A/N: I worked hard to get this chapter out soon to you guys. Here is the conclusion Mareep's illness...hopefully Read on to see how it plays out!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lockdown
Serena didn't think the ferry to Cianwood City could've have gone any slower. Though it was only a day's ride away, it felt like years to Serena. As cliché as that sounded, that's what it really felt like. Serena was leaning over the railing of the ferry and straining her eyes to try to make out any landmass on the horizon which would be Cianwood City. She was so intent that one would think lasers would shoot out of her eyes, but no such thing happened.
The group had gotten the call about Mareep only a few hours after boarding the ferry to Cianwood City. Professor Oak had been frantic in his call and had told them a special transfer for Mareep had been acted. Only in cases of emergencies could a pokeball be transferred to a different location that was not with its trainer. As soon as Serena had heard about Mareep's condition, she had burst into tears.
Ever since then, Serena had been at the same spot on front of the ferry. Her tears had long since stopped, but that was more from a loss of tears to cry than because it was easier. She hadn't eaten or even slept since then. She was up all night. Serena knew in her heart that they were still quite a way from Cianwood City, but she wanted to be the first on off this ferry. Heck, if she could swim there faster, she would've done so.
"Hey, Serena. I brought you a bottled water. You should try to drink something," Misty offered as she came up behind her and extended it toward her side.
"I'm not thirsty, Misty," Serena replied sullenly.
"I know you may not feel thirsty, but I bet your body says differently. I haven't seen you eat, sleep, or drink since yesterday. Not to mention you've been crying. I just don't want you to get dehydrated," Misty told her.
Serena sighed as she saw the logic in Misty's words. The honey blonde-haired girl took the bottled water from Misty's hand before she took off the cap and took a small sip. Serena just as quickly put the cap back on and set it down. She just couldn't bring herself to drink anymore when she was so worried. Misty frowned but didn't say anything because at least Serena had a little bit.
"How's Ash doing?" Serena asked as she finally tore her eyes away from the sea to look at Misty.
"He's doing better, but he still prefers to keep to himself. Brock's been checking on him, but I still think Ash is shaken up from his last meeting with Silver. It must've been worse than we thought," Misty replied.
Serena turned away from Misty back to the ocean. Ash was going to explain what all had gone on between his conversation with Silver at the lighthouse, but they had all been distracted about the news with Mareep. Because of this, Ash had spent most of his time in the cabin. He'd only been out once to come to the front where Serena was and check on her. Unlike Serena, Ash was still eating and drinking and appeared more in thought than distress. Whatever went on had to be placed in the back of their heads for now, though.
"I just checked with the captain. He said it should only be another hour before we reach Cianwood City," Misty consoled in an effort to make Serena feel better, but it had the opposite effect.
"That's sixty minutes too long. I need to be there now!" Serena cried.
"Oh, I know this is scary for you, Serena. It is for all of us. We just want you to keep a level head about this and not get sick because you're stressing yourself so much," Misty said worriedly.
"I know, Misty. Still, why did this have to happen when we were so close to getting there? Had we gotten there sooner, Mareep would be stable and in good condition for the surgery. It's like this happened on purpose! It's not fair!" Serena choked.
Misty cast her eyes away as she really didn't have an answer for that. This was just some cruel twist of fate that Mareep was in. Now that the critical point had been reached, there was a chance Mareep wouldn't be able to survive the surgery. The doctors would have to be extra delicate when handling Mareep. They were dealing with a genetic disorder, after all.
"Mareep's with the best doctor in Johto right now. If anyone can save Mareep, I'm sure he can," Misty tried even though she didn't personally know the doctor. She just was trying to find something…anything to make Serena feel better.
"Yeah," Serena muttered, not really paying attention to what Misty said.
Misty looked down as she couldn't think of anything else to say. It was clear that words weren't going to make Serena feel any better. Actions and results were the only things that would be of any comfort to Serena, and excellent results at that.
"Just please let us know if you need anything, Serena. We're all her for you," Misty reassured before she went to go back inside her small cabin. Maybe she should check with Brock and see what he says about Ash.
The ferry finally made it to Cianwood City. True to her word, as soon as the ferry parked at the dock and extended the walkway, Serena shot off the boat as fast as she could and made an all out sprint to the Cianwood Hospital. Luckily, the rest of the group had been expecting this so they were just as quick to leave the ferry.
They didn't take time to marvel at how the coastal city looked as they ran. They were in an even bigger hurry than they were the previous day in Olivine City. Brock had read the directions to the Pokemon hospital several times on the guidebook so he could have them memorized by the time they reached Cianwood City. This way, there was no delay in their progress.
The group finally made it to the Cianwood Pokemon Hospital, and Serena hurried ran through the sliding glass doors and almost slipped on the tile due to the sudden change of terrain. Nevertheless, she regained her footing. She immediately ran over to the receptionist who thankfully wasn't busy at the moment. Serena wasted no time in cutting to the chase as soon as she reached the desk.
"Mareep for Serena Gabena! Where is it at?!" Serena asked frantically.
"Oh!" the receptionist gasped and quickly looked at the file since she sensed the urgency of the situation. "It's on the third floor! Room 3A!"
"Thank you!" Serena said hurriedly before she quickly left and sprinted down the hallway until she reached the door to the stairwell.
"Serena! There's an elevator!" Ash pointed out.
"Those take too long!" Serena called back before she threw open the door and began to ascend the stairs.
The group relented to follow her. They were worried for Mareep, too, but Serena was going to suffer from exhaustion if she didn't take a break. She only ended up finishing about half of the bottle of water Misty had given to her and still hadn't eaten anything. Hopefully, there would be some good news one they reached Mareep's room for not only Mareep's sake, but for Serena's sake, as well.
Serena made it to the third floor with Ash, Misty, Brock, and Macy not far behind her. The honey blonde-haired girl continued to run down the hallway and finally made it to the third floor. She tried to wrench open the handle of the door, but to her horror, it was locked.
"No! It can't be locked! I have to see Mareep!" Serena yelled as she tried several more times.
"Serena! Get a hold of yourself!" Ash cried as he wrapped his arms around the girl from behind. "The doctors are in there performing the surgery! You can't go in there while they're working!"
"Ash…I'm just…," Serena whimpered.
"I know, Serena. It'll be okay," Ash soothed as he turned the hysterical girl around to give her a warm embrace.
Serena accepted Ash's hug, but she only felt slightly better. There were a few workers and visitors who passed them by and gave sympathetic looks as they could tell the situation was serious from how Serena had acted seconds ago. Misty, Brock, and Macy stood solemnly as they watched. Finally, after a moment, Brock spoke.
"Serena, I hate to bring this up, but now would be a good time to get something to eat. We're here now, and waiting right outside the door isn't going to get the surgery done any faster. I'm sure the doctor has been alerted you're here and will let you know as soon as he has an update," Brock told her.
