A large crowd stood watching the fire. Blue could see Erika standing outside the gym, looking horrified. The night seemed to glow an awful red as the gym swayed and creaked in the flames. The breeze blew embers off the blaze, and he had to shield himself as he approached the gym.
"Erika!" Blue called. "What happened?"
"It was Team Rocket!" she wailed. "They traced him back to me when he broke into the hideout. My Oddish is in there somewhere…"
Blue gazed back up at the gym. Why wasn't anyone doing anything? He looked down at the Growlithe in his arms…
"Here, take this Growlithe." Blue directed, passing the Pokemon to Erika.
He pulled out Wartortle's Pokeball.
"Go Wartortle!" he exclaimed, and Wartortle appeared in front of him. "Use your water gun on the gym. I'll be right back."
Wartortle nodded, and began to spray the building. Blue gulped, and ran for the door.
"Blue!" Erika was yelling after him. "Blue! Stop!"
He burst through the door and surveyed the scene. Flames licked the walls, and gradually climbed the shrubbery and plants inside the gym. He kept low to the ground as he ran through the gym, looking for any sign of Oddish.
He strained his ears, and sweat poured down his face. Chunks of wood were beginning to fall from the ceiling now. There wasn't much time!
"Odd!"he heard a faint squeak from somewhere in the gym.
"Oddish!" Blue called out, and he followed the sound.
He bobbed and weaved through the inferno, and found Oddish in a far corner of the gym, cowering. It turned to him, eyes wide.
"There you are." He murmured.
He scooped the Pokemon up and began running back for the door. He was almost there….
Blue flung himself back through the door right as the door frame collapsed. He took a few more steps and stopped. The cool night air filled his lungs and he stood panting for a moment.
"Oddish!" Erika cried, and he glanced up.
The gym leader dashed over and took Oddish gently in her arms. The Oddish squealed in delight. It was safe.
"Blue I can't thank you enough." Erika began.
Blue turned to face Erika and frowned.
"I wish I had been here sooner." He admitted. "Maybe then the gym…"
"You were here just in time." Erika said gently. "If you hadn't run in, I might not have my Oddish."
"I guess." Blue mumbled.
Erika reached into her pocket.
"Here," she said, holding something small and shiny out to him. "Take this badge. I know we haven't battled, but you've earned it."
Blue took the badge in his hand.
"Are you sure?" he asked, puzzled.
"Of course!" she laughed. "I'm very lucky that you came to Celadon when you did. I hope to see great things from you."
She turned and strolled off. Fire fighters with various water-type Pokemon were beginning to filter onto the scene, so Blue called Wartortle back and began to pace back down the street. He sighed. What was this feeling? He felt so drained, and yet, he knew he'd done the best he could. But still. He'd never felt so defeated in his entire life.
He kicked a pebble and sent it bouncing down the street. Red was probably on his way to Fuchsia City by now…
"Wait!" a voice came from behind him.
Blue spun to see a girl carrying the Growlithe from earlier running towards him. She skidded to a halt and held the Pokemon out to him.
"You forgot your Growlithe!" she panted.
"Oh, well he's not actually my…" Blue started.
"Could you take your Growlithe already? My arms are tired."
Blue shrugged and took the Growlithe from the girl, and she sprinted back to the gym without another word. An idea crept into Blue's head. He hadn't caught a Growlithe yet, and he needed a strong fire-type Pokémon for his team. Maybe he could keep the Growlithe?
It snuggled up to him and wagged its bushy tail weakly. Blue sighed. He would need to find a Pokemon Center so it could rest. He wandered the streets until he stumbled upon it, and entered.
Exhausted, he passed the Growlithe to Nurse Joy.
"Does your Growlithe have a Pokeball?" she inquired.
"It's not my Growlithe." He stated, realizing with disappointment that there could be someone searching for it.
"It's not?" she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"No. It was injured, so I picked it up and carried it here."
He didn't want to go into the details of his encounter with Team Rocket.
The nurse frowned.
"Do you think it belongs to someone?" she asked. "It seems very well-trained."
"I'm not sure." He replied. "Is there a place I can take it to figure out if it has a trainer?"
"Not around here." Nurse Joy responded, shaking her head. "But maybe you can take it to Mr. Fuji's house in Violet Town? It could wait there in case its trainer shows up. If it's been abandoned, Mr. Fuji would take great care of it."
Blue looked down at the Growlithe, and it gazed back up at him with its big, brown eyes.
If it's been abandoned…
Blue spent the night at the Pokemon Center. He had decided it would be best to take the Growlithe to Mr. Fuji, since it was on the way to Fuchsia City anyways. The Growlithe slept curled at his feet, its soft snore echoing through the center.
He could always just keep the Growlithe. Its trainer obviously didn't care enough to go looking for the poor Pokemon…
The next morning, Blue set off for Violet Town. The Growlithe loped happily at his side, its tongue lolling lazily out the side of its mouth. Blue paused and pulled out a Pokeball. If he could catch the Growlithe, it would be his for sure.
"Okay Growlithe," Blue began. "It's a long journey, and I'm not sure Mr. Fuji will even be able to help us. How about you hop in this Pokeball, and we just head right through to Fuchsia City?"
The Growlithe sat down and scratched its ear, and Blue tossed the Pokeball. Growlithe's eyes widened, and it punted the ball away with its hind legs, growling.
"Oh come on!" Blue groaned. "It's not like your trainer's come to find you!"
Growlithe sneezed defiantly, and trotted ahead. Blue sighed. It was wrong of him to try that, and he knew it. But how great would it be to have a Growlithe as a team member! He'd always wanted a strong Arcanine. Growlithe kept trotting, not even looking back.
"Alright." Blue called. "I'll help you get to Mr. Fuji's."
Growlithe turned and wagged its tail. Blue ruffled its thick fur.
"You'll see your trainer soon enough." He murmured.
The journey to Violet Town did not take long. He had to double back through Saffron City, but he was able to catch an Abra and a Meowth on Route 8. Growlithe still trotted determinedly ahead of him. Why was it so sure its trainer would come back? Were Pokemon really so attached and loyal?
As they entered Violet Town, Blue couldn't help feeling bad for Growlithe. It could wait at Mr. Fuji's for a very long time and its trainer might still never show up. The mountains loomed over them, and a tall tower at the edge of the small town made Blue shiver. Something was off about the town, and even Growlithe seemed to tremble gazing up at the lonely tower.
Blue pulled out his map and began to follow the beaten down road to Mr. Fuji's house.
He didn't know what would happen to Growlithe after all of this, but he knew one thing for sure. He didn't want to wait in this town for too long!