~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
Uzaki and Sakurai will appear in this chapter.
I don't own anything from Pokemon or Uzaki Chan Wants to Hang Out.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
It was now mid afternoon.
My Pokemon and I had just been taken to a new area by a mysterious portal.
The three of us lay asleep in a field of thick grass under the warm sunlight.
We were surrounded by tall trees and a chain-link fence.
~At The College~
A girl named Hana Uzaki and her male friend Shinichi Sakurai had just been dismissd from school.
The two were standing on a curb and getting ready to cross a busy street.
Uzaki wore a bored expression as she stared at her friend.
"Uzaki, why are you looking at me like that?" Sakurai asked with a dumbfounded look.
"I just want to hang out with you, loner," Uzaki answered with a bright smile.
Sakurai let out a growl of irritation.
"All right... whatever," he agreed reluctantly.
The petite girl joyfully threw her arms around the man.
"Lighten up Sakurai, you don't need to be so down all the time. You really should get out more," she said.
"Okay Uzaki, what activity do you have in mind?" Sakurai replied impatiently.
"Let's go to the park near our school," Uzaki suggested.
"That's not a bad idea," Sakurai responded.
After crossing the street, the two friends made their way to a park nearby.
Sakurai opened the gate and allowed Uzaki to enter first.
He closed the gate and then followed her.
"Wow, this park is beautiful. We picked a good day to come here," Uzaki commented while walking around.
"I agree," Sakurai replied briefly.
Uzaki gasped as she spotted a child and two creatures lying in a patch of grass.
"Hey Sakurai, I see somebody else here. This other girl has two animals with her," she pointed out.
"Let's go check if she's okay," Sakurai responded slightly frantic.
~Sioku's POV~
I woke up to the faint sound of voices near me.
Unlike Dr. Colress, these people sounded friendly.
My Pokemon and I didn't have anything to worry about.
I watched as the two people calmly walked toward me.
The female was short with silver hair and blue eyes.
Her outfit consisted of a long-sleeved shirt, a short light blue skirt, and walnut brown boots.
The male was tall with short brown hair and black eyes.
His outfit consisted of a white sweat jacket with a blue hood, khaki pants, and white shoes.
Lilipup and Oshawott stared intently at our new visitors.
The petite girl stared down at my Pokemon and complemented. "Awe, those creatures look so darn cute."
"Be careful Uzaki, we don't want to scare them. They are guarding their owner," the taller man warned.
"Oh be quiet Sakurai, why do you always have to ruin the moment?" the silver haired girl complained.
"It's called common sense," the brown haired man snapped back.
My Pokemon circled around the unfamiliar people while keeping eye contact with them.
"Calm down you two," I urged as I sat up.
I forced my trembling body to stay in a sitting position.
My body ached with each second that passed, but I bravely ignored the pain.
The boy and girl approached us as cautiously as they could before sitting down in front of me.
My Pokemon started to calm down as soon as they sensed a peaceful aura around our visitors.
The man and his friend studied my weakened body in silence.
"Sakurai, the child doesn't look so good. We should help her," the girl said sadly.
The man now known as Sakurai let out a heavy sigh before he replied. "You're right Uzaki, you should be the one to take her and these creatures in. I'll come over every day and help out."
The girl now known as Uzaki perked up and added. "Sakurai, are you serious? Do you really think that we can take care of this child and her animals? We don't know anything about them or where they came from."
Sakurai smiled playfully at his friend and said. "Come on Uzaki, this little girl needs help. Don't be such a worry wart."
"You're right Sakurai, taking care of the child until she can find her way back home could be a great experience for us. We would also have the opportunity to learn about her creatures as well. Thanks for convincing me," Uzaki replied in a more spirited tone of voice.
I started to relax as I listened to their conversation.
These people also had a pleasant aura around them.
The brown haired man put a hand on my shoulder and asked gently. "Pardon me mis, do you know where you are?"
I found his voice to be quite soothing.
"No sir," I answered quietly.
The silver haired girl smirked at her friend and interrupted. "You don't have to act so formal, Sakurai. She's just a kid."
Sakurai glared at the girl and responded with irritation. "Quit annoying me and shut your trap, Uzaki."