"That's right. Something to eat and drink may help calm you down a little," Misty agreed.
Serena knew they were right, but she just wasn't in the mood. The girl then grit her teeth in aggravation when her stomach betrayed her emotions and growled a little bit. Rather than smile at the irony, the rest of the group looked sympathetic. It was hard to laugh when the situation was quite dire.
"Alright. Fine," Serena sighed in resignation.
The group was silent as they at their meal in the cafeteria. They all had their own thoughts going through their mind which made the normally lively bunch quite the opposite. Despite the fact that she was told to eat and that it was the main reason the group was down here, Serena still only picked at her food. She had thankfully taken a few small bites at the urging of the others. Though, Serena didn't want to admit it, the food was making her hunger pains a little better.
"Hmmm…," Serena sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time.
"How is the food, Serena?" Ash tried.
"It's okay," Serena mumbled.
The group went back to silence. They all knew what they were waiting for. It was for any news regarding Mareep. Who could've thought the situation could turn so critical in such a short amount of time? The wait was like torture. How long was that surgery supposed to be anyway?
"Excuse me. Are you Serena Gabena?" a nurse asked as she walked up to them.
"Yes, ma'am," Serena answered as she looked at the nurse. It was clear by Serena's eyes what she hoped the news was.
"Doctor Proctor will meet with you now," the nurse said kindly.
The group glanced at each other for only a moment before they said a quick thank you to the nurse and left their unfinished food behind. They then made the trek back through the hallway and up the stairs until they reached the third floor again. Once they made it down the hallway, they could see a man in a white lab coat who was waiting by the door. He was presumably Dr. Proctor. He was tall and thin with neatly combed brown hair and somewhat thick eyebrows. As soon as the group reached him, he nodded his head.
"Hello. I'm Dr. Ross Proctor," he greeted and extended his hand.
"I'm Serena Gabena," Serena replied as she took the handshake. "And these are my friends: Ash, Brock, Misty, and Macy."
"Hello to you all," Dr. Proctor nodded to them.
So this was the famous Pokemon doctor they had heard so much about? He was supposed to be one of the best in the world. Nurse Joy said herself that he was reliable and could help Mareep. That was, of course, before the situation turned critical. Serena had to know some form of news right now.
"Please tell me Mareep's alright!" Serena said desperately.
The Pokemon doctor was a little startled by Serena's forcefulness, but he knew it was justified. He wanted to tell her that everything was going great and that Mareep was making a full recovery. However, that would be a lie. He told Serena the only thing that he knew in the gentlest way he could.
"Well, we are doing the best we can," he said truthfully, though he hated it.
"Wh-what?" Serena stuttered.
"Unfortunately, now that it's reached the critical stage, we're having to be extra delicate with it. If we make one wrong move, it could be the end. Mareep still has a long way to go. I've been working with Mareep for two hours straight right now, and am just now stopping to tell you our progress. I know it's not what you want to hear, but this is going to take a while," the doctor sighed.
"What's wrong with it?" Brock questioned since Serena's voice died in her throat after hearing the news.
"With the state Mareep is in right now, it's lost all control of its electricity. It's an extreme danger to not only us, but to others, as well. My team and I are having to wear special rubber suits the entire time so we don't get electrocuted," Dr. Proctor explained.
"What does that mean?" Ash wondered this time.
"We've managed to slow the recycling of its electricity a little bit to relieve the pressure on Mareep's body. However, the electricity still returns as soon as it leaves because it refuses to get away. Electric Pokemon are able to control and maintain their electricity to healthy levels. Mareep was born without that capability. Mareep's still in an incredible amount of pain. I've given it some pain killers, but all it does is give Mareep temporary relief and does nothing to help heal it," the doctor continued.
"What will happen to Mareep eventually?" Misty asked.
"If…we don't stop Mareep's electricity flow, the pressure will become too great for it, and its organs will fail. Mareep is in a lot of danger from that happening now. I wish there could be more I could tell you," the Pokemon doctor frowned.
Serena began to cry at that. She was hoping for some sort of good news from the Pokemon doctor, but all she got was a slew of bad news. Serena felt even worse now than she did before. Ash embraced Serena as he looked up at Dr. Proctor.
"Sir, is there any chance Serena can see Mareep, now?" he questioned.
"Oh? Well…she's welcome to, but you may not like what you see," Dr. Proctor warned.
"I have to! I have to at least see it!" Serena cried.
"Very well. Follow me. Just try not to make any sudden movements to avoid startling it," the Pokemon doctor replied as he led them into the room.
The group nodded as they followed him. As they entered, they were prepared for the worst due to how Dr. Proctor was speaking of Mareep. Despite that, it didn't make it any easier for the group when they saw the wool-free Pokemon. It was especially painful for Serena.
If anything, Mareep was being restrained. It was on an operating table and had at least four straps pinning it to the table. Mareep's breathing was very fast and heavy. It was also shuddering violently, but it was hard to tell if Mareep was conscious or not. As soon as Serena saw it, she turned angrily to the doctor.
"You're restraining it?!" she exclaimed.
Dr. Proctor sighed. "Unfortunately, it's the only way we can operate on it. Mareep is too unstable and prone to violent bursts of electricity. I'm sure you've seen it yourself before. If we don't restrain it before it's healed, there's no telling what it would do."
"It's so…cruel," Serena muttered as she began to sob.
"Please try to understand Serena. The doctors aren't doing this because it's cruel. They have to because it's what's best for Mareep right now. They have to keep it still," Brock tried as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We even have to wear special rubber suits the entire time we're in here," Dr. Proctor added. "I'm allowing you to see Mareep now because its electricity has settled down a little bit."
As the group watched Mareep, they could still see sparks of electricity flying from its body, but it was nowhere near as bad as how it was before. Serena tore her eyes away as she couldn't bear to see her Pokemon like that anymore.
At that moment, a few more doctors came into the room wearing the special rubber suits, too. Once they did, Doctor Proctor gave the group an apologetic look, especially towards Serena. The man then went to put his own rubber suit back on which was hanging in the corner of the room.
"I'm very sorry, but we have to get back to the surgery. It's best to due this while Mareep's unconscious. If it wakes up…I don't want you kids in here as it's too dangerous," Dr. Proctor told them.
"I can't stay in here with it?" Serena questioned.
"I can't say I know how you feel, Serena, but I do know that this is the best for both you and Mareep right now. I promise I'll let you know something as soon as we have an update," Dr. Proctor said solemnly.
Serena hung her head in resignation as she knew he was right, deep down. She just wished she could provide some sort of support for Mareep, but she felt completely helpless. The others watched Serena sympathetically. It had to be a terrible feeling for your Pokemon's life to be in danger and not be able to do a thing about it.
