A/N: As with all actions, there will be an opposite and equal reaction. With humans, this isn't always the case, as we are very unpredictable, but all things eventually come full circle. Some actions cause more consequences than others, but all actions are eventually realized. Why am I mentioning this? It goes well with the title of the chapter.
Welcome to the latest update to the story! Aurora went into the Pokemon Center to help with the damages while Ash went inside to get something to eat. Oh yeah, and Bonnie doesn't even know what's happening yet :P. Hope you enjoy~
Hope you enjoy~
Certain things to note:
"..."- This denotes regular speech or thoughts in flashbacks.
"..." This denotes thoughts, flashback or telepathy when stated directly.
"..." This denotes a Pokemon's speech or Pokemon thoughts in flashbacks.
"..." This denotes a Pokemon's thoughts, telepathy or Pokemon speech in flashbacks when stated directly.
"(...)" (This denotes a Pokemon speaking, but only select characters like Ash or Aurora can understand it.)
Disclaimer: Pokemon is owned by Nintendo and all that good stuff.
Onward to the story!
"Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them." -Marvin J. Ashton
Chapter 10: Some Complications…
Aurora entered the Pokemon Center with one thing in mind. She wanted to help Nurse Joy with whatever happened inside the center. She didn't know what Ashton did to the center, but she assumed if Serena and Clemont were badly messed up from their encounter, he unwittingly damaged the center. Aurora searched the lobby for the pink haired nurse, but to no avail.
She scratched her head and wondered where she was. Aurora knew that it was still fairly early in the morning, but Nurse Joys tended to wake up early and sleep late just in case a trainer came in with a sickened Pokemon. She thought it was admirable that they all had this mindset, but wondered where the nurse was if she was awake. She suddenly had a chill down her back in trepidation. She wondered why she felt that way.
"Are you looking for something?" A female voice called out from behind her. Aurora shrieked in surprise and turned around. She saw the person she was looking for.
"Nurse Joy? You scared me. I'm sorry if this is rude, but where did you come from? I saw no one here a few seconds ago and now you're here." Aurora sweat-dropped. The female guardian hadn't been surprised like that in a long time and she still seemed a bit spooked from her dream.
"I was in my room and I just woke up. Do you need help, miss?" She asked in a sweet voice.
Aurora eyed Nurse Joy and narrowed her eyes for a split moment. Then, she began to smile faintly. "There's... something I need to speak to you about, miss. Although... I'm not sure if you'll like it..."
"What is it?"
"Well, I think it's best that I show you, Nurse Joy. Brace yourself..." Aurora warned. She took Joy by the hand and led her to the guest rooms. Aurora could feel the nurse struggling to force her to let go of her. She knew she was not crushing her hand; she was always mindful of how much strength she had when it came to regular humans. The aura guardian once again narrowed her eyes, but since she was in front of Joy, the pink haired lady didn't notice.
"Who did this?!" Nurse Joy stood irate as she looked at the trashed room of Ash and Clemont and gaping hole in the wall. The scream was enough to stir Bonnie, but not completely.
"I'm not completely sure who caused this much damage, but I can definitely help you," Aurora said calmly.
"How?" Nurse Joy looked confused. She rolled her neck slightly. Aurora noticed it, but decided not to say anything.
"I've accumulated a lot of money from consistently beating trainers in my home region. I'll donate to you to fix it the rooms. It's nothing, really." Aurora said easily. Since she was a Nurse Joy, she figured it would be of no consequence to her to give some money to the distressed nurse. They were known to network news to each other, anyway.
"Wait… you're Aurora of the Hokori region?" Joy asked slowly.
"Yes." Aurora nodded her head. She was surprised someone knew her from her home region.
"You're that crazy strong Champion! My fourth cousin appreciates the money you give to the struggling Pokémon Centers of the Death Zone area of the region. You donate a lot there. Is it really a bother to give money here?" She asked. She knew that the Death Zone needed more money than she did.
"Not at all. Consider this my apology for those who did this." Aurora told her.
"You shouldn't be the one who pays for this." Nurse Joy shook her head.
"Nonsense! I want to. Trust me, you have nothing to worry about. Hopefully, within a couple of months, the rooms will become back to normal." Aurora said soothingly. She reached into her pouch and took out a massive sum of Poké in her hand. It was 500,000 Poké in her hand. Joy's jaw dropped. Aurora continued in an innocent voice. "You think this is enough?"
"Aurora, I can't accept this. I don't even need half this amount." Nurse Joy said in shock of how much money she carried with her. She knew Aurora was generous from what she'd heard about her, but never expected to see it.
"I have a lot more money, but I don't need it. Really, I don't mind." Aurora shrugged her shoulders.
"Are you sure?" Joy asked with indecision.
"Sure, I'm sure. If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't be giving you this. Use whatever extra you can towards improving the building. That way, everyone wins. Here." Aurora gave her the wad of cash and curled up her fingers. "Take it. I don't need it."
"T-Thank you so much…" Nurse Joy bowed with respect to Aurora. "Still, who could've caused this much damage?" Joy inspected the hole made in the wall. She stole a quick glance at the sleeping Bonnie before tracing her fingers around it. "This hole is too perfect for a Pokémon to make unless they were trained extremely well. Even if they were trained well, an enraged Pokémon wouldn't have had this much accuracy."
"Not sure, Joy. Not sure. Anyway, what's done is done now. I'm pretty sure the people who did this will be leaving soon, so I doubt you'll need to worry about this." Aurora assured her.
"How you can be so sure?" The nurse questioned.
