Nurse Florence Joy is 24 years old and has been a nurse for as long as she can remember, nothing more. Her head is clear of everything that doesn't have to do with working in a human hospital in Circhester City and staying alive. She loves her job, despite all the responsibilities and the hard-working hours.
Even though she has worked here for a while, she always thought of herself as a bystander. She stayed in the back, hidden in the shadows. It was only when an incident occurs in the city that she begins to think of herself as a protagonist.
The incident involved a rampaging Dynamax Pokémon appearing out of nowhere, causing the hospital to start having more patients than ever. Visitors to the hospitals are said to hear voices in the hallways and see shadows of figures in the corridors since then.
Florence will never forget the night when it happened to her. It was a quiet night. She was relaxing in the reception desk with a cup of coffee, a book titled Surviving Night Shift For Dummies, and her faithful pokémon. A clefairy.
Suddenly there was a loud bang and she started walking towards the direction of the noise while trying to be as careful as she could. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. It must be the wind.
She heard the bang again, but it was louder. This time, she knew it was coming from the basement.
Summoning her courage, she grabbed a flashlight and strode quickly down the stairs. She might have met her end right there, if not for her pokémon, who dutifully alerted her of the dangers ahead. Startled, she jumped instantly to the side just in time to avoid a long gooey appendage.
She turned her flashlight on the intruder and gasped in horror. Lurking there in the basement bathed in the reeky glow of the light was an abomination of poisonous gases armed with sharp claws. The hideous thing has a wide, pink-colored mouth filled with pointed teeth.
"A haunter!"
If the haunter's tongue touched her, it's a game over for her. Being their main method of killing unsuspecting victims, it's capable of causing the victim loss of bodily control over respiratory muscles.
She promptly fled upstairs, but the thing chased her with frightening speed. She was trapped and knew she had to fight if she wanted to stay alive.
Unfortunately, her clefairy currently has no moves that can damage the haunter other than icy wind. She doubted it would be enough to take down the Ghost-type Pokémon, but her other choice is limited to non-damaging moves such as follow me, encore and protect.
"Clefairy, use icy wind!"
Clefairy twirled around on its end as it arced a gust of chilled air towards the haunter.
The chilling gust begins to fill the area, but the haunter avoided the attack by entering the wall on the other side.
When the haunter emerged from its hiding spot, it opened its eyes wider and they started glowing, forming a shadowy mist around its victims. It just blocked all available escape routes, all but one.
Florence can still use an escape item if she has any. Those things tend to be missing whenever you need them. Besides, it's not something a nurse like her would carry around anyway.
"What a wonderful night to have a shift." She smiled and beckoned her pokémon to prepare the next move.
"Get ready for another icy wind!"
"Cinderace, pyro baw in th' hole!"
Florence dropped to the floor with a thud to avoid the incoming fiery ball of doom that defeated the haunter in one hit. She only needs to see its smoking outline to know everything is over.
"Er… Excuse me? Who are you? What are you doing here?" asked Florence, somewhat confused.
Who is this girl barmy girl who suddenly appeared and start throwing pyro balls as if it's the best thing since sliced bread?
The girl was short and slim, with short, brown hair that fell to her chin. A smile marked her features, and she wore a gray hoodie. Florence was sure the girl didn't come here for sightseeing.
It took a moment for the girl to notice her presence. Florence stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she waited for any reactions from the girl.
"Hullo, they ca' me Gloria fae Postwick. Urr ye alright?"
Gloria? Is that the girl's name? Florence's understanding of whatever the girl is saying is limited to words she can recognize from her odd way of speaking.
"I'm alright... I think. Are you lost? The Pokémon Center is not far."
"I wis juist wandering aboot keekin fur something, then ah stumbled intae you."
Without pause, the girl scooped something from the floor and put it inside her backpack.
"How did you beat that haunter in a single hit? My attacks did nothing."
"Everything burns. Kill it wi' fire, thay said."
"Really? It's that simple?" Florence asked in disbelief, staring at the proud partner of cinderace. Destroyer of worlds.
"It's th' solution tae everything!"
Florence thanked Gloria for saving her life, a life that could never be the same again.
The haunter disappeared after a while, and a healthy patient kicked the bucket that same night in a suspicious manner. He keeps insisting to walks out of a hospital without being formally discharged before it happened.
Coincidence? Florence doesn't think so. Conspiracy? Perhaps. Hotel? Ionia.
She thought it's about time to start considering a change of career. Better late than never.
Nurse Florence Joy woke up the next morning with a nagging feeling that she has forgotten something.
She quickly ignored the feeling in favor of the reassuring voice inside her head. It's probably something unimportant anyway. Everything that doesn't have to do with working in a human hospital in Circhester City and staying alive.
What important is nothing happened in Graylingwell Hospital. Graylingwell Hospital is the safest place in Circhester City.
All is well.