As you enter Celadon Gym, scents wild and exotic fill your nostrils, vibrant colors fill your vision, and a few, rare chirps can be heard amidst the foliage. Above you, large panes of glass make up the clear ceiling, allowing the radiant sunshine to bathe the room in light, strengthening and feeding the plants and pokemon here. Most of the walls in the gym are also glass, with sliding doors. Many admirers gather in the gym, listening to talks on the plant pokemon that dwell here and the lovely perfumes that Celadon is known for. The ground is a spongy, thick carpet of grass, and the walls are dense climbing plants across wooden grids. Small fountains and waterfalls dot the inside of the gym, and thin streams meander about, offering the plants nurturing drinks.
Contents:
Erika
Zeph
Obvious exits:
South leads to Celadon City: Gym Path.
Friday, June 22, 2001, 5:11 PM
The glass doors of the beautiful Celadon Gym slowly open, revealing a disappointed looking trainer with a frown on his face. It's Zeph. After losing so badly against a trainer's team of Pokemon yesterday, Zeph isn't necessarily in the highest of spirits; moreover, he has come to the Celadon Gym to take his mind off of what has happened and to talk to the gym leader - Erika. The trainer remains silent, leaving the door open for a disanimated, droopy looking Staryu. "Hya..." He emits weakly, slowly following his trainer. Hoku, the Staryu, seems to be fairing even worse. Poor thing.
Oh, the delicate beauty of nature! Other gym leaders would only be happy crushing any visitors who come to the gym, but Erika is quite content merely talking to them. "The perfect balance of nutrients and water is essential in promoting correct plant growth," the grass gym leader explains to a small girl, embracing her own Oddish with a shy smile. Erika seems to be watering her many plants at the moment. The girl in the kimono grants the young girl a soft smile, reaching out to pat the Oddish upon the head with the arm not holding the watering can. The Pokemon complies. "Just as you must balance between training and cherishing." The little girl nods slowly, hugging her Oddish tighter. "Thank you, Miss Erika." The black-haired girl smiles, and replies with, "Thank you for accompanying me as I water my plants, Kimberly and Sweetie." Sweetie must be the name of the Oddish.
Zeph walks across the greenhouse path, his face staring at the ground and his foot occassionally kicking the stray pebble. "I hope Erika is here, Hoku. Maybe she can help us? I know how you feel. You probably feel worse than I do about yesterday. Erika is the gym leader though, and she has so much experience as a trainer. She should be able to give me some excellent advice or at least cheer us up a little." He explains to the Staryu in a cursory manner, his eyes glancing upwards to see the figure of the grass type gym leader - Erika. "There she is!" He says with a jovial smile, his pace quickening to reach her as fast as she can. "Erika..." He adds softly as he walks past the beautiful plants, flowers, and trees. Hoku follows, animating slightly so that he can keep up with Zeph.
A few more sprinkles are added to the plants before Erika takes a few steps back. "Wonderful." Kimberly and her Oddish have already scampered off, so Erika seems to be talking to herself. Or, perhaps, is she merely chatting with her plants? She glances into the watering can, then at a nearby water fountain. Hm. Perhaps it is time to refill. Moving slowly but unbelievably gracefully, Erika walks over to that fountain, humming a bird's song as she begins to fill up the watering can. She only hums a few small notes, however, before Zeph and his Pokemon catch her attention. Her delicate hands set the watering can upon the side of the fountain. She straightens into correct posture, a warm smile upon her face. "Yes, may I help you... oh, Zeph! What a pleasure to see you once more!" She leans her body a little to see the Pokemon following Zeph. "You have brought your Staryu, as well? He's looking healthy." She knew that the Staryu was a he in a glance? How mysterious. "However... you seem distressed. Is something the matter?"
Zeph stops suddenly as Erika spots him, as if the question Erika has asked froze him in his place. In fact, the trainer seems to shrink back slightly before slowly pacing a little closer towards the gym leader. He takes a courteous, shallow bow and then straightens himself up in to a normal position. "I have missed you too, Erika. I am quite happy to see you again." He then trails off a bit and looks at the plants the grass gym leader has been watering. "Well, yes Erika. I won't hide it from you. I am very disappointed about what happened yesterday. Do you know about the Techno Dome Tournament?" He speaks, in a small yet nervous voice. The Staryu moves a little closer towards his trainer and remains silent, drooping slightly as if it were really sad.
