[4:21 PM, November 29, Goldenrod City]
With his position on the globe being Goldenrod City, Ethan takes locating the Pokémon Center as the highest-prioritized task. Compared to its sibling cities, Goldenrod City is truly a hulk. It is only a little easier to locate the PC than finding a needle in the sea bottom…
Well, if Ethan hadn't got a map. The map locates the PC as very close to the southern entrance. Lucky as he is, he is out of breath when the doors split open in front of him after a long trudging. Entrusting his Quilava and Mareep to the nurses, Ethan slumps down on the bench in the waiting area, gulping down a whole bottle of Fresh Water he just bought from a nearby vending machine, in order to relieve a tiny bit of his fatigue.
After a quarter's time, Ethan retrieves his Pokémon from the staff. He takes a glimpse at the wall clock whose hands point to a half past four. It's turning dark in less an hour's time, thinks Ethan, and it's definitely not safe to hang out at night. Decided that he is to fully recover here, he allows the elder of time to operate the clock forward until the sun rises again.
[9:10 AM, November 30, Goldenrod City]
The next morning, our protagonist is exercising his feet on the main street. Living in a border town for 11 years, everything seems brand new to our little boy. Etymologically, Goldenrod City is originated from gold, and every building here is decorated with golden bricks or tiles. As such, it bears a great similarity to its Kantonese counterpart, Saffron City.
As Ethan moves northwards, he comes across a viaduct not far away. On the viaduct appear to be train trucks. A curious Ethan observes further to discover a building connected to the viaduct half a mile westwards, which turns out to be a station. He approaches the station building under the instruction of signs…
This is not an ordinary train station. It is a maglev station, a kind of high-speed emu trains. The station is built in a tremendous scale, with the main building reaching up to levels high, and a P+R parking lot in front of it. A banner of propaganda hangs on he huge advertisement board on the wall:
Reading the banner, Ethan suddenly feels something odd-the station seems too quiet considering its important location in a metropolitan area where citizens rely highly on public transportation. Not only the ticket office and the entrance gates are firmly closed, but all the facades for stores and markets are sealed shut.
Yes, the station is quiet because it has not opened yet, not before the construction is finished! Although the Goldenrod part itself has been completed, the train trucks have yet to reach out of Johto. As Ethan recollects his memory, he saw the trucks overpassing him when he was fishing on Route 32, but the bridge abruptly ends above the sea, feet after a pier. Construction machinery was visible at the dead end, but hardly were any workers seen doing their jobs on it.
Nothing interesting here…until Ethan spots a side passage just below the viaduct. At the entrance at the passage is a sign reading:
A cycling shop, isn't' it? A large bike fan as Ethan is, his last bicycle has long been out of order since his mother bought for him as a little kid, let alone his unfitting body size for the seat. Ethan counts the money in his wallet. He is not sure if he can afford one, but he is eager to take at least some window shopping anyway.
Passing through the noiseless passage and lines of houses, Ethan sees a store on the end of the cul de sac. Above the main gate are installed some LED letters reading "MIRACLE CYCLE", and a sign of "OPEN" is hung on the glass gates, saying its owner is in function.
The small-sized but clean and neat inside environment of the bike shop somehow pleases Ethan. A series of pleasant-looking bicycles are lined up in the shop, attached to which are their price labels, ranging from the "DEBUT" level worth 7,988 to the "ULTRA" level worth 199,988. Along with the bicycles themselves, bike parts and amendment kits are also available.
"And fi, fi-finally someone visited us, or we'll be breaking the record of zero-customers for one week…" Ethan hears someone sighing. It is the owner at the cashier.
"Really? What made your business so gloomy?" asks Ethan.
"If you'd spare some time listening to me." murmurs the owner, "Our headquarters is located at Cerulean City. Soon after our enterprise was founded, our sales has been skyrocketing. With a mountain pile of accumulation, our boss decided to expand some branches in other regions, and this Goldenrod branch was the first to have been carried out. We were confident that the first-class quality of our bicycles would attract customers everywhere we set foot on, so we selected this place out of its low price and competitiveness against our rivals. But even good wines need some bush! As you've seen, our sales here has been as bleak as a desert since its opening one year ago. We've been struggling to even sell the fourth bicycle. Unable to make ends meet, our boss had to claim we had to close this branch if such bad things go on for another 2 months…"
"I'm sorry about that." Ethan feels sympathetic, "I would like to buy a bicycle from you, but I don't think it'll reverse your adversary…"
"You wanna bicycle?" The owner tries to grasp the only glimmer of hope he has just sensed, and begin advertising his products "Then feel free and take time to make your best selection here! Cheap bicycles, expensive bicycle, all are quality-guaranteed! And as an appreciation, any decision you make will give you a 40% off discount!"
"Great." Ethan has 18,709 dollars in his wallet, more than affordable for a civilian-configured bicycle. After a careful selection, Ethan's final decision is a silver foldable bicycle priced 12,088 bucks.
