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Chapter 6

The Hospital

(-¤-)

I shuffled away from the man in front of me now, startled by his sudden appearance and unfamiliar voice. I didn't recognise him, he was wearing a very official looking dark blue suit and and white under shirt. Snazzy dress pants and shiny leather shoes all of which told me he was wealthy. He sported the biggest mustache I had ever seen, it covered his entire mouth when he wasn't talking and was styled like the monopoly mans. Also he was kinda fat. He was marveling at the damage done by my starter, who was now standing between us in an effort to guard me should the stranger try something.

"I'm so sorry! I had no intention of startling you, I was merely commenting on your most impressive performance. Why I don't believe I've seen battling like in quite some time, years even!" He had a slight british accent and reminded me of stereotypical cartoon mayors, but he was like, real. "I do hope you don't find me too rude but I simply must know your name."

"Uhh, Alice?" What is up with this guy, I'm getting weird vibes from him. Not bad weird just, weird. "Thorn?"

"Well Miss Alice Thorn allow me to introduce myself. I am Ron Smith." He gave me a slight bow and as much as I wanted to find out his deal, my throbbing and very broken bone decided to remind me that I had shit to do. "I'm-"

"Yeah yeah yeah," I cut him off before he got anymore out. "look as much as I would love to sit here and chat. I have broken body parts and a busted friend." My heart swelled again as I called Jack my friend, I was so excited that he was finally really working with me, "so if you don't mind I need to stop being here, and start being somewhere else. Preferably a place with doctors." He eyes widened before taking in our conditions, particularly my very oddly bent arm that I was clinging to.

"Oh my goodness of course of course! Here let me escort you to the hospital at once." He attempted to usher me down the street, now with some pep in his step. I ignored him and began retrieving my items and pokeballs. "Oh yes! I do suppose those are quite important, but we really should be going as soon as possible miss." I finished re-equipping myself. Now carrying all my stuff on one side and grunting at the aches and pains echoing through me. I saw where he was coaxing me towards, and if memory serves right the hospital is infact down that way.

I ignored him and walked the opposite direction, towards the center. Jack had taken much worse hits than me and currently needed Nurse Joy more than I need a doctor. Besides, I was a tough girl I could grin and bare it for a while.

"Miss? Miss thats the wrong way, the hospital is over here!" I could hear him running up behind me in those shiny dress shoes.

"Pokemon center first, then hospital." Sure it hurt like a bitch but I've had worse. I'm not sure if Jack had though. I held what I think was Jacks ball, how does Ash tell them apart? I'm going to need to give them paint jobs or something.

I started to return him but was interrupted by a shove to the leg. He was looking up me with disapproval. "Bun." He jabbed a paw in Rons direction.

"No, I will be fine." I knew what he wanted and it wasn't happening, "You need medical attention!" He gave me a rather flat look before jumping up and slapping my broken arm. "MOTHER FUCKER!" Ok, that shit hurts! "OOWWW! LITTLE ASSHOLE!" He huffed at me and again pointed at Ron, who had caught up by now and was watching this bullshit on the side lines.

"I- uh, maybe you should listen, to- um, them?" Oh my god, now Mister Monopoly is back on my case.

"Bun"

"No"

"Bun, eary"

"No, center first!"

"Miss you should really head to the hospital."

Oohhh this is annoying, and... oh, if I go back like this Nurse Joy is going to have a panic attack.

"Fine!" I threw my one good arm up into the air, "But I'm having Luke take you to the center after we get there." Then I jabbed a finger at fuckin Ron, "And you, don't try any funny shit."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Thorn. Now please lets get you to a hospital." I really shouldn't be wandering off with this dude. But I knew where the hospital was and Luke was still fresh and ready to rumble just in case he turned out to be a weirdo.

"Alright, lead the way."

(-¤-)

We got to the hospital without incident, Ron still gave me odd vibes but he at least seemed genuinely concerned. It wasn't too far away and he stuttered and fretted over me the entire time. As promised on arrival and signing in I sent Luke to fly Jack back to the center. The bat easily carried the rabbit into the sky in his talons.

I realized while I waited for the doctor that we just sorta ditched Tauros in an alleyway. But after voicing my concern Ron assured me that he had already called the authorities and that it would be taken care of soon. He must have done that while I was getting my ass kicked by it.

After that a nurse came in and rushed me to the office of a Dr Kohn, who had already treated me once before upon my initial arrival. I sensed that he was annoyed that I had got busted up again. Honestly he seemed like a real stick in the mud, if someone had shoved that stick up his ass as well.