"Since the Joys network, I'm fairly sure you know about the aura guardians and psychics of my region. Being an aura guardian myself, I know they will leave. I will personally see to it that nothing else is damaged here." Aurora eyed Joy for her reaction. She saw no change. That's how she knew that she knew. It was commonplace for a guardian or psychic to reveal themselves in her home region, so it almost felt like she was in the Hokori region again. But this wasn't the Hokori region…
"If you say so. Thank you again for the donation! What of the girl? Do you think-" Joy proposed. Aurora cut her off and shook her head.
"Bonnie's a little angel. She doesn't possess the power to destroy this wall and trash these rooms." Aurora defended the sleeping blond immediately.
"So you know her..." Joy said in a suspicious voice.
"Yeah. And? She's the Lumiose Gym Leader's little sister. I read up on all the regions I go to, especially things pertaining to the gyms. Bonnie is one of them." Aurora responded. She didn't want Joy to know that Ash was the one who caused the damages.
"I see. Once again, thank you for the donation. Do you wish to eat anything? I can get you something." Joy said in a sweet voice.
"No… I can make my own food. Thank you." Aurora narrowed her eyes. They both stared at each other, knowing what the other was about to do. Aurora saw the nurse reach behind her. She could see a small sparkle. Aurora immediately had her in an aura grip and pushed her against the wall. Joy gritted her teeth as Aurora looked in her pocket. She took Joy's prize from her pocket… a knife.
"You know… you almost had me fooled." Aurora twirled around the sharp object like it was nothing. "Your second mistake was showing no reaction when I blatantly revealed I was a guardian. Your first?" Aurora pointed the knife at the lady's heart, but made no attempt to stab her. "You assumed I wouldn't be able to sense a difference in Nurse Joy's aura. All Joys' aura are nearly the same and yours is much more... unique... than any of the nurses I've sensed. Your heart isn't as clear."
"Let go of me! Filthy wrench!" She growled.
"If you do anything, I'll burn off your throat from the inside… Got it?" Aurora's voice suddenly became lighter as she had her against the wall. She had fire forming from her hand as she looked at the nurse lookalike menacingly. "Look, I'm already not in the best of moods. Seeing someone attempting to use a knife on me only made it worse. Tell me where the real Nurse Joy is."
"I don't need to. I can report you to Officer Jenny under this guise. Who would she believe? An innocent Joy? Or a freak threatening said Joy. I wonder..." The impostor smirked.
"I wonder who she'll believe… an impostor with a burnt mask or the trapped nurse? You tell me." Aurora quipped. Aurora touched Joy's face as it started to melt. Soon, she revealed a young woman with curly brunette hair and a furious expression. She completely removed the burnt mask off the interloper's face and the girl revealed she had striking green eyes and a slightly freckled face. She looked around Ash's age. Aurora gasped and sighed in sadness at the revelation. She loosened her grip on her slightly, but still retained hardened eyes.
"I'll have you locked up for this!" The interloper growled. Aurora sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She almost seemed disappointed.
"Fat chance. I've been dealing with you clowns for years. Do you seriously expect me not to sniff you guys out like a Houndoom at this point?" Aurora asked sarcastically. Her yellow eyes seemingly glowed a hint of red. She spoke with a hint of two tones. "Be thankful you're not facing the wrong side of me completely. Otherwise, I would have burnt off your throat by now. Now… tell me what you know."
"Never!" She hissed.
"Tell me..." Aurora pressured.
"Not on your life!" The woman was surprised to know that she knew her actual name, but knew that Aurora had a reputation among the grunts to do such a thing. She never understood how Aurora could pick up on the names of those who encountered her.
"Alright... that's fine." Aurora grabbed the impostor by the neck and held her high in the air. Shelia grasped her neck as she struggled to breathe. Aurora looked at her with unsympathetic eyes as she slowly tightened her grip. "I have no patience for this interrogation game. How about not on your life? I will make it happen if you wish. Or… will you talk?"
"I…"
"Talk."
"I…"
"Talk or die." Aurora's eyes glowed yellow as she tightened her grip. Under the yellow glow, her eyes turned red completely.
"She's tied up in the freezer in the basement. I gagged her so no one could hear her. Please don't kill me!" Shelia said as fast as she could. Her breath was fleeting her. She thought her time on Earth was done. The ebony haired lady grimly nodded as she let go of the younger girl's neck and knocked her on the ground. Shelia looked up at Aurora with hateful eyes. Aurora's eyes returned to their yellow color.
"Thank you for being so kind. Now, please sleep. I'm sorry I did that to you, but it was nothing personal." The guardian's hand glowed a dark purplish hue. Immediately when she touched her, she fell asleep. Aurora looked guilty immediately after she became unconscious. She knew that many grunts were tricked into joining the team so it saddened her every time she encountered one. She hated acting so emotionless and harsh to people, but over time, she found it was the best way to get a Zurui grunt to tell her what she needed.
"Oooh, you do have some of my qualities! Would you have done the, oh, so, unspeakable act?" A second voice giggled in Aurora mind. It gave her a shiver down her back, but she decided not to fight it, knowing she wouldn't come out.
" I would never do such a thing, Aru. You would... and almost did just now. Stop doing that subtle influence trick on me!" Aurora growled, slightly irritated. Aru giggled slightly in their head.
"I know. You know, I would have been more surprised if you said yes. Oh, and the subtle influence thing? I can do whatever I want, my annoying dominant twin. Oh wait... you're beginning to lose your dominance." Aru continued casually. Aurora groaned. "I'll admit, it surprised me to see you almost concede to me. I love it. You should do it more often. You would have never choked anyone normally."
"Keep in mind that you were influencing me somewhat. And… I didn't really mind knocking her out, much to my disgust. I may hate the Zurui, but I don't want to actually hurt them." Aurora acknowledged her.
