My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

Pokémon Fashion Flash!

To Ari, Scissor Street looked as if all the buildings had been dipped in pots of pastel paints, then decorated with flashing neon signs.
"Why'd we come here?" Ari asked.
"You'll see." Brock smiled.
"There are a lot of beauty parlors," observed Misty. "Isn't Scissor Street also called Breeder's Lane?"
Breeder's Lane. Now it all made sense. Of course Brock would keep up with the latest trends in Pokémon Breeding.
Brock marvelled at every storefront. "Some of the best Pokémon Breeders have shops here."
Misty sprinted to the closest salon advertisement. "How cute! This must be the latest fashion!"
A sign depicted a Koffing and Ekans, all glammed up. Ari had to admit that anybody who could make those Pokémon beautiful and appealing had serious talent... if not in Pokémon Breeding, than certainly photoshop.
They couldn't enter; there wasn't room to swing a Meowth in the crowd outside the advertised salon.
A man projected his voice to the masses. "You won't believe how beautiful a Pokémon can be! Be dazzled by the expert artists here at Salon Roquet!"

Inside Salon Roquet, the two beauticians worked frantically.
"We'll make your Pokémon a pretty-mon!" They boasted.
However, their Pokémon customers seemed quite embarrassed by their over-the-top makeovers, but were swept away by their satisfied Trainers.
Team Rocket's Meowth counted the money Jessie and James had made through their beautician exploits. "You're spending too much on advertising!" He complained. "We're supposed to be doing this for profit, so there's more funding for Operation R!"
"We know what we're doing!" Jessie snapped. "If we hype up this place, we get more customers! Customers who'll empty their wallets for fashionable Pokémon!"
Jessie seethed at Meowth, until another customer walked in, and she fixed a sickeningly sweet smile onto her face. "Welcome to Salon Roquet!"

Brock held little interest in Salon Roquet, and persisted in searching for his intended destination.
"It's there!" He exclaimed, leading Ari and Misty over.
"This is the place you've been looking for?" The salon didn't seem like anything special to Misty. It wasn't as flashy as Salon Roquet.
Brock steeled himself to enter. The shop wasn't as densely packed as Salon Roquet, but the atmosphere was kinder. Collating the two was like comparing the cosy campfire to a searing bonfire.

A young Breeder with teal hair was styling a Chansey. She was dressed nicely but not lavishly; it was a modest look that created an impression of sincerity, like a hospitable neighbor.
Chansey was beaming at her makeover. As Chansey's Trainer left, they called, "Thank you, Suzie!"
The Breeder turned to Brock and friends. "May I help you?"
Brock couldn't believe it; Suzie was Kanto's most accomplished Pokémon Breeder.
"Pinch me," he whispered to Misty.
Misty knew this went beyond Brock's usual infatuation with girls. "Brock, who is this?"
"Su-Su," Brock stammered, internally debating if his own Pokémon Breeding skills afforded him the merit to utter Suzie's name. He couldn't risk besmirching it with his unworthy tongue.
She's staring at you, Brock realised. Stop gawking and say anything. Words. Say words.
Brock had barely opened his mouth when Misty shoved past him. "Isn't that Vulpix the cutest thing?"
Brock blinked. The Vulpix lounging on a nearby chair had initially eluded his attention.
Ari directed her Pokédex at Vulpix. Vulpix, the Fox Pokémon. A Fire-type. Both its fur and tails are alluring. It grows three more tails when it Evolves.
"Don't touch her," Suzie warned.
Misty scooped Vulpix up, only to be charred. Vulpix yawned and returned to her nap.
"She doesn't like being picked up by strangers."
Misty quavered, "Wish I'd k-known that sooner."

Brock finally found his voice. "My name's Brock. Nice to meet you, Suzie. I wanna be a Breeder like you!"
"It's very nice to meet you, Brock-," Suzie began.
"Suzie, I'm begging you to accept me as your pupil!" Brock burst out.
The following confused silence was so thick that a customer entered and nervously backed out before the awkwardness suffocated him.
"I don't have pupils, Brock," Suzie said gently. "Breeding occupies all my time."
"What makes her such a good Breeder?" Ari wondered aloud.
"The sensational Suzie of Scissor Street has won the Pokémon Breeder's Contest for three consecutive years!" Brock gushed. He turned his attention to Suzie's Vulpix. "And Vulpix is one of the hottest supermodels in the world!"