Ooc: Get your tissues
Nikki couldn't stop crying. Her best friend was going to die at least that was what Guzma had told her. All Nikki could do was think about how the last thing she had said to JJ was essentially call her a slut. That was the last thing JJ had in her mind before she ended up on a respirator. Best friends fought, but Nikki loved JJ more than even her family. JJ had been there for Nikki numerous times. From the fight at Dexter's to Nikki learning the truth about her family. They were attached at the hip. Nikki even felt like she was IN LOVE with JJ at times. But their relationship was more than that. They were so close and so tight, but now JJ was going to die because of the injuries she had sustained. Nikki had spent the car ride back just crying and reflecting. JJ couldn't die, she was only 18 and had so much to live for. No, Jessica Walkmen had to live. Guzma had explained that apparently JJ had gotten into a fight with a member of The Righteous. That coward had attacked JJ herself and now Nikki's best friend was now probably going to die. The stupid Righteous had changed all their lives ever since that night at Dexter's. If they hadn't showed up and attack them then JJ would not have sacrificed herself for Nikki. Which meant that Nikki could still continue to live in blissful ignorance. It was better than the alternative.
Nikki ran down the hall in the faux shack. She had to see JJ, had to be at her friend's side. Nikki burst into the main room with tears in her eyes as she looked for any sign of JJ. Perhaps this was some sick joke, some sort of prank to reunite JJ and Nikki. But as Nikki looked around she saw that Jer and Andy were a mess. "WHERE IS SHE?", Nikki yelled as her voice sounded like she was the one in the emergency room. Nikki just wanted to know where her best friend was so that way she could see for herself how JJ was doing. Jer pointed to a room upstairs and Nikki bolted up there. Of course Nikki Allaire hates the sights of medical machines and tubes as it reminded her of the time she had visited her brother in the burn unit. Nikki had told JJ this earlier in the year, JJ was the only person who knew this about Nikki. But right now that trauma was pushed aside. Nikki was tired of being a selfish bitch, she needed to be with JJ. Nikki ran into the room and saw that Dexter was sitting at JJ's bed side as a Nurse Joi monitored JJ. Nikki noticed there were tears in Dexter's eyes. JJ herself was unconscious in her bed as she was connected to the monitors. There were machines all over the place that JJ was hooked up to. Nikki felt like she wanted to vomit.
Dexter got up and put a hand on Nikki's shoulder, "I'll let you talk to her. I have to go handle another matter, but Nicole it's not good. There's an infection in her lungs that's spreading and she's barely hanging on. It's probably the last time you'll talk to her." Dexter wiped some tears from his eyes and left Nikki alone. The only sound we're the sounds of the monitors as Nikki started to cry some more. Nikki just stood there devastated as she looked at JJ, the beautiful girl was all bruised and looked very pale. Nikki just lowered her head to try and avoid seeing JJ like this, this wasn't the Jessica Walkmen that she knew. This had to be a joke had to be, Nikki was convinced of it. "Get up JJ, this isn't funny anymore. I'm here now, you can stop pranking me.", Nikki stared at JJ trying to see if there was any sign that she was going to wake up. A twitch, a hand movement, anything, but there was nothing. JJ remained motionless in the bed as the monitors ticked away. "GET UP JESSICA! PLEASE FUCKING GET UP!", there was nothing again. Nikki started to weep as her face turned bright red as she slumped in the seat next to JJ's bed.
"You stupid idiot. Why did you have to go try to prove how tough you are? Everyone knows how strong of a person and trainer you are JJ. Why did you have to go and be the fucking hero? You should have just walked away. You know how dangerous The Righteous are yet you had to go and try and save another Pokémon. Jessica Walkmen the great hero and defender of bullied creatures. YOU'RE DIEING JJ! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS.", Nikki couldn't contain her emotions anymore. She shook from rage and confusion. If Nikki had been there she could have convinced JJ that this was not a good idea. That it would have been better to just walk away than to fight the Righteous especially after what had happened to them the last time they run into the Righteous. "SHE PUT YOU INTO THE HOSPITAL LAST TIME JJ. NOW SHE DID IT AGAIN. WHY WERE YOU SO FUCKING STUPID!", Nikki covered her mouth. She had used a past tense term when talking to JJ. No, she wasn't going to accept that her best friend was going to die. JJ was a fighter and she would pullout of this. She had to because she couldn't leave Nikki alone.
