CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Slowly recovering from the Pokemon battle with her brother, Amy found the stairs at the other end of the Underground Path after walking what seemed to be an eternity and privately wondered how anyone could walk this far each day to commute. Still, it was a wonderful form of exercise if one was wearing the right clothes, which she was not. Her hair was blown into strands and she desperately wished for a long soak in a hot bath.
Amy walked up the stairs, past the deserted reception area and out into the night sky, fresh and full of promise despite her circumstances. West of her current position would take her to Saffron City, while to the east was a route which should take her to Lavender Town not before too long. She hoped nobody would pick a battle with her; she had no usable Pokemon and just wanted to get to the Centre to heal them.
How am I going to get any money to pay for lodgings? Amy asked herself in rising panic.
The moonlit glow cast an eerie haze over the forest as she walked through it. She stilled a few times, hearing the infinitesimal scratching of Pidgeys in their nests and Rattata running across her path, trying to keep up with each other.
"Hey! You, stop right there! What are you doing out this late?" demanded a voice.
Amy saw a police woman running up to her, waving a torch in her direction. A Growlithe bounded up to the policewoman, eyeing Amy warily.
"I'm a Pokemon Trainer, I'm heading to Lavender Town to look for some accommodation," Amy explained.
"Well, you picked a fine time to walk at night! We've just apprehended two thiefs who were coming from the Underground Path!"
"Well, I was just accosted by two thugs in the Underground Path - " Amy started.
"And what were you doing down there this late at night? It's terribly dangerous, you know!" warned the policewoman.
"Thank you," said Amy coldly, smarting from the rebuke. "I have learned my lesson. May I go now?"
"Can you tell us what Pokemon they used?" she asked, almost in an interrogative manner.
Amy felt herself stiffen in defense. First she was asked to justify her travel, now her identity was under question?
This is what Liam meant, Amy told herself. You're just a regular citizen now. Getting into trouble with the law.
Amy regarded the police woman with an icy stare and replied, "One young man was called Zeke, with a mohawk, who had two Pokemon in his possession; a Raticate and a Voltorb. The other young man was called Dwayne, with a shaved head, who also had two Pokemon in his possession; a Grimer and a Koffing."
Scribbling on her notepad, the policewoman asked, "Where are you headed for the night? It's not safe out."
I have nowhere to stay, Amy thought to herself.
"Lavender Town," Amy said, summing up what reserves of dignity she had left. "I, uh, have a mind to check into a youth hostel."
"Well, I'll accompany you there. It's best you get your Pokemon to a Pokemon Centre as soon as possible."
Amy nodded. She followed the police woman as she began walking east. The moonlight was all the illumination they had to guide them. Amy noticed the Growlithe walking loyally by the police woman's side.
"I have a Growlithe, too," Amy said, trying to be polite.
"I received mine upon my acceptance to the Kanto police force." the police woman replied. "I've trained him since he was a pup."
Amy felt a surge of warmth, thanking her lucky stars not only for Growlithe, but Nidorina and Cubone, too. Where would she be without her Pokemon by her side?
Lavender Town came slowly into view. There were a few street lights illuminating the Pokemon Centre and several hotels nearby. Despite its apparent size, it had a kind of gloomy pallor about the place, though passers-by didn't seem too affected.
"Thanks for the escort." Amy extended her hand, and the police woman shook it.
"No problem. You keep yourself safe out there!" she replied, walking off.
Amy headed in the direction of the Pokemon Centre, immediately glad for the warmth which surrounded her as she entered through its double doors. She saw a few Pokemon Trainers sitting on chairs with their Pokemon and an old man testing out the spool of his fishing rod as she approached the counter.
"Good evening, you're out late! How may I help you?" asked the nurse.
"I'd like to heal my Pokemon, please," Amy said, retrieving her three Pokeballs. She cast a glance around the room again as she waited for her Pokemon to be healed. She was very glad to be in contained, civilised safety.
"Here you go!" the nurse gave Amy her Pokeballs back. "Enjoy your stay in Lavender Town!"
"How did you know I'm only visiting?" asked Amy.
"Plenty of Trainers are gathering here for the Fishing Competition. All our hotels are so booked out, there are some poor souls sleeping under the stars! They're so determined! Who knew so many people like fish Pokemon! But, of course, as a representative of Pokemon Center I should say all Pokemon are equal and worth care."
Amy's heart sunk.
"All the hotels are booked out?" she repeated. "Even the, uh, hostels?"
"It's a shame, really," tutted the nurse. "The hostels were booked faster than the hotel suites. Seems everyone's cutting down on expenses nowadays."
"I bet," muttered Amy dourly. What could she say? Amy still had her pride. She had taken a beating from tonight's assault, but she would not let anyone feel pity for her.
