Now we are getting into the Gen 2 plot line, obviously I will be tweaking some parts of it and will elongate it. So, don't expect it to be exactly as you know it. We see more Lance and Layla interactions and they're off to a shaky start. Hopefully that will change.
Not usually a morning person, but the anxiety of being late has Layla up and in the bathroom at 6:30 sharp.
Well, anxiety and excitement.
She slips on her scrubs, a new joggers fit she loves, in navy blue and sneakers. From her duffle, she unfolds her drawstring bag to fill with her things including her wallet. She braids her hair and slips on a headband before checking herself in the mirror, modeling a few poses to feel better about the slight bags under her eyes and the paleness in her brown skin.
It'll be gone after a couple of days at the beach.
Breakfast at the hotel is the usual, fluffy eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and an array of cereals. She sits down and forces herself to eat her fill, if it's busy enough to call her in then it will be a while before she can eat lunch. The stress of ensuring every pokemon gets looked at and taken care of can stave off hunger. Good thing the center has a cafeteria, she won't want to travel far to get food.
Filled up on a warm meal, Layla grabs her things and sets out to the center with a hop in her step. Daytime Azalea is slow to start, only a few people are up and out enjoying the spring morning. Lots of older couples walking with their pokemon as well as some city workers putting out plants in preparation of a beautiful bloom in the coming months. It's the time of year Layla actually likes, the weather starts out chilly then warms over time, and life comes back into plants. After spending the winter indoors, she looks forward to spring and summer being outside.
Her attention snaps to the present as she steps through the automatic doors of the pokemon center. Her nerves rattling as she steps up to the counter with a professional smile, wondering if she looks fine and if this is really happening. It would be a disaster if she got the date mixed up, though she's positive Joy wanted her here today.
"I'm Layla," she states plainly, flushing a bit. "Um, I was called to help?"
"Oh, yes," Joy beams, gesturing for her to walk around to the side door to the back. Another staff member rushes up to take Joy's place at the front desk, her smile just as bright and kind as she regards Layla. "I only have two other people joining us, we're getting an influx of Slowpoke with their tails sliced off."
"Oh no," Layla's smile drops, she feels pity well up in her stomach. "Poor things."
"That's what I said," she nods. "So far we have 10 of them. The other two, Hanna and Alex, have been tending to them. However, I got a call last night about some more coming in today. Between trainers arriving for the gym challenge and the Slowpoke, I'm struggling to keep up with my normal staff."
Makes sense.
Every Pokemon Center has a staff of around five or six, circulating between day shift and night shift. At least that's what the textbook said, it all depends on flow and time of the year. Though staff fluctuates as newer nurses like Layla come and go to get their experiences.
"I'd like for you to help with the slowpokes," she continues. "They should be here soon. Let me show you where everything is, don't be afraid to ask questions at any time."
Layla takes a calming breath and Joy dives into explanations, walking Layla around the exam room and pointing out where all the supplies lie. It's a small set up, conducive to the size of Azalea and the traffic that comes through. Still, it's a lot to learn but Layla takes it in stride until the patients come in.
"Have you worked with Slowpoke before?" Joy starts, as three more come in their tails wrapped and bloody. The volunteers holding them stay close as Joy does an initial dam to ensure there are no other injuries present.
"Not on this level," she replies, removing the wrapping on the same Slowpoke Joy is looking at.
The nurse smiles and nods for her to continue. "What do you see?"
"Crude marks as well as smooth one," Layla starts, her gloved hands pressing gently around the bloody flesh. "This one started to release her tail only for it to get cut off."
"What do we know about Slowpoke tails?"
"Well, it doesn't hurt when their tails come off," she starts. "They'll grow back. But, these were forced off, so they feel some pain but not for long."
"And we're worried about infection."
"Yes," Layla nods, moving onto the next slowpoke to clean the wound. "Especially if whoever's doing this is just chopping away."
"Good!" Joy exclaims. "Let's get them cleaned and stop the bleeding first."
Layla glows under the compliment, glad to be back in this sort of setting, her mind allowed to be blank as she flushes the wounds, already noticing the body starting to heal. Within a week, their tails will be back and it'll be like nothing ever happened. A reprieve from the trauma of someone forcibly taking their tails off with a knife.
It takes a while to get through all three, Layla's work gets double checked by Joy to ensure she's on the right track. The pokemon barely put up a fuss, only struggling to stay still with Layla flushing their wounds and wrapping up their rear ends. By the end, some pokemon have come in from a trainer and Layla scrambles to clean up the bloody mess left behind so Alex can do an exam on the new pokemon.
She tosses bloody gauze and sheets the volunteers left behind, and tosses the instruments used to clean and probe in the sink. Once done, Joy motions her over to the medicine fridge with an expectant smile.
"We're using...?"