Nikki just continued to sob as nothing she had said worked. JJ's phone was going off as Nikki walked over to it, she looked and saw that Davis had called twice. JJ also had a text from Alex that read, "hey JJ hope you sobered up. We need to talk later, but I have a few ideas about some things. Call me when you can." Nikki knew that both would be as crushed or more than Nikki was. Obviously Davis would be inconsolable as everyone knew he looked at JJ like a daughter. Sure he had lied and JJ hated him for it, but everything he had done was out of love for JJ. Nikki wouldn't know what to say to him. Then there was Alex, not only was he JJ's mentor, but a trusted companion in a sense. Before they had left on the vacation, JJ had confessed to Nikki that she liked Alex romantically. They had hooked up, as Nikki had suspected, but it went more than that. Alex was the real Alex Knight around JJ and that had made JJ fall for him. Plus, from what JJ had told her, Alex actually pushed JJ into becoming a better trainer. JJ had been shy and weak when it came to battle before, but thanks to Alex he had really instilled so much confidence in her and taught her some of his techniques. The two had a great mentor and mentee relationship. Now Nikki would have to tell both of them what happened to JJ. She didn't know if she had it in her to do such a thing.
Nikki looked back over at the unmoving JJ. Now Nikki was not just sad, but she was angry. "How am I supposed to tell your uncle you died, JJ? You know the man that has done everything to protect you. The man that you loved like a second father! I know he hurt you JJ, but you still had so much love for him. All he wanted to do was protect you and make sure you were ok. So how is he going to react to the news that you died? That the young woman he cared so much about is now dead? You think he's going to be happy about all of this? YOU SELFISH BITCH LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO CAUSE! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO US?", she held her hands up to her face. She didn't understand why JJ had been so bold to do this. Nikki could only guess what it would be like to tell Dr. Walkmen about JJ. He would probably blame her and Nikki wouldn't blame him. "What about Alex, JJ? He clearly cares a lot about you. Even if you two didn't end up together, he still cared a lot about you. Ava told me that the only time she has seen Alex act the way he does around you is when he is around Kat. You think he's not going to want to go kill The Righteous now? JJ, you know how hot headed he is. He's going to try and take them all out on his own to avenge you and he'll probably die too. Can't you see what you have done?", and then there was Nikki, but she didn't care about that right now.
Nikki looked at JJ's pokebelt. Arthur's ball was shaking, he could tell that JJ needed him. Amber's and Autumn's balls were shaking too. The Pokémon were distressed. They could tell something was wrong. "And what about your Pokémon? Who is going to watch over them. You think they're going to listen to anyone, but you? JJ they know that something is wrong with you. You can't leave them. I wouldn't want them because I know they would miss you too much. how could you do this to them? They're all going to be beside themselves. You've raised them since they were eggs, you think they're going to be fine with you being dead? ARCEUS DAMN IT, JESSICA!". Nikki knew there was someone else who would miss her too. Junior had been knocked out in battle so she couldn't send him out, but the little Gible would be distraught. JJ had always helped to look after the Gible like another mother. Junior would be beside himself in grief. "You're going to leave Junior behind too. What am I supposed to tell him JJ? Hey you know your beloved Aunt JJ? Well she died. You know how sad he's going to be? He loves you so much JJ, I love you so much.", Nikki got up from her chair and put her head on the girls chest. She could feel that JJ was barely hanging on. That her breathing was very shallow as Nikki continued to cry even more.
