CHAPTER TWELVE
Having defeated Brock at the Pewter City Gym, Amy had taken her Pokemon to the Pokemon Centre, bought some supplies at the PokeMart and checked out of her hotel room. She headed east towards Mt. Moon, as Growlithe, Nidoran and Cubone walked alongside her, happily taking in the fresh air and warm breeze.
Amy reached into her bag for the Town Map and unfurled it. Reading it, she saw that east of Mt. Moon was Cerulean City, where the Cerulean Gym Leader would be her next challenge.
As she walked through a route lined with trees and sparse tall grass, she saw Trainers here and there battling each other. She took initiative, noticed a girl her age standing alone and approached her.
"Excuse me, I'm Amy, a Pokemon Trainer. Would you like to battle?"
The girl turned around and almost jumped in fright.
"Oh, you startled me. A Pokemon battle?"
"Yes," Amy nodded.
"Sure. I'll have a battle!" the girl smiled. "My name's Sally."
"My name's Amy."
The two girls made space for a battlefield, as an elderly couple making their way back from Mt. Moon stopped to watch the battle. Amy kept her attention on the battle.
"Growlithe, I choose you!" cried Amy.
Growlithe stepped forward, as Nidoran and Cubone stayed by Amy's side. Growlithe had up until now been enjoying the outside air, but at the promise of battle, he was ready to show off his skills.
"I choose Pidgey!" Sally threw a Pokeball into the grass, bursting with red light to reveal a wildly flapping Pidgey hovering above the battlefield.
"Growlithe, Roar!"
"Pidgey, Quick Attack!"
Growlithe opened his mouth and let out a terrifying roar, but Pidgey had already disappeared into thin air. Growlithe looked around for his opponent, but before Amy could spot Pidgey, she cried,
"Growlithe, use Ember!"
Just as Pidgey appeared, Growlithe opened its mouth and released a volley of flames which pummelled Pidgey and sent it hurtling to the ground, rolling over several times in succession.
"Pidgey!" cried Sally, as Pidgey lay still and unresponsive. Sally held out a Pokeball to return Pidgey to its Pokeball.
"Growlithe, return," Amy said, as Growlithe returned to Amy's side. "Nidoran, you're up next!"
Nidoran stepped forward, its horn lowered as it watched and waited for Sally's next Pokemon.
Sally selected another Pokeball from her belt and tossed it into the fray. "Go, Caterpie!"
Caterpie appeared in a burst of red light, stiffening as it saw that its opponent was a Poison-type.
"Caterpie, String Shot!"
"Nidoran, avoid its attack and use Poison Sting!"
As Caterpie released a stream of string which shot at Nidoran, Nidoran avoided the attack and headed towards Caterpie at a run, its head lowered as it tackled Caterpie with its sharp horn. Rolling over backwards and landing neatly at the feet of its Trainer, Caterpie let out a small cough as it turned a shade of purple. Caterpie had not only been knocked unconscious, but was also poisoned.
"Well done, young miss!" cried the elderly gentlemen nearby, while his matron wife nodded in approval.
Amy noticed that Sally had only two Pokeballs on her belt and that she had won. She felt a little sorry for Sally as she took Caterpie in her arms and walked towards Amy, saddened.
"Here's your prize money. You're a very good Trainer," Sally said, handing Amy one hundred and fifty dollars in cash before heading in the direction of Pewter City and the nearest Pokemon Centre.
Amy returned her Pokemon to their Pokeballs the rest of the way, noticing the landscape changing to a harsh, canyon-like feel as she neared the entrance to Mt. Moon and saw a Pokemon Centre out of the way. After healing her Pokemon, she bravely entered the cave.
Ten minutes in, Amy found herself as lost as Daniel and Natalie had been before her. She couldn't make heads nor tail of which areas she had passed through and which had more probability to lead to the exit. Twice, Amy had to duck as Zubat swarmed towards her, their teeth gleaming and sharp. Amy had let Growlithe out of his Pokeball, if only to ward the Zubat off with a Roar attack or, if necessary, an Ember Attack which brilliantly lit up the confines of the cave.
