CHAPTER 3-THE EMERGENCY ROOM
"I'm going out to buy some things," Rasha announced as she gathered up the leather bag that held her wallet.
"Bye," Logan said.
It was the next morning, Logan had fed Isaiah, and Rasha was going into town for Pokémon food and formula. If she wanted to feed her own Pokémon and Logan's she would need more than she had now.
"I'll be gone for about an hour," she said. "Maybe an hour and a half."
"Okay. Bye," Logan said.
"Fine," she said, annoyed at his apathy.
Logan started off for the back bedroom.
"Oh, and Logan?" Rasha called as she headed out the door. "Don't touch anything while I'm gone."
"Whatever."
Rolling her eyes, Rasha headed out the door.
Rasha got back about ten minutes later than she thought she would. She slung the three plastic bags she was carrying onto one arm and fumbled for her house key. Finally, she managed to unlock the door and open it.
She almost jumped out of her skin when a small creature that looked like a green brontosaurus with a leaf on its head ran up to greet her, almost knocking her down in its excitement. "Li, leaf!" it said.
"Bayleaf!" Rasha said, trying not to yell. "What are you doing out of your Pokéball?"
"Bayleaf, li-li-leaf!" Bayleaf yammered, trotting back inside. Rasha followed, afraid of what she would find.
The house had transformed into a zoo. A Poliwhirl leaped from desk to desk, knocking things over, while Sudowoodo stood in the middle of the living room like some ridiculously huge floral decoration. Houndour raced around, barking madly and knocking over more things than Poliwhirl. The huge red Ariados, Weaver, crawled up the wall to escape the rest of the creatures. Meanwhile, Electra the Raichu stood in the middle of the floor, looking uncertain. In the midst of it all, sitting on the couch and looking guilty, was Logan. On his shoulder Isaiah sat, whistling softly and looking very pleased with the whole scene.
Rasha's head boiled. "What. did you. do?" she said very slowly.
Logan scratched his head. "I took them out of their Pokéballs to see what they were," he said.
"And?"
"And," Logan said, "I couldn't get them back in."
Rasha rubbed her temples. "Logaaaan."
"Well. at least they got some exercise," he offered.
"This is not how they're supposed to get exercise!" shrieked Rasha, her face turning red. "What made you think you could just up and let them out, anyway?! Didn't I tell you not to touch anything?!"
Logan said nothing.
Grumbling about people who just couldn't stand to do what they were told, Rasha stooped down to collect her five various-colored Pokéballs, which the Pokémon had scattered. Once she'd found them all, she picked up the first one, the camouflage-colored one, and sucked up Sudowoodo. "All right, party over!" she announced. "You guys are all going back in now!"
The Pokémon stopped what they were doing and uttered cries of protest.
"No arguing!" Rasha said. She picked up her second Pokéball, which was half purple with a coin on a chain painted onto the purple part, but hesitated when she raised her arm to use it. "Where's Zelda?" she asked Logan.
"What's a Zelda?"
"My Drowzee," Rasha said. "Zelda is her nickname."
"Oh," he said. "I dunno. I think she went in the kitchen."
Rasha ran into the kitchen and found all the cupboard doors open, boxes of food spilled everywhere and, in the middle of everything, a tan- and-brown, short-eared, long-nosed Pokémon munching on a Poké-cookie.
"Zelda!"
The Drowzee started and turned to look at her master with a guilty expression on her face and food crumbs all over her mouth.
"Argh! Return!" she ordered. The ball opened, and Zelda disappeared into it.
When Rasha returned to the living room, she couldn't believe what she was seeing now. Logan hadn't moved from the couch, but now Poliwhirl sat on the cushion beside him, and Houndour rubbed up against him and begged to be petted as if she were just a playful little puppy, rather than the exceptional guard dog she'd been trained to be.
Rasha sighed and withdrew Bayleaf, who was tottering around after Weaver, into a Pokéball that had a leaf pattern painted onto the top half. "Are you two quite done?" she asked her remaining Pokémon.
Poliwhirl looked up at her with his usual blank, childlike expression. Houndour delicately licked Logan's fingers.
Rasha shook her head. "Well, things aren't boring around here anymore, I'll give you that, Logan," she gritted. "Poliwhirl. Houndour. return." The two Pokémon vanished into their Pokéballs, leaving only the two humans and Logan's Pokémon in the room. "Now," she said. "What made you think you could just go messing around with my Pokémon?"
Logan's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't going to take them," he growled defensively.
"That's not what I said."
"But you're insinuating it."
"I wasn't insinuating anything! It's a simple matter of I told you not to do something, and you did it anyway!"
"You're starting to sound like my grandmother."
Rasha let that one go. "I'm trying to trust you, Logan," she continued. "It's not easy, but I'm really trying, and you're not helping me."
Logan sighed, and for a minute Rasha thought he might actually apologize. Instead, he looked at his hands and drummed his fingers restlessly, saying nothing.
Shaking her head, Rasha said, "Okay, all that aside. Why did you let them out?"
Logan shrugged the shoulder that Isaiah wasn't sitting on. "I just wanted to see if I could beat you in battle," he said nonchalantly as he fished out his Pokéballs and withdrew Electra and Weaver, who actually looked relieved to be returned to their balls.
Rasha raised her eyebrows. "Is that a challenge?"
"Not really," Logan said. Then his teeth flashed in a sly grin. "Unless. you want to battle me."
"I think that is a challenge," Rasha countered. "Well, let's go then. Come on, we'll battle out back."
Logan had never seen a bigger backyard than Rasha's. Having grown up in the city, he wasn't used to seeing houses with this much land. It was a good place to hold Pokémon battles - plenty of room for the Pokémon to move.
Automatically, Logan moved to the right side of the yard, while Rasha stationed herself several yards away from him on the left side.
"You ready?" Rasha shouted from her end of the field.
"Ready when you are," Logan called back confidently.
"You can go ahead and set the rules if you want!" Rasha answered.
"Three on three."
"Okay! My first Pokémon." Rasha threw her Pokéball to the ground.
White energy burst out of the ball. When it faded the dinosaur-like grass Pokémon, Bayleaf, stood in front of Rasha.
"Okay," Logan said, cracking his knuckles. "I choose Weaver!" He tossed the ball to release his Ariados, who immediately rushed up to meet Bayleaf, his mandibles clicking furiously. Bayleaf pawed the earth in a threatening gesture.
"I admit your bug gives me the creeps," Rasha said, "but it won't scare Bayleaf! Stomp attack, now!"
"Weaver! Dodge!"
Bayleaf leaped into the air and brought her flat, clawed feet down with a seismic thud, aiming for the center of Weaver's body, but the Ariados cunningly scuttled out of the way. Bayleaf wheeled to chase the agile arachnid.
"Poison Sting!" Logan commanded.
Weaver pivoted until he faced Bayleaf and opened his mandibles, shooting a shower of thin white needles at the grass Pokémon's head. Bayleaf crouched down in a defensive posture and deflected the attack by spinning the leaf on her head around in a rapid circular motion, batting the needles away.
"Good work!" Rasha shouted. "Now. Vine Whip!"
Two of the cone-shapes on either side of Bayleaf's neck elongated and become long green whips. She lashed out, forcing Weaver to back away and dodge. Bayleaf pursued, striking again and again with her vines until she finally grabbed Weaver around the midsection. She raised Weaver in the air and then slammed him into the ground, repeating the action over and over.
"Weaver, Bite attack!" Logan ordered calmly.
Weaver clamped his mandibles into Bayleaf's vine and twisted his head, trying to invoke as much pain as possible, while Bayleaf screeched and thrashed violently. Finally she released her hold on Weaver, who flew off and soared through the air, landing deftly on his six legs.
Rasha gritted her teeth. "Okay," she said. "Razor Leaf, now!"
Crouching into her defensive posture once again, Bayleaf swiveled the leaf on her head, and two smaller leaves with sharp edges sprouted, detached, and whizzed toward Weaver like throwing stars. The spider dodged one, but in doing so he ran right into the other's path. It didn't cut deep but it grazed his side, creating a thin line of blood and causing the Pokémon to squeal in pain.
Razor Leaf was a danger to his winning the battle. Logan quickly tried to figure a way to prevent it. "Weaver!" he said cautiously. "Run around and see if you can jump onto its back!"
Weaver scurried to obey.
"Don't let it do that!" Rasha shouted. "Use your Vine Whip to block it!"
As Weaver raced forward, Bayleaf lanced out her vines. One struck Weaver a glancing blow to the head and sent him flying back.
"Focus Energy!" Logan shouted. "Concentrate, Weaver! You can do it!"
"Don't let it in, Bayleaf!" Rasha cautioned.
"Li, leaf!" Bayleaf shouted, flailing her vines. But Weaver's eyes began to glisten threateningly, and he rushed the green Pokémon at a blistering speed, somehow managing to stay one step ahead of Bayleaf's blows. He closed in, and with a sudden thrust of his legs he was on Bayleaf's back and crawling up her long neck. Bayleaf shrieked and bucked, trying to throw Weaver off, but his long, sharp legs held fast.
"String Shot!" Logan shouted. "Aim for the leaf!"
Delicate-looking - but strong - thread sprang from between Weaver's mandibles. The sticky goop looped over Bayleaf's head again and again, until the leaf on the top of her head was plastered tightly along the back of her neck. "Leeeaaaf!" Bayleaf shouted in alarm, and with a final jerk she threw Weaver off. He landed several feet away, swaying slightly as he climbed to his feet.
"Bayleaf, Tackle!" Rasha cried.
Bayleaf charged forward and rammed into the stunned bug, sending him flying once more.
"Weaver! Try to stand!" Logan ordered smoothly.
"We've got it beat!" Rasha shouted. "Bayleaf, finish it off with Razor Leaf!"
Bayleaf tried to use Razor Leaf, but without being able to execute the swiveling motion of the leaf on top of her head, she couldn't perform the attack. While she struggled, Weaver stood and rushed forward, burying his sharp jaws into Bayleaf's leg. Bayleaf screamed and stomped up and down; Weaver flapped like a flag.
"Giga Drain!" Logan ordered.
Green light suddenly hammered through Bayleaf's body. Rasha's mouth hung agape as her Pokémon slowly sank to her knees, the energy slowly draining from her body until she was too weak to even stand.
"Bayleaf, return!" Rasha cried, snapping out the Pokéball and withdrawing the beaten Pokémon, leaving the battered-looking Ariados to drop wearily onto the grass. Logan was better than she'd anticipated. "All right," she murmured, pulling out the Pokéball with the flames on it. "I choose Houndour!"
The black doglike Pokémon appeared with a wild howl as her lips curled away from her teeth in a snarl.
Logan saw that it was a mismatch - Weaver was at type disadvantage, and Bayleaf had tired him out so much that he couldn't hope to stand a chance against the fire-and-dark type. "I'll substitute," he announced. "Weaver, return!" He replaced Weaver's Pokéball and held up another, a sly grin curling his lips. "Go, Opal!"
Rasha gasped as an enormous Pokémon that towered over both her and Houndour emerged. Opal, the Onix, extended her long, rock-hard form into an imposing position and bellowed menacingly.
"Don't back down, Houndour!" Rasha encouraged. "Use Flamethrower!"
"Horn Attack!" Logan called back, sounding confident.
The flame that burst from Houndour's jaws engulfed Opal's head, but didn't even seem to faze her as she fell on the smaller Pokémon with her horn pointed straight forward like a lance. The rock-snake cut through the fire and slammed into Houndour. Her blunt stone horn didn't cut, but it threw Houndour back a good few paces. The dog crumpled to the ground, whimpering in pain.
"Wait, Opal," Logan murmured to his Pokémon.
"Houndour!" cried Rasha, rushing to the fallen creature's side. Houndour emitted a long, drawn-out moan as Rasha tried to help her up. She didn't want to lose the round so quickly, but since Houndour was obviously no match for Opal - but was not yet quite defeated - she decided to do the only thing she could. "I substitute! Houndour, return," she said. Gritting her teeth, Rasha made a quick decision and detached another Pokéball. When it opened, her Poliwhirl stood on the field of battle.
