Chapter 23 – Care

Mistralton City – Pokemon Center – Aqua's POV

The first thing I noticed when I came to was that I was inside a large white rectangular room on a small bed at the corner beside an open window on the left. I turned my head to my right were many beds lined up against the wall with three other Pokemon, some with a bandage or two wrapped around them being treated by a nurse, and one still sleeping. 'Where am I?' I asked myself quietly. Then I moved my paw up to my head to feel a bandage. Then I remembered back when we were at Chargestone Cave when Purrloin's gang attacked. Muk was guiding me and Zack to the exit of the cave to escape Purrloin and her gang. I remember running and then suddenly stopping when a Tailow and a Nidorina ran into us, that was all I could remember. "A Pokemon Center? Sure looks like one." We never have gone to a Pokemon center before; it was usually out there in the wild from treating our wounds, eating, sleeping, so why was I here then? Was I captured? I sat up and searched for Zack. He wasn't beside the bed, neither was he in the room. I assumed the worse had happened and tried to get up. But before I even budged, I noticed something yellow suddenly appear at the bed beside me. It was a Pichu looking at me.

"You okay?" The Pichu asked, leaning forward closer toward me and examined my bandage. "You were talking to yourself. I heard you. Must've been a nasty bump to the head. But don't worry, the nurse here treated your wound and you'll be up and at 'em again in no time."

"N-Nurse?" I said, still confused and anxious about where I was and who this Pichu was.

"Yep, yep! The human nurse called Nurse Joy. She helps every Pokemon who come in here. This is the Pokemon Center after all."

"W-who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry 'bout that, forgetting to tell you my name. I am Pichu, one of five Pokemon owned by my trainer Alex. He won't be back till later on tonight after going on a big date with another trainer. We would've liked to have gone with, but unfortunately the restaurant refuses Pokemon from entering… but look on the bright side, at least I got to meet you and talk to you just as soon as you came to!"

"How did I get here?"

"Oh, that's right you were unconscious when you were brought in here by the white Dewott named Zack. Is he your friend?" Pichu asked as she inched closer towards me waiting patiently for my answer, I nodded my head; throat I had just slowly noticed was dry. "You have been here since yesterday afternoon. Zack brought you in here carrying you in his arms trying to find a nurse to help you and the nurse came surprised that he could speak the language of humans somehow, and the nurses began to treat you."

"So you're finally awake, huh?" I turned my head at the door as I heard a voice call out to us. It was a Vaporeon smiling at us from the doorway, followed by Zack both walking up to the bed; the Vaporeon sitting beside the Pichu, and Zack walking around the other side of the bed to stand beside me.

"Zack!" I called out to him, holding out my paw as he approached and took my paw. I was happy to see he was alright.

"How are you feeling?" Zack asked.

"A little sore at the back of my head." I said after touching the back of my head were my head hit the rock wall. "Feeling a little bit groggy, but in other words; I feel fine. But why are we here, what happened to the others at the cave?"

"After escaping Chargestone Cave I had to find a place to lay low for a while. To get away from Purrloin and her gang as far as possible, but also to treat your wound as soon as possible. I don't know much about treating wounds apart from using Potions and stuff, but the bump at the back of your head… I had to come here to get you looked at, to check if you were alright and nothing too serious had happened. As for the others at the cave, I don't know what happened to them, but I'm pretty sure they're alright." I looked to the otherside of the bed to see Pichu and the Vaporeon still there, that was when Zack introduced them to me, or just the Vaporeon since I already knew what the Pichu was called. "Those two are Pichu and Vaporeon, Pokemon from the same trainer awaiting his return from a date. They know the city and would be happy to help us gather some supplies for the journey."

"As well as help you both with directions." Vaporeon added. "Me and Pichu over here have been travelling with our trainer for quite some time now. Up and down the region like a ball having been dropped from a high place. I'd say we have been travelling for ten months just training, earning badges, and meeting new potential party members. But since you two are on an important journey, I guess asking you to join us on ours would be an obvious 'no', huh?"

"You must be hungry; I'll go and get you something from the nurse." Zack said before walking away from the bed, searching for a nurse inside the room at first, but left when there weren't any in here with us.

