Episode 21: Pokémon Fashion Flash
Shortly after leaving Hop-Hop-Hop Town, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel have arrived to a town next to it, and right in a district known as Scissor Street.
"Say, Kairi, why did we stop here?" Sora asked.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
"I'll tell the truth, Sora. There is a place that I have heard a lot about just a little before we met. I wanted to try it out ever since I first got Angel from my parents," Kairi said.
"Any idea where we're going, exactly?" Sora asked.
"You'll have to wait and see, Sora," Kairi said in a playful manner.
"Oh, okay," Sora said.
"Chu," Pikachu said.
"Vee," Angel said.
"Anyway, the reason I'm asking is because I didn't think you were the kind of girl who would think about fashion and all that jazz," Sora said.
"Oh, does it sound weird?" Kairi asked.
"I don't know, to be honest," Sora said.
"Well, it's nothing fashionable," Kairi said.
"You sure?" Sora asked, raising a brow.
"Sora, I said to wait," Kairi said.
"Okay, I'll wait, but I don't know for how long," Sora said.
"It'll be worth it. Trust me," Kairi said.
They walk by a beauty shop with a very long line as the Pokémon are anxiously waiting to go inside.
"This place must very popular if it's got this much business," Sora said.
"Are you kidding?" One of the waiting customers asked. "This is called 'Salon de Poké.' The hottest fashion salon in Scissor Street! This place opened up just two months ago! And business has been booming!"
"And the guys who run it are miracle workers!" another customer said. "These two are called the Fasion Kings of Scissor Street!"
Inside the Salode Poké, the place is ran by two homosexual men. One is wearing what appears to be a biker's outfit and the other is wearing a purple and white sleeveless shirt with a french beret with crimson sweat pants. Currently, they are tending to a Raichu and a large, wingless, three-headed avianPokémon. Each head has a long, sharp beak and a black V-shaped, feather crest. It has bristly brown feathers covering its heads and upper body, while its lower half has a smooth layer of black feathers. Its tail consists of three pale red feathers with lighter tips. Its wingless body rests on two long and slender, but powerful legs with feet that have three clawed toes in front and one in back. It has brown necks, and have brown legs. This Pokémon is known as Dodrio. The Raichu has a chipped tail.
"Marvelous! Marvelous!" the biker said tending to Raichu. "When I'm done with you; you'll be the envy of every of mouse Pokémon in the city!"
"Oui, mon ami," the second man said in a French accent. He was making Dodrio look like an 1980's rock star with "But wait til you see ze work I did for le Dodrio."
Once the stylists were finished, they presented Raichu and Dodrio to the costumer waiting reading a magazine while waiting for her Pokémon. She wore a blue dress and glasses.
"Madame," the biker called out. "Your Raichu and Dodrio are fini!"
The woman looked at her two Pokémon awestrucked.
"Oh my goodness!" the woman exclaimed. "They both look fabulous! You two outdo yourselves every time!"
"We aim to please madame," the French stylist said.
Raichu and Dodrio looked at the mirror across from them and had a dreaded look on their faces. They obviously don't like what they saw. The woman left with her two Pokémon after paying for their of services.
Once she was out of sight, the two men gave off a frown.
"I don't know how much longer I have to speak in that French Accent," the second "stylist" said getting out of the accent.
"Don't worry, Frank," the first stylist said. "Our hard work will pay off soon. All these idiots care about is making their Pokémon stand out; and all we care about is getting rich off of it!"
"I hope that it was worth it, Carl," Frank said. "I just hope my voice doesn't break from this phony accent."
It turns out that the place was being run by a couple of con artists. Con artists pretending to be openly gay men when they're actually brothers. The two con artists talked among themselves for a bit.
They saw the girl and her two Pokémon leave the beauty shop.
"I can see why it's a huge hit," Sora said.
"Yes," Kairi agreed. "Come on, Sora. Let's go."
"Eevee," Angel said.
A few minutes later, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel, have arrived to the place she was looking for.
"And here it is," Kairi said. She opened the doors. Sora saw that the place is practically empty, except for one man inside of a flamboyant nature.
Up head, they spot a young woman with aquamarine hair and violet eyes giving a Chansey a very good massage.
"A message parlor?" Sora asked.
"Oh, more than a massage parlor," the man said, flamboyantly. "Susie is the best Pokémon masseuse there is. You can't find any place that's better than this. Not even that shop down the street."
