Chapter 3 - Soup Curry
There was a lot to do in Jubilife City. After all, it was the largest city in Sinnoh. Cyan believed that he could spend his whole time in Sinnoh simply doing things in Jubilife City.
During the day, he would tour different areas of Jubilife. The city was notable for what it would export, like chocolate or beer. While Cyan didn't like chocolate and he was too young to drink beer, he still liked visiting the places where they were made.
Visiting the chocolate factory in Jubilife City was like walking into a fantasy movie. Everything was designed to look like a piece of candy. The bridge from one side of the factory looked like a cracker while the railing appeared to be candy canes. The door to get into the factory appeared to be a massive breakable chocolate bar.
A lot of couples had come to visit the factory, and because of this, Cyan was asked to take pictures for more people than he could keep track of.
The brewery was less of a dating spot and more of a history lesson on Sinnoh. Cyan knew nothing of Sinnoh's history, but he liked looking at pictures of the old buildings and people. The beer that was brewed in Jubilife was famous worldwide. He remembered his dad enjoying a few of the drinks when he was younger.
He looked at a display that showcased the original factory in which the beer was brewed.
"Not even ten years after the restoration, the first Jubilife Beer Factory was founded," the display's video recited.
"Restoration?" he wondered.
"Ah, yes. You see, Sinnoh used to be a place called Hisui," one of the female guides said. She noticed that an underage boy was touring the factory without a parent and kept a close eye on Cyan. "People from other regions, like Kanto and Johto, came to Hisui. They formed a group with even more foreign regions which led to what is called the restoration. From that point on, Hisui became Sinnoh."
"Whoa," Cyan muttered. "Interesting!"
"Excuse me, but where is your mom?"
Cyan was taken aback. "Um, Alola?"
When Cyan was not visiting the different tourist shops of Jubilife, he liked to go to the marketplaces to see the food. A famous food in Jubilife City was its signature soup curry. Cyan was never particularly fond of spicy food, but he felt that he would be missing a good opportunity if he ordered it mild.
The store that he found was Pokémon friendly, meaning that he could eat with Urshifu and Vulpix. He would get takeout for Venusaur, as his size would probably make staying at the restaurant uncomfortable.
Soup curry was a simple dish, but it was still very popular. Half of the bowl was filled with rice while the other half was filled with a thin brown curry. Depending on one's preferences, they could fill the soup portion with different assortments of meat or spices.
Vulpix ordered a sweet soup curry while Urshifu didn't want to be outdone by his trainer, so he went with the spiciest option. The three took their first sips of the curry broth and enjoyed the taste momentarily. Vulpix continued to lick hers while Cyan and Urshifu started to gasp for air.
"Fire! Fire! Too hot!" Cyan struggled to say while he held out his throat.
"Urshi!" his Pokémon responded. No amount of intense training could have prepared him for soup curry.
After their meal, Cyan and Urshifu enjoyed simple vanilla ice cream. They roamed one of the parks in Jubilife. In the middle of the park stood a giant tower with a television screen. Around the tower was a crowd, which occasionally let out cheers.
There was nothing particularly interesting going on the television, and Cyan could hear familiar explosions. The crowd was watching a Pokémon battle. Cyan moved in closer to get a glimpse of the action, but he was too late. A large Grass-type Pokémon with its own tree growing out of its back stood over a fainted bird Pokémon with black and white feathers.
"Ah, it is okay!" the Grass-type Pokémon's trainer exclaimed. "Your Starly will one day be strong! My Torterra simply has more experience!"
"I missed it," Cyan muttered.
"Does anyone dare to challenge the king of Jubilife City? Step up, win, and earn a prize!" the trainer exclaimed with a deep, booming voice. He was a boy, a few years older than Cyan. He wore a long red cape and a plastic crown.
Cyan stepped forward. "What kind of prize?"
The king of Jubilife City sneered. "A challenger? If you win, and only if, then I'll grant you one of Sinnoh's rare starter Pokémon!"
Cyan scratched the back of his head. "You can do that? Aren't they rare?"