Serena slumped out of the room as the others followed her out so Dr. Proctor could continue. One would think Serena would feel a bit better after seeing Mareep, but she felt even worse now. Why did this have to happen? What did Mareep do to deserve this? As soon as the group left, Dr. Proctor closed the door and locked it once again.
Nobody really said anything the next couple of minutes. Brock and Ash went and brought chairs from another room so everyone could at least sit down. Dr. Proctor made it quite clear that this wasn't going to be easy and would take a very long time. They just had to be patient and hope for the best. Macy was the first break the awkward silence.
"Um…excuse me. Now that we've heard some news on how Serena's Mareep is doing, I think I'll go have my gym battle with Chuck. You all don't mind, do you?" she asked quietly.
"Of course not, Macy. Go and win yourself your third badge," Ash tried to smile with Brock and Misty agreeing.
Serena didn't acknowledge Macy's comment. She just continued looking at the floor. Truthfully, it didn't matter if Macy was here or Brock and Misty…even Ash. None of them could heal her Mareep right now. The only way Serena could feel happy now would be once she was told Mareep would pull through. That wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
Macy walked up to Serena and took the girl's hands in her own. This finally forced Serena to look up and see Macy giving her a sincere expression. Despite how Serena was feeling, she couldn't help but feel a little caught off guard by Macy's look. This was the most genuine Serena had seen the snarky, precocious ten year old since she met her.
"For what it's worth, Serena, I really do hope your Mareep pulls through. I'll come back as soon as my battle is done," Macy promised.
"Okay. Thank you, Macy," Serena replied and gave the girl a small smile.
With that, Macy let go of Serena's hands and walked down the hallway until she turned the corner where the elevator was. As the group watched her go, they began to think that maybe they judged Macy a little too soon. Though irritable and aggravating most of the time, she really could be a kind and caring person. She truly did have a love for others and Pokemon and really does want the best for her friends.
The group then went back to silence. Ash kept glancing at Serena from the corner of his eye to see if she would have any reaction, but the girl was stock still. Ash hung his head before he clasped his hands together. He couldn't stand to see his girlfriend like this.
Back in Mareep's room, the poor Pokemon was starting another spell where it had to get rid of the electricity. The worst part was this was becoming the worst yet.
"My goodness…," Dr. Proctor muttered as he had to shield himself from another burst of electricity from Mareep.
The good doctor had only dealt with a few cases like this in the twenty years he had been a Pokemon doctor. Genetic disorders were extremely rare in Pokemon and required special surgery in order to correct it. Still, out of all of them, this one had been the most dangerous to him so far as the other types of Pokemon weren't constantly shooting electricity everywhere. He may have been wearing a special rubber suit, but he could still only be so close due to how bright it was.
A stray bolt of electricity shot from Mareep once again and struck the night stand a few feet away which caused it to fall over. The lamp on the nightstand shattered on impact which caused Dr. Proctor to grimace. This was going to be the most difficult part of the surgery. He was going to have to use the anesthesia on Mareep now to get it back to sleep.
"Are the straps thoroughly in place?" Dr. Proctor asked one of his assistants.
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied.
Mareep then began twitching inside of the straps and crying out in pain. Dr. Proctor's eyes then widened as its twitching began to slow and its breathing began to get shallower. This wasn't good. If Mareep went into shock, their time would be limited.
"Get the anesthesia! I need it now!" Dr. Proctor yelled.
One of his assistants immediately ran to the desk where the shot was and handed it to Dr. Proctor. The doctor hastily removed the cap and had to shield his eyes again as another burst of electricity shot from Mareep.
The electric Pokemon then turned and saw the needle in Dr. Proctor's hands and full on wild mode. It didn't understand the situation and thought they were trying to hurt it. As if it wasn't in enough pain already! It began shooting electricity like mad. It was going all over the room.
"Stop, Mareep! This is going to help you!" Dr. Proctor tried to reason as he went to stick Mareep, but the Pokemon never let up on the electricity. It was struggling very violently and even bit down on one of the straps that was restraining and thrashed its head around.
The good doctor knew he couldn't delay any longer. Even if Mareep was having a constant stream of electricity exploding from its body every second, he had to get it to sleep so they could do the surgery. Ignoring the brightness and the electricity, Dr. Proctor moved in to apply the medicine. It was extremely hard to see because of the brightness, but Dr. Proctor was determined. He was just about to apply it, but he was one second too late.
The strap that Mareep bit had been broken loose from Mareep's thrashing. As soon as that happened, Mareep had enough room to squeeze out of the other straps. Now that its body was more free, it unleashed a stream of electricity which blasted all throughout the room, and utter chaos broke loose.
Dr. Proctor and his assistants were knocked off their feet due to the sudden onslaught of electricity. Mareep leaped off the operating table and slammed right into Pokemon doctor. He caught Mareep and tried to apply the anesthesia once more, but Mareep bit his arm which caused him to yell and drop the shot.
"Please, Mareep! Calm yourself! I'm trying to help you!" Dr. Proctor yelled again, but it was no use.
In Mareep's pain and disorientation, it only saw red. It unleashed a concentrated blast of electricity at the door. It wasn't long before a hole was blown out through the door, and Mareep took off. Dr. Proctor tried to make one last grab for it, but Mareep was too quick, and it soon went out the hole.
Seeing no other option, Dr. Proctor jumped to his feet and stumbled over to the emergency button. He pounded his fist on the button, and sirens began to sound throughout the hospital. Dr. Proctor only hoped he wasn't too late. Mareep's body was overflowing with electricity, and it didn't have much longer.
Brock and Misty had left to get a soda from a nearby vending machine. Ash and Serena were left alone and still sitting by the door that led to Mareep's room. Ash just wished he could say something to Serena that might make her feel better. He began to work his brain. What would Serena say in a time like this? How had she pulled him from the darkness in the past and made him feel better?
"I feel so helpless," Serena mumbled, which caused Ash's eyes to shoot over in her direction. At least she said something now.
"Serena…," Ash trailed
"Ash, you've been in situations like this before. I mean…where you've felt completely helpless. How did you overcome it?" Serena questioned.
Ash couldn't help but agree with what she said. As Ash thought about it, he had been in many situations like that before. He'd felt like that when his mom had been kidnapped by Team Rocket. He felt like that after his aura failed to help him and Riley at New Island. He had felt like that recently when their pokeballs had been stolen by the Murkrow mafia. Most of the times he was down, though, it was Serena who brought back his courage. He had to do the same for her now.
"Well…I…," Ash started as he rubbed the back of his neck.
He wasn't very good at stuff like this. Still, he saw Serena was looking at him expectantly so he had to say something. He would just have to go with whatever came out of his mouth. Hopefully, it would be helpful.
