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INFO: Go to my Pokémon forum or my FanFiction profile for updates on my Pokémon stories.
II
Four days earlier...
"Hipp," a voice called out, "Hipp, you there?"
Hipp broke her concentration and turned around, it was Petri with a smile stretching across her face, "Going to have a busy day today, please don't doze off this time."
Hipp nodded, "Okay, Petri."
The two Audinos gazed into each others eyes, glistening from the florescent lighting of the Pokémon Center. Hipp took Petri by the hand and asked, "So how are you doing today, Petri?"
"Good, Hipp," she replied, "so far no serious cases for three days straight, today's a good day."
"And a good week." Hipp added.
Petri smiled, "Yeah, friend. Who knows, we might have more free time today."
As far as Hipp could remember, she knew Petri since they were born. They both went to medical school together and learned all they could to become Pokémon doctors. By sheer accident, the two developed "feelings" with each other the moment they first met. They try to fight it at first, they knew it wasn't right, since they were both female and public opinion was shaky on the idea of this kind of relationship. Hipp knew it was a medical condition, once considered a mental disease. Maybe still was. Despite these challenges, the two eventually fell in love, and the night before graduation was so spectacular Hipp get warm fuzzy feelings each time she thought back at it.
How messed up that was. Hipp thought with a smile.
The two kept it a secret as best as they could, the other Audinos weren't aware of the true nature of their relationship. Their cover was that they were sisters, which was almost true, since they were both distant relatives. Sharing a great-grandparent, or was that a great-great grandparent? Hipp wasn't sure. Audinos can read the vital signs of Pokémon, tell what they're feeling and such. So Hipp and Petri trained themselves to love as sisters, instead of partners. So far the cover worked, the other Audinos were none the wiser, but one had suspicions about their relationship. Femur, a fellow co-worker and close friend, caught them on occasion hugging each other and holding hands in an "unusual" way. If he already figured that Hipp and Petri were gay, he hadn't said anything about it. Rumors spread so fast in a Pokémon Center that the record time of exposing a secret was 5 seconds.
"Maybe we should ask for a vacation," Hipp said, "get away from it all for a while."
"Nurse Joy can't understand a word we say and you know it."
"Petri, we're both are masters at charades, I think we can pull it off."
Petri sighed, "Okay, so if we got permission, where would we go? The park's too open, and town's just too compact. Nowhere we could go without being ourselves," then she added, "We're still young, Hipp, I don't wanna wait till retirement."
"Me neither, but you know how it is."
The room went silent.
"Okay," said Petri, "but let me pick out where to go. I know Nimbasa City like the back of my hand and I know all the places where people and Pokémon alike don't wander to. We would have all the time in the world."
"And we all have sensitive ears." said a voice.
Hipp and Petri jumped, Femur stood at the door leaning against the frame, "You know we get paid for our services? Nurse Joy don't want us to know, but I know where the money goes. I can go to the Bank of Nimbasa and get your account information. I was there when Nurse Joy made it, played dumb so she wouldn't suspect anything. If you go on vacation, you got yourself some cash to spend on food and such."
"How long were you standing there?" Hipp asked, still in shock.
"Just now," said Femur, "Gals, if you want a vacation so badly, you can just ask Nurse Joy. You built up a lot of vacation time. Sooner or later you wanna call it in, and now is the best time to do it. This week's going slow, not too many Pokémon are going to get hurt this month."
Hipp and Petri just stared at him.
"Look," said Femur, "the others are wondering what's eating you, but they haven't brought it up because your feeling are periodic. Usually in a cycle, a predictable one. I never question what you two do while you're alone, but I can tell what's really going on when you aren't," then he dropped the bomb, "I'd taken classes about romance during medical school, how love works and all that. I can tell when someone's hiding it. The other Audinos, and even Nurse Joy, can't see it. But to me, you're literally radiating love like a superheated furnace."
Femur peaked into the hallway to see if anyone's out there listening, then turned back to Hipp and Petri, "I know you two aren't really sisters, you're just using that excuse to cover the real thing."
Petri and Hipp gasped, caught with their pants down and their thumbs up their asses.
"H-How long did you know?" Hipp stammered.
"Since the day I first met you too."
Petri gripped her head and glanced out the window, "We're blown! We're blown! We're blown! It's over!"
So Femur did know what was up, longer than Hipp and Petri thought. She felt like was caught in the open, exposed in the spotlight. Hipp felt her heart breaking up inside, the impending embarrassment was getting in.
"Did you tell anyone?" Hipp asked.
"No," said Femur, "Why should I? If everyone here had taken those love classes in medical school, they would've figured it out by now. Look, I know you're scared in all but it ain't something to be ashamed about. I'm your friend, and friends help each other. Besides, having such a burden bottled up inside would hinder your performance. So far I'm seeing no sign of that, but I'm coming to you now because you two got to that point where you can't bear to hide it anymore. Your hearts are screaming it so loud, I can hear it at the other side of the Pokémon Center."
Petri turned to Femur, "What should we do?"
"What do you want to do?"
Hipp and Petri looked at each other, both no longer sure of their reputation. Femur knew all this time, but kept it to himself, and still would keep it to himself. They both got off lucky, for now. If Femur was true to his word, then he might cover for them. If word does got out about their relationship, Femur might do his best to limit whatever damage was done. Nurse Joy would be in the dark, she would know nothing for some time. If at best, Nurse Joy should know about it before the other Audinos do.
With that thought in mind, they turned to Femur, "What would Nurse Joy do if she found out?"
"I don't know," said Femur, "whatever it is I don't think she would scold you two or anything. Remember, I'm here for you. I'll help you guys no matter what."
Hipp and Petri gave Femur a big hug, "Thank you!" they cried in unison, "I knew I could trust you!"
"Tonight," said Femur, "go somewhere in the Pokémon Center and have your privacy. Somewhere where nobody would pass by to get a glass of water or go to the bathroom. You two deserved it," just before Femur left, he added, "I'll make a distraction, one that doesn't disturb you guys but sure keep the others busy."
As Femur left the room, Hipp and Petri looked at each other. Big smiles stretching across their faces. Looks like tonight, they'll have a personal party. They giggled at the thought.
TO BE CONTINUED...