"I sure do. You're always been so soft to the people who tries to spy on or kill you. That makes me sick. A lot of your problems would be solved if you weren't so merciful, Aurora. " Aru shrugged mentally. Aurora frowned.
It didn't come as a surprise to Aru when Aurora said, "You'll never give me enough temptation. Besides, I need to find the real Nurse Joy."
"I'll give you a little offer to stop my little bouts of subtle influence," Aru said in an inciting way.
"What is it?" Aurora decided to humor her counterbalance.
"Give me complete control from now until Viridian Forest. I'll stop messing with you and I won't hurt Ash's friends." Aru stated simply.
"If you hurt Ash…" Aurora warned. Aru snorted.
"We both know that neither of us would never harm a single hair on that boy's body. I love him just as much as you." Aru said, somewhat appalled at her balance. Aurora was surprised. It was rare to see her serious about anything. She immediately took back her observation when Aru continued, "Remember, I am you… just your more awesome side!"
"Yeah, my completely nutty side…" Aurora with a joking tone. Aurora put her hand on her chin in thought. "Hmm... So basically, give full control to stop partial influence during your anger crazy phase? Not going to get tricked. Nice try, though."
"That's cool. I don't wanna go through too much pain trying to fight you. You will be broken eventually." Aru finished menacingly. Aurora didn't like it, but she had no choice. She could feel Aru's presence diminishing from her mind. Aurora decided to take back the money she gave to the brunette. She was intending on donating, but definitely not to the organization she despised.
Holding the knife in her hand, she slipped past the hallways to enter the basement.
"I didn't even know Pokémon Centers had freezers in their basement. I thought they had a storage area for trainer's Poké Balls down here. Guess it depends on the center." Aurora noted as she entered the basement. It had a home-like feeling, despite being in a Pokémon Center. There was a pair of red flowers at the base of each door. The light was dim and it appeared that they were extra rooms for trainers to sleep in. What Aurora found odd was that no one seemed to know about here other than Nurse Joy.
"Maybe it's for emergencies?" Aurora mused. She decided not to ponder it further. She decided to switch to her aura vision. Looking around, she tried to sense any kind of sentient aura. Eventually, she could see a hot pink like aura that cupped around the corridor. She followed said aura down the hall and ran as briskly as she could. She was so focused on following the aura, that she bumped her head on a door. The door itself appeared to be made from steel, but there was no window that she could see through.
While using aura vision, it was hard to see nonliving things when she wasn't paying enough attention. Aurora returned her eyes to normal and noticed that the area had gotten extremely darker compared to when she first entered the basement. There was an unnerving feeling that something wasn't right. She could feel cold air protruding through the steel door. The guardian tried to open the door, but found that she couldn't. That's when she knew she was in the right place.
"Nurse Joy? Are you in there?" Aurora called from the other side of the door. She could hear her rejuvenated muffled cries from the other side of the steel door. Aurora sighed in relief. She was glad she wasn't too late to save her. She knew what she needed to do.
"Chari, come, make your presence known!" Aurora released the draconian out of her Poké Ball. She had to crouch her head down due to the confined space.
"Chari, I want you to force your way through the door."
"Got it!" Chari readied her mouth to shoot fire. Aurora waved her hands frantically in front of the draconian to stop her. Chari looked at her trainer, confused.
"Don't burn it down! There's already damages in the center!" Aurora said. She started to push on the door and Chari got the idea. With a mighty growl, she pushed through the door in one go. Aurora smiled with pride. Chari was stronger than she thought. The room immediately felt warmer with Chari in it. Neither of them felt cold. They could see someone curled up on the floor. Nurse Joy was gagged and tied up and it was clear she had been crying. Aurora took out the knife she stole from Shelia and cut the rope and gag. Nurse Joy looked up at her gratefully.
"Are you all right?" Aurora asked.
"Y-y-y-yes… R-e-e-eally c-c-c-old…" Joy responded.
"Right. Chari, if you please…" Aurora gestured to her oldest friend. Chari nodded as she moved her tail flame to be right in front of Joy. Then, she started to walk out the room. Aurora helped to guide Nurse Joy out. She was shaking vigorously, but stopped as she became warmer. Chari walked through the corridors with a guarded expression as she moved through the lower level of the Pokémon Center. Aurora made sure was right behind Joy and that she was near Chari's flame at all times. Eventually, Chari reached the stairs and stopped. Aurora returned Chari in her capsule. Aurora grabbed the nurse's hand as they both went up the stairs.
"Joy, where is your room?"
"I don't have one here. I live in a cottage near the center."
"All right. Do you know where some blankets are? I need to warm you up." Aurora said. Aurora wanted to warm her up with her aura, but she didn't want to compromise herself in the process. Since she knew this was the real Nurse Joy, she didn't want to reveal she was an aura guardian to her.
"They are over by the recuperation chamber. I… can take you there."
About 30 minutes later….
At the recuperation chamber, Nurse Joy sat on a chair while having blankets all over her. She was shaking even in warmth. In this time, Aurora gave her some tea to try to warm her up, but to no avail. Aurora knew she wasn't shaking because she was cold, but because of the situation. She looked sympathetically at the victimized nurse. She had no idea who or why the imposter locked her up in the freezer. Aurora waited for her to be ready to speak. Eventually, Nurse Joy started to speak. Aurora gave the nurse her full attention.
"Miss… I…"
"Don't call me 'miss', Nurse Joy. My name is Aurora." Aurora said with a small smile. "Are you OK to keep talking?"
