Red's Adventure (3) - Viridian City
#3 of Red's Adventure
Viridian City could be seen just through the trees ahead, and Red felt a sense of accomplishment as he realized he'd made the first step on his Pokémon journey.
At the moment, he was particularly taken by the prospect of food at the Pokémon Center. He had run out already, and was eager to stuff his face. He was willing to bet his Charmander was hungry, too.
The Pokémon was walking beside him, out of its Poke Ball. Red wasn't sure why he had left it out for so long, especially with his earlier apprehensions, but so far no ill had come of it. Instead, Red felt closer to the Charmander than he ever had before. They had met four more wild Pokémon on their way here, and the Charmander did not seem inclined to harm any of them, following their defeat in battle. It seemed stronger now, too, and Red was sure that it was close to learning a fire-type move. He had seen it coughing smoke, privately, at the side of the road, and this made Red proud. He secretly egged his Pokémon on, even though he knew he probably shouldn't. But the Charmander seemed happy, and this made him happy, even though he knew that he would have to replace it soon.
Red arrived at the outskirts of the city, and it was amazing how big everything before him was. The city was gigantic compared to Pallet Town, where there were only a few houses and the one famous Laboratory. In the distance he could see the Pokémon Center. This would, of course, be his first stop. He continued searching the city and made out tons of large buildings, some trees, and - what was that? Yes! A Pokémon Gym! Red had to check this out. But the city was on top of a sort of cliff. It wasn't very high, but he was sure that he would ruin his clothes and pack if he tried to climb it.
He turned to his Charmander, and the Pokémon instantly took off running in front of him. A jolt of fear, all too familiar, overtook Red, but only for a second. The Pokémon had stopped a short distance ahead, and was gesturing happily to a path that led up to the city.
"Thanks, Charmander!" said Red, surprised. The Charmander had helped him. That was pretty cool. "But we're going into the City now. I think you'd better get back inside your ball." The Charmander stood patiently as it was recalled, and Red looked at it with wonder.
Then the looming Gym in the distance once again caught his attention. This was going to be great.
All Pokémon trainers were required to collect eight badges from the Gyms spread throughout Kanto before they could challenge the Pokémon League. Once there, they would have the opportunity to battle four spectacularly strong trainers called the Elite Four. It was after this that one could officially be called the Champion, a Pokémon Master: one of the greatest trainers that ever lived. But there hadn't been a champion for many years.
It was Red's dream to get himself enrolled in the Hall of Fame of the Pokémon League, and he would stop at nothing to get there.
At least, that was his fantasy as a child.
He passed by the Pokémon Center and his stomach growled. The Gym was in plain sight over the buildings; it was calling to him. But Red knew the Charmander was weak after all the battling it had been doing, and he himself was still hungry. Better to kill two birds with one stone than to let both parties suffer.
So he turned off his path and stopped at the Pokémon Center.
Inside was a large, comfortable hall with people milling about, some eating, some talking, and some just relaxing. There were two counters with receptionists behind them, and Red went to the first.
"Welcome to our Pokémon Center!" the nurse said as Red walked up to the desk. "We heal your Pokémon back to perfect health! Do you want to heal your Pokémon?"
"Yes, please. This is our first time here," Red explained. "We've just started. I'm . . . not sure what to do, exactly."
"Oh! Well first of all, I would love to be the one to welcome you to Viridian City," the lady gestured around. "Please, make yourself at home here. We'll need your Pokémon."
Red gave her his Poke Ball.
"Don't worry; we'll be sure to give it right back to you! You'll just need to wait for us to restore it to top-fighting condition. Is there anything you'd like to know about our services before we get to work?"
"Yeah, there is one thing," Red said shyly. "Is there anything to eat around here?"
She laughed and pointed to a table on the far side of the room. "You can get food there. It's free, and you can have as much as you want!"
"Thank you!" Red said happily, and he promptly trotted off to where the food was.
"You're cute!" said the nurse.
After he had eaten, Red's Pokémon still wasn't healed yet, so he walked around and did some exploring.
There was another desk beside the one he had left his Pokémon at. This was the Trade Center, and when Red asked what it was supposed to be for, the attendant told him that it was there so trainers could trade Pokémon.
Trade Pokémon?
"Sometimes," the attendant said, "two friends decide to trade, temporarily or permanently, to strengthen their own friendships and that of their Pokémon. Other times, complete strangers trade to form friendships. The more people trade, the more integrated the world could become!"
Red was uncomfortable with the idea. Why would someone want to give their Pokémon away? Red thought of his Charmander. No matter how mad he was at it, he could never trade it. That would just be wrong.
He came to the other side of the Center and saw a computer. His first thought was games. But as he came closer he decided that this was not a gaming device. It was too official. He asked a man nearby what it was.
"This is a PC!" the man told him. PC - this jolted a memory in Red.
"Oh! It's like a phone, for calling people, right?"
"Not exactly. All PCs in Kanto are directly linked to Professor Oak, in case a trainer was to need information from him." He laughed. "But he almost never answers, so don't get too hopeful, especially to a newbie trainer like you."
Red ignored this. "And what is this thing for?"
"That's cool. One of the functions of a PC is to connect to your own private network. You can have items warped through the machine to a special storage room, all your own. It's not that big, though, so be careful about putting junk you don't need in there."
"And this?"
"That's probably the most important part of a PC. Trainers are allowed to carry six Pokémon at one time. All other Pokémon get sent here, and you can access them and switch them around using the computer."
"So you're saying that Pokémon live in a computer?" Red asked dubiously.
The man laughed again. "No! They're held away at a facility somewhere, and when you need them, they're transported to the PC you call them from." He finished with a vague wave of his hand.