Logan laughed. "Opal, Horn Attack!"
"Poliwhirl, Bubblebeam!"
As Opal readied for her Horn Attack, a thick cloud of multicolored bubbles suddenly surrounded her on all sides. Opal stopped short, unsure. Tentatively, she tried to move, and all the bubbles that she tapped as a result of that motion exploded on contact, painfully hammering into her rocky skin.
"Opal, don't move!" Logan cautioned. "Use Harden, then Horn Attack!"
Opal's eyes closed in concentration and her body began to shimmer with white light that quickly faded. With a roar, she lunged downward toward Poliwhirl. The exploding bubbles no longer seemed to faze her as she came down with an earth-shattering blow, but at the last second Poliwhirl leaped away. Instead of hitting Poliwhirl Opal drove her horn straight into the ground, creating a good-sized hole where she struck.
"Good try, good try," Logan said. "Take Down!"
"Quick, Poliwhirl!" Rasha cried. "Ice Beam!"
Opal lunged, but just as she began to move Poliwhirl held up his hands and a glowing blue orb of light formed that exploded outward into a crackling beam. When the beam contacted with Opal's skin it formed ice, instantly covering her head and gradually traveling down her entire body until she was stiff all over. Because she could no longer move to attack, the Onix was defeated.
Logan cursed under his breath. "Opal, return!" he said, withdrawing the frozen Pokémon. "All right. Your turn, Electra!"
Before Poliwhirl could even react, Electra burst out of the Pokéball, tackled him to the ground, and shocked the daylights out of him, all without even being ordered to do so. Rasha froze in shock as Poliwhirl fell to the ground with dizzy eyes and Electra stepped off, ready for her next challenger.
"P. Poliwhirl, return," Rasha stammered, looking astonished.
Now Rasha was in trouble. Electra was obviously Logan's most powerful Pokémon, and her only remaining choice was Houndour. Had Houndour shaken off Opal's attack enough to stand a chance? She could only hope so.
"Go, Houndour! Flamethrower attack!"
"Double Team," Logan said placidly.
Houndour inhaled, but swallowed her flame when Electra suddenly split into two, then four, then six separate Raichu. She continued to multiply until a circle of electric Pokémon, each startling real, surrounded Houndour.
"Dourrr?" Houndour whimpered, turning her head back and forth. One of these Raichu was the real Electra, but it was impossible to tell which.
"Raai!" the illusion Raichu chorused. Sparks flew from all of their cheeks.
"Come on, Houndour! Don't just stand there!" Rasha shouted. "Try to use Flamethrower to find the real one!"
"Houndoooouuur!" Flame erupted from Houndour's parted jaws. The attack struck one of the Raichu in the gut, but it passed right through. This one wasn't real. Houndour turned and fired again and again, but each time the flame passed straight through the Pokémon she struck.
"Electra," Logan said quietly. "Quick Attack."
The real Electra rocketed out of nowhere, striking Houndour in her right ribs with an astounding force. The dog Pokémon yelped in surprise as the force of the blow threw her to the ground
"Electra!" Logan called. "Let's."
Logan stopped as a sudden electronic ring sounded from inside the house. He, Rasha, and the Pokémon stopped and listened until they heard the noise again. It was Rasha's phone.
"Better take it," Rasha muttered. "Houndour, return." Her Pokéball withdrew a grateful-looking Houndour.
"Aw, dammit!" Logan complained as he withdrew Electra. "I was about to win, too!"
Isaiah whistled.
Rasha slammed into the house and picked up the phone on the fourth ring. "Hello?"
"Rasha?" the female voice at the other end said. "You okay? You sound a little winded there!"
"Falcon?" Rasha laughed. "How are you?"
"Just fine," Falcon replied. "I'm just returning your message. How's the research going?"
Rasha heard the door open and close, and Isaiah's cheerful whistle. "Oh. just fine." she said casually.
"That's good to hear. Have you seen anything interesting yet?"
Rasha grimaced. "You could say that."
Falcon chuckled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Now she could hear Logan's breathing behind her. "I'll have to call you back," Rasha said.
"Okay. Are you sure everything's all right over there?"
"It's fine," Rasha said. "Sorry, Falcon. I'll call you, okay?"
"Sure, Rasha. Bye!"
"Bye." Rasha hung up.
Logan and Rasha hadn't realized how late it was getting. They quickly set about making dinner and getting their Pokémon fed. Isaiah impatiently tried to eat directly out of the bowl Logan used to prepare his formula.
When she'd eaten and her Pokémon snoozed in their Pokéballs, Rasha collapsed into her living room sofa and lazily switched on the TV. She flipped channels until she found a Pokémon match in the Elite Four Challenge and settled back to watch.
"Whatcha watching?" Logan asked offhandedly as he entered the room with Isaiah on his shoulder as usual.
"Elite Four," Rasha said.
Logan stood for a minute before awkwardly taking the cushion next to her. "What did I miss?"
"It just started," Rasha replied as the TV announcer blared. "It's Loreli versus some kid from Kanto. I think his name's Marco or something like that."
"I see," Logan muttered. "Hey, did you hear that the two of the Elite Four are getting challenged for their positions?"
"Really?" Rasha said with sudden interest. "Who's getting challenged?"
"Loreli and Agatha, I think. And Lance is goin' for Champion, so they'll have to have someone to take his place, too."
"I didn't know Lance was trying for Elite Four Champion," Rasha said. "Well, he's certainly good enough. He'll probably get it."
"Yeah," Logan said. "They say those dragons of his are unbeatable. No one's gotten into the Hall of Fame since the year he joined."
"Yeah," Rasha replied. "Think Lance can really beat out Red?"
"Sure he can," Logan said. "Red's gotta be rusty. I mean. hardly anyone even gets to the Champion anymore, but Lance has had tons of battles. He'll be in better shape."
"But Red's got a more varied team," Rasha argued. "Lance only trains one type of Pokémon."
"That's not exactly true," Logan said. "All his Pokémon are part dragon-type, but some of them have other types, too."
"I guess you've got a point," Rasha admitted.
For a long while she just stared at the TV screen, watching Loreli's Cloyster pound on the challenger's Seadra.
"Logan," she said finally. "What happened with Isaiah? I mean, how did you find him?" There was no answer. "Logan?" Rasha turned her head to see an empty cushion beside her. While she'd been intent on the television, Logan had quietly gotten up and gone to bed.
Sighing, Rasha got up and snapped off the TV on her way to the phone. She fumbled for the piece of paper on which she had written her friend's cell phone number and carefully dialed.
"Hello?" Falcon said.
"Hi," Rasha said. "It's Rasha. Sorry I hung up on you so fast before."
"Oh, that's okay," said Falcon, but she sounded distracted, and Rasha heard her sigh into the phone.
"What's wrong?" Rasha asked.
Suddenly Rasha thought she heard a sharp sizzling/crackling noise in the background and screams, and then a strange bark from a canine Pokémon.
"Nothing," said Falcon, sounding a little tense and more than a little weary.
"Okay," Rasha said, unsure but not wanting to pursue it.
"So, what's up?" Falcon said.
"Oh," Rasha said. "Well, remember before when you were asking me about my research? Well, I did find something." Rasha quickly relayed the events of the past few days to Falcon.
"Okay, hold on," Falcon said when she'd finished. "This Team Rocket guy with his Zapdos are now in your house?"
"Yeah," Rasha said. "That's why I didn't want to talk to you before."
"I see," Falcon said. "So. what do you want me to do about it?"
"Well, it's just that Logan doesn't know much about Legendary Pokémon, and I'm not going to be able to help him all that much, either. I was hoping you'd be able to give me some advice, or something."
Falcon paused for a moment. "Maybe if I get some time, I can see if I can come up," she said slowly. "Until then, I can see if there's going to be any lectures about infant Pokémon care near where you are. That should help."
"Thanks, Falcon," Rasha said, feeling relieved.
For once the next morning, Logan awoke before Rasha. Somehow he'd found the cold cereal by himself and was eating it when she came into the kitchen. Judging from the formula smeared all over the counter, Isaiah had already been fed. After wiping off the counter (and giving Logan a lecture about how it wouldn't kill him to clean up after himself) Rasha quickly ate a bowl of cereal and went out to feed her Pokémon. After awhile Logan wandered outside as well and released his own Pokémon so they could join in the meal.
The afternoon passed without event. Rasha spent most of the day compiling her observations of the mountain area, which weren't much because she still hadn't seen anything except Isaiah, and since she was supposed to observe legendary Pokémon in their natural habitats, that didn't help much. For a while Logan went outside and did a little practice training with his Pokémon, and when he got sick of that he came back inside, fed Isaiah a couple pellets of Pokémon food, and spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping.
When it finally began to get dark, Rasha yawned and put her notebooks away before going into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. When everything was in place, she waited around for Logan. Isaiah's demanding screams got louder and louder in the bedroom, but still Logan didn't come out. Finally, she stormed in to see what was taking him and found that somehow, he'd slept through the racket the baby Zapdos was making.
"Logan," said Rasha, prodding his arm gently. "Wake up."
Logan didn't even move.
Rasha frowned. "Logan," she said, more insistently. "Isaiah's hungry. How can you sleep through that? Wake up and feed him, for Godssakes!" She started to shake him. "You lazy son of a. Logan, wake up!"
Logan mumbled something that sounded like "go away" and curled up into a tighter ball.
Finally, Rasha simply grabbed his arm and, ignoring his yelps of protest, dragged him out of the bed and dumped him unceremoniously on the floor. "You've slept all day, idgit!" she yelled. "Get up and feed your poor bird!"
Logan picked himself up and, mumbling some suspiciously "colorful" words under his breath, picked up the screeching and cranky Zapdos and stalked out to the kitchen.
Still shaking off his long sleep, Logan set Isaiah down on the counter, took out the things he needed, and turned on the tap. As the water ran, he leaned against the counter, wondering how long he'd been asleep. It seemed like a week! He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept that long without being interrupted.
He picked up the thermometer and tested the water's temperature, found it just about right, and poured the right amount into a small bowl. He then added some powder. Seeing the bowl full of liquid, Isaiah hopped over with unusual speed and tried to stick his beak into the bowl. Logan lifted it easily out of reach, causing the little Pokémon to squawk angrily at him. He continued to think as he stirred the bowl, his mind still unfocused. His thoughts drifted from Isaiah to Rasha to the Pokémon League challenge before he finally realized he'd been stirring for quite a while. He checked the temperature of the food and swore: it was now too cold to feed to Isaiah. "Hey, Rasha!" he yelled. "The food's too cold!"
"Heat it up in the microwave!" Rasha shouted from another room. "Heat it for around seven seconds, and let it cool off after until it's the right temperature!"
Sighing, Logan opened the microwave, put the bowl inside, and set the time. Isaiah continued to screech and flap his wings impatiently. When the seconds had counted down to zero, he took the bowl out, tested the temperature, and swore again. It was now about ten degrees too hot. He began to blow on it, but as he did so he suddenly heard a loud clattering behind him. Isaiah, in his impatience to get to Logan and his food, had knocked the can of formula off the counter. Swearing most viciously, Logan bent down to pick up the can, trying to scoop the spilled formula into his hand.
That's when he heard Isaiah scream. Not just an impatient hunger scream, but a real scream. Logan stood up so fast he banged his head on the counter. Isaiah was fluttering madly around the counter, knocking the glass bowl aside and spilling steaming formula onto the counter in his pained panic. Frantic, Logan tried to grab the little bird, his eardrums throbbing with Isaiah's panicked screams. "RASHA!" he shouted as he tried to pin Isaiah's wings to his sides.
Rasha skidded into the kitchen at a break-neck speed, nearly sliding on her back. "What is it?! What is it?!" she demanded.