"It's been you this whole time," Ash started which caused Serena to look at him. "I mean…you've always been there to help me when I'm at my lowest. Even when I've pushed you away, you've been there to help me."
Pikachu and Togetic smiled from below on the ground and scampered off to where Misty and Brock were to give Ash and Serena some alone time. They were quite curious to see how this would play out, but they knew when they didn't need to be there.
"I…hate seeing you this way," Ash continued worriedly. "All you've done is just sit there and stew. You haven't eaten or drunken anything at all since yesterday. It's almost as you've given up on Mareep yourself…like there's no hope."
"What?" Serena asked as she widened her eyes.
"Really," Ash said. "I know a thing or two about what it's like to feel hopeless, and you're acting just like me now. The difference here is that Mareep's still alive, and it's getting the best help possible."
"I know," Serena replied as she looked back to the ground. "It's just I'm scared for Mareep."
"That's fine if you're scared," Ash replied as he got up from his seat and stood in front of Serena. "Still, you shouldn't act like this. It's not you. Whatever happened to never give up to the end?"
Serena couldn't help but smile that Ash used his mantra on her again. It had actually been a while since he had last used it now that she thought about it. That was his famous line used when the situation looked bad, but somehow, some way, Ash believed the situation would turn out okay.
"Mareep can pull through this. I know it can," Ash assured. "Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Togetic, your other Pokemon, haven't given up on Mareep so you shouldn't either."
Serena knew Ash was right. Here she was acting completely depressed as if Dr. Proctor had told her Mareep didn't make it. He said there was still a long way to go, but he also said that the first phase of the surgery went by accordingly. As long as nothing terrible happened, Mareep will be just fine. It was with the number one Pokemon doctor in the world right now, or at least the Johto region.
Ash smiled himself when he saw Serena feeling a little bit better. Maybe he wasn't so terrible at this stuff, after all. Though he had no idea what to say at the beginning, his concern for Serena made the correct words come out automatically. It wasn't about thinking about the words one says beforehand when you're trying to comfort someone. One must speak from their heart.
"Thank you, Ash," Serena said as she stood up and embraced him, which Ash returned.
They didn't really care if there were various workers who were walking through the halls at the moment. Serena and Ash were just glad they always had each other in times like this. They really could rely on the other in times of need.
"I'm going to keep believing in the good outcome," Serena told Ash once they released each other. "Thank you for your support Ash, and Brock, and Misty, too."
"You're welcome," Misty replied as she, Brock, Togetic, and Pikachu suddenly appeared behind Serena, and the girl leaped in surprise.
"Aah! How long have you guys been there?!" Serena shrieked.
"Just long enough to tell that Ash made you feel better," Brock answered this time as he took a sip of his soda. "I'm glad to see you look like yourself again."
"Toge!" Togetic agreed as it flew up in Serena's arms, and Serena gave it a hug.
"You're right! I believe Mareep can pull through, too! I'll just keep hoping for the best instead of expecting the worst!" Serena stated before her stomach growled. "And..haha…I guess I really am hungry, after all."
"Well, stay right here. I'll get you a to go box from the cafeteria," Ash offered with a grin, glad to see Serena's appetite was back.
"Thank you, Ash," Serena responded.
The raven-haired boy was just about leave when chaos happened.
There was an explosion from inside the room Mareep was staying in. Everyone jerked their heads in the door's direction and saw there was large, smoking hole in the door. The group didn't even have time to process this before Mareep shot out through the hole, blasting electricity all over the place.
The group, as well as several workers, ducked on the floor to avoid the electricity. Serena looked up just in time to see Mareep screaming and running past her, all the while shooting more electricity. Mareep didn't even spare Serena a glance as it took off down the halls. Several seconds later is when the group heard the alarms go off in the hospital.
"This is an emergency situation! Please lock all doors and…." the speaker began but soon turned to static. Mareep must've fried the third floor system.
"Wh-what's going on?!" Serena cried as she and the others stood up.
The door to Mareep's room burst open, and the group turned in surprise to see Dr. Proctor run out. He was panting and glancing around wildly. He soon saw the group standing in front of them and got a panicked expression on his face.
"Which way did Mareep go?!" he exclaimed.
"What's going on?! What happened?!" Serena cried again.
"Mareep broke loose from its restraints. I tried to calm it down, but it's so unstable and in so much pain it didn't listen. It won't listen to reason at all with the state it's in! We've got to get it before it's too late!" Dr. Proctor said frantically.
Serena's face put on a look of horror. No. This couldn't be happening. Mareep had gotten loose and was now on a rampage throughout the hospital. If she couldn't get it back to Dr. Proctor and save it soon, the worst outcome really would happen. She wasn't about to just sit here, though.
Serena turned and sprinted down the hallway where Mareep went. The group also got alarmed looks as they followed with Dr. Proctor behind them. The alarms continued to sound as they passed by several confused and frightened workers as well as Pokemon. Several were on the floor while some even looked unconscious. Had Mareep zapped them on the way by?
It wasn't long before the group saw a smoking hole in the door that led to the stairwell. It was clear that Mareep wasn't on this floor anymore as the several flashes of electricity had ceased now. Serena threw open the damaged door and entered the stairwell just in time to hear another explosion as well as a scream.
"Dr. Proctor! Mareep won't be able to escape the hospital, right?!" Serena asked in panic as they started down the stairs.
"I hope not! The alarms sounded which automatically locks all the exits here. That hasn't appeared to stop Mareep so far, though!" Dr. Proctor grimaced.
The group soon reached the bottom of the stairs where they saw a Pokemon nurse that actually wasn't a Nurse Joy for a change, on the ground while panting. Dr. Proctor stopped to help the woman to her feet as the group continued on. Outside from the stairwell, they could hear more yelling.
They soon made it out into the first floor hallway, and there more people running in a panic as the escaped Mareep was becoming more known. The group fought their way through the crowd of people as they tried to go in the direction against the crowd as Mareep was likely who they were running away from. It wasn't long before they got into the large lobby, and sure enough, there was Mareep.
Mareep was on the ground in the lobby and was having what looked like a seizure. It was shooting electricity everywhere and was even foaming at the mouth. Some people had crowded around Mareep and were staring in utter astonishment at what was happening. Serena gasped in horror and ran to Mareep, but Brock held her back.
"No, Serena! It's too dangerous!" Brock shouted.
"I have to get to it!" Serena rebutted before an idea came to her. "I've got it! My pokeball!"
Serena fished out her pokeball as quickly as she could and went to return Mareep, but Dr. Proctor soon ran into the room and had his arm outstretched.
"Wait! You can't do that!" he shouted as the group turned in confusion. Once Dr. Proctor reached them he clarified. "If you attempt to return Mareep to its pokeball now, the sudden change in its body structure to energy could kill it. It can't undergo any rapid change!"
