CHAPTER SIXTY THREE

Amy walked down the ridge that lead away from the summit, where she had glimpsed the legendary bird of fire. She was amazed that unlike other Trainers who sought to capture it, she had only wanted it to return to safety. Perhaps it was Natalie's tale involving Articuno that had warned her not to interfere with the domestic habits of rare Pokemon, that they sought peace above all else and deserved it like a common Rattata or Pidgey.

Entering the crawl space through which she had come, Amy grazed her elbows and tore rips in her pants as she shimmied out the other side, dirty but no worse for wear. Her hair still smelled of smoke from the close encounter above, glad to have escaped with her life. She released her three Pokemon from their Pokeballs so that they might accompany and defend her against the perils inside Victory Road.

Arcanine stood strong, fierce with a bite to match, larger than his Growlithe counterpart which Amy had difficulty parting with. Just as she had grown from a girl to a woman, so had Growlithe matured from pup to hound. Nidorina with her tough exterior and spiky hide sniffed the dirt, tracking prints and scent for wild Pokemon. Marowak stood tall with his bone club at the ready, face hidden underneath his bone helmet.

Turning into another passage, Amy met a dead end where the steep cliff was dotted here and there with rocks. She returned her Pokemon to their Pokeballs and bravely began climbing, using the boulders for grip as they knocked into her wayward backpack, swinging as she leapt across. If she wasn't so nervous, she'd consider Victory Road an excellent way to exercise and strengthen her body.

Climbing up onto where another passage broadened beyond, Amy clicked on her flash light and released her Pokemon from their Pokeballs, red light flashing to briefly illuminate the rocky depths. She proceeded further into a large cavern, ducking to hide as she watched a wild Onix pass through, its gigantic, rock-hard serpentine body dragging along the ground as it passed into another chamber, rumblings out of earshot.

"Whew," muttered Amy, scratching Nidorina behind the ears. "That was close."

She ran across the chamber, ducking into a low passageway that snaked round with a forked path. Amy chose the route on the right and continued ahead, emerging into another large cavern. Her heartbeat increased as she saw moonlight flooding from a while away and ran towards the exit, nearly tripping in her haste as a silhouette blocked her path -

"Hold it!" cried the Trainer, who stood in front of the exit with his arms folded. "Let's battle!"

"Now?" Amy asked, heaving a great sigh. "You waited in ambush, didn't you?"

Nodding, the Trainer stepped forward to make room for a battlefield, revealing a pockmarked though young face, and three Pokeballs on his belt.

"I'm Rolando," he introduced himself, offering his hand. "I haven't met many Trainers near here recently."

"I'm Amy. I saw a few of them battling a while ago."

Facing each other, Amy and Rolando drew their first Pokeballs and tossed them into the battlefield.

"Don't go easy on me! Go, Charmeleon!" shouted Rolando.

"Nidorina, you're up!" cried Amy.

Charmeleon materialised in a flash of red light, facing Amy's Nidorina who didn't back down, pawing the ground to get pumped.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" shouted Rolando.

"Nidorina!" Amy called. "Poison Sting!"

Evading Charmeleon's burst of fire, Nidorina shot a volley of poison barbs at Charmeleon, who dodged in time so that they were both unscathed.

"Slash, Charmeleon!"

"Nidorina, Fury Swipes!"

Sprinting towards each other, Nidorina tackled Charmeleon flat on its back and delivered several hefty swipes that left Charmeleon dizzy. Aiming an errant kick, Charmeleon knocked Nidorina away to stumble in the dirt.

"You're doing good, Nidorina! Bite!" shouted Amy.

"Charmeleon, Rage!" cried Rolando.

Charmeleon launched towards Nidorina again, missing and suffering a Bite attack from Nidorina. Enraged, Charmeleon lashed out at Nidorina and sent her sailing towards Amy's feet, stumbling but back on her feet in seconds. The flame atop Charmeleon's tail burned brighter.

"Nidorina, return!" cried Amy, holding out her Pokeball and tossing another into the earthen field. "Go, Marowak!"

