CYRIL, RACHEL, AND HER POKÉMON

Two hours later, Rachel was awake.

This was an improvement on being unconscious, although Cyril had been alarmed when her first action upon opening her eyes and seeing him had been to throw herself at him, biting, kicking, clawing, and screaming. He had clung to her, bear-hugging her to protect himself, stroking her back with one hand and talking to her, telling her to calm down, it was all right, she was safe, she was with him. She had calmed some, and stopped attacking him, and cautiously he had released her and lain her back down. Her eyes had shown some sort of recognition, and she had quieted and lain still.

Putting his hand to her forehead, he could tell she definitely had a temperature, and as there were no children around, he muttered in graphic detail exactly what punishments he'd like to exact on the Cipher people who had done this to her. Stroking her dry face, he brushed away the peeling skin he encountered, moistened a flannel Lawrence had provided, and wiped down her face.

Cyril reached for the poké balls on the belt that he had removed from Rachel's waist, and opened them. His Shadow-sight enabled him to see that the Treecko was a Shadow Pokémon, so probably had not got to trust Rachel yet, but the Sandshrew was not Shadowed, so he put it by her side, where it curled up against her, resting it's head on her stomach.

Cyril got his rucksack, which contained Rachel's poké balls, and released her team, which had been with her for years and were very fond of her. Her Cloyster carefully took her winged hand in it's shell, her Charizard (the offspring of Cyril's and Lawrence's Charizards) lay it's head beside her, her Venusaur took her other winged hand and lovingly wrapped it in it's vines. Her Pikachu (originally a Pichu, again from Cyril) curled up on her legs. Cyril released her two last Pokémon, an Espeon (from an egg laid by Cyril's female Flareon), and a Murkrow (gifted to her by George and Donna, from their mated Murkrow pair). The Espeon leaped lithely up onto her bed and curled its body around her head, resting its nose in the hollow of her throat, and her Murkrow (which had spectacularly hatched shiny) landed on her chest and nestled there. Cyril hoped the presence of her Pokémon would calm her.

The exertions of the search had also taken their toll on Lu, who was curled up asleep on Lawrence's big bed. He flinched occasionally, his wings twitching and his head and tail thrashing as if in response to something. Cyril went over to Lu for a moment, and stroked his head.

Lu's response was swift, unexpected, and alarming. He shot up from the bed with a bellow, and Cyril found himself on his back on the floor. Lu landed beside him, wings spread, and drew his head back with his mouth wide open. Cyril was put in mind of a cobra about to strike.

Cyril put his hands out as Lu's head darted forward, and rolled out of the way. He watched Lu, ready to roll out of the way further, but Lu was staring at him with wide eyes, dropped his head, and gave a shamed whimper.

I'm sorry! I shouldn't have attacked you. You're my friend! he said.

"I guess I shouldn't have startled you while you were asleep and dreaming." said Cyril, getting to his feet. He got up and went over to Rachel, who had sat upright.

"It's okay, lie down." He said in a soft, soothing voice, the one he usually used with new and timid Pokémon. She did so, and the Pokémon she had displaced took up their former positions on and around her. Lu also came over, lying down by the side of her bed and closing his eyes again.

Pulling a chair over, Cyril sat down, and continued his lonely vigil.