"What am I supposed to do then?!" Serena screamed.
"Come with me! Maybe you can talk to it!" Dr. Proctor said as he hurriedly gave Serena a pair of rubber gloves. "I know these aren't much, but they're all I have now!"
At that moment, Mareep's spell seemed to have ended, and it sprang up and ran away from the front doors in the direction it came from. Serena actually stood in front of Mareep in the hope that it would stop upon seeing its trainer, but that wasn't case. Mareep shot a stream of electricity right at Serena.
The girl gasped as she saw the Thunderbolt going towards her, but Ash tackled her to the ground, and Pikachu leaped into the air. The yellow rodent then grimaced as it began to absorb the electricity from Mareep's attack. Once it was finished, it panted and was sweating. Who knew that Mareep's shock could be so powerful?
"You okay, buddy?" Ash asked it.
"Pika," Pikachu panted and gave Ash a thumbs up. It was sweating but otherwise okay.
Serena didn't even wait for anyone to check on her. As soon as Ash let go of her, she pushed herself up from the ground and hastily put on the rubber gloves. There was no telling where Mareep was going to go now, but the Pokemon was her responsibility. There had to be some way to calm down Mareep and get it to listen to her.
"Make a call to Officer Jenny, now, and issue an order to evacuate the sick Pokemon!" Dr. Proctor ordered the receptionist, who was just watching in confusion and shock.
"Oh! Right away!" the receptionist replied as if Dr. Proctor's voice was what set her into motion.
"Where could Mareep have gone now?" Misty asked this time.
"It shouldn't be too hard if we just follow the yells," Ash replied with the obvious.
At that moment, Dr. Proctor's Pokegear rang, and he hurriedly answered it.
"Yes. What is it?" he asked before his eyes widened. "You've lost Mareep! How?! It's shooting electricity all over the place…uh huh…okay. We'll split up!"
As Dr. Proctor put his Pokegear away, he could see the fear in Serena's eyes. It was clear she knew what was going on. He then laid out the game plan.
"Okay. We have several people searching for Mareep right now. I'll stay down here and check the first floor. You all should search for it to. Once you find it, alert me immediately!" Dr. Proctor told them.
The group nodded before they dispersed in different directions. Brock and Misty went off one way in the hall while Ash and Serena went the other way to head back upstairs. As they ran, Ash turned to the side and saw Serena was crying as she ran, and Ash got a guilty expression on his face. He had just finished telling Serena that everything would be okay when Mareep broke out. This truly was the worst case scenario of what had happened with Mareep being lost. Apparently, its electricity had been easy to keep track of, but at the rate Mareep was running, it could probably easily lose someone if it suddenly stopped again.
Ash wanted to tell Serena that it would be okay again, but honestly, he wasn't sure now. He didn't want to fill Serena with empty, flowery words. It wasn't the time for that. When they actually found Mareep, then everything would be okay. However, his previous phrase still applied of never giving up until the end.
It had been about twenty minutes, and the alarms had since stopped even though the group still hadn't found Mareep. All of the sick Pokemon had been evacuated out of the hospital by now to keep them safe and so the workers could look for Mareep. Even though it had only been a short time, each minute felt like an hour to them. That was just one more minute that Mareep was without the treatment it needed as soon as possible. Each minute made Serena and the rest more and more desperate.
By that point, Officer Jenny arrived on the scene and had another policeman with her. She was asking various questions to the workers about where they saw Mareep last and which direction it was heading in. The only thing she had been able to conclude was that Mereep was no longer on the ground or second floor.
The group and a few other workers were checking every vacant room on the third and fourth floors. They were searching every possible space that Mareep could crawl into. It was increasingly worrisome for Serena as they had always been able to find Mareep easily due to the burst of electricity that had been given off. However, the fact was since no more bursts of electricity were being spotted…Serena shook her head. She didn't want to think about that.
"Mareep!" Serena called again as she and Ash were on the fourth floor now.
She hastily went into another vacant room and began searching everywhere from under the bed, to the bathroom, to every tight space, but there was still nothing. She grimaced in aggravation and went to check the next room.
"I don't understand, Ash! Mareep still has to be in this hospital somewhere! It never left!" she exclaimed.
"I don't know," Ash admitted before he looked at Pikachu. "Have you detected Mareep's scent yet, buddy?"
"Piiiiika," Pikachu shook its head sorrowfully.
Serena suddenly stopped running and took a deep breath. Okay. She had to think about this logically. She and the others had searched almost every room in this building twice. There was nothing. Pikachu wasn't even able to detect Mareep's scent on any floor they were. Even though it was impossible, it was as if Mareep wasn't in the hospital at all. There had to be a reason for this.
Serena's eyes then drifted over to another door that they or the other workers hadn't checked yet. It was another stairwell, but it didn't lead back down to the other floors. It led up to the roof. Serena's eyes lit up at the notion. If Mareep had somehow made it to the roof, everything would make sense on why they hadn't found it yet.
"Ash, let's go to the roof," Serena stated as she grabbed Ash's hand to pull him along.
"Wait. Are you sure Mareep could be up there?" Ash questioned as he and Pikachu followed.
"It has to be, Ash! It certainly wouldn't hurt to look!" Serena argued.
Ash nodded as he knew it was the best course of action right now. He wasn't sure if they were allowed up there or not, but this was an emergency. Besides, it was the only place they hadn't checked yet.
They raced up the stairs as quickly as they could. Serena could only hope this was where Mareep was. She was out of options on what could've happened to it. She wasn't sure how it would've gotten up to the roof on its own, but if there was one thing she had learned when it comes to Pokemon, is that a lot of things were possible. Mareep probably could've opened the doors itself in its frenzy.
Serena threw open the door to the roof, and she and Ash glanced around for any sign of the naked Mareep. They weren't greeted by any bursts of electricity or screaming. There was nothing but silence. Serena's heart sank as she almost went back to turn the other direction, but Ash pointed to the left.
"Serena, look!" he shouted.
Serena turned, and sure enough, Mareep was there. It was no longer shooting countless bursts of lightning. There were a just a few bursts of electricity, and it was just lying there, and it was breathing very shallowly. Serena's heart broke at seeing Mareep like that. Nonetheless, she had to get it back to Dr. Proctor now. Serena took a few tentative steps towards it as Ash watched in worry from behind. Since it was an electric type, Pikachu went with Serena as it could tolerate any bursts of electricity Mareep may give off easier.
"Mareep, it's me. I'm here now," Serena told it. Though she was scared, she couldn't show it.
Mareep's eyes floated over to Serena's direction, but other than that, it gave no acknowledgement to her. Serena felt like crying all over again when she saw how much pain showed in Mareep's eyes. She couldn't imagine what it must feel like. It was probably warping all of Mareep's senses and thinking right now. Serena had figure out some way to reach it and not set off another spell…if it even had the strength for another one.
