Chapter 23:Into the Tunnels of Gold
After camping outside the radio tower boundary lines, the trio stepped into the small neighborhood surrounding the radio tower. Technically they were still in Goldenrod, but the radio tower had its own little town inside Goldenrod. Everyone seemed to know each other. There were several little shops, and a small Pokemon Center. The group forgot the name of the brother, but remembered that he ran the hair salon for the Pokemon that would visit the radio tower, or appear on the various shows.
The townspeople and radio tower workers hadn't seen the hair salon brother in several hours. They directed them to a back entrance that would take them directly to his shop. As they entered everything in the tower seemed eerily quiet. They went to the brother's shop and read a sign that said "Stephen the Stylist's Shop." The door was cracked. Phillip cautiously pushed it open.
The door creaked open. Nathan grabbed Phillip's shirt and followed him closely. Kathy clutched her egg, which seemed to be growing warmer by the minute, as she pressed closely to Nathan and Phillip. Phillip felt a little concerned, but knew that Kathy and Nathan were looking to him. He had no choice but to be brave for everyone. They looked to the register and it was popped open. There were a few things scattered on the floor. It appeared as though there had been some sort of struggle… or maybe he was just a messy person like Professor Elm and the Name Rater.
They continued going through the shop where they found a calendar. On the calendar it had a snack time posted. They thought they might find him in the vending area taking a break. They followed the signs directing them to the break room. Once they entered the break room it was empty. There were benches and tables all around. In the southwestern corner of the room Phillip noticed two turned over chairs. It looked out of place.
Phillip walked over slowly, Kathy following close behind, Nathan looking around a few feet behind her. As Phillip approached the turned over chairs there was an odd-looking book shelf. Phillip took a closer look. There was a giant green book titled "The Legend of Hoopa." Every other book was about music or traveling. Nathan saw Phillip looking closely at a book and walked around Kathy to the book shelf. As soon as he saw it, he grabbed it and asked a question.
"What's a Hoopa?"
Suddenly the ground lifted from under them and the book shelf dropped back through the wall. It was a trap door. They were flying down a metal slide that went down several levels. They fell face first through a fake wall into the back room of an abandoned deli. Kathy held her tightly during the entire fall. She screamed at Nathan as soon as she realized they were safe.
"You just had to touch it!"
"Owww!" Nathan said rubbing his head. "Where the heck are we?"
Out of the corner of Phillip's eye he saw a familiar sight. They seemed to be in one of the shops in the Goldenrod Tunnel. He looked around and saw something moving in the corner of the room. He jumped up and ran through the door. Once he went through the doorway, he saw a large man with black and white striped beanie. He had a silver chain that had a skull and crossbones and wore black pants and a large red vest. Around he had a Tangela to his left and a Sandshrew to his right. In front of him there was a flashy looking man, with red hair that went down just past his shoulders tied up with a gag in his mouth.
"Who are you!?" Phillip shouted.
He looked back at the Pokemon, and then back at the man.
"I know those Pokemon!"
"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked.
"When Bugsy and I took Lapras back to the sea we saw them on the beach."
The large man stood up straight.
"I do remember that. I was planning on capturing one of those Lapras. That investigative fool and you showed up and messed that up."
He glared at Phillip and clinched his left fist.
"You cost me a fortune that day! You are not about to cost me my money today!"
Phillip bowed up.
"You are not leaving here today with that man!"
"And you're going to stop me!?" He laughed out loud.
"Bind him Tangela!"
Phillip threw out Delta as Tangela's vine drew close to him.
"Fire spin attack Delta!"
As soon as Dratini popped out of his ball he fired a stream of fire into Tangela. Nathan and Kathy ran to aid Phillip. The criminal saw them and shouted at his Sandshrew.
"Bulldoze that wall Sandshrew!"
Sandshrew slammed into the wall narrowing the doorway so neither Nathan or Kathy could get all the way through. Phillip was cut off from Nathan and Kathy and any help that they could offer. The criminal yelled at Sandshrew and Tangela.
"Rollout attack Sandshrew!"
Sandshrew was barreling towards Dratini.
"Bind attack Tangela!"
The criminal was teaming up on Delta. Tangela held him while Sandshrew sped towards him.
"Low sweep Tyrogue!"
Phillip shouted as he threw out Tyrogue. Tyrogue appeared right next to where Sandshrew was rolling. The heel of Tyrogue's foot hit the ground Sandshrew was about to be on. The heel connected with Sandshrew. Sandshrew flew over Delta and slammed into Tangela. Delta rolled next to Tyrogue.
