Pokémon Trainer HeroChapter 59: A Brother's Lamenting
It was the day after Gar was initially hospitalized yet again, and the young man was in no hurry to leave. Since things were already crazy from the Sports Festival and the media even more voracious for the scoop than before, classes were canceled the following days, which luckily was just before the weekend. Allowing UA to situate everything and gain their bearings before moving forward, and not wanting to make himself the center for attention, Gar opted to stay back until the hungry media had left for the day.
Now he was spending his time in Recovery Girl's office, helping her out here and there, but mostly just to spend time with the Pokemon he had lent to her. It was nice just to decompress after such a tiring and crazy day. So much to think and try to plan for, but now he was simply enjoying the moment. Sitting back on Miltank's sleeping body and drinking a glass of milk, while Chimecho wrapped herself around his arm and made peaceful sounds, and Morelull was…..dancing or massaging his head. Everything was blissful and peaceful…...until it wasn't.
Just as everything seemed fine, the door of the heroine's office burst open! Gar jumped to attention with the other Pokemon ready for a fight! But instead of an enemy there in the open doorway was a very panicked and frazzled-looking Iida!
Gar posed a frightened and confused expression on himself as he asked, "Tenya? What are you-?"
Before he could finish, Iida ran up and grabbed him roughly, nearly tackling him to the ground! But Gar was able to catch himself before they fell! He looked the young man dead in the eyes with an expression crossed between crazy and desperate, making the young man deflate in the proximity!
He tightened his grip on his shoulder and demanded, "Where is it!?"
"Wh-Wh-Where is what?", Gar nervously squeaked out.
Iida, unsatisfied with the answer, began to violently shake him while yelling, "Where is it! Where is it! Where is it!"
"I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about!", Gar stammered out as he was shaken wildly!
"Where is the Pokémon!", He demanded while staring into his eyes, stopping his shaking.
"W-Which one?", Gar asked back, more than scared at this point.
"The pink one that heals! The one with the ears!", Iida yelled at full volume.
"You-You mean Audino? She's with Chiyo in the other room.", Gar thoughtlessly told him in the moment of panic.
Before Gar could ask Iida anything about what was going on, the teen dropped Gar and ran into the opposing room in a blink! Har fell on his butt and was stunned for several moments before coming back to his senses at the commotion in the other room. He was just about to run in when something rushed by him so fast he spun on his feet like a tornado until he fell on his back with swirls in his eyes.
After shaking vertigo away he ran into the room and saw that things were in a semi disastrous state! He saw Chiyo laying on the ground, looking quite dizzy herself. Gar rushed over and helped the old woman into a sitting position before providing her with questions.
When she looked better he asked her, "Chiyo, what happened?"
"I-'m not sure. One minute I'm taking down some notes with Audino. Next thing I know a whirlwind comes in and throws everything into a frenzy! Just before everything went fuzzy, Audino was gone. What in the world happened?", She asked, still a bit shaken up.
Gar sighed and told her, "It was Tenya. He just burst in and demanded to know where Audino was. Then I rushed into here. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't think straight.", He patted the woman's shoulder and waved over Chansey. "Don't worry Chiyo, I'll get to the bottom of this. You stay here and don't strain yourself."
"You don't have to tell me twice." She told him as the egg Pokemon brought her a glass of water.
Gar then ran out of the medical office, through the hallway, and out the doors of the school where he jumped off the stairs and threw out a Pokéball under his feet. The ball burst open and Gar fell on top of Staraptor, with the Pokemon letting out a mighty cry! The Pokémon flew out over the gate and into the sky where it used its keen eyes to search the city grounds.
"Okay Staraptor, keep your eyes peeled for Tenya!", He commanded the bird.
Only after a few minutes after saying this did the birds scream while looking down at something. He looked at the Pokémon and asked, "What is it?", Another scream. "Is it Tenya? Do you see him?", Another but more firm scream. "Alright! Then after him!"
With that, the Pokémon tucked its wings in and dove down towards the city! It opened its wings fast and went into a speedy glide as it soared just above the traffic. Not too far out of reach, running just on the sidewalk, Gar could see a blue and white blur with a pink blur, and he knew it was them.
