Day 14
So that's how Caroline came to join us. She didn't really change much with our daily routines; after a while, she didn't seem like a follower and actually became a part of the group. It came to be that we weren't complete without the girl with the sparkling green eyes and the ponytail. She kept the two of us on track, and provided that bit of comic relief every now and then. Plus, it was a lot less lonely for Wingman and me. Before, there was no conversation going on while we traveled, but with Caroline here, there was always something being discussed.
Today, the two were having an in depth discussion about berries and whether they should or shouldn't be used in food for humans. I was content to just walk alongside them and enjoy the scenery. We were walking through the forest - Ilex Forest, to be exact - and the shadows kept everything in a sort of eerie darkness. They nearly blotted out the sun, and it was almost as if night had fallen here and here alone. The air was still; not uncomfortably so, but enough to create a stillness that calmed one down, no matter what plagued their thoughts.
"I'm telling you, pop a few good Pecha Berries into the icing of a cake and it's about fifty times better," spoke Caroline.
Wingman's reply was, "I dunno, wouldn't the poison-fighting juices have an adverse effect on the human body?"
The conversation went on like this for a while. It wasn't ever an argument; the atmosphere in the forest prevented that. And to me, it was comforting noise. Knowing that Wingman had someone to converse with let my own mind wander. I started thinking about my old home; I wondered how my brothers and sisters were doing.
The forest started to thin after a while and turned into a lovely shore. The stillness and shade disappeared, but it wasn't all at once; it had a sort of gradual fade to it that seemed natural and untouched. By now, the conversation had shifted to something else entirely; what it was, I couldn't tell you.
Along the way, we ran into a few trainers who were good conversation material for the two humans and good experience for me. As we progressed, the number of trainers began to increase, a sure sign of an approaching city. According to Wingman's map, that city was Goldenrod, the largest hub of commerce in Johto. Caroline was already getting giddy, and I was pumping myself up. Big cities usually equate to a Gym.
We started seeing houses and paved streets before anything else. Slowly, they dissolved into taller and taller buildings until, finally, we had reached the main part of Goldenrod. It was staggering, almost like Saffron and Celadon in Kanto. Skyscrapers towered above us, and people rushed around us. Caroline, caught up in the rush, ran off to find the famed Goldenrod Department Store and left us dazed and confused in a city of strangers.
After asking five different people for directions to the Gym, all of whom had no clue that Goldenrod had a Gym, Wingman and I got reliable directions from a young man with a Growlithe. As we headed that way, he told us to be prepared; Whitney, the Leader, was pretty tough.
The Gym was pretty plain; mainly, it was a room filled with potted plants and flowers decorating the walls and a battle field in the middle of it. Whitney was standing there, playing with a Clefairy. When she noticed us, she greeted us with a smile and a lot of pep. She was about Wingman's age, maybe a year older. Wingman and Whitney chatted a bit, and a battle was eventually declared.
Her first Pokémon was the very Clefairy that she was playing with moments ago. It wasn't very much of a challenge; it wasn't very good at dodging and my horn isn't very good at missing. Whitney started to pout and called me a meanie before sending out her second and final Pokémon, a Miltank. That thing was what one might easily call a tank, and not only because of its name. The thing had a huge amount of stamina; it just wouldn't go down. I had to ram it five or six times before it started to show signs of tiring. Around this time, Caroline had arrived, and she was sitting on the provided bleachers.
Of course, the Miltank didn't just sit there while I attacked it; it did this strange move where it would curl up into a ball and roll right at me like a boulder. I jumped out of the way most of the time, but it was a pro at cornering and smacking into me when I least expected it. Eventually, it stopped, and I would get a hit or two in while it was dizzy from all the rolling around.
After a long battle, the Miltank finally fell and Wingman and I were the victors. Unfortunately, this upset Whitney greatly, and she began to cry and bawl. Wingman and I had no idea what to do, but Caroline sure did. She walked up to Whitney and comforted her like a pro. In no time, Whitney was back to her peppy self and handed Wingman the Plain Badge he deserved.
With nothing else to do in Goldenrod - Caroline didn't buy much, only a few trinkets and some useful travel things for us, such as a tent, which Wingman had forgotten in Kanto. And it was just in time too; the sky was darkening, and a storm seemed inevitable tonight.
