CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Amy walked through the streets of Celadon City, admiring the clean streets and polite passers by as she headed for the Celadon Gym. Her Pokemon had been healed at the Pokemon Center and were raring to go, walking on foot beside her. Growlithe was happy, his reddish-brown fur waving in the breeze. Nidorina trotted confidently on all fours, sniffing the air at intervals and peering inquisitively at any pedestrian who glanced at her. Cubone waddled on two feet, testing the weight of his bone club as he caught up with his Trainer.
Amy had been a bundle of nerves all throughout her walk - she was convinced she'd run into her mother. So far, she had stuck to frequenting places her mother wouldn't be seen dead in, but Amy's anxiety hadn't yet abated.
Rounding the corner, Amy caught sight of the familiar path bordered on either side by trees which lead to the Celadon Gym. Her mother had signed her up for flower arranging classes from an early age and it was here that Amy had first caught a glimpse of Erika. Polite and well-mannered, Amy had watched as a young boy asked to see Erika's Pokemon. She obliged, releasing an Oddish from its Pokeball, to whom the young boy immediately bonded with.
"Disgusting," her mother had whispered, for only Amy's ears to hear. "Plants should be kept in the greenhouse, not leaving their dirty footprints all over the place."
"Mom, it's a Pokemon. It can't stay in a greenhouse all day!" Amy had said, watching the tender exchange between boy and Pokemon. "Besides, you let Liam have Pokemon. Why not me?"
"Your father thinks it's harmless for Liam to have a Pokemon," her mother had snapped. "You know me. I'm not a confrontational sort of person."
But Amy had wanted a Pokemon, if nothing more than to rebel against her mother. So one day, when she had overheard her father and brother discussing 'a gentile traveler from overseas, visiting for a few days with a newborn litter of Growlithe', Amy had pleaded with her father to buy her one.
The Growlithe pup grew to be her very best friend. Her mother had been apoplectic, but her father's word was law - Amy was to keep the Growlithe if she raised it herself. Soon after that, Liam had helped Amy catch a female Nidoran and raise that Pokemon, too.
"Amy!"
Amy was jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of a familar voice. With a sudden rush of heat that caused an immediate headache, Amy saw that it was Natalie, running towards her and almost out of breath.
"Natalie!" said Amy, caught unaware. "You... you just came from the Celadon Gym?"
"I just battled Erika!" said Natalie, her cheeks flushed. "I won the Rainbowbadge!"
"Good for you," Amy nodded on autopilot. Her cheeks flushed with shame. "Look, I - "
"I can't talk right now; I've got to heal my Pokemon at the Pokemon Center. It was nice to see you!"
"You too," said Amy to Natalie's departing back. Her fear subsided but her headache remained.
Did that really just happen? What about her sudden departure? Didn't Natalie feel awkward at all?
Amy continued down the path, lined with trees which helped form a barrier to collect her thoughts. Away from the bustle of people and traffic, Amy tried to sort out her thoughts. Did she feel guilty? Absolutely. But she had to leave! She was a mess, leaving home and abandoning her family. Amy didn't want to inflict any damage on two people she had only just met...
But you did hurt them, said a tiny voice in her head. They're acting like it doesn't affect them. You know what you did.
Amy kneeled and hugged her Growlithe tight, crying silently into his fur. Nidorina and Cubone bounded up to their Trainer, concerned for her wellbeing. After a moment or two, Amy stood, wiped her eyes and continued on.
No more guilt, she told herself. If there's one thing my mother taught me, it's how to put on a mask for people whose opinions I shouldn't care about in the first place.
Emerging from the woods, Amy came across the gigantic greenhouse which held the Celadon Gym. She walked up the steps, her Pokemon following her, and entered through the glass doors which slid open automatically as she approached. She walked up to the reception desk and introduced herself.
"The Celadon Gym is down the hallway to your right, at the very end," smiled the receptionist.
"Thank you," Amy nodded, her shoes echoing on the tiled floor as she proceeded down the hallway. She caught sight of the flower arranging class, glancing inside briefly. Multitudes of young girls sat in groups, wreaths of flowers spread in front of them of varying shape and colour and size.
Forcing herself to move on, Amy came upon the door in the shape of a Pokeball and pressed the intercom nearby.