"Yes. Aurora… I never got to thank you properly. Thank you for the bottom of my heart. I thought that I was going to die in there…" Joy wanted to cry, but found that she was too cold to. Aurora decided to cover her up with more blankets. Under the sheets, she decided to try to warm her up with her aura. Massaging her back while actively using the heat made from her aura, Nurse Joy visibly started to relax. She felt her muscles thawing out as her body eased into Aurora's touch. Joy closed her eyes as she let her mind start to relax.
"Not a problem! How long did you stay down there?" Aurora inquired while continuing to massage her.
"I don't know. All… I know I was down there for at least a few hours. Who would do such a thing?" The nurse shivered in recollection of the recent events. Aurora looked at her sadly. She stopped what she was doing to get her more tea. This time, she accepted it. Nurse Joy took it with a shaky hand.
"Hmm… Joy, do you know of the Zurui clan?" Aurora asked, sitting opposite to her.
"No… I don't." Joy shook her head vigorously.
"They hail from my home, the Hokori region. They've been terrorizing the people and Pokémon there for years." Aurora looked down and sighed.
"Do you think they are starting to spread to Kalos?" Nurse Joy asked worriedly.
"No. I don't think so. I think that woman impersonated you in order to spy on me and my traveling companions." Aurora explained. "I've been one of their primary enemies for many years. They always want to keep a close eye on me and will follow me to many regions."
"Why? What did you do to them?" Nurse Joy questioned.
"Let's just say I tried to speak out against the leader and got punished heavily for it. Now, they pursue me everywhere I go." Aurora continued nebulously. Nurse Joy recognized how uncomfortable she was and decided not to say anything. Aurora sighed, "I'm so sorry about this. You're a victim of a conflict you had nothing to do with. They've done this to other Joys, Jennies, and even common folk. They are very good at camouflage. All of this… and it's my fault."
"It's not your fault…"
"It is! You shouldn't get punished for something I did. No one should." Aurora looked away from Nurse Joy in shame.
"Don't hold such a burden on yourself. It isn't healthy." Nurse Joy said in a soothing voice. Aurora still looked doubtful. "Take it from me. If I held in the burden for all the Pokémon that doesn't make it through their injuries, I wouldn't be able to keep my job. I'd be idle and very depressed about everything. Try to lift some of that stress off your shoulders."
"What about you?" Aurora asked, concerned. She was surprised Joy was taking everything so well.
"I'll be fine, Aurora. Thanks to you, I was saved. I'm almost completely warmed up again. I can tell… you have a good heart. When the odds are stacked against you, don't feel worried. Continue to follow your heart." Nurse Joy smiled for the first time. Aurora felt weird accepting advice from someone she didn't know too well, but she smiled at the gesture. Nurse Joy stood up and gave her a hug. At first, Aurora was shocked, but then she returned the embrace.
"Thank you, Joy," Aurora said with gratitude.
"No, thank you for saving my life." Nurse Joy put a hand on her heart. Suddenly, she looked as if she just remembered something. "Oh! Oh dear, what of the Pokémon?"
"I'm not sure. How many people came to get their Pokémon healed last night?" Aurora asked.
"Not too many. Maybe about five?" Joy tried her best to remember. "The phony who imprisoned me knocked me out, so everything is fuzzy. Let me see…" Since they were in the recuperation chamber, they both started to look at the Pokémon resting. They could see a Swirlix, Sunkern, Raichu, Snubbull and Chespin resting in separate chambers. They all were asleep comfortably. Luckily enough, none of them were hurt. Nothing looked like it got stolen as well. Joy looked visibly relieved.
"Thank Arceus, everyone's safe. Looks like you were right. It seems the Zurui were just trying to spy on you. If they wanted something from the center, they would have stolen it by now."
"Yeah… Um, Joy?"
"Yes?"
"Do you need help with anything at all? Need any tea to warm you up and such? Aiding the Pokémon? I have limited experience healing things. I also carry a lot of berries on me." Aurora offered.
"I'm not one hundred percent, but I'll manage. I can tell that the Pokémon are fine. It's still early in the morning, so they still are sleeping. Besides, you've helped me enough as it is. I don't want to give you any more trouble. Although… where is my imposter?" Nurse Joy wondered. Aurora frowned. She knew this would eventually come up.
"I… had to take some measures to make sure she wouldn't harm me." Aurora took out Shelia's knife and twirled it around her fingers. Joy looked alarmed at the sharp object. She covered her face with her hands in disbelief. Aurora fiddled with the weapon as if she was used to using it. The dark haired lady continued, "When I started to get suspicious about her, she attempted to stab me. I took the knife and knocked her out before she had a chance. I'd imagine she's right by the guest rooms."
Joy looked shocked about it. Aurora didn't strike her as the type of person who could do that. She didn't look willing to hurt anything. Aurora expected Joy's reaction. "There's… something else that you should know. Instead of telling you… I think it's best that you see for yourself. Are you warm enough to move without your blankets?"
"I've warmed up quite a bit, Aurora. What is it that you need to show me?" Nurse Joy stood up and placed her blankets on the chair. She stretched her body out slightly. She sighed in relief at the release of tension in her muscles.
"Some… complications…" Aurora laughed nervously with tapping her fingers together. She didn't want to tell her about the damages done to the center, but knew that it needed to be done. Nurse Joy didn't like the sound of that. They both left the recuperation chamber as Aurora directed the recently free nurse to the guest rooms.
Nurse Joy didn't know what to expect. She knew that Aurora had to have used some force to subdue her impostor, but she wondered what the complications were. She soon got her answer when she entered the hallway of the upper guest rooms. She could see a large gaping hole in the wall between two rooms and that one room was horribly shambolic. Personal belongings were all over the floor and she could notice glasses and other knickknacks.