Uzaki only chuckled at that.
I couldn't help but giggle at their rivalry.
"What is your name?" the man continued.
I straightened myself up and answered more clearly. "My name is Sioku Marie."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sioku, I'm ShinichiSakurai. Please feel free to call me Saku if you want to," the man said with a polite smile.
I blushed and smiled back at him.
"Come on Sakurai, stop acting formal already. You're freaking me out," the girl chimed in.
Sakurai growled in his friend's direction and snapped back. "Will you shut it Uzaki? I don't need your petty comments!"
"Take it easy Sakurai," Uzaki said casually.
I laughed even harder as I heard Sakurai raise his voice at her.
Sakurai smiled at me and asked. "Sioku, why are you laughing so hard? Do you like it when I do that?"
My cheeks turned bright red as I nodded.
The gentle sound of his voice helped me forget about my blood extractions for a moment.
The man scooted closer and put his arm around me.
I sighed dreamily as I leaned against him.
It felt good to be held by someone who genuinely cared about me.
"Hey Sakurai, I think Sioku likes you and the sound of your voice. That little smile hasn't left her cute face since you started talking to her," Uzaki pointed out.
"I'm glad to know that she trusts me," Sakurai responded in a cheerful way.
The silver haired girl held out her hand and said. "Hi Sioku, my name is Hana Uzaki. You can just call me Hana."
"I'm glad to meet you Hana," I replied as I shook her hand.
Uzaki paused abruptly as she caught sight of the bandages on my arms.
"Excuse me Sioku, but where did you get those bandages? Did you get hurt somewhere?" she asked smoothly.
A brief period of silence passed by as I thought about the last medical procedure that Dr. Colress performed on me.
I hugged Sakurai tightly in order to distract myself from those fearful thoughts.
Sakurai noticed it and returned the embrace.
I snuggled against his chest for comfort.
"It's all right Sioku, Uzaki and I are right here. You can tell us anything," he assured softly.
I looked up at my new friends and explained with a somber expression. "Yes, somebody did hurt me before I met you guys. An evil scientist named Dr. Colress from a bad group known as Team Plasma restrained me in a room on their airship. He took a lot of blood out of my body with these weird machines. I felt very sick afterward. Then a strange portal randomly appeared above my head and brought me here from the Pokemon world."
"Is the Pokemon world your home?" asked Uzaki.
"Yes Hana," I answered briefly.
Sakurai placed his hand on my forehead in a loving way and responded. "Sioku, I'm sorry to hear that you whent through such horrible pain and suffering."
"Why did the scientist take blood from you?" Uzaki chimed in.
"I was born with a special healing ability called cell activation. It allows me to fully restore people and animals by touching and focusing my energy on their wounds. Dr. Colress believes that my power will give Team Plasma's Pokemon infinite health," I explained.
Sakurai ruffled my hair gently and said. "Don't worry Sioku, Uzaki and I won't let that crazed maniac hurt you anymore. He'll never find us here."
"I appreciate you guys for finding me and being my friends," I replied shyly.
"You're welcome Sioku, that's what friends are for. Sakurai and I look forward to learning more about you," Uzaki said cheerfully.
I smiled at her in return.
Uzaki then turned to her friend and added with a smirk. "Hey Sakurai, I couldn't help but notice that you're a huge softy when you interact with children."
Sakurai's face flushed with embarrassment.
He frowned at the girl and responded with frustration. "Uzaki! Will you cut it out?"
"Not in a million years," Uzaki answered before she laughed out loud.
Uzaki pointed to my Pokemon and asked curiously. "Sioku, do these creatures belong to you?"
"Yes, these are my Pokemon. Their names are Oshawott and Lilipup. I've had them since this morning," I explained.
"How are Pokemon different from other animals?" asked Sakurai.
"Pokemon have magic powers that allow them to manipulate things like water, fire, grass, and electricity in a certain way. They can also evolve into bigger versions of themselves. My Oshawott is a water type Pokemon," I answered with a slight blush.
"That's really cool," Uzaki commented.
"I couldn't agree more," Sakurai replied.
A wave of dizziness suddenly crashed into me, and I fell forward onto the grass.