Tyrogue and Delta were next to each other in battle positions facing off against Tangela and Sandshrew. The criminal yelled several commands off quickly.
"Stun Spore Tangela! Sand Attack and then Dig Sandshrew!"
Some of the stun spore connected with Phillip, Delta and Tyrogue causing a temporary paralysis in them. Dust filled the air. They couldn't see anything. Suddenly water saturated the area. Nathan successfully sent Totodile through the narrow doorway. His water gun washed away the stun spore, and the dust.
A few moments passed as the stunning effects wore off. Heracross, Totodile and Drowzee moved the rubble just enough to get through the doorway. Kathy was standing facing Nathan and the salon brother while Nathan was unbinding the salon brother. Phillip looked just outside to find a giant hole in the ground. Phillip ran towards the hole to pursue the criminal.
"That dirty-!"
His statement was interrupted by a loud scream from Kathy. He turned around to find the egg in the middle of the salon brother, Nathan and Kathy shaking rapidly. He turned around quickly. He dashed at the salon brother and Nathan. He tackled them to the ground so that Kathy was the only one standing up. The egg hatched! Kathy's eyes met the eyes of a small humanoid Pokemon with blonde hair that reaches its shoulders and had large bangs. There were several tufts of hair sticking up on top of its head. Its skin was light purple with a cream-colored chest, arms, and feet. It had large, blue-green eyes and a pair of large, pink lips. Nathan shouted at Phillip.
"OWWWW! What was that for!?"
He then looked over to see Kathy and a small unusual looking Pokemon staring at each other. He scanned it with his Pokedex.
"Smoochum, this is a very curious Pokémon. Smoochum decides what it likes and dislikes by touching things with its lips. Whatever Smoochum sees first when it is born imprints on it as its mother."
Phillip scratched his head and smiled.
"Sorry about that guys… that's why I tackled you. I wanted Smoochum to recognize Kathy as its mother."
The salon brother finally spoke up.
"That was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I have never seen such beauty and wonder as I just have with this most beautiful Pokemon hatching!"
Everyone looked at the salon brother. He smiled at them.
"And I thank you so much! You fell into the right place at the right time. That vile man was going to ransom me to the Goldenrod Tower CEO. He's a good friend of mine. If you hadn't saved me, I have no idea where I would be."
Phillip looked back to the hole where the criminal and his Pokemon escaped through. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
"I just missed him. We should call Officer Jenny."
A few minutes later Officer Jenny and a few other police officers showed up with the salon brother's older brother to investigate the crime scene and get statements. She looked at Phillip.
"It's a good thing you fell here when you did. That doesn't explain why you were snooping around the Radio Tower in the first place though."
Nathan remembered the gift and pulled it out of his bag.
"Oh yeah! Your other brother at the National Park wanted us to bring this to you." He looked at Officer Jenny. "That's why we were at the Radio Tower in the first place."
Nathan handed him the gift. The younger salon brother began unwrapping the gift. It was a pair of new shears. He inspected the shears closely.
"They are absolutely beautiful. Allow me to repay your kindness with a free haircut."
Nathan jumped back scared. Phillip elbowed him in the side.
"He means our Pokemon."
Nathan laughed. The officers left and began their investigation. Nathan had Cyndaquil get a haircut, and Kathy had Chikorita get a haircut. After their haircuts they could not stop smiling. The two salon brothers looked at their work with pride and spoke to Phillip, Nathan and Kathy.
"You are welcome here any time friends. You have free haircuts on us whenever you want."
The trio stayed the night with the salon brothers. Their house was very lavish and decorative. The next morning they made their back to the National Park to report to the guard that gave them the gift to deliver. He had already spoken to his brothers and saw the news.
"I can't thank you enough for saving my little brother. Please take these gifts. They are hardly payment enough, but it's the least I can do."
The guard handed each of them a gift.
"Open it when you get to Ecruteak, you may be amazed by what you find."
The trio thanked him. Kathy became standoffish as they headed towards Route 37.
"What do you think the gifts are?" Nathan asked.
"Let's get to Ecruteak and find out." Phillip replied.
Phillip noticed Kathy being uncharacteristically quiet.
"You okay?"
"Yeah… let's camp out here tonight Phillip."
"You sure?"
"Yeah… it's been a long couple of days. I want to get to know Smoochum a little better."
Phillip looked at Nathan. Nathan impatiently shrugged.
"Okay Kathy… I guess you're right. Let's take some time. There's no telling what the future holds I guess. Rest can't hurt."
To be continued…