"So," Vaporeon began as she leaned up on the bed using her paws, with Pichu sitting on top. "You two are heading to Nuvema Town, correct? Zack told us that was where he might be from. He said he lost his memory?"

"When I found him in Castelia City, he was all cut up and bleeding all over. When he woke up he said he didn't know who he was or where he had come from. But days later he started to remember bits and pieces of his past, including a town he says he knows; Nuvema Town." I said careful not to include Purrloin and her gang in the conversation. "I'm travelling with him while also helping him remember who he was. Also I am helping him by cleaning up his wounds, especially his eye. After all I am the medic of the duo." I chuckled at that last part.

"Wow, that's something. Even more is that you are a medic. Makes me wonder why just Audino's are suited as medics in Pokemon Centers… I'm so jealous." Pichu gasped. "How come you two didn't go through Castelia city the quicker way to Nuvema Town rather than having gone the long way around?"

"Um… t-there were some… complications that I uh…"

"Relax, Aqua. Zack told us yesterday about this Purrloin gal and her gang after you two." Vaporeon said. Something I was surprised at and yet worried, not wanting to advertise about us being wanted by a crazy Purrloin and her gang. "So don't you fret about it, our lips are sealed and we'll just pretend like we have never met you two. No way, never ever seen you two before. Right Pichu?"

"See who again? I don't recall ever seeing a shiny Oshawott and a white Deowtt travelling together." Pichu winked, and the three of us laughed. "I understand how aggressive clans can be when it comes to a Pokemon leaving. I should know since I was once a member of a clan of Pokemon that didn't it when one decided to up and leave. But from what Zack told us yesterday about your ex-gang, they sound far worse than mine. Me and Vaporeon together right after Zack told us about the things this Purrloin gal has done, well we didn't have to know about Purrloin for us to decide we would never ever tell another living soul about you. So we won't be talking about you two to anyone else outside this building to another Pokemon, or this one. Yep, it's all hush, hush from here on out."

"Thanks." I sat back against the pillow, relaxed now that Zack and I would be safe but a little bit worried due to how close we were from Chargestone Cave. "We've been through a lot. But it is difficult walking through the region together without causing a lot of human and Pokemon eyes to stare at us. It'll definitely cause quite the talk around the area and beyond, attracting the attention of Purrloin's gang."

"More reason to pretend like we have never met you and Zack." Pichu smiled. "We'll try to make sure our trainer understands what is going on with this Purrloin gang and also pretend like he hasn't seen you two."

"What about this trainer's other Pokemon?" I asked, curious as to wanting to know what kind of Pokemon he had. "Who are they?"

"Oh, right! There's obviously Pichu and I you have already met. A Bulbasaur, a Ponyta, and finally a Gothitelle. I believe our trainer is trying to go for an all rounder team instead of focusing on just one type. Adding Pokemon to our team with different types, sending others at the PC in reserve ready to face the elite four if we ever get that far. Kind of nervous to be honest about doing that in front of a crowd that big."

"I would've flat out rejected to go out into something like that with so many watching you as well." Pichu nodded her head. "Well, at first I would've, maybe a few years back, but now with my trainer and friends backing me up, I feel as though I am ready to face anything."

"Pichu and I have known each other since the beginning of our trainer's journey." She smiled at Pichu. "We started off kind of rough with one another. Trying to gain the number one spot for our trainer's star Pokemon, arguing with one another over which one of us was the stronger, better Pokemon. Over time, not sure when, our trainer told us that all of us work as a team and that there are no favorite's. But we didn't listen and still tried to earn the spotlight, so one day when our trainer was injured, the two of us while getting him some help fought over the other to be the one to save his life. Then after some talk by one of our Pokemon buddies; a Bulbasaur by the name of Bubba reminded us that we're a team and should work together to help our trainer. So anyway, long story short we set our differences aside and worked together to save our trainer. And before we knew it we became great friends." Vaporeon grinned as she nudged Pichu.

"She may be a pain now and again, but we are inseparable. I couldn't have asked for a better friend. So Aqua, I've been meaning to ask you, is Zack your mate?" She asked me so suddenly, I was stunned by this.

"Umm… no, me and Z-Zack aren't together. We are just friends travelling together." Was all I could say, feeling my cheeks burn slightly.