"I love you, you idiot. Not romantically, but as a sister. My family has abandoned me, JJ. All they did was lie and lie to me. Tried to cover everything up so I would never find out the truth. And it crushed me, you saw how it crushed me. But you were there for me Jessica. You were always there for me since I met you. You can't leave me. What would I do without you! You're the only person I trust, JJ. Please don't die.", Nikki sobbed as she clutched the gown that her best friend was wearing. Nikki could hear the wheezing which made her weep more. She couldn't leave JJ. Not now. Not when she needed her best friend more than ever. JJ needed to stay by Nikki's side. That was the plan that they would raise their Pokémon together, get through the four years at the Institute, become champions together, get married and live next to each other. Now JJ was going to screw it all up. Well Nikki had screwed it up by her own actions and words to her best friend. "I am sorry JJ. I have been trying to push you away. That's why I slut shamed you. I was so scared that I would get you hurt. So I wanted to drive you away before you got hurt because of me. It's all my fault again. If I could I would trade places with you. Please JJ, please you have to stay here. I'll die without you.", everything started to come out of Nikki. She hated herself for again hurting her best friend. She continued to press her head against the chest of JJ as tears came pouring out.
Nikki then felt a feeble hand start to twirl her hair. The pink haired female looked up hopefully as her hazel eyes looked to see that JJ had opened her eyes. The brunette still looked weak, but she still played with Nikki's hair. This had been something the girls had done with each other when they weren't training. They had done each other's make up and hair. Nikki started to cheer up as she saw that her best friend was still alive. JJ motioned that she wanted her mask to come off. Nikki would carefully remove the mask of JJ as the brunette gasped for air as it filled her lungs. She launched into a coughing fit which concerned Nikki who tried to put the oxygen mask back on JJ, but Jessica waved it off. JJ's brown eyes looked at Nikki, "I love you too, bitch." JJ's voice was so weak and not the usually sultry tone that she usually had. But to Nikki that did not matter. She just jumped on her best friend's bed and gave her a hug. This caused JJ a lot of pain as she grimaced. Nikki would apologize to JJ, but the tall brunette did not mind. She was happy that Nikki was here especially since JJ knew that she was in deep deep trouble. "Nikki, if I don't make it. You take the last two Pokémon I caught and Arthur...Alex takes rest...Uncle D can have Jewels.", she coughed and coughed as she gasped for her to return to her lungs. Nikki would put the mask back on as JJ took a deep breath of oxygen.
Nikki shook her head at JJ's last words. JJ was preparing to die and getting her affairs in order. Nikki wouldn't accept it, she just stared at her best friend who seemed scared. Nikki had to comfort JJ even if she didn't believe what she was going to say. "You're going to be fine, JJ. I promise. I'm going to get the nurse she'll tell you that you're going to be ok.", Nikki went to go get the Nurse Joi so she could check on JJ, but Nikki felt a strong grip on her her left wrist. JJ had grabbed Nikki's wrist on order to keep her here. JJ shook her head with tears in her eyes, it appeared that she was going to give up. That she was starting to accept that she was going to die. This wasn't the JJ that Nikki knew, she hated that JJ was going to accept her fate. Where was the tough girl that Nikki knew? Nikki had tears in her hazel eyes as she pulled her hand away. She wasn't going to give up on JJ, she couldn't. "If you want to accept that you are going to die fine, but the Jessica Walkmen we all know doesn't give up. You can't, too many people care about you. Your uncle, Alex, Me... we all know that you are tough. I am going to get the nurse and she is going to check on everything.", Nikki was defiant.
Nikki went out and got the Nurse Joi. Strangely, Dexter followed along which made Nikki curious. The Nurse Joi was shocked that JJ was awake and seemed to be lucid. The nurse would spend about fifteen minutes checking everything. Her eyes widened as she checked JJ's vitals and breathing figures. She would then recheck them again and then a third time. Dexter and Nikki wondered what was going on as the Nurse Joi seemed to not believe what she was seeing. The nurse turned to both Nikki and Dexter, "I can't believe what I am seeing. The steroid medication that I had her on is now seeming to work. They weren't working before, but now they are. It's started to fight back the infection. I'm going to up her dosage and hope it works.", the nurse Joi looked at Nikki. The nurse just smiled that seemed to signify that JJ had made a turn for the better. "You appear to be her lucky charm, Nicole. If she continues this up the. She might make it. I want her to keep getting the oxygen mask on so if you want to talk to her I'll give her a little chalkboard so she can communicate.", the nurse walked away as Dexter and Nikki seemed to cry tears of joy even JJ seemed overwhelmed. "I'll let you two talk again. I have to go relieve Royce as he and James are watching the prisoner.", Nikki was confused by what Dexter meant by the term prisoner.