"Go Staraptor, Go!", He commands and the Pokémon outs out even more speed!
Staraptor shrieked once more and put on even more speed, closing the distance between them in moments! Unfortunately, the sidewalk was not wide enough for both the teen and the Pokémon to stay side by side, so Gar had to settle with being in the direct line of traffic, but staying just high enough to be out of reach from smaller cars.
Once there he could see the panicked and carry-looking Iida running at full speed, place in the face, tears in his eyes, and looking ready to double over while Audino was completely freaking out! Even though he could see his expression, knowing something was wrong, Gar was still royally pissed off from before and having his Pokemon stolen.
"Tenya! What the Heliolisk are you doing!?", Gar yelled over the wind pressure in demand.
Iida turned to Gar with tears in his eyes and yelled, "Get lost!"
This shocked Gar more than anything.
"I don't need you from here! So just go away!", He yelled at Gar while putting off even more speed, leaving the young man stunned.
Though he wasn't able to contemplate what he just witnessed for too long as he heard a truck horn blaring and only had a second to see an 18 wheeler barreling towards him! He immediately pulled up on Staraptor and screamed as the two of them soared off into the sky! Once far out of reach from anything, Gar and Staraptor both breathed heavily as their hearts raced at max speed! Once their nerves calmed down they went back to finding Iida and trying to make heads or tails of what was going on.
The two of them had only been flying for a few minutes before Staraptor suddenly shrieked towards the west side of town. Gar looked in the direction and caught sight of a blurry blue and pink object suddenly going into a hospital, no doubt Iida! Gar briefly wondered why he was going there, but knew he had to save Audino first! The bird flew down towards the hospital and flew right through the automatic doors as someone was coming out from the building!
A small frenzy had erupted at their entrance and some people ducked away thinking it was some kind of attack! Once inside, Staraptor stopped its max speed and flew buoyantly in the air while Gar looked around, but found no Iida or Audino. Gar then saw the front desk and maneuvered Staraptor towards the desk where the frightened secretary was hiding.
Without missing a beat he asked the woman in an impatiently quick voice, "Have you seen a blue kid holding a pink creature with big ears?!"
"The woman, still cowering, stammered out a small, "yes."
"Where? Where! Where!?", He demanded with a desperate look.
The woman let out a panic shriek and blabbered out, "Surgical wing 4th floor! It's the one on the right!"
Gar knew he had no time for elevators, so he had Staraptor charge through the fire escape stairs and fly up the tunnel! Once at the floor marked with a four, they burst through the rushed down the right hallway! Unfortunately, the place had so many rooms that it was impossible to determine which one was which. Then he heard the panicked cries of Audino and Staraptor didn't have to be told to go!
A few doors down and Staraptor burst through another door where a group of doctors dispersed from the young man riding the giant bird! In the center of the semicircular doctor group, Gar saw Iida man handling Audino! Yelling incoherent nonsense wall violently yanking on her ears!
Gar's blood immediately boiled and he jumped off the bird into a flying kick that landed on the teen's head! He and Iida fell on top of one another and began to wrestle around with one another until Gar managed to completely overpower him! He pinned Iida to the ground, locked one of his arms, and wrapped the other around his neck while putting his knees on his hips! Iida tried to wiggle free, but Gar was much stronger! Eventually, he gave up and lay on the ground breathing heavily with a sore on his face, and his glasses shattered from the initial kick.
Gar was still furious and yelled into his ear, "What in the Fearow is wrong with you! Are you insane!? You break into the nurse's office, manhandle me, knock over Chiyo, steal my Pokemon, and then treat her so roughly?! You better have an explanation or so help me. A head bruise and broken glasses will be the least of your worries!"
Idea said nothing at first, but then he muttered something softly. Too soft for Gar to hear. Gar was still pissed off and yelled in demand, "What!"
This is when Iida finally spoke loud enough, and said with his face cast down, "I-I-I….I DID IT FOR MY BROTHER!", Iida suddenly yelled out with tears exploding from his face.
This made Gar freeze up and lose his grip on the teen. Iida continued to cry uncontrollably until he could speak again.