"Er . . . thanks for the information." Red would make sure to keep away from PCs in the future.
"No problem! Remember, they're completely safe!" the man assured.
Red was saved the trouble of answering by the nurse, who called him over - his Pokémon was healed.
She has his Poke Ball in her hand, and he went to the desk. "You said you were a new trainer?" Red confirmed this with a nod. "I almost have trouble believing you. Your Pokémon is in excellent shape! I'd go as far as to call it exceptional for its level."
"It is?"
"Yes. You two seem to already have formed a huge bond already!" A jolt ran through Red's stomach. There were those words again. Professor Oak had used them, distracted, when told that the Charmander had eaten Blue's Squirtle. A bond. Red felt sick.
The nurse bowed to him. "I hope you do well on your adventure. Remember, Pokémon are our friends, and they will be for life." Red was silent. "You seem to have already formed that kinship with your Pokémon, but you can never forget to hold it in high regard.
"Hey!" the nurse said, suddenly struck by an idea. "If you make it around Kanto and decide to give the Pokémon League a shot, remember to stop by here and say Hi. I'd love to wish you luck on the final part of your journey!"
Around Kanto? All the way to the Pokémon League? Red shifted. Wow! This nurse had lot of faith in him, all things considered. Up until now, he wasn't even sure he had the guts to get further than Pewter City. "Thank you," he acknowledged, now encouraged. "I'll be sure to remember that!"
"We hope to see you again!"
Red left the Pokémon Center still pondering what he'd just heard. All the way to the Pokémon League! That was huge.
Had the nurse just said it because it was her job to support trainers when they came to the Center? Was she just doing her job? Red didn't think so. He scratched his neck absentmindedly. She seemed to really believe it. And he was determined to make it so that she wasn't wrong. He had healed his "exceptional" Pokémon, and now he felt like he could do anything.
Now for that Gym!
"What do you mean, I can't go through here?" Red demanded, annoyed. He had gone further into the city. Everything was so big, and he had gotten lost a few times. He had come to a lake (the first freshwater landmark he'd ever seen), and then almost walked right to the Pokémon League itself as he strayed down a Route that led from the city. But now he had found the only road that would take him to the Gym.
And there was an old man lying, intoxicated, in the middle of the road. He wouldn't let him through.
"This is private property!" yelled the man thickly.
Before Red could retort, a girl standing by the man spoke up. "Oh, please, don't be angry! He hasn't had his coffee. . . ." She looked back to the man. "Grandpa, why do you have to be so mean?"
"Ain't no one gonna get through this here road until I get me some *hiccup* coffee! And ain't no one gonna tell me otherwise, no sirree!"
Red chuckled as the girl said to him, "Please, trainer, come back later. I'm sure he'll be better . . ."
She had such a puppy dog-like expression on her face that he couldn't stay mad. "Alright," he said, remembering something. "I need to go to the Mart, anyway. And I was thinking of visiting the Pokémon School that I passed by on my way here." Red really hadn't wanted to go to the school, but he needed it to look convincing. "Will he be okay by then?"
"Yes," the girl said, relieved. "You really are kind. And again, please accept my apology. And," she added, "don't tell anyone. They probably wouldn't believe you, anyway. . . ."
"Right. Well, I'll come back later, then," he promised.
The girl had a finger pressed to her lips as Red walked away. The scene was just too comical. Red headed back to the Pokémon Center to ask for directions. He considered actually stopping by the school, but decided against it. He had never liked school much.
As he tried to find his way back through the city, he got lost again. And then he suddenly found himself at the back of the Pokémon Center. But there was no way to get into it: the other buildings were connected on both sides. He looked around and saw no turns that would cut to the front. He groaned, and decided to continue straight. There was no plain way of getting inside, but could just head straight to the Mart. He would to find it eventually, he hoped.
Why was he always getting lost!
Red saw another ledge coming up. "Oh brother," he muttered. Did he somehow end up on the outskirts of the city again? He came to the front of the ledge and stood on tiptoes to look over it. He saw a magnificent building.
The Pokémon Gym!
He was so close, but couldn't reach it. Red went a little further and the ledge ended to meet some thick trees that he didn't trust himself going through. He would just have to wait for the old man. He wandered off in another direction, disappointed, and it took him almost a minute to realize that he was headed straight toward the Pokémon Mart. He quickened his step.
As he entered the building, he was greeted by a sight. Shelves upon shelves of Pokémon merchandise filled the store, in the middle, on the walls, and everywhere else he looked. Freezers in the back held Pokémon food, and people were all over the place, up and down the aisles, shopping for things their Pokémon needed. And in the corner was a small desk, tended by one clerk. He seemed a little overwhelmed, but he greeted Red cheerfully when he approached.
"Hi," Red began. "I'm from Pallet Town -"
"You come from Pallet Town, you say? Well that's just my luck, isn't it! You see," he explained, "I have a package for Professor Oak. You know Professor Oak, right? His order came in, and I need it delivered. Will you take it to him?" He gave Red a parcel, and thanked him genuinely.
Next thing he knew, Red had left the shop, and he realized that he hadn't even asked about the Poke Balls. But he didn't go back. He could get them later. He wasn't in any real hurry to get rid of his Pokémon anymore. He realized that he hadn't let it out all day, and that it must be pretty unhappy from being cramped up in its ball for so long. Red hopped off the ledge that separated the city from Route 1 and let the Charmander out.
Red looked at it, and the Charmander came to him, cooing softly. Red pet its head and it started to dance around.
"Looks like you get to stick around a bit longer, little guy."
TO BE CONTINUED