"I should get back," Amy pasted on a smile she didn't feel. "I've got an early start tomorrow."
"Well, good luck!" beamed the nurse, taken aback by Amy's sudden show of friendliness, nodding perfunctory.
Amy exited the Pokemon Centre, once again plunged into semi-darkness punctuated by the town's street lamps. A chill bit at her and Amy reached into her purse, releasing Growlithe from his Pokeball. He bounded to her and Amy knelt and hugged him.
"I'm sorry about before," Amy said, her words muffled in his fur, but he seemed to understand. He wagged his tail. "I didn't know Liam would be so strong. He was always impatient when training them, but I underestimated that some Pokemon can learn quicker than others..."
How many Badges would Liam have by now? Amy wondered to herself, as she walked the streets of Lavender Town. Every hotel or inn she passed had a 'no vacancy' sign displayed in their windows.
How could she have been so stupid to gamble all her money on a battle with her brother? He may be uncouth and disgusting as far as boys go, but he had been training a lot harder and longer than she had done. Besides, if he had lost his money, he would call their parents for more. Amy no longer had that option.
Amy had been walking south, not realising that she was now on the outskirts of Lavender Town. Now she understood what the nurse at the Pokemon Centre meant about Trainers and their determination. All around her were fishermen and their Pokemon huddled together in sleeping bags or tents, extinguished communal camp fires nearby as they drowsed and snored sleepily with the inky blanket of night above them.
These people and their primitive ways...
Amy could not contain it any longer. She had lost. She had taken on the most daring decision of her life and she had nowhere to run. Liam had been right; without her money, she was without her sure most, narcissistic identity.
Shamed and exhausted, there was nothing left to do. She found a spare bit of ground, kneeling awkwardly on the ground and kicking her shoes off to one side. She untied her expensive coat, now stained with dirt, as Growlithe came closer, settling down beside his Trainer. Amy covered herself and Growlithe with the coat, utilising it as a blanket, and used her handbag as a pillow. She closed her eyes, weeping silently as her terror pricked at the fringes of her cranium, worry that she would be judged sleeping on the ground. Once the acceptance came, the grief came harder.
Amy gave in to the troubled rhythms of an uneasy sleep, shivering in the cold as she clutched Growlithe for warmth.
"Daniel?" Natalie whispered.
It was pitch black, with not a sound to be heard. After the ground had shaken and solid objects began falling from the roof of the cavern, Natalie had ran until the rumblings had stopped.
"Oh!" Natalie gasped, as the familiar turtle shell of Squirtle bumped into her. "Squirtle! Are you OK?"
Natalie tried to feel him out, clutching him close as she took hold of him.
"We have no light," Natalie said, her voice fearful. "But don't worry, OK? I'll lead you through this."
Natalie stood, clutching Squirtle's hand tightly with one hand and using the other to blindly feel her way about the cavern. She could feel the stalagmites that had risen from the floor, dewy and rock hard. She inwardly flinched every time her hand hit something firm, but it was only the walls of the cavern.
"Can you hear anything?" Natalie asked Squirtle. She wondered if some Pokemon had better hearing than humans.
Squirtle shook his head, but it was too dark for Natalie to notice it, who continued walking regardless. They had been walking for ages, with no sign of life. Natalie clutched a stitch in her side as she stopped to regain breath.
"Where is everybody?" Natalie gasped, cringing from the pain.
Daniel had been walking, too, though he had Meowth by his side as a source of illumination. After the dust had settled, Daniel could see that the roof of the cavern had collapsed, leaving a thick wall of boulders blocking the way back. All he could do was follow the one path that wasn't blocked.
"Natalie?" Daniel called, his voice echoing. "Can you hear me?"
Suddenly, there was a screeching sound that came from far away and the distant flapping of wings. Meowth began hissing, his fur prickling.
"Are those Zubat?" Daniel asked, suddenly immobile.
Meowth nodded repeatedly, drawing his claws. Daniel retrieved a Pokeball from his pocket, releasing Ekans in a flash of red light. Ekans, hearing the screeching, began hissing and coiled itself, preparing to spring.
"Ready?" Daniel asked. Meowth and Ekans nodded in unison.
The screeching became louder and the light from Meowth's forehead illuminated a sudden burst of Zubat headed straight for them, wings flapping like doom -
"ATTACK!" Daniel yelled.
Ekans leapt at the oncoming Zubat, thrashing wildly as it bit several of them in the process. Meowth blasted a group of them with Pay Day, causing them to scatter as coins rained down and disappeared into the dark depths of the cavern. The Zubat turned tail and flew away, their shrieks slowly dying away.
"Are you two OK?" Daniel asked. Ekans reflexively coiled itself, still hissing in alarm. Meowth nodded and compulsively cleaned his unkempt fur.
