Of Respiratory Failure and Eldegoss
Author's Note: This fic's premise operates on the presumption of Tommy's passing, which the English-language dub went out of its way to avoid, but was more ambiguous in the original. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Pokémon franchise.
Summary:
A Wild Area campout turns dangerous when John, Tommy, and their Pokémon are interrupted by a vicious Drapion and territorial Liepard.
A lax night by Motostoke Riverbank.
Well clear of their tent, Tommy was bashing rocks over sticks in a genuine but futile attempt to get a fire going.
Charmeleon got tired and lit it for him.
"We have heat, John!" Tommy tried passing off the accomplishment as his own, unaware his friend had been spying on them out of the corner of his eye.
"That's some fire, Tommy! Almost like Charmeleon made it!"
The Flame Pokémon and his Trainer whooped. John raised him from the egg Champion Leon gave to him as a welcome home present after he was released from the hospital.
"Bragger," Tommy grunted. "He isn't Charizard yet! Until then, only one of us can hover!"
To support his boast, the bragger who accused Charmeleon of being a bragger floated several metres higher, no wings at all.
"We know! We know! Enough! Enough! Let's prepare the Gigantamax Curry!"
Bowls into the meal, something dark crawled toward the campsite.
Corviknight was the first to sense ill omen, cawing to alert John and Tommy.
Position leaked, the Drapion and Liepard skulked no further, revealing themselves in their entirety. The Trainers knew they weren't there for the food because John asked if they wanted any, and they responded by trashing the supplies the kids brought instead.
"John, you keep back! I'll handle this! Dragapult, Gengar, I choose you!"
Wispy insubstantial tail and pointed ears erect, the Pokémon of Stealth and Shadow stopped eating and assumed battle-ready stances.
"You wanna battle? You've picked the right opponent! Dragapult, Dragon Darts! Gengar, Shadow Ball!"
Dreepy rockets shot out of Dragapult's horns, while Gengar enlarged a black blob and hurled it at the enemy with a double-handed overhead throw.
Drapion and Liepard counterattacked with Pin Missile and Assurance.
The contact between moves created haze that blew out the campfire and allowed the Ogre Scorpion and Cruel Pokémon to advance right up to Dragapult and Gengar's faces, surprising Gengar especially.
"Genga–?"
They would have sustained a Bug Bite and Sucker Punch; however, John joined the fray.
"Cotton Guard!"
Eldegoss' floof expanded to max (but not Dynamax) fullness, a fleecy shield which Drapion and Liepard's strikes bounced off of. Indeed, the cotton was so springy and its originator of such effective defence the arachnid/cat mismatch were blasted into the water below a bridge, many hills away.
"Yeah-ha-ha! Nice work everybody!"
"It's good the Wild Area is enormous, or the city could ticket us for a noise violation! Did you have to use your most explodey techniques, Tommy?"
"Had to finish the battle as fast as possible! A hit by Drapion or Liepard would've passed through me! You? It would've landed you back in the hospital!"
"Tommy! I'm strong now! I'm, I'm –!"
Gasping for breath, John scratched his chest and collapsed. He coughed without stopping.
"J-John! No! HAUNTER! Bring me John's bag!"
Taking the bag from Haunter, Tommy scattered the pack's stuffing over the grass. He grasped hectically for John's inhaler, the panic causing him to lose solidity multiple times and miss. Locking his unsteady fingers around it at last, he held the device up to the sick child's mouth.
"Br-breathe, John! Breathe!"
John took a puff. The pressure on his lungs lessened, diffused medicine relieving his airways.
"Arceus in its dimension, I thought for sure you'd be joining me in the other place!"
If Tommy still had a heartbeat, John was certain it'd be beating like crazy.
A mandatory resting period later, after their Pokémon helped Tommy tidy the camp, they returned their Pokémon to their Poké Balls and sealed the tent. Performing Cotton Spore, Eldegoss left them mounds of stray cotton to bunch into an insulating pile to sleep on, solicitude the residually lightheaded John much obliged.
"You don't have to be overprotective. I've come far as a Trainer too."
"I noticed." Tommy didn't argue this time. "I just don't want you to go through what I went through. During my final days at the hospital, I was so scared I'd never see you again. If I hadn't found Allister, I don't know what I'd have done."
"Clever of you to go to the one person in Galar who could undoubtedly see you."
"That may've been a coincidence. I honestly didn't realize till the taxi driver only acknowledged Allister while I was in the cab. Man, did I look dumb talking to the guy, thinking he could hear me!"
"Whatever led you there, I'm glad you were able to visit. It meant a lot to me you apologized, even when I knew your getting sicker was the real reason why you were angry."
"Probably should've figured out the ole ghost abilities sooner! Would have made sneaking by the night watchman easier!"
"Hehehe, probably. Remember when Leon invited me to his house in Postwick to give me Charmander's egg, and you Psychic'd Wooloo into the room?"
"Hop thought Wooloo was possessed! Huhahahahaha!"
"I'm telling you: Hop's Wooloo is already half-possessed! How can a Pokémon that irresistibly cute growl so ferociously?"
"Comparisons to Leon's Charizard, I bet!"
They laughed an exuberant laugh.
"It's good the Wild Area is enormous, hey? Or the city could ticket us for a noise violation!"
"Hello! I'm the one they'd scold! We can't all disappear at the drop of a hat!"
Noctowl hooted over their chat.
"I'll monitor myself more carefully, 'kay?"
"And I'll try to let you be more independent and not track your every movement like a Dottler!"
"Tommy?"
"Uh-huh, John? You need anything?"
"Nothing. I just wanted to say thanks."
Down of Eldegoss was very luxurious. John dozed off on it without recalling having fallen asleep.