"OK, sir. The amount due is 7,253 dollars." The owner displayed the discounted price on the cashier.
After the payment is made, the owner asks Ethan if he could leave his name and phone number.
"Just in case when I want to contact you." explains the owner, "You're lucky that you chose a bicycle with its brand at the most eye-catching position. The more you ride it, the more potential customers would notice our brand. You may return your purchases anytime you feel unsatisfied it, as long as you have the receipt with you. Fakes and deceits are what we despise most!"
"Alright…" Ethan provides the information on a paper slip the owner lends him.
"And Mr. Ethan, here's my business card." The owner gives a business card with his name, phone and email in return, "Any thoughts and suggestions about our products and services are highly appreciated."
Leaving the bike shop, Ethan hardly has patience to wait to ride on his new bicycle. It feels sweet on the fast-moving and energy-saving bicycle! In contrast to its low price, this bicycle is shining in its acceleration and braking functions, as well as its air weight. What's more, one does need to spend too much effort to stuff it into his bag when it is entirely folded!
Arceus! How lucky am I to have had such a treasure and otherwise it's getting rotten in stock? Or maybe the bike company is dreaming about products selling themselves?
"Now that I've the bicycle. I'll first get myself some info about Goldenrod Gym!"
Back on the main street, Ethan rides northwards following the direction of his map. Soon later, he is outside of a grand building that is nothing other than a Pokémon Gym. As luck would have it, the Gym is currently closed, with a note sticking on the doors:
The Gym Leader is absent due to personal matters. Please visit later.
Huh? The Gym Leader is playing truant for "personal affairs"? If he or she were a service provider, I'd surely file a complaint about it!
But it's no use barging into the Gym while nobody is in. Ethan turns around and rides away…
A third time below the unfinished maglev tracks, Ethan notices another landmark he previously missed out in the west. It is the Goldenrod Radio Tower. The radio tower looks very modernized, covered with grandiose tech blue color, with a large paraboloidal antenna equipped on the roof. The predecessor of Goldenrod Radio Tower is an ancient pagoda. The pagoda was destroyed in a fire decades ago. After several failures in resurrecting the pagoda, the plan was aborted and the new radio tower was laid in place of it.
[10:29 AM, November 30, Goldenrod Radio Tower]
Out of the tower, an advertisement signboard is placed there, handwritten with:
"Gosh! It's the last day! A day and I'll be late! I'll gonna see it!"
Passing through the automatic doors and Ethan is at a wide hall. The reception counter is in the south and the resting area plus the stairs are in the east. The only elevator is unfortunately out of order and causes inconvenience for employees who frequently use stairs.
At the "Quiz Festival Participation" area, Ethan signs up for the quiz at a reception lady.
The lady enters Ethan's name and Trainer ID into the database and activates a program which randomly select questions, and says, "OK, Mr. Ethan. You'll have to answer 5 questions in a row. You had better listen and memorize carefully because you could make your answer ONLY ONCE. One mistake, and you lose your prize forever. Are you ready?"
"Sure! I'll never lose! What's the first question?"
Ethan's first question is:
"That's easy! C!" Ethan's answer blasts from his lips in no time, as he has spot countless Geodude and Onix traversing the cave and was stared at by a curious Wooper in a pond.
"Correct! And the second question is…"
The second question is:
"I choose B, 150 years ago." Ethan happens to have learned about the history of Ecruteak City and Brass Tower from books at home, so this question is neither a big deal.
"… Correct! And the third question is…"
The third question is:
What? I've heard only a little about Mt. Silver, so how should I know about the EXACT height of it? Ethan takes a risk and chooses B.
"Correct!" The result is a shocker yet a pleaser to him.
Subsequently, the fourth question pops up:
Immediately, Ethan excludes A and D, for short as they are, they are apparently longer at least than the diameter of New Bark Town. Choices B and C are putting Ethan in a difficult situation, though, as they both appear to be shorter than a town's length. Also, who other than nerds spend freaking time learning the length of routes?
Whatever. It's a fifty-fifty game. Ethan's final is C.
"You chose C. Let's see the correct answer…" The reception lady seems enjoying anguishing challengers by not at once revealing the result. The fact in veil is torturing me like the oncoming final grades!
"The correct answer is C! Congrats! " The lady smiles somewhat cunningly, "You've reached the last question! Get it correct and the prize is yours! Don't let your efforts go down the drain!"
"What the last question, miss?"
The "last" word itself sounds forbidding as a final boss, before the actual question jumps out of tall grass:
Phew. Choices B and C are out on the spot. They both feature Gyms and a Pokémon League, according to Ethan's impression. But the fifty-fifty game strikes again when Ethan is balancing A and D, mocking his blank knowledge about either of them. Not having a second chance, Ethan scratches his head like heck in the hope of winning the gamble.
"Sir. Excuse me but could I have your answer?" asks the lady.
"…D." The letter squeezes through Ethan's mouth after his brain cells spent tons of energy voting for the answer.