They continued forward, not seeing anything but dripping stalactites for the next few minutes. The path seemed to go on forever, with no light to guide them. All of a sudden, Ekans stiffened and began to hiss. Meowth drew its claws, arching its back.
"What is it?" Daniel asked, peering into the darkness. He couldn't see anything.
He heard footsteps, then two Machop appeared, walking side-by-side. They didn't look pleased to see him.
"Are they unfriendly?" Daniel whispered to his Pokemon, watching the Machop warily. One of them folded its arms, the other flexed its muscles.
Ekans let out another hiss and Meowth let out a high-pitched wail. Normal-type Pokemon were weak to Fighting-type Pokemon.
"What do you want?" Daniel demanded.
One of the Machop responded by performing a gesture which involved hitting its fist into its open palm. These Machop wanted to fight!
"Very well." Daniel stood his ground. "You'll take us on at your own risk!"
Both Machop ran towards Daniel, one lifting his arm for a Karate Chop, the other readying for a Low Kick.
"Ekans, Poison Sting! Meowth, Pay Day!"
Ekans opened its mouth and released a volley of poison barbs which sent the first Machop stumbling as it reeled from the sensation of poison flooding its veins. Meowth released a blast of energy at the second Machop, but it missed as Machop ducked and his Low Kick sent Meowth rolling down the cavern, out of sight. Without his light, there was darkness.
"Meowth!" Daniel cried in concern, unable to see. "Ekans, be careful!"
Ekans hissed menacingly, the rattle on its tail making an ominous sound. Daniel heard the familiar wail of Meowth behind him and turned around, ducking to avoid the shining blast of light which came his way, sending the second Machop onto his back from the force.
Meowth ran up to Daniel, the coin on his forehead providing illumination once again. Ekans leapt at the first Machop, who was poisoned, and finished it with a Bite Attack. Meowth leapt on the second Machop and clawed at its face with a Scratch Attack, knocking it unconscious as well.
"Nice work!" Daniel said, getting to his feet and smoothing the dust off his pants.
He patted both Meowth and Ekans, then continued walking. "Let's find Natalie."
They continued walking, with Meowth as their guide to light the way. Daniel was tensed for Zubat in the upper reaches of the cavern.
Daniel stopped as he came to a large recess in the cave, a cavern which expanded to a height slightly similar to the one in which the Graveler had self destructed inside.
"Do you think it's safe?" Daniel whispered to his Pokemon. They advanced inside the cavern.
It looked so similar to the one Daniel had escaped from, but this cavern had two paths which ventured off in different directions on the other side. There were boulders lying around the edge of the cavern this time, instead of stalagmites.
"Which route shall we choose?" Daniel asked Meowth and Ekans.
Suddenly, the cavern began to shake, and Daniel tensed as the boulders which had seemed inanimate came to life, forming one solid line which formed the rocky, serpentine body of a wild Onix.
The Onix reared its head and roared at Daniel, staring down with a flinty gaze.
"Look out!" Daniel cried, as the Onix leapt towards them. Daniel rushed to the side as Onix missed, while Meowth avoided the attack and climbed up its body. Ekans coiled and hissed at Onix.
Daniel knew he was in trouble. Both Meowth and Ekans' attacks - Normal and Poison-type - were weak against Onix' Rock-type defence.
"Ekans, you're going to have to trust me with this! Use Poison Sting on Onix!"
Ekans opened its mouth and released a volley of poison barbs which hit Onix in the head. Onix was unharmed, however, and dived to Tackle Ekans.
"Meowth, use Pay Day on Onix to distract it! Ekans, evade!"
Ekans leapt out of Onix's way, while Meowth blasted Onix in the side with its Pay Day attack. Coins scattered everywhere as Onix turned to Meowth, still unaffected.
"Ekans, Poison Sting on Onix!"
Ekans released another volley of barbs at Onix. They failed to penetrate Onix's rock hard skin. Ekans turned to Daniel in bewilderment.
"We've got to poison Onix! It's our only chance!" Daniel said. Ekans nodded, opening its mouth for another volley of poison barbs.
Onix flicked its tail suddenly, throwing a boulder from one side of the cavern at Ekans. Ekans, who was busy trying to aim for Onix as the poison barbs landed ineffectually against Onix, was hit by the falling rock and writhed in agony, barely able to move.
"Ekans!" Daniel cried in horror.
As Onix leapt for Ekans, it was blasted by another one of Meowth's Pay Day attacks, timed perfectly for a distraction.
"Nice work, Meowth - but look out!" Daniel said, as he hurried over to Ekans to administer a Potion.
Onix roared as it headed for Meowth, this time landing a direct hit, sending Meowth sprawled against the cavern wall where he slid down, bruised badly.
