*footsteps*
*door closes*
*slurping*
*sputtering*
Josh: W-what? Who are you!?
BM: Hey, relax Josh. I'm me, obviously.
Josh: Wh-
*fingersnap, Josh vanishes*
BM: Ah, that's a bit better. Don't worry, he's fine. Anyways, heya guys, bruhmeister here! Didn't expect me to upload so soon, huh? Well, turns out I have more free time than I thought! Apparently, I slightly overestimated my finals, accidently treated them more like jailtime and less like actual exams, ha!
Also, I do sincerely apologize for not uploading any chapters the past few weeks. I got way too absorbed in studying, chatting and a little procrastinating. Sprinkle a little evening stroll in there and you get the recipe for a nice warm cup of absence from writing. But no worries, for I have returned with this one!
Disclaimer: I still don't own any companies portrayed, obviously.
"That. Was. AWESOME!" Samuel exclaimed as the gym battle concluded on TV, which showed Tyler as the winner. Helios sat by his side with a huge grin throughout the viewing. A voice spoke out, "Arceus, Tyler's on a roll."
Samuel turned towards the source of the voice, noticing Josh who sat by the dining table, who sat turning away from his laptop, facing the TV. Ruby sat by him, also entertained by the battle.
"Roark may be the first gym leader, but he's no slouch. Ruby and I barely won since I had to borrow two of my friend's Pokemon. Even with two with a type advantage, we won by the skin of our teeth. Tyler winning with only two, including one with a type disadvantage, is a huge testament to his skill." He said, stretching a bit before returning to his laptop, continuing his programming.
"Ya know, I don't normally say shit like this, but I actually agree with you. Ty's the only one of us that might actually be good enough for the Gym challenge and shit. No offense, bud." Samuel said as he stroked Helios after noticing his slightly saddened expression. "We're still pretty good, he's just a teeny weeny bit better."
"Heh, Yeah. Say, I do wonder how he's doing right now. A normal person doesn't just win a gym battle and not party after!" Helios quipped, getting Samuel to chuckle. "Hear, hear buddy."
"Oh please, getting flat out drunk isn't a 'party', you know." Samuel joked from the table, enticing a light chuckle from everyone.
…
"F-fuck, that's cold…" Tyler shivered as he spoke, clutching his body with his hands, a towel wrapped around his waist. He sighed. "Could've told me the hot water wasn't working…"
He went over to his backpack and pulled out a fresh pair of clothes, that being a navy blue T Shirt with 'Nautica' written in white cursive on the front, a pair of black sweatpants with faint white stitching along the side and the hoodie he wore at Lake Verity. He also grabbed a dark green scarf and draped it around his neck.
I should check up on the girls and then we'll probably grab some grub, maybe explore the city as well. I heard Oreburgh's got a museum, we should pay it a visit.
He grabbed his phone and wallet, before slipping on his shoes and exiting his room. A short walk, button press and skip later, he made his way over to the front desk, the nurse greeting him with a short wave.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I'm here to check up on my girls, a Sylveon called Jewel and Vulpix called Autumn."
"Apologies sir, but they still need some time to heal. You should check back in roughly an hour and a half."
"Ah, that's a shame. I will and thank you anyways."
"No problem, sir. Have a good evening."
Tyler sighed as he exited the Pokecenter, a gentle and comfortably cool breeze grazing his face, making him smile gently. After the scuffle at the lake, the much warmer but still cool wind was a huge improvement, as he'd prefer not dying of hypothermia. He stuffed his hands into his pocket and walked down the streets, eyeing the buildings surrounding him.
Though it wasn't the largest city in Sinnoh (that title going to Hearthome), Oreburgh wasn't like Twinleaf or Sandgem. It was much larger and a bit more modern, again not as much as Hearthome, but still more than the two towns. Most of the buildings were fairly sizeable, usually ranging between ten to thirty stories.
For it's size, it was surprisingly calm and tranquil. Not that many people roamed around at night, except at the city center of course. The outskirts were almost as calm as Twinleaf. Though, that doesn't mean it was devoid of life, as the bright lights that shone through almost every window proved.
Tyler walked fairly slowly, still taking in the sights and most importantly, the silence. He still definitely preferred the company of his girls, but he didn't complain as it gave him some time to think.
Huh, since I got the Coal badge, the girls should get a strength boost. That'll definitely help with the next gym, though we won't be rushing. Gotta remember to enjoy the trip as well. Ah….this was a great idea. Good job, me. Though, I kinda miss Sam's snark and Josh's advice….wait I've a phone, Arceus-dammit.
Facepalming, he grabbed his phone from his pocket. He noticed two text messages, one from Samuel and the other from Josh.