"Oh, yes." Erika nods gently to Zeph's question about knowing about the tournament. "Occasionally, I may play relaxing music for my plants, and I did happen to hear an advertisement for the tournament. Come," Erika requests of Zeph as she gently grabs the watering can, and begins to gracefully work her way back to the plants she was originally working on. "I suppose that you and your Pokemon happened to perform... lower than expectations?" The tone is, of course, not accusing, but inquisitive.
"Yes. We got eliminated in the first round..." Zeph says with a shallow nod of his head, before following behind Erika as told. "My Sandshrew, Vulpix, and Staryu all performed poorly in the tournament, and they feel it. They feel like they let me down. I feel like I'm a poor trainer. It's just a mess. I don't know what happened out there. It was horrible." The trainer says in a tone of desperation, a little tear forming in his eyes. "I mean, it was just the first round, and we got eliminated so easily. It wouldn't have been so bad if it was the third or fourth round..." He adds, giving a big heaving sigh as he continues to follow Erika. Hoku follows behind his trainer, two of his points moving him along quickly. "Hya." He emits with weakly, his gem not flashing at all like yesterday before the battle.
Erika says nothing quite yet; she starts to water her plants once again before she parts her smooth lips to speak. "I am..." Her watering can falls to the side, although no water splashes out. She glances at her new guest. "... quite sorry to hear that, of course." She removes her eyes from Zeph as she waters a small purple flower. "Sometimes one may not perform well, and whether be it fault of trainer or Pokemon, one must learn to accept this. Feeling sorrow is an action one cannot help but feel..." She looks like she has more to say, but perhaps she's giving Zeph a chance to say something more. "If you like, this flower has a soothing scent." She gestures to the freshly-watered purple flower, allowing for Zeph to take a sniff. She does not, of course, pluck the flower and kill it - why would she hurt something she loves so dearly?
"I know Erika. I am trying to accept it. It just doesn't register in my mind though. Those moments yesterday, they seemed like incorrect. It was just not right, as if I were guided more by chance than by my skill or my Pokemon's skill." Zeph says slowly but steady, explaing to Erika about how he feels about it. "It's not that I lost. No, it's... that suddenly I feel so empty because of it. As if all my training, all the time and energy I put in to being a trainer, didn't count in that battle. My Pokemon looked really bad out there." He adds, looking at purple flower and leaning down to take a sniff. "Wow, the odor. It's so magnificent, so delicate." The trainer says, a smile beginning to form on his face. Hoku faces his trainer then faces Erika, sensing all that his happening between gym leader and trainer.
Towering white clouds drift slowly through the blue sky. It's hazy and hot, and the glare of the sun seems to drain the color from the landscape.
"This flower has amazing calming abilities," Erika explains as she goes on to gently water another plant - a much larger one. Hopefully, she thinks as she glances as Zeph out of the corner of her beautiful eyes, they will help him relax, as well. "It is not an easy road, the path of a trainer," The gym leader says as she pats a rather large flower's petals. How she cares for these plants! "Do not find your training in vain. Take this loss... and learn from it." Erika looks at Zeph once more, remembering the battles she had with him. Both of them. "Do you remember..." the black-haired girl's kimono blows gently, though there is no wind in the gym. "The battles you and I had? Do you recall... how you kept coming back, and how you refused to give up? You understood your loss. You learned from it." Erika glances down at her watering can, then at the watering fountain, then at Hoku. "I am in need of more water... do you think, perhaps, that your Staryu can help?"
Zeph already seems so much calmer than before, his face showing it since there is no longer a frown, but a light hearted smile. The trainer kneels down and looks at all the vegetation that Erika has been taking care of so carefully for so long. "So beautiful..." He says dreamily, looking up at the bright azure sky, the puffy clouds, and the delicate greenhouse glass framework. "I remember. I never gave up, because I wanted to follow my dreams so badly. I wouldn't let anything get in my way. I tried and tried, worked and worked. Finally, one night I managed to succeed." He finally says, turning around to see Erika - his eyes twinkling. "I remember now." He adds softly, before answering Erika's last question. "Of course, Hoku can help. Can't you Hoku?" The trainer asks the Staryu. Hoku animates slightly and faces Erika. "Hya." He emits from his gem, still not very strongly or confidently.