Amy had walked about in the darkness with Growlithe by her side for nearly an hour when she saw a pink Pokemon stumble into view. She couldn't be sure, but it looked like a Clefairy - a Pokemon with a pink body, cat-like ears, small hands and feet and a innocent face.
They caught sight of one another - the Clefairy sensed danger and hurriedly began to hop away.
"Growlithe, Ember Attack!"
Growlithe opened his mouth and released a volley of flames, which engulfed the Clefairy in seconds. Reaching for a Pokeball, Amy tossed it into the area illuminated by Growlithe's fire and prayed the Clefairy would stay still. However, as the flames dispersed, she saw that the Clefairy had escaped before Growlithe's attack could reach it. Morosely, Amy walked over to the spot where her Pokeball had hit damp ground and found something else - a shiny, glowing stone.
"What's this?" Amy gasped, turning it over in her hand. It was as big as her palm and silver in colour, glinting in the lit torches which decorated the cavern's interior.
"Hey, you! Stop!"
Amy jumped, startled, as she got to her feet and saw two young men appearing from the darkness. They seemed to be out of breath and both were wearing clothes suited for long treks, like hikers.
"What have you got there?
"That's none of your business." Amy said, who clearly felt as though it was worth something and kept her mouth shut on the matter.
"We've been looking for one for days," said the other, his eyes glinting menacingly. "That's a Moon Stone, isn't it?"
Amy stopped still. She knew what a Moon Stone was - after all, the Department Store in Celadon City sold evolutionary stones and the Moon Stone was of the highest rarity. If Amy could hold onto the stone, she could sell it for a high price and fund the rest of her adventure with the proceeds.
"What if it was?" Amy asked, her tone colder than the air around them. "I've claimed it."
"You're not leaving here until you give us that stone," one of them spoke, his voice low and dangerous.
Amy stiffened. These hooligans were threatening her?
"We'll battle you for it. And if we win, we take that Stone and all the money in your pretty little purse."
"You're thieves! Plunderers!" Amy called. "You won't get away with this!"
Growlithe growled menacingly at the two men, pawing the ground as he stood in front of his Trainer.
The two men stood back, not out of fear but to make room for a battlefield.
"Very well, then." Amy said, summoning her inner resolve. "If I win, I walk away with the Stone and all your money."
"Fine by me," spoke one.
"You'll have to battle us both," spoke the other.
Both men reached for their belts, selecting which Pokeball to use in a moment of silence.
"B-both?" Amy stammered. "Two against one?"
"Of course," one grinned wickedly. "You didn't think we play by the rules, did ya?"
Amy hesitated, as the two men held what seemed to be their chosen Pokemon -
"Stop!"
Amy whipped around to see a guy her age, with dark hair and a menacing scowl run up beside her. He had harsh features, which were directed at the two men looking not unlike they'd been caught shoplifting. He turned to Amy.
"If you're going to take on two Trainers at once, you better have powerful Pokemon."
"I - " Amy was momentarily stunned. "Who are you?"
"Yeah, this is none of your business, kid," shouted the man. "Go bugger off."
This seemed to incense the teenager standing beside Amy. He turned to her.
"You're gonna need some help getting these two off your back. I can help you."
As though she hadn't considered the sheer relief this would provide, Amy regained her composure and replied, "That would be welcome."
"What are you doing, kid? This is our battle!" cried one of the thugs.
"Now it's a fair battle - two versus two. You want to fight dirty? You'll wish you turned back." spoke the boy.
"You've got guts, kid. No brains, but you've got guts.
"I'm Joshua." He turned to Amy. "How many Pokemon do you have?"
"I'm Amy. I have three Pokemon. How about you?" Amy asked.
"Four. They have two each. Ready?" Joshua asked.
Amy nodded, turning to face the burglars. In the absence of their names, she had decided to call them Burglar no. 1 and Burglar no. 2. Both Burglars threw their Pokeballs into the fray.
"Go, Voltorb!" shouted Burglar no. 1
"Grimer, you're up!" shouted Burglar no. 2.
