Chapter 2: Breakout!
The mood of the crowd had gone from shocked to incredibly tense as groans and creaks flooded from the burning building. The firefighters had dropped their tools and immediately conversed on what their next course of action would be. A few proposed using a ladder to get into the building through a second story window, but that was quickly shot down as the building's condition continued to deteriorate. The fire chief was the first to explain that there was nothing they could do and, while some contended that idea, they all slowly realized that any attempts at help would only put more people in danger.
A much more audible groan and then a snap resounded throughout the block as an unknown portion of the apartment structure gave in to the inferno. All eyes were on the orange ball of fire and smoke as the spectators held their breaths, hoping and praying that whoever had run in would come out unscathed.
"Sir, we need to move these people back. This building could give way at any point." a firefighter explained to the fire chief.
"Move them back, and get the ambulance ready. I don't know if this kid will get out, but if he can, I'd like to not have a dying body on my hands."
"Yes sir."
The firefighter spread the word to his colleagues and they began to move the crowd backwards from the building. Just as they got the people to a safe distance, another, much louder, snap echoed forth from the building and the left side began to sag downwards. Several women screamed and a few other people ran from the site as half the building collapsed.
Ugh... where am I? What's with all this smoke? and... who is this?
Thoughts flew rapidly through my brain as I came to. Ok, looks like I'm still in the same building. I think this is the staircase, but... why do I feel so warm, how'd I get on the stairs, and what's that sound? I quickly realized what that crackling whoosh was, having become accustomed to it all my life: fire. So that solves the warmth problem...
I slowly got up, still stiff from my unknown amount of comatose state. Looking around, I was on the staircase, surrounded by debris and next to me was... a human? I got down on all fours to check him out. He had gashes up and down his left side and was clearly unconscious. Maybe he's why I'm on these stairs. But why is he unconscious? I sat there befuddled as to the current situation.
My pondering was quickly cut off as the whole building shook and cracked. Oh man, this building is coming down! I pushed aside the human's significance and scooped him up as I limped down the stairs. It was hard to descend the stairs due to his weight and the poor condition of myself, but I made it down without an issue.
I got to the bottom of the staircase and pushed on through the hallway of the apartment block. Large pieces of the support had fallen in the way so I had to either put down the human to move them, or I simply blast them out of the way with a flamethrower. Guess I'm fighting fire with fire I silently joked to myself, I just hope I can get out of here before the fire fights back
The few remaining spectators and the fire crew held their breaths as the seconds ticked by. Minutes passed, and still no sign of the mysterious hero. Many began to lose hope and the people trickled away. Even the fire crew began to expect that the inevitable had happened and prepared to blast away the fire with hoses, even if it'd collapse the building. The hoses were attached and pressure had built up. The men took their places to destroy the fire when a knock on the wood in front of the collapsed door resounded across the now quiet block. The fire crew dropped their supplies and waited tentatively.A still fell upon the block, only the sound of the crackling inferno being heard.
Another knock sounded on the compromised timber, followed by an even louder knock. Suddenly, the timbers exploded outward, followed by a dark blue furry ball. The building, now devoid of its last support, collapsed in on itself, snuffing out all but the smallest of flames. However, no fireman was concerned with the building in front of them anymore as the mystery man and a typhlosion lie in front of them, both completely unconscious.
"Medics! Get these two to the hospital right away!" the fire chief yelled to the ambulance paramedics. They quickly brought out two stretchers and lifted the crumpled, damaged bodies on to them. In two swift movements, the stretchers were in the back of the ambulance and on their way to the hospital.
The ambulance pulled into Our Lady of Sinnoh hospital and quickly towards the emergency drop off. A nurse and a doctor rushed out to receive them.
"What's the situation here?" The doctor asked.
"We've got a young man here with several severe lacerations down his left arm and leg. Along with that, he has extreme signs of blunt force trauma to the head as well as several first and second degree burns along his neck and back." one of the paramedics explained
"What about the pokemon? What's its condition?" the nurse asked.
The other paramedic explained, "Well she's a different story. Her fire-retardant fur saved her from any burns, but she does have some signs of blunt trauma to the back, though it's not as severe as with the man. She also has a torn right bicep and several broken fingers. There is one other thing though."
"Oh? What else?"
"Well, on the way here, she... she was murmuring about it not being her fault or something. When we tried to comfort her, she flailed around until we removed our hands. Though while she was whipping about, we saw that she has several long scars and some cuts along her body."
"Do you think she got them in the fire?" the nurse questioned.
"Not all of them. Some were fresh, but most were scabbed over." the paramedic explained.
"Hmm... well we'll keep an eye on that too," the nurse assured as more hospital personnel rushed out to push the two fire victims in.
My eyes slowly opened, painful lights bombarded my pupils as they fought to adjust to the brightness above me. All around me, was awash with white, clean cloth and chrome. I could almost see a pair of pearly gates in front of me. I... I must be dead, I thought, only seeing bright light and remembering my failed rescue attempt.
As the harshness of the light faded, I realized that the bright lights of the heavens were just fluorescent tubes. Similarly the white cloth was my bedspread and those gates were nothing but the decorative steel bars at the end of my bed. Looking around, I saw that I was in a hospital. Ok, I survived and I'm in a hospital. But how'd I get here? My questions only got bigger when I looked over and saw the typhlosion I had tried to save asleep in a bed next to mine.
I tried to get up and get a better look around, but immediately felt a cracking sensation arc through my back like a lightning bolt. Gasping in pain, I threw my body back into the comfort of my bed and waited for the prickling, hot sensation to recede. After what seemed like hours, the pain went away and I attempted to sit up again. The pain, once again, raced through my back and caused me to grit my teeth in pain, but it wasn't as bad as the first time, and I fought through the agony to stay up.