"Your answer is D…" The lady clicks the mouse, looking up for the ultimate solution…
As the mouth clicks, Ethan's heart is beating like a frog trying to escape a pan of boiling water. If the answer turns out to be A, he would never have face to compensate for the brain cells that sacrificed their lives for the vote!
Click! Click! And the solution screen takes stage on the screen. Ethan covers his eyes out of anxiety…
"Your answer is… absolutely correct!" The lady thrills Ethan once again with her naughty smile, "Almost every region is equipped with Gyms and Pokémon Leagues… except Alola, though the foundation of a League has been under discussion."
"Hah… finally got it done. Arceus blessed me…"
"And you're the first participant ever to get all five answers right! What a miracle! And here's your prize, Mr. Ethan!" The lady takes something from under the desk and hands it to Ethan.
And while the prize, or rather prizes, lie in Ethan's hands, Ethan is amused at them-they are "just" a bunch of postcards printed with the logo of Goldenrod Radio Tower (abbreviated as GRT) and notebooks with photographs of the tower printed on the cover!
Ordinary as they appear to be, Ethan decide to cherish them as a certificate for his passing the quiz.
"Wow! You did it! You passed the quiz!"
Ethan hears someone calling him as he puts away the presents. The source of the voice is a teenage girl with pink hair standing just next to him. He realizes that he is too engaged in thinking about the answers to take a single notice of the girl.
"May I have your name, miss?"
"My name's Whitney!" The girl exclaims enviously, "That quiz was soooooo darn hard! I want the prize, too, so I 'audited' here for days since the very first to find out the rule the questions were asked. But my plan was entirely messed up 'cause all the questions sound totally random, including everything from heaven to earth! Even if as an observer, I failed to figure out a single question. Bah, I think I'll be saying farewell to my prizes!"
"What a pity." says Ethan, "I'm Ethan. Miss Whitney, you must be the Leader of Goldenrod Gym?"
"Whoa, how do you get it?"
"You said you're out of the Gym for 'personal matters'. What other things than this quiz festival could attract your attention, then?"
"Ehehe…" Whitney smiles embarrassedly, aware that Ethan is a future challenger, "Sorry about the inconvenience. I'm going back to the Gym now. The quiz festival is held annually, and I'm patient enough to wait another four seasons!"
While Whitney is jogging back to the Gym for preparation, Ethan carries out a 2-day training plan at the fields.
[11:01 AM, November 30, Route 34]
On Route 34, Ethan releases Quilava and Mareep, hunting battle opponents.
At that moment, the Egg in Ethan's bag start shaking violently! The Egg is going to hatch! Ethan takes out the Egg at once and hold it gently but firmly in his arms.
"Crack! Crack!" Multiple cracks spread on the Egg's shell, foreseeing the breakthrough of the Pokémon it embraces. Ethan's eyes are fixed on the Egg, waiting for the moment a new life that descends to the mortal world.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!" As the cracks on the shell multiplies, Ethan's heartbeat is reaching its climax…
"… Boop!" Minutes later, the upper part of the shell falls off, revealing the face of a baby Pokémon. The Pokémon grows cream skin, black eyes and a tiny mouth. Spike-shaped structures are present on its head, resembling a crown.
"The upper body is out, and soon will be the lower!" thinks Ethan.
However, the hatchling does not seem to rush to get rid of the remaining half of the shell. Instead, it pierces through the shell with its limbs. Its stubby hands does not have fingers, but its feet are split into two toes each, with a pad at the bottom of the soles.
Smashing the shell, the Pokémon opens its eyes, observing the world of strangers innocently.
"What a cute Pokémon! I've gotta see what I should call it…"
Ethan scrolls his Pokédex down until he stops at number 175:
"Togepi… so you're called Togepi!"
Hearing her Trainer calling her name, Togepi greets Ethan waving her tiny hands.
"Togepi. You're a step out of your shell. Would you like me to remove it for you?" offers Ethan.
Out of his exception, Togepi shakes her head, unwilling to accept the offer.
"So you wanna keep it? Fine, I'll not push you."
Togepi jumps out of Ethan's arms, loafing around like a walking learning infant.
"I know! Togepi, come and know your senior fellows!"
Ethan summons and introduces Quilava and Mareep to Togepi. With joyous cries, the three Pokémon quickly shorten their distances between each other. Quilava and Mareep take a great liking towards their lovely junior, while Togepi is merry about making new friends.
"And Togepi. You know Metronome, doesn't you? Wouldn't you show it to us?"
Togepi agrees and waves her hands, with a white beam of light engulfing her body. Seconds later, Togepi dashes head first towards Quilava, with the latter hastily dodging. It is a powerful Double-Edge!
"… Terrific! It relies on luck to draw a move like this, but you're doing great as only a baby!"
Togepi hops around ecstatically. Even a piece of insignificant compliment is enough to cheer the lax cutie up.
--End of Epsiode 10--
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