Sammy: dude holy shit that was great
Tyler: wdym
Sammy: your battle idiot
Tyler: oh u saw?
Sammy: ofc u know i always watch battles rite
Tyler: ye kinda forgot lmao
Sammy: smh
Tyler opened up Josh's contact, labeled 'Josh' appropriately.
Josh: Hey Tyler, congrats on that win.
Tyler: hey josh, thanks
Josh: I watched it with Sam and I almost didn't finish my work, it was that good.
Tyler: wow really? i just tried my best, i didn't know it was that good
Josh: You have to stop underestimating yourself. You're better than most of my opponents, trust me.
Tyler: gee thanks josh u always know your way with advice
Josh: Dude, isn't that what friends are for? Anyways, I got some more work to do, see you later, Tyler.
Tyler: see ya dude
Tyler locked his phone and pocketed it, before noticing a building to his left. It was a café which looked fairly cozy and comfy. He shrugged before entering, the door jingling a small bell that hung from the frame.
He noted the rustic and simple interior. Most of the tables were large slabs of polished oak with metal legs that jutted out at an angle. The chairs themselves were mostly made of matte black metal, with two squares of wood arranged into a seat, cushions laid atop the wood. The soft lighting from the incandescent bulbs added to the relaxing ambience, as well as the fusion jazz that played from the speakers in the ceiling.
Tyler walked over to the counter, getting the attention of the young barista who was checking his phone.
"Welcome to Robusta. I'm Killian, how may I help you?" The man asked politely.
Tyler mulled over the menu quickly, soon affixing his eyes on his order.
"Ah, got it. I'll have a café mocha, extra whipped cream please."
"Alright, your name, sir?"
"Tyler." He said as he handed him his trainer card, which the man took and swiped, completing the transaction before handing it back to Tyler.
"Sure thing, your drink should be ready soon. Here or to go?"
"To go please and thanks."
Tyler made his way to an empty table and sat down. He looked outside at the pretty much empty street. It was fairly dark out now, since it has been sometime since he left the Pokecenter.
As he was about to grab his phone, a sudden feeling made it's way to him, catching him slightly off guard. It compelled him to look outside, though there was nothing new at a glance.
Then, he noticed a small figure that went around the corner quickly, slipping into a dark alley, as if it sense him seeing it. He was confused, questioning what that was.
I felt it again… That feeling again. And what was that? I swear I saw it. Am I going nuts? Arceus, hope not…
Before he can continue his train of thought, a yell caught his attention.
"Tyler!"
He looked up and noticed the drink that was on top of the pickup counter. He got up from his seat and walked over to the drink.
"Ah, there you are. Here you go, sir. Please enjoy!"
"That was fast, huh. Anyways, thank you."
Tyler grabbed the drink and a straw, enjoying it as he exited the café, noting the sweet, chocolaty taste and the lack of bitterness. Immediately, his mind went back to the creature, most likely Pokemon, that he saw. He considered his options: follow it's path or concluding that he indeed saw things that weren't there.
Tyler made his choice, siding to go with his gut feeling, as it was that same feeling that saved the girls from certain doom. He picked up his place slightly and made his way across the street, turning the corner.
Still not seeing any signs of the creature, he began walking down the fairly dim alley, which was fairly short. As he exited it at the other side, he considered giving up, as he saw nothing.
Without warning, a screech of tires filled the air and a yelp could be heard, coming from the left side. Tyler was taken aback, before composing and sprinting towards the source, which was probably on the other side of the building he was running beside.
As he turned the corner, his eyes widen as he spotted the creature he saw before, laying in the middle of the road, thankfully still alive. It's right foreleg was broken, as it was twisted at a weird angle, covered with cuts that seeped with blood, which contrasted pretty heavily with it's black fur, yet complemented the red fur on its head and paws. It's sky blue eyes welled up with tears which dripped down its cheeks as it tried to hold back the pain.
"Oh no…." Tyler muttered under his breath before noticing the tire marks that lead towards the poor Pokemon, quickly deducing that it had been a hit and run. Sure enough, he spotted the red Ford Focus that sped down the rest of the street, concluding it must be the one that committed the crime.
Tyler clenched his fist in anger at this revelation before rushing over to the Pokemon, kneeling by its side. He quickly took off his scarf and folded it up into a pad to soak up the blood, the Pokemon hissing in pain and glaring at Tyler with a scowl.
"Hey, hey, chill out. I'm here to help. I just can't stand seeing you hurt, especially after a hit n' run." Tyler spoke softly as he pressed the pad down lightly, avoiding touching the Pokemons leg. Tyler suddenly realized that he didn't know what this Pokemon was, so he grabbed his phone with his free hand and gave it a quick scan.