Darting forth with his bone club held high, Marowak sprinted towards Charmeleon who raised his paw -

"Bone Club, Marowak!"

Charmeleon dodged Marowak's savage thrust, tackling him in the side and sending him sprawling to the ground, bone club clattering. Charmeleon's flame grew brighter still, heading for the fallen Marowak.

"Bonemerang, Marowak!" Amy urged.

Scrambling for his bone club, Marowak threw it just in time and whacked Charmeleon in the face, knocking him over onto his back. The bone club spun around the chamber, narrowly missing Rolando who ducked in time.

"Charmeleon!" shouted Rolando, his voice reverberating around the cavern. Charmeleon's fire was burning its brightest. "Attack Marowak!"

Getting to his feet, Charmeleon launched towards Marowak, who bent his head and pounced for a Headbutt. The spinning bone club bashed Charmeleon in the back of the head, as Marowak head butted Charmeleon into the earthen ground. Catching his bone club, he raised it upon Charmeleon's weakened figure.

"Wait!" Rolando held out his Pokeball, returning Charmeleon inside. He selected his second of three Pokeballs. "Try this on for size! Go, Wartortle!"

The evolved form of Squirtle, Wartortle held a resemblance but for the cloud-like blue fur from its ears and tail. Marowak flinched, susceptible to Water-type attacks.

"Return, Marowak!" Amy held out her Pokeball and selected another. "Nidorina, take on Wartortle!"

Running forth, Nidorina growled at the turtle Pokemon who pumped his fists.

"Wartortle, Skull Bash!" shouted Rolando.

"Nidorina, Poison Sting!" cried Amy.

Wartortle lowered its head, launching as Nidorina ran close and evading the volley of poison barbs shot forth. Wartortle bashed into Nidorina so that she lay sprawled at Amy's feet, quite injured.

"No!" cried Amy, holding out her Pokeball. "You're too weak to fight, Nidorina. Return!"

Though Nidorina tried to stand, Amy was adamant as she affixed Nidorina's Pokeball to her belt and selected another, that of her newly evolved Pokemon.

"Didn't think that through, did you?" Rolando taunted.

Tossing her Pokeball into the field, Amy cried, "Meet my fearsome Arcanine!"

Roaring magnificently, Arcanine pawed the ground, almost twice the size of Wartortle.

"Not bad," Rolando admitted. "Do you collect rare Pokemon?"

"I don't collect Pokemon like ornaments," Amy scoffed. "I look after them and treat them with care."

"Sounds like ornaments," Rolando shrugged. "Aren't we all just Trainers to have the best Pokemon?"

"When my Pokemon perform their best, they are the best Pokemon," replied Amy. "Let's finish this! Arcanine, Take Down!"

"Wartortle, Bubblebeam!" shouted Rolando.

Arcanine was a blur, easily evading the blast of bubbles Wartortle shot forth and tackling Wartortle across the field, so that he lay injured at Rolando's feet. Returning to Amy's side in a trice, he barked happily as his Trainer extended her hand for a pat.

Furious, Rolando cried, "We can beat them, Wartortle! Skull Bash!"

"Arcanine, Roar!" shouted Amy.

Arcanine roared furiously so that Wartortle stopped dead in its tracks, eyeing Arcanine with caution. Moving fast like a blur, Arcanine leapt atop Wartortle and delivered a hefty bite that caused the Water-type to shout in pain.

"Enough!" Rolando held out his Pokeball, red light flashing and returning Wartortle inside. He hesitated to reach for his third -

"Return, Arcanine. That was a job well done," said Amy, as Arcanine returned to her side. Amy tossed her chosen Pokeball out onto the field. "Let's win this, Marowak!"

Stepping forward, Marowak stomped the ground and flung its bone club into the air, catching it one-handed with ease. Grinning, Rolando tossed his next Pokeball into the battlefield.

"Show 'em how it's done, Ivysaur!"

The evolved form of Bulbasaur, Ivysaur supported a pink bud atop its back surrounded by green leaves. It stood bipedal and faced Marowak, breathing heavily and revealing sharp teeth.