Nurse Joy also noticed a sleeping little girl in the cleaner room. It seemed she was blissfully unaware of what had happened around her in the last eight hours. Finally, she looked down in the other room. She noticed a brunette woman unconscious against the wall. She had her nursing uniform on, but it didn't seem she had any visible injuries. The only marks she could see were some marks on her neck. Joy looked horrified as she thought the woman might be dead. She quickly knelt down and checked her breathing. She noticed that the woman's breathing was stable. Despite what she did to her, Joy found herself sighing in relief.
Aurora noticed the glasses on the floor and inspected them. She breathed some air of relief. The glasses didn't appear to be broken from Ash's confrontation. She knew that the item belonged to Clemont and wanted to give it back to him the next time she saw him. She gave the nurse some time to process what happened in the area. Once she did, she decided to speak.
"These were the complications I was talking about, Joy. I'm really sorry." Aurora looked down.
"You know, I should be really mad, but I'm not. I'm just glad no one was hurt badly." Joy responded. Aurora tried her best to stifle a look of guilt.
"I'm glad, too," Aurora said in a small voice.
"Aurora, did you cause all this trying to save me?" Nurse Joy asked, curious in Aurora's role in the damages.
Aurora looked uncomfortable. "Ah… yes. It was me. I'm sorry for everything I've caused. The hole in the wall… the mess on the floor… everything." Aurora looked to the side. She didn't like to lie, but for Ash's sake, she would. It was easy to do it, especially since she actually did feel guilty about Shelia. She didn't want to hurt her, but the way she subdued her made her cringe. She acted like her counterbalance would, just more seriously. Aru was impartial to using tactics to get what she wanted, but Aurora was always hesitant to do the same unless need be.
"It's alright, Aurora. Judging from the knife, it appeared you didn't have too much choice. The scuffle must have been rough on both of you. You did what you had to do. No one got hurt seriously and I'm glad for that." Aurora tried her best to look agreeing to Joy. She was surprised to see the brunette was not a psychic, but didn't complain. She was glad that those who did get hurt got healed by her… at least physically.
"That's true. Now, about the damages…" Aurora started.
"No need to worry. I can cover it myself. The Pokémon Center raises extra money from trainers who insist on donating. I think I have enough to cover the cost." Nurse Joy said.
"You shouldn't have to, though. Look, it's my fault. So, I should be the one who pay. Since I'm a really strong trainer, I've gained loads of money I don't even use. It wouldn't affect me at all if I gave you some." Aurora took out the same wad of 500,000 Poké that she showed Shelia earlier.
Joy's jaw dropped in surprise, "You can't be serious…"
"I don't mind. I would like to atone for my mistakes, so this is my restitution." Aurora handed the money over to the surprised Joy and used some force to curl her fingers around it. She smiled at the nurse, letting her know that it was all right for her to take the money.
"Aurora… I don't need this much… Are you sure you want to give it to me?" Nurse Joy asked in a shaky voice. She's never received that much as a donation. The only people she knew she did were some of her cousins from the Hokori region. Joy noted that Aurora did mention she was from the Hokori region, so she wouldn't put it past her to be the one responsible for some of the donations.
"Keep it. Have the whole thing. I really don't need money as much due to my upbringing. I was born in a town that uses more natural ways to getting what we need. We don't even have a Poke Mart because we're so self-sufficient. I use berries, herbs and spices instead of the manmade medicine of the Poké Marts, so I've accumulated way more money than I need." Aurora said.
"Well… thank you so much, Aurora! This money can go to fixing and renovation of the center. We can update some of our guest chambers to be more modern. We could upgrade some of the technology here that's used to improve healing the Pokémon. Oh, this can go to many things that could need improving!" Joy squealed excitedly. Aurora looked happy. She was glad Joy could find more use with the money than she intended it having.
"You've enabled me to improve the center even more! Since you're a trainer, I know you're going to be on your way very soon. Do your Pokémon need any healing? Do you need some food?" Joy asked.
Aurora laughed softly. "Don't worry about me, Joy. I'm planning on using the kitchen to make some very important snacks. Do you mind?"
"Not at all. I'm glad everything is working out. We need to call Officer Jenny to arrest Shelia." Nurse Joy said. Aurora frowned and shook her head.
"Don't bother. They always disappear by the time Jenny comes. Trust me when I say this." Aurora folded her arms and shrugged her shoulders.
"I wouldn't think so. I'll still call just in case." Nurse Joy pressed on.
"Very well. Just as a safety precaution…" Aurora delved into her pouch, looking for a specific item. It took her a few moments to find what she was looking for: an Escape Rope. Aurora got on her knees and tied the rope around Shelia's hands. Then, she dragged her into Ash's room so no one passing by would see her easily. Joy looked highly uncomfortable watching the sight. She felt like she was committing a crime she wasn't committing.
"It will be easier on Officer Jenny to restrain her this way. I'm sorry about this, Joy." Aurora explained. "I still don't think calling Jenny will make a difference, but oh well. Can't hurt to disarm her further."
"I'll call right now." Nurse Joy said as she walked off towards the front desk to access the phone. She left Aurora alone in the trashed room. She had her hand on her stomach. With Joy preoccupied, and the rush of guilt about the damages done fading, she had only one thing on her mind. Her stomach was growling and she suddenly had an indelible hunger similar to one she felt four years ago.
Aurora had one thing she wanted to obtain: Food.
She rushed towards the kitchen to see what she could find.
"Serena! I can eat your food for days!" Ash said happily as he continued to scarf down some pancakes. The delicious breakfast Serena had made for them was rapidly disappearing under Ash's insatiable appetite. Serena knew that he had terrible table manners from their travel together, but today, it seemed worse than normal. Clemont and Serena watched in both amazement and horror as he finished his plate for the tenth time in twenty minutes. Serena had filled up his plate each of those ten times. Serena had made a variety of foods such as pancakes, sausages, and hash browns. She was undoubtedly a good cook, but Ash was eating more food than she can make.