They all looked at Chansey's skin as it glowed a bright shine.
"There," the woman said. "Now you'll have more energy!"
"Chansey! Chansey!" Chansey said, striking a pose in front of the mirror. The customer inside, a flamboyant man who happens to be Chansey's Trainer.
"So where's my precious Chansey?" he got his answer when they walked up to her customer. "Ooh! You look absolutely gorgeous! Suzie! I am so glad I came in here, because you are a wonderful worker!"
"Thank you very much," Suzie said. "Your praise makes it all worth it."
"We'll see you soon, Suzie," the customer said as he left with Chansey. Suzie looks over to Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel. "Are you my next customers?"
"I was windering if you would do wonders for my Eevee," Kairi said.
"Of course," Suzie said. She took Angel from Kairi's arms.
"Be good for the nice masseuse, Angel," Kairi said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
As Suzie left to give Angel a massage, Sora noticed a Vulpix laying on a chair.
"A Vulpix, hey," Sora said, walking over to the Fox Pokémon. It wakes up and sees Sora standing over it. "Oh, did I wake you? Just wanted to have a look at you up close." Vulpix sat up and spewed a Flamethrower right in his face and Pikachu. Kairi, Angel, and Suzie saw Sora and Pikachu by Vulpix. "Now that's hot stuff."
"Pika," Pikachu said as both he and Sora fell backwards. A puff of smoke came out their mouths.
"I'm so sorry! My Vulpix doesn't like strangers walking to her," Suzie said.
"Are you okay, Sora?" Kairi asked.
"I tried to be nice. That literally burns me up," Sora said.
"Chu," Pikachu said.
A few minutes later, Angel was done retrieving her massage. She returns to Kairi's side, much to her delight.
"Wow, Angel you look good," Kairi said. "Better than good."
"That guy from earlier knew what he was talking about," Sora said, wiping off what's left of the soot.
"Again, I am sorry for what happened," Suzie apologized.
"No, don't be sorry. I should be sorry, because I walked up to your Vulpix without asking you if I could pet her. Good thing I didn't," Sora said.
"I'm glad you forgive me," Suzie said.
"Well, he is right, he should have asked first," Kairi said.
"Vee, Eevee, vee," Angel said.
Sora and Kairi explained on how they first first met each other when Sora saved her life from Pokémon Hunters and how they've been traveling ever since. They of course left out the part of the Keyblade, the Heartless, and magic since they knew Suzie would not believe a word of it.
"That's quite a story," Suzie said. She glances over to Pikachu, Angel, Charmander, Butterfree, Beedrill, Zubat, Growlithe, Raichu, Cleffa, Pinky, Chansey, and Ponyta eating the Pokémon food Kairi had made for them. "And I have to say that you've raised your Pokémon very well. They all look iincredibly healthy. What kind of diet are you getting them on?"
"That would be Kairi's handy work here," Sora said.
"The Pokémon food is my own personal recipe, and none of that store-bought stuff. It's too fattening, and the freshness never lasts," Kairi said.
"You make it yourself?" Suzie asked.
"I do," Kairi said.
"Haven't you thought of being a Pokémon nutritionist? You have the skills for it," Suzie said.
"No, not really," Kairi said. "Besides, I'm more focused on helping taking care of our Pokémon."
"It's okay. The way I see it, you've done an excellent job at raising them," Suzie said. "Before I became a breeder, I started out as a Pokémon nutritionist." Vulpix saw the other Pokémon eating the food in the bowl. She walks up to them. Pikachu gestures the Fox Pokémon to help herself. Vulpix took a bite and liked it instantly. "It looks like my Vulpix likes your Pokémon food, too."
"She's got a gift," Sora said. "On our way over here," Sora said changing the subject. "We passed by this tacky looking place just outside from you."
Suzie sighed as she knew what he meant.
"You mean 'Salon de Poké?" Suzie asked. Sora nodded confirming it. "Well ever since that place opened up two months ago, trainers from all over started to go there. The same-sex coupe running it just care about making Pokémon stand out. But there's something about those two that I just don't like."
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.
"Well, I don't know all the details," Suzie said. "But there's something that's just plain fishy and I can't quite put my finger on it."
"Fishy?" Sora asked. "How fishy?"
