Erin and Mikayla entered the Pokémon Centre to see Koga sitting at laptop at a table. He looked up and smiled at them as they walked over to him.
"I guess this means you accepted Professor Oak's offer" he laughed. "Through tracking devices we managed to snap on The Master Stone's case before it was stolen, we've learned it was moved to a warehouse in Saffron City, however this morning it was moved to the Celadon Game Corner." His eyes never left the illuminated screen. "You're going to have to go after it, you can contact me on your PokeGear whenever you need help and I'll be there!" he looked up at smiled, at Erin, he didn't pay much attention to Mikayla.
He added his number to both of their PokeGears.
"Do you know how you'll get to Celadon?" Koga asked, it WAS kind of an important question.
"We'll fly on the backs of our Pokémon!" Erin chimed in. "I have Charizard and Mikayla has Pidgeot"
"Good! I really want to go with you," Koga looked solely at Erin, "but I have to manage my gym as well."
Erin looked at him and nodded, Mikayla was getting annoyed, it was like she didn't even exist to Koga.
"When do we get going?" she finally spoke.
"As soon as possible, but maybe change first?" he laughed and gestured toward them, their clothes were still tattered and singed. They both looked at each other and laughed.
"When you get to Celadon, call me, and I will direct you from there." Koga instructed.
Mikayla walked toward the door without another word, she could not wait to get even with Ariana for what she did to the Oak Lab and her friends. She stopped in front of the sliding door to dig through her backpack for her Pokémon belt. Suddenly the doors slid open allowing a gust of cold wind into the Pokémon Centre and a speeding object to collide with Mikayla, pushing her down to the ground. She rubbed her head and looked up to see the very apologetic and panting face of Blue.
"I'm so sorry!" he gasped as he helped her up.
"What has you in such a hurry?" she laughed, still holding her hand to the back of her head.
"I'm coming with you." He spoke in all seriousness. "I need to help you defeat Team Rocket. That stone is my grandfather's pride and joy; so much work went into it!"
Mikayla smiled and nodded and the two of them exited the Pokémon Centre, Erin and Koga followed. Mikayla threw up a PokeBall to release her Pidgeot, Blue did the same and he too had a Pidgeot, they looked at each other and laughed. Erin ran over and released her Charizard which let out a loud roar and a small, steady stream of fire. They first flew to Pallet Town to get a change of clothes on, along with whatever else they'd need. Mikayla had the concierge of the hotel ship her suitcase to her parents in Azalea Town and Erin sent hers to her New Bark apartment, they had to travel light.
Upon meeting Blue outside of the hotel, they mounted their Pokémon and continued to Celadon City. The change in altitude made Mikayla dizzy and she gently swayed back and forth on her Pidgeot, her vision became very blurred, the immense forest below her melded into one green blotch. She didn't think she could keep consciousness much longer. Erin noticed this and became very alarmed.
"Blue!" Erin called over to the trainer on Mikayla's opposite side. "We need to land NOW!" she gestured toward a struggling Mikayla.
His eyes widened and he flew closer to Mikayla, stabilizing her with his right hand. Erin did the same on Mikayla's right side; the two of them gently guided her Pidgeot down to the rugged path below. Mikayla, with Blue's guidance, slid off the back of her Pidgeot and onto the ground.
"W-What happened?" she stammered out, holding her hand to her forehead, which was pounding.
"You almost passed out and fell to your death is what happened!" Erin said still a bit shaken from the experience. "I guess flying is out of the question for now."
"Well where are we?" Mikayla asked, beginning to gain full awareness again.
"That sign says Route 6" Erin pointed to a rugged and worn sign a few feet away from them.
"Then we're just north of Vermillion City," Blue informed "by foot, it's a good half hour to Saffron and another half hour to Celadon."
Erin looked up at the tangerine sky, it would be dark soon.
"We have to get moving, you okay?" she asked Mikayla.
Mikayla stood up with energy, clearly feeling better.
"I can handle anything!" she bragged with a smile on her face.
They all laughed and began to walk down Route 6. The Route was rugged but still very beautiful, it was tree lined with many pretty flowers blooming everywhere. The copper sun poked through the thick branches to provide interesting shadows along the walkway. The three walked almost in silence toward Saffron, their minds all focused on the dangerous task ahead of them. The sun had set when they reached Saffron City, the crescent moon punctured through the sky and lights in skyscrapers dabbled across the city skyline. The trio decided to press on to Celadon and not waste any time.
"Hey," Mikayla broke the silence "where could Team Rocket possibly hide The Master Stone in the Game Corner, I mean, everyone would see it."
The trio stopped in their tracks and looked at each other.
"Perhaps there is more to this than we think" Blue looked up at the stars. "Team Rocket IS an infamous crime syndicate".
Those words made everyone even more uneasy; Mikayla regretted opening her mouth in the first place. It hadn't really struck her yet, they weren't just going to a regular gym battle to get a measly badge, they were fighting hardened criminals for the most powerfully devastating item known to man. There was no second chance if they failed, if they failed, mankind would be over as they knew it. They continued walking; the tall buildings and trees of Celadon could be seen on the horizon. Celadon City was different from Saffron, even though they were close together. Celadon had a more welcoming look with cobblestone paths, towering evergreen trees and fragrant flowers, while Saffron was an uncoloured, intimidating, metropolis. While the Game Corner Casino was open all 24 hours, Erin, Mikayla and Blue were all exhausted from the journey, to challenge Team Rocket now would be just plain stupid. They came across a two-towered hotel across the street from the Game Corner, simply named, Celadon Towers. The lobby was immaculate, with black, shimmering tiled floors, golden accents everywhere, along with potted floral plants at every turn. Even at this time of night, the lobby was crowded. Erin approached the front desk and left Mikayla in a black leather armchair because her dizziness came back. Blue sat next to her, on the armrest of the chair. A flustered man in a suit approached Erin from behind the desk.