Sakurai quickly grabbed me and said calmly. "Wo, hold on Sioku, I've got you. Are you all right?"
"What's going on?" Uzaki chimed in.
There was no response from me.
They were only met with heavy panting.
I lowered my head as a coughing fit came over me.
Sakurai rubbed my back softly as I tried to catch my breath.
"We must get this kid to a doctor right away before her condition gets worse," he said urgently.
"I agree, there's a doctors' office not far from here. I'll lead you to it," Uzaki replied.
Before we could go, I grabbed two Pokeballs out of my bag and commanded. "Oshawott, Lilipup, return."
Both Pokemon climbed into their ball within seconds.
Uzaki and Sakurai watched the scene with stunned expressions.
"That was unusual," said Sakurai.
"What was that about?" asked Uzaki.
I'll explain later," I answered weakly.
Uzaki saw my bag lying on the floor and picked it up.
"I'll hold onto this for you," she offered.
I only nodded in return.
"Uzaki, we have to go now," Sakurai urged as he took me into his arms and stood up.
"Right," Uzaki responded.
Without further hesitation, Uzaki quickly led Sakurai and me out of the park and down the busy street.
"Hang in there Sioku, my friend and I will get you some help very soon. I promise," Sakurai said softly.
I looked up at him in response.
We eventually arrived at the entrance to a hospital.
~On Team Plasma's Airship: No POV~
Dr. Colress sat down at a desk in his laboratory.
He was examining drops of Sioku's blood under a microscope.
A knock at the door suddenly startled him out of concentration mode.
He turned toward the door and responded. "Come in."
The door opened to reveal his daughter Mira.
"Hello Father, is there anything I can do to help you?" she greeted.
"I would like you to check on our little pet," Dr. Colress answered with a grin.
"Okay Father, she's probably still sleeping. I'll come back and report her condition to you," Mira said before she exited the lab.
Mira then made her way down the long hall.
She entered the medical room and looked around.
The sight of an empty bed caused Mira to pause abruptly and shift her focus.
"Father is going to be so mad," she thought.
Mira decided to search the restroom.
Much to the teen's disappointment, there was no sign of Sioku or her Pokemon anywhere.
Mira exited the room and rushed back down the hall toward Dr. Colress' lab.
Julie intercepted Mira and grabbed her daughter by the jacket.
The girl immediately came to a halt.
"Mira Colress! How many times have I told you to stop running on the ship?" she hollered sternly.
Mira gave her mother an apologetic look and answered. "Sorry Mom, but I have some urgent news for Father. Sioku has escaped the medical room somehow."
Julie's expression softened as she responded in a calmer tone of voice. "Thank you for the information Mira, but you know better than to break the rules. Now go tell your dad the news without running.
"Yes Mom," Mira said before she walked away.
Mira sauntered back to Dr. Colress' lab and knocked on the door.
"Come in," said Dr. Colress from inside.
Mira opened the door slowly and walked in.
"I have bad news for you Father," Mira said with a frown.
"What is it?" Dr. Colress replied with a serious expression.
Mira let out a sigh before she answered. "I went to check on Sioku, but her bed is empty. She is not in that room anymore. I have no idea how that little brat escaped."
Dr. Colress' expression softened as he responded in a low voice. "Don't worry Mira, we'll find a way to get our pet back. She couldn't have gone very far."
"Thank you for understanding Father, I have some Pokemon training to do. I'm going to have practice battles near the ship," Mira said before she walked away.
The teen exited her father's lab and then walked down the plank.
~At The Hospital: Sioku's POV~
It was now early evening.
Sakurai ran through the automatic doors as soon as they opened.
I started to shiver with fear as I recognized the type of place that we had just entered.
A nauseating scent in the air made me feel uneasy.
"You'll be okay Sioku," Sakurai reassured smoothly.
"Wait up Sakurai," Uzaki called as she rushed after her friend.
Sakurai looked at her and then checked me in at the reception desk.
The three of us then waited in the lobby.
We sat down in a row of chairs.
Sakurai held me close to him as I tried to relax.
I focused on his pleasant aura.
"How is she doing?" Uzaki whispered.
"Sioku is breathing easier now," Sakurai answered gently.
A long period of silence passed between us.