"Oh, I see." was all Pichu said as she leaned back on the bed. "Well, you should've seen him yesterday and last night, he wouldn't leave your sight. Told us about what you two have been through while watching over you."

"So, do you like him?" Vaporeon suddenly out of the blue asked me, to which I just froze up, feeling my cheeks burn hotter. "C'mon, you can tell us. It's just us females in here. No males here for the moment."

"Uh, there is a male Lucario over there in the corner." Pichu pointed towards to the left corner of the room, a Lucario being treated by an Audino wrapping a bandage around his arm.

"Alright…" Vaporeon sighed and shook her head. "There are no males close to us; it is just you, me, and Pichu here."

"Um… w-well we are friends, good friends. We have been through so much together, uh…" I didn't know how to continue with that. It didn't help that Vaporeon and Pichu were seemingly inching closer the longer I held back on answering them. Then I started to think about that, did I really like him in that way? Even if I did, he might have someone else back home and I didn't want to destroy that. So I just shook my head and told them we were just friends.

"You know, there are things…. Different about him than other Pokemon out there; I have never seen a Dewott like that before. Sure I've seen the common more than the shiny variants, but a white Dewott with black and red eyes? Now that's a rare one. And might I add; a real cutie." Vaporeon giggled. "And he can somehow speak to humans. I mean have a one-on-one conversation with them. And they understand his every word. I wonder how he learnt to do that…"

"You know, from the looks of it, I'm guessing he has seen his share of battles judging by how many scars he has over his body, and that eye patch he wears." Pichu said as she lightly patted her friend's back after sitting beside her. "Didn't you mention something about scars recently, Vaporeon?"

"Hmm… oh yeah, I did say something about scars, now what was it?" She paused for a moment as she lifted up her left paw to look at her own scar. It was a small scar across the middle claw. "Oh yeah! I think it was something along the lines of 'every scar has a story to tell' oh wait- no, I don't think that was how it went. Well it was something to do with scars, not sure what though… ah, this has created quite the conundrum."

"I believe it was 'how scars have a story to tell' thing. Remember what happened in Nimbasa City two years ago after defeating the gym leader there? We met Gastly in an abandoned home waiting for its trainer to come back, but never did since they did over twenty years ago. Our trainer caught It and joined the team, but it had a hard time getting used to being in a team so our trainer got us all together and we talked to Gastly about ourselves, our scars…" Pichu lightly tapped Vaporeon's paw. "and our dreams, then you throughout most of the talk spoke the most about how you got your scar."

"Oh yeah… well anyway from what I was saying about Zack, to help Zack with his memory problem you could help him by his scars?"

"Uh… how does that help?"

"Take a closer look at them, examine them… I don't know, I'm just throwing whatever into the pot." Vaporeon leaned her head on the side of the bed. "I'm just saying maybe he might remember something about them. All of those large scars on his body; you'd think he'd at least get something out of one of them. It could help him remember something."

"Well, we do look at pictures of places around the region he could've gone to." I remembered when me and Zack looked at the map book in Purrloin's hideout for the first time, then not too long he remembered something about Nuvema Town. So maybe he would remember something if he looked at his scars more… maybe, I don't know.

"But right now, instead of working all day, how's about we all take the time off, relax, and enjoy tonight's celebration event?" Vaporeon tilted her head to face to the window at the sudden loud cheers from outside and music which began to play. I looked through the window to see that from outside across the street there were people setting up decorations at the sides of the building.

"Celebration event?" I asked.

"I don't know much about it, only what I could hear from the crowd the other day is that today is a celebration for… something. Not sure what though, but I do hear there will be food, music, and fireworks for everyone in the city tonight."

"So while our trainer is out on a date, all of the Pokemon including us can go outside in the back yard to get ourselves some snacks and watch the celebration from there."

"Man, I'm starving. How about we go grab our own food? Should've asked Zack earlier to get us something… dang it!" Pichu hopped off the bed and stretched.

"Well, I am feeling a little bit hungry. Um… I hate to just up and leave you like this, but uh, do you mind if we leave for a bit to get ourselves some food?"

"Go ahead; I'll be fine until Zack shows up." I nodded.