Though Erika can understand nothing the Staryu says, she does understand that the water type did not refuse her request. "Thank you. You are a very polite Pokemon, to allow me to partake of the same water that shall feed those you may consider enemies." Plants, of course - all gym leaders must know of water's natural weakness against grass. Yes, the flowers are not precisely Pokemon... but Erika understands there must be fear in Hoku anyway. The gym leader brings her watering can to the Staryu, placing it on the ground near him. "Please, not all the way, as I must be able to lift this can." As she waits for the water type to fill up the can, Erika stands into a dignified position. "Your opponent must also have trained quite hard to beat one as skilled as yourself. Work yourself hard..." She glances around the gym a little, until her eyes settle upon Kimberly, who is busy talking excitedly to one of Erika's maids. "... but do not forget to balance between training your Pokemon and loving your Pokemon for the magnificent creatures they are."
"Hya."
"Please..." Erika smiles, a light tint of redness appearing on her fair cheeks. "Do not thank me. I am merely being myself." Noticing the can, Erika's smile deepens as she bends down to pick it up. "Thank you, Staryu. You are a wonderful Pokemon." Erika lifts the can up from the ground, nodding in delight. "The water is very fresh. It is quite easy to tell your Pokemon is a healthy, well-trained one. I wish for only the best for my plants." She now does the sweetest gesture she can - she goes back and begins watering her plants once more. "There, dears... grow to be beautiful." She's talking to the plants... or is she perhaps talking to Zeph and Hoku indirectly? How mysterious. "If you are ever in need of motivation, I would be pleased to see you around more often. It is always an utmost pleasure to see you." She does not look at Zeph while she speaks, however. Chances are, it is only because she is occupied with caring for her beloved plants.
Zeph looks at the flora once more as he speaks, lowering himself so that he can sniff at the same flower he sniffed at earlier. Immediately, he feels the soothing effects that the plant is known for. "So relaxing. Just being here makes me feel better. It must be reflective of the one who takes care of the plants." He says, subtly referring to the gym leader who tends to her plants so carefully. "I suppose I better get going, though. I will still be in the city, cheering for one of my friends - Patch. After that, I am heading towards Cerulean City for some intensive water type training. Maybe I will see you again while I stay in the city if fate permits." He says calmly and softly. Hmm. Is Erika starting to rub off on him? Hoku has animated a lot since coming here, the ambiance being very beneficial to the water type Pokemon. It's moist, relaxing, warm, and humid.
Purple, gold, and vermillion clouds grace the western sky as the sun descends toward the west.
Erika's smile is deep when she turns to Zeph. "Yes... I feel the same. I have been... interested in plants for years, but how calm they make me feel never ceases to amaze me." Closing her eyes for a moment, Erika intakes a large quantity of air, savoring the oxygen and the natural perfume of the flowers. "Perhaps..." And her eyes flutter open. "Patch will be able to visit, as well? I would be pleased to meet her." Out of the corner, she notices Hoku's more vibrant self, and she can't help but smile a little. It's so nice to see others appreciate the sheer beauty of plants as much as she does.
Zeph nods slowly and calmly, his eyes beginning to close slightly. Maybe he has calmed down too much by being here or maybe the flower has soothed him a little too much? The trainer doesn't fall asleep though, as his eyes remain partly open. He takes a deep, heaving sigh. "Well, I suppose I better get going now. Good bye Erika. I promise, that when I get all eight of my badges, you will be the first person I will tell." He says with a great, big smile as he begins to walk towards the exit. As he walks, he quickly turns around and gives a shallow bow. "I must be off now." He adds. Hoku senses the departure of his trainer and quickly follows on his points. In a few moments, the glass doors begin to close as Zeph walks out of the gym with a new sense of what he has to accomplish.
"Good bye, Zeph. Remember... to just keep striving." Erika watches after Zeph until he leaves the gym along with his Staryu, a gentle smile upon her beautiful face the whole time. "I think I really did help him out." Erika whispers to her plants, gently sprinkling a little water upon one of the closer ones. She is interrupted, however, by little Kimberly. "M... Miss Erika?" Indeed, the girl is still hugging her Oddish. However, the Pokemon doesn't mind - she seems to enjoy it. "Yes, Kimberly? Is there something you wish to ask me?" "What did you... tell that person? Why did he have a... water Pokemon?" Glancing at her plants, and deciding this is enough watering for now, Erika smiles at the girl, and says, "Perhaps, someday, when you are as old as that boy, and you have a Pokemon of your own..." She pats Sweetie the Oddish on her head once more. "And you happen to be in trouble... I may give you the same talk." Once more, Erika's glance heads towards the now-closed doors, and she smiles gently.
The sun sets, the western clouds turning purple, red, and gold. It's hazy and warm.
The orange-red sun sinks below the western horizon, leaving a darkening tapestry of purple and red-gold clouds behind it.