Logan had finally gotten a hold on Isaiah that prevented him from flapping his wings. Formula dribbled from his beak, still steaming. "Oh God!" Logan cried.
"Logan! You didn't feed him that!"
"No! Oh God. the thing fell on the floor, and I set it on the counter. Oh God!" Logan seemed to be going into hysterics.
Rasha ran over to the kitchen floor and grabbed her car keys. "Let's go," she said tersely, grabbing him by the shoulder and steering him toward the door. On her way out, she grabbed a dishtowel off the rack above the sink. Both she and Logan raced for the car. Rasha leaped into the driver's seat and jammed the key into the ignition as Logan dove into the passenger seat. Neither bothered to put on their seatbelts as Rasha rolled quickly out of the driveway. Once they'd turned onto the street she shifted into drive and the car tore down the street like a thing possessed, its tires squealing madly.
Logan, clutching the agonized Zapdos, was starting to pale, and it looked like he was going to go into shock as he just kept muttering to himself, "Oh God. Oh God."
"We're going to the Pokémon Center now, Logan," Rasha gritted as she ran a stop sign. Outside, a horn blared as they zoomed past. "Wrap Isaiah in this." She tossed the dishtowel at Logan, who numbly obeyed.
Rasha drove like she was trying to outrun the end of her life - which she was probably just barely doing, anyway. She paid no heed as horns blared and drivers shouted insults and made signs with their fingers when the car screeched by. Their trip ended abruptly as Rasha slammed into the driveway of the Pokémon Center, parking lengthwise along three spaces, and twisted off the ignition. She and Logan flew out of the car and ran into the center, leaving both car doors open. Isaiah's cries grew weaker; his eyes gradually dulled and became glazed as they ran.
The two trainers that had been sitting around in the Pokémon Center turned their heads in alarm as Logan and Rasha burst through the door and up to the startled Nurse Joy at the counter. "We have a bird Pokémon who burned his crop eating some overheated food," Rasha gasped.
Nurse Joy wasted no time. "Chansey!" she shouted. "Bring me a stretcher!" She reached out to Logan, who quietly handed over the bundle Isaiah was wrapped in. He watched without saying a word as Isaiah was placed on a small stretcher and rushed into the emergency room by a Chansey, with Nurse Joy close behind.
Rasha's hand on his shoulder made him flinch. "Come on," she said gently, trying to steer him toward the cushioned seats that lined the side of the center.
Logan couldn't move; he couldn't even take his eyes off the door the little Pokémon had disappeared behind. He felt cold and hollow. It was like the last part of him that meant something had disappeared behind that door - and he didn't know if it would ever come back.
"Come on," Rasha repeated, taking hold of his forearm. "There's nothing we can do but wait. The center will take care of Isaiah."
Logan didn't protest as he was led to a seat and sat down.
The wait was the most horrible part of being in the hospital. For almost four hours they sat without moving, waiting for the light above the door to turn off. Waiting for anything that would tell them whether Isaiah would live or not.
Logan spent the entire time in a fog, never moving or speaking and always staring fixedly at the same spot. Once, through the veil, he heard someone offer him food and drink, and he managed to shake his head no.
Though no one spoke to him apart from that, Logan's mind refused to stop badgering him. It's your fault you overslept. You weren't paying attention. If you'd been paying attention, this wouldn't have happened. If you hadn't killed his parents.
Somewhere along the line he must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew someone shook him awake, and when he opened his eyes Rasha knelt over him on the seat beside him. Beyond her stood a smiling Nurse Joy.
"Your Pokémon survived the operation," she said in her usual cheerful tone, though it also carried a hint of weariness. "It'll need some intensive care to recover, but it looks like it's going to be just fine."
Logan blinked. His eyes stung, and he was suddenly afraid he would cry. He wanted to say something, but all he seemed to be able to do was to stare, wide-eyed, at the red-haired nurse.
Rasha sighed. "God, what a relief," she moaned. "Thank you, Nurse Joy!"
"Th. Thanks," Logan said mumbled awkwardly.
Nurse Joy smiled and returned to the back. Logan stared after her for a few seconds. Then he collapsed into the seat with a loud sigh. His throat was tight, and there were tears in his eyes - but the nightmare was over.
So why wouldn't his conscience leave him alone?
They sat in the waiting room for a couple more hours. One of the trainers that had been there when they arrived eventually left, but the other set up a sleeping mat on the ground and prepared to spend the night there.
Logan still couldn't seem to fully recover from his shock. The color had returned to his face and he no longer appeared catatonic, but he seemed only to want to sit in silence, and his eyes still held a haunted, glazed look. With some coaxing, Rasha managed to get him to eat a very small amount of food and drink some water.
Eventually, Nurse Joy came up to them again. "The Pokémon will have to stay overnight," she informed them. "It'll be in good hands here. You can return for it in the morning."
Logan sat up, looking alarmed. One look at him told Rasha he had no intention of leaving unless Isaiah came with him. She glanced at the remaining trainer, who was asleep in his sleeping bag on the floor. "Perhaps we should spend the night," she suggested.
She felt Logan's eyes on her with a look of. gratitude? Confusion? Curiosity? She couldn't tell.
Nurse Joy nodded in understanding. "I'll get you some of the Center's blankets," she offered.
"Thank you," Rasha said as the woman once again disappeared into the back.
The night wore on. Rasha was exhausted, but Logan refused to sleep. He simply sat with his blanket wrapped around his shoulders, tracing a path on the table with his fingers. In the dim light, Rasha could see tears glistening in his eyes. It killed her to see him like that.
"Are you gonna be okay?" she asked softly.
He nodded. "I'll be fine," he managed.
"He'll be all right, Logan," Rasha whispered softly, touching his shoulder gently with her palm without really thinking about it. "The Pokémon Center always takes good care of Pokémon."
"I hope you're right," Logan whispered.
Rasha stared. All her life, she'd heard about Team Rocket on the news. As she grew older and began to learn about them through her own experiences, her already ill thoughts of them had grown deeper. Now, she realized that any human, no matter how many mistakes he or she made, was still capable of feeling. Logan had shown her that. For a minute, she suddenly felt very close to him. Tentatively, she reached out and put her hand over his in a comforting gesture. He tensed a bit, but he didn't pull away. They sat like that for a few minutes, her hand over his, before Rasha forced herself to break the touch. "Go to sleep, Logan," she whispered.
He turned to face her in the dark. And maybe it was the shadows distorting his features, but Rasha thought she saw him smile.
Not a grim smile, or a mischievous one. A real smile. the first one she'd seen on him since they'd met.
At last, Logan's extra sleep credited him when he woke before Rasha for the second time in a row. At once, his unfamiliar surroundings bemused his sleep-clouded brain (he wasn't what you call a morning person). Blearily, he looked around him, growing exceedingly uncomfortable. especially when he discovered that Rasha had been curled up on the cushion next to him using his arm as a pillow the whole night. Finally something must have clicked, because all the events of the previous day came rushing back in an overwhelming stream. Groaning, he shook his head, wishing it would all just go away. Too many things happen to me, dammit!
When he got up the courage to slip himself out from underneath the slumbering Rasha, he got up and wandered around aimlessly, wondering if anyone was even awake besides him. It was still early - no one had even turned on the lights in the Center yet - and there were no other beings visible in the building besides himself, Rasha, and some unknown person who slept on the floor.
A small shuffling noise made Logan start. Soon a Chansey, bleary- eyed and yawning, appeared through a back door behind the counter. The round, pink creature waddled over to flip on a light switch, adjusting the dimmer so that it wouldn't awaken the sleeping humans. When it caught sight of Logan it smiled cheerfully, as Chansey often do. "Chansey!"
"Hello," Logan replied softly, smiling in spite of himself. It was said that it was impossible to keep a bad mood when in the company of Chansey, and maybe this proved it.
"Chansey, chansey!" the Chansey replied a bit loudly, before immediately clapping a small hand over its mouth as it remembered the sleeping humans. Its beady eyes darted around nervously as it wondered if it had disturbed anyone's sleep.
Logan thought for a moment. "Chansey," he said quietly. "Can you do me a favor, please?"
"Chan-sey?"
"I brought a Pokémon in yesterday," Logan whispered. "A little Zapdos. He went in for surgery. Is. he's in the recovery room now, isn't he?"
The Chansey nodded and smiled.
Logan smiled back. "Can you let me in there?"
The Chansey looked uncertain - obviously, this was against the rules - but when it looked back at Logan it decided to bend those rules a bit. "Chansey!" it said agreeably, motioning for Logan to follow it.
Chansey showed Logan where Nurse Joy kept the room keys, which Logan had to get down himself due to Chansey's stature. The round Pokémon then led him to the recovery room and, once he'd discovered the right key through trial and error, Logan let himself inside.
There were several beds in the hospital. A blue curtain separated each patient's space from its neighbors'. Trying to deaden the sound of his footsteps, Logan quietly walked down the aisle, looking into each compartment before he finally spotted one bed on which a small ball of spiky yellow feathers lay tranquilly still.
Isaiah was curled into a ball, his long beak tucked under his right wing and his black-bordered eyelids closed. A relieved sigh escaped Logan. He didn't look like he was suffering at all! There was a small stool in the room, and Logan carefully scooted it closer to the bed so he could sit. For a while he only looked, but he couldn't resist the urge to reached out and softly stroke Isaiah's crest with one finger. The little Pokémon squeaked and stirred, and then his eyelids parted. But when he saw it was only Logan, he sighed softly and closed them again; his breathing slowed as his human friend's hand stroked his head.
Logan snuffled softly, grateful that he was alone and in the merciful dark, where no one would be able to make out the tears in his eyes. Five months it had been since the accident; five months had passed since he'd mercilessly shot down the two adult Zapdos as they attacked him to defend their child-- something he wouldn't know until it was too late. The moment he'd discovered Isaiah, alone in his cave and crying for the parents that would never return, had been the moment that changed his life forever. Without Isaiah, he would've spent his entire life a Team Rocket member - mirthless, cruel, and lost. Without Isaiah, his true soul - the one he'd kept to himself his entire life - would've remained hidden even to him forever.
Logan remembered reading once that the most beautiful things resulted from sadness; that out of misery came the most beautiful poems, the most expressive music, and the most brilliant literature. The day he'd slain the Zapdos had been the most horrid experience of his life, but now he understood that out of his self-loathing, Isaiah's life had not only been saved but so, in a way, had his own. If he had not hated himself for killing Isaiah's parents, he wouldn't have taken it upon himself to raise the baby Zapdos - and he'd almost certainly have died without ever discovering the part of him that was still capable of love.
The lights in the room suddenly blazed to life, startling Logan. Out in the hall, the sound of creaking footsteps made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. When Nurse Joy stopped in front of Isaiah's room, she was met with a very quiet man whose blank face conveyed that he had no idea what she would say to him.
But rather than the chastisement he'd been expecting for breaking into the recovery room, the nurse only sighed and asked, "Did Chansey let you in?"
"I let myself in," he replied expressionlessly.
"Don't worry," Joy assured him. "I won't punish Chansey. She only wants to make people feel better; I can't very well punish her for that, can I? Besides," she added, "it's good to see you up, anyway. Your friend was very concerned by your behavior last night. I hope this has reassured you some."
Logan nodded softly.
"That's good." Nurse Joy smiled. "I suppose I don't mind if you want to stay with your Pokémon awhile, but try not to wake him; the procedure tired him, and he needs his sleep to recover."
Again, Logan nodded. The nurse exited the room, leaving him once again alone with Isaiah.
Naturally, Rasha went from anxious to agitated when she discovered Logan missing after she awoke. When she inquired as to his whereabouts at the front desk, though, Nurse Joy assured her that he was in the recovery room with Isaiah. That made her annoyance fade: she was glad Logan's shock had lessened enough that he could do something about it, albeit in his own introverted manner.