Both Pichu and Vaporeon got up off the bed and made their way out towards the door. Pichu ran out first, her voice echoed the corridor cheering for some delicious food.

"Oh, by the way Aqua!" Vaporeon stopped at the doorway as she glanced back at me. "Since this celebration is tonight, you should be able to go outside in the back with us if you like. I'm pretty sure it'll be a blast, just like those fireworks we'll see tonight. So get well rested and we'll see. Maybe you'll even get to dance with Zack tonight since there is music playing. Just saying." Vaporeon giggled as she left the room to follow her friend Pichu.

I watched her leave, a little slow on what she meant by that."Dancing?" I asked myself, then I remembered the vision I had not too long ago; I was standing in front of Zack under the stars surrounded by tall bushes. Music began to play and Zack started to dance first and I followed.

My visions weren't set; they could be changed if I wanted them to. If he did have someone he loved back home, I didn't want to destroy anyone's relationship. "We could always just dance for fun… just me and him dancing and enjoying ourselves for this celebration event, that's all it is." I kept asking myself. "He tells me things about himself. Little things like the places he can remember, another city and a few towns being there and the food he remembered eating, foods he asked if I would like to try if we get a chance. He is nice, and I do find him attractive… but he may already have someone…" Then Pichu and Vaporeon's words came to mind, stuff like how he stayed by my side all night, and if I me and him would dance together tonight. I smiled and shook my head. "It's only for fun, nothing more to it."

Pokemon Center – Gardens

This 'Celebration Event' I have been hearing for some time during our stay within the center, all I ever found out about it other than the food, dancing, and fireworks is that the city was celebrating the day legendary Pokemon a couple of hundred of years ago came to this city and helped save the city and its people from an attacking army. So every year the city gather and have fun while they wait for the fireworks, something which is said to signal the end of the assault by the attacking army and when the legendary Pokemon had finally gotten rid of the enemy.

I was allowed outside in the garden of the center, a big enough garden for I'd say twenty Pokemon… or less surrounded by a hedge almost as tall as the Pokemon Center itself.

There were many Pokemon outside with us, most in small to medium sized groups, while others stood to side or beside the food table to eat a selection of tasty looking treats for us to eat. We weren't hungry so we just grabbed a juice box each from the table next to it and walked through the garden, first to get a look at the beautiful flowers they had growing here, and tour the garden.

During the walk we saw Vaporeon and Pichu talking with multiple Pokemon, urging them to dance with them since the music playing loud enough elsewhere provided them with something to dance to. It was a nice change of scenery rather than being out there in some cave or abandoned building for the night anxious at every Pokemon or trainer that had gotten too close. To be here with nice Pokemon and humans, it made everything feel nice, like weights had just been lifted off my shoulders.

Zack and I found this small section in the corner of the garden almost surrounded by bushes as tall as Zack, but it did provide us with the best view of the night sky since the main section of the garden did have a lot of hanging lights and decorations obscuring the view of the fireworks that is to come.

"I wonder how the others are doing; Jolty, Glaceon, little Eevee, even Pellet, Bulbasaur and Phoenix. Do you think they made it?" I asked before taking a small sip from the juice box we got from the table of drinks.

"I think so. With how many of Purrloin's gang outside and within the cave, is a bit too much just to capture us two. It's like everyone was there due to how many that were there." Zack crossed his arms and stared at the ground in deep thought for a moment. "If we do see anyone of them, one of the good Pokemon we'll let them know of Purrloin and her gang searching the area. I wonder how long it'll take for them to give up and go back home?"

"Let's hope it isn't for too long. I would rather worry about getting caught by trainers and fighting a wild Pokemon than having to be chased by Purrloin and her gang every day." I had hoped they would eventually give up sooner rather than later. After being injured back in that cave made me a little bit concerned on my strength alone. Was I good enough to defend myself against any foe that stood in our way? I didn't do so well back in that cave not lasting even a second in the fight; I could've slowed Zack down or let ourselves be caught right then and there. I didn't want to be a burden. I wanted to get stronger so the two of us could protect each other, and I wanted to protect him. Our moves weren't perfected yet, and since we still had another day here in the center, I figured tomorrow would be best for us to train a little, just to be safe for the road ahead. Especially with Purrloin and her gang near to the city.