He held out his plate innocently, "Can I have more, please?"
"Whoa! Slow down, Ash!" Clemont looked at the raven-haired teen in shock.
"Ash… is there something wrong with you?" Serena asked simply.
Ash shrugged his shoulders slightly. "No… I just feel really hungry. Though now, I am starting to feel a little more content." Ash said looking down while rubbing his stomach. His eyes shifted into red as he laughed at Serena's surprise.
She suddenly looked angry at seeing him, which caused the red eye teen to snicker even more. She asked rudely, "Any reason why you decided to show up Ashton?"
"No reason, other than to mess with you." Ashton winked at Serena. Serena scoffed at the gesture. She turned away, folded her arms and put her nose up. Ashton smiled. "Well, now that you know that I'm a man of two, I literally eat like two extremely hungry men. It's all in the package of the conflict. This is more of a transitory part into the final stage. Although… it won't start until Ruru's counterbalance has had her spotlight."
"Why didn't you tell Ash that so he could tell me and you wouldn't need to come out?" Serena said with a controlled voice.
"Ouch. I can feel the blisters of how cold that was." Ashton said with mock hurt. He wondered how it was possible to love and hate the same person. The thought of it oddly amused him. "I'm not hostile, my pretty little rose. Just wanted to tell you why I feel hungrier than you're used to."
Ashton shook his head and closed his eyes. Once he opened them again, they were brown again. He noticed Serena fuming and decided to give her a hug. Serena was about to push him off, but then noticed that he had returned to normal. She gladly returned the embrace.
"How can you be so sweet and yet so…" Serena tried to think of the best word.
"Alluring, as Ashton might put it?" Ash tried to finish her statement.
"No. Annoying." Serena found the word she was looking for. "Will Ashton make a habit of coming out when he wants?"
"Most likely, but he'll be respectful of when he comes out."
"Is that right, Ashton?" Ash asked with his finger pressed against his temple. He wasn't sure how to contact him, so decided to try something. Serena watched, slightly curious and slightly guarded.
"Humph. Yeah, yeah. Still…" Ashton replied almost immediately.
"What is it?" Ash asked, a little concerned. He could tell Ashton was thinking about something, but wouldn't allow him into his thoughts.
"I think I'm going to make it my goal to get Serena to like me… at least, until I get used to you knowing of my presence again." Ashton decided.
"Wait… what?!" Ash said, shocked.
"Not like that, Ash! I don't like her in that way!" Ashton said immediately. He groaned. "Ugh, sometimes I wonder how we're the same person, Ash. I meant, let her like me a way that we are at least more civil around each other. It stings a little to have her be that cold to me. I may not love her, but in the end, I still care about her."
"I can see what you mean. I don't know what I would do if she acted that way towards me. I know she's still a little cold right now, but she's actually really sweet." Ash defended his girl.
"No duh, genius! Remember that what you see, I can see and vice versa. She's totally not salty about our first encounter still." Ashton responded snidely. Ash visibly frowned. Serena saw this and looked at Ash with worry. She didn't know what was happening with him and it irritated her. She wondered if the two were fighting internally. She didn't really know what to expect at this point.
"This whole thing confuses me," Ash said. He could feel his counterbalance agreeing with him.
"Me too… it's going to take a while for us to get used to this… or whatever we have. At least, you're somewhat more tolerable now," Ashton sighed.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ash questioned his other side with an accusatory voice.
"What it implies," Ashton replied curtly. "Oh… and Ash?"
"Yes?"
"Don't tell her what I said. I want to earn her trust without help." With that statement, Ash could feel Ashton's influence becoming dormant. He opened his eyes to regard Serena. She was glad that they were brown. Clemont tipped his glasses up in observation. He wondered how Ash could switch between personalities at will... and in such a short time, too.
"Ash?" Serena asked in a concerned voice.
"Yes?"
"Is he trying to take control again?"
"No… no, he's not."
"Why did you decide to talk to him?"
"Just trying to confirm some things," Ash answered. "He doesn't seem to dislike me. That's a good start."
"What about us?" Clemont spoke up. Clemont was curious of how Ashton thought of everyone after last night's encounter. He expected Ashton to be the side of Ash who recognizes the bad things he sees in people. Based on what Ash said, it didn't seem like that was the case.
Ash shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. He seems indifferent about everyone. He's trying to get used to me knowing about him again. But enough about Ashton… let's eat!" Clemont and Serena fell on the floor comically. Once they recovered, Serena took Ash's plate from him and tapped her foot on the floor.
"I think you've had enough food for one morning, mister." Serena decided.
"But I'm soooo hungry…" Ash whined.
"You just said that you were content." Clemont pointed out.
"I was a few moments ago and now I'm hungry again..." Ash's stomach growled again that exact moment. He moaned hungrily. If it wasn't for how much he had eaten in the last half hour, Serena would have thought the moan to be a little cute.
"If you are to eat again, wait until Bonnie wakes up. You're going to eat all of our supplies and the Pokémon Center's food at this rate!" Serena said.
"But…" Ash weakly raised a finger in objection.
"Sorry Ash, but it's for your own good," Serena said in finality. He felt like he was getting berated by his mom. He knew that she cared, but it didn't help him in this case.
"I'll go and wake Bonnie up, then. I'm not sure how she'll take what's happened." Ash and Serena nodded. Ash looked very nervous at how Bonnie would react to how he harmed her brother.