The three of us were able to make it back to that weird dancing tree that kept us from going straight to Goldenrod earlier. We showed Caroline this and she laughed. Pulling out her water bottle, she told me to get ready for a battle and dumped some water on the tree.
Suddenly, it sprang to life and attacked. It was a Pokémon; a Sudowoodo to be exact. It sprang at us and I defended. The thing was rock-hard, and my horn had not felt such pain since I faced Brock in Pewter. I defaulted to tackling and ramming until it finally ran off. Right then, the sky began to spit droplets of water down on us. Wingman and Caroline rushed to set up the tent and I did my best to stay out of the way. Halfway through the setup process, it started sprinkling, and Caroline and Wingman picked up the pace. Soon the tent was up and we crowded our stuff in with us as the rain began pouring down.
We spent the night joking around and telling stories over a flashlight fire.
Day 15
The next morning was clean and crisp. The leaves dripped water down to the undergrowth, and the soil hungrily ate it up. Sun streamed through the trees and cast strange patterns of light and shade into the moist ground. Somewhere, a Pidgey twittered cheerily.
Waking up felt clumsy, and the tent made it clumsier. As the three of us stumbled around, the tent shook and sent water droplets everywhere. When, finally, all of us were out, Wingman and Caroline shook out the tent and hung it to dry in the sun. A short hour later, all of us were fully awake and alert, and breakfast was devoured. Soon after, the tent was folded up and we were on our way again.
The air today was hot and humid, the way it always is after a heavy summer storm. It stuck to my skin and to Wingman's and Caroline's clothes. The ground had turned into a sort of muck, and it grabbed at our ankles and tried to pull us under. A patch of dry ground was like stumbling on a fully prepared cake, perfectly decorated and ready to serve. Slowly the trees began to thin again, and such patches of unsaturated dirt became more and more rare. Luckily, it also meant that a town was near, and Wingman's map once again served us well, telling us that it was Ecruteak City. Folklore and legend were its main attractions.
Sure enough, upon reaching the town, we were greeted with authentic Japanese lanterns and Pagoda-styled houses and buildings. No doubt why it was one of Johto's greatest tourist spots. And the biggest attraction seemed to be a dance studio, smack dab in the middle of the city. Wingman and I wanted to skip it and find the Gym, but Caroline wanted to check it out. Somehow, her word turned into law and Wingman was forced to resign his resolve to always go straight to the Gym in any city or town we find.
In the theatre, a woman dressed in a flowing floral robe greeted us and led us to our seats. We had fairly good seats, and I even got one. Talk about Pokémon friendly. The show started after a few minutes of impatient waiting. The lights dimmed and the curtains lifted. Five girls in kimonos, each a different color and each holding a different color fan, started dancing across the stage with such grace and poise that even Wingman started to enjoy the dance. As the dance progressed, five Pokémon - an Espeon, an Umbreon, a Flareon, a Jolteon, and a Vaporeon - joined up with the dancers, pairing by color. They followed each step with similar agility and grace. I couldn't tell whether or not a story was being told, but the dance ended with a great finale that seemed to mimic a battle.
After the performance, there was an announcement that the Kimono Girls were open for questions and battle challenges. Wingman and I suddenly looked at each other and automatically knew what the other was thinking. Caroline must've understood it too, because she told us to go ahead.
Wingman and I raced down to the stage, where the Kimono Girls talked with other audience members. We waited eagerly for our turn to talk to them, and when it came, Wingman did his best to hold a conversation with the five ladies. They were fairly nice, and I took the opportunity to talk to their Pokémon. They were brothers and sisters, and they were all close to each other. They were very proper, and I felt a little out of place talking to them. But Wingman finally popped the question about battle challenges, and the girls accepted. The five Pokémon and I exchanged a few more words, and we took our places on the field. First up was the Espeon, and I was glad she was the first; if not, her Psychic powers would have torn through me with little trouble. With me still at full energy, however, I had no problem taking her down. Umbreon and his trainer followed, and he gave me a little trouble with his nasty habit of vanishing in the shadows. I got the hang of his attack pattern quickly though, and he was out.
The next three were much easier due to my previous experience battling them in Kanto. The Kimono Girls were very impressed with my power and Wingman's skill as a trainer. They told us we could be just the match Morty was looking for. As we walked away, Wingman asked if they knew anyplace we could find a Moon Stone. They told us to check out the Burned Tower, so that was our next destination.