"M-My b-brother i-is hurt! T-The hero killer! H-He almost kk-killed him! H-He sliced his back! T-That's why I took her! S-She can heal h-his spine! I-I don't w-want him to l-lose h-his dream! I'm sorry!", Iida yelled out between sobs before fully submitting and laying on the floor limp, sobbing his eyes out.
It was then that Gar let go of the teen, allowing him to curl up and cry while looking up to see that they were in a surgical room in the process of surgery. There were only two doctors still present with a man laying face down on the operating table. That man was no doubt Tensei Iida, the pro hero: Engium. Tanya's older brother. Gar remembered when Midnight told him Iida wouldn't participate in the Pokémon battle due to an accident that happened with his older brother. He wondered why, but now he knew.
Several machines beeped away as they kept pace with his vitals, while an incision had been made in his back. No doubt where his injury had occurred. Gar now fully understood everything, now instead of anger he only felt pity and sadness for this man and for his brother who was only trying to help him. He knew he shouldn't help since Iida did steal his Pokemon with no explanation, but the teen was young, stupid, and desperate. His love for his brother was shown fully here and now. He had the power to help, and he would.
Gar stood up, took a deep breath, and walked towards the still frightened Audino. The Pokémon has still huddled away in the corner while holding her injured ears and being comforted by Staraptor. Gar gently patted the Pokémon's head, making her peak open her eyes. The pink Pokemon visibly calmed down and lightened up at Gar's appearance, making the young man smile.
He then looked seriously at the Pokémon and told it, "Listen, Audino, I know you just went through a very stressful moment but I need your help.", Audino perked her ears up at this and watched Gar point to the injured young man on the table. "That man's well-being is on the line right now if you don't help! So will you?"
Audino took a moment to think it over. Then looked Gar in the eyes with a look of determination while clenching her tiny hooved fists and nodding in agreement. Gar smiles at this while the head doctor calls from the background, behind the operating table Tensei was laying on.
"Uh, excuse me!", Gar and Audino looked back at the disinfected and covered man. "I can see you're all having a moment here but WHO THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE AND WHAT IS GOING ON!?", he yelled in demand.
Gar coughed while clearing his throat and standing up with a mature and assertive posture he said, "No need to worry doctor. We can handle things from here."
"We? Don't tell me you intend to work on my patient with that Baku! And who are you to suddenly bust in here and expect to take over such a delicate procedure! What could you possibly do.", He demanded furiously.
Gar made a humph sound in his throat and told him, "Sir you can't even begin to know what I and Audino can do."
"Hey wait! Your not sterile!", A nurse tried to stop them, but they continued walking forward until Audino was in front of the unconscious man.
Gar pulled out a stool and Audino hopped up one step before leaning over with her eyes closed, ears stretched forward, and feeler uncurling to touch around his body and open back. After a few minutes of feeling around, Audino pulled back and made some panicked sounds at Gar!
Gar looked panicked as well and told the doctors, "Something is wrong! And it is about to happen now!"
As if on queue all the monitors keeping track of his vitals began to flash and beep wildly! The few doctors remaining began to rush around while Iida broke out of his depression and yelled his brother's name in fright!
"What's happening!? Why are his vitals spiking so suddenly?!", The head doctor demanded while filling a syringe with morphine.
"I-I don't know? It must've been some on the blade he was cut with! The opening we made must have directly introduced it into his circulatory system!", The nurse spat out in a panic while trying to figure out which reading to stabilize first.
"Then there's no time to waste.", Gar proclaimed while snapping on a Mega Band. "Audino, get ready for Mega Evolution!", While Audino stands at attention with a determined expression.
"What the hell are you doing!?", Yells the doctor.
Gar touched the Key Stone and announced, "KeyStone, react to my heart. Unlocked the power buried deep within and break it free to form a new power, a new form, a new stage in life. Go beyond Evolution. MEGA EVOLVE!"
Glowing beams burst from the stone and connected with Audino, making her body glow and become envelope into a light sphere that hardened and cracked before revealing the Pokemon in her mega form!
The doctors and Iida were so stunned by this sight that they could help but look in awe at the amazingness of it! All while Gar and Audino we're dead set and focused on Tensei and his well-being!
