I looked up at the high building in front of me and gazed at it. I couldn't believe that I was here after so much has happened to me. From burning forests to human buildings, wasting so many days just to get to a single place. But here I was in Violet City, ready to complete the task Priss had sent me out to do.
I returned my attention to the opening in front of me and cautiously walked in, looking around with interest. The inside was completely empty and very quiet. I felt the warm breeze against my back, blowing inward and making my insides tingle. I was warm.
I noticed that in the middle of the room was a large object that was swaying back and forth. I cocked my head to one side and watched it as it swayed. It was mesmerizing to watch and soon, I somehow ended up swaying in rhythm with it, feeling my body shift back and forth.
I was forever lost in amongst the swaying when suddenly I jerked too far right and was spun around immediately, coming face to face with a purple rat. I blinked and staggered back some, feeling a little dazed.
"You all right there?" the rat asked.
I studied him over and realized that it was a Rattata I was speaking to. I scratched my head because it was itching before I finally said something.
"Huh?"
"I asked if you were all right," the Rattata said.
"I think I am," I replied. "I'm feeling a little dazed though."
The Rattata chuckled and said, "That can happen if you stare at it too long. The trick is not to even look at it."
"But how can you not look at it?" I asked. "It's just so mesmerizing."
"It takes a couple of times to avoid direct eye contact," the Rattata said. "And being that I haven't seen your face around here before, I must ask what it is you're doing in the city."
"Well it's a very long story," I replied, feeling my heart aching again. "And it's something I don't wish to keep telling to others."
"Then don't," the Rattata said. "I don't like hearing sad back stories. I just want to know the here and now. So again I ask, what brings you to the city?"
"I'm just here on a task," I replied.
"A task, eh?" the Rattata said. "What kind of task?"
"I'm looking for someone by the name of Tess," I answered the Rattata. "She's supposed to have an item to give me. I was told that she lives here."
"Well I don't know anyone by the name of Tess," the Rattata said. "I mean I'm normally down here scurrying all about searching for dropped food and stuff. But perhaps this Tess person is higher up."
"I guess so," I said. "Well, thanks for your help. I really have to go."
"Say wait," the Rattata said. "Maybe I could help you."
"Help me?" I asked.
"Sure," the Rattata said. "I mean, I few work together, we'll be able to find this Tess person a lot faster. Besides, I've always wanted to always know what's up there."
"Well, alright," I said after some thinking. "Besides, I'll need someone around to keep myself from being mesmerized from that swaying thing."
The Rattata laughed and said, "This is true. So let's go."
I followed the Rattata through a smaller opening to some familiar steps I've seen before and began following the Rattata up. By the time I had reached the final top, I was completely tired.
"I take it you never climbed stairs before," the Rattata said.
I glanced up and noticed that the Rattata had stopped to stare at me, looking a bit concerned. My last experience with these kind of steps was from the opposite end, and the trip down wasn't pleasant.
"Not up anyway," I answered him.
"Going down may seem easy, but dangerous if you don't watch your step," the Rattata said. "You ready to go on yet?"
"I think so," I said, feeling a bit of my strength recovering.
"Then let's move," the Rattata said. "And don't look right unless you want to end up swaying like a flower in the wind."
I had a clue to what he was talking about, but was surprised the swaying thing was up here with us too.
"How far does that thing go?" I asked.
"All the way up to the top," the Rattata said. "The support column sways back and forth to keep the building balanced."
"But if it sways back and forth, then shouldn't the building fall?" I asked, confused.
"That is one of the greatest mysteries in life that will never be explained," the Rattata said as we climbed another flight of stairs. "At least not to a lot of people who don't understand the structure of how the building was created or for what purpose the column sways."
I completely lost him, his words not reaching me for my head began hurting due to all the talking he was giving out. I sat down at the top and rested a bit, the Rattata doing a quick search of the area and spotting a weird looking plant that was swaying back and forth along with the swaying thing.
The Rattata walked up to the plant and went to shake it out of the trance it was in when suddenly, the plant turned its head towards the Rattata and said. "Hello!"
The Rattata flinched in surprise at the reaction and I just cocked my head to one side, confused again.
"You're not entranced by that column?" the Rattata asked.
"Not really," the plant said. "This is how I normally move."
"Right," the Rattata said weirdly. "So I'm here with my friend looking for a pokemon by the name of Tess."
The plant continued to sway back and forth, starting to really hurt my eyes upon staring for so long. I couldn't wait until I was out from this place. It was too much swaying for me to handle. Then, the Bellsprout spoke.
"She's at the very top of this building," it said. "Probably about two or three more floors up."
"Great," the Rattata said unhappily. "I always wanted to climb a long flight of stairs to the top. Just what I wanted to do today. Thanks for your help."
"Anytime," the plant said as I followed the Rattata to another flight of the stairs.
"I'm sorry I'm having to drag you all the way up," I said apologetically to the Rattata.
"It's cool," the Rattata said. "Don't be bothered by my attitude. I always get bored too fast and then I just want to go off and do something else. It's my curse."
"O.K.," I panted as I slumped down to the ground.
"Don't quit now," the Rattata said. "Just another floor or two and we'll be at the top."
About two more flight of steps later, we were finally at the top. I was utterly exhausted by the time we reached the top, so I just flopped down and didn't bother moving.
"You look like you've just been beaten in a battle," the Rattata said.
"It's odd," I said. "I've ran through forests and cities and yet I'm completely wiped out when it comes to climbing," I said.
"Isn't that ironic?" the Rattata asked, causing me to laugh. "So according to that Bellsprout three floors down, this Tess person should be up here somewhere."
"Is it always this empty in here?" I asked.
"I don't know," the Rattata said. "This is my first time up here. I wouldn't have a clue."
"Normally there are several pokemon walking or floating around, going from floor to floor, but they've mostly all cleared out," another voice said.
I looked up as a purple pokemon appeared out of thin air. It looked like it had a horn on its head and had a weird looking body. It looked at the both of us, floating in midair.
"I couldn't help but overhear that you're looking for Tess," the pokemon said.
"I am," I said. "I'm Quil. A ghost pokemon named Priss sent me to find her."
"Oh!" the pokemon said surprised. "So you're the Cyndaquil I thought would never come."
"Then that means you're Tess," I said.
"The one and only," the now known pokemon, Tess, said. "You're late. I thought for sure you stood me up, but I somehow knew there was a reason for such a delay. You must have been caught in that forest fore two days ago."
"I was," I said. "Then I ended up being treated on and here I am."
"Well you are here and that's all I need to know to be satisfied," Tess said. "Of course, I'm sorry you had to go through a horrible ordeal, but at least it all came out well in the end."
"It did, actually," I said. "So, Priss says you have an item you want to give me?"
"Of course," Tess said. "This way."
"Mind if I stick around a bit?" the Rattata asked.
"Don't mind at all," Tess said.
"Great!" the Rattata said with a smile this time as the two of us followed after Tess.