Adventures Beyond!

Chapter 58: Hot Cross Buneary

At least the excuse she decided to use was someone she has yet to beat. Even if she wasn't following him around anymore, she still wanted to kick his yellow ass.

Eventually, after a walk that seemed like it was longer than it should have, she made it to the front desk. Thankfully, Susanne knew good and well that Dawn was flat broke coming into Sapphire Town, and forcefully gave her the money necessary to live at the Center until the Ion Cup's conclusion. Dawn tried to refuse initially, but her cousin was insistent.

"Welcome to the Metro City Pokémon Center!" A friendly voice chirped from behind the counter, "How may I help you?"

Sitting at the front desk was an Espeon, who wore a warm smile as she looked at Dawn.

"Yeah, I need a room here. I'll need one 'till the Ion Cup ends."

"Alright, this is a long term stay, meaning that this is a price you pay bi-weekly instead of all upfront. If you are unable to make a payment, you are to leave the center immediately, understand?" The Espeon asked, earning a nod from Dawn, "Alright, your first payment for the first two weeks is one hundred Poke."

Her eyes bulged wide, "A hundred? If every two weeks is that much, then I'll only have enough for a month... That's not nearly enough! I might need to find a Battle Zone in order to get more."

Pulling her bag off, the Buneary quickly rummaged through the front pocket. She was confused when her paw didn't meet the cool sensation of the coins given to her by her cousin. Leaning closer to the bag, her paw left the front pocket and searched one of the bigger areas. Perhaps she put it in a different pocket?

A faint snicker could be heard.

As she searched through her bag, one of her ears released from its scrunched position. This allowed her to hear the snickering more clearly. She wasn't sure why, but it was almost as though she could feel the snickering be directed at her. Her body went still, the constant searching through her bag coming to a sudden stop.

Dawn then snapped her head around in the direction she heard the snickering coming from. Standing there was a small pouch, the faint clinking of coins within it making the Buneary's ears twitch. Holding that pouch was the tail of a Monferno, who smirked as he shook the pouch around.

"Hey!" Dawn immediately dropped her bag and stood to face him, "Hand it over, Nanab berry breath."

The Monferno only held a confident smirk, "A little derogatory of you to say."

"How 'bout I go over there and show you how derogatory I am!?" The Buneary rose to her feet, her paws clenched.

The Monferno only waved at her, slinking off down the hall.

Growling, the agitated Normal type chased after him, slinging her bag over her shoulders. She didn't often take handouts, but she sure as hell wasn't going to have the one she was given be stolen. Not on her watch.

Her body glowing with a white aura, Dawn picked up her pace and began to gain on the Fire type. The doors she was running by began to pass more quickly, her Quick Attack allowing her to rocket down the narrow hall of the Pokémon Center. The Buneary wasn't sure if the thief knew that same attack, but seeing as he hadn't picked up his speed while Dawn gained on him, she was confident that he didn't. As the Monferno turned a corner, tailed by Dawn, he turned himself around and sharply inhaled.

She couldn't help but to hesitate when she turned the corner to see the Monferno facing her, slowing down a little. In an instant, Dawn was facing down a Flamethrower. Because of her slowed pace, there was enough space between them for the attack to be blocked by her backpack, which she had taken off of her back and held in front of her body.