Disclaimer: I do not claim right to Toshiro Ono's creation, nor am I making any money off of this, so it would be pointless to sue me in the first place.
Author's Note: Wow, I can't believe how inspiring this is. I have so many ideas for what's coming up next. I'll give you a cookie if you can guess via review which pokemon she ends up with, or if she even gets one at all. –Hands out cookies to those that have been reviewing- Thanks go out to those that have been reviewing, even those of you that have been doing so via my email.
Also, this chapter is dedicated to Fox and her people-watching skills. Her shyness around strangers, which is very quickly becoming null and void, has given Karlie a new edge to her character. Thanks bunches Fox!
Pokemon Journeys
Chapter Three: The Gift
The truck banged through the winding, country road that led towards Three Evolutions, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. Karlie was rather unnerved by her brother's driving, his mood was understandable but she really wished it wouldn't reflect into his driving. The Growlithe were also considerably shaken up, obviously enjoying the roller coaster just as much as she was.
It took less than half an hour to make into town, especially with Johnston driving like a madman. Karlie heaved a sigh of relief as the truck parked and literally jumped out of the back. She was incredibly happy to be back on solid, unmoving ground that wouldn't jostle and bump her senseless.
Johnston and Tiler got out of the front cab and walked around to where she was. They were parked just outside of the hospital, a tall white building with people coming in and out of the doors nonstop. There was a red sign near the front glass doors that stated 'NO POKEMON'. Her brother moved his two pokemon to the cab, rolled the window down partially, and locked the door again. Karlie took Tiler's small hand and followed Johnston into the hospital.
It smelled strongly of antiseptics, reminding Karlie of the doctor's office she had visited once after falling off of Ponyta and breaking her arm. She hated the smell of doctors' offices and hospitals – it was always too pristine to be a place where people actually lived for more than a little while.
Johnston walked in front of them, striding up to the front desk and asking the nurse what room number Marmen was in. She gave him a number, 132B, and he walked off down the hall once more with Karlie and Tiler in tow. Karlie wanted to take her older brother's hand, but knew he wouldn't like it too much and it would only frighten Tiler more. She was afraid of what might have happened to Marc. Would her brother be all right, or would he be stuck in this awful smelling place for a long time? Karlie didn't remember when her mother was in the hospital, but some of her anxiety was perhaps caused by those experiences. Johnston stopped outside of a white door with gold numbers and letters on it, '132B'.
"You two promise to be on your best behavior, or I'll go and put you in the cab with the Growlithe," Johnston stated flatly.
"I'm not a baby!" Karlie responded indignantly, but stopped her complaint when her older brother glared at her. He hadn't been kidding. Johnston opened the door, and Tiler's grip on Karlie's hand tightened. Karlie smiled inwardly, glad she wasn't the only one that was on edge about seeing Marc.
Marc was laying in one of the hospital beds, the sheets pulled up to his chin, but a smile was on his face as he chatted with Mr. Marmen who was seated next to him. Johnston smiled warmly and moved to stand by his father's side, looking down at his younger brother. Tiler ran over and clamped onto his dad's leg until he was finally hefted into the older man's arms. Karlie moved to Marc's side opposite her father and two brothers, unsure of what to say.
"Well, look at this. I've got a whole household come to see me!" Marc beamed up at his family, his father giving a slight chuckle.
"Glad you're feeling better, so how did they put you back together?" Johnston asked, smiling as well.
"I'm pretty sure they used glue and newspaper, but you'd have to ask the surgeon for the details."
"You had to go into surgery?" Karlie asked worriedly. Marc laughed slightly, nodding.
"Of course I did! You can't just put a band-aide on a," Marc was cut off by his father, not wanting his middle son to scare Tiler.
"On a wound like he had." Mr. Marmen looked down at Marc reproachfully until the boy nodded slightly.
"Yeah, I had to get stitches. But I'm fine, and I'll be able to get back to work at the ranch soon."
"Just as soon as the doctor says you can, and no sooner." Marc nodded glumly, obviously not looking forward to sitting in a bed for a minute longer than he absolutely had to.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Karlie, I'm sure Johnston mentioned that I had a surprise for you?"
"Of course he did! He can't keep a secret," Tiler piped in, grinning and asking to be set down. He clambered onto the bed with Marc and sat next to his big brother after giving him a hug. Johnston glared at Tiler when Mr. Marmen's attention was on his pocket as he fished something out. He handed the piece of paper to Karlie, and she took it eagerly.
The pamphlet was on a pokemon seminar being held in town, by a local pokemon professor by the name of Professor Casey. It said that he was a retired breeder and would be giving out the newest model of pokedexes to those upcoming trainers that attended.
Karlie read over the packet of paper quickly and then looked up at her dad, smiling broadly, "You signed me up?"
"Yep," Mr. Marmen stated as he nodded his head slightly.