In a flash of red light, two Pokemon materialised; Voltorb was precisely the size, shape and colour of a Pokeball, except with narrowed eyes and a static of electricity traveling around its body. Grimer was a slush of purple; a formless goo which reeked of trash. Amy resisted the urge to pinch her nose. She had to look serious.
"Go, Cubone!" Amy shouted, tossing a Pokeball from her bag into the battlefield. The Pokeball burst open with a flash of red light to reveal Cubone, holding its bone club and looking menacingly towards its two opponents.
Joshua selected a Pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the ring. "Nidorino, go!"
Nidorino appeared in a flash of red light. Nidorino was the evolved form of a male Nidoran, with a quadriped large body and a sharp horn. It glared fiercely at Voltorb and Grimer.
Both Burglars looked warily at Cubone. As a Ground-type, Cubone was effective against both the Electric-type Voltorb and the Poison-type Grimer.
"Voltorb, use Screech on Cubone!"
"Grimer, Pound Cubone!"
As Voltorb shook in its attempt to release a sound wave and Grimer headed towards Cubone, Joshua shouted,
"Nidorino, use Horn Attack on Grimer!"
"Cubone," Amy shouted. "Block your ears!"
Cubone jammed its fingers into its ears as Voltorb released a sound wave at Cubone, but it was to no effect. Nidorino charged towards Grimer, its horn lowered as its attack landed on Grimer, but its fleshy body resisted most of the attack.
"Cubone, use Bone Club on Grimer!" shouted Amy.
"Nidorino, use Poison Sting on Voltorb!"
"Grimer, use Disable on Cubone!"
Nidorino charged towards Voltorb, tackling it with its horn as it rolled across the damp ground, shaking slightly from the pain. Grimer released a wave of light which blasted Cubone, disabling its ability to move or attack.
"Nidorino, use Double Kick on Voltorb!"
"Grimer, Pound Cubone!"
As Grimer waddled forward and landed a hefty hit to Cubone which sent it sprawled to the ground, Nidorino landed two severe kicks to Voltorb, sending it rolling into a stalagmite and falling unconscious from the impact.
"Return, Voltorb..." mumbled Burglar no. 1, as Voltorb disappeared in a burst of red light inside its Pokeball.
"Nidorino, take care of Grimer! Use Leer!"
Nidorino ran to where Cubone lay injured and shot Grimer a look as its eyes glowed. Grimer stared, transfixed, unable to move. As Cubone got to its feet, it lifted its arm before Amy could issue an order and used Bone Club on Grimer. Sufficiently stunned from the blow, Joshua roared,
"Double Kick, Nidorino!"
"Use Bone Club again, Cubone!"
Nidorino landed two hits on Grimer, which weren't very effective, but were followed up by the hit Cubone delivered with its club. Grimer sank to the floor, unconscious.
"Return," Burglar no. 2 held out his Pokeball and Grimer returned inside it in a flash of red light.
Both Burglars selected their second Pokemon, grumbling and whispering to each other a strategy. They grinned as they threw their Pokeballs into the battlefield.
Burglar no 1's Pokemon was Raticate, the evolved form of Rattata. Unlike Rattata, Raticate was bipedal, with a large body covered in brown fur and huge teeth. Burglar no 2's Pokemon was Zubat, flapping wildly as it hovered above the battlefield.
"Return, Nidorino!" Joshua ordered, as Nidorino returned inside its Pokeball and Joshua threw another one into the battlefield. "Go, Mankey!"
"Return, Cubone," Amy said, holding out her Pokeball for Cubone to disappear inside it in a flash of red light. Amy looked down at Growlithe, who sat at her side. "You're up."
Growlithe wagged his tail as he stepped forward, his face turning angry as he faced his opponents. The Burglars looked worried at this switch in Pokemon.
"You scared?" Joshua taunted. "Let's get this over with - I don't have all day."
"Why, you little - !"
"You'll pay, little boy. Raticate, use Quick Attack on Growlithe!"
"Zubat, use Supersonic on Mankey!"