Suddenly, music began to play in the distance somewhere within the city, yet loud enough for everyone in the garden to listen to and some dancing amongst themselves and others while the humans who worked here watched them dance with amusement.

Through the bushes we saw Vaporeon dance with a Machoke, Pichu with an Eevee, and many more Pokemon dance with each other. As little as four didn't dance or seem interested in doing so. Then I noticed Zack looking at me, and I looked at him. He stood up and held out his paw. "So uh… you wanna dance, Aqua?" He asked, shifting his eyes nervously. "Um, I just thought that uh, since there is music playing and everyone else is dancing and stuff… so uh, do you want to?"

"Why, do you have a crush on me?" I teased, noticing his blush grow a lot redder.

"Ah, of course not. I thought it would be fun. You know, just the two of us?"

I stood up and took his paw "You got it!" So the dance we did was I'd say 'whatever moves we could think of' since we just started twirling around, flapping our paws and arms around and moving our legs trying to pretend like either one of us knew what we were doing. If someone actually watched us do all of this I'd think they would burst out laughing at our attempt to dance. Unlike the other Pokemon beyond the bush we were hidden behind they actually looked like they knew how to dance, but like them Zack and I were having a lot of fun, and that's all that mattered in the moment. It helped me forget about the worries that I was having, so tonight was a night of relaxing and having fun.

The dancing I had in the vision a while ago started off something like this; underneath the stars around tall bushes dancing to some upbeat music with Zack. Although I did see the bad dancing in the vision I never really focused on that and instead focused on the area and the fireworks instead. But the vision didn't show the end of the dance, just halfway through it. These visions that I have of future events can sometimes be the most useful things to watch out for, but on the hand the most useless. So why was I shown a vision of us two dancing? Maybe it was a way for us two to relax for the road ahead or something. If we were too stressed something could happen somewhere down the line.

We danced for at least ten minutes… since the song they played lasted for twenty minutes almost, I was surprised to see almost all of the Pokemon out in the open including both Vaporeon and Pichu still dance for that long.

Then we heard cheering as the fireworks were set off exploding in the sky where we saw colorful patterns ranging from blue and red… yeah, it was just those two colors and nothing much else. But they were pretty though, even if the patterns they used were all large circles, triangles… uh, yeah they didn't have much range on various patterns.

"Phew… that's all the dancing I can do for one day." I coughed trying to catch my breath from all the mad hopping around I was doing, almost dropping my own scalchop in the process.

"Yeah… I don't think I can do anymore…" he laughed, catching his breath from the intense 'dancing' we did. "That song sure did last a really long time. It's like they're trying to kill us. Man, my heart is almost about to burst."

I chuckled as I felt my own heart beating hard. Finding the drinks right where we left them, I took mine and drank from the juice box and swallowed the sweet juice inside.

After looking down at my sclachop, I remembered how I wanted to train tomorrow right here at the center only for a day so I could warm up for when we continue through the region. "Hey Zack, if it's alright with you, but can we stay an extra day so I can train a little before we head out?"

"So you want to train tomorrow? Yeah, I suppose I'm gonna have to catch up on my training too. Alright, we can do that tomorrow." He said as he sat down on the grass and I sat beside him as we watched the fireworks. "How are you feeling? With your head I mean?"

I touched the back of my head lightly with my paw. It didn't hurt as much as before, but it was healing up nicely. "Feeling good. I'd give it a day or two and the cut will heal up nicely. I'll be fine for tomorrow's training session."

"I'm glad you're feeling better. Just don't overdo it, okay?" Zack smiled as he hugged me. I nodded and hugged him back, and the two of us just sat there together while watching the fireworks in the sky.

'Just for fun, nothing to It.' was what I said early that day before the dance began. Being with him sure is fun; we enjoy each other's company. Sure that's what it was, but… I don't know. I was unsure how to do it, to ask him and when. I suppose for now I would just have to wait and help him recover his lost memories and… go from there. For now, we just enjoyed the show as two friends.

To be continued...

Trivia:

In the original draft of this chapter, Aqua would've been temporarily blind after the attack in Chargestone Cave.