Species: Zorua
Trainer: N/A
Battle Level: 21
Ability: Illusion
Learned Moves: Dark Pulse, Pursuit, Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Scratch, Leer
Zorua, huh? And no trainer too… It must be a wild then. Still, I have to help it.
Tyler continued to apply steady pressure on the wound while stroking the Zorua gently to calm it down. Unfortunately, he didn't have a translator on hand, he didn't know if he was doing anything wrong. Though, the Zorua's body language was fairly sufficient.
"Zor zorua zorua rua!" The Zorua barked, an confused and threatening tone in her voice, which gave away her gender.
"You're wondering why I'm doing this, right? Well, it's simple. I felt like this was the right thing. I can't leave a hurt Pokemon all alone, knowing that I can help. Pokemon have feelings and emotions, they're intelligent and they're our equals. That fact alone should give most people the idea to help them in any way. But….apparently not everyone got the fucking memo…." Tyler growled the last part, as he glanced down the road, still enraged by the perpetrator.
The Zorua stayed quiet, her gaze softening as it was replace with surprise. Nobody cared for her as much as this human did, at least at first thought. But he was still a human.
Tyler slowly reached under the Zorua and picked her up, cradling it in his arms. The Zorua was surprised at his actions, thrashing around in response before Tyler spoke up again.
"Calm down! Trust me, please. I am not going to hurt you! I'm just trying to help." Tyler spoke, raising his tone to get his point across. He glanced down at the Zorua's shocked expression and sighed before speaking. "Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you, alright? I just get really riled up with injured Pokemon." He stroked the fur on her head, calming the Zorua down.
Roughly half an hour of speedwalking later, he was now very close to the Pokecenter. As he approached it, the Zorua in his arms shifted in place, looking scared and uncomfortable. She kept glancing between the Pokecenter and Tyler rapidly with a pleading look in her eyes.
Tyler picked up fairly quickly, sighing in realization. She was terrified of the Pokecenter, as this was probably the first time she'd seen one. He looked down at the Zorua with a soft smile. The Zorua looked into his sincere eyes, captivated at the emotion he radiated.
"I'm just dropping you off at the Pokecenter to heal your injuries. When you feel better, I'll release you, so don't worry. I'm not the type of person to keep you for personal gain." Tyler reassured her with a small grin. The Zorua sighed and nodded, prompting Tyler to enter the Pokecenter.
"Hello, how can I h-"
"You gotta help me. She's hurt real bad, probably a broken leg. She got hit by a car yet the driver didn't even stop to check on her!"
"Oh my Arceus! Give her to me!"
Tyler handed the Zorua to the nurse who rushed to the ER. The Zorua looked back at Tyler who wore a concerned look on his face. She gave him a slight smile as she and the nurse disappeared into the ER.
As another nurse took the previous' place, Tyler remembered something and walked back over to the main desk.
"Oh yeah, I'm here to check on my Pokemon again, Jewel the Sylveon and Autumn the Vulpix."
"Oh they've finished healing. Here you go!" The nurse said as she handed Tyler the two Pokeballs.
"Thank you, nurse. I'll be heading to my room now. I'll come back later to check on the Zorua, if that's alright." Tyler thanked, the nurse nodding in response. He made his way towards the elevator.
Upon entering his room, he released both of his Pokemon. Jewel stretched out with a yawn before giving Tyler a smile. Autumn leapt to his feet and sat down, also giving a smile.
"Heya Tyler!"
"Hi Tyler!"
"Hi, you two. You both did great back at the gym battle. I couldn't have been more proud with you both." Tyler said as he picked up both of them and hugged them tightly. Jewel cooed in delight and Autumn nuzzled her head into his chest.
"Thanks, Tyler! I said we would win, didn't I?" Jewel joked, Tyler chuckled lightly in response. Autumn however, picked up a faint smell. She sniffed around before fixating her eyes at Tyler's stained scarf.
"T-tyler…you smell l-like b-blood!" She exclaimed with worry in her voice, shocking Jewel in the process. Jewel identified the smell of blood as well, clear worry on her voice. "O-Oh no! Tyler, are you hurt!?"
"Hey, chill out, you two. I'm fine, not a scratch on me. Well, no new ones anyways." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. The girls exhaled a bit, before Autumn perked up again.
"T-then whose blood is on your scarf…?" Autumn asked curiously.
"Well, it's kind of a long story…"
And that's that! Hope you guys enjoyed the read. And I'd like to take a moment to say thank you for almost 4k views! That's honestly insane! I'm eternally grateful! Stay tuned for the next chapter fellas, bruhmeister out!