fortunately, he was cut off by someone behind him.
"Kid! No battling on the ferry!" We both looked to see a man with a fancy sailor's hat, most likely the captain.
"What? But I challenged her! She has to battle!"
"My ship, my rules, son. You want to fight that bad, take it out on the shore. I won't be stopping this ferry from leaving on time, though."
The kid wasn't liking the captain's rules much, and he shot me a glare. He'd give anything to force me off the ferry for that battle, but I wasn't about to oblige him. The Pokemon from the lighthouse was a greater priority.
"Sorry, but I need to get to Cianwood. We can battle over there, if you want." I picked up Vulpix and moved to a different seat, not wanting to cause any more trouble. If the captain said anything else to the kid, I didn't hear it.
Once the ferry pulled out of the dock, everything seemed to settle down a bit. I asked around, and heard the trip would take a few hours, so that meant I could enjoy the cool ocean breeze and surprisingly warm weather that day. The ferry would sail through Route 41, which cut right through the Whirl Islands. According to the legends of Ecruteak City, the Pokemon that once lived atop the Burned Tower now resided somewhere on those islands. Much as I wanted to go exploring to see if it was true, I had other matters to attend to. If the Articuno legend was true back on the Seafoam Islands, I'm sure the critter on these was also real.
My enjoyment of the breeze was cut short by the kid again after only a few minutes out at sea. I didn't want to cause trouble, so I tried to ignore him and mind my own business. That is, until he actually started talking to me, and Vulpix stopped growling at him.
"Listen," he said, his tone much softer than before, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier."
"Oh?" I turned to look at him, noticing his head was hanging. For a moment, he really looked apologetic.
"I was angry, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything I said back there, or the first time we met." He seemed sincere enough; add to the fact he couldn't even make direct eye contact. Though, that could mean he was lying through his teeth.
"I'm Star, what's your name?" For the first time, the kid looked at me directly. His eyes were glassy, as if he had been holding back tears.
"Charlie." I smiled at Charlie, and offered him a seat next to me. Vulpix moved out of the way, but didn't take her eyes off him.
"I didn't cheat, you know. You just sucked at battling." A cruel, cold, not to mention blunt way of saying it. I admit I could've used a bit more tact.
"I know," he replied, much to my shock. "Plus, you're a girl. I didn't want to lose, much less to a girl."
"Hey, it's okay!" I said, giving him a friendly nudge with my fist. "Worse things than losing to a girl, trust me."
"Prove it." He looked at me dead on. I tried to come up with a worse alternative, and remembered something that happened to me.
"You could lose to a girl gym leader! There's this leader in Saffron City, see. And if you lose to her, she turns you into a baby!"
"What? No way, that's impossible." He said, looking at me with shifty eyes.
"It's true! Scared me to death when it happened!"
It was quite a delight to talk so freely with someone, to be honest. Being on the road for so long with just Vulpix, the only other persons I met being trainers only interested in fighting, you tend to feel cooped up inside yourself. Charlie may have started off like any other trainer encounter, but with battling prohibited on the ferry, it finally allowed us to see each other as more than just the puppeteers pulling the Pokemon's strings. More importantly, I finally got to poke fun at my own terrors, most notably the battle with Sabrina. Charlie even had a few tales of his own to share, though they weren't as colorful as mine. Not to be self-centered, but compared to most trainers, I was having quite the journey.
After we shared stories for a little while, our attention was drawn to a school of Pokemon swimming alongside the ferry. Everyone on board was rushing to the deck, trying to catch glimpses or pictures with cameras. Since we had taken a seat next to the railing, all we had to do was look over it to see the Pokemon. They were a kind I had never seen before, so of course I pulled out my Pokedex to scan the critters.
"Mantine, the Kite Pokemon. Swimming freely in open seas, it may fly out of the water and over the waves if it builds up enough speed."
Just as the Pokedex finished explaining, the Mantine actually leapt from the water, flying alongside the ferry. The people on board were all left astonished, snapping pictures furiously. Even Charlie could hardly contain his wonder. Vulpix barked at the flying Pokemon, too excited to sit still in the seat. I grabbed her and held her against the railing, just to make sure she didn't go overboard.
The Mantine flew alongside the ferry until it had to turn westward to arrive at Cianwood. By now, most of the other passengers had gone back to their own conversations, so few saw when the Mantine returned to the ocean.
"Amazing, right, Star?" Charlie commented after the last of the Pokemon had vanished under the waves.
"Yeah," I said, looking out over the ocean, "makes me happy knowing I set out on this adventure."
"Me too." Charlie gave me a smile, an expression better suited to the boy. I smiled back at him, and was nearly caught as Charlie moved in for a kiss! I stopped his puckered lips with my hand.
"Whoa, there. What's that?" I pushed him back to his side of the bench.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't-I mean," he looked extremely flustered, like he wasn't sure himself what he was doing. I couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, too. Don't try to kiss me again, okay?"
Charlie nodded silently, and looked away, blushing a hot red all over. After a few seconds, the tension was too much for him, and he excused himself for a moment. I giggled, and looked to Vulpix, who wasn't sure what was going on. I scratched her behind the ears. Yet another boy bewitched by my charm? I was quite magnetic.