PMD One Wish Chapter 14: Aftermath
"No! Vince, you can't die!" croaked Skyler as Team Grean and Blue stood and sat by Vince, who was laying on the hospital bed. Skyler, Nelson, and Cass were well enough to stand. Claire was too injured to fly and was on a wheelchair. Kelsie was on crutches. They all were wrapped in bandages in various places. Shina was standing with the group as well with bandages around her stomach, where Ace had striked her with his Hyper Beam. The nurse did not appreciate the extreme amount of Pokemon in the room all at once, but understood.
"V-Vince..." Shina stared wide-eyed. The kind Sylveon nurse had told them that they were going to fully recover, but they were unsure about Vince. She stated that Vince would probably die in the next two hours due to wounds and over-usage of aura. The wounds had a chance to heal, but the amount of aura Vince had put into his attack... It was too much. And there was no cure to it.
Skyler recalled her many memories with Vince. She couldn't picture her life without him anymore. The dreary, ominous atmosphere did not help at all.
"That's it, I can't stand anymore of this." She placed her paws on Vince's torso.
"What exactly do you think you're doing!?" The nurse walked in at an inconvienent time.
"I'm transferring some of my aura over to him."
"No! I will not allow this! Not only might you instantly kill Vince, but you yourself might die as well!" Shina turned towards the nurse in a quick manner, giving her a death stare.
"Vince is my friend. If I don't transfer my aura, he will most likely die anyway!"
"But you-"
"Look, I don't care if I die for Vince. He would've done the same for me, and if I don't stop it, he will have."
"...Very well." The nurse looked downward, a shadow casting over her forehead and eyes. "But just know... I won't be held responsible for your deaths..."
"Got it." The aura became visible on Shina's arms as the ran down into the Riolu. Shina winced in pain as she felt some of her life slip away from her. She had to keep silently telling herself that this was to save Vince. She slumped slightly as she lost energy. I guess this is it. Shina thought. I'm going to die. I just hope that Vince doesn't. It's kinda funny, isn't it? Vince gave his life to save me and now I'm giving my life to save him from costing his life to save me.
"Hm?" Vince's hoarse voice gave cheer throughout the hospital room. Shina smiled as she slipped onto the floor, closing her eyes.
"VINCE!" The entire crowded room celebrated. The Sylveon hurried over to Shina, placing her paw against her heart. She waited for a moment before releasing a sigh of relief.
"She'll be out for longer now, but she'll be okay." The crowd cheered even louder. However, their joy abruptly ended when an unexpected figure appeared from the hallway, slowly opening the door.
"Mind if I come in?"
"ACE?" just about everyone shouted in shock. Peering through the now ajar door was the one who was responsible for their conditions. He allowed himself in, revealing his webbed hands bonded by cuffs, the two Bisharp standing behind him, wielding their usual spears.
"Calm down, do not kill me, please. I just want to talk. I admit that I've drifted astray from who I originally was. The organization was originally meant to be a new home for orphans... However, I got obsessed with all the power I possessed. I'm sorry for all the pain I have caused you... and I deserve what I'll get. Visit me in jail sometime if want to talk if they'll let you." The Bisharp pushed him along back through the hallway.
Shina... Forgive me. Enjoy you're new life here. Ace thought as he began to wear a soft smile, closing his eyes. He had been told about what was going to happen to the remainder of the organization. It was getting a new leader, and all of the members who participated in the recent battle would be kicked out. Shina... He was happy for her.
...
"I'm quitting," Vince announced. The room remained as silent as Claire, becoming even more shocked.
"W-What do you mean!?" Skyler cried.
"I'm done with this 'explorer' junk. I almost got all of you killed. I don't want to do anyone anymore harm." After a few moments of not much happening, Cass was the first to act. He jumped onto up Vince's bed and slapped his face with his paw.
"Cass!" shouted Skyler.
"Stop that this instance!" ordered the Sylveon nurse.
"...How do expect... to not do any harm... when every one of us wants to fight along side you? We're all counting on you, Vince! You will only cause more pain if you quit! Listien to me, bro!" Something clicked in Vince. He managed to lift himself up and throw himself to the ground, before falling on his knee and groaning in pain.
"Stop!" the poor Sylveon was about to explode. VinceC slowly rose to both his feet, stumbling a little bit.
"That's it! I'm staying, and I'll take on the next mission right now if I have to!"