"Meowth!" Daniel shouted, having administered the Potion to Ekans who was slowly recovering. He made eye contact with the Onix who turned, roared and shot out at Daniel in a bout of anger.
A jet of water sprayed Onix in the face, causing Onix to howl in pain as it attempted to avoid the sudden attack. Daniel saw Natalie and Squirtle standing at the other side of the cavern, emerging from the route on the left side.
"Poliwag, Bubble! Butterfree, help Meowth!"
As Squirtle continued to drench Onix in water, Poliwag waddled forward and released a spray of bubbles at Onix's body, now writhing on the ground in pain. Butterfree flew over to Meowth, protecting him from the front.
Onix gave a final roar, then collapsed, moving no longer. Daniel exhaled a sigh of relief, giving Natalie the thumbs up.
"I thought you were a goner!" Daniel said, as Natalie bounded up to him, followed by Squirtle and Poliwag. "I was worried - "
Natalie embraced Daniel in a tight hug. "I'm OK. It was a bit scary, walking in the dark, but we made it OK. Looks like you got yourself into a bit of a pickle!"
Daniel walked over and administered a Potion to Meowth, patting his back to make him feel better. He turned to Natalie. "Thanks for the help. I couldn't have defeated Onix on my own. Your Water Pokemon came at the right time!"
Natalie's Pokemon gathered around her. "We're all in this together."
"So, you came from the left passage, right?" Daniel asked. Natalie nodded. "Does that mean the passage on the right might be the exit?"
"I hope so, too," Natalie beamed, taking his hand and leading him through the tunnel. "Come on, Meowth! We need your light to guide us!"
Daniel and Natalie continued down the passage, with only the glow from Meowth's forehead to light their way, when suddenly they heard indistinct voices and they picked up their pace.
They began running, with their Pokemon hot on their trail, as they rounded a bend in the passage and were met with sudden, silent moonlight. They emerged from the Rock Tunnel, a little battered but no worse for wear.
"That was an effort," Daniel said, sinking to his knees on the raw ground as Meowth and Ekans watched him quizzically, not without a small about of concern. "I'm glad we never have to do that again."
"There's more than one cave in Kanto, Daniel," Natalie advised. "Let's keep going. It's nearly midnight from the look of it."
Daniel followed Natalie as they walked through patches of grass, a sturdy path beginning to form. They saw several Trainers sleeping on the ground, some who had erected lean-to dwellings with barely a stick propping up a sheet, or a tent here and there.
"This doesn't give me a good feeling about the vacancies at the hotels," Natalie said, her heart sinking.
"Let's head to the Pokemon Center. We can ask the receptionist there," said Daniel.
They made their way into Lavender Town, lit by street lamps with few passersby up and about. There were posters tacked outside buildings advertising a Fishing Competition which would start tomorrow, at the Silence Bridge south of Lavender which was apparently a prime spot for fishing.
"So we are out of luck for a place to stay..." said Natalie, as they entered the Pokemon Center. "I need to rest! My legs are sore."
"Welcome to the Pokemon Center! You two are out late!" smiled the pretty receptionist.
"You go first, Natalie." said Daniel. "Could I leave my Pokemon with you? I'll check to see if the hotels have any vacancies."
"Sure thing," Natalie smiled, as Meowth and Ekans joined Natalie and Daniel handed over the Pokeball containing Bellsprout.
Daniel exited the Pokemon Center, browsing the few inns which were spread about Lavender. All were closed, citing no vacancy. Dejected, Daniel returned to the Pokemon Center to find Natalie standing outside.
"Bellsprout!" Daniel exclaimed, noticing she had made a full recovery. "Are you feeling better?"
Bellsprout nodded, waddling over to Daniel for a hug.
"The receptionist told me there were Trainers to the north and south who were camping for the night, for lack of space in the hotels." said Natalie. "Do you reckon we should do that?"
"It couldn't hurt us," shrugged Daniel. "As long as it's safe."
"It's agreed, then. We'll sleep under the stars," smiled Natalie.
Making their way back the northern route out of Lavender Town, Daniel and Natalie found an unoccupied space away from the other, snoring Trainers and laid down on the hard ground. It was uncomfortable at first, but they made it work. Meowth, Bellsprout and Ekans snuggled close to Daniel, while Squirtle, Poliwag and Butterfree slept beside Natalie.
"I can't get to sleep," grumbled Daniel, after an age. "That couple's snoring is keeping me awake!"
"Butterfree," Natalie said, yawning. "Could you use Sleep Powder on Daniel?"
Daniel and Natalie broke into laughter, the Pokemon joining in too, as Butterfree flew into the air, sprinkling them all with shining dust. As Butterfree settled on top of Natalie, its wings fluttering slowly as everyone fell into an instant, dreamless sleep.