Chapter 25 – Crystal
Jirachi looked up past me, and I turned to the speaker. To my slight surprise, it was a Froslass, with a purple head that was mostly covered by a helmet of ice, two horns made of ice, and had two yellow and blue eyes. Dangling from the floating head was a limp protrusion resembling a dress, with a red stripe around it and two flaps in the back. Also dangling from either side of the head were two flat, blue and white arms.
The Froslass watched us for a moment longer, then floated closer. "It looks like your friend is cold." The telepathic voice was feminine.
I resisted the urge to ask exactly how that conclusion was reached and instead nodded, turning my head back to Kaden. "How can we help him? There's nowhere warm for miles."
The Froslass lowered toward the ground and reached her arms toward Kaden, as Jirachi and I stepped back to watch in confusion, wondering what she was going to do. She slipped her arms underneath him and then, to our surprise, lifted him into the air effortlessly.
Jirachi and I stared as the Froslass began to carry Kaden away through the trees, calling back to us. "Follow me." Glancing at Jirachi, who shrugged, I started to float after her. Jirachi followed behind me.
Soon we arrived at a small building. It was a cottage, similar to the one on Iron Island, with a few windows that were blocked on the outside by snow. As she approached the front door, the Froslass glanced upward. "It's going to snow soon."
Then she disappeared inside, taking Kaden with her, and Jirachi and I entered a few seconds later.
Once inside, I looked around in surprise. The walls were stark white, and the room was filled with small white beds, most of which were unoccupied. I only saw one that was being used, with a small black and red creature apparently sleeping in it. Only its head was visible, with a small shiny yellow object in its forehead, and one red ear, larger than the other, which was black. I recognized it as a Sneasel, a Pokemon that lives in snowy regions.
The Froslass who had brought us here placed Kaden in one of the beds, then went over to the one containing the Sneasel and took a small brown object lying on top of it before turning toward the other end of the room.
Behind me, Jirachi asked, "What now?"
I turned to see him looking around the room confusedly, like I was. Shrugging, I replied. "I don't know. What is this place?"
Then I heard the Froslass speak in my mind from about midway across the room, and I realized that she must have overheard us. "Sorry, I forgot. My name is Crystal, and this is my hospital."
Turning, I saw Crystal floating in the middle of the room and watching us. I realized that that was what this place was: a hospital. "Your hospital?"
She nodded and turned away. "Yes, I take care of sick Pokemon here. Your friend fits that description now, unfortunately."
I understood that she was talking about Kaden. "He's sick? How?"
Crystal continued to move toward the other side of the room, and I saw that there was a wooden door there. "Just a cold. He'll be fine in a few days."
Behind me, Jirachi exploded, floating forward. "A few days?! We don't have that long!" I moved backward in surprise at the outburst.
Crystal stopped and turned, studying us. "Who are you?"
Jirachi responded. "I'm Jirachi, he's Kaden, and she's Avari," he said, pointing at himself, then Kaden, and finally me.
"It's nice to meet you. But why is it that you cannot wait for a few days?"
Jirachi settled back to the floor, and I noticed that he seemed to droop all of a sudden. "It's a long story."
Crystal nodded and then turned. "You'll be here for a while, it's snowing now. You can tell me after I get the medicine." With that, she opened the door and vanished into it, closing it a moment later.
I floated to Jirachi and sat on the floor next to him. "We can't help it if he's sick."
Jirachi nodded miserably, then turned to look at me, silently pleading as if I could do something about it. "I only have a week, and I don't want to spend it in here." He gestured vaguely around the room. "Or even just in this area. I want to do something, go somewhere."
I tried to think of something to say, and failed. "I'm sorry."
Jirachi glanced at me, then turned to look at the snow-covered window and sighed. "I'm sorry, too, for being so negative. But I wish we weren't stuck in this situation."
Two words seemed to play over and over in my head. I wish… I wish…
I can grant wishes while I'm awake. My eyes widened as I came to a realization. "Can't you grant your wish?"
Jirachi looked back at me. "No, I can only grant others' wishes."
I thought for a second, then smiled and said, "In that case, I wish Kaden was well again."
Jirachi's expression changed to one of alarm before he began to glow, and my smile disappeared as I thought that I might have done something wrong.