"Good afternoon," spoke a pleasant voice. "Welcome to the Celadon Gym. May I have your name?"
"My name is Amy. I'm here to challenge Erika."
"Very well," replied the voice. "Please come in."
The door slid open and Amy entered, nearly overcome by the strong scent of flowers. Amy felt a twinge of anxiety as the doors slid shut behind her, but shrugged it off. As she walked down the path which led to the battlefield, Amy spied several pairs of eyes watching her from discreet parts of the garden. As she approached the battlefield, she saw a young woman standing opposite. It was Erika.
"Welcome, Amy," Erika smiled. " I am the Gym Leader, Erika. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you," said Amy. "I'm a Pokemon Trainer and I wish to challenge you for the Rainbowbadge."
"Very well," Erika inclined her head, retrieving a Pokeball from inside the folds of her kimono. "Let's begin!"
Erika threw her Pokeball onto the battlefield, where it burst open in a flash of bright light. Victreebel appeared, thrashing and gnashing its sharp teeth. Amy recoiled a little from how vicious it looked.
"I choose Growlithe!" said Amy, as Growlithe bounded past her and entered the battlefield.
"Victreebel, Sleep Powder!" Erika commanded.
"Growlithe, Ember!" Amy shouted.
Growlithe opened its mouth and released a volley of flames as Victreebel released shining powder into the air. The flames pelted Victreebel, causing it to shriek in pain as it developed a burn. As the shining dust settled, Growlithe lay snoring on the ground, having fallen susceptible to the attack.
"Victreebel, Wrap!" Erika commanded, as Victreebel struggled with the burn.
Amy reached inside her backpack for an Awakening, as Victreebel shot out long vines which wrapped around Growlithe and squeezed it tightly. Erika retrieved a Burn Heal from her kimono and sprayed it on Victreebel, as Amy did the same to Growlithe with her Awakening.
"C'mon, Growlithe," Amy pleaded, as Victreebel squeezed tightly on Growlithe's sleeping figure. "Wake up!"
Rousing, Growlithe barked in pain and let out a fearsome Roar attack at Victreebel, causing it to drop Growlithe in surprise. Landing on his feet, Growlithe launched himself at Victreebel, sinking his teeth in. Victreebel flailed and fell to the ground.
"Finish it, Growlithe! Ember!" cried Amy.
Growlithe released a volley of flames from its mouth, taking Victreebel out for the count.
"Return, Victreebel," said Erika, holding out her Pokeball.
Growlithe bounded over to Amy for a pat as Victreebel disappeared in a flash of red light and Erika selected her next Pokemon.
"Go, Tangela!" said Erika, throwing her Pokeball onto the battlefield. The Pokeball burst open to reveal Tangela, its blue vines wriggling to obscure its face.
"Growlithe, Roar!"
"Tangela, Constrict!"
Growlithe let out a fearsome roar, unnoticed by Tangela as it spun into a frenzy, its long vines lashing out at Growlithe and whipping it around the face. Howling in pain, Growlithe dived for cover and released a volley of flames from its mouth. Tangela was pelted by the flames, spinning to the ground where it lay quite injured.
"Finish it, Growlithe! Bite Attack!"
"Tangela, Bind!"
Tangela weakly whipped out vines to ensnare Growlithe, but Growlithe was agile enough to dodge them, launching upon Tangela and delivering it a severe bite. Tangela emitted a moan of pain and lay unconscious upon the ground.
"Nice going, Growlithe!" Amy exclaimed, cheering for her Pokemon friend. Erika returned Tangela into its Pokeball.
"You're a competent Trainer," said Erika, retrieving her third and final Pokeball from within her kimono. "I underestimated you at first. But let's see you try and beat my beautiful Vileplume!"
Vileplume burst forth in a flash of red light, walking unsteadily with its heavy flower head.
"Vileplume, Sleep Powder!"
"Growlithe, Roar!"
Growlithe let loose a fearsome roar as Vileplume sprayed shining dust into the air, which began to settle on the field. Vileplume looked cautiously at Growlithe.
"Growlithe, use Ember!" shouted Amy.
But the dust had already settled, causing Growlithe to yawn loudly as it fell asleep upon the ground.
"Vileplume, Mega Drain!" Erika commanded.
