"What took you so long?" Alfred questions outside the gym gates.
"Yao wanted to wish you luck but you ran out before he could say anything. He asked me to pass that along to you."
"Oh, well, remind me to thank him when I see him again. Come on, next stop, The Pokemon center! Bouffy could do with the TLC."
"Right."
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
"Hello again, did you win?" Nurse Joy asks when she sees the pair walking up to the front desk.
"Nah, But I'll get him next time! But could you take care of Bouffy for me?"
"Of course." The nurse rings for the center Pokemon as Alfred repeats the process from earlier.
"Au-audino?" The Pokemon questions as it arrives.
"Hey, that's an Audino right?" Alfred asks as he watches the Pokemon take the tray for Nurse Joy.
"Take this into clinic 2 please," She says before turning her attention back to Alfred. "Yes, the center has a number of working Pokémon involved in the care of others."
"Cool, this is the first time I've seen one in person!"
"Please feel free to wait while we give your Pokemon the best possible care."
"Thanks."
"Actually," Arthur cuts in "we would like to book a room for the night, if that's possible."
"Not a problem. Let's see here." As Nurse Joy begins tapping away at her computer Alfred looks at over to Arthur questioningly.
"It's getting late, so we might as well stay the night here rather than camping out. We can leave first thing in the morning, then you'll have all day to look for pokemon to catch." Arthur reasons.
"Yeah, guess your right. Oh! I almost forgot, here's Pumpkaboo back." Alfred suddenly remembers as he hands back over the pokeball.
"I was beginning to wonder if you would remember." Arthur smirks as he takes the ball back.
"Okay, we have a double room available of the fourth floor, if that's okay?"
"Yes, that's fine." Arthur answers for them.
"Okay, let me just book you in, cards please." The cards are quickly exchanged and swiped in and returned. "Okay, your room 423, here's your room key."
Nurse Joy adds as she hands over a red and white card key.
"Thank you."
"Thanks! Alright let's go check out our room!"
"The elevator and stairs are just behind the video phones. Have a nice stay." Nurse Joy smiles as they head for their room.
"Wow! This is amazing!" Alfred gawks at the room the moment they step inside. Arthur pushes past him to make his way over to the bed on the right.
"You really haven't been to a city center before have you? This is basic accommodation for centers as big as this." Arthur comments off handedly as he sets his bag down by the bed. Alfred really wonders on what he's been missing out on all this time as he takes in the room.
Two semi large single beds are pushed up against the wall on either side of the room. A large window is in the centre of the far wall between the beds, giving a perfect view of the city outside. The carpet is soft and Alfred suddenly feels bad tracking dirt in on his shoes. At the foot of the right bed is a oak desk and comfortable looking chair, while on the wall beside the door a large T.V screen sits mounted on the wall. Overall the room is sleek, clean, bright and all to inviting. As Arthur moves over to the desk Alfred walks to the second bed on the left and drops his bag to the floor before sitting down. The bed is just as soft and comfortable as it looks, and Alfred can't help but flop back. He closes his eyes and let's out a sigh, relishing the feel of a real bed after a week of camping in avery thin sleeping bag. He opens them again when sound fills the room, turning his head he can see Arthur with a remote, flicking through the T.V channels.
"Anything good on?" Al asks as he sits up.
"Just the usual that Pokemon centers get, news and the first 5 poké stations, nothing too exciting." Arthur says as he flicks the T.V over to a screen showing the status of Bouffalant. "And the notifications page for any Pokemon you have down stairs." He explains at Alfred's puzzled look. The remote lands next to Alfred on the bed as he looks back to the screen.
"Pick whatever you want." He says as he makes for the door.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"To the dining hall, it's on the second floor. I feel like grabbing some dinner and I also need to let my Pokemon out and feed them too."
"Wait, I'll come with you!" Alfred says as he quickly stands.
"Are you sure? Last time you fainted when I let them all out at once." Alfred looks unsure for a second before he nods his head firmly.