The king put down his arms and shrugged. He stopped with the pretend deep voice. "My parents are Pokémon breeders. When you have a job like that, then rare Pokémon are a dime a dozen! What do you say to a battle?"
"Let's do it!" Cyan exclaimed. "You ready, Vulpix?"
Vulpix nodded and then rare forward. She lowered her body and looked intensely at the Torterra.
"I've never seen a Vulpix quite like that one," the king of Jubilife City said. "I like the challenge! Torterra, use Razor Leaf!"
"Freeze it with Ice Beam!" Cyan instructed.
Torterra shook, and the leaves from the tree on his back fell. He controlled them, and they started to spin. With one heave, he blasted them forward. As they ripped through the sky, Vulpix started to howl. She charged up energy in her mouth and then unleashed a jagged beam of ice. The beam of ice connected with some of the leaves, freezing them instantly. It then continued until it blasted Torterra directly in the face. The large Pokémon groaned as it was forced back a few feet.
The king of Jubilife City now had a look of shock on his face. The boy with the silver BayStaryu hat and the mysterious Vulpix was much stronger than he had anticipated.
"Earthquake! Give it all you got!" he ordered in his real voice.
Torterra slammed his front foot into the ground, causing the park to shake. Fissures started to crack down the field, heading straight for Vulpix. She tried to jump to avoid it, but she was unable to move. She slipped into one of the fissures, and the ground below her slightly erupted.
The king of Jubilife City laughed. "We got you! This is another win for the king of-"
"Extrasensory!" Cyan yelled.
The air suddenly changed, and the wind stopped. The hair on the back of everyone's neck rose as Vulpix focused her attack. Then suddenly, the area around Torterra warped, and the Grass-type was struck with kinetic energy. Torterra was stunned, and the king of Jubilife City was too overwhelmed to make a counter command.
"Finish this with Dark Pulse!" Cyan instructed.
Vulpix leaped out of the fissures and opened her mouth, forming a ball of black energy. She launched the ball downward, and once it hit the ground, it exploded into a wave. The black wave washed over Torterra, forcing him onto his side. When the waves died down, the crowd slowly started to clap and cheer. The king of Jubilife City had been defeated.
The boy slowly lifted his Poké Ball and withdrew his Torterra. "You did good. Thanks for putting on a show." He looked back at the crowd and then adjusted his plastic crown. "A king always keeps his promises! Boy, what is your name?"
Cyan slowly walked across the grassy field. He squatted and pet his Vulpix on the head. "I'm Cyan! This is my first time in Sinnoh!"
"Well, Cyan, let me give you a lesson! In Sinnoh, we have three starter Pokémon, like most places!" the boy said in a deep voice. He reached into his cape and pulled out three Poké Balls. He threw them into the air, and three Pokémon materialized on the grassy field.
The first was a light green Pokémon with a small leaf on its head. It stood on four small legs, and it had a shell that could protect it from attacks. The Pokémon that bounced around in the middle had orange fur and flames coming from its bottom. And the last one was a blue bird Pokémon that looked like it couldn't fly even if it tried.
"These are Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup! Usually, they are given to trainers who start their journeys in Sinnoh, but because I am a king, I have them aplenty. Please, Cyan, take your pick!"
Cyan put his finger to his lips and thought for a moment. He never liked choosing, as he didn't want to leave any Pokémon out. Nonetheless, he had to make a choice. Out of the three Pokémon, only Chimchar seemed interested in him. The Turtwig appeared as though it needed a nap, and the Piplup was too stuck up to give him any attention. Also, if he added a Fire-type Pokémon to his team, it'd make building a campfire much easier.
"The Chimchar!" Cyan declared. The remaining crowd members went wild.
The king of Jubilife City handed over a Poké Ball. "Congratulations, Cyan. I hope that we may meet again someday."
"I'd like to battle," a voice called from behind. Cyan turned and the crowd opened to make way for the new challenger. It was a boy around the same age as Cyan. He had pitch-black hair that was neatly cut and bobbed. His face was round, but his body was relatively thin. He wore a yellow plaid shirt that was buttoned only at the top and black shorts that went down to his shins.