Clemont got up from his seat and walked to the guest rooms. Before he could properly get there, he noticed Aurora running towards him at an extraordinary speed. She would have zipped past him, had she had not noticed who he was. She looked at him desperately. She looked like she was in a rush.
"Um… Clemont? Can you tell me where the kitchen is? I'm really hungry..." Aurora asked. Her stomach growled at that very moment and she blushed, slightly embarrassed.
"You too?" Clemont thought back to how Ash was acting. He wondered how the two was linked. "How hungry are you?"
"Don't ask… Please tell me where…" Aurora pleaded.
"You are heading in the right direction. Just continue going down this hallway until you reach the front lobby and then make a right. The kitchen should be right there. Before the day was over yesterday, Serena asked to borrow the kitchen this morning. You should do the same. Ask Nurse Joy before you do anything in there. "
"Thanks, Clemont. I already did. Here are your glasses. Cya!" Aurora seemingly disappeared as she rushed towards the kitchen. There was not a trace of her to be seen. The only thing he noticed with a slight sparkle on the ground.
"Aurora, wait!" Clemont called out. He looked down and noticed that she left his glasses on the floor. He picked them up and put them on. It was as if they never left his face. Scratching his head as he tried to process what he just saw, Clemont sweat-dropped.
"I'll never understand aura guardians," Clemont held his head in exasperation. "First Ash and now Aurora? What's wrong with them? Why are they so hungry?"
He decided not to dwell on it any further. He continued his walk to wake up his sister. Once he saw huge gaping hole in the wall, he knew that he was at the right place. He wondered how Nurse Joy took the news about the hole in the wall. He hoped she hadn't had been too mad. He entered his little sister's room and saw her still sleeping. She looked so peaceful, but Clemont knew that it was time to wake her up.
He sat on the side of her bed and slightly nudged her. Bonnie still looked unresponsive. He decided to nudge her a little more. Eventually, the blond haired girl began to stir. She started to rub her eyes as she subconsciously sat up beside her brother, leaning on him slightly. Clemont smiled. He could still tell that she was drowsy, so he bumped her a little with his shoulder. That was enough to stir her awake completely.
"Clemont…?" Bonnie yawned as she sat up straight on the bed.
"Good morning, little sis." Clemont gleamed at Bonnie.
"Good morning to you, too! Did something happen?" Bonnie eyed him suspiciously.
"What do you mean?" Clemont asked, a little surprised at the question.
"You never wake me up yourself. Something's bothering you." Bonnie explained.
"You know me too well. Trust me, I've had a weird and frightening morning so far." Clemont rubbed the back of his head.
"It's never good to hold in how you feel. Come on! Tell me! Tell me!" Bonnie leaned closer to Clemont and gave him an innocent look.
"Are you sure?" Clemont asked indecisively.
"Sure, I'm sure! There's no use keeping it a secret." Bonnie said reassuringly.
"All right… You may not believe me…" Clemont took a deep breath. He told Bonnie of everything that happened last night. He talked about how Ash had a nightmare which culminated into his counterbalance being released. Bonnie looked incredulous at first, but her expression visibly became grimmer the more he described what happened. He refrained from talking about Ashton's encounter with Serena. Bonnie pouted in disappointment because she knew he was purposefully withholding that little bit of info. He finally ended off the story with Ashton restoring Pikachu's electricity, Aurora healing everyone, and Serena showing some of her guardian/ psychic powers for the first time.
"Are you all right, big brother? Seriously, if I see Ash's counterbalance, I'll thrash him!" Bonnie huffed up in anger. She inspected Clemont's face to make sure there weren't any other bruises. If Clemont hadn't had told her about it, she would have never known he was hurt badly.
"Don't. Ash already feels bad as it is." Clemont sighed slightly. He still was conflicted on what to think about everything. He still hadn't completely accepted everything. Just speaking about it to his little sister baffled him. Less than a week ago, he would have never believed himself.
"Oh, I don't blame him at all! I blame Ashton!" Bonnie growled.
"When he isn't going all berserk, Ashton doesn't seem that bad. He's way more serious and distant than our Ash." Clemont noted.
"So, does that mean Ash's counterbalance is good now?" Bonnie asked.
"I don't know. All of this is so strange to me. If anything, the best person to ask about him is Ashton himself. Ash is able to switch between personalities at will, so Ashton may just answer your questions himself." Clemont said.
Bonnie looked at her room and peered into Ash's room. She knew her brother wasn't lying, she still wanted to see all the mess for herself. Sheets were disheveled, knickknacks were on the ground and there were several punches into the wall. It was just as bad he described. She also noticed a woman unconscious on the floor. Her arms were tied behind her back with an Escape Rope and there were slight marks on her neck.
They both quickly inspected the woman to see if she was breathing. She was. Clemont decided to untie the rope knot. He found that it was impossible to undo after a few minutes of trying. Bonnie tried to pull out the knot with her teeth, but she failed to do anything as well. All their efforts were enough to wake her up. The brunette woman screamed as loud as she could upon seeing them. Clemont tried to quiet her down. The woman recognized Bonnie as the sleeping girl she saw earlier. With some effort, the green-eyed woman managed to stand up with the rope tied around her hands. She gritted her teeth as she tried to move her hands out of the knot. She noticed that every time she moved, the knot grew tighter.
"No doubt the pesky champion did this. How am I supposed to leave now?" The green-eyed lady thought with frustration. She snapped out of her thoughts and acknowledged Clemont and Bonnie. She looked frightened and moved away from the blond siblings the best she could. "W-what are you going to do to me?"
"Us? We mean you no harm, miss." Clemont tried to placate her.
"You…" The girl eyed Clemont up and down. "I recognize him from the League profile. This must be Lumiose City Gym Leader Clemont and the small brat must be his little sister the Champ mentioned."