"That was 'cause I wasn't expecting it! Besides, I'll never learn to get over my fears by hiding away every time you plan on bringing them out. It's like you said before, it's not fair on the Pokemon that you have to plan letting them out around me." Arthur looks taken aback by this before smiling slightly.
"Seems that battle did some good for you after all." He jokes lightly.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
The dining hall is packed when they arrive. It's early evening and many trainers, both those staying at the center and passing through, have all come in for the free center food.
"Go find a table, I'll get the food."
"Okay." Alfred agrees and turns to search for an available table, it takes a bit of searching but he finally finds one near the far right wall of the hall.
A few minutes later Arthur arrives, carrying two trays, one with two plates of human food, the other stacked with three full bowls of Pokemon food. Alfred quickly stands and takes the human food tray of Arthur's hands and places it on the table as Arthur sets the bowls down on the floor by the tables edge.
Once seated Arthur pulls his 3 pokeballs out and places them on the table.
"Ready?" He asks.
"Go for it." Al replies as confidently as he can.
"Remember, just try to stay calm. They won't hurt you."
"Okay."
"Alright, Pumpkin first." Arthur says this as he reaches for the normal pokeball releasing the Pokemon beside him.
"Pum, Pum?" She questions once out and sees Alfred sitting across from her trainer.
"It's alright dear." Arthur reassures his Pokemon as she floats by his head, keeping her distance, not wanting to scare Alfred.
"You alright?"
"Y-Yeah." Al nods, letting out a shaky breath.
"Okay, next Torch." Arthur says as he picks up the Dusk ball. Alfred distantly remembers wanting to ask about the different pokeballs, but is preoccupied desperately trying not to have a meltdown as the pokeball opens and a Lampent appears.
"La! Lam- ent!" The Pokemon cries as soon as it's out, diving behind Arthur. Sighing Arthur twists in his seat to look at the cowering Pokemon.
"Come on, Torch, it's fine." He tries to reassure as the Pokemon continues to hide, pulling Arthur's cloak over itself. Alfred blinks at that, fear momentarily forgotten.
"What's with it?" He asks tilting his head to try and get a better look.
"Torch here is a bit skittish. Large crowds like in here scare him, plus you fainting on him the other day didn't help." Arthur says as he frowns at Al.
"I didn't mean to scare him." Al mumbles. Arthur shakes his head an picks up the last pokeball, a sleek black and gold ball.
"Hey, is that a Luxury ball?"
"Yes, now here's the last one, Casper. Just, try to stay calm."
"Okay." Al says as he swallows, watching the ball open and reveal the Misdreavus.
"Missss, misdreavvvus." It snickers at seeing Alfred again. Al finds himself torn between giving into his crippling fear he can feel creeping up his body, every instinct of his screaming at his to run, get as far a way as possible. Or feeling oddly insulted at the laughing Pokémon. He decides that feeling insulted is better than giving into running away.
"H-hey!" Al cries as indignantly as he can, choosing to ignore his stutter.
"W-what 're y-you la-aughing at?!"
"Misdre, misdre!" It continues to snicker.
"A-arthuuur!" Alfred whines, hoping for him to help out.
"Ignore him Al, Casper's just messing with you. Now you three behave and eat your food, go." Arthur shoos his Pokemon towards the bowls, which Alfred now notices he had set as far away from him as possible. In fact if he sits back a bit he can't even see them for the table. Letting out another shaky breath Al turns his attention to his own food. But as he eats he can't help but watch the display going on at the other end of the table.
Arthur has already turned away from his Pokemon, eating his own food. But behind him things aren't so calm. Torch is still trying to hide under Arthur's cloak, something else Alfred keeps meaning to ask about, while Pumpkin somehow rolls her eyes and floats down.
"Pummm, ka." Grabbing hold of Torch by the arm, she tugs him out from his hiding place and drags him down to the food, placing him in front of the middle bowl.
