Disclaimer: --
A/N: Dragon Master Cohl, everything I have read and seen says that Sneasel doesn't evolve at all. Besides, in G/S/C Karen has a Sneasel, indicating that even if it could, it won't. Cool idea though.
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Where am I? Everything in Karen's vision is completely black. What's happening? Sneasel… I remember… Dragonair whipped her to the wall… I had to protect her…
"Can you hear me?" A woman's voice cuts through the darkness. Karen is confused. "Karen? Can you hear me?" The voice repeats. It is mostly unfamiliar, but something…
Who are you? Where are you? Karen tries to get her voice to work.
"Did you really need to knock her out like that?" the woman's voice says again, this time stern.
"Just a safety precaution." A male says. His voice is deep, and his tone prevents arguing.
Safety precaution… I was lifted into an ambulance… Lance said he would take my pokemon to Nurse Joy… where am I?
"Karen, dear… please… I've waited so long to see you…" the woman's voice cuts into the darkness again. With a lot of effort Karen finally gets her eyes to open. At first it seems like the black simply turned to white. After another minute or so she realizes she is in a hospital room. An older woman, maybe 60-70 years old, is sitting on a chair next to her. She is wearing a black dress with a gray shawl over her shoulders. A simple black hair band holds her silver shoulder-length hair back, giving everyone a great view of her pleasant, smiling face. Looking in another direction, she sees someone else. A man she presumes to be the doctor (mostly by the lab coat) is standing next to her reading a monitor.
"Welcome back dear." The woman says. Her voice, Karen now notices, is light and pleasant. She tries to make the world hold still long enough to get a better look at her surroundings. The woman turns to the doctor. "How long before this stuff wears off?"
"I'd say about another couple of hours. She's pretty strong." The doctor checks her pulse manually, then nods. "She probably won't need to stay more than another day. It was more painful than damaging."
"Who… are you?" Karen manages to get out. The doctor looks at her confused, then understands when he sees Karen has turned her attention back to the woman.
"Karen, this is you're paternal grandmother, Crysta Banes-Oleke. When we tried to call your parents, they refused to have anything to do with helping you." Karen can almost hear the confusion when he says this. "But he gave us the number for his parents. He said that you were 'their problem now'. Whatever that means."
Karen's heart almost stops. Her father's mother! Really? Can it really be true! Karen looks at the woman again. Now that she knows, she can see a bit of resemblance.
"Lance was waiting outside, the poor dear." Karen's grandmother says. "He wanted to come in, but they said 'family only'. He did say to let you know that your pokemon are with Nurse Joy, and you can pick them up when you get out." She smiles at Karen. "So Elwane can still make them, eh?"
"Huh?" Karen manages to get out. Whatever drug they gave her in the ambulance is starting to wear off. Karen is able to seize on what her grandmother just said.
"What do you mean, 'can still make them'? What are you talking about?"
"Pokemon trainers, of course." Crysta says. "About 500 years ago, Elwane was know as the birthplace of the best trainers in the world. A pity that changed."
"But why? What happened?" Karen is intrigued despite her condition. Crysta gently puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Rest now. If you still want, Tom and I will tell you later." At Karen's questioning look, Crysta clarifies. "Tom is my husband. Your grandfather." Crysta takes Karen's hand. Karen looks up and sees tears in her eyes. "I wondered if I would ever get the chance to see you. I'm glad we moved here to Blackthorne last year." Karen starts to feel sleepy. Maybe that drug hasn't worn off as much as she thought.
"They told me you were dead. My mother's parents too…" Crysta frowns.
"Yes, I know about that." She says. "I don't like getting calls at two in the morning just to tell me never to contact my only granddaughter ever again." Crysta shakes her head. "But that is for another time. You rest now. And Karen?"
"Yes?"
"Good job. Your badge case is right on the table next to you. Open it when you get a chance." Crysta nods, then heads to the door. "I'll come back after you've rested a bit." Karen smiles as Crysta leaves her.
"What's in my case?" She says to no one. "I don't think I can look now… maybe after I sleep…" Karen lies back on her pillows and falls asleep.
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-Next day-
Karen wakes up, still in the hospital room. How long have I been asleep? She wonders. She looks around for a clock. Through the window the sun is shining in, giving the room an almost unnatural beauty. Well, at least the hospital rooms here aren't as depressing as in Elwane. Karen looks at the table next to her. Someone put a fresh bouquet of bright red and snow white roses in a small vase. Very carefully Karen sits up.
"How are you feeling?" Karen looks to the door and sees the same doctor from yesterday.
"Much better now, thank you." Karen responds. Then she notices the bag that the doctor is holding.
"From your grandmother. She had to look at the sizes of your clothes to get you new ones. I hope you don't mind. I'm afraid all of our laundry washers are too busy to add your stuff in."
"It's all right." Karen says. She takes the bag and finds she can stand without getting dizzy. Crossing over to the small bathroom she peeks into the bag. I don't believe this…she thinks as she closes the door. She got me underwear too… Karen smiles ruefully as she gets dressed. Why is this so embarrassing?
"Karen dear? You in here?" Crysta's voice can be heard through the door.
"Be there in a minute!" Karen calls. When she finishes dressing she takes a look at herself as best she can with no mirror. The clothes are black; black blouse with black pants. Pretty comfortable, plenty of room to move. She opens the door and comes out with the sneakers and socks in her hands.