"I'm sorry, but I have to decline any remaining challenges today. My Torterra needs rest," the king of Jubilife City stated, getting a negative reaction from the crowd.
"Not you," the boy said. He raised his finger and pointed at Cyan. "Him."
"Me?" Cyan wondered while he pointed at his nose.
The boy nodded. "I'd like to challenge you to a battle. What do you say?"
"Let's give it a go!" Cyan exclaimed. He looked down at his new Chimchar and grinned. "You want to try to battle with me?"
The boy frowned. "You're gonna use the Chimchar? What about your other Pokémon?"
Cyan rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I want to use this Pokémon! You can only gain experience by battling, right?"
The boy appeared slightly upset, but he relented and then held out a Poké Ball. "Fine. Go, Infernape!"
A large Pokémon with flames streaming from its head emerged. It crouched and eyed Cyan's new Chimchar before it growled slightly.
"Are you sure you want to go with your Chimchar?" the boy asked.
Cyan nodded. He pulled out his new pink Pokédex and scanned his Pokémon. "Yeah! Let's do it! Chimchar, use Scratch!"
"Chimchar!" the Pokémon cried out. He ran on all fours and then leaped into the air. The tips of his fingers started to glow, and he brought his hand down onto Infernape's cheek. The large Pokémon took the attack without flinching.
The boy folded his arms and sighed. "This is a joke."
"Try this one! Ember!" Cyan ordered.
Chimchar leaped into the air and flipped. He released embers from his tail downward. All of them crashed into Infernape, but once again, the Pokémon showed no signs of damage.
"Enough playing," the boy said. "Mach Punch."
Before Cyan or Chimchar could do anything, the larger Pokémon dashed forward. He connected with Chimchar in the blink of an eye, and the smaller Pokémon immediately collapsed. Infernape then chortled while he looked at Cyan.
Cyan looked past the Pokémon and at his new Chimchar. The inexperienced Pokémon wouldn't be continuing the battle.
"How about a real battle now," the boy said before Cyan could withdraw Chimchar.
Cyan sighed and lifted his new Poké Ball. He retrieved Chimchar. "I'm sorry, Chimchar. I must have misread the situation."
"You are Cyan Kokura, correct?" the boy asked.
He thought over what to do next. The crowd had lost interest during Chimchar's battle, but once the boy mentioned Cyan's name, they all came back, which Cyan wasn't as concerned with. However, he wanted to know why this kid was so eager to battle with him.
"Alright," Cyan muttered while pulling a Poké Ball from his belt. "If you want to. Let's go, Venusaur!"
Venusaur materialized from the Poké Ball and then roared. The veteran Pokémon took note of Infernape and then groaned. He knew that he was in for an intense battle.
The boy nodded. "That's more of my pace. Infernape, Nasty Plot!"
Infernape put his hand to his chin, and he continued to grin. His eyes started to glow red as he charged up his power.
"In that case, we'll use Earth Power!" Cyan instructed.
Venusaur roared and ripped up some of the torn-apart field from Torterra's prior Earthquake. He tossed the bits of earth forward, slamming them into Infernape repeatedly. This time, the Fire-type reacted. His focus was temporarily broken, and he started to growl.
"Keep it up! Sludge Bomb!" Cyan shouted.
"Fight back with Flamethrower!" the boy commanded.
Venusaur launched a ball of poisonous goop from the tip of his flower while Infernape unleashed powerful flames from his mouth. The two attacks collided, and they instantly caused an explosion of purple gas.
"Now, Mach Punch!"
Infernape appeared from the smoke, and he pulled back his arm. He came down and punched Venusaur directly in the jaw, almost moving the large Pokémon from his position. When Venusaur didn't budge, Infernape's eyes widened.
"Growth!" Cyan ordered.
As Infernape pushed his fist into Venusaur's jaw, the Grass-type Pokémon slowly started to expand. His body was filled with natural energy, and he let out a roar, forcing Infernape back.