"No! Stop! You cannot!" Vince gave the nurse a look that could pierce ten souls.
"My friends are counting on me. I have to make up for endangering their lives, so I will return immediately back to work." The nurse took a step back, putting on a shocked expression. "Agh!" Vince bent over in pain.
"It's okay, really, Vince!" Skyler hastily exclaimed, waving her hands left and right in opposite directions. "We'll just wait until later to take on a mission."
"Gah! That's right!" Skyler remembered. "We didn't complete our task!"
As if on cue, the door opened to reveal two familiar faces: Meganium and Merelda.
"Vince, what may you be doing out of your hospital bed?" Meganium inquired nonchalantly.
"I have to make up for putting them in danger, so I will immediately get back to work."
"Well, okay. As long as you don't overwork yourself to hard."
"Wha-!?" questioned the nurse.
"Calm down, he's a strong Pokemon if I ever knew one. Besides, it's no use trying to stop this boy. Trust me." She turned her green head towards the young Skitty. "Care to explain the situation?"
"Alright, come in now, Andrew, you dummy!" A shy little Surskit passed through the doorway.
"Huh?" Cass sounded confused. The other two members of Team Green were pretty confused as well.
"They found Andrew at the Fallen Shaymin. They had apparently taken him in! What weirdos, huh? I confronted a guild leader about how my mom's been abusive." Wait, what? Merelda had never told Team Green anything about this. Her mom did seem a bit mean and maybe crazy. "Anyway-"
"What's cooking, young'uns!" Alfred appeared over Meganium's head. With everything going on, the explorers had forgotten about his absence. Everyone conscious in the room deadpanned at him.
"Don't interrupt me, dummy," Merelda ordered.
"Respect your elders! It ain't nice to call people names, especially an elder like me!"
"Chill, old geezer." Merelda retorted.
"Wh-WHAT!?" Grandpa Alfred was stunned. He began blabbering and grumbling, but the rest of the room just ignored him.
"Wait, if your mother didn't care, why was the mission worth so much poke?" Skyler questioned.
"Allowance. I'm filthy rich."
"Oh."
"Speaking of which, I left the reward in your mail. Don't forget it, 'kay?"
"Right."
"Listen up," said Meganium. "Oh? Ah, just in time." Alexander the Alakazam entered the room, levitating.
"I hereby... promote Team Green to a two-star team." He announced. Skyler and Cass high-pawed. Vince gave a slight painful grin. "Team Blue... I will give you a shot at the three-star exams."
"Aw yeah!" Nelson pumped a fist in the air.
"Thank you," Kelsie said appreciatively, nodding.
Alexander nervously glanced at Meganium. "You sure this is a good idea?" Meganium nodded. The Alakazam turned his attention back towards Team Green. "Green... I don't agree with this, but... Meganium has ordered me to assign you a three-star mission." Team Green was surprised.
"Wh-What!?" said Cass.
"I'm sorry, but... I give you the task of acquiring an ancient artifact known as the Dimensional Plaque."
Everyone in the room besides Cass gasped. How and why were they supposed to take that? It was in the center of Celestial Forest and belonged to the statue of Arceus himself.
"What are you thinking!?" The nurse screamed at Meganium.
"It is very essential to defeating the Spacial Village." Meganium replied in her usual calm voice.
"How!? As far as we know, it does absolutely nothing! And why so soon after everyone just got injured!?"
Meganium's expression turned into that of pure rage, very uncharacteristic for the normally nonchalant leader. "Don't you dare... QUESTION ME ON THIS!"
After a moment of angry staring, Meganium took a deep breath. "...Sorry. I got carried away. They can take a break before leaving."
"Y-yes ma'am..."
_
Skyler
I felt guilty for doing it, but I couldn't help myself. Cass and Vince were outside the base, and Grandpa Alfred... I don't know what he was doing, and I honestly had no guesses.
I slowly flipped open the book. The first page looked as though it had been smudged and then erased. I carefully turned the pages until something caught my eye. A page that mentioned us. Team Green.
Dear Hilda, It's been going alright. I might have finally discovered a way to find you. I've met a young rescue team. I believe that if I follow them, I'll be all over the region. Maybe, just maybe, I can finally find you. Sorry, but I had to lie to them. I told them that I was looking for Celebi to become young once more. They seem to believe me, and I think they will as long as I keep up this 'crazy old guy from the middle of the forest' act. Please know that I have never given up hope. Signed,
Alfred