As Raticate disappeared into thin air, Zubat released a supersonic wave which blasted Mankey and sent it stumbling about the place. In its confusion, it sent a hefty swing towards Growlithe, which narrowly missed and caused Growlithe to bark in caution at Mankey.
Raticate appeared out of nowhere, tackling Growlithe in the side and sending it to the ground.
"Mankey, snap out of it!" Joshua growled angrily. "Use Low Kick on Raticate!"
Mankey, however, was still confused - it was unable to grasp its surroundings and could barely see. Growlithe managed to get up as Raticate stood menacingly over him.
"Raticate, Hyper Fang Attack!"
Raticate leapt at Growlithe, delivering a sharp bite which caused Growlithe to howl in pain. Raticate tossed Growlithe to the ground harshly.
"Growlithe!" Amy cried, despite herself.
"Mankey, attack Raticate, now!" Joshua demanded.
As though suddenly out of a trance, Mankey regained its focus, leapt at Raticate and delivered a Low Kick which sent Raticate hurtling across the cavern, smashing straight into a dripping wall and sliding down to the ground, barely able to stand.
"Raticate!" Burglar no. 1 shouted. "Raticate, get up!"
"Zubat, use Bite on Growlithe! Finish it off!"
Zubat zoomed towards Growlithe, its wings flapping madly as it bared its teeth.
"Mankey, Karate Chop!" Joshua shouted.
Mankey's hand glowed with a bright light, then he brought it down upon Zubat at just the right moment, sending Zubat into a frenzy as it flew about the cavern in pain.
"Get a hold of yourself, Zubat! Use Supersonic again!"
As Zubat righted itself, Growlithe opened its mouth of its own volition and released a volley of flames, pelting Zubat until it fell to the ground, quite immobile. Nearby, Raticate had slumped into unconsciousness from the pain.
"We win," Amy said coldly, eyeing the burglars warily.
"Hand over all your money." Joshua said, as he returned Mankey to its Pokeball. "Don't try anyth - "
Joshua walked over to the burglars, who turned tail and ran for the exit, abandoning their injured Pokemon in the process.
"Come back here!" Joshua yelled, unlatching a Pokeball from his belt and throwing it at the departing robbers' backs. "Nidorino, catch them!"
As Nidorino appeared in a bright flash of red light, Joshua and Nidorino headed in the wake of the robbers' escape. Amy returned Growlithe to its Pokeball after giving it a concerned pat, then headed after Joshua.
Amy saw the outline of Joshua as he and Nidorino turned a corner. Amy turned the corner, almost blinded by the sudden light from the exit and followed him through. Amy was met with the glare of the sun, blinking up at it as she saw that Joshua and Nidorino had stopped in front of them. An adult woman wearing a blue uniform stood nearby, arms angrily folded as she looked down at the two burglars, apprehended. As Amy's vision came into focus, she saw that the two burglars were on the ground, handcuffed. The officer's Growlithe turned at the sight of Amy emerging from Mt. Moon.
"I've finally caught you two!" the police officer said to the two burglars, who lay groaning on the grass. "I was tipped off by a hiker that you've been scouting Mt. Moon for travelers, trying to steal their money."
The female officer looked up to where Joshua stood with his Nidorino.
"Are you two traveling together? You've been a great help in securing these robbers."
"We're - " Amy began.
"I saved her in Mt. Moon," Joshua began quickly. "These two thieves were attempting to steal her money by forcing her to a two-versus-one Pokemon battle."
"Well, isn't that nice!" the officer glared at the two captives. "You two have some nerve! We'll be having a long chat down at the station!"
The female officer walked over to Joshua and Amy as Growlithe kept watch on the burglars.
"Did they steal anything from you?"
"No," Amy said, releasing that she had been holding her breath in the aftermath of the chase and exhaling it in a most unladylike manner. She reached into her purse and retrieved the Moon Stone. "They were after this."
Joshua turned to Amy. "A Moon Stone?"
Amy nodded. She put it back in her bag. "These two robbers wanted all my money and my Moon Stone if I lost the battle. I was about to battle them, when Joshua stepped in to even the playing field."