The Burned Tower was not really a tower, but it sure was burned. A nearby sign told us that a bolt of lightening had caught it on fire and that three Pokémon of great power had perished in the fire, and a fourth Pokémon had resurrected them. Caroline was interested in the myth, and Wingman wanted to get in to find a Moon Stone. I felt a bad presence in there, but I went in anyways.
Of course, I was right about the presence. In the tower, Greg was rooting around in the ashes. He noticed us, and Wingman noticed him. I started glaring at him as he approached us. He spat out an explanation for him being here before noticing Wingman's bandages on his neck and shoulder. He called Wingman a wimp for not being able to stand a Gastly's bite. Wingman's left hand clenched tight, his right one still numb and useless, and I started to growl at him. Greg looked down at me and laughed at me. "What a pathetic Pokémon you had to choose. He can't even control himself when he knows someone is better than him."
Wingman snapped and demanded a battle, but Greg just pushed us aside and left. I was boiling over with frustration, and I wanted so badly to bite onto his shoulder and see how he liked it. But I held myself back; nothing good ever came from taking an eye for an eye. Caroline asked us what was up with him, and Wingman explained that Greg had commanded his Gastly to attack him. Caroline was upset that Wingman didn't try to grab him and take him in to the police, but Wingman told her that he wanted to take care of Greg personally.
Returning to our original plan, we started to look for a Moon Stone. Sure enough, I found one. I started feeling that familiar sense of power that came from the stone and followed it back to a pile of rubble. I sorted through it and tossed a few burnt logs out of the way. Then I found it. The shiny black stone glistened in even the dim light here. I called out to Wingman and Caroline, and they rushed over. Wingman assured me that it was, indeed, a Moon Stone. I waited for him to pick it up, but when he didn't, I looked up at him. "What're you waiting for, Titan? Touch it!" he said. I smiled and touched my horn to it. That familiar sensation flowed through me once more and I stood my full size once more.
One HM and one TM later, Wingman, Caroline, and I stood in the Gym, registering to battle Morty. The whole Gym was dark, and only a few candles lit up the field, which was over a seemingly bottomless pit. The field itself was made of glass, or something similar to it, for it was clear, almost to the point where you couldn't tell it was there if not for the outline of the field painted in white on it.
Morty himself was something else; he acted as a spiritual entity of sorts, appearing in a cloud of fog and speaking in a strange way that made him seem ancient. "So, young one, a battle with me is what you seek?" he asked Wingman, who nodded.
"Hmm... I see that you only have one Pokémon with you," he said after studying us over. "What makes you any different from the many trainers I turn away empty handed daily?"
"Well, we beat all five of the Kimono Girls in a row and they told us that we might be the challenge you were looking for."
At that, Morty seemed intrigued. "Did they? Well, they've rarely been wrong. We shall battle, young trainer."
With that, the battle began. Morty used Ghost types; previously, that would've been the worst part of the battle, but after evolving, I was able to learn Thunderpunch, since a Thunderbolt TM was nowhere to be found. With that annoyance no longer a problem, the worst part of the battle was my fear of Wingman being accidentally bitten by one of Morty's Pokémon. Wingman did flinch when the first Pokémon out was Gastly, but after I Thunderpunched it into the floor, he seemed to calm down.
The battle went smoothly otherwise, and was a lot less challenging than I expected. I almost found it boring, but the Ghost Pokémon were fairly worthy opponents due to their ability to disappear and reappear somewhere else. His Haunter had the personality of a prankster, and would often reappear under the glass field, making me accidentally punch the glass and hurt my hand.
After the battle was over and Wingman and I had won, Morty handed us the Fog Badge. "I have to ask you a question, young trainer," Morty announced as we started to leave. We stopped and faced him.
"I noticed that you tensed up when I sent out my Gastly; are you afraid of them?"
Wingman shook his head. "No, I'm just a little shaken from this." He showed Morty his bandages and explained the whole incident.
"I see. I will make sure to keep an eye peeled for such a trainer." He started to walk away, then turned around and added, "By the way, have this." He threw a TM to Wingman, who caught it in his good hand. "I think it will serve you well on your journey." With that, he was gone into the dark fog.