"It's a Poison/Ground-type, Marowak! We can do this!" shouted Amy.

"I won't let you get near my Ivysaur! Razor Leaf!"

"Marowak, Bonemerang!" cried Amy, worried.

Marowak arched his arm back and tossed his bone club, just as Ivysaur shot razor sharp leaves from its back headed straight for Marowak. Ivysaur was knocked back, not once but twice as the bone club hit double while Marowak stumbled, skin torn by the razor leaves. Both were greatly injured.

"Marowak, Bone Club!"

"Ivysaur, Mega Drain!"

Ivysaur glowed green and blasted Marowak full-on, as he sprinted forth. Drained of his energy, the green light healed Ivysaur in turn as Marowak fainted, unable to battle further.

"No!" cried Amy, holding out her Pokeball. "Marowak, return!"

Focused, Amy pointed at Rolando and his Ivysaur. "Arcanine, take that plant Pokemon out!"

Arcanine entered the battle, assuming a proud posture and growling at Ivysaur, who lashed his vines to whip the ground as a taunt.

"Sleeping Powder!" screamed Rolando.

"Flamethrower!" shouted Amy.

As Ivysaur released shimmering powder into the air, Arcanine opened its mouth and released a stream of fire which consumed Ivysaur whole. Severely damaged, Ivysaur could barely move and suffered burns, as Arcanine curled upon the ground and fell asleep, snoring softly.

"Ah! No! OK, OK, you win!" Rolando stamped the ground in fury, returning the burned Ivysaur to its Pokeball.

Amy ran forth to hug Arcanine, still locked in its slumber though she patted his fur and murmured affectations.

"You were awesome, G - Arcanine."

While Arcanine slept, Amy made her way over to Rolando, who peeled a cool fifteen hundred dollars from his wallet and handed it to her. Amy was thrilled to receive more money to fund her travels.

"It was a good battle, Rolando," Amy smiled. "Thank you for testing my limits."

"No problem," Rolando shrugged, heading towards the exit.

Amy bent over Arcanine. "Arcanine? Wake up! I don't want to have to use an Awakening, but we're almost at the exit - "

Hearing footsteps further in the cave, Amy glanced up in horror thinking it was another Trainer to battle, but a Machoke stomped forward, crossing its arms in revulsion as though she had been caught outside of curfew.

"Go away!" cried Amy, shaking Arcanine more hurriedly awake now. The Machoke took off at a sprint towards her, fuming with its fists at the ready.

Amy had no Pokemon to protect her. She reached inside her backpack for an Awakening, knowing it was too late and screaming as the Machoke came close, blasted aside by a psychic wave that materialised out of depths unseen. Cringing, Amy glanced up to see a Pokemon Trainer emerge from beneath a hidden crevice, aided by a Hypno.

Glancing at Amy's crouched figure and sleeping Arcanine, the Trainer commented, "This isn't a good place to rest, you know."

Weakly smiling, Amy thanked him and administered the Awakening to Arcanine, who roused and barked, suddenly alert.

"It's not his fault," Amy insisted. "We were in the finishing stages of a Pokemon battle and he succumbed to Sleeping Powder."

"Ah, that," replied the Trainer, who had dyed his spiky hair green and wore a chain attached to his jeans, with electric-blue sneakers. "My Hypno relies on Hypnosis to put Pokemon to sleep."

Up close, Hypno looked mesmerising, but Amy realised it was the talisman waved in front of her face -

"Stop it, Hypno," the Trainer ordered, and the Psychic-type Pokemon desisted. "Are you heading to the Pokemon Center?"

"Yeah," Amy nodded. "You're not wanting to battle, I hope?"

He shook his head no and Amy smiled, grateful.

"My Hypno's won enough fights today. We're headed to find an inn before all the rooms are sold out."

Together, they walked side-by-side around the passage as bright light met them, blinding Amy temporarily. "I thought the Pokemon League was just one big stadium."