I was currently finishing up a healing session with a blissey. They employed certain pokemon in the hospitals as well, the most popular in sinnoh was the chansey line. My arm had been numbed, set, and put into a short term cast. They told me that it should be healed enough for a simple brace by the end of the day. It went so much quicker this time because my skeleton wasn't broken in eighteen different spots so I didnt need to heal nearly so much with limited energy.

It felt odd being here, I had spent so much time in the center that it felt like home now. The room they had put me in was similar to mine back there, it was like being in a just off copy of the place.

Blissey finished her work, gave me a friendly "Blis!" And walked out of the room, persumably to help someone else to stop being all fucked up. As she exited fucking Ron walked in.

"Miss Alice, I hope the procedure went well?" What was he doing here? Why did they let him in, I did not put fuckin Ron down as an emergency contact. I put Nurse Joy down as one though, they've probably called her already.

"Yup, why did they let you in here?" I swear to fuck if he snuck in here I was gonna choke him out with my bedsheets.

"Ah yes, my introduction was cut a bit short at our meeting. A-hem, hello Alice, I am Ron Smith, mayor of Dellitown." The Fucking Mayor!? Holy shit thats why I don't like him, hes a politician. At least he doesn't seem like a total scumbag. And now that I think about it he does look very mayory.

"You're the mayor... is that why you didn't help me with the whole tauros thing?" I mean seriously, sure we beat it, but an adult seeing a child being attacked by a bull should at least try to do something, right?

He shuffled uncomfortably in place, "I er, well I don't have any pokemon myself you see and you seemed to have everything under control." I squinted at him disbelievingly and raised my recently broken arm. "Though I admit, I misjugded the situation, just a bit." Hmm well at least he could admit when he's wrong. Not the worst politician I've encountered.

"Actually I came here to ask you a few questions. If you don't mind that is?" I gave a hesitant nod, I had been here for close to two months now but I don't think I've done something to warrent government intervention quite yet. "Excellent! Now I was wondering if you had any particular plans in the future say, perhaps traveling?" Again a nod. "Good! Good good good. It's always important to see the youth of today so invested in the outside world. Now, are you planning on collecting badges or participating in tournaments?" A nod. "Wonderful! And am I right to assume your parents have already okayed this plan?" Ok, I think this would go quicker if I just explained my current situation to him.

"Have you heard about that orphan a bunch of kids found mauled in the forest?" He reeled a bit at that but answered with a polite 'yes'. I jabbed a thumb at myself and said "Yo."

I then proceeded to explain my basic plans for the upcoming future leaving out some more sensitive details that would become apparent later. Through my explanation of my time here and my plans he listened intently, offering input at times to remark on certain quirks of the city and such. At the end he asked me a question that no one had dared yet to ask.

"My dear you seem very resourceful and mature for your age, but your orphan status does concern me. If it's not too painful, could you tell me the story behind such a tragic fate?" Ok, I've done some research, and after a good bit of brain storming I have the perfect backstory.

"Well," I started, gotta make this believable, come on mispent youth don't fail me now, "my mom left when I was a baby so I don't remember her any. And from what I hear my father died from some illness while I was still really young. Apparently he wanted one of his freinds to take care of me after he passed away cause he didn't have any close family, but that guy didn't want me around at all. So he sent me to live with his sister, who sent me back after awhile, and then he sent me back to her. Long story short they did that for like the next eight years. And one day while I was walking back to his place I just... wandered off. They don't talk to each other, other than to argue about who's house I'm staying at so I figured that it would take them a good long time to realize I was missing" and big finish! "They've probably figured it out by now, not that they care." I made sure to make that last line as casual as possible. I needed him to believe these make believe people were actually this bad and that I wasn't just some overly emotional runaway.

He looked like he was at a loss for words, his mouth opened and closed a few times trying to formulate anything to say about this.

"I figured I could scrounge up some food in the wild or something, maybe find a pokeball and catch me a starter. That was about six months ago. It wasn't going great, and then I got mauled." Yes, yeeeessss lay it on thick and sad, feel pity for this child! "But now I got Jack and some spending money and a real plan! Things are looking up for ol' Alice here."

He took a moment to compose himself, "I'm sorry, I can't imagine what that must have been like." He believes every word, good. I don't know what I would do if he called me out on my bullshit. I couldn't tell him I was an interdimensional body snatcher now could I?

"Yeah well, I got out. Thats what matters." I let that hang for a moment before realizing something. "So what's with all the questions anyway?"