That didn't matter now. JJ was going to live! Nikki gave her best friend was going to be ok. Nikki had cuddled up in JJ's bed next to her and wouldn't let go. "You know JJ, sex is supposed to help heal the body.", Nikki implied as she cackled. JJ rolled her eyes as she wrote "IM NOT GAY", on the chalkboard. Nikki just cackled as JJ rolled her eyes. JJ would begin to scribble on her chalkboard again as she had an important thing to say to Nikki. JJ would then erase something with her forearm and continued to scribble something. She hid it so Nikki couldn't see what she was writing. Finally JJ finished and handed it to Nikki. The pink haired female stared at it. It was long, but Nikki made sure to read every single word of what her best friend had wrote her. "Don't you ever fucking push me away again! I was so scared, Nikki. I didn't know if you hated me after I said. I was lashing out too. Uncle D lied so much just like your family. Then Alex went off to get himself killed and left me a note. Basically a letter saying that we won't be a couple and that he was madly in love with Kat. So I had the guy I like going on a suicide mission while telling me he was in love with some other female. So I had all of those things going on. Then you were acting so strange. I thought you were going to kill yourself, Nikki. I was worried. That's why I went so hard into guys, drugs, and drinking. I had to numb the pain. I needed you, but you weren't there. Then our fight happened and you ran away. I chased after you and that's when I discovered the righteous woman." JJ nodded at what she had wrote.
Nikki sighed and sat up. JJ had been suffering just as much as Nikki and her best friend hadn't realized it. She didn't even know about the Alex part. That was why JJ was hooking up with a dude every night. Now Nikki had a better understanding of what her best friend was doing. She was in so much pain. Nikki felt like an asshole as she had been a contributing factor in JJ's pain and that hurt Nikki. She would never ever do that again as she hugged her best friend who again winced from the pain. Still Nikki just held onto JJ as she sobbed into her best friends nice chest. "I'm sorry Jessica. I won't let it happen again. I was so selfish that I couldn't see that you were in so much pain. That was my fault. I was too wrapped up in my own shit to see how badly that you were hurting. If I could take your pain then I would.", that was true. JJ wasn't supposed to be in pain. She was supposed to be the heart and soul of their friendship group, but she had been hurting worse than anyone. Nikki felt like a real dick to see her best friend hurting so badly before. "With your uncle we can make up with him when we go back. You have to give him another chance. He wants to just protect you. Just talk to him and you guys can get back to where you were. As for Alex, everyone knew he and Kat were going to be together. But he still is a great mentor to you. Plus I think a certain 21 year old former Avantura champion has been hanging by your bedside for more reasons than just being a kind friend.", JJ blushed as Nikki laughed.
There was something that Nikki had said that JJ disagreed with though. She grabbed her whiteboard and began writing. Nikki wondered what JJ was going to say. It did not take long for JJ to pass the board over to Nikki who looked shock at what the brunette had written down. "I'm not going back. I want to stay here and train with Dexter.", well this didn't dissuade Nikki from her idea that there was something that had sparked between JJ and Dexter. But if JJ was going to stay and train with Dexter than Nikki wondered if she should stay too. Besides Ava, there was no reason why Nikki should go back. What was there to go back to a crazy godfather that wanted to use her? No that wasn't fun and wouldn't be good. Nikki would tell Ava where she was which would mean that Ava could come and see her if needed be. It started to make sense to Nikki. "If you are going to stay here then so am I. We can train with Dexter and Guzma. In fact they already had me start to train on something. That's where I heard about you. Junior and I were battling a Pokémon.", JJ raised an eyebrow and grabbed the white board.