But as Amy ventured out into the cold night air, she forgot the damp wet clothes that clung to her skin with stale sweat, her hair which badly needed a wash or her concerns for her injured Nidorina and Marowak. Beyond was a vast village of small houses and buildings, paying homage to the huge stadium she had only seen on TV, during the championship battle between Lance and Gary Oak.

"Incredible," Amy breathed, goosebumps prickling her skin in excitement. "I've made it. I made it to the Pokemon League."

"This is your first time visiting?" asked the Trainer. "I've been here a week already. There's nothing to do but train my Pokemon until the tournament begins."

"Which is when, exactly?" asked Amy, as they walked down a narrow path bordered by trees. The village was just in sight. "May I ask your name?"

"They've changed the rules, apparently," said the Trainer, who seemed supremely confident even in his alternative attire, which Amy admired for his daring. "I'm Zane."

"What rules?" asked Amy, lowering her voice as they passed small houses with handkerchief gardens. She paused to stare at a Caterpie who munched on a neighbor's flower patch, continuing on. "As far as I know, each challenger consecutively faces the Elite Four - four battles, notably the fourth against Lance, Champion."

"Yeah, they decided they could get more coverage if they challenged Trainers against each other, rather than seeing the same boring faces of Lorelei, Bruno and Agatha," added Zane. "Lance is the Champion everyone really wants to see. So they've designed a pyramid-style tournament with Trainers working their way to the top and the winner to challenge Lance, who holds the title. It'll be shown on every news network, for all of Kanto to see."

After visiting the Pokemon Center so Amy could heal her Pokemon, they spotted an inn which heralded 'vacancy' on its sandwich board placard and Zane peeked in the window, noticing the night manager half-asleep in the lounge, newspaper in his lap.

"I think I'll stay here tonight," said Zane, obviously unused to company for he made the decision without consulting Amy.

"I suppose I will, too," added Amy, entering before him though she felt self-conscious in her travel-stained clothing.

The bell above the door tinkled and the night manager snorted out of his slumber and got to his feet, wiping the drool from his mouth and pasting a smile onto his features.

"Welcome, welcome!" he smiled, bloodshot eyes haggard and lined. "We get so many Trainers late at night, it's exhausting to wait up for them all."

"We'd like a room, if you have any," said Amy, coming to her senses. "Uh, separate rooms, I mean."

Zane did not comment, rifling through his wallet for cash as Amy did the same with her purse.

"With all the inns so booked out, I'm afraid I can only offer a room with a king-sized bed, and another with a single bed," grimaced the night manager.

"You take the bigger room," Zane suggested. "I don't mind slumming it."

Amy appreciated the offer, though she didn't want to pay a higher price for her room on account of his gallantry.

You have enough money, Amy told herself. It's the Pokemon League! You can afford to splash out, even once in a while for a celebration.

"Thanks," Amy added, handing over six hundred dollars while Zane handed over four hundred and fifty for his room. "I should go up to my room - "

"Oh, don't you want to hear more?" asked Zane, scowling to hide his hurt pride.

Softening, Amy maintained her resolve. "I desperately need a shower and sleep. Let's meet tomorrow for breakfast, OK?"

Somewhat mollified, Zane headed up the stairs without a further word, while Amy followed him but turned down a different corridor to reach her room. Taking a deep breath, she unlocked her door and walked in, noticing as once the fresh cleanliness, sparkling surfaces and vanilla scent from a candle lit on the mantlepiece.

"Finally," Amy forced herself not to slump onto the sheets, drawing herself a bath and releasing her Pokemon from their Pokeballs.

Sadly, she realised Arcanine was too big to sleep on her bed and instead bade he sleep on the rug, while Nidorina curled up on the Pokebed and Marowak tried to communicate that he was hungry. Amy fed them all in separate bowls as they sprang to action, eating hungrily. Amy watched them for a while then counted her cash; content, she slipped the heavy backpack from her aching shoulders and let it drop with a thud upon the carpet.

Sinking into a hot bath at last, Amy opened her eyes moments later as she heard the familiar sounds of one of her Pokemon tearing open the packet of Poketreats she thought she had safely hidden.