Since the center served breakfast, Rasha and the strange traveler, whom she later found out was called Joel, sat at tables to eat the pancakes and hash browns that happened to be on the menu that morning. Since Nurse Joy had only left her desk for a second before returning with the hot plates, Rasha couldn't help but suspect that it was actually Chansey that prepared the food. At any rate, it was good.
Logan spent a very long time in the recovery room, but Rasha didn't have the heart to rush him, although she was hopelessly bored and anxious to be home. It didn't take a psychic to see that Isaiah's injury had damaged him, and she figured he needed to be with the Pokémon now to assure himself that things would turn out all right. In the meantime, she had Nurse Joy revitalize her Pokémon to make sure they were in good shape after that battle with Logan. All had recovered due to the effects of Super Potion and other remedies, but some still seemed to ache a bit from the injuries Logan's fighters had given them - particularly Houndour, whose ribs had been tender ever since suffering Opal's Horn Attack. Bayleaf also seemed to be suffering from the lingering effects of the Giga Drain Weaver had given her, and she suspected that the Ariados might have accidentally released a drop or two of poison fluid into her grass-type's bloodstream. Nevertheless, there never seemed to be a wound a Pokémon Center couldn't heal, and this was no different. After she'd gotten them back from Nurse Joy Rasha released all her Pokémon momentarily to see how they were faring, and they were just fine.
"That's a nice collection," the man named Joel commented as she withdrew her team.
"Thank you," Rasha responded.
Joel sauntered closer and glanced around before speaking to Rasha in a low voice. "That Pokémon you and yer friend brought in," he hissed. "Tell me. wazzat really a Zapdos chick?"
His quiet tone made Rasha uncertain, but seeing no reason to lie to him, she nodded.
"Wow," Joel murmured. "It was his, rah't? That's why he's back there wit it."
"Yeah," Rasha said.
"He must be quite a trainer, ta capture a rare creature like that."
Rasha started to tell him that Logan hadn't captured Isaiah per se, but wanting to spare herself from trying to explain what little she knew of Logan's acquiring of the little orphan as well as preserve Logan's pride as a trainer, she simply nodded.
Joel glanced around again in an almost paranoid fashion; as if he were afraid people might be listening in. When he lifted his chin the fluorescent lights caught on his gray eyes, lighting them up strangely, and for some reason that formed a growing distrust for him in Rasha. She didn't like the way he was acting, and she wasn't sure she liked the way he talked about Isaiah, either. Maybe it wasn't his intent, but the way he spoke of the baby Pokémon and the fact that he'd called her own team a "nice collection" made her think that he was the type that thought of Pokémon more as possessions than as living things. For as long as she could remember, people like that had disgusted Rasha. If he really was that type, she definitely wasn't eager to make friends with him.
As if he sensed her sudden suspicions, Joel gave a nod as his parting sign and returned to his table to clear off the Styrofoam tray he'd eaten his breakfast off of. When he'd thrown it away he took his backpack and sleeping roll from the floor, thanked Nurse Joy for her hospitality, and exited. Rasha tried not to stare after him as he walked away.
The whole conversation with Joel had made her think. Rasha wasn't the type who suspected everyone of having an ulterior motive, but she couldn't help wondering of the prospect of owning one of the rarest and most powerful creatures on the planet was enough to make any trainer get bad ideas.
Logan didn't leave the recovery room until the sun began to set. When he did, though, he was in the best mood Rasha had ever seen him in, and for the first time in hours he accepted food with some amount of enthusiasm. While he ate, he told Rasha that Isaiah was awake and looking fine, and that although he'd need to take it easy and couldn't eat the solid treats he sometimes enjoyed between meals for a few days, he was fit to return home and could take his formula for the evening. In fact, Nurse Joy had offered to feed Isaiah before they left, but Logan had insisted on doing it himself. Even though he didn't say it, Rasha understood. Obviously he considered what had happened to Isaiah to be a result of his carelessness, and had vowed to take his responsibility toward the Zapdos all the more seriously because of it.
Logan went back into the recovery room with Nurse Joy to get Isaiah. The little Zapdos seemed happy and ready to go as Logan meticulously wrapped him in a soft blue blanket.
"Isaiah was a very good patient," Joy commented. "You've done a good job raising him."
Logan lowered his head. "If I've done such a good job," he said quietly, "why did this happen?"
"Everyone makes mistakes," she replied comfortingly.
"I can't afford to make mistakes like this," Logan said. "I almost cost Isaiah his life because I was careless."
Joy smiled softly. "You mustn't feel too guilty," she said. "Isaiah certainly doesn't blame you."
Sighing inaudibly, Logan picked up the bundled-up fledging and cradled him like an infant against his chest. "Only because he's too young to know exactly how many mistakes I've made," he whispered to himself.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Once Logan had gathered up Isaiah, Joy handed him a small bottle. "These pills will help Isaiah with any pain he might feel from the operation," Joy said.
"He doesn't seem to be in any pain."
"Maybe, but we want to keep it that way," Joy replied. "This is just in case - after all, he won't be able to tell you if he is feeling pain. Give him one pill before each feeding. You'll probably have to force-feed them to him, but he won't regurgitate them if you feed him directly afterward."
"Thank you," Logan said. "For everything, I mean."
Joy smiled. "Chansey and I were glad to help."
"Chansey!" the pink Pokémon, who had been sitting quietly by the nurse's feet until now, chimed in.
The ride home was quiet, but not tense. Isaiah immediately resumed his favorite place on Logan's shoulder, whistling happily and biting affectionately at Logan's ear. Obviously, he was as overjoyed to be leaving the hospital as Logan was to be taking him away.
"What're these?" Rasha asked finally as the bottle of pills Logan still clutched in his hand caught her eye.
"Painkillers," Logan replied.
Rasha's eyebrows rose. "He seems perfectly fine to me."
In spite of himself, Logan grinned. "I know."
Once they got home, Logan immediately went into the kitchen and started making up the formula. He made Rasha hold Isaiah while he was doing it and prepared the food so carefully that his actions bordered on neurotic. Somehow he managed to get it done and fed Isaiah. For once, he even cleaned up after himself. When he'd finished, he grabbed Isaiah and darted off to his room while Rasha went to the phone to order a pizza, still feeling dizzied by the surreal change in Logan's behavior. What's more: she wasn't sure she didn't like it. Smirking wryly, she ordered the pizza. When she'd finished, she called Falcon on her cell phone. When her friend answered, she quickly filled her in on Isaiah's accident and how it had affected Logan.
"You're lucky you got that Pokémon to the Pokémon Center in time," Falcon said. "Crop burns are very serious and require some fast, complex surgery. It's a good thing the Pokémon Centers work for free, Rasha-I doubt very much that your friend there had the money to pay for an operation like that."
"I know," Rasha sighed.
"Well, if you still want me to come up," Falcon said, changing subjects, "I think I've got some time. If I leave tomorrow morning I'll be there by the next afternoon."
"That's great!" Rasha said. Then she thought about it a moment and added, "But let me talk to Logan first, okay? I don't know how he'll be with letting someone else in on this."
"That's fine," Falcon said. "I don't want to be there if it makes him uncomfortable. I can't help anything if he doesn't want me to."
"Right."
"Call me back when you've talked to him," Falcon said.
"Okay. Thanks, Falcon."
Immediately after she hung up the phone, Rasha went back to Logan's room. She knocked, and he let her in. Wording carefully so as not to insult his competence as a Pokémon trainer, she told him about Falcon's proposition.
"It's not like I don't think you've done a good job of raising Isaiah," Rasha told him. "But Falcon is an expert, of sorts. I don't know how she knows it, but she knows more about Legendary Pokémon than most researchers who've spent their whole lives searching for them. I think it'd be good for her to come up, but she said she won't come if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No," Logan said. "Isaiah almost died. I don't want anything like that--or worse-to ever happen again."
"Should I call her, then?"
Logan paused a moment, reviewing his last doubts. "Yes."
Rasha went back out to call Falcon back, but before she could reach the phone, the doorbell rang. She went to answer and found the pizza man standing there. Quickly, she called Logan to dinner. After they'd eaten, they had to feed their Pokémon, too. By then it was a quarter to nine and Rasha, having entirely forgotten what she was supposed to do, went in to turn on the TV. She flipped channels for a while, finding nothing of interest, but when nine o'clock hit she flipped straight back to channel five for the Pokémon League news session.
"Challenges are getting ready to open at the Challenge Hall. The written exams ended yesterday, and we are down to five potential masters who will battle it out for the right to challenge an Elite Four member for his or her position."
"Wow," Logan muttered from behind the couch. On the screen, the announcer was rattling off the names of the five competitors as their pictures flashed onto the screen. "I didn't realize the exams were over already."
"Yeah," Rasha murmured, her eyes glued to the screen as she sized up the competitors. "Do you think any of them even has a chance?"
"If they made it this far, they must've either been high-ranking gym leaders or high competitors in other League competitions," Logan mused. "I'd say any one of them could pull it off."
"Yeah," said Rasha. "I think. whoa! That's Koga!"
"Huh? Who?"
"That guy," Rasha said, pointing to a picture of a black-haired man with dark, slanting eyes just before his picture flashed away and the announcer came back on. "I remember him from when I lived in Kanto. He was the gym leader in. Fuchsia City, I think."
Logan whistled. "He must've been one heck of a gym leader. I wonder how many people won badges from this guy, if he was good enough to make it into Elite Four competition."
"I had no idea," Rasha admitted. "I never faced him in battle."
"I didn't think you did," Logan replied, "seeing as you came from Pokémon Tech and were studying to be a researcher, anyway."
"That's right," Rasha said. "Hey, what about you? Are you licensed, or what?"
"I am licensed," said Logan. "And yes, I was a serious trainer before I joined Team Rocket."
Rasha smiled. "Did you win any badges?"
Grinning, Logan ran off to his room. He emerged shortly with a small, flat box. He opened it to reveal two badges pinned to a velvet lining. "This is the Zephyr Badge, from Violet City," he said, indicating one. "And this one is the Hive Badge from Azalea Town. That's as far as I got."
"Not bad," said Rasha. "Six more of those and you could've been in the Pokémon League."
"Yeah." Logan sighed.
Her eyes softening, Rasha studied her dark-eyed friend. "You're a great trainer, Logan," she said gently. "What made you give it up?"
Another sigh escaped Logan, and he looked at the floor. "I guess things just didn't work out," he said finally. "Maybe it was just destiny. or something. But either way, that era is over, too."
For a while, they watched the announcer in silence, but the Elite Four news was over and they were now showing footage of a Pokémon juniors' tournament, something neither Rasha nor Logan had any interest in.
"What did that friend of yours say?" Logan asked suddenly.
Rasha eyes widened. "Omygod! I never called her back! I better go do that now!" Embarrassed, she dashed for the kitchen phone. Laughing to himself, Logan turned off the TV and followed.
Rasha quickly picked up the phone and punched in the number, listening impatiently while the phone rang and rang. At last, Falcon answered, "Hello?"
"Falcon, it's Rasha. Sorry it took so long to get back to you!"
"That's okay. What's going on?"
"Everything's been cleared up, I guess," Rasha replied. "You can come up anytime."
"Like I said, I can be there by tomorrow." She hesitated a moment. "You said he's a former Rocket member, right? No connections? No remaining loyalties?"
"Don't worry about your Pokémon," Rasha answered. "They'll be safe here."
"All right. Just to be sure, you know?"
"I understand," said Rasha. "And you really don't have to worry."
"What's up?" Logan asked quietly. Rasha held up a finger, indicating that she'd only be a minute.
"Is that your friend in the background?" Falcon inquired.
"Yeah," said Rasha.
"Anyway," said Falcon. "You can expect me by tomorrow evening, then."
"Thanks, Falcon," Rasha said.
"Hey, anything to help a friend."
"I appreciate it," Rasha said sincerely. "See you then."
"Bye, Rasha." Falcon hung up.