Without missing a beat from the end of the mega evolution, Gar commands, "Now Audino, use Heal Bell, full power!"
Audino places her little hooved hands and fellers on the opening on the man's back, closes her eyes, and begins to radiate a pink aura before letting out a sound like soothing church wedding bells. The aura explodes from her body so intensely it feels like a massive wind pressure was released in the small room and can even be physically seen by the eye as an actual ring! The ring of healing power expands all over the hospital, healing everyone and thing in the building before suddenly stopping and collecting back to Arduino where she reabsorbed it into herself, before placing all of it into Tensei's open wound.
The man's body began to glow the same shade of pink as Heal Bell and his wound closed in seconds! Right before everyone's eyes! In addition, his vitals began to stabilize and a sigh of relief let both Iida and the doctors. When Audino finally pulled away from the man, there he lay peacefully with his wound so perfectly healed to the point it was like it never happened. The doctor examined the man and kept staring at him and one another with stunned silence.
The head doctor stared in flabbergasted shock at Gar and Audino, saying, "I can't believe it. I just can't believe it. His wound is completely healed, a wound that would take weeks to heal, and stabilized his vitals! I've been in this profession for almost 25 years now and I've never seen something like this."
"Bu-But hi-his legs. Are-Are they-?", Iida stammered out while running to the table.
The doctor took a long sharp tool that looked like a needle and instructed the other doctors and nurses to flip over Tensei. Once on his back, the doctor began to poke and prod into specific parts of his feet. But no matter how many or how hard he poked him, Tensei didn't stir or cringe. The doctor shook his head sadly and covered his feet with the sheet.
He turned to the panicked Iida and said, "I'm sorry young man, but it seems that nothing can be done for your brother. The injury was too deep. Your brother is very much alive and will recover but he will never walk again. I'm sorry."
Iida lowered his head, face cast in a shadow, shoulders lose, but fists tight! His body began to quake as he bit down on his lower lip. His head springs up as he lunges towards Gar, grabbing him by the collar and bringing his face into his while yelling at him!
"You said it could be healed! I thought you said it can't regrow things! So why, why, why didn't it work!? Did you lie to me! Just to trick me! My brother's livelihood and station as a hero is-is-is…... are gone now! Do you think this is a joke!? Answer me dammit!", He screamed into Gar's face.
Before he could continue any further, Gar broke free with a hard slap to his face! Iida faltered and released his grip over his shirt and fell to the floor. Iida sat on the ground, hand on cheek, and face stunned with several emotions. Gar was also breathing heavily in a stupor of mixed emotions.
When he finally got control of himself, he looked down at Iida with an angry face and with a firm tone, exclaimed, "Shut up and get a hold of yourself! First off, I didn't lie! I wanted to help him, and I tried! Second, how dare you think I would think something like this was a joke of all things! And third, Audino may have amazing healing abilities, but even those are limited? She might be able to regenerate an organ or missing finger, but she can't repair nerve damage! It's like a brain cell, once it's gone it's gone! Be happy he's still alive!"
Gar stopped his rant with several heavy breaths and stood there staring down at Iida furiously, red-faced and sweating! The teen looked up at Gar, then to the floor, and then tears welled up in his eyes and he began to bitterly weep. Gar let go of his anger at seeing the teen in this state, walk past him while he motioned for Audino to follow, and motion for Staraptor as they walked to the door. Just before they left, Tensei began to stir awake and opened his eyes just a few moments later.
"Onii-san!", Iida cried out while scrambling to his brother's side.
This made Gar stop for a moment to look back at the pair of siblings, morbidly curious of what was to happen next.
Iida was still crying as he held his weak-looking brothers near limp hands. Even though he had gotten a full healing treatment he still looked fragile and exhausted. He weakly turned his eyes to Iida and gave a forced smile to reassure him. But Iida wasn't reassured by it, instead, he grew even more panicked looking.
"T-Tenya.", Tensei managed to croak out. "I'm sorry, but it looks like your big brother has lost."
This is when Iida broke down again, letting out a scream before burying his face into his brother's shoulder and crying uncontrollably between fits of screams. Tensei only responded by petting his head.
