CHAPTER 8: Training! ...Or Not?

"Did the doctor mention when you'd be allowed to leave, Ser?" Misty asks, cradling one of the Hoothoot chicks.

After extensive testing, both Hoothoots were determined perfectly healthy, if not a bit malnourished.

The night of the incident, both Misty and Ash showed up to my room shaken to the core, so we ordered food and watched a couple movies, till we all fell asleep.

When we woke up, both Hoothoot chicks were in a small cot in the corner of my room, swaddled in blankets and pillows, sound asleep.

Its been a couple days since then, and Ash is still having trouble sleeping.

"Hopefully tomorrow, if I stay in bed and dont rip my stitches again." I smirk, but Misty and Ash both look down sullenly.

"Guy's, think. Noctowl... passed away... protecting her babies, and she entrusted them to me, to US. And thats nothing to be sad about. She trusted us enough to give over her chicks, her babies. Think about that. She died happy, knowing we would protect these chicks with our lives." I pointed out, voice breaking halfway through.

"We know, Ser... its just hard..." Ash sniffles.

"I know, Ash, I know." I pull him into a hug, and he cries softly into my shirt, and Misty soon joins in.

After a couple minutes of crying, we all clean ourselves up, and go for lunch in the hospital cafeteria.

"Say, guys! What would you guys say to some training today? I can try to convince the docs to let me out early! Then we could get a room at the center again!" I stand up, and they follow suite.

"YES! We haven't trained in forever!" Ash laughs and throws his fist into the air excitedly.

I head up to my room, and grab my stuff. I packed earlier that morning, just in case.

After grabbing what i could, i head down to reception, to find Ash, Misty, and Hillary all waiting for me.

"This isnt a good idea Ser!" Hillary sighs, but she knows that theres no way to stop me.

"I know! But I'm going stir crazy just sitting here! I honestly cant do it anymore, Hills!" I pull her into a hug, and she just sighs and turns around, to face the desk.

"I'll sign as her guardian." The nurse laughs and hands her the forms, and in no time we are all on our way up to the PokeCenter.

"So, whats the plan, Medicham?" Hilary throws her arm around my shoulders, causing me to stagger momentarily, and successfully throwing Alto off my shoulders.

"MEANIE!" He screeches, and we all laugh as i pat his head.

"Just want to rent a room at the Center, then some training would be nice." I place Alto back onto my shoulder, and he purrs contentedly.

"Are you guys okay if i chill with you for a couple days? I dont have to be back at the house for a couple more days!" She pouts, placing her hands together and kneeling down.

"Okay, Okay! Fine! Just dont slow us down!" I laugh, and Misty and Ash nod enthusiastically.

We finally make it to the Center, and rent two rooms, Me and Hilary in one, and Ash and Misty in the other.

"Meet back here in 10 minutes?" They both nod, and we go our separate ways, down adjacent hallways.

"You know, that Ash kid is so cute! I just want to hug him and squeeze him! And he's so POLITE!" Hilary laughs as we walk into our room.

I place my stuff on the bed, and release Ace and the chicks. I see Hilary flinch when she sees the Hoothoots.

"Hey guys! Guess what?!" I pause dramatically, and Ace goes nuts, the chicks getting excited off their behaviour.

"Today... we are going to train!" I throw my hands up, and all three birds start squawking in joy.

Hilary laughs, and grabs a Hoothoot in each arm.

"Okay babies, lets get going!" They snuggle into the crooks of her arms, and i grab Ace and Alto, who promptly fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed, and we head out into the hallway.

We just get out, when someone grabs me from behind.

I throw my good elbow back, dropping both the birds, and my opponent.

I whip around, ready to kick the person in the face, when i see who it is.

"Brock!" I quickly help him up, and he smiles weakly, chuckling.

"Guess i should have warned ya, huh?" He laughs, getting up.

"Yeah, that would have been nice! Are you okay?"

"Hey, I'm a rock type gym leader. I think i'll be okay." He laughs some more, standing straight up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, opening our room up again, but he stops me.

"No, no! I'll walk you ladies to the front, " we start heading to the reception, "anyways, I was looking to meet with you, and your companions, if i may? It's about you entering the gym circuit."

I stop mid stride, Hilary colliding with me.

"What?" I ask, dumbfounded.

"Well, i heard what you guys did with that Noctowl, up on Route 2. She was SUCH a BURDEN! I've been trying for YEARS now to get rid of her, and I dont know how, but you guys seemed to do the trick! I wanted to thank you by giv-" He stops mid sentence, my hand flying across his cheek.

Hilary grabs me, but i pull away, getting real close the the gym leader.

"What the h-"

"You listen here, MR. GYM LEADER. What I did is none of your concern. That Noctowl was not a BURDEN. She was the best damn thing to happen to that damn route. She was the sweetest creature, to me at least. She died protecting her babies, my Hoothoot's. And she left them to ME. So dont you DARE go telling me i did you a favour, because i didnt. And if you even REFER TO HER AS A BURDEN AGAIN, you'll regret it. And thats not a threat, thats a promise."