Vileplume glowed green and absorbed energy from Growlithe, smiling as it replenished health. Amy felt inside her backpack for an Awakening, but remembered with horror that she had used her only Awakening during Growlithe's fight with Victreebel.
"Growlithe, return!" Amy shouted, holding out Growlithe's Pokeball as the red light engulfed him. Amy selected another Pokeball from her pocket. "Go, Nidorina!"
Nidorina stepped forward in a flash of red light, pawing the ground and eyeing Vileplume angrily. Amy was limited here - she couldn't rely on Nidorina's Double Kick or Poison Sting against Vileplume, who was a dual Grass/Poison type.
"Nidorina, Tackle!" cried Amy.
"Vileplume, Petal Dance!" Erika called.
Vileplume released pink petals from its body which hovered in the air for the second it took Nidorina to run towards Vileplume. The pink petals descended upon Nidorina, cutting her hide with little effect as they did so. Nidorina launched into the air, knocking Vileplume over and pinning her to the ground in fury.
"Vileplume, Sleep Powder!"
"Nidorina, Double Kick!"
Nidorina launched two strong kicks to Vileplume's abdomen, but not before the familiar cloud of shining dust sprayed into the air. Vileplume wriggled in mild discomfort to Nidorina's attacks, while Nidorina rolled off Vileplume in a slump, having fallen asleep due to the shining dust.
Amy bit her lip, holding out Nidorina's Pokeball. "Return, Nidorina!"
Nidorina disappeared inside the Pokeball with a flash of red light. Amy was worried. Cubone was susceptible to Grass-type attacks.
"Who will you choose to battle my Vileplume next, Amy?" Erika asked, calmly regal.
Amy snapped back to attention, picking her final Pokeball out of her pocket. "A trusted friend... I rely on him now more than ever. Go, Cubone!"
The thrown Pokeball revealed Cubone in a flash of red light, waving his bone club menacingly. At the sight of Vileplume, he steadied his stance and braced himself.
"A Cubone?" Erika was surprised. "You must have a lot of confidence to battle me with a Ground-type."
You don't know me very well, Erika, Amy thought to herself. Feigning confidence is what I'm good at.
Vileplume steadied itself upon its little feet and faced Cubone across the battlefield, a smile crossing its features. Cubone balled its fists.
"Vileplume, let's finish this battle! Petal Dance!"
"Cubone, run as fast as you can and use Bone Club on Vileplume!"
Vileplume released pink petals from its body, allowing them to hover in the air as Cubone crossed the middle of the battlefield, its little legs carrying it as fast it could carry. Its bone club raised, Cubone tensed as the pink petals began to descend, landing like daggers into the battleground as Cubone evaded each one, jumping into the air and landing a direct hit into Vileplume's face with its bone club. Staggering on its feet and falling from the pain, Vileplume tripped over its feet and fell over.
"Nice job, Cubone!" screamed Amy, rapt with joy. Cubone's Ground-type attack was super effective against a Poison-type like Vileplume. "Finish it! Headbutt!"
Cubone jumped back, then reared its head as it launched itself at Vileplume. Vileplume let out a cry of pain as Cubone tackled it.
"Stop!" cried Erika, clutching her obi in grief. Holding out her Pokeball, she said, "Vileplume, return."
Vileplume returned in a flash of red light, as Cubone turned to Amy, who was speechless.
"I concede. You win, Amy," said Erika softly.
"WE DID IT!" screamed Amy, running towards Cubone and scooping him up in her arms, swinging him around excitedly.
Unnoticed, Erika approached Amy, watching her with amusement. She retrieved something from inside her kimono. Startled, Amy watched with a tense expression as Erika opened her palm, revealing the Rainbowbadge amidst a wad of cash.
"You deserve the Rainbowbadge. Your prize money, too."
As Amy took her winnings with a smile, she realised something she forced herself to keep private: deep inside her, she was secretly more pleased to receive the money than she was the Badge.
"Ugh," Amy was ashamed of how filthy her mind had become for chasing lucre over achievement.
"Are you alright?" Erika asked, concerned.
"I am," Amy nodded, pasting a smile as plastic as she felt. "I'm just... so proud of myself."
"Are you?" Erika was kind, enough to make Amy's lip quiver. "Your journey is just beginning, Amy. Don't fret."
It was difficult for Amy to concede Erika was genuine. "Thank you, Erika."