"Sioku," the receptionist called.
Sakurai immediately stood up while keeping a firm grip on me.
Uzaki followed right behind him.
A female nurse led the three of us into a room.
Sakurai carefully laid me down on the bed.
He and Uzaki stood by the bedside.
I tried to relax in their calming presence by closing my eyes to block out those frightening images.
The nurse turned to my friends and asked. "Why have you brought this young lady in here today?"
"Uzaki and I were at the park near our college when we found Sioku sleeping in the grass. She looked really weak and sick. We brought Sioku here after she told us what had happened to her," Sakurai explained.
"What did she tell you?" the nurse inquired.
"Sioku told us that somebody had forcefully extracted blood from her body before we met her," answered Uzaki.
The nurse typed all of the details in a report on her computer.
Then she grabbed her medical tools and started to examine my body.
I shivered when one of her tools came in contact with my skin.
Sakurai grabbed my hand and said softly. "Don't worry Sioku, I won't leave your side."
"You're safe with us," Uzaki added.
I let the sound of their friendly voices take my mind away for a moment.
After her examination, the nurse looked at my friends and explained. "Both Sioku's heart rate and blood pressure are elevated. She is severely dehydrated as well. The doctor will be in shortly to administer IV fluids and medication that should stabilize her vitals."
"Thank you ma'am," responded Sakurai.
"We really appreciate all of your help," added Uzaki.
"You're very welcome," said the nurse before she exited my room.
A brief period of complete silence passed by.
A male doctor entered the room a few minutes later.
"Good evening," he greeted.
"Same to you sir," replied Sakurai.
The doctor immediately began his preparations by filling IV bags with medications and fluids.
He then hooked the bags up to a machine.
Lastly, he searched for veins in arms and inserted the needles.
I winced fearfully at the stinging pain in my arms.
The doctor powered up the machine which produced a constant beeping sound.
My body trembled violently as I started breathing heavily.
I didn't have control of my fears at this point.
Uzaki watched the scene with a horrified expression.
"Sakurai, Sioku looks really scared. We've got to help her," she said frantically.
"Don't get worked up Uzaki, you'll only make the situation worse for all of us. I can handle this," Sakurai replied sternly.
Uzaki relaxed and gave her friend a competitive look.
Sakurai pulled me into a loving embrace and held me close to him.
"It's okay Sioku, I'm still right here with you. Calm down," he said soothingly.
Unfortunately, his voice had no effect on me this time.
My mind was clouded by terror and anxiety.
A flashback entered my mind, and I couldn't push it away.
~Flashback to Team Plasma's Airship~
I lay on the bed pinned down by heavy straps.
Dr. Colress had inserted two needles in my arms.
His machines extracted the blood from my veins and filled up two glass bottles.
~End Flashback~
I started to feel light headed and fainted.
"Sioku!" my friends shouted in unison.
I lay motionless in Sakurai's arms.
"Please come back to us," Sakurai whispered as he placed a hand on my forehead.
I slowly regained consciousness under his gentle touch.
"Sioku, are you okay?" Uzaki asked gently.
I looked wearily at her and responded. "What... happened to me?"
"You passed out," answered Sakurai.
I stared sadly at my friends and said remorsefully. "I'm so sorry for making you guys worry. I am terrified of hospitals, especially after Dr. Colress used those machines to hurt me."
"It's all right Sioku, you don't have to apologize. We understand what you're going through," replied Uzaki.
Sakurai sat down on the bed and lifted me onto his lap.
I snuggled against his chest for comfort.
"You don't have to worry anymore Sioku, Uzaki and I will do our best to protect you. You won't go through this alone," he assured softly.
"Thank you Saku," I whispered back.
I closed my eyes an ddrifted off to sleep in his warm embrace.
Sakurai and Uzaki watched over me as I slept peacefully.
The doctor would come in every half hour to check my stats on the monitors.
A few hours later, I woke up feeling mostly revived.
The IV lines were still hooked up to my body.
I stared at Sakurai who was smiling down at me.
"Hello Sioku, how are you feeling?" he greeted while stroking my hair.
"Hi Saku, I feel much better now. Thank you for saving me," I answered quietly.