"Looks like everything fits." Crysta says. Karen nods.
"You really didn't have to…" she starts to say, but Crysta waves her off.
"Your birthday is next week right?" she asks Karen. Karen looks around for a minute and finds a small calendar on the door to the bathroom. Looking at it she sees that yes, it is indeed close to her birthday.
"Yeah, it is…" She says. "Next Tuesday."
"So think of it as a birthday present." Crysta smiles. The doctor comes in and looks to Crysta.
"You can take her with you now, if you like." He says. Then he turns to Karen. "Take it easy a couple of days before you challenge Victory Road." Karen looks like she will panic.
"But what if I miss the tournament? I still need to get a Rising Badge too!" Karen sits hard on the bed.
"You didn't look, did you?" Crysta smiles. Karen blinks, then remembers what her grandmother said the night before. She grabs her badge case and opens it. Someone put the Rising Badge in there with all the others. Folded up next to it is a piece of paper. Karen opens it.
Hey Karen!
I hope you're all right. I tried to get in to see you, but they told me I would have to wait until you got out. Don't worry, Nurse Joy said she would take care of your pokemon until you were able to get out. But I gotta tell ya, they weren't happy about being left there, although I think they understand. Sneasel is especially sad. I think she is still blaming herself for you being put into the hospital. I tried to convince her otherwise, but I'm not sure I got through.
If you need anything from the store, just go get it. Show them your dex and they will know. You have a 2000 pokebuck credit line there. I know we're supposed to hand you the cash, but circumstances didn't allow it. I hope this is acceptable.
You truly deserve that badge. I hope all you journeys are safe. And good luck in the tournament.
Lance Dragon
Karen stares at the note. She got the badge. But she didn't win. Confused, she looks to her grandmother.
"You showed that you were willing to help your pokemon at the risk of your own well-being." Crysta says smiling. "That takes a very special person. And don't worry about the tournament. You still have two months. So you have plenty of time. Come on now." Crysta takes Karen's hand. "Home cooking. Bet you would like that."
The thought alone almost makes Karen jump for joy. She quickly puts her socks and shoes on. "What about my pokemon? I have to get them." Crysta nods.
"They will get some too. Don't worry." She says. They head down to the Pokemon Center.
-Pokemon Center-
"Karen?" Nurse Joy calls as Karen and Crysta enter. Standing next to the counter is an older man, about the same age as Crysta. He lights up when he sees them come in.
"Crysta dear! And this must be my long-lost granddaughter!"
"Thomas you silly. She isn't lost." Crysta says. Karen smiles as she gets her first look at her grandfather. He is just a bit taller than her father, whereas Crysta is just slightly over 5 feet tall. He too is dressed in black: black pants and shirt with black boots. He is wearing a cape that looks almost exactly like Lance's. She already likes Crysta, and Tom seems to be just as friendly. But then something totally unexpected happens. The doors open and Karen's father marches in.
"You happy mother? I'm here for my non-existent daughter, just like you wanted." He snarls at them. Karen clenches her fist. Joy discretely touches her shoulder. Karen looks at her and sees a tray on the table.
"Your pokemon." Joy says. Karen nods and starts to take the pokeballs. Her father sees it.
"And more of those evil creatures. I hoped my daughter wouldn't be the devil's daughter, but obviously I was wrong." Karen's father is straining not to yell, but the hatred in his voice is obvious. After a moment of glaring at Karen, he turns back to his own parents.
"No one asked you to come." Tom's words are like ice.
"You butt out of this." Karen's father glares at him.
"We never asked you to come Daniel." Crysta's voice is cold and stern. "We simply asked that you give us the papers to officially give us custody. Especially since you obviously don't want her anymore."
Karen's father waves some papers in her face. "THIS WHAT YOU WANT?" he shouts at her. "The hell with all of it. Our new daughter is not going to turn out like this." Karen starts. Her father simply replaced her. She closes her eyes and tries not to explode as her father screams at his parents. Then she does something unexpected. Well, to them anyway. Opening her eyes, she sees her father standing inches away from Crysta. It looks to her like he is only moments away from hitting her.
"You… rotten… sorry… disgraceful… sad… EXCUSE FOR A FATHER!" Karen immediately screams. Her father turns to her surprised. "I feel sorry for that poor girl who is now stuck being your daughter. I hope you will actually treat her right instead of the CONSTANT THREATS, TERRORISM, AND JUST PLAIN CUELTY I HAD TO GO THROUGH! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU EVER AGAIN, AND I'M GLAD YOU DISOWNED ME! I REALLY WISH I COULD SAY I DIDN'T SHARE BLOOD WITH THE LIKES OF YOU!" Karen's demeanor is calm, but the force of every emotion she held in since she was a child burst forth untamed. Daniel stares at his daughter and mutely hands Crysta the papers. Without a word he leaves.
"My goodness…" Crysta says as Tom goes over to Karen. He smiles as Karen tries to calm down.
"Felt good, huh?" He asks. Karen starts to mouth off, but then blinks.
"Actually, yeah, it did." Karen still can't believe what she just did. Crysta comes over to her.
"Why don't we see if we can replace some of that energy." She says. Karen lights up and grabs her pokeballs. Then the group goes to Tom and Crysta's home.