"I'm going out to buy some things," Rasha announced as she gathered up the leather bag that held her wallet.
"Bye," Logan said.
It was the next morning, Logan had fed Isaiah, and Rasha was going into town for Pokémon food and formula. If she wanted to feed her own Pokémon and Logan's she would need more than she had now.
"I'll be gone for about an hour," she said. "Maybe an hour and a half."
"Okay. Bye," Logan said.
"Fine," she said, annoyed at his apathy.
Logan started off for the back bedroom.
"Oh, and Logan?" Rasha called as she headed out the door. "Don't touch anything while I'm gone."
"Whatever."
Rolling her eyes, Rasha headed out the door.
Rasha got back about ten minutes later than she thought she would. She slung the three plastic bags she was carrying onto one arm and fumbled for her house key. Finally, she managed to unlock the door and open it.
She almost jumped out of her skin when a small creature that looked like a green brontosaurus with a leaf on its head ran up to greet her, almost knocking her down in its excitement. "Li, leaf!" it said.
"Bayleaf!" Rasha said, trying not to yell. "What are you doing out of your Pokéball?"
"Bayleaf, li-li-leaf!" Bayleaf yammered, trotting back inside. Rasha followed, afraid of what she would find.
The house had transformed into a zoo. A Poliwhirl leaped from desk to desk, knocking things over, while Sudowoodo stood in the middle of the living room like some ridiculously huge floral decoration. Houndour raced around, barking madly and knocking over more things than Poliwhirl. The huge red Ariados, Weaver, crawled up the wall to escape the rest of the creatures. Meanwhile, Electra the Raichu stood in the middle of the floor, looking uncertain. In the midst of it all, sitting on the couch and looking guilty, was Logan. On his shoulder Isaiah sat, whistling softly and looking very pleased with the whole scene.
Rasha's head boiled. "What. did you. do?" she said very slowly.
Logan scratched his head. "I took them out of their Pokéballs to see what they were," he said.
"And?"
"And," Logan said, "I couldn't get them back in."
Rasha rubbed her temples. "Logaaaan."
"Well. at least they got some exercise," he offered.
"This is not how they're supposed to get exercise!" shrieked Rasha, her face turning red. "What made you think you could just up and let them out, anyway?! Didn't I tell you not to touch anything?!"
Logan said nothing.
Grumbling about people who just couldn't stand to do what they were told, Rasha stooped down to collect her five various-colored Pokéballs, which the Pokémon had scattered. Once she'd found them all, she picked up the first one, the camouflage-colored one, and sucked up Sudowoodo. "All right, party over!" she announced. "You guys are all going back in now!"
The Pokémon stopped what they were doing and uttered cries of protest.
"No arguing!" Rasha said. She picked up her second Pokéball, which was half purple with a coin on a chain painted onto the purple part, but hesitated when she raised her arm to use it. "Where's Zelda?" she asked Logan.
"What's a Zelda?"
"My Drowzee," Rasha said. "Zelda is her nickname."
"Oh," he said. "I dunno. I think she went in the kitchen."
Rasha ran into the kitchen and found all the cupboard doors open, boxes of food spilled everywhere and, in the middle of everything, a tan- and-brown, short-eared, long-nosed Pokémon munching on a Poké-cookie.
"Zelda!"
The Drowzee started and turned to look at her master with a guilty expression on her face and food crumbs all over her mouth.
"Argh! Return!" she ordered. The ball opened, and Zelda disappeared into it.
When Rasha returned to the living room, she couldn't believe what she was seeing now. Logan hadn't moved from the couch, but now Poliwhirl sat on the cushion beside him, and Houndour rubbed up against him and begged to be petted as if she were just a playful little puppy, rather than the exceptional guard dog she'd been trained to be.
Rasha sighed and withdrew Bayleaf, who was tottering around after Weaver, into a Pokéball that had a leaf pattern painted onto the top half. "Are you two quite done?" she asked her remaining Pokémon.
Poliwhirl looked up at her with his usual blank, childlike expression. Houndour delicately licked Logan's fingers.
Rasha shook her head. "Well, things aren't boring around here anymore, I'll give you that, Logan," she gritted. "Poliwhirl. Houndour. return." The two Pokémon vanished into their Pokéballs, leaving only the two humans and Logan's Pokémon in the room. "Now," she said. "What made you think you could just go messing around with my Pokémon?"
Logan's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't going to take them," he growled defensively.
"That's not what I said."
"But you're insinuating it."
"I wasn't insinuating anything! It's a simple matter of I told you not to do something, and you did it anyway!"
"You're starting to sound like my grandmother."
Rasha let that one go. "I'm trying to trust you, Logan," she continued. "It's not easy, but I'm really trying, and you're not helping me."
Logan sighed, and for a minute Rasha thought he might actually apologize. Instead, he looked at his hands and drummed his fingers restlessly, saying nothing.
Shaking her head, Rasha said, "Okay, all that aside. Why did you let them out?"
Logan shrugged the shoulder that Isaiah wasn't sitting on. "I just wanted to see if I could beat you in battle," he said nonchalantly as he fished out his Pokéballs and withdrew Electra and Weaver, who actually looked relieved to be returned to their balls.
Rasha raised her eyebrows. "Is that a challenge?"
"Not really," Logan said. Then his teeth flashed in a sly grin. "Unless. you want to battle me."
"I think that is a challenge," Rasha countered. "Well, let's go then. Come on, we'll battle out back."
Logan had never seen a bigger backyard than Rasha's. Having grown up in the city, he wasn't used to seeing houses with this much land. It was a good place to hold Pokémon battles - plenty of room for the Pokémon to move.
Automatically, Logan moved to the right side of the yard, while Rasha stationed herself several yards away from him on the left side.
"You ready?" Rasha shouted from her end of the field.
"Ready when you are," Logan called back confidently.
"You can go ahead and set the rules if you want!" Rasha answered.
"Three on three."
"Okay! My first Pokémon." Rasha threw her Pokéball to the ground.
White energy burst out of the ball. When it faded the dinosaur-like grass Pokémon, Bayleaf, stood in front of Rasha.
"Okay," Logan said, cracking his knuckles. "I choose Weaver!" He tossed the ball to release his Ariados, who immediately rushed up to meet Bayleaf, his mandibles clicking furiously. Bayleaf pawed the earth in a threatening gesture.
"I admit your bug gives me the creeps," Rasha said, "but it won't scare Bayleaf! Stomp attack, now!"
"Weaver! Dodge!"
Bayleaf leaped into the air and brought her flat, clawed feet down with a seismic thud, aiming for the center of Weaver's body, but the Ariados cunningly scuttled out of the way. Bayleaf wheeled to chase the agile arachnid.
"Poison Sting!" Logan commanded.
Weaver pivoted until he faced Bayleaf and opened his mandibles, shooting a shower of thin white needles at the grass Pokémon's head. Bayleaf crouched down in a defensive posture and deflected the attack by spinning the leaf on her head around in a rapid circular motion, batting the needles away.
"Good work!" Rasha shouted. "Now. Vine Whip!"
Two of the cone-shapes on either side of Bayleaf's neck elongated and become long green whips. She lashed out, forcing Weaver to back away and dodge. Bayleaf pursued, striking again and again with her vines until she finally grabbed Weaver around the midsection. She raised Weaver in the air and then slammed him into the ground, repeating the action over and over.
"Weaver, Bite attack!" Logan ordered calmly.
Weaver clamped his mandibles into Bayleaf's vine and twisted his head, trying to invoke as much pain as possible, while Bayleaf screeched and thrashed violently. Finally she released her hold on Weaver, who flew off and soared through the air, landing deftly on his six legs.
Rasha gritted her teeth. "Okay," she said. "Razor Leaf, now!"
Crouching into her defensive posture once again, Bayleaf swiveled the leaf on her head, and two smaller leaves with sharp edges sprouted, detached, and whizzed toward Weaver like throwing stars. The spider dodged one, but in doing so he ran right into the other's path. It didn't cut deep but it grazed his side, creating a thin line of blood and causing the Pokémon to squeal in pain.
Razor Leaf was a danger to his winning the battle. Logan quickly tried to figure a way to prevent it. "Weaver!" he said cautiously. "Run around and see if you can jump onto its back!"
Weaver scurried to obey.
"Don't let it do that!" Rasha shouted. "Use your Vine Whip to block it!"
As Weaver raced forward, Bayleaf lanced out her vines. One struck Weaver a glancing blow to the head and sent him flying back.
"Focus Energy!" Logan shouted. "Concentrate, Weaver! You can do it!"
"Don't let it in, Bayleaf!" Rasha cautioned.
"Li, leaf!" Bayleaf shouted, flailing her vines. But Weaver's eyes began to glisten threateningly, and he rushed the green Pokémon at a blistering speed, somehow managing to stay one step ahead of Bayleaf's blows. He closed in, and with a sudden thrust of his legs he was on Bayleaf's back and crawling up her long neck. Bayleaf shrieked and bucked, trying to throw Weaver off, but his long, sharp legs held fast.
"String Shot!" Logan shouted. "Aim for the leaf!"
Delicate-looking - but strong - thread sprang from between Weaver's mandibles. The sticky goop looped over Bayleaf's head again and again, until the leaf on the top of her head was plastered tightly along the back of her neck. "Leeeaaaf!" Bayleaf shouted in alarm, and with a final jerk she threw Weaver off. He landed several feet away, swaying slightly as he climbed to his feet.
"Bayleaf, Tackle!" Rasha cried.
Bayleaf charged forward and rammed into the stunned bug, sending him flying once more.
"Weaver! Try to stand!" Logan ordered smoothly.
"We've got it beat!" Rasha shouted. "Bayleaf, finish it off with Razor Leaf!"
Bayleaf tried to use Razor Leaf, but without being able to execute the swiveling motion of the leaf on top of her head, she couldn't perform the attack. While she struggled, Weaver stood and rushed forward, burying his sharp jaws into Bayleaf's leg. Bayleaf screamed and stomped up and down; Weaver flapped like a flag.
"Giga Drain!" Logan ordered.
Green light suddenly hammered through Bayleaf's body. Rasha's mouth hung agape as her Pokémon slowly sank to her knees, the energy slowly draining from her body until she was too weak to even stand.
"Bayleaf, return!" Rasha cried, snapping out the Pokéball and withdrawing the beaten Pokémon, leaving the battered-looking Ariados to drop wearily onto the grass. Logan was better than she'd anticipated. "All right," she murmured, pulling out the Pokéball with the flames on it. "I choose Houndour!"
The black doglike Pokémon appeared with a wild howl as her lips curled away from her teeth in a snarl.
Logan saw that it was a mismatch - Weaver was at type disadvantage, and Bayleaf had tired him out so much that he couldn't hope to stand a chance against the fire-and-dark type. "I'll substitute," he announced. "Weaver, return!" He replaced Weaver's Pokéball and held up another, a sly grin curling his lips. "Go, Opal!"
Rasha gasped as an enormous Pokémon that towered over both her and Houndour emerged. Opal, the Onix, extended her long, rock-hard form into an imposing position and bellowed menacingly.
"Don't back down, Houndour!" Rasha encouraged. "Use Flamethrower!"
"Horn Attack!" Logan called back, sounding confident.
The flame that burst from Houndour's jaws engulfed Opal's head, but didn't even seem to faze her as she fell on the smaller Pokémon with her horn pointed straight forward like a lance. The rock-snake cut through the fire and slammed into Houndour. Her blunt stone horn didn't cut, but it threw Houndour back a good few paces. The dog crumpled to the ground, whimpering in pain.
"Wait, Opal," Logan murmured to his Pokémon.
"Houndour!" cried Rasha, rushing to the fallen creature's side. Houndour emitted a long, drawn-out moan as Rasha tried to help her up. She didn't want to lose the round so quickly, but since Houndour was obviously no match for Opal - but was not yet quite defeated - she decided to do the only thing she could. "I substitute! Houndour, return," she said. Gritting her teeth, Rasha made a quick decision and detached another Pokéball. When it opened, her Poliwhirl stood on the field of battle.