"Please, Mareep. Trust me. Everything will be okay," Serena continued to soothe as she got closer.
Mareep gave a weak cry and winced as a few sparks came from it. Serena wanted nothing more than to run to Mareep and give it a big hug right now. However, she had to resist that urge and instead take this as slowly as possible. It was ironic with how delicate Serena knew she had to be considering Mareep's life was on the line and how limited her time was.
At that moment, Brock, Misty, Togetic, Dr. Proctor, and Officer Jenny arrived on the roof. As soon as they saw Ash and Serena, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"There you guys are," Misty said. "We've been looking all…"
"Hold on," Ash said quietly as he pointed.
The rest of the group turned, and they understood. Mareep had been found, but they had to be as gentle and quiet as possible. One wrong move could end up in a disaster. They silently stood behind Ash and prayed for this to work.
"Mareep, I know it hurts, and you're scared. We all are, but you have to believe me. We're trying to help you," Serena reassured.
Serena slowly stuck out her gloved hand to pick it up. Mareep continued to watch Serena and seemed to be silently pleading for Serena to help it. Mareep didn't have to say anything for Serena to understand what Mareep's eyes were saying…how it truly felt. Mareep wanted it to be saved just as much as the others. It just couldn't handle the pain and the weakness of its body.
"I've got you, Mareep. I won't leave you," Serena promised.
Mareep almost managed a small smile as Serena gently grabbed hold of it. Everyone behind Serena exhaled the breath they had been holding. Now that Serena had finally calmed Mareep down, it seemed like they could finally get it back to Dr. Proctor to perform the surgery. They had to be quick, though.
However, fate had to be cruel sometimes.
Another spell started from Mareep as the largest burst of electricity yet blasted from it. The bolt went sky high as Mareep screamed in pain. Serena herself screamed as she was blasted backwards by the force of the blast. Ash immediately jumped in front of her to catch her, and they both tumbled backwards. Even though Serena was wearing rubber gloves, the lightning still had a lot of force behind it.
"Serena! Are you okay!?" Ash cried frantically.
"I…think so," Serena muttered before she looked in Mareep's direction, and her eyes widened.
Mareep was dashing around on the roof and shooting electricity everywhere. Everyone was shielding their eyes as the effects of the electricity was keeping them from getting close. There was no way they were going to get to Mareep with the state it was in now.
"Mareep! Please! You have to stop!" Serena pleaded, and then she screamed at what happened next.
Mareep didn't have any control of what it was doing as it ran around the roof. It could hardly see. The worst that could've happened did when Mareep got too close to the edge and fell right off the roof.
Serena's instincts to protect Mareep took effect when she tore herself away from Ash and sprinted towards the edge of the roof.
"Serena! Don't!" Ash yelled as Serena did the unthinkable.
She actually dove off the roof after Mareep.
Everybody gasped in shock as they went into action in an instant. Ash immediately released Noctowl, and Brock released Golbat.
"Go! Save Serena and Mareep!" Ash ordered.
The Pokemon were already one step ahead of Ash as they flew to the edge of the roof and took a nose dive straight down. The rest of the group ran to the edge as time seemed to slow down.
Serena was forcing herself to fall faster as tried to get to Mareep in time. They were on a free fall to the ground. The worst part was they weren't very high which left little time. It was still high enough to be fatal, though.
"I've got you, Mareep!" Serena screamed as she wrapped her arms around Mareep protectively.
Serena then looked down and just seemed to realize that she was about to hit the ground and probably be killed. She didn't know about Golbat and Noctowl soaring after her in an effort to save her. Even if she did, they wouldn't get to her in time. Serena was just too far ahead and too close to the ground for them to catch up.
Serena shut her eyes as she believed this to be the end. She was constantly being electrocuted by Mareep, but Serena didn't care. The only thing she could do now was try to cushion Mareep's fall in the hope that it would survive long enough for Dr. Proctor to perform the surgery. If that at least happened, Serena would be happy.
Still, there were so many things she imagined doing with her life. She never got finish her dream. She didn't grow up and live a good life. There was so much she had left to say and do. It looked like she wouldn't get that chance, though. Unless a miracle happened, Serena was about to die once she hit the cement.
Then, a miracle did happen. All of these thoughts and actions seemed to take several minutes, but it had only been several seconds.
A purple glow appeared and was enveloped around Serena. The honey blonde-haired girl opened her eyes as she realized she was no longer falling, but instead she was floating very slowly to the ground. She was only about ten feet up from the ground and was drifting along through the air. The girl blinked a few times in surprise as she wondered what on Earth had happened.
Meanwhile, back on the roof, everyone else was leaning over the edge of the roof, and they were just as surprised. Brock and Misty looked over at Ash and wondered if he had somehow used his aura to help Serena. However, the look of shock on his face said different. Also, when Ash used his aura powers, it was mainly accompanied by a blow glow. This one was purple which could only mean…
"Serena's ESP," Ash mumbled, but not loud enough for Dr. Proctor or Officer Jenny to hear.
"It's a miracle," Officer Jenny muttered.
Serena herself was starting to understand as she neared the ground. She looked up and could see the others high above her as well as Noctowl and Golbat. The two Pokemon had slowed their descent as well and were hovering just above the girl and waiting to catch her in case she started falling again.
Serena then looked at Mareep and saw it had stopped shooting electricity in the air and appeared…peaceful? This was the calmest Serena had seen Mareep in…well…ever. It appeared so docile right now that Serena automatically put her hand over Mareep's heart just to make sure it was alive. Thankfully, it was. Had her ESP done that, as well?
Serena landed softly on the ground as she still held Mareep in her arms, and the purple glow disappeared. She looked around at all the bystanders outside who had seen her fall. All of them were staring at the girl in amazement and appeared completely confused that she wasn't dead right now. Noctowl and Golbat landed soon afterward and cried up to Serena to make sure she was okay.
"Yes. I'm fine. Thank you," Serena muttered before she turned to look at the tranquil Mareep. "Are you safe?"
"Baaaaa…," Mareep cried weakly but in the affirmative.
"That's…good…," Serena replied before she began to feel dizzy.
The girl suddenly realized how tired she was. Everything was spinning. Using her psychic powers to save herself and Mareep took a lot more out of her than she thought. The best thing that sounded right now was sleep. Serena soon fell to the side and fainted. That was okay, though. At least Mareep was safe…
Serena slowly opened her eyes, and she was met with a bright light. The girl instinctively shut her eyes again before she cracked them open again. Then, she slowly opened her eyes a little more to where she was squinting. However, she didn't need to for long as an object came into view which blocked the light in her face. It didn't take Serena too long to figure out that the object was Ash's face.