Day 16
Last night we stayed in a little inn near the edge of Ecruteak, and Wingman and Caroline plotted out tomorrow's plan of action. Olivine City was a little farther away, but it was the only way to get to Cianwood City, and both cities had Gyms waiting for us. With that planned out, Wingman looked at the TM Morty had given him; it was TM 30, the TM that would teach Shadow Ball. He and I thought about teaching it to me over Rock Slide, and we decided it would help me more, due to the larger number of Psychic type Pokémon that we were seeing.
The next morning arrived bright and sunny. The dew glistened with many different colors, and the mud and puddles from yesterday had all but vanished. Bug Pokémon flitted here and there, visiting flowers and collecting pollen. It was a perfect day, and we planned to travel all the way to Olivine and catch a ferry to Cianwood. When we left, the sun was only starting its ascent into the sky.
The trail we followed meandered through meadows and fields, passing a pasture occasionally. Miltank and Tauros grazed and mooed to each other, alerting the others of better grass or a threat to the herd. There was no conversation today; all three of us were lost in the scenery.
In time, the sun crept up to the top of the sky, and we had arrived in Olivine. All the sights and smells of a port town greeted us; rocky beaches, the sound of boat motors, houses lined up along the shore, and the crisp, salty scent of the ocean air. Today was a great day to be out on the water, for the wind was low and breezy, but not powerfully so, and there was not a sign of any form of bad weather at all.
This was all soured for us, however, as we passed by the Gym. As we approached it, the doors flew open and Greg stepped out of them in a huff. Inevitably, he spotted us and scoffed. "Figures I'd see you losers here," he spat, and I instantly went on defensive mode. He noticed me and chuckled, "I see your puny Pokémon evolved. It's still pathetic. It can't seem to let go of the fact that I'm better than it."
Him calling me an 'it' nearly lit my fuse. I was just about to explode on him when I saw Wingman shake his head ever so slightly. I knew I had to restrain myself, but around Greg, it was nearly impossible.
"Anyway, I don't have time to deal with you wimps," Greg shrugged. "I was going to battle the Gym Leader, but she's out taking care of some sick Pokémon at the Lighthouse. What a waste. If it's sick, why not just replace it?" He shook his head. "Such heartache has no room in the mind of a Gym Leader." Then he shoved us aside and left Olivine the way we came.
Once Greg was out of earshot, Caroline yelled, "I just hate that guy! Who the hell does he think he is, anyway? How can he call a Pokémon replaceable?"
We all agreed to check on that poor Pokémon ourselves and see what we could do to help it. The Lighthouse wasn't too far out of the way, and if the Leader was up there, we were better off going to her instead of going to the Gym and waiting.
The top of the Lighthouse was a circular room, and the glass was extremely thick. Any light coming in was magnified, and I suspected that it worked the same way as any light going out would. In the center of the room, an Ampharos was lying on the bed, moaning and shivering, obviously sick beyond words. A woman was sitting by the bedside, doing everything she could to help the Pokémon feel better. She noticed our arrival and welcomed us.
"I am Jasmine, Gym Leader of this city. If you are a trainer, I'm sorry, but I'm not open for challenges right now. I must make sure Amphy gets well so she can return to powering the Lighthouse."
Instead of leaving, Wingman offered to help her. She seemed a little surprised, and then told us of a pharmacy in Cianwood that might have a cure. We promised that we'd be back as soon as we could.
We caught the next ferry to Cianwood City and it departed shortly. Soon, we were zipping along towards both a medicine for Amphy and a new badge for Wingman. The ship we were on was small, but not uncomfortable. It traveled very fast, much faster than I could have ever swam. I was mostly just glad that I didn't have to swim.
Cianwood City came faster than I expected. In only an hour or two, the ferry had reached the shore and we were standing on the beach. Caroline and Wingman decided that we'd split up; Caroline was to find the pharmacy and get the medicine, and Wingman and I would take on the Gym.
Since Cianwood was more like a large town, the Gym was relatively easy to find. The building was rather small, only about house size. The battle field wasn't even in the Gym; it was out back of it, and we didn't even have to enter the Gym to get to it. Chuck, the Leader, was training with his Pokémon, so we waited for his workout to finish before we came up to him. He was much older than any of the Gym Leaders in Johto so far, but he was the most toned one. He heartily agreed to our battle request, and we took our sides on the beach field.