"Yes?"
"Oh, nothing. Um, can you undo this knot?"
"Do you know who did this to you and why you were in my friend's room?" Clemont asked while trying to untie the knot. He was still struggling with it. He never expected for a knot to be so tight, yet the woman didn't seem that distressed from it.
"I… I don't know who did this. I got knocked out by a black blur. I'm just as confused as you." She shook her head.
"Can you tell us your name?" Clemont pressed on.
"Shelia." The woman answered quickly.
"Well, my name's Bonnie and this is my big bro, Clemont!" Bonnie said pointed to herself and Clemont. She looked at the rope with distaste. "Ooh, it's so tight! I wanna cut it, but I can't! Maybe Dedenne can! Dedenne!"
The tiny mouse was still sleeping in Bonnie's bag. The mouse started to stir at the call of his name, but still stayed asleep. Bonnie huffed in annoyance. She walked back to her room and got her bag from the nightstand. Dedenne didn't look the slightest disturbed. Bonnie gently shook the electric type. Just like his caretaker, it took him a while before he finally woke up completely.
"(Bonnie…?)" Dedenne yawned slightly with fatigue.
"Dedenne, sorry to bother you, but can you help out this lady? Bite through the rope so she could be free!" Bonnie commanded. The mouse nodded as he jumped onto Shelia's wrists. Then, he started to gnaw on the rope. With very little effort, Dedenne was able to bite through the rope completely. Shelia shook her wrists in relief while Dedenne jumped on Bonnie's shoulder. The woman started to hold her wrists to make sure they could feel normal again.
"Thank you so much, Bonnie." Shelia bowed slightly in respect. She didn't expect them to be so nice. She wondered how a group of kids like them could be traveling with someone like Aurora.
"It's no problem for us! Right, Dedenne?" Bonnie turned to her little partner. The mouse nodded in response.
"I'm glad you're free, too," Clemont said happily. His expression turned more serious. "Are you sure you don't remember who did this to you?"
Shelia put a finger on her chin as she tried to think. She gave a sly smile as she described the person. "I remember… I think it was a woman with black hair… She carried a dark pouch and wore black pants. They seemed thin, like linen."
"That sounds just like Aurora!" Clemont and Bonnie said with shock at the same time.
"Aurora?" Shelia tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"She's the Champion of the Hokori region! She's also an-" Bonnie explained, but was cut off by the glare Clemont was giving her. She forgot that she needed to keep that part a secret. They weren't even sure if Aurora was the culprit.
"She's a what? You know you did this to me?" Shelia asked suspiciously.
"We aren't sure, but we have some idea," Clemont explained. "I think we should tell Nurse Joy about this. She'll-"
"NO!" Shelia interrupted him. She quickly regained her composure. "Er… I mean, we don't have to do that. Can I eat some food first before we do anything? It's just… I'm so scared. I… don't want to get hurt again. If I'm able to eat, I'll be a little stronger. I'll be a little more OK in seeing the person who did this."
"That makes sense. We should eat and then. Maybe you'll be more willing to talk." Bonnie, Clemont and Shelia exited the room to go to the front lobby.
"Clemont, I need your help!" Serena said desperately. Ash was looking gaunt, as if he hadn't eaten in days. He was clutching his stomach in pain. Clemont and Bonnie looked shocked while Shelia observed everything quietly.
"What happened?" Clemont asked
"I don't know… I don't know what to do. Ash looks like he hadn't eaten in a while." Serena said. "You saw earlier that every time I gave him food, he wanted more. He really was as hungry as he said he was."
"You think Aurora feels the same way?" Clemont wondered. "She seemed just as hungry as him."
"You may be right… Is she going through this as well?"
"I don't know. She's in the kitchen."
"We should check up on her. I'll stay with Ash to make sure nothing else happens to him."
"Serena… food… I smell…" Ash raised his nose up in the air. He took a whiff of the air. His eyes turned red suddenly. He had a jovially crazed look to him. Shelia gasped in shock. She didn't know he could change his eye color so easily. His voice sounded youthful, "Hey! Ruru's making Poké Bars!"
"Poké Bars?" Serena echoed in confusion.
"Yep. It's a snack similar to granola bars, except they fill you up way more. They're just as healthy, too. Sometimes, when I was traveling with her, we didn't need to eat for a while because of them. I haven't eaten one since I was seven… I just gotta have one again!" Ashton explained. He rubbed his stomach hungrily. He appeared to be revitalized as he rushed to the source of the smell.
"Wait! Hold on!" Serena called out to the counterbalance she followed him into the kitchen. Clemont and Bonnie soon followed the honey blond teen. Shelia stood there, trying to process what she had just seen and heard. Not wanting to be seen by either Nurse Joy or Aurora, she walked out the Pokémon Center with a toothless grin.
A/N: Even the coldest or wittiest of people can have a youthful side. Counterbalances are no different. :P
As we delve deeper into the second book, you'll begin to see how Hokori twists people to act colder than they normally would. It's a dog eat dog over there and those on top may have to use... unsavory methods to stay on top. If not, you will rot with the rest. In fact, you'll get a sneak peek into one of Hokori's cities next chapter :)
There are certain things that many regions have (ex: starters, bird, bugs, etc). That includes some sort of Pokemon snack. Since I love granola bars, I was inspired to bring about them as a treat Pokemon can eat in the Hokori region.
Being a senior is pretty fun, but stressful all the same. There are clubs to do, things to run and things to prepare for. There's also the fact that I got accepted to a mentorship. I can't wait to start a future experiment under the tutelage of someone in the fields I'm interested in (oncology and genetics).
Again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to update soon.
Next Chapter: Pastry Provisions
~SPG123~