Chapter 131: Viridian City
Xiu quickly adjusted his mood, pushing aside the lingering anxieties about Abra and Scyther's futures, deciding instead to embrace the unexpected opportunity. 'A trip to another major city, under Professor Oak's expense? Excellent.' He grinned, pumping a fist lightly in the passenger seat.
"Viridian City!" he declared with newfound enthusiasm, looking ahead at the open road. "Let's go!"
Professor Oak glanced over, saw the genuine excitement replacing Xiu's earlier apprehension, and chuckled softly, a faint smile touching his own lips. He pressed down slightly on the accelerator, the truck's engine humming a bit louder as their speed increased.
The journey unfolded smoothly. As they left the immediate environs of Pallet Town behind, Xiu observed the landscape with keen interest. The main highway connecting Pallet Town to Viridian City was well-maintained, but numerous smaller roads branched off at regular intervals. Not just simple dirt tracks, but paved secondary roads.
"Where do all these roads lead?" Xiu asked curiously.
"Towns, mostly," Professor Oak replied, eyes on the road. "Villages, farming communities, resource extraction sites. The arteries of the region." He elaborated, "A major city like Viridian can't sustain itself in isolation. It needs agricultural products – vegetables, fruits, grains from the surrounding towns. Industrial raw materials – timber, ore, minerals – processed further out. These roads," he gestured towards a passing turn-off sign indicating a small farming collective, "are the lifelines, connecting the urban center to its rural support network."
"Who maintains them?" Xiu wondered aloud. "The towns themselves?"
"Primarily the regional Alliance government," Oak clarified. "Funded largely by taxes levied on the major cities like Viridian, Saffron, Celadon… The cities need the resources, so they pay for the infrastructure that delivers them."
Xiu also noted the traffic patterns. The highway wasn't empty, but it wasn't congested either, at least not out here. Most vehicles were large trucks, hauling goods. Private cars were relatively scarce. Occasional shuttle buses, similar to the one he'd taken from the park, passed by, likely connecting the smaller towns to the city.
'This world… it's not just the few key locations shown on a game map, he realized again. It's a complex, interconnected society, with layers of life and commerce happening just off the main path.'
They encountered no trouble along the way – no wild Pokémon attacks, no roadblocks, just smooth driving. However, as they neared Viridian City after nearly three hours, their speed inevitably slowed. The highway ahead became thick with traffic, mostly commercial trucks converging towards the city's entrance checkpoints.
"So many vehicles…" Xiu murmured, staring at the slow-moving queue stretching ahead, a familiar sense of urban congestion settling over him, stirring faint, unpleasant memories of traffic jams from his past life.
"What did you expect?" Oak commented dryly. "Dozens of towns and villages like Pallet, all funneling goods and people towards Viridian City through this single main road." Xiu glanced at the truck drivers in the adjacent lanes; none seemed particularly agitated, just resigned, clearly accustomed to the daily crawl into the city.
It took a considerable amount of time to inch through the checkpoint and finally enter the suburban sprawl of Viridian City proper. Once inside the city limits, the traffic dispersed onto various local roads, and their progress became much smoother again. Interestingly, even here, on the city streets themselves, private cars seemed relatively uncommon compared to buses, delivery vehicles, and pedestrian traffic.
"We'll head towards the city center," Oak announced as they drove through increasingly developed neighborhoods. "The Pokémon Center is located there. We'll get checked in first, settle our luggage, then perhaps explore a bit before the event begins tomorrow."
"Hmm~" Xiu replied noncommittally, his attention focused intently on the streetscape outside the window.
Professor Oak noticed Xiu's quiet absorption, assuming he was simply fascinated by the sights of a new, large city. He didn't press for conversation.
But Oak misunderstood Xiu's focus. Having lived and died in a sprawling metropolis in his previous life, the steel forest held little attraction for him. Towering buildings, bustling crowds… it felt mundane, almost suffocating. Instead, Xiu was observing out of habit, comparing the cities from both lives.
Viridian City's development… feels… uneven. It lacked the cohesive planning, the sheer scale and density associated with major urban centers from his past. Certain districts looked modern, prosperous, while others seemed older, less developed.