Logan laughed. "Opal, Horn Attack!"
"Poliwhirl, Bubblebeam!"
As Opal readied for her Horn Attack, a thick cloud of multicolored bubbles suddenly surrounded her on all sides. Opal stopped short, unsure. Tentatively, she tried to move, and all the bubbles that she tapped as a result of that motion exploded on contact, painfully hammering into her rocky skin.
"Opal, don't move!" Logan cautioned. "Use Harden, then Horn Attack!"
Opal's eyes closed in concentration and her body began to shimmer with white light that quickly faded. With a roar, she lunged downward toward Poliwhirl. The exploding bubbles no longer seemed to faze her as she came down with an earth-shattering blow, but at the last second Poliwhirl leaped away. Instead of hitting Poliwhirl Opal drove her horn straight into the ground, creating a good-sized hole where she struck.
"Good try, good try," Logan said. "Take Down!"
"Quick, Poliwhirl!" Rasha cried. "Ice Beam!"
Opal lunged, but just as she began to move Poliwhirl held up his hands and a glowing blue orb of light formed that exploded outward into a crackling beam. When the beam contacted with Opal's skin it formed ice, instantly covering her head and gradually traveling down her entire body until she was stiff all over. Because she could no longer move to attack, the Onix was defeated.
Logan cursed under his breath. "Opal, return!" he said, withdrawing the frozen Pokémon. "All right. Your turn, Electra!"
Before Poliwhirl could even react, Electra burst out of the Pokéball, tackled him to the ground, and shocked the daylights out of him, all without even being ordered to do so. Rasha froze in shock as Poliwhirl fell to the ground with dizzy eyes and Electra stepped off, ready for her next challenger.
"P. Poliwhirl, return," Rasha stammered, looking astonished.
Now Rasha was in trouble. Electra was obviously Logan's most powerful Pokémon, and her only remaining choice was Houndour. Had Houndour shaken off Opal's attack enough to stand a chance? She could only hope so.
"Go, Houndour! Flamethrower attack!"
"Double Team," Logan said placidly.
Houndour inhaled, but swallowed her flame when Electra suddenly split into two, then four, then six separate Raichu. She continued to multiply until a circle of electric Pokémon, each startling real, surrounded Houndour.
"Dourrr?" Houndour whimpered, turning her head back and forth. One of these Raichu was the real Electra, but it was impossible to tell which.
"Raai!" the illusion Raichu chorused. Sparks flew from all of their cheeks.
"Come on, Houndour! Don't just stand there!" Rasha shouted. "Try to use Flamethrower to find the real one!"
"Houndoooouuur!" Flame erupted from Houndour's parted jaws. The attack struck one of the Raichu in the gut, but it passed right through. This one wasn't real. Houndour turned and fired again and again, but each time the flame passed straight through the Pokémon she struck.
"Electra," Logan said quietly. "Quick Attack."
The real Electra rocketed out of nowhere, striking Houndour in her right ribs with an astounding force. The dog Pokémon yelped in surprise as the force of the blow threw her to the ground
"Electra!" Logan called. "Let's."
Logan stopped as a sudden electronic ring sounded from inside the house. He, Rasha, and the Pokémon stopped and listened until they heard the noise again. It was Rasha's phone.
"Better take it," Rasha muttered. "Houndour, return." Her Pokéball withdrew a grateful-looking Houndour.
"Aw, dammit!" Logan complained as he withdrew Electra. "I was about to win, too!"
Isaiah whistled.
Rasha slammed into the house and picked up the phone on the fourth ring. "Hello?"
"Rasha?" the female voice at the other end said. "You okay? You sound a little winded there!"
"Falcon?" Rasha laughed. "How are you?"
"Just fine," Falcon replied. "I'm just returning your message. How's the research going?"
Rasha heard the door open and close, and Isaiah's cheerful whistle. "Oh. just fine." she said casually.
"That's good to hear. Have you seen anything interesting yet?"
Rasha grimaced. "You could say that."
Falcon chuckled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Now she could hear Logan's breathing behind her. "I'll have to call you back," Rasha said.
"Okay. Are you sure everything's all right over there?"
"It's fine," Rasha said. "Sorry, Falcon. I'll call you, okay?"
"Sure, Rasha. Bye!"
"Bye." Rasha hung up.
Logan and Rasha hadn't realized how late it was getting. They quickly set about making dinner and getting their Pokémon fed. Isaiah impatiently tried to eat directly out of the bowl Logan used to prepare his formula.
When she'd eaten and her Pokémon snoozed in their Pokéballs, Rasha collapsed into her living room sofa and lazily switched on the TV. She flipped channels until she found a Pokémon match in the Elite Four Challenge and settled back to watch.
"Whatcha watching?" Logan asked offhandedly as he entered the room with Isaiah on his shoulder as usual.
"Elite Four," Rasha said.
Logan stood for a minute before awkwardly taking the cushion next to her. "What did I miss?"
"It just started," Rasha replied as the TV announcer blared. "It's Loreli versus some kid from Kanto. I think his name's Marco or something like that."
"I see," Logan muttered. "Hey, did you hear that the two of the Elite Four are getting challenged for their positions?"
"Really?" Rasha said with sudden interest. "Who's getting challenged?"
"Loreli and Agatha, I think. And Lance is goin' for Champion, so they'll have to have someone to take his place, too."
"I didn't know Lance was trying for Elite Four Champion," Rasha said. "Well, he's certainly good enough. He'll probably get it."
"Yeah," Logan said. "They say those dragons of his are unbeatable. No one's gotten into the Hall of Fame since the year he joined."
"Yeah," Rasha replied. "Think Lance can really beat out Red?"
"Sure he can," Logan said. "Red's gotta be rusty. I mean. hardly anyone even gets to the Champion anymore, but Lance has had tons of battles. He'll be in better shape."
"But Red's got a more varied team," Rasha argued. "Lance only trains one type of Pokémon."
"That's not exactly true," Logan said. "All his Pokémon are part dragon-type, but some of them have other types, too."
"I guess you've got a point," Rasha admitted.
For a long while she just stared at the TV screen, watching Loreli's Cloyster pound on the challenger's Seadra.
"Logan," she said finally. "What happened with Isaiah? I mean, how did you find him?" There was no answer. "Logan?" Rasha turned her head to see an empty cushion beside her. While she'd been intent on the television, Logan had quietly gotten up and gone to bed.
Sighing, Rasha got up and snapped off the TV on her way to the phone. She fumbled for the piece of paper on which she had written her friend's cell phone number and carefully dialed.
"Hello?" Falcon said.
"Hi," Rasha said. "It's Rasha. Sorry I hung up on you so fast before."
"Oh, that's okay," said Falcon, but she sounded distracted, and Rasha heard her sigh into the phone.
"What's wrong?" Rasha asked.
Suddenly Rasha thought she heard a sharp sizzling/crackling noise in the background and screams, and then a strange bark from a canine Pokémon.
"Nothing," said Falcon, sounding a little tense and more than a little weary.
"Okay," Rasha said, unsure but not wanting to pursue it.
"So, what's up?" Falcon said.
"Oh," Rasha said. "Well, remember before when you were asking me about my research? Well, I did find something." Rasha quickly relayed the events of the past few days to Falcon.
"Okay, hold on," Falcon said when she'd finished. "This Team Rocket guy with his Zapdos are now in your house?"
"Yeah," Rasha said. "That's why I didn't want to talk to you before."
"I see," Falcon said. "So. what do you want me to do about it?"
"Well, it's just that Logan doesn't know much about Legendary Pokémon, and I'm not going to be able to help him all that much, either. I was hoping you'd be able to give me some advice, or something."
Falcon paused for a moment. "Maybe if I get some time, I can see if I can come up," she said slowly. "Until then, I can see if there's going to be any lectures about infant Pokémon care near where you are. That should help."
"Thanks, Falcon," Rasha said, feeling relieved.
For once the next morning, Logan awoke before Rasha. Somehow he'd found the cold cereal by himself and was eating it when she came into the kitchen. Judging from the formula smeared all over the counter, Isaiah had already been fed. After wiping off the counter (and giving Logan a lecture about how it wouldn't kill him to clean up after himself) Rasha quickly ate a bowl of cereal and went out to feed her Pokémon. After awhile Logan wandered outside as well and released his own Pokémon so they could join in the meal.
The afternoon passed without event. Rasha spent most of the day compiling her observations of the mountain area, which weren't much because she still hadn't seen anything except Isaiah, and since she was supposed to observe legendary Pokémon in their natural habitats, that didn't help much. For a while Logan went outside and did a little practice training with his Pokémon, and when he got sick of that he came back inside, fed Isaiah a couple pellets of Pokémon food, and spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping.
When it finally began to get dark, Rasha yawned and put her notebooks away before going into the kitchen to start cooking dinner. When everything was in place, she waited around for Logan. Isaiah's demanding screams got louder and louder in the bedroom, but still Logan didn't come out. Finally, she stormed in to see what was taking him and found that somehow, he'd slept through the racket the baby Zapdos was making.
"Logan," said Rasha, prodding his arm gently. "Wake up."
Logan didn't even move.
Rasha frowned. "Logan," she said, more insistently. "Isaiah's hungry. How can you sleep through that? Wake up and feed him, for Godssakes!" She started to shake him. "You lazy son of a. Logan, wake up!"
Logan mumbled something that sounded like "go away" and curled up into a tighter ball.
Finally, Rasha simply grabbed his arm and, ignoring his yelps of protest, dragged him out of the bed and dumped him unceremoniously on the floor. "You've slept all day, idgit!" she yelled. "Get up and feed your poor bird!"
Logan picked himself up and, mumbling some suspiciously "colorful" words under his breath, picked up the screeching and cranky Zapdos and stalked out to the kitchen.
Still shaking off his long sleep, Logan set Isaiah down on the counter, took out the things he needed, and turned on the tap. As the water ran, he leaned against the counter, wondering how long he'd been asleep. It seemed like a week! He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept that long without being interrupted.
He picked up the thermometer and tested the water's temperature, found it just about right, and poured the right amount into a small bowl. He then added some powder. Seeing the bowl full of liquid, Isaiah hopped over with unusual speed and tried to stick his beak into the bowl. Logan lifted it easily out of reach, causing the little Pokémon to squawk angrily at him. He continued to think as he stirred the bowl, his mind still unfocused. His thoughts drifted from Isaiah to Rasha to the Pokémon League challenge before he finally realized he'd been stirring for quite a while. He checked the temperature of the food and swore: it was now too cold to feed to Isaiah. "Hey, Rasha!" he yelled. "The food's too cold!"
"Heat it up in the microwave!" Rasha shouted from another room. "Heat it for around seven seconds, and let it cool off after until it's the right temperature!"
Sighing, Logan opened the microwave, put the bowl inside, and set the time. Isaiah continued to screech and flap his wings impatiently. When the seconds had counted down to zero, he took the bowl out, tested the temperature, and swore again. It was now about ten degrees too hot. He began to blow on it, but as he did so he suddenly heard a loud clattering behind him. Isaiah, in his impatience to get to Logan and his food, had knocked the can of formula off the counter. Swearing most viciously, Logan bent down to pick up the can, trying to scoop the spilled formula into his hand.
That's when he heard Isaiah scream. Not just an impatient hunger scream, but a real scream. Logan stood up so fast he banged his head on the counter. Isaiah was fluttering madly around the counter, knocking the glass bowl aside and spilling steaming formula onto the counter in his pained panic. Frantic, Logan tried to grab the little bird, his eardrums throbbing with Isaiah's panicked screams. "RASHA!" he shouted as he tried to pin Isaiah's wings to his sides.
Rasha skidded into the kitchen at a break-neck speed, nearly sliding on her back. "What is it?! What is it?!" she demanded.