Amy turned to Joshua. It was rather hard to say, "Thank you."
Joshua shrugged it off in the typical unconcerned way men use to retain their pride in the face of chivalry. "It was nothing."
"Well, that's all wrapped up then. I'm afraid I can't give you the money these robbers would've paid you in the event of your victory, as we suspect it may be stolen. But I can offer you a reward if you come down to the station. Mention my name at the desk and I'll sort something out for both of you. I'm Officer Jenny."
"I'm Amy." Amy shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."
"I'm Joshua," he nodded, returning Nidorino to its Pokeball. "There's something else. These two left their Pokemon in Mt. Moon."
"Their Pokemon?"
"When they lost the battle, they ran for the exit. They abandoned their Pokemon," Amy said, looking at the burglars.
Officer Jenny gasped. "What Pokemon were they?"
"A Raticate and a Zubat. They're in pretty bad shape." Joshua said.
"I'll send out a search party for them. With any luck, the Cerulean Adoption Centre will take those poor Pokemon in and give them to Trainers who can care for them. Thanks for all your help today."
"You're welcome," Amy smiled modestly.
Officer Jenny and her Growlithe pushed forward the burglars to walk, while Amy and Joshua stayed a few steps behind to make sure they didn't run away. From this distance it was them alone, conscious of one another's presence with little more to say.
"Thanks for rescuing me back there," Amy said, trying to sound casual.
"It was nothing," repeated Joshua, though his eyes strayed to her more than once.
"Where are you headed to from here?" Amy asked, in an attempt to change the trajectory of the conversation. "Are you going to face the Cerulean Gym Leader?"
Joshua shook his head. "I've already got the badge from that Gym. I'm headed to Vermilion City to challenge the Gym Leader there."
"I see." Amy said, thinking yet another challenger was ahead of her in the running for the Pokemon League.
As the two of them walked through the tall grass, ignoring the Rattata which ran about and the Bellsprout looking for berries to eat, Amy saw the tops of the buildings which constituted Cerulean City come into view.
"If you want, I'll give you the name of the hotel I'm staying at and we can go down to the station together." Joshua said, as Amy turned to him with a surprised expression. "To collect our reward, of course.
Awkwardly, Amy nodded. "That would be nice."
Amy followed Joshua to the police station, where they collected their reward for handing in two culprits. They were presented with a thousand dollars each.
"Not bad," Joshua said, as he pocketed the money.
"It's getting late. I should look around for some accommodation." Amy extended her hand to Joshua, who rather awkwardly shook it, clearly unused to such formality. "It was good to meet you, Joshua. Thank you for your help in Mt. Moon."
"No problem," Joshua said, turning to leave.
Amy turned to leave, also, feeling a pit of disappointment in her stomach. She hadn't come close to making a friend since starting her journey. Her Pokemon was all she had. Amy noted that the sun's rays were becoming less and less stronger as she walked through the dazzling city of Cerulean. She hesitated for a moment as she read a poster being pinned up outside a bustling cafe.
"That's the Nugget Bridge challenge, dear," spoke an elderly lady, startling Amy all of a sudden.
"What's the Nugget Bridge challenge?" asked Amy.
"Oh, it's a test for Trainers to fight in five consecutive Pokemon battles. Winner takes home a golden Nugget. It's quite lucrative," the woman added, as an afterthought.
With the winnings she had collected so far, including the prize money for helping to arrest those burglars, Amy had enough money to last her a few days, at the most. Competing in the Nugget Bridge challenge would help her Pokemon gain experience for the next Gym.
"When does this challenge begin?" Amy asked.
The elderly lady sighed, noticing that Amy hadn't read a word in front of her. "It's today, dear. It ends at sunset."
"Sunset?" Amy gasped. That left her only a few hours. "Could you point me in the direction of - "
The woman pointed to the north. "You can't miss it. Don't forget to stock up at the PokeMart, dear."
Amy's mind raced as she ran for the PokeMart amid a bustling avenue. A golden Nugget would keep her head above water. Slowly, surely, the idea of independence wasn't so hard after all.