"Ceftazidime," Layla grins. "Since their metabolisms are slow, we'll be dosing them pretty high so they'll be on a every other day regimen for at least... seven days?"
"More or less," Joy responds. "Did you study before coming here?"
"Been brushing up for a while now," she shrugs. "Where are they staying?"
"We have a pen out back, for the first few days they won't be allowed to swim," Joy explains, drawing up the meds. "Just because of their open wounds. I expect they'll be closed tomorrow night at the earliest."
Pokemon have amazing healing factors, Slowpoke being one despite their slow metabolisms. Though, it's easy to guess that an open wound getting constantly infected by bacteria would lead to a quick healing factor. It's an intramuscular injection, the pokemon don't even react when Layla stabs them with the needles and pushes on the plungers slowly.
Chansey helps in bringing the three to the back pen, a space divided in half with one side offering some water in the form of a pond with some land and the other side some dry grassland. Layla spots some patients with stubby tails enjoying some time in the water as she guides the newer ones to their new spot. The pokemon sniff around, not really worried about their new surroundings before shuffling off to eat some berries and fruits laid out for them.
Layla returns to find Nurse Joy on the phone, looking frustrated as Hannah appears with three more pokemon to check over.
"And you're sure?" Joy poses to the person over the phone. "Well, there's nothing we can do for the tails left behind. They don't reattach. I have an assistant with me, we'll be out there soon."
She hangs up and huffs, a frustrated sound more than a tired one. "That was Lance, apparently-well- come with me."
Layla lets herself be taken to a small office across the room opposite the door leading to the lobby. Joys office is immaculate, a file cabinet to the ceiling sits on the left with her desk along the right wall. Thick books look back at Layla as Joy grabs a medical bag from a bench before the cabinet.
"Apparently, it's Team Rocket," she states right away. Layla's heart sinks at her words and she nearly sways into the bookcase. "Lance is there already, two trainers cleared out Team Rocket, I guess. There are plenty more Slowpoke there for us to look at. Not all of them need to come back, but a good deal should."
Layla nods along, feeling more anxiety creeping up on her, threatening to steal her breath away. Then she remembers Lance is there and things should be okay, if anyone is going to snuff out the darkness Team Rocket brings, it'll be him. He's been adamant about it since the rumors started a couple of weeks ago.
"I assume you're okay with field work?" Joy glances up at her.
"Yeah, is it alright if I check my phone quick?" Layla backs up to the door.
"Of course."
Muttering her thanks, Layla ducks out of the office and to the main lobby, phone in her trembling hand. She sees her family chat blowing up and, sure enough, it's her mother talking about the Team Rocket sighting at the Slowpoke Well.
'Please be careful heading out there. It wasn't Archer, but Proton. Just as cruel and evil... Poor Slowpokes!' Layla skims her mother's paragraph text, smiling when her dad sends irrelevant emojis and replies herself.
'Will do. Lance is out there at least? I assume he knows what he's doing.'
'He does. Please leave at the same time as him, and text me when you're back in town.'
'Me too!' Her father adds in.
She makes her promises and shoves the phone in her pocket before returning to Joy to help carry something. The two pile the bags into the back of a Jeep, Layla feeling giddy to head out and see the scene for herself. While the thought of tangling with Archer makes her want to hide away on an island forever, it's exciting to be one of the first to witness a news story unfolding before your eyes.
The ride is about fifteen minutes, with the last few on a dirt path to the Well. It's much larger than Layla pictured in her head, she was worried how anyone could get in or out. Some police cars have already parked on the dirt terrain, their lights flashing bright even in the morning light. Layla hops out of the Jeep and grabs a bag, eager to see the patients and possibly pick up some gossip.
"There are five out here and several more inside," Joy explains. "Got away with plenty of tails, that's lots of money."
It really is, Layla thinks to herself, not wanting to make it reality by saying it out loud. Even if they're not after her, she's witnessed the evil of Team Rocket firsthand, probably more than once if Archer's Houndoom is the same one. If they're coming back, she hopes Lance and the G-men have a plan to stop it.
"Can you handle the five out here? I'm going to get started on the ones in the cave," Joy gestures to the opening before them where some officers stand talking with Lance.
Layla gives her the go ahead, confident she can't mess up this task, and watches as Joy checks in with the officers. They greet her with smiles, nodding and laughing at whatever she says before helping her down the ladder with her things. Once she's inside, Layla turns to her own patients and sets to work, getting gloves out and then her supplies.
Each Slowpoke doesn't mind her handling them, their demeanors funny if the situation wasn't infuriating. While it's not quite illegal to take Slowpoke tails, it's inhumane to do so without proper licensing and no facilities. Team Rocket lives up to their reputation, that's for sure.
"Hey, Layla? Was it?" A voice pulls her from her work.
Layla glances up to see Lance smiling politely down at her. She nods back. "Hi, Lance."