"Are you here for the Pokémon Contest?" he asked, out of breath.
"Um, no" Erin said with a strange expression.
A Pokémon Contest, that's what caused the excessive crowding of the lobby. Everyone was here to stay so they could watch or participate in tomorrow's festivities. Erin knew what was going to be said next, though she really didn't want to hear it.
"Well then rooms are going to be scarce." The man was very snobby.
Erin sighed, the Pokemon Centre already turned them away for the same reason, if they didn't find a place to stay they'd have to camp in the forest. They had no camping supplies other than a few blankets, sleep would be impossible.
"Are you sure there's nothing? I mean, there are only three of us." Erin pleaded.
The man typed vigorously on his computer, his blank expression lit up and he turned to Erin.
"We have one room open, it should be…sufficient" he looked toward Erin with a forced smile.
"We'll take it, now, are there two beds? Or what?" Erin asked.
The man behind the desk did not answer he simply stated "Room 107", handed Erin a room key and proceeded to another customer. Erin was skeptical and was about to start an argument with this very unhelpful employee but she turned to her friends. Mikayla had her head rested on Blue's arm, eyes closed. While Blue's eyed batted with exhaustion. She smiled sympathetically, it was best that they just get some sleep. Their room was on the ground floor, at the end of a narrow hallway that was adjacent with the front desk. Erin slid the room key through the lock and opened the door. The room was beautiful, but small, very small. There was black Berber carpet, and ecru walls. The three of them looked awkwardly at each other, there was one double sized bed and a sofa, which appeared to not have a bed in it. Mikayla stumbled over and collapsed onto the bed with a black satin comforter and decorative, gold pillows, she sprawled herself out perpendicularly to the bed.
"I don't care who I have to sleep with, I WANT THIS BED!" she yelled out comically, her voice laced with fatigue.
Blue and Erin laughed, but then looked at each other, who WAS going to share the bed with Mikayla? Blue's face grew red; he broke eye contact with Erin.
"I can take the couch" he finally said.
"Well I'm fine to share the bed with Mikayla" Erin laughed. "It wouldn't be the first time."
Often as kids, Mikayla and Erin's families went on joint vacations and they almost always had to share a bed due to their parents' frugality. Erin walked over and poked her best friend in the back of the head.
"You're going to have to move if we're sharing this bed" she teased.
Mikayla let out an annoyed grunt and stood up to walk to the bathroom to change into pajamas, she was clearly dead tired, she walked like a zombie. Erin laid out her pajamas while she waited for bathroom vacancy. Her pajamas consisted of faded black, fitted t-shirt with cotton, white pants with red, vertical stripes. She looked at Blue who just lied on the couch lazily.
"Aren't you going to change into proper sleep attire?" Erin said with a comically fake professional tone.
"Considering I normally sleep in boxers, probably not." He laughed.
Erin's nose scrunched, that was a mental image she didn't need to see, she then joined in his laughter.
"What's so funny?" Mikayla yawned as she came out of the bathroom.
She was wearing a dark pink camisole with black cotton shorts which had matching pink polka dots. Her wavy brown hair was no longer in a ponytail, it hung beautifully below her shoulders, however, her cap still rested on her head.
"Oh, nothing!" Erin still giggled a little and entered the small bathroom and shut the door.
Mikayla literally jumped onto the bed and resumed her sprawled out position that took up the entire bed, this time her face was at the foot of the bed. She looked toward the clock.
"Ugh it's 1:30 already?" she buried her face into the comforter.
Blue sat up and looked at her.
"Are you sure you can handle any battles tomorrow?" he asked worriedly.
Mikayla raised her left hand and formed a very lazy thumbs up.
"Pfft, I've got this!" her words muffled by the comforter.
She dropped her hand, which landed on the bed with a thud. Blue continued to look at her and he smiled. She was very free spirited and energetic, but all that energy had disappeared and while she was just as free spirited, she was also very tired. She was quite cute when she was all tuckered out. Mikayla lazily raised her head to look up, Blue quickly darted his eyes away, pretending to be looking at the painting of a bowl of fruit on the wall beside the bed. Mikayla noticed and smiled sweetly. She stood up to put her hat on the nightstand, which was oddly a few feet away against the wall. She stood up too fast and entered into another spell of dizziness, particularly worse than the others. Her head began to pound and the room blurred then dimmed. She stumbled forward; Blue swiftly got up and caught a falling Mikayla in his arms. This time he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, Mikayla was just so tired and out-of-it that she couldn't identify this as hug and remained limp in his arms. Blue wore a disappointed look and escorted her back to her bed. She got under the covers and turned onto her side, she promptly fell asleep. Erin left the bathroom and climbed into the side next to her, while Blue returned to the couch, removed his sweater when the two girls were not looking, and got under the black blanket supplied by the hotel. He reached over to the lamp and turned out the night.
A big day was ahead of them, he prayed for the best.