"Lam! Lam, pe!" The Pokemon protests at being moved out of hiding.
"Pum, pump-ki!" Pumpkaboo grumbles, floating in front of Lampent and pointing at the food.
"La..." Torch somehow looks teary eyed as he looks back up at Arthur before setting down to eat. Meanwhile through the whole scene Misdreavus happily circles above the pair still snickering.
"Missss, missssdree." Seeming happy that Lampent is now eating Pumpkaboo floats up and smacks Casper on the back of the head.
"Pum, Pum!" It frowns at Casper, pointing to the bowl on Lampent's right. Still laughing, Misdreavus drops down to the bowl and begins to eat. Now satisfied Pumpkin moves down to the last bowl, letting out a quiet sigh as she begins to eat. Looking over the table edge at the trio and back to Arthur, Alfred isn't sure what to say to the display.
Arthur must be some sort of mind reader as he smirks at Al and tells him.
"That's normal for then."
"Oh." Come to think of it, Alfred has always been so afraid of ghosts that he's never really stopped to consider them as, well, Pokemon. Which is silly now that he thinks about it. For as long as he can remember he's seen them as some sort of big scary monster that'll steal you away in the night, something that you can't stop and can't fight. But seeing them like this, he's beginning to realise their just like any other Pokemon. Maybe it wasn't too far fetched of him to think he can get over his fear, maybe he can really do this!
Or so he thought until a Duskull suddenly appeared right in front of his face.
"Nnaaahahaa!" Al screams and curls up into a ball.
"Skull?" The Pokemon questions as it floats closer.
"Oh, dear." Arthur sighs at seeing Alfred break down again.
"Mmmmmhhh." Alfred desperately tries to muffle his cries as he preys the Pokemon will go away. Somewhere above him he can here Arthur talking to someone.
"What's up with him?"
"Sorry about him, he's a little afraid of ghosts."
"But, you have ghost Pokemon right here."
"Yes, trying to get him used to them. Do you mind moving your Duskull? I'm afraid he'll pass out again if it get's any closer."
"Oh, sure. Come on Blake, let's try finding another table."
"Dus? Duskull..."
"Al? It's alright now, they left." Arthur tries to coax him out of his fear full position. "Come on now, you we're doing so well. Ah, Torch! Come now, not you too..." Alfred can hear Arthur sigh as he continues to shake. At the mention of Lampent's antics Al thinks he can imagine the Pokemon trying to hide again. Curious to see for himself, he slowly uncurls and looks up. Sure enough, he can just barely see the ghost Pokemon hiding behind it's trainer. Despite himself Alfred can't help but laugh, who'd have thought it? A ghost Pokemon scared? Of him, of others? It's suddenly to much and Al bursts out laughing.
"Hahahaha! A-a scared ghost! Hahahaha!" Arthur doesn't look to pleased at that but Alfred finds a strange sense of comraderie with Casper as he once again starts snickering along with Alfred's laughter.
"Missss! Mis, mis!"
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Dinner over, once back at their room Alfred checks to see Bouffy's status.
"Oh, Hey, Bouffy's all done. I'm gonna run down and get him."
"Alright." Once he returns to the room he finds Arthur wearing Rapidash patterned pyjamas.
"Pfff, nice PJ's." Al laughs. Up until now Alfred had never seen Arthur's sleep wear as he always changed in his tent. Flushing slightly Arthur turns away and climbs into bed.
"Shut it!" He snaps as he gets settled.
"Alright, alright, I was just messing with you." Changing, Al climbs into his own bed.
"G'night."
"Good night." They bid each other before drifting of into dreamland.
Authors notes: Transitional chapter is transitional but you get to see Arthur's Pokemon. Pumpkin is quite motherly to the others and helps keep them in line. Torch is easily frightened by just about anything and Casper is a little prankster, always messing with anyone and everyone.
special shout out to Cone of Depression for always leaving a review, they make me so happy!
Review please? Till next time, stay awesome!