"Hey, does your mom know you're here?" He asks, watching her clean dirt out of a slowpoke's wounds.
"Considering I'm an adult?" She retorts, then snickers. "Yeah. She does. She said to leave when you did."
"Good," he nods.
The way he says it bugs her a little. Like he wouldn't have allowed her to stay longer anyway, only to have it confirmed by her mother.
"Um, how are you feeling?" He shuffles a bit on his feet, a strange thing to witness while he's dressed in his champion garb.
Layla sits back and offers a smile. "I went to his funeral yesterday and I'm attending therapy. I'm assuming Wesley asked?"
"You don't think I care?" He poses back with a raised brow.
"Not really," she chuckles. "Doing your duty as Champion and caring are two different things."
"You don't know me, then," he smiles back and she feels like she hit a nerve.
Smooth, say goodbye to your autograph now, she jokes to herself.
"I'm fine," she brings it back. "Much better now that I get to do this."
His smile warms up by just a fraction. "I'm glad. I'll wait until you and Joy finish up in the cave before leaving."
"Thanks."
She watches him go and curses at herself for being rude to him. He's on her side and is nothing but kind, a little reserved, but kind. In the years since Serena has left, there have been conflicting accounts on Lance. Some people just love to tear him down, insulting him and degrading him with stories of how rude he can be. Others say the opposite, saying he's kind but seems lost.
It's sad...
Layla forces herself to focus, not wanting to mess up her first day, and finishes the task before her. She cleans the wounds, deeming them okay to stay in the wild, and leaves them open. No antibiotics for them as Joy won't be coming back out to finish the course, so she heads to the well.
One of the officers holds her bag for her, descending the ladder after she's reached the bottom. The opening immediately expands to an underground man made cave with some flowing water and slowpoke lying about. Plenty of patients to get through, Layla starts on the opposite end of the room and works her way towards the middle.
Time zooms by as she takes care of each patient, checking them over for other wounds before following the same steps as all the other cases. It's past lunch by the time they emerge with seven more to head to the center. One by one, Lance and the officers help get the pokemon out and onto the Jeep.
15 patients, Layla sighs to herself, watching Joy finish up with the officers.
Lance shuffles by and she touches his shoulder. He retracts from her touch, but faces her with an open expression. "Sorry for earlier. I was taking out frustration on you and it wasn't fair. For what it's worth, I did feel better knowing you were here."
Her words strike Lance hard, unexpectedly so. From seeing her waiting for Will the first time, he thought she reminded him of Serena. The way she holds herself at the very least reminds him of his best friend. Now her trusting him enough to feel safe with Team Rocket involved? It's strange. He could barely protect Serena, how can he protect her?
"Don't worry about it," he shrugs it off. "I was snippy too. Thanks for your help today, get home safely."
She nods, watching him turn on his heel and stalk towards his Dragonite, waiting patiently for his trainer. He mounts the pokemon and they take off into the sky, his cape billowing behind him like he's the hero in this story. Despite his words, she feels worse than before. The conflict in his gold irises was too much for the few words that came out of his mouth.
It almost irks her.
Did he think she was stupid for thinking that? Was he just placating a 'crazed fan'? Layla hates assumptions and prays that's not at all what was happening. On the drive back to the center, she stews in her emotions wondering just what is the Champion's problem until it's time to eat.
She sits on her own in the cafeteria, her stomach growling for food as she takes a couple bites of curry and rice. Lunch turns out to be dinner and she's thankful for making herself eat a big breakfast. Her feet ache and she feels gross from the blood and other body fluids she was handling, but underneath it she feels a sense of accomplishment.
'Made it safe to the center, eating now.' She messages the chat and sets her phone aside to relax.
Her mother is happy to hear she's safe and wishes her luck with the rest of her time in Azalea. The meal goes by slowly, Layla knowing eating too fast would hinder her despite her hunger begging for food faster. She really missed this feeling. Working hard and sitting down once it's all said and done, tired and achy, but accomplished.
The daycare never gave her this feeling. She was practically on her ass all day there, with the barest hint of satisfaction if a pokemon ever got injured. An injury for spoiled pokemon usually entails a pulled muscle or a sprain. However, the comfort of having a home and a job puts Layla at odds with moving.
She drops the subject, not wanting to get into it with herself in a pokemon center far from home and downs the rest of her water. The rest of the afternoon involves feeding and cleaning up after the Slowpoke in their dry pen. It goes by fast with the other two helping and Layla finds herself back at the hotel, bag on her arm with a smile on her face.
She shoots Jasmine a quick text about what happened and disappears into the bathroom for a shower. The events of the day wash off of her and disappear down the drain, the sweat, blood and other pokemon fluids swirl with the bubbly suds at her feet. It's a job well done today and she feels good about it, accomplished.
The feeling follows her well after dinner and as she settles in bed, the past month or so never coming up to ruin her mood as she slips into a deep sleep.