"I didn't want to say anything, because people might think I was gossiping, so don't tell anyone I told you," Suzie said. "Ever since they first opened, there have been a series of incidents occurring in other salons. I'm talking about bad services and broken appointments. Nothing like this has ever happened before they came around. Business have been so bad, they were eventually bankrupted."
"That does sound fishy," Sora said.
"How is it that nobody ever suspects them?" Kairi asked.
"That's what I've been asking. But there hasn't been any witnesses or evidence that points at them," Suzie said.
"It's still suspicious," Sora said.
"It sure is," Kairi said. "Until some solid evidence comes up, there's noting we can do about it."
"Also, people have been going there because they're using their Pokémon as fashion accessories, showing them the outside and not the inside," Suzi said. Sora then got an idea.
"Say, why don't we give lessons of how to massage Pokémon, Suzi?" Sora suggested.
"That's a wonderful idea, Sora," Suzie said.
"Good thinking, Sora," Kairi added.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
"Then, let's cracking," Sora said.
Meanwhile outside, a girl with long coke bottle glasses walks down the street with her own Psyduck being light blue with a whitish cyan bill.
"Come along, Psyduck," the girl said. "We're almost there."
"Psyduck," the Psyduck said.
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel went around the area handing out fliers on giving properbcare to Pokémon. Suzie was demonstrating by giving a message on Pikachu.
"Each Pokémon requires special care and attention," Suzie lectured. "Whenever a Pokémon has been injured in a battle, you should apply a therapeutic massage."
"Pika," Pikachu beamed finding the massage to his liking.
"This volunteer and his Pikachu will no demonstrate on what we've learned in today's lecture," Suzie said.
"Pika," Pikachu said.
"As you all know, Pikachu's electric sacs are located in its cheeks," Suzie said. "And they become very tense after a difficult battle."
"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded.
"Sora will you massage Pikachu's cheeks just like I showed you?" Suzie gestures Sora.
"Sure," Sora said as he started to massage Pikachu. Sora tickled Pikachu by mistake at first but he quickly got the hang of it. "Does that feel great, Pikachu?"
"Pika," Pikachu said.
The people inside started muttering seeing how a natural he is. Angel looks over to Sora and Pikachu seeing how he was enjoying it so much. She wished she and Pikachu could enjoy it together.
"Good communication is essential to both Pokémon and trainer," Suzie said. "These techniques builds trust and bring out a Pokémon's personality."
"I think Suzie will agree that these techniques are as good as the trainer or breeder who uses it," Kairi said.
Some of the Trainers looked at their Pokémon starting to have second thoughts of their decisions on the matter.
Within hours, Salon de Poké was starting to have fewer and fewer customers.
"What's going on out here?" Carl asked. "Frank! What's up?"
"You're not going to believe this," Frank said. "But that massage parlor just down from us is getting a business increase!"
"What?!" Carl exclaimed. He looked and saw what his brother meant. "Oh no! That breeder bitch is stealing away our money!"
"We'll go bankrupt in a matter of days if this keeps up!" Frank said.
"You're right, Frank!" Carl said. "And we're going to fix their wagon!"
"Yeah!" Frank said as he took out his Pokéball. "Venomoth! Go!" He throws it letting Venomoth out.
"Venomoth!" Venomoth said, fluttering out.
"Fly over to that massage parlor and cause trouble!" Frank instructed. "Make them want to come over here!"
"Venomoth!" Venomoth nodded as it flew at the back so that it could not be seen.
Venomoth flew in through the door making sure that nobody saw it. The venomous moth Pokémon flew up in an attempt to cause a problem. But unknown to anyone, Gastly is still invisible and found Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel at last. Gastly saw Venomoth and snuck behind it. Gastly turned visible and then fires a dark crimson beam outlined in pink from its eyes at Venomoth. Gastly turned invisible again. Everyone heard the sound and turned around. They saw Venomoth on the ground.
"Where did that Venomoth come from?" Sora asked.
Venomoth felt cornered as it looked around. It started to flap its wings and it flew back out with everyone following it to the door. They all saw Venomoth fly back to the Salon de Poké.
"That Venomoth came from the Salon de Poké," Suzie said.
"Let's go knock on that door!" Sora said.
The girls and Pokémon agreed with him and started to head out with the patrons.