Overall, it felt comparable in size and perhaps economic level to Fuchsia City. As they drove further towards the designated city center, however, the architecture became grander, the streets cleaner, the shops more upscale, finally aligning more closely with Xiu's preconceived image of a major Kanto hub.
"The Pokémon Center is just ahead," Oak indicated, turning onto a wide plaza bustling with people and parked vehicles. "We're staying there for the duration of the event."
The Viridian City Pokémon Center dominated the southern side of the plaza. It was a large, multi-story building, undeniably impressive in scale compared to smaller town facilities. Yet, its architectural style felt… unremarkable. Functional, perhaps slightly dated, lacking the unique regional character of the Fuchsia City Center or the sleek modernity of the Certification Center. It didn't leave a strong first impression.
As Professor Oak parked the truck, Xiu quickly retrieved a simple face mask from his backpack and put it on. He also removed the borrowed Institute lab coat he sometimes wore over his casual clothes, stuffing it into his pack. Blending in, maintaining a lower profile, felt prudent in a new city.
They walked towards the main entrance. The entire ground floor facade was composed of large glass panels, offering a clear view of the lobby inside. Polished gold-plated stripes vertically bisected the glass, marking the location of the automatic sliding doors.
Stepping inside, Xiu scanned the lobby. Light yellow walls, comfortable seating areas lining the sides, the main reception counter prominently situated in the center. Staircases on either side led up to the second floor, which overlooked the lobby from a fenced balcony.
He spotted a structural map displayed near the entrance. Layout is quite different from Fuchsia's Pokémon Center. The battle arenas, according to the map, were located behind the main hall, not adjacent to it. Signs indicated other facilities – restaurants, shops, conference rooms – located off the main lobby or on upper floors.
Professor Oak walked confidently towards the front desk, calling back to Xiu without turning, "Get your ID ready."
Xiu retrieved his new identification card and followed Oak to the counter.
"Checking in," Oak stated simply to the young woman staffing the reception desk. She wore a standard Pokémon Center staff uniform, not the distinct pink attire of a Nurse Joy. He placed his own ID card – looking surprisingly worn, almost ancient – onto the counter. Xiu placed his own card beside it. "Two guests, two single rooms."
The receptionist picked up Oak's ID first, glanced at the name and photo, and froze. Her standard professional smile faltered, becoming stiff, halfway between awe and panic. She looked up at Oak, then back at the ID, then back at Oak again, her eyes wide.
She quickly recovered her composure, though her voice trembled slightly. "Professor Oak! Welcome! Please, sir, remove your mask briefly so we may verify your identity."
Oak obliged, pulling down his own travel mask momentarily. The receptionist stared, clearly starstruck, her face flushing slightly with excitement. Seeing her idol. Yet, despite her obvious fangirling, her professionalism held. She quickly completed the check-in process for Oak, handling his ancient ID card with almost reverent care, then handed it back with both hands, bowing her head slightly. "All set, Professor!"
"Thank you, young lady," Oak replied with a gentle, scholarly smile, retrieving his card.
Xiu watched the exchange, slightly speechless. He knew Oak was famous, but witnessing the effect firsthand… this level of celebrity worship… He placed his own ID card forward again, tapping it lightly on the counter. "Excuse me?"
"Oh! So sorry!" The receptionist finally seemed to remember Xiu existed. She flashed him an apologetic smile, took his ID, and quickly processed his check-in.
Two key cards, programmed with room numbers, slid out of the terminal. Xiu took them both, handing one to Oak, and gathered their luggage as they headed towards the elevators.
"Professor," Xiu commented dryly as the elevator doors closed, "you certainly have a devoted following. You can even meet fans just by checking into a hotel."
"Hmph," Oak grunted, his earlier pleasant facade dropping now that they were alone again. He looked genuinely annoyed. "It's all just a 'false reputation'," he muttered dismissively, echoing Xiu's earlier pragmatic assessment of fame. "Stirred up by people with agendas. Just adds unnecessary trouble…" He sighed. "You see now why I prefer the Institute?"
Xiu thought about it. Oak's fame, his reputation… it clearly wasn't something he enjoyed or cultivated. It felt like a burden, a constraint. Perhaps that explained his sometimes eccentric behavior, his preference for isolation.
Another layer to the Oak enigma.