Edited 9-17-15
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokémon besides for a few of the games.
Chapter Forty Five
Somber. Sandra appeared very…somber for lack of better words.
That was Nathan's first thought when he found her sitting on one of the large armchairs offered in the center's lobby. Her head was bowed, her brown bangs hiding her eyes from view, her hands clasped tightly together and placed upon her lap. Naturally her posture was straight and nothing less than perfect in his eyes, but not now. Now, now she was hunched over, one leg shaking at a constant pace that was completely unlike the Sandra he knew.
Nathan hesitated the barest of moments in whether or not he should actually go over and talk to her, not wanting to impose in case she was thinking about something important, but also did not want to leave her alone. Just as he was about to take a step back and leave her be, Sandra raised her head and caught his eye, blinking slowly as if seeing him for the first time in a long while before offering the weakest smile Nathan had ever seen her give him. It alone made Nathan want to wince in sympathy.
With slow steps Nathan made his way over towards Sandra, trying to think of what he would say to her to make her feel better. With nothing coming to mind, nothing sounding right, he settled for simply sitting in the armchair next to the one that Sandra had claimed, resolved to offer silent comfort at the very least.
Sandra dropped her head again, her leg once again bouncing up and down at a seemingly never ending cycle that quickly became a patter within Nathan's mind, the noise being the only noise in the otherwise silent pokémon center. It was an anxious action, he knew, and not for the first or last time wished he knew what to do to stop it.
Sparing a look at the still lit sign that signaled a more major pokémon healing taking place, Nathan gave in and grimaced, bowing his own head and offering a silent pray for the Growlithe behind those doors.
All they could do now was pray and hope for the best.
Nathan never felt more useless.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Shutting the door, I slumped against it, my exhaustion getting the best of me now that I was back inside my rented room. Forcing my eyes open, I slowly made my way over towards my bed, tugging off my bag, belt, and shoes along the way before collapsing on top of the beds covers, not caring enough to pull them out from underneath me.
Now that I was on the bed, I found myself wide awake. Cursing my cruel mind and body, I laid on my back with my arms and legs sprawled out, giving into the fact that I would not be getting any sleep anytime soon.
Blinking, my eyes slowly getting use to the darkness of my room, my mind wondered back to Growlithe. Thankfully, Joy had been able to heal her with little problem, my work in the forest having helped. While Growlithe would have to wear a splint for her sprained leg for a bit and run the possibility of having another scar for the worst of the gashes, she'd otherwise be fine.
Nonetheless, Joy had wanted to keep her overnight for further observation to make sure none of Growlithe's wounds opened back up unexpectedly during the night. While I could understand her reasoning, I could not help but find myself missing the extra warmth at the end of my bed, or the steady snore-like-breathing Growlithe tended to make while sleeping.
The room was just too silent to sleep.
I gave an aggravated huff and flipped over onto my side, curling into a ball as I forced my eyes shut. My mind, though, just refused to shut down and kept on going through my day, this time moving onto when Officer Jenny had come by to take my statement when I had told Joy just how my Growlithe had come to be so hurt.
Apparently, from the way I had described the two teens responsible for Growlithe's state, I was told they were part of a steadily growing gang-like-group within the city. Officer Jenny had said that while it did not happen often, the group actually preferring to capture wild pokémon, they were not afraid to go after Trainer's pokémon as well if they thought they could get away with it. My pokémon was far from their first victim of such a case, other Trainer's before me having come to the police to complain about their pokémon being attacked or, in worst case scenarios, actually stolen from them.
The police were trying their hardest to stop the group once and for all, but could not seem to catch a break. The few they did catch and bring in for questioning were always gone the next day, having escaped during the night. It had gotten to the point where even the gym leader had to get involved after her gym had been broken into and her prized Miltank almost stolen.
The worst part about it all was that from what the police could tell, the group was made mainly up of younger Trainer's, there only a few known members appearing in their twenty's who were no doubt the ring leaders of the group.
With a promise I would stay safe and tell the police anything else if I remembered it, the Jenny had left with a nod to the Joy.
I honestly felt sorry for the police force; it must be taxing on them to be outmaneuvered by a, given, large group of children again and again. None of the members the police had managed to catch for however short a time never let slip any information, much less important information.
I stayed awake for another hour before my brain finally gave in and let me sleep. With a content sigh, I forgot all of my problems in place for pointless dreams I would no doubt forget come morning. Finally, I could sleep.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Meeting up with Nathan in the lobby the next morning, we greeted Joy before I asked for an update on Growlithe.
"She's doing a lot better," Nurse Joy started with a smile. "Her smaller cuts and scrapes are fully healed, her more serious cuts closed and no longer running the risk of re-opening if treated properly, though I'm sorry to say that the cut on her back will scar." She offered me an apologetic look as I thought back to just which one she meant and gave the smallest of grimaces when said wound came to mind. It had been by far the worst of Growlithe's wounds; I was afraid for her spine when I first saw it, honestly. It was good to hear that that fear was not going to become a reality.
A scar was a small price to pay for the knowledge that Growlithe would be able to walk again.
"You'll need to keep her splint on for at least two weeks to make sure nothing else happens to it, so I'd suggest keeping her within her pokeball, letting her out when she wouldn't have to walk too much," Joy finished.
After thanking her and finding out I could take Growlithe back, I did just that. Clipping her pokeball onto my belt, I once again thanked the Joy before making my way out of the center with Nathan. We had a gym match, after all, and after yesterday, there was no way I was going to lose.
.-.-.-.-.-.
Entering the gym, we went and spoke to the middle-aged woman working the front desk, signing in for my match that was to start in close to ten minutes. Seeing how there was another challenger ahead of me still, their battle having started around twenty minutes ago, Nathan and I waited in the lobby-like room of the gym.
I spent the next ten minutes going over some last minute battle plans in my head, thinking of the different move combinations my selected pokémon could use while in their match. Finally, the Trainer who had been battling against the gym leader walked into the lobby with a pleased grin on her face, the girl looking to be around Nathan's age. She spied us and gave us, or more specifically Nathan, a thumbs up before she exited the gym with a skip.
We had to wait an extra five minutes before the woman at the front counter called my name.
"The gym leader will see you now," she announced with a pleasant smile, pointing out the direction in which I should take.
Thanking her, I ruffled Nathan's hair and gave him a small smile as he offered me a quick 'good luck'.
Time to earn my next badge.
.-.-.-.-.-.