Venomoth flew inside with Carl and Frank anxiously waiting for Venomoth's return. Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, Angel, and Suzie stood outside and listened to the conversation.
"Venomoth! What happened?!" Frank asked. "I thought I told you to make trouble!"
Sora and Kairi didn't like how that came out.
"Forget it, Frank!" Carl said. "We've got to work hard if we're going to make our scam work! And drive that little bitch out in the street."
Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, Angel, and Suzie suddenly bursts in catching the con artists in the act.
"That's all we needed to know!" Sora said.
"Your scheme ends here!" Kairi added.
"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu said.
"Eevee!" Angel said.
"No way we're letting some kids stand in our way!" Frank said.
"We'll teach you to stick your nose in our operations!" Carl said.
Carl and Frank each took out a Pokéball and threw them. Both Pokéballs opened and let out a Venomoth and a bipedal, insectoid Pokémon with a wide, dull-brown body divided into segments by thin lines. On top of its head is a large pair of gray, spiky pincers on top of its head. In its mouth are many long, flat teeth arranged horizontally and it has triangular eyes. Its legs are short and thick, while its arms are long and thin. It has three claws on each hand and foot; two of its toes face forward and one backward. This Pokémon is known as Pinsir.
Sora and Kairi each took out a Pokéball and threw it.
"Go! Growlithe!" Sora called out.
"Go! Ponyta!" Kairi called out.
Both Fire-type Pokémon emerged from inside their Pokéballs and readied themselves for battle.
"Pinsir! Use Vise Grip!" Carl ordered.
"Venomoth! Use Bug Bite!" Frank ordered.
"Ponyta! Use Flame Charge!" Kairi ordered.
"Growlithe! Use Fire Fang!" Sora ordered.
Ponyta stomped her front hooves on the ground and charges at Pinsir. Flame erupts from Growlithe's mouth and heads towards Venomoth. Both Fire-types lands a hit on the two Bug-types.
"Venomoth! Use Toxic on Growlithe!" Frank ordered.
"Pinsir! Use Toxic on Ponyta!" Carl ordered.
Venomoth and Pinsir fired streams of purple liquid from their mouths at the Fire-type Pokémon. They were badly poisoned.
"Growlithe!" Sora gasped.
"Ponyta!" Kairi also gasped.
"That'll teach you brats to get in the way!" Carl said.
Suzie and Vulpix stood in the way of the two Bug-types.
"Vulpix and I will take of this," Suzie said.
"You sure, Suzie?" Sora asked.
"I am. These two are doing what is unforgivable. It's bad enough that they exploit Pokémon just to make money, but to sabotage another salon, that is crossing the line!" Suzi said.
"We do what we have to do to make as much money as we can," Carl said.
"Yeah. It was the easiest thing in the world. It was as easy as taking candy from a baby," Frank said.
"Why would you do such a thing?" Suzi asked.
"Because we can, and those shallow fools fell for it," Carl said.
"And it was working smoothly until you started to steal away our business! We needed suckers to come on in, so that's why we sabotaged all the other salons!" Frank said. The Trainers who were their customers were appalled by what they just said. It was bad enough that they ripped them off, but to put others out of business just to earn a buck was downright wrong.
"You won't get away with this! Vulpix! Fire Spin!" Suzi ordered. Vulpix unleashed a tornado of fire. It was getting bigger with each passing second. It was big enough to take Venomoth and Pinsir in it and take them out with one hit. Carl and Frank were caught in the flames. The flames subsided as they puffed some smoke.
"We lost," Frank said.
"At least it can't get any worse," Carl said.
Just then, a police car came riding in. Out came Detective Mullock and Chester. He looked down at the two con artists.
"Wanna bet?" Frank asked.
"Well, well, well. If it ain't the Poké Bandits? I might have gotten Team Rocket, but I got the next best thing," Mullock said. Everyone were muttering to themselves.
"Who are these guys?" Sora asked.
"The Poké Bandits. They're wanted in both Kanto and Johto for theft and fraud. They escaped custody several months ago, and been at large till now," Chester said. "They both have outstanding warrants for their arrest in the Johto region."
"Chester, get over here!" Mullock bellowed.
"Coming, sir!" Chester said, handing him the handcuffs. "Carl and Frank, you're both under arrest for fraud and vandalism."
"You two punks have the right to remain silent. Anything you say CAN and WILL be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, then one's gonna be appointed for ya. Personally, I would just lock ya up and throw the key in the trash," Mullock said.
