Oh by the way....I still don't own Pokemon. A bunch of really rich guys do. All men I bet. *huff*
Continued...
Tracy sighed. He and James had been waiting for what seemed like forever for the doctor in charge of AshÕs case to come and tell them how the boy was doing. The doctor had disappeared two hours ago, along with several colleges and nurses, into the ICU where Ash had been since heÕd gotten out of surgery ten days ago. Tracy thought he should be used to waiting by now. He ought to have it down to a science. Like pokemon watching. A large part of being a Pokemon Watcher was patience after all. The ability to take oneÕs time and move slowly so as not to frighten away the creature one is trying to study. HeÕd spent days waiting once for a troupe of Gloom to finish pollinating and move on. He hadnÕt even noticed the time because he had spent it happily sketching and documenting everything he observed the pokemon doing. This kind of waiting was different. It was a kind of slow and exacting torture. There was nothing to observe or sketch, no purpose to the waiting except to hear whether or not one of his only real friends in the world was going to live or die. With nothing to keep them at bay, the memories of the long ride to get to the hospital resurfaced played like a movie in his mind.
The boat trip had been a nightmare. One that actually woke him up at night sometimes, sweaty and gasping and certain that he was still aboard the vessel and if they didnÕt hurry Ash would die. It always took a few moments to remember that he and James had already gotten Ash to the hospital and that he was in the waiting room, not on the boat.
That stupid Magickarp boat. It was peddle driven. HeÕd never known that. He vaguely remembered wondering how it was that Team Rocket even had the energy to try to steal Pikachu after peddling that thing around after them all the time.
The chances of getting Ash to a hospital alive had seemed good in theory. It wasnÕt that far to the next island and despite the fact that he and James would have to peddle the boat, it wouldnÕt take too long to get there. The reality of the situation had been much different however. AshÕs fever had returned with a vengeance before theyÕd even gotten him down to the beach and during the trip heÕd slipped further and further away.
TheyÕd had to stop peddling many times to secure Ash against his delirious thrashing so he wouldnÕt hurt himself. It didnÕt really work though. This time hadnÕt been like the last when he was mostly unconscious....the boy was awake through this fever. HeÕd struggled against imaginary bindings as well as the real ones that Tracy and James had used to keep him still. HeÕd tried to get up to play with Pikachu. HeÕd struggled to get up and said over and over again that he had to hurry to get to the next town because Gary was so far ahead and he just had to get another badge before Gary did. HeÕd begged them repeatedly to let him go get medicine for Pikachu, promising to be back, begging them to trust him. HeÕd talked to his mother, he argued with Misty, and he cried out hoarsely for Team Rocket to give back his Pikachu many times. This last affected James the most. Every time AshÕs weak, hoarse voice demanded that Jessie and James return his Pikachu, James had flinched.
The worst had been the blood. Every time Ash tried to get up or say too much or yell, heÕd coughed up great gouts of blood. TheyÕd had to just let him cough for the most part because it took two to peddle the boat and theyÕd never get anywhere if theyÕd stopped every time. They did have to stop peddling to help him during the especially bad spells when he was chocking on the blood he was coughing up.
Then there was AshÕs leg. The pressure bandage had worked well for the most part, the gaping wound was no longer pumping blood out, only seeping a little bit. James had been willing to accept that in camp and thought that it would be enough for the trip. But the trip had taken so long and AshÕs thrashings had reopened the wound and the blood soaked bandage wasnÕt doing its job anymore. So James had applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Ash simply couldnÕt afford to lose anymore blood. It had put more pressure on the two peddlers though....it became a race against time for Ash to keep his leg.
Tracy had never been happier in his life than when they reached port. HeÕd run to get help while James got Ash ready to be moved. It had taken him a good twenty minutes to find an Officer Jenny and another five just to get her to come with him. SheÕd tried to arrest him for breaking curfew at first.
ÒWant a coke?Ó
Tracy started, his mind snapped to the present by JamesÕs voice. ÒWhat?Ó
ÒDo you want a coke? IÕm going to the cafeteria.Ó
ÒOh....sure. Thanks James.Ó Tracy watched James walk away toward the elevator. James had stayed the whole time while heÕd waited for Ash to wake up. He was glad. He honestly didnÕt know what heÕd have done all this time without James to keep him company...to take his mind off why they were here. There were times when the stress and worry over Ash, not to mention Misty and Pikachu would have gotten to him if it werenÕt for James being there to talk to.
James sighed. Typical, he thought, staring at the row of machines. Just typical. Every single machine had an out of order sign on it. Shaking his head at the complete and total unfairness of life and the capricious nature of so called devices of modern convenience, he headed toward the counter and the sour looking woman standing there.
ÒCan I have two medium cokes please?Ó he asked, pulling out a couple of dollars.
ÒWhat kind?Ó
James stared at the cashier for a moment in confusion. ÒKind? I just want two cokes.Ó
The woman rolled her eyes at James and filled two medium cups with Coke. ÒThatÕll be two dollars and forty-three cents.Ó she said with an acerbic tone.
James hurriedly paid the unpleasant woman and, with a coke in each hand, made his way across the crowded cafeteria to the bank of elevators. Standing, waiting for one of the sets of doors to open, he was reminded once again why he hated hospitals so much. Everyone was so grim. The patients, the visitors, the doctors and nurses....even the cafeteria people. They were all gloomy and serious and quite simply unpleasant to be around. Add that to the faint antiseptic smell that permeated the entire place and it was just an icky experience all around.
Besides the dislike of hospitals in general there was the fact that James just simply did not want to be here. He wanted to be with Jessie and Meowth. It had been ten days since heÕd seen them and he was worried sick. Anything could have happened to them in those ten days. Suppose theyÕd been captured trying to steal back that Pikachu? James quickly pushed that thought, and the horrible images his mind automatically associated with it, away just like he always did. It was hard though. It got harder and harder to do everyday that went by without word from his teammates.
Sometimes he thought about just leaving and looking for them. HeÕd done his part. Gotten the kid to the hospital. He should be able to go do what he wanted now. Right? But every time he considered it, he knew he couldnÕt do it. He really didnÕt know where to look for them. He certainly didnÕt want to leave and have them show up here while he was gone. Also, he couldnÕt just leave without knowing if Ash was going to be ok.
Besides he didnÕt think that Tracey would handle it too well if he did go. The younger boy had kind of latched onto him for support during all this. James had been surprised when he realized that was happening. He wasnÕt really used to being the strong one....that was JessieÕs role. She was the strong one, he was the soft one. But here he was, helping Tracey through the seemingly endless waiting. Keeping him distracted, listening to his stories.....even looking at all his sketches with him. Most surprising of all was that he didnÕt mind. He actually liked being someone elseÕs bedrock and listening to TraceyÕs worries distracted him from his own. If only Jessie and Meowth were here...
Before he could finish that thought, a little bell dinged and the elevator doors to his right opened up. Finally, he thought, stepping into the elevator. I wonder if the doctorÕs come out yet? After a moment, the doors slid shut and the elevator took James up to the ICU to deliver TraceyÕs coke and find out if there was any news yet.
He had never noticed the two people sitting in the back of the cafeteria watching his every move. He didnÕt see them get up as the doors to the elevator began to close. He didnÕt hear the man ask if it were time yet. He didnÕt see the woman nod in reply. He didnÕt see her smile.
To Be Continued...