Heading just north past some fountains, you came to the PokeCentre soon enough, which'd make this your first time using one, you just realised. You found the inside of the local hospital a little cramped, as it also shared space with the town's PokeMart, but the place was admittedly more modern than the Miltank barns where you usually saw Pokemon getting healed out in the country.
With the blinking of the machine your weary Pokémon were healed back to full, and after you received back their PokeBalls you naturally stopped over at the local Mart to peruse.
Total PokeDollars: $30.00
[ ] Poke Ball $2.00 (Your Bag: x2)
[ ] Potion $1.00 (Your Bag: x6)
[ ] Antidote $1.00 (Your Bag: x3)
[ ] Paralyse Heal $2.00 (Your Bag: x3)
[ ] Awakening $2.00 (Your bag: x3)
[ ] Don't buy.
Afterwards, you took a little tour of Hearthome City before meeting back with Cynthia. There were several distinctive sights, like the looming white spires of the city cathedral, its highest point almost in the shape of the nearby Mt. Coronet's peak. According to a sign near the front of the building, it had been built partly as homage to and cultural exchange with several other Regions around the globe. For instance, two of its stained glass windows had designs reminiscent of nearby Almia and Kanto, but walking around you could see decorations based on further away, like Galar, Kalos, and Raido.
Then there was a small library, a sign saying the place had collected tales from around the Hearthome region. You recalled a similar, and even smaller, place like it back in Solaceon, which mostly had books talking about the Towers and the Ruins, there not being much else around, and some scribblings about the Unown, a Pokemon which dwelt within. That instantly made you think about some of the wild things you'd heard about the Unown, how they could bend reality and spirit people away, but any you'd encountered had surprisingly been quite weak and harmless.
Right next to the Hearthome Library was what looked to be one of these new Internet cafes, probably the first in Sinnoh you thought, or at least the first outside Jubilife. There was a strawberry blonde girl just younger than you sitting transfixed to one of the computers there... with what looked like an Eevee tail poking out of her backpack.
After that was, er, a closed archway at the very north end of town, saying it was going to be the site of the up-and-coming 'Amity Square', a place for walking around with and showing off cute Pokemon. You supposed that made sense, Sinnoh's terrain being notoriously treacherous, so giving less hardy Pokemon their own stomping grounds was a positive development.
"Feh, this place is just 'cause they wanna soften Hearthome's image," a voice next to you suddenly said. You turned around to see a greasy, spiky-haired girl wearing a white, checkered jumpsuit, and holding a helmet under her arm.
"Oh hey, sorry 'bout that, forgot ta introduce myself," she then said, her expression abruptly brightening as she gave a thumbs up "Name's Dusty, I'm the Gym Leader here in Hearthome, although," her bright expression sighed "I'm kinda wonderin' if this town and me have grown apart. Used to be rougher and wilder here... but forget about me, I'm just whinin' when I'm not even that old" she smiled back at you.
"Yeah, Evelyn is it? Cool, Gym's to the East if you're interested, and you can find me performing in the Cool Contests at our Hall here" Dusty went on, gesturing at the nearby looming Contest Hall, which possibly rivalled the cathedral in size "And I like ta train out on Route 208 by speedin' down the mountain sides, got my start as a delivery girl after all. Well, hope ta see ya!" she cheerily waved goodbye for now as she dashed off.
Passing 'round by this Gym of hers, you then completed your own circuit around Hearthome, walking up to what looked to be a Hotel, after all trainers needed their rest too, next to a 'Pokémon Fan Club'. A pretty crowded place too, from what you could see inside the windows, and from the wealthy look of some of the members, you wondered if these were the same people funding Amity Square's construction.
That left you right back where you started, at the PokeCentre with Cynthia heading your way.
"So then, Evelyn, you up for a battle? I know I am," she smirked "Since Solaceon really, but I'm no Trainer to battle someo0ne at a disadvantage", she then grabbed and was about to throw her first Ball. Chimchar or Gible you thought, till it occurred to you that Cynthia could've easily caught another by now.
[ ] Send out Foster the Turtwig, your first and signature.
[ ] Send out Saarinen the Starly, she'd performed quite well against that Admin.
[ ] Send out Gehry the Ralts, Psychic and Fairy sure was a combination.
[ ] Send out Barma the Alolan Vulpix, a different form might take her off-guard.
(QM's Note: Had someone different than Fantina as, while she's arguably old enough that she could still be a Gym Leader a decade earlier, it's more likely she'd be back overseas and focusing on contest at this stage in her life, and Dusty was inspired by how Hearthome's RL counterpart is known for drift-racing.)