"Hey, Serena. You're finally awake. I've been here forever," he said.
"Ash?" Serena questioned before she yawned.
Serena then looked around. She was apparently in bed, but where?
"Heh. I'm surprised how tired you are since you've been out yesterday," Ash chuckled.
"Wh-what? Yesterday?" Serena asked.
"Yeah. Don't you remember?" Ash asked.
Serena looked to the side as she recalled the events of yesterday according to Ash. They had arrived at Cianwood City and went to see Mareep at the hospital. However, it had broken loose, and they lost it momentarily only to find it on the roof. It then fell off the roof with her going after it. Serena had thought it was the end for her and Mareep, but her ESP saved her at the last second.
"Ohhh…," Serena muttered.
"Serena, I'm so glad you're safe," Ash breathed as he leaned over and hugged Serena. "I thought you were going to die when you leaped off the hospital roof."
"Sorry," Serena mumbled before she chuckled. "You know, this sounds like something you would do, actually. I can picture you leaping off a roof if that happened to one of your Pokemon."
"Heh. You're right," Ash admitted as he scratched his cheek. "Those roles could've been easily reversed. I guess we're alike afterward so I won't tell you how worried I was and that you shouldn't have done that. I'll just say…I'm glad you're safe, and that we were all lucky."
"Yeah. Thanks, Ash," Serena smiled before she remembered Mareep. "Ash! Mareep! Is it okay!?"
Ash then finally let a smile stretch across his face that almost swallowed it whole. Once Serena saw his expression, her eyes shined with happiness, and her expression grew hopeful. Please let this confirm what she was thinking.
"It's okay, Serena," Ash told her. "We got Mareep back to Dr. Proctor, and it took him a long time, but he was able to finish the surgery. Mareep's been cured! It'll be okay!"
"It..it will?" Serena choked on her own tears, but they were tears of happiness.
A huge wave of relief washed over Serena at those words. The worst was finally over. Mareep was finally cured of its disorder, and it no longer had to feel any pain. It could go on to be a regular Pokemon.
"I'm…I'm so glad," Serena squeaked before she began to cry.
"Would you like to see it?" Ash asked.
"Yes. I would," Serena requested.
Ash then grabbed Serena by the hand and helped Serena stand up. The girl wobbled a bit but was still able to withstand it. Ash steadied her, and together they walked out of the room. As they exited, Serena realized she must be in the Pokemon hospital. Though she wasn't a Pokemon, it was clear they had put her here temporarily after she had fainted.
Once she was outside, she saw Brock, Misty, and Macy sitting not too far away. Once they saw Serena, they immediately rose from their chairs and ran over to her. Togetic flew into its mom's arms and gave it a hug which Serena returned. Pikachu gave her thumbs up with a cry of "Pika!"
"Serena! You're okay!" Macy cried.
"We were worried about you!" Misty added.
"How are you feeling?" Brock asked next.
"I'm okay…just a little tired…and a headache," Serena added the last part as she felt her forehead.
Everyone smiled sympathetically. "Yeah. I guess that's to be expected with everything you went through yesterday," Misty said.
"Where's Mareep at?" Serena immediately asked next.
"It's just down the hall. Dr. Proctor said it was already okay to go see it," Brock said as he led the way.
The group walked along the third floor hall until they reached Mareep's room. The door was shut and Serena placed her hand on the door handle. She then took a deep breath before she turned it and opened the door. Already, as she was opening it, she wasn't greeted with bouts of electricity and mad screaming. That already relieved the girl in itself.
As Serena and the others stepped into the room, they saw the familiar operating table that Mareep was on, and Serena wiped a few tears from her eyes when she saw her Pokemon. It was there, but it was no longer being restrained. It's breathing was soft and deep and no longer fast and shallow. It actually looked peaceful, and Serena had never seen it look like this. That could only mean one thing. The operation really was a success!
"Mareep," Serena sobbed as she went over to it.
Serena's sobs must've woken the Pokemon up. Mareep opened its eyes and cried softly once it saw Serena. It gave her a smile, and it soon found itself in Serena's embrace. As Serena hugged Mareep, she realized this was one of the first times she was ever able to hug it without being shocked. She could finally touch and show affection to Mareep just like her other Pokemon!
"Oh, Mareep. I'm so glad you're okay," Serena cried as Mareep nodded.
The others smiled as they watched the heartwarming scene between Serena and Mareep. They were all glad Mareep would pull through also, but nowhere near as much as Serena. The girl had been a nervous wreck for most of yesterday, and now, everything was fine. Mareep could live a normal life, and its disorder was gone.
"We better let Professor Oak and your mom know, too," Ash told Serena from behind her.
"I will later. Right now, I just want to be with Mareep," Serena answered as she continued to hug it.
The group nodded in understanding. It only made sense that Serena would want to spend a lot of lost time with her Pokemon. It was then the group remembered the other reason they had come to Cianwood City. It was to get Ampharos' antidote. Ash then turned to Macy.
"Hey, Macy. We're going to need to stay in Cianwood City for a few more days so Mareep can recover and so I can win my badge. Since you've already won against the gym leader, will you go in our stead and deliver the antidote to Jasmine back in Olivine City?"
"What? You want me to do it?" Macy questioned.
"Yes. Ampharos needs that medicine as fast as possible. She's really counting on us. Also…," Ash trailed.
Ash knew that if he were to leave right now to go get the antidote and deliver it to Jasmine, he would have to see Silver again. The cold young man would most likely be there, and he and Ash weren't on the best terms right now…not that they ever were. As much as Ash wanted to help Ampharos, he couldn't bring himself to go back to the lighthouse at this moment.
"Umm…yes. I can do that," Macy nodded. "I'll get the antidote there safe and sound! Leave it to me!"
"Great! Thanks, Macy! That helps us out a lot. I'll go with you in just a second so we can go get the antidote. Jasmine should've already explained everything to the pharmacist so he can have it ready," Ash told her.
"Us? Alone?" Macy gushed and placed her hands over her cheeks.
Ash, Serena, Brock, and Misty each gave Macy a weird look and raised their eyebrows. Upon seeing their expressions, Macy let out a girlish giggle and flashed them the peace sign.
"Heehee! I'm just kidding! I know better now, Ash!" Macy laughed.
"Well, it looks like you know the news then, Serena," said a voice from behind the group.
They all turned to see Dr. Proctor standing there. He was leaning casually on the door frame and had a small smile on his face. Once Serena saw the man, she finally walked towards the man and clasped her hands. She then bowed respectfully.
"Dr. Proctor, thank you so much for what you did for Mareep. Thank you so much," Serena said again.
"Of course. I was happy to…oh," Dr. Proctor gasped when Serena leaned forward and hugged him.