"My boy battled?", of curse she was asking about Junior. She always referred to Junior as her boy as it was her egg that he had hatched from. She had wanted to see Junior actually battle a Pokémon before, but obviously did not have the chance. Nikki could see that there was disappointment in JJ's eyes as she loved Junior probably as much as Nikki did. Nikki patted her best friend on the legs, "oh JJ you would have been so proud of him. He had to face this Avantura Feraligatr and he battled his heart out. He even used Draco Meteor that Poe and Royce's Kingdra had shown him!", Nikki talked like a proud mom and she was. She was so proud of how well her beloved Gible had performed in the battle. He had lost, but he had shown that he was so strong. JJ had tears of joy in her eyes. She loved that little Gible with all her heart. The fact that he had battled made her so proud. She knew that he was tough and strong. She wished that she could have seen him. "He lost and got beat up pretty good, but he also dealt a lot of damage. He had made such an impression that even the Feraligatr was impressed by Junior that he decided to join us. In fact it was called the Scourge of Avantura and now he's mine.", of course Nikki had to brag about that last bit.
JJ of course had her trump card. She wrote on her whiteboard and then passed it onto Nikki. The pink haired female blinked again as she could not believe what JJ had just wrote. "I saved the pseudo legendary Pokémon here and now he is on my team. That is why I want to stay and train here.", Nikki's jaw dropped. She had known that JJ was a special trainer, Alex had told JJ that he had suspected that she had battlebond, which only the best and strongest trainers had. But for JJ to catch a pseudo legendary Pokémon was huge. Now Nikki could understand why JJ had wanted to stay here and train. If anyone from the Institute knew about this they would have tried to take JJ out. It would be a dangerous place for her plus she wouldn't know how to train it. Yes, Alex was very good, but there was no way that he could help JJ control a pseudo legendary. JJ wrote some more on the board. "Dexter can help me become stronger and control it and that is why I have to stay.", Nikki understood it and respected it. She grabbed JJ's right hand and squeezed.
"Then you and I will be here together. I know that Alex and your uncle will be upset, but we have to do it.", JJ nodded. She appreciated that Nikki was so understanding and would want to stay with her. For Nikki this was all about getting stronger as a trainer. She knew that Dexter and Guzma could help her become stronger. The Institute had restrictions on what they could be taught and learn. Guzma and Dexter wouldn't have those restrictions when it came to train them. But then Nikki got a little idea in the form of training and something Nikki had wanted to do for a while. "Maybe when you get better we can battle. That way I can prove how much of a better trainer I am than you.", JJ didn't need to write on the board. Instead she just stuck a middle finger up which caused Nikki to laugh. They had healed their fractured relationship.
"Did that dumb bitch die?", Marcia was trapped in some sort of room as two guys stood guard. The Righteous trainer was used to torture as she had dealt out some of her own and had suffered some. So the fact that these two idiots had decided that they could potentially torture here was ridiculous. Marcia was going to play some mind games with the two students. They were idiots from The Institute which meant that they were easy to manipulate and mindfuck. She knew that these two were friends with the idiot that had interfered Marcia knew that the girls lungs were fucked. She had heard the crying which gave her such great joy. She loved watching people suffer. Their tears were delicious. Once the girl died Marcia would have a great celebration in her mind. That would be what she got for messing with The Righteous.
The door to the room swung open as Dexter entered. He told Royce and James to leave the room. That this was going to be something that he had to do. The two teens left as Dexter sat across from the woman that would know about where his sister was. Dexter looked at her and that sick smile. He had heard her ask about JJ, but Dexter was going to spoil her little party. "I hate to break it to you, but JJ is going to survive. I know you intended to kill her, but she's a lot tougher than you thought.", this brought a frown to the Sadists face. This was all disappointing to her. Now Marcia wondered what Melody's brother wanted from her. Dexter pulled out the Gengar's pokeball, "you smd I are going to talk about my sister."