He seemed happy to change what he thought was a painful topic for me. "Well, you see that tauros usually needs at least three of the towns trainers to take down. None of the residents are particularly gifted at it," He grinned "until you that is. Seeing as you are going on a journey soon I thought you would like to spread Dellitowns name a bit. You know enter some tournaments and have the announcers call out, Alice Thorn of Dellitown!" He made a dramitic sweep with his arm. "It has a bit of ring to it I think."

He wants me to sponsor the town, and he thinks I'm a dumb kid whose gonna do it for free. "How much?"

"Excuse me?" He seemed a surprised.

"How much will you pay me to sponsor this place" I knew the politician in him would rear its ugly head sooner or later. Bunch of manipulative lairs. "Because journeys aren't cheap, and I don't have alot of loyalty to this town, make it worth my while."

He stayed silent for a few moments, obviously not happy that I was smarter than he thought before spitting out a ridiculous "two hundred a month."

"Fuck you, thats pocket change, a thousand." Do it. Come on do it you bitch, I know your desperate you wouldn't be here if you weren't.

"That is simply far to much! I think you will find Three hundred to be plenty acceptable." He huffed out, his tone authoritative and final.

"Thats barely enough for a pair of pokeballs! One Thousand." Come on. "Look at this place dude, you need tourists, bad."

"...Five hundred?" He spoke out again, gentler this time. Man he really was desperate for this. Ok time for the big guns.

"Twelve hundred a month for as long as I sponsor you, and I don't sue the city for negligence. I know that tauros has been a problem for a while, it should have been fixed by now." He physically flinched at that. Its super effective! He didn't have a chance against me on that either, a case like this would get resolved faster than he could build a defense. Not to mention that letting an orphan get attacked by a aggressive pokemon would look terrible during the next election season.

Sigh "Very well." He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "You'll get your first check in a week. Seeing as your an orphan with a" He paused and waved his hand, seeming to choose his next words. "vague, background, I will take the liberty to draw up some legal documents to declare you a citizen. I hope to see more of you Alice, and I wish you much luck on your journey." And with that fuckin Mayor Ron turned around and walked out.

I just scored a paycheck and an on paper identity. Sweet.

The sun was setting by the time I got back to the center. Today had been long and eventful. Luke evolved, I gained Jacks loyalty, I broke my arm again, and I extorted a politician. All in all not terrible. Sure I could have done some things better, but I think I came out on top.

The automatic doors slid open and I barely made it two steps before Nurse Joy was on me, talking a mile a minute.

"What happened?! Jack and Luke showed up without you and Jack was injured and you weren't here and then I got a call from the hostpital and they told me your arm was broken in a wild pokemon attack, and they told me you were with the mayor of all people and you put me as your emergency contact!? Oh my goodness you must be starving." she whipped around just long enough to belt out "CHANSEY GET SOME FOOD!"

I gripped her shoulder, she had kneeled down to my level and was yanking me left and right to check my condition, and calmly told her to breath. She nodded and I could see the tears in her eyes that she was trying to blink back.

"Bun"

I looked down to see Jack looking back up at me with a new look of determination, he stared for a moment before walking closer and resting a paw on my leg. I smiled and bent down to pick him up. He looked much better now, Nurse Joy had done an excellent job as always.

I lurched forward as a sudden weight landed on my shoulders, "GOOOOOLLLBAT!"

"Hey Luke, sorry for the scare earlier bud." He nuzzled my head with a another cry, "It's ok, I'm fine now, see?" I held up my mostly healed arm. "It's not even sore." Joy joined in on the group hug and I could hear her sob into my shoulder.

"New-hic, new rule" she pulled back revealing her now very wet and kinda snotty face. "You never get to leave the center ever again!" Awww she cares about me, damn it now I'm going to cry. Nope, you got this, don't cry, you still got stuff to tell her. Like how you have a sponsor now, and that Jack is totes on board with the whole teamwork thing. And that your gonna be leaving in like a week.

That might conflict with the new rule.

(-¤-)

Alice Thorn

Mar 18


Team

Jack

Buneary

Moves: Pound, Foresight, Frustration, Sweetkiss, Defense curl, Baby doll eyes, Quick attack, Jumpkick.

Ability

Limber

Luke

Golbat

Moves: Absorb, Super sonic, Astonish, Bite, Whirlwind, Wing attack, Confuse ray, Air cutter.

Ability

Inner focus


160¥

In Box

N/A