The good doctor chuckled softly as he patted the young girl on the back. It warmed his heart to see Serena so happy. This was why he had chosen to be a Pokemon doctor in the first place. He loved Pokemon, and the reward of seeing a trainer's face when their Pokemon was healed was great. It was why the doctor loved his job…even though this one was a little difficult. With everything right with Mareep, there was only one thing left to talk about.
"Now…about the bill…," Dr. Proctor began.
Everyone in the room froze and sweat dropped. Right. Of course. A surgery as serious as this would definitely call for a hefty bill. Even so, that did kind of ruin the moment.
"Eheheheheh. Yes. I'm sure my mom and I will be able to take care of the expenses," Serena grinned sheepishly.
The group was standing by the docks of Cianwood City. The ferry was about to leave to go back to Olivine City, but only one person of the group was leaving. It was Macy. The girl was on the end that the boat was on while the rest of them were standing on the side that led to the city. Macy placed her hands behind her back and bowed to them.
"Thank you for letting me travel with you for a little bit. It's been fun," Macy told them.
"Yeah. It has…mostly, anyway," Ash agreed.
"That's all in the past now," Misty added before she pointed a finger in Macy's direction. "Just make sure to stop knocking on my love for water Pokemon!"
"Right. I will," Macy assured with a nod.
"You take care of yourself now and keep getting more badges," Ash said.
"Yeah! I now have the same number of badges as you, Ash!" Macy shouted. "Just you wait! I'll work to get all the badges before you do, and then I'll see you in the Silver Conference!"
"Haha! I guess that makes us rivals then," Ash grinned.
"It sure does! I respect you, Ash, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try my hardest to beat you! Fire power all the way!" Macy asserted.
"You got it! I'll work hard to beat you, too!" Ash nodded as he and Pikachu gave the girl a thumbs up.
Macy then turned to Serena. It was Serena whom Macy had caused the most trouble for in the time that she was with them. Macy walked up to Serena and held her hand out to the honey blonde-haired girl.
"Thanks, Serena. I'm really glad you're Mareep's okay, now," Macy told her.
"Oh. You're welcome, Macy," Serena said tiredly. For some reason, it seemed like she hadn't gotten over her sleepiness yet, and she still had a headache.
"Also," Macy added, "Thanks for that talk about love, too! I now know what to look for in a guy!"
Ash, Brock, and Misty got confused looks on their faces at that remark. Serena chuckled nervously as she looked back at them. She then shook her head to let them know it was probably best not to ask. She really didn't want to relive that conversation…mainly because of how it ended when Macy had asked her about…
"Well, anyway. I've got to get going! I'll call you guys once I've reached Olivine City and delivered the antidote! You can count on me!" Macy declared with a wink.
The group knew they could trust Macy with this task. Once the antidote had been taken from the pharmacist, Macy had made the point to guard the antidote as if her life depended on it. She had placed the antidote in the side pocket of her backpack and checked it every five minutes to make sure the antidote was still there. Though it was a little overboard, at least she was dedicated.
"Bye, guys! Hope to see you soon!" Macy yelled as she turned around and ran to the ferry.
"See you later, Macy!" Brock called. "I'm glad I have another fan of my cooking!"
"Good luck on the rest of your journey!" Misty added.
"See you at the Silver Conference!" Ash hollered.
"See you…ahhhh," Serena began but had to stop because she yawned again. Ash turned to look at her in confusion.
"Hey, Serena. Are you okay? You've been like that ever since you woke up," Ash observed.
"I'm fine, Ash. I don't feel sick or anything. Just a headache and drowsiness. I think a good night's sleep is all I need," Serena responded.
"Okay. Still, I think we'll get you an aspirin once we get back to the hospital," Ash told her.
"That's fine. Thank you, Ash," Serena nodded and yawned again.
By then, Macy was on ferry. There was a whistle blow to signal that all were on board. The ramp receded back into the ferry, and a few seconds later, it was off.
Macy continued to wave to the group as the ferry got further and further away. Ampharos would definitely get its antidote soon, and everything would be okay. As they group watched Macy go, they set their sights on new goals. Mareep had been cured and just needed to rest and recover for a few days. Afterwards, they could go to the gym and challenge the gym leader, whose name Ash learned was Chuck, and he trained fighting Pokemon.
Ash would soon be ready to earn his fifth badge, and afterwards, he could go back across the ocean and challenge Jasmine for his sixth badge. He was well on his way to getting into the Johto League. Ash clenched his fists in excitement for what was to come and how everything had turned out okay in the end.
"Well, I say we head on back to the Pokemon hospital and get something to eat," Brock suggested as they turned away from the dock.
"Sounds good! I'm starving!" Ash agreed.
"Me, too!" Misty added.
"I bet you're the hungriest out of all of us, Serena! It's you whose eaten the least the past couple of days!" Ash grinned as he turned to her.
"Actually…I think I'll skip supper tonight. I just need to go lay down and sleep," Serena mumbled.
The group frowned disapprovingly at her. They thought now that Mareep was cured that Serena's appetite would be back. Heck! It had been after Ash had talked to her before Mareep broke loose. Now she wasn't hungry again after everything was okay? What was going on?
"Well…okay, Serena. Will you at least eat a little bit?" Ash asked in concern.
"Hmmm…oh. I guess so," Serena replied as she realized they were right.
Serena herself was little confused at what was going on. She should feel hungry again, but she didn't. All she felt was tiredness and a constant headache. Still, this was normal, wasn't it? She had just been through a traumatizing experience and almost died if her ESP hadn't activated in time so it was only natural she was still trying to recuperate from the events. Was her ESP activating to blame for this? If it was, how come she never was like this before after it was used? Also, why did it feel like there was something she wasn't remembering?
*coughHypnopsychicwavescough*
I told you I wasn't going to forget about what happened at Tohjo Falls. The only reason Serena didn't feel this way with her ESP during the Pokemon Hunter saga was because she had some head trauma from Pupitar which suppressed it. Now...there isn't anything like that.
With her ESP acting messed up, it OF COURSE has to affect her and everyone around her. It looks like a call to Yellow and Sabrina are in order.
Still to come:
Ash's gym battle with Chuck
Meeting of two friendly characters whom no one will expect
Some more Pokemon evolving on Serena, Ash, and Misty's end. Yes! Brock's Golbat will evolve soon, too!
The Whirl Cup
Meeting of a different Lugia
Prophecy and Foreshadowing
Meeting with Silver again
Ash's gym battle with Jasmine.
? (yeah; huge spoilers on this one. Sorry)
Serena's egg at Oak's lab hatches! Yes. An explanation will be given on why it's taken so long to hatch!
Thanks for all the reviews and support. See you all next chapter, and as always, have a good one!
Chapter Thirty Eight: Primeape's Prime Time