"Uzaki and I were glad that we could help," Sakurai responded.
"You're looking good as well," Uzaki added.
A brief period of silence passed by as I relaxed in the peaceful aura of my new friends.
Uzaki stared at me as a thought crossed her mind.
"Sioku, Sakurai and I couldn't help but watch when you sent those two creatures into a ball. Can you explain that?" she said curiously.
"I would be happy to tell you guys," I answered with a smile of my own.
I straightened myself up while using Sakurai's shoulder for support.
"Trainers use Pokeballs to catch wild Pokemon and keep them as partners. All Pokemon can be carried around in a Pokeball. Some Pokemon like to travel with their trainers outside the ball. Trainers are allowed to have six Pokemon with them at a time," I explained.
Uzaki perked up and responded in a cheerful way. "Wow Sioku, this whole Pokemon training thing sounds like so much fun. I want to do it too."
She then pointed to her friend and added. "How about you, Sakurai?"
"I would love to do that sometime when we're not in school for a long period of time," Sakurai answered calmly.
"Wo, do you guys really mean that?" I asked with a joyful expression.
"Sure, Uzaki and I could really use a break," Sakurai answered with a smile of his own.
"Becoming a Pokemon trainer can also give this loner a chance to get out more," Uzaki chimed in while pointing at Sakurai.
"Shut up Uzaki," Sakurai snapped back with a glare.
Uzaki and I giggled in unison at his response.
"This girl always likes to push my buttons," Sakurai whispered to me.
"I can tell," I whispered back.
Our conversation was suddenly interrupted when the doctor entered my room.
"Hello sir," greeted Sakurai.
The doctor pointed at me and replied. "Hello, I see that my patient has woken up."
"Yes sir, Sioku is looking much better now. She has been talking to us for a while," Uzaki added.
The doctor checked my vital signs on the monitors and smiled.
"This young lady is looking better than I expected. I will release her very soon," he said proudly.
"That's great news," replied Sakurai.
"Will Sioku have a place to go once she is released?" the doctor inquired.
"Yes sir, I'm going to take Sioku in until we can find her home. She'll be in good hands," answered Uzaki.
"Hana, are you sure?" I asked with a bit of hesitation.
Uzaki put her arm around me and said gently. "Of course, I would be glad to take care of you. You'll get to visit with Sakurai more often because he and I hang out almost all the time."
I paused for a moment and thought about Hana's kind gesture.
"Okay Hana, I would like to go with you. This will be a good opportunity for me to take a break from worrying about Dr. Colress," I said.
"I'll definitely come by and visit," replied Sakurai.
"That's a good idea since she really likes you," Uzaki chimed in.
The doctor carefully removed all of the wires and IV lines from my body.
"Sweet freedom," I thought with a relieved smile.
I wrapped my arms around Sakurai and laid my head on his shoulder.
Sakurai warmly returned the embrace.
"Uzaki and I will take good care of you Sioku," he said softly.
I nuzzled his neck in return.
"Shall we get ready to go?" asked Uzaki.
"I think so," answered Sakurai as he stood up with me in his arms.
"Take care of yourselves," said the doctor.
"Thank you," replied Uzaki.
Sakurai and I quickly exited the hospital with Uzaki following behind us.
I felt relieved to be out of there.
The sky was very dark, and there were a few puffy clouds.
Uzaki led us across the empty street and down a few blocks toward an apartment building.
She opened the door and then led us up a flight of stairs.
Once inside, Sakurai helped me get settled in on the sofa.
Uzaki set my bag down on the floor beside the couch.
I laid my head down on the pillow and closed my eyes.
Sakurai ruffled my hair and said. "Sioku, you look really tired."
"She's probably exhausted because of everything that has happened today," replied Uzaki.
I let out a quiet yawn.
Uzaki grabbed a blanket off of the couch and lightly placed it over me.
"Sleep well Sioku," she said softly.
"Hey Uzaki, would you like me to stay with her tonight?" asked Sakurai.
"Sure, I need to go to bed. I'll see you two in the morning," Uzaki answered before she disappeared into her bedroom.
Sakurai gave me a hug before he settled himself in on the opposite couch.
I drifted off to sleep while staring at him.