Logan had finally gotten a hold on Isaiah that prevented him from flapping his wings. Formula dribbled from his beak, still steaming. "Oh God!" Logan cried.
"Logan! You didn't feed him that!"
"No! Oh God. the thing fell on the floor, and I set it on the counter. Oh God!" Logan seemed to be going into hysterics.
Rasha ran over to the kitchen floor and grabbed her car keys. "Let's go," she said tersely, grabbing him by the shoulder and steering him toward the door. On her way out, she grabbed a dishtowel off the rack above the sink. Both she and Logan raced for the car. Rasha leaped into the driver's seat and jammed the key into the ignition as Logan dove into the passenger seat. Neither bothered to put on their seatbelts as Rasha rolled quickly out of the driveway. Once they'd turned onto the street she shifted into drive and the car tore down the street like a thing possessed, its tires squealing madly.
Logan, clutching the agonized Zapdos, was starting to pale, and it looked like he was going to go into shock as he just kept muttering to himself, "Oh God. Oh God."
"We're going to the Pokémon Center now, Logan," Rasha gritted as she ran a stop sign. Outside, a horn blared as they zoomed past. "Wrap Isaiah in this." She tossed the dishtowel at Logan, who numbly obeyed.
Rasha drove like she was trying to outrun the end of her life - which she was probably just barely doing, anyway. She paid no heed as horns blared and drivers shouted insults and made signs with their fingers when the car screeched by. Their trip ended abruptly as Rasha slammed into the driveway of the Pokémon Center, parking lengthwise along three spaces, and twisted off the ignition. She and Logan flew out of the car and ran into the center, leaving both car doors open. Isaiah's cries grew weaker; his eyes gradually dulled and became glazed as they ran.
The two trainers that had been sitting around in the Pokémon Center turned their heads in alarm as Logan and Rasha burst through the door and up to the startled Nurse Joy at the counter. "We have a bird Pokémon who burned his crop eating some overheated food," Rasha gasped.
Nurse Joy wasted no time. "Chansey!" she shouted. "Bring me a stretcher!" She reached out to Logan, who quietly handed over the bundle Isaiah was wrapped in. He watched without saying a word as Isaiah was placed on a small stretcher and rushed into the emergency room by a Chansey, with Nurse Joy close behind.
Rasha's hand on his shoulder made him flinch. "Come on," she said gently, trying to steer him toward the cushioned seats that lined the side of the center.
Logan couldn't move; he couldn't even take his eyes off the door the little Pokémon had disappeared behind. He felt cold and hollow. It was like the last part of him that meant something had disappeared behind that door - and he didn't know if it would ever come back.
"Come on," Rasha repeated, taking hold of his forearm. "There's nothing we can do but wait. The center will take care of Isaiah."
Logan didn't protest as he was led to a seat and sat down.
The wait was the most horrible part of being in the hospital. For almost four hours they sat without moving, waiting for the light above the door to turn off. Waiting for anything that would tell them whether Isaiah would live or not.
Logan spent the entire time in a fog, never moving or speaking and always staring fixedly at the same spot. Once, through the veil, he heard someone offer him food and drink, and he managed to shake his head no.
Though no one spoke to him apart from that, Logan's mind refused to stop badgering him. It's your fault you overslept. You weren't paying attention. If you'd been paying attention, this wouldn't have happened. If you hadn't killed his parents.
Somewhere along the line he must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew someone shook him awake, and when he opened his eyes Rasha knelt over him on the seat beside him. Beyond her stood a smiling Nurse Joy.
"Your Pokémon survived the operation," she said in her usual cheerful tone, though it also carried a hint of weariness. "It'll need some intensive care to recover, but it looks like it's going to be just fine."
Logan blinked. His eyes stung, and he was suddenly afraid he would cry. He wanted to say something, but all he seemed to be able to do was to stare, wide-eyed, at the red-haired nurse.
Rasha sighed. "God, what a relief," she moaned. "Thank you, Nurse Joy!"
"Th. Thanks," Logan said mumbled awkwardly.
Nurse Joy smiled and returned to the back. Logan stared after her for a few seconds. Then he collapsed into the seat with a loud sigh. His throat was tight, and there were tears in his eyes - but the nightmare was over.
So why wouldn't his conscience leave him alone?
They sat in the waiting room for a couple more hours. One of the trainers that had been there when they arrived eventually left, but the other set up a sleeping mat on the ground and prepared to spend the night there.
Logan still couldn't seem to fully recover from his shock. The color had returned to his face and he no longer appeared catatonic, but he seemed only to want to sit in silence, and his eyes still held a haunted, glazed look. With some coaxing, Rasha managed to get him to eat a very small amount of food and drink some water.
Eventually, Nurse Joy came up to them again. "The Pokémon will have to stay overnight," she informed them. "It'll be in good hands here. You can return for it in the morning."
Logan sat up, looking alarmed. One look at him told Rasha he had no intention of leaving unless Isaiah came with him. She glanced at the remaining trainer, who was asleep in his sleeping bag on the floor. "Perhaps we should spend the night," she suggested.
She felt Logan's eyes on her with a look of. gratitude? Confusion? Curiosity? She couldn't tell.
Nurse Joy nodded in understanding. "I'll get you some of the Center's blankets," she offered.
"Thank you," Rasha said as the woman once again disappeared into the back.
The night wore on. Rasha was exhausted, but Logan refused to sleep. He simply sat with his blanket wrapped around his shoulders, tracing a path on the table with his fingers. In the dim light, Rasha could see tears glistening in his eyes. It killed her to see him like that.
"Are you gonna be okay?" she asked softly.
He nodded. "I'll be fine," he managed.
"He'll be all right, Logan," Rasha whispered softly, touching his shoulder gently with her palm without really thinking about it. "The Pokémon Center always takes good care of Pokémon."
"I hope you're right," Logan whispered.
Rasha stared. All her life, she'd heard about Team Rocket on the news. As she grew older and began to learn about them through her own experiences, her already ill thoughts of them had grown deeper. Now, she realized that any human, no matter how many mistakes he or she made, was still capable of feeling. Logan had shown her that. For a minute, she suddenly felt very close to him. Tentatively, she reached out and put her hand over his in a comforting gesture. He tensed a bit, but he didn't pull away. They sat like that for a few minutes, her hand over his, before Rasha forced herself to break the touch. "Go to sleep, Logan," she whispered.
He turned to face her in the dark. And maybe it was the shadows distorting his features, but Rasha thought she saw him smile.
Not a grim smile, or a mischievous one. A real smile. the first one she'd seen on him since they'd met.
At last, Logan's extra sleep credited him when he woke before Rasha for the second time in a row. At once, his unfamiliar surroundings bemused his sleep-clouded brain (he wasn't what you call a morning person). Blearily, he looked around him, growing exceedingly uncomfortable. especially when he discovered that Rasha had been curled up on the cushion next to him using his arm as a pillow the whole night. Finally something must have clicked, because all the events of the previous day came rushing back in an overwhelming stream. Groaning, he shook his head, wishing it would all just go away. Too many things happen to me, dammit!
When he got up the courage to slip himself out from underneath the slumbering Rasha, he got up and wandered around aimlessly, wondering if anyone was even awake besides him. It was still early - no one had even turned on the lights in the Center yet - and there were no other beings visible in the building besides himself, Rasha, and some unknown person who slept on the floor.
A small shuffling noise made Logan start. Soon a Chansey, bleary- eyed and yawning, appeared through a back door behind the counter. The round, pink creature waddled over to flip on a light switch, adjusting the dimmer so that it wouldn't awaken the sleeping humans. When it caught sight of Logan it smiled cheerfully, as Chansey often do. "Chansey!"
"Hello," Logan replied softly, smiling in spite of himself. It was said that it was impossible to keep a bad mood when in the company of Chansey, and maybe this proved it.
"Chansey, chansey!" the Chansey replied a bit loudly, before immediately clapping a small hand over its mouth as it remembered the sleeping humans. Its beady eyes darted around nervously as it wondered if it had disturbed anyone's sleep.
Logan thought for a moment. "Chansey," he said quietly. "Can you do me a favor, please?"
"Chan-sey?"
"I brought a Pokémon in yesterday," Logan whispered. "A little Zapdos. He went in for surgery. Is. he's in the recovery room now, isn't he?"
The Chansey nodded and smiled.
Logan smiled back. "Can you let me in there?"
The Chansey looked uncertain - obviously, this was against the rules - but when it looked back at Logan it decided to bend those rules a bit. "Chansey!" it said agreeably, motioning for Logan to follow it.
Chansey showed Logan where Nurse Joy kept the room keys, which Logan had to get down himself due to Chansey's stature. The round Pokémon then led him to the recovery room and, once he'd discovered the right key through trial and error, Logan let himself inside.
There were several beds in the hospital. A blue curtain separated each patient's space from its neighbors'. Trying to deaden the sound of his footsteps, Logan quietly walked down the aisle, looking into each compartment before he finally spotted one bed on which a small ball of spiky yellow feathers lay tranquilly still.
Isaiah was curled into a ball, his long beak tucked under his right wing and his black-bordered eyelids closed. A relieved sigh escaped Logan. He didn't look like he was suffering at all! There was a small stool in the room, and Logan carefully scooted it closer to the bed so he could sit. For a while he only looked, but he couldn't resist the urge to reached out and softly stroke Isaiah's crest with one finger. The little Pokémon squeaked and stirred, and then his eyelids parted. But when he saw it was only Logan, he sighed softly and closed them again; his breathing slowed as his human friend's hand stroked his head.
Logan snuffled softly, grateful that he was alone and in the merciful dark, where no one would be able to make out the tears in his eyes. Five months it had been since the accident; five months had passed since he'd mercilessly shot down the two adult Zapdos as they attacked him to defend their child-- something he wouldn't know until it was too late. The moment he'd discovered Isaiah, alone in his cave and crying for the parents that would never return, had been the moment that changed his life forever. Without Isaiah, he would've spent his entire life a Team Rocket member - mirthless, cruel, and lost. Without Isaiah, his true soul - the one he'd kept to himself his entire life - would've remained hidden even to him forever.
Logan remembered reading once that the most beautiful things resulted from sadness; that out of misery came the most beautiful poems, the most expressive music, and the most brilliant literature. The day he'd slain the Zapdos had been the most horrid experience of his life, but now he understood that out of his self-loathing, Isaiah's life had not only been saved but so, in a way, had his own. If he had not hated himself for killing Isaiah's parents, he wouldn't have taken it upon himself to raise the baby Zapdos - and he'd almost certainly have died without ever discovering the part of him that was still capable of love.
The lights in the room suddenly blazed to life, startling Logan. Out in the hall, the sound of creaking footsteps made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. When Nurse Joy stopped in front of Isaiah's room, she was met with a very quiet man whose blank face conveyed that he had no idea what she would say to him.
But rather than the chastisement he'd been expecting for breaking into the recovery room, the nurse only sighed and asked, "Did Chansey let you in?"
"I let myself in," he replied expressionlessly.
"Don't worry," Joy assured him. "I won't punish Chansey. She only wants to make people feel better; I can't very well punish her for that, can I? Besides," she added, "it's good to see you up, anyway. Your friend was very concerned by your behavior last night. I hope this has reassured you some."
Logan nodded softly.
"That's good." Nurse Joy smiled. "I suppose I don't mind if you want to stay with your Pokémon awhile, but try not to wake him; the procedure tired him, and he needs his sleep to recover."
Again, Logan nodded. The nurse exited the room, leaving him once again alone with Isaiah.
Naturally, Rasha went from anxious to agitated when she discovered Logan missing after she awoke. When she inquired as to his whereabouts at the front desk, though, Nurse Joy assured her that he was in the recovery room with Isaiah. That made her annoyance fade: she was glad Logan's shock had lessened enough that he could do something about it, albeit in his own introverted manner.