Unfortunately, the teen didn't hear his brother follow up with, "But at least I'm alive and still with you. I'm grateful for that."
Gar knew this was his time to leave, and just as he was about to turn around, Tensei grabbed his attention. "Hey, you. I know you. Your…..", the man drawled out, clearly having trouble remembering.
Gar quickly cut him off and firmly told him, "No need to stress yourself. I know who you are Tensei."
"Did….did you-?", He tried to ask before Gar cut him off again.
"Help? I tried, and I'm sorry but I wasn't able to save your legs. I did all I could.", Gar apologetically told him.
Tensei gave a forced chuckle and smile at him while saying, "It doesn't matter. You gave me the chance to be with him. I'm grateful.", Tensei continued to pet his brother's head and hold him close as he sobs.
Gar sighs as he looks at Iida, and replies, "I hope he has the same sentiment.", With that, Gar leaves.
UA Dorms: 1 hour later
Gar was stilling on the couch with Mimikyu in his lap, staring at the t.v. It wasn't switched on, just a blank screen. He was still mulling over what had happened just earlier that same day. So many thoughts and emotions raced through him and he didn't know where to start. He sighed as he wondered if he should take Ken up on his offer to talk, maybe it would help?
Before he could set his mind on anything, Rotom began to ring. "Phone call. Buzzt. Phone call. Buzzt. Phone call. Buzzt."
Gar grabbed the Pokémon and saw it was Iida on the caller ID, which shocked him more than anything. He decided not to keep him waiting, so he answered the call, breathed, and answered.
"Hey, Tenya.", Gar tried to sound casual.
"Uh, hey Gar-san.", Iida replied, sounding uncharacteristically meek and soft-toned.
"Hey.", He replied, unsure of what to say.
The line was silent between them, and Gar didn't know how to keep things going from here or if he should. It was Iida who called him first, so he waited.
After a while, Iida finally spoke, telling him, "...Listen, I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier today. It was completely uncalled for and disrespectful not only to the doctors but to you especially. I shouldn't have said those things to you I just…. I wasn't in the right state of mind. I'm hoping that you can find it to forgive me for my crudeness."
This time it was Gar's turn to stay silent as he collected his thoughts. When he did, he told him and a firm yet serious tone l, "Tenya, listen. I understand why you did what you did and why you said what you said. I can, really. And I can forgive you for what you've done.", Gar could almost hear the breath of relief come from the teen's mouth. But it was quickly hauled as Gar followed up with, "But I can't forget.", Iida almost sounded like his breath got caught in his throat, but he stayed completely silent as Far sighed and continued saying, "Tenya, I'm not gonna stand here and Taurus shit you. You nearly broke my trust today. You burst your way in after my fiasco at the Sports Festival with Team Rocket, stole my Pokémon, and then tried to force it to heal your brother. I understand that his situation was dire, but that was no reason to just steal a Pokémon from me. If you had asked me I would have helped."
Gar could almost feel the shame and embarrassment coming through the phone lines as each word rolled off his lips. With no reply or retort from the teen, Gar continued, "Regardless if this was your brother or not, if an actual emergency happened while you were in the field as a pro hero, is this how you would react? I don't know if I can completely trust you after this if something like this is your first reaction.", He told a firm and assured tone.
Again, Iida said nothing in reply for a while, then he sighs sadly and shamefully, before replying to him apologetically, "I...understand…..I'm sorry. I'll leave you be."
"Hold on a second.", Gar calls out before the teen hangs up. "Listen Tenya, you're a smart kid, but let me give you some advice, especially after something like this. Whatever you decide to do now, make sure you think it through and then do it. Don't rush in and don't be hasty. I know you're smart enough to do that much.", He tells him with a serious tone.
"Thank you.", Was all that Iida said before Gar hung upon him.
Gar released his own sad and shameful sigh. He placed Rotom on his chest, looked up at the ceiling, and felt a bitter tear roll down his face. He stayed there in silence for however long, flooding bitter tears rolling down his face until he had no more to shed.
Once he was sure he was done crying, he wiped his face, and with another sigh, he said to no one but himself, "Poor kid."