This battle was one of the easier ones I took part in. Neither of his Pokémon were overly tough, and there were only two of them. His Primeape was too clumsy for its own good, and it mostly charged around wildly after I got it mad. Once it tired itself out, a Horn Attack put it down. His Poliwrath was a little tougher, but more reserved, so I charged it with a Thunderpunch, and it didn't dodge in time.
Chuck was astounded, and he vowed right there to increase his training ten fold. He handed us the Storm Badge and ran off into the Gym, raving about how his new training schedule will be so much more intense. I almost wrote the guy off as a lunatic.
With the badge in hand, we returned to the Cianwood docks, where Caroline was waiting for us. She had already reserved a spot for us on the next ship out, and the medicine she was looking for was in her bag.
As we waited for the ferry to arrive, Wingman told Caroline of the battle we had and Caroline described the pharmacy. She said that the man there was a little loopy, but a genius at mixing chemicals into potions. He had cured a Mantine who had been attacked by three Tentacruel and poisoned nearly to the point of death with only one potion, she told us.
When the ferry finally arrived, the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. We had to convince the captain of the ferry to do one last run to Olivine. He argued that with the Lighthouse Pokémon sick, he wouldn't be able to see the rocks around the port, but our rebuttal was that if he didn't get us back to Olivine, that Lighthouse Pokémon might not make it through to get better. He changed his mind after hearing that.
He gunned that ferry as fast as it would go, reaching Olivine right as the sun started to sink. We hurried off the boat and over to the Lighthouse, where Jasmine and Amphy were waiting. We handed the special medicine to her, and she thanked us immensely. Upon administering it to Amphy, I noticed a sudden change in her. The Ampharos started looking a little less pale almost instantly. Jasmine thanked us again, and told us that she'd stay here with Amphy until tomorrow, to make sure that she was better. We understood and left to find a hotel to stay in for the night. As we left, I swear I heard Amphy mutter, "Thank you, strangers."
Day 17
The next morning, I was the first to wake up. Odd, but something about today felt different. The weather outside was perfect, just like yesterday, and everything was in its place, but there was something odd. I couldn't place it, so I woke up Caroline and Wingman.
Our first order of business was to check the Lighthouse and see how Amphy was doing. When the three of us arrived, Amphy greeted us by tackling me. Of all of us, I don't know why she tackled me when it was Caroline who had the potion, but I didn't really question it. She was blabbering about how much she owed me and how I saved her life. I started getting a little embarrassed, and Wingman and Caroline both laughed at us.
Amphy then showed us the note that was sitting on the table. It was addressed to "Helpful Trainers" and was signed by Jasmine. It said that she was very grateful for our help and that it was because of us that Amphy is cured. The letter stated that when we were ready, she was back in her Gym taking challenges once again.
Wingman was excited, and I started getting myself in the zone. As we started leaving, Amphy ran up and hugged me, thanking me again. I blushed at the embrace, and Wingman snickered. "Looks like someone has a little crush on you, Titan!" I blushed even harder at this, and Amphy giggled and let me go. I pretended that it was awkward then, but now I think I kind of liked it.
At the Gym, Jasmine greeted us and thanked us in person for our generous help. She agreed to a battle and we took our spots on the field. It looked almost exactly like Brock's field, and that worried me. I did not want to face any more Rock types without the help of Earthquake. Fortunately, she sent out a Magnemite, and I was sort of relieved. Shadow Ball helped out tremendously here. The second Magnemite was almost a mirror image of the first, and it fell the exact same way. Then came her Steelix, who was a monster. The steel snake roared at me, and I was actually a little scared. But I forced myself to stand and summoned a giant wave of water from thin air and Surfed right over it.
With that out of the way, Jasmine handed Wingman the Mineral Badge, and we were headed back to Ecruteak and towards Mahogany Town. Luckily for us, Caroline mentioned that she could make the trip easier with the Pidgeot that she kept in storage. It meant that I'd have to go into my PokéBall, but it also meant we could reach Mahogany Town before noon. Wingman agreed, and Caroline withdrew her Pidgeot. I was sucked into my PokéBall, and the next thing I knew, I was in Mahogany Town.