I stomp away, seeing Hilary's jaw hit the floor, not looking to see whether the birds follow or not.

I walk quickly, feeling the tears welling up, and wishing them not to.

I pass a confused Ash and Misty, walk out the doors, and head straight for the first place that comes to mind.

It takes me a while, but i can see the huge pine tree above the leaves of the forest.

Theres a dark red stain on the trunk, but i keep going, right up to it.

Alto and Ace finally catch up to me, and sensing what i'm about to do, each grab a shoulder.

The climbing is easier this time, for whatever reason, so it doesn't take me to long to reach the nest, and i plop myself against the tree side, so i can watch out over the horizon.

Alto and Ace land in front of me, chirping quietly, Alto rubbing against my leg.

Finally catching my breath , i reassure them that i'm fine.

"Really guys, i just needed some breathing room. I'm sorry if i scared you." I open my arms, and both birds fly into my arms.

I just sit there.

I'm not sure for how long, but i watch the orange and pink of the sunrise dissappear, into a beautiful blue sky, with not a cloud in site.

I watch Ace and Alto fly around, free falling and playing with each other.

It doesn't take long, and soon i start thinking about Noctowl.

Then i cry.

It takes a good long while for me to cry myself out, but it had to happen. I cry about hitting Brock, about the now-deceased Noctowl, about the two newly-orphaned chicks, about scaring my pokemon, and about just about everything else i could think of to cry about.

My pokemon fly gently down and land with me, and i slowly stop crying.

"I promise you guys, we are going to be the best damn flying type team in the region! I promise..." I sit there, rubbing their beaks.

I dont know exactly how long I've been up here, but the sky has darkened a bit when i hear the voices.

"SERENA!? SERENA!"

Sighing, I take one last look at the horizon, and the mountains beyond, breathing a deep lungful of the freshest air I've ever breathed, and start my climb down.

Both Alto and Ace grab a shoulder, and i practically glide the whole way down.

As i'm nearing the bottom, i see who the voices belong to, as they see me.

Ash, Misty, Hilary, and... Brock?

I land softly, but am promptly taken down buy the two younger kids, who are in hysterics, crying and laughing.

I get up, and feel a sharp stinging across my cheek.

Rubbing my face, i turn to Hilary.

"What was that fo-"

I'm cut off as she grabs me into a tight hug.

"IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN I SWEAR I'LL... I'LL... I DONT KNOW BUT DONT DO IT AGAIN!" She sobs into my shoulder.

I hold her, and she composes herself rather quickly.

Clearing her throat, she steps back, and i see Brock step forward.

"If i may, i-"

"Please, let me go first. I'm very deeply sorry for hitting you, twice. I know i was in the wrong, and-"

"No. You were totally within your rights. I should have shown more respect towards the situation, and to you. Not only as a person, but as a trainer, i can understand the... trauma you have gone through. I recently lost one of my older Golem. I'm sorry, Serena. I truly am."

He gets on one knee, and takes my hand in his, kissing it gently.

After he gets back up, he pulls me into a quick hug, then steps back.

"Anyways, the offer still stands."

"What offer?" Hilary asks, and i cant help but wonder the same thing.

"Oh! Sorry, i got interrupted earlier!" He laughs, rather loudly, and i blush.

"The offer, was that because of you guys... or more rather, what you have gone through, i'd like to offer you guys the Pewter city gym badge. All four of you. And, be-"

"No thanks."

Everyone turns to look at me, eyes wide.

"W... What?" Brock looks completely taken aback, and i just smile.

"As much as i'd LOVE to take the badge, i havent earned it. And neither have these three."

"BUT SER! WH-" Misty grabs Ash, and drags him out of the middle, where he was almost in tears.

"Serena, i WANT to give them to you guys. You earned it the moment you-" He persists, but so do i.

"No. I'm sorry, but unless i earn it by trial of battle, i'm not interested in your badge." I say simply, shrugging.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Brock starts laughing.

"I knew there was something i liked about you kid!" Still laughing, he escorts us back to the PokeCenter.

"Alrighty, kiddos! I look forward to battling all four of you! See you guys later!" Still laughing, he waves and walks off.

I turn to go inside the Center, but a small, red faced boy with an ugly green hat bars my path.

"SERENA!" He growls, and i laugh, patting his head.

"Ash! Think about it this way- if he HAD given us those badges, would you have HONESTLY felt like you had earned it? Honestly?" I look him straight in the eyes, and he just blushes, and turns away, fumbling with his words.

"Well-well-well i guess not..." He murmurs, and we all laugh, causing him to go even redder, to a shade of scarlet.

"Then i guess we have some training to do, huh?"

"YES!" He lights up again, and we all head in, to our respective bedrooms.

We get in, and i plop onto my bed and immediately start to pass out, when Hilary comes and sits beside me.

"Hey, Ser?"

"Yeah, Hills?" i mumble, already half asleep.

"I'm really proud of you." I feel her more than see her kiss the top of my forehead, and i soon drift off into a deep sleep...