Since the center served breakfast, Rasha and the strange traveler, whom she later found out was called Joel, sat at tables to eat the pancakes and hash browns that happened to be on the menu that morning. Since Nurse Joy had only left her desk for a second before returning with the hot plates, Rasha couldn't help but suspect that it was actually Chansey that prepared the food. At any rate, it was good.
Logan spent a very long time in the recovery room, but Rasha didn't have the heart to rush him, although she was hopelessly bored and anxious to be home. It didn't take a psychic to see that Isaiah's injury had damaged him, and she figured he needed to be with the Pokémon now to assure himself that things would turn out all right. In the meantime, she had Nurse Joy revitalize her Pokémon to make sure they were in good shape after that battle with Logan. All had recovered due to the effects of Super Potion and other remedies, but some still seemed to ache a bit from the injuries Logan's fighters had given them - particularly Houndour, whose ribs had been tender ever since suffering Opal's Horn Attack. Bayleaf also seemed to be suffering from the lingering effects of the Giga Drain Weaver had given her, and she suspected that the Ariados might have accidentally released a drop or two of poison fluid into her grass-type's bloodstream. Nevertheless, there never seemed to be a wound a Pokémon Center couldn't heal, and this was no different. After she'd gotten them back from Nurse Joy Rasha released all her Pokémon momentarily to see how they were faring, and they were just fine.
"That's a nice collection," the man named Joel commented as she withdrew her team.
"Thank you," Rasha responded.
Joel sauntered closer and glanced around before speaking to Rasha in a low voice. "That Pokémon you and yer friend brought in," he hissed. "Tell me. wazzat really a Zapdos chick?"
His quiet tone made Rasha uncertain, but seeing no reason to lie to him, she nodded.
"Wow," Joel murmured. "It was his, rah't? That's why he's back there wit it."
"Yeah," Rasha said.
"He must be quite a trainer, ta capture a rare creature like that."
Rasha started to tell him that Logan hadn't captured Isaiah per se, but wanting to spare herself from trying to explain what little she knew of Logan's acquiring of the little orphan as well as preserve Logan's pride as a trainer, she simply nodded.
Joel glanced around again in an almost paranoid fashion; as if he were afraid people might be listening in. When he lifted his chin the fluorescent lights caught on his gray eyes, lighting them up strangely, and for some reason that formed a growing distrust for him in Rasha. She didn't like the way he was acting, and she wasn't sure she liked the way he talked about Isaiah, either. Maybe it wasn't his intent, but the way he spoke of the baby Pokémon and the fact that he'd called her own team a "nice collection" made her think that he was the type that thought of Pokémon more as possessions than as living things. For as long as she could remember, people like that had disgusted Rasha. If he really was that type, she definitely wasn't eager to make friends with him.
As if he sensed her sudden suspicions, Joel gave a nod as his parting sign and returned to his table to clear off the Styrofoam tray he'd eaten his breakfast off of. When he'd thrown it away he took his backpack and sleeping roll from the floor, thanked Nurse Joy for her hospitality, and exited. Rasha tried not to stare after him as he walked away.
The whole conversation with Joel had made her think. Rasha wasn't the type who suspected everyone of having an ulterior motive, but she couldn't help wondering of the prospect of owning one of the rarest and most powerful creatures on the planet was enough to make any trainer get bad ideas.
Logan didn't leave the recovery room until the sun began to set. When he did, though, he was in the best mood Rasha had ever seen him in, and for the first time in hours he accepted food with some amount of enthusiasm. While he ate, he told Rasha that Isaiah was awake and looking fine, and that although he'd need to take it easy and couldn't eat the solid treats he sometimes enjoyed between meals for a few days, he was fit to return home and could take his formula for the evening. In fact, Nurse Joy had offered to feed Isaiah before they left, but Logan had insisted on doing it himself. Even though he didn't say it, Rasha understood. Obviously he considered what had happened to Isaiah to be a result of his carelessness, and had vowed to take his responsibility toward the Zapdos all the more seriously because of it.
Logan went back into the recovery room with Nurse Joy to get Isaiah. The little Zapdos seemed happy and ready to go as Logan meticulously wrapped him in a soft blue blanket.
"Isaiah was a very good patient," Joy commented. "You've done a good job raising him."
Logan lowered his head. "If I've done such a good job," he said quietly, "why did this happen?"
"Everyone makes mistakes," she replied comfortingly.
"I can't afford to make mistakes like this," Logan said. "I almost cost Isaiah his life because I was careless."
Joy smiled softly. "You mustn't feel too guilty," she said. "Isaiah certainly doesn't blame you."
Sighing inaudibly, Logan picked up the bundled-up fledging and cradled him like an infant against his chest. "Only because he's too young to know exactly how many mistakes I've made," he whispered to himself.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Once Logan had gathered up Isaiah, Joy handed him a small bottle. "These pills will help Isaiah with any pain he might feel from the operation," Joy said.
"He doesn't seem to be in any pain."
"Maybe, but we want to keep it that way," Joy replied. "This is just in case - after all, he won't be able to tell you if he is feeling pain. Give him one pill before each feeding. You'll probably have to force-feed them to him, but he won't regurgitate them if you feed him directly afterward."
"Thank you," Logan said. "For everything, I mean."
Joy smiled. "Chansey and I were glad to help."
"Chansey!" the pink Pokémon, who had been sitting quietly by the nurse's feet until now, chimed in.
The ride home was quiet, but not tense. Isaiah immediately resumed his favorite place on Logan's shoulder, whistling happily and biting affectionately at Logan's ear. Obviously, he was as overjoyed to be leaving the hospital as Logan was to be taking him away.
"What're these?" Rasha asked finally as the bottle of pills Logan still clutched in his hand caught her eye.
"Painkillers," Logan replied.
Rasha's eyebrows rose. "He seems perfectly fine to me."
In spite of himself, Logan grinned. "I know."
Once they got home, Logan immediately went into the kitchen and started making up the formula. He made Rasha hold Isaiah while he was doing it and prepared the food so carefully that his actions bordered on neurotic. Somehow he managed to get it done and fed Isaiah. For once, he even cleaned up after himself. When he'd finished, he grabbed Isaiah and darted off to his room while Rasha went to the phone to order a pizza, still feeling dizzied by the surreal change in Logan's behavior. What's more: she wasn't sure she didn't like it. Smirking wryly, she ordered the pizza. When she'd finished, she called Falcon on her cell phone. When her friend answered, she quickly filled her in on Isaiah's accident and how it had affected Logan.
"You're lucky you got that Pokémon to the Pokémon Center in time," Falcon said. "Crop burns are very serious and require some fast, complex surgery. It's a good thing the Pokémon Centers work for free, Rasha-I doubt very much that your friend there had the money to pay for an operation like that."
"I know," Rasha sighed.
"Well, if you still want me to come up," Falcon said, changing subjects, "I think I've got some time. If I leave tomorrow morning I'll be there by the next afternoon."
"That's great!" Rasha said. Then she thought about it a moment and added, "But let me talk to Logan first, okay? I don't know how he'll be with letting someone else in on this."
"That's fine," Falcon said. "I don't want to be there if it makes him uncomfortable. I can't help anything if he doesn't want me to."
"Right."
"Call me back when you've talked to him," Falcon said.
"Okay. Thanks, Falcon."
Immediately after she hung up the phone, Rasha went back to Logan's room. She knocked, and he let her in. Wording carefully so as not to insult his competence as a Pokémon trainer, she told him about Falcon's proposition.
"It's not like I don't think you've done a good job of raising Isaiah," Rasha told him. "But Falcon is an expert, of sorts. I don't know how she knows it, but she knows more about Legendary Pokémon than most researchers who've spent their whole lives searching for them. I think it'd be good for her to come up, but she said she won't come if it makes you uncomfortable."
"No," Logan said. "Isaiah almost died. I don't want anything like that--or worse-to ever happen again."
"Should I call her, then?"
Logan paused a moment, reviewing his last doubts. "Yes."
Rasha went back out to call Falcon back, but before she could reach the phone, the doorbell rang. She went to answer and found the pizza man standing there. Quickly, she called Logan to dinner. After they'd eaten, they had to feed their Pokémon, too. By then it was a quarter to nine and Rasha, having entirely forgotten what she was supposed to do, went in to turn on the TV. She flipped channels for a while, finding nothing of interest, but when nine o'clock hit she flipped straight back to channel five for the Pokémon League news session.
"Challenges are getting ready to open at the Challenge Hall. The written exams ended yesterday, and we are down to five potential masters who will battle it out for the right to challenge an Elite Four member for his or her position."
"Wow," Logan muttered from behind the couch. On the screen, the announcer was rattling off the names of the five competitors as their pictures flashed onto the screen. "I didn't realize the exams were over already."
"Yeah," Rasha murmured, her eyes glued to the screen as she sized up the competitors. "Do you think any of them even has a chance?"
"If they made it this far, they must've either been high-ranking gym leaders or high competitors in other League competitions," Logan mused. "I'd say any one of them could pull it off."
"Yeah," said Rasha. "I think. whoa! That's Koga!"
"Huh? Who?"
"That guy," Rasha said, pointing to a picture of a black-haired man with dark, slanting eyes just before his picture flashed away and the announcer came back on. "I remember him from when I lived in Kanto. He was the gym leader in. Fuchsia City, I think."
Logan whistled. "He must've been one heck of a gym leader. I wonder how many people won badges from this guy, if he was good enough to make it into Elite Four competition."
"I had no idea," Rasha admitted. "I never faced him in battle."
"I didn't think you did," Logan replied, "seeing as you came from Pokémon Tech and were studying to be a researcher, anyway."
"That's right," Rasha said. "Hey, what about you? Are you licensed, or what?"
"I am licensed," said Logan. "And yes, I was a serious trainer before I joined Team Rocket."
Rasha smiled. "Did you win any badges?"
Grinning, Logan ran off to his room. He emerged shortly with a small, flat box. He opened it to reveal two badges pinned to a velvet lining. "This is the Zephyr Badge, from Violet City," he said, indicating one. "And this one is the Hive Badge from Azalea Town. That's as far as I got."
"Not bad," said Rasha. "Six more of those and you could've been in the Pokémon League."
"Yeah." Logan sighed.
Her eyes softening, Rasha studied her dark-eyed friend. "You're a great trainer, Logan," she said gently. "What made you give it up?"
Another sigh escaped Logan, and he looked at the floor. "I guess things just didn't work out," he said finally. "Maybe it was just destiny. or something. But either way, that era is over, too."
For a while, they watched the announcer in silence, but the Elite Four news was over and they were now showing footage of a Pokémon juniors' tournament, something neither Rasha nor Logan had any interest in.
"What did that friend of yours say?" Logan asked suddenly.
Rasha eyes widened. "Omygod! I never called her back! I better go do that now!" Embarrassed, she dashed for the kitchen phone. Laughing to himself, Logan turned off the TV and followed.
Rasha quickly picked up the phone and punched in the number, listening impatiently while the phone rang and rang. At last, Falcon answered, "Hello?"
"Falcon, it's Rasha. Sorry it took so long to get back to you!"
"That's okay. What's going on?"
"Everything's been cleared up, I guess," Rasha replied. "You can come up anytime."
"Like I said, I can be there by tomorrow." She hesitated a moment. "You said he's a former Rocket member, right? No connections? No remaining loyalties?"
"Don't worry about your Pokémon," Rasha answered. "They'll be safe here."
"All right. Just to be sure, you know?"
"I understand," said Rasha. "And you really don't have to worry."
"What's up?" Logan asked quietly. Rasha held up a finger, indicating that she'd only be a minute.
"Is that your friend in the background?" Falcon inquired.
"Yeah," said Rasha.
"Anyway," said Falcon. "You can expect me by tomorrow evening, then."
"Thanks, Falcon," Rasha said.
"Hey, anything to help a friend."
"I appreciate it," Rasha said sincerely. "See you then."
"Bye, Rasha." Falcon hung up.