"Get bent, fat ass!" Carl yelled.
"Sticks and stones," Mullock said. "And that's all you'll live off of if ya test me." Mullock and Chester placed them in the back and drove off.
"Well, that was unexpected," Sora said.
"At least the bad guys have been caught, and Scissor Street can no longer worry about them," Kairi said.
"The case isn't closed yet," Sora said. He addressed the crowd. "Suzie and her Vulpix have just shown us their inner strength and true personality. You don't need some fancy costume or makeup to standout! Pokémon are not fashion accessories and shouldn't be treated as such. Those guys only cared about making money off of you, and they took advantage of your trust. What you should get is Pokémon can be strong and beautiful inside and out, but you should focus more on the inner strength, because that will result in what you just saw."
They all realized how right he was as they took off the flashy getup and decided to express themselves with their inner strength and outer beauty.
Back in Suzie's massage parlor, Kairi looked at Sora sweetly.
"That was a very motivating speech out there," Kairi said. This made Sora blush.
"Well, someone had to say it. I mean, that's what my mom would say about inner beauty," Sora said.
"She did a great job in teaching you that lesson," Kairi said.
"Yeah. Also Karen," Sora said. "Mom read the Ugly Ducklett to us when we were little, and it taught us something about beauty being in deep." Kairi smiled as she has gained more respect for Sora. Suzie walked up to the two of them.
"Thank you for what you did," Suzie said.
"We only helped as well as we could," Sora said.
"Just how did you know about that Venomoth sneaking around, Kairi?" Suzie asked.
"What do you mean? We were just as surprised as you," Kairi said.
"Didn't you have Angel attack that Venomoth in my salon?" Suzie asked.
"No, because Angel was with me the whole time," Kairi said.
"Eevee, vee," Angel said.
"And it couldn't have been any of my other Pokémon, because they were with me the whole time, too," Sora said.
"And if it wasn't any of us then-" Kairi paused for a moment. "Who was it then?"
Gastly briefly turned visible as it grinned and chuckled to itself. Sora and Kairi figured it couldn't have been the Dream Eaters, but they did wonder if it was a coincidence that it happened.
Over to Mullock, he pushes the Poké Bandits in a jail cell and slammed the cell gates.
"Home sweet home," Mullock said. "Chester, I'm in the mood for some tacos tonight. Call that taco place and tell them to give me my usual."
"Should I throw in some extra guacamole, sir?" Chester asked.
"You know what I like," Mullock said.
Later, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and Angel took their leave of Scissor Street after saying goodbye to Suzy and her Vulpix. Sora and Kairi promised to come again if they were in the neighborhood.
Later, Sora has exchanged Butterfree, Beedrill, Growlithe, and Zubat for Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, and Psyduck as Kairi has exchanged Pinky for Oddish.
It was late in the night as Pikachu and Angel were still awake.
"Pikachu." - Angel subtitle. Pikachu looked right at Angel.
"Yeah, Angel?" - Pikachu subtitle.
"I was thinking about something for a while, so I wanna get it off my chest." - Angel subtitle.
"What?" - Pikachu subtitle.
"When we were in Celadon City for the first time, when you pushed me out of the way of that Persian's Power Gem, I was never so scared in my life. I was scared for you." - Angel subtitle. Pikachu looked right at Angel.
"I'm sorry if I worried you, Angel." - Pikachu subtitle.
"Don't be sorry, Pikachu. I'm grateful for what you did for me. But it was my fault you got hurt." - Angel subtitle.
"I had to, Angel. I didn't want to see you getting hurt anymore. And I know you would do the same thing for me, Angel. Just like Sora would have." - Pikachu subtitle.
"Just like when Sora risked his life to protect us from those awful Heartless? And then you jumped in front of him and gave those monsters what they deserved. It still gave me the chills." - Angel subtitle. Pikachu looked at Angel. The two Pokémon gazed into each other before the nuzzled for the first time. They were lost in their own world. They then looked at each other. "I love you, Pikachu." - Angel subtitle.
"I love you, too, Angel." - Pikachu subtitle. The nuzzled each other again. They then kiss each other.
Pikachu and Angel have officially became a couple, but will the same be said for Sora and Kairi? Only time can answer that. Until then, just keep waiting and hoping.