"It doesn't matter," the boy said. "Flamethrower!"
"Defend with Earth Power!"
More flames bellowed from Infernape's mouth, but Venusaur was prepared. He controlled the ground in front of him, quickly forming a shield. The flames connected with the earth and slowly whittled it away. When the barrier of earth had been removed, the flames continued, engulfing Venusaur.
The boy simply grinned. He slowly stood up straight and then relaxed.
"Now!" Cyan shouted, taking the crowd by surprise.
A bright beam of light blasted from within the flames, extinguishing them immediately. It continued down the small battlefield, hitting Infernape in the chest. The Fire-type Pokémon rocketed into the air before he came down to the hard ground. Upon his terrible landing, Cyan noticed that his trainer did not react.
"Good job," Cyan said to Venusaur. The Grass-type was now wobbling back and forth from the powered-up Flamethrower. "We did it."
The boy cocked his head. "Did you? Infernape, let's show them our Raging Fury!"
Infernape slowly pushed himself up from the ground, and the flames on his head became intense. He turned around and stared at Venusaur through bloodshot eyes. He let out a loud shriek before he dashed across the field, burning the grass behind his feet. When he reached Venusaur, he hammered down, causing an explosion of fire to come from his fists.
"Venusaur!" Cyan shouted.
Then, Infernape knelt. He looked at Vensaur in the eyes before he jabbed with his palm. More flames exploded from his body, and Venusaur was now thrown backward. The giant Pokémon landed on his side, and his legs went limp.
But, Infernape was not finished. He slowly stalked the fainted Pokémon, the flames on his head getting bigger. He reeled back and let out a shriek, but before he could strike, a red light absorbed Venusaur, leaving Infernape with no target.
"Withdraw your Pokémon. The battle is over," Cyan said. He glared at the boy, who lethargically used his Poké Ball to retrieve his Pokémon.
"Mr. Kokura, I thought you were stronger," the boy said. "Next time, I expect better."
"I may have lost, but if you can't train your Pokémon enough to know when a battle is over, then you have a lot of work to do," Cyan exclaimed. He had a rare stern expression on his face.
The boy shrugged. "Don't lose next time. Show me how a battle should end. My name is Masamune. Welcome to Sinnoh."
Yurie got off the train at Jubilife City. She had tried to walk some of the way from Canalave to Jubilife, but with no friends to talk to, it was much more difficult. She eventually found a station and bought a train ticket that would bring her to Jubilife at a slower pace. She didn't want to walk, but she still wanted to enjoy the countryside view.
After putting her ticket into the machine and walking through the gates, her face lit up as she saw who was waiting for her.
"Torchic!" her Pokémon happily trilled before it ran past her. In the middle of the station, it met with another bird Pokémon, this one blue. The two Pokémon rubbed their beaks together while the trainers quickly caught up.
"Michika!" Yurie shouted.
Michika, her constantly smiling friend and rival, waved her over. She had pale skin and black hair with evenly cut bangs. She wore a peach-colored jacket and black miniskirt.
"It's so nice to see you! Have you enjoyed being back in Sinnoh?" Yurie asked.
"It's been okay. I like spending time at the teashop," Michika said as she looked down at the two Pokémon. "I'm happy for them."
"Me too."
"Hey, wanna hear something cool?" Michika asked. She continued before Yurie could answer. "There's the opening autumn contest here in Jubilife City. Since I won last year's Grand Festival, they asked if I'd be the host. Isn't that fun?"
Yurie put her hands together. "Well, now I have to enter that contest! I'm sure you'll do a great job!"
"I'm not sure how well I'll be able to use a microphone in front of so many people," Michika said while she scratched the back of her head. "Let's both do our best!"
"Of course!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
A Cyan-dominated chapter. In the next chapter, we'll see Yurie start her contest! I'm separating it into two chapters, as it will have quite a bit happening. Also, both Cyan and Yurie are now in Jubilife City! How long until they meet?