17. Broken Ribs Aren't Fun

Pain…

It was hard for the abomination to breathe. Broken ribs will do that to anyone. And it still didn't know how it knew what those specific bones were. Every breath felt like it was sucking in fire. It couldn't even bring itself to open its eyes. The only comfort was that its shelter was cool against its short fur. All it could do was stare at the ceiling of its cave, writing in pain.

It went over what caused this to happen. That blue Pokemon broke his Barrier with ease, and then broke him. Still, it was glad it was free. They would not capture it. Not today, not ever.

Then it felt it. Another mind. Had they tracked it down already? No. This one was new, and the stomps that accompanied it were too heavy to be the ones in the cave. They were getting louder. Closer. Stronger.

It knew it had to prepare for another battle, but the pain was too much. Every little movement was a microcosm of agony. It used the last of its strength to even get here. Still, it would rather die than go back in the tube. It never wanted to sleep again.

What was coming? It would have to be among the most terrifying, abominable, ominous, bone-chilling creatures this world had to offer. As the pain shot through its chest again it wished for the millionth time its bones were cold.

It craned its head towards the cave entrance, to see the face of its doom. The stomping grew stronger, and stronger, until it saw her.

The black and pink Pokemon that stood before it was not what the psychic was expecting. In fact, she looked downright cuddly. The only problem was that she was also taller than he was standing up, and it considered itself very tall. A little intimidating to say the least.

"Oh!" she shouted, seeing the strange Pokemon for the first time. "I'm sorry. I was looking-" She stopped, now noticing the strange figures pained face and black blood around its dazed head.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh-" was all it could communicate before losing the last of its strength, and falling unconscious.

…

The strange Pokemon gasped awake, and immediately regretted it. It was as if its chest was on fire once again, but it also felt the opposite. When it looked at its chest, it saw a large chunk of ice. How? Why?

"Oh you're awake!"

The creature wasn't sure how it had forgotten his surprise visitor. It must have been more dazed than it originally realized.

The pink and black bear sat next to it, some food laid out before her. With some thought the name of her species came to it. A Bewear. She smiled at it. The Pokemon was of no threat. In fact, she seemed to be helping.

"I've got a few oran berries, she said, holding a blue fruit out to it. "It'll help."

Searching it's fragmented mind, the white and purple Pokemon found these claims substantiated. She was not lying based on her passive thoughts, the berry looked like what was described, and if she wanted it dead she could have just done it herself. It would not have taken much time, her species was known for casually snapping trees like twigs. And for the millionth time it found itself asking why it had that information.

Deciding to focus on recovery, the psychic concentrated on the berry, willing it to come over. Its Psychic was perfect. The berry was coated in a purple light as it floated over to the injured user.

"A psychic?" the Bewear asked. "That's amazing! Never seen one like you though."

It didn't respond, mouth full of the healing berry. It also didn't know what exactly to say. This was the first living being that hadn't tried to immediately harm it, so alienating her seemed like a bad idea. There was also the fact she could literally snap it in half over her knee, so keeping on her good side was the best course of action.

The healing effects of the berry dulled the agony in his chest just a little more. Breathing came easier, and speaking with it.

"I-," it paused, getting used to its still burning chest. "I thank you."

That was the first time it heard its own voice. It was scratchy, raw, as if almost never used. No, it was never used, it knew that for certain.

"No problem. I know broken ribs when I see em."

It sensed a story behind that response, but feared the answer and chose to let the topic drop. Thankfully she didn't elaborate with her next question.

"So, what's your name?"

Ah, an excellent question. And something it finally did not have an answer for. That thought was relieving. Not knowing where its apparent knowledge came from was somewhat upsetting.

"I do not know," it answered. "May I have another berry?"

"You don't know, or you don't have?"

It took a moment to think of an answer. It didn't even know if its species had a name, much less something to call itself.

"I have no name," it answered, floating another oran berry over without asking. It felt annoyance flash in her mind, but the Bewear said nothing.

"No species name either?"

"None."

"Well, back home the orphans, those who don't have parents, name themselves."

"I know of the concept of orphans. You do not have to explain."

She glared at him for a bit before continuing. The annoyance was a little stronger.

"Usually they take the most obvious feature and run with it, or just shorten the species name. My boyfriend and his family did that." Her voice seemed to squeak when she mentioned the boyfriend.

"Wait, a family?" it asked, confused. "But by the definition of orphan means they have no family."

"Adoption is a thing too."

"Ah, the act of taking another's child and raising it as their own. My mistake."

The Bewear glanced at it after the strange response, and continued. "So, if you want a name… what about White?"

"Ah, for my white fur? I do not think I like that."

"Then, Purp?"

"I like that less. Much less."

"Then, what about your type? How about Psych?"

The creature thought about that for a bit, contemplating. With no better ideas it seemed to be the best thing to refer to itself for the moment.

"Very well. I am Psych."

"It's good to meet you!" She grinned and thrust her paw in its face. It took a second for Psych to notice there was no hostile intent in the action. The sudden glow in its eyes faded as it took her paw in greeting. "I'm Griza! What happened to you?"

Psych felt its hand go to the recently cracked ribs. Disregarding some mild annoyance she treated it with care. That warranted at least some trust.

"I awoke after a long sleep and fought against what I assumed were my captors. They did this to me, but I managed to escape."

"That's terrible!"

"Yes. I believe one drowned, but the others may yet come for me."

She was silent for a bit after. Psych wondered why. It sensed she was thinking about something, but he could not dive deeper. The pain was still taking a large part of its concentration.

"Tell you what," Griza said after a while. "I'll stay with you!"

That surprised Psych. "Excuse me?"

"In case your attackers come back! We can fight them together!"

"But you must have other plans, correct? In any case, I would prefer to never see them again. I do not think I like fighting."

"Well that's perfect! I was heading to a port town! I just found out where I need to go, and know a safe place on the way!"

That was worth consideration. She seemed like a good ally, and knew how to treat wounds. Psych looked at the ice sitting on its chest, just now wondering where exactly she got it. She seemed to care, so her getting hurt because of it would be unacceptable.

"Thank you, but-"

Her glare came back, silencing it immediately.

"You can't move, you're being hunted, and you already lost to them." she growled, leaning in closer with every word. Soon her nose made contact with its snout. "As soon as you're better, I'm taking you to a safe place off the continent."

Her tone left no room for argument. Psych simply nodded, and her glare faded. She sat next to it, grabbing more food from the pile and holding it out.

"Eat," she said. "You need your strength."

Psych had no further argument, floating the various bits of fruit into its mouth. It knew arguing would be futile. As it munched on the generous meal, it wondered how this boyfriend of Griza's dealt with her.