The Gym was closed for the time being, so Wingman, Caroline, and I decided to check out the Lake of Rage, a nearby attraction. It was supposedly a beautiful and peaceful lake, great for fishing and swimming. The path up there was short, and a toll house along the way cut into our funds. But we figured it'd be worth it to see the lake.
However, when we got there, it was all but peaceful. A red Gyarados was rampaging around the lake, knocking down trees and destroying everything in its path. Wingman wanted to do something to stop it, so we all lured it over to us, where I took it on. It may have been angry, but a Thunderpunch to the face put it in its place.
After it left, we surveyed the area. It was a wreck; trees were strewn about like a set of Lincoln Logs, patches of grass were thrown about and holes were left in their place, and some nearby lake houses were damaged greatly. It was a horrible thing to see, and it really ruined the whole visit.
Then, out of nowhere, Lance appeared and addressed the scene. He came up to Wingman and me and said it was no surprise to see us here. He asked about Caroline, and Wingman explained that she was traveling with us because of his injury, which was still healing, but getting closer to being fully healed. Gastly bites are notorious for taking days to fully close.
Lance told us that he had gotten a lead about Team Rocket experimenting with radio waves nearby, trying to force evolution upon Magikarps. The Gyarados we had just stopped was the most recent experiment. He told us to tune in our radio to the wavelength 86.7, and a strange sound started playing. Lance told us that this was the radio wave that they were experimenting on, and he asked for Wingman's help to stop them. He agreed, and we returned to Mahogany.
Lance led us to the supposed entrance to the Team Rocket hideout, and he blasted past the guard there. We easily found the secret switch and revealed a staircase. Team Rocket sure loves their secret staircases. We headed into the thick of it, and went straight to the room where the generator that powered the transmitter sat. We were stopped, however, by a couple of Team Rocket grunts and an Executive. They forced us into a battle, but they were no match for Lance's Dragonite and me.
They abandoned the base, saying that this was only a mere side plot to their real plan. That made me worry, but I had more important matters first. We had to shut of the generator, and when Lance couldn't find a switch, I pushed everyone back and shot a Shadow Ball at it, breaking the huge belt and blowing off a few gears. The motor of the machine kept spinning, but the actual part that needed the motor stopped working. Caroline turned on her radio once again, and the strange noises had stopped.
With the machine out of commission, Lance thanked us for our help. He was impressed with our progress so far, and complimented my strength. He said he'd never seen any Nidoking use a Shadow Ball that powerful. I beamed ear to ear, and Lance turned to Wingman. He handed him an HM and told us it might come in handy.
Wingman and Lance exchanged farewells, and Lance wished us good luck on the rest of our journey, and he was off. We left the secret base as well, but not after I wrecked the motor as well.
Back outside, we returned to the Gym and found it re-opened. Which was lucky for us; neither of us wanted to wait until tomorrow. As we opened the doors, a gust of frigid air rushed out to greet us. Tentatively, we all stepped in and shut the doors behind us. All at once, we started to shiver; it was at least twenty degrees colder in here. The Gym Leader, Pryce, came up to us and greeted us harshly. "You must be here to challenge me," he said. "The challenger platform is over there. Let's get this over with."
Pryce was an older man, in his sixties, presumably, and he had the crotchety old man act down perfectly. Somehow, he wasn't shivering at all in the cold room, even though I could see my own breath. The field was covered in ice, and it almost looked like it really was just solid ice. Icicles hung from the ceiling, and snow drifts were placed here and there. The battle began, and he sent out a few Ice-Water types, a Seel and Dewgong to be exact, and Thunderpunch took care of both of them easily. His third Pokémon wasn't as simple. It was a Piloswine, and it was part Ground type. I figured out that it was indeed weak to Water type moves, and a wave of water knocked it out cold. Get it? It's an Ice type and it got knocked out cold! Pretty punny, right? Hehe... I've got to stop trying to be funny.
After the battle, Pryce seemed to get a little less grumpy, but he didn't open up much. He gave Wingman the Glacier Badge, congratulated us, and told us to leave. He said he was missing his show, and then he left.
"What an odd old man he was," Caroline observed.
We left town to the east as the sun started setting. When there was only a little light left, we set up camp. We didn't even bother with setting up the tent; the sky was clearer than a sheet of new glass. We laid ourselves out under the stars and gazed upwards, Wingman discussing what could be out in space with Caroline as I slowly dozed off.