"Thanks!" Karlie gave her dad a hug, and then backed off slightly as her brothers were looking at her funny.
Marc broke the silence with a fake pout on his face, "I'm the one that's hurt and she's getting the presents!" Karlie stuck her tongue out mockingly, the grin on her face refusing to leave. She could always have gone through her journey without a pokedex, but one would really come in handy. Not to mention that this Professor Casey may have an idea about how she could get a pokemon for herself.
Karlie looked up once more at the huge glass doors in front of her before taking a deep breath and walking inside. The carpet was a merry blue, and she sunk slightly into it as she walked across the room towards the receptionists' desk. Her father had given her directions to the Pokemon Center in Three Evolutions that was having the seminar. Part of the deal of her going was that she had to go herself, as her father and two brothers still had shopping to do while in town.
The walk hadn't made her nervous as she was used to being around the town alone. It was the fact that this was her first time in a Pokemon Center, and the trainers around her weren't exactly welcoming. They seemed a little on edge at the fact that a number of non-trainers were around the nurse's desk.
Karlie came in behind the crowd, looking up towards the smiling face of a lady with red hair in two loops on each sides of her head. A plump, pink Pokemon bobbed around behind her, making peppy noises as its pink dreadlocks bounced and jingled.
"Now, now, please settle down future trainers," The nurse called over the heads of the children. "My name is Nurse Joy and, in case you don't know, I run this Pokemon Center. Professor Casey is presently setting up his seminar in the back room. While you wait, I invite you to look around, feel free to question any of the trainers in the center, I'm sure they'd be happy to answer what they can!" She smiled once more and then turned back towards her computer.
A group of girls closer to the front desk than Karlie, giggling hysterically, walked towards one of the guy trainers sitting on a couch in the center. Karlie couldn't hear their conversation, but it was obvious that the girls were flirting and the guy was boasting.
Karlie rolled her eyes, slightly disgusted. She began to look around the Center, taking in the sitting area to her left, the receptionists' desk in front of her, and the hallway that lead to closed doors to her right. Her attention was drawn once more to the siting area and the group of girls when the male trainer released one of his Pokemon, obviously at the request of the girls. The red and white ball bounced back into his hand as crimson beams slowly formed the outline of the monster before the red faded to reveal the split-tailed form of an amethyst feline.
The creature's forehead was decked with a red jewel, and its long, pointed ears twitched. Karlie watched as the hairs on the Pokemon bristled and twitched, almost acting like their own separate entities. The feline's tail twitched and it leapt away as one of the girls reached out to touch it. It sat numbly down on the couch, sprawling itself across its trainer.
Entranced, Karlie's curiosity got the better of her. She cautiously walked towards the seasoned trainer, and stopped about twenty feet from him. She looked at the floor, not really wanting to make a fool of herself. If she asked what Pokemon it was, the girls would most likely laugh at her. And if she asked why its hair moved, they would probably know just as well as the trainer.
Karlie turned and headed back towards the receptionists' desk, where she was out of the crowd. She sat down with her back against the front of the desk and watched the trainers and other people attending the seminar interact. Someone had released a Mareep, the wool type Pokemon that Karlie had been thinking of trying to get. The Pokemon chirped happily, its yellow and blue striped tail wagging slightly.
Karlie looked up abruptly at the sound of close footsteps, into the face of a black, horned Pokemon. It was a canine type, with silver markings, a brown muzzle, and a pointed tail. She stared up at the creature that was easily four feet tall, uncertain of what to think. A man stood behind it and smiled down at her, placing a hand on the back of the canine.
"Didn't mean for Heruga to startle you, he looks like a beast, but he's a gentle giant as long as you stay away from him in battle." The young man had short-cropped brown hair, wore jeans, a black shirt, and a red vest with loops for Pokeballs. It presently only held three, two on one side and one on the other.
Karlie blinked stupidly for a few moments before scrambling to her feet, feeling a little uneasy having to stare up at both trainer and Pokemon.
"I'm Professor Casey, nice to meet you," He shook her hand before turning to Nurse Joy and speaking with her for a few moments. Karlie's attention stuck with his Pokemon though, as she hadn't seen one like it. The large canine's triangular-tipped tail swayed from side to side slightly as she watched it, its attention also on her. A small smile crossed Karlie's face, but she had to turn to hear Nurse Joy as she called everyone's attention.
"Professor Casey is ready to start the seminar. Will everyone please follow him and his Houndoom into the back room and fill up the seats near the front first." Nurse Joy smiled pleasantly before sitting back down at her desk and nodding once to Casey.
"Alright upcoming trainers, this way please!" Professor Casey called out over the heads of the people in the Pokemon Center before turning and heading down the hall.
Heruga gave a bark towards the crowd, and Karlie followed the Pokemon after its partner, arriving second in the seminar room only to the Professor.