I tried to swing my left leg around to get up, but found that, not only was it covered in layers of bandages, but it was secure in a sling. The same was done to my left arm and it only took me one attempt to figure out how painful it would be to actually get them out of their prisons, much less try to walk around.
With my new height advantage, I was able to survey the room. About the size of an average room, it certainly wasn't all that it definitely looked like the 90s had thrown up all over the decor. Everything from the floral wallpaper to the beige faded telephone to the tiny tube TV explained that the hospital board certainly wasn't putting money into decorating their rooms. Thankfully this room had a window and, by the looks of the sun flooding in from outside, it was either morning or evening. One quick look at the clock on the wall confirmed that it was the latter.
Bored of the lame room, I turned my attention to myself. Apart from the bandages on my arm and leg, I could feel more bandages wrapping around my shoulders and upper back, and saw the IV needle deep within my right arm. Reaching up with my hands to check the back of my head, I could tell that I had a gauze pad wrapped on the back of my head.
Looking over at my room-mate, I could clearly see she had it slightly better. Similarly situated in a typical hospital bed, she had a cast on her right arm and hand and an IV in her left arm and only a few small bandages in certain spots.
I tried to focus back to the fire, but I could only remember getting floored by that falling brick and my vision fading out. After that, only vague memories of sirens seemed to pop up. I turned my head to the sleeping typhlosion, wondering how we both got out alive. Maybe the fire men charged in to save me after I ran in... no, that doesn't make sense, the fire chief wouldn't do that. I shook my head, contemplating. I could have woken her up when I dropped her. Maybe... I'll just ask her when she wakes up. I resolved.
Laying back down, I fell into a deep sleep.
My eyes shot open as I sprang up from the bed I was in. All I remembered was blasting through that door with a mega punch before blacking out. It appears I had gotten out relatively unscathed. My attention was then drawn to the lump of plaster weighing down my right arm. Maybe not as unscathed as I thought. I looked around at the room I was in. Outside, several humans rushed around, some followed by pokemon. By the looks of their clothing, and the numerous chansey and blissey that followed them, I assumed this was a hospital or pokemon center of some sort. Looking out the window, it was completely dark and a quick look at the human timepiece said it was nearly eleven at night.
I wonder if that human is alright? My question was answered as I gazed further over to see his form lying motionless on the bed next to me, chest steadily rising and falling. Breathing a sigh of relief, I began to wonder, I still don't know how I got on those stairs, but maybe that human knows. He certainly would have been close enough to see me get there.
I sat, contemplating until it hit me. Duh! He must have tried to save me! That's why he was unconscious on those steps with so much debris around. He must have been knocked out by something while trying to get me out.
Looking over at my now-realized hero, I felt a sort of attachment to this unknown savior. No one had ever done something so sacrificial, so selfless, and so caring to me in my life.
I have to know the truth, but it won't do any good asking a sleeping body. I guess I'll have to change that...
I woke up to a pressure on my stomach. Opening my eyes, i saw the typhlosion I had saved, sitting on my stomach and staring at me.
"Hello, glad to see you're doing so well" I managed to get out despite the hundred-somewhat pound weight on my belly. She looked frustrated for second, like she was trying to figure something out. After a second or two, she looked up.
"Typh typhlo" she said, giving me a thumbs up with her paw. I gasped and then looked around for my earpiece. After a few seconds of searching, I found it at my bedside, among my cellphone, wallet, and everything else that was in my pockets.
Clipping it on my ear, I powered it up. Thankfully it hadn't been damaged in the fire. I heard a tone, followed by the gentile whirl of its operation. "What did you say girl?"
"I said, thanks for helping me ou... oh who am I kidding, it's no use reiterating this to you, it'd be like trying to talk to a daffodil." She said. Her voice had a definite feminine twang with a hint of sass in it. Yet, there was something else in it. I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was.
I tapped my ear, chuckling "Trust me, I'm no daffodil."
Her eyes widened. "You can understand me? I've heard of this happening, but only in psychic types or pokemon that have been with their trainers for years! Are you a..."
I cut her off by putting my finger on her lips, "no, trust me, I'm no psychic. It's this little device in my ear. It picks up pokechat and translates it into good, old-fashion english."
"That's so cool" she said softly. "Well since you can understand me, I just want to say how thankful I am for what you did."
"But I failed!" I blurted out, not checking my volume. "I got knocked out cold by a falling brick and someone else saved us. I'm sorry, but I'm not your savior."
"Oh?" She said, putting on a mock serious face "Well I guess you're not the knight in shining armor that I made you out to be. Unless your actions actually saved both of us."
"Both of us?" I said skeptically.
"Yeah, both of us. See, I woke up when you dropped me. Kind of a rude awakening, but one I'm thankful for anyway. I tossed you over my shoulder and carried you out."
"You were the one who got us both out?" I said surprised.
"Yep, so you owe me big time for that." She said, laughing.
My tone softened at the newfound knowledge of what this typhlosion had done for me. "Well, I know it doesn't mean much now, but... thank you for not leaving me behind." Her face softened as well and she leaned in for a hug. I blushed slightly as I embraced her warm, furry body. She leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"I would never leave anyone behind who would risk himself for me." She broke away the hug and leaned back, looking into my eyes with her bright ruby pools. "By the way, what is my knight's name? I can't just keep calling you knight forever."
"Oh, um... I'm Connor." I explained, "pleased to meet you..." I paused, holding out my hand.
"I'm Amber," she said grabbing my hand, "the pleasure is all mine."
"That's a lovely name." I said, smiling. "Well Amber, as you can see, it's quite late and I'm pooped from all that heroic business. We'll talk more tomorrow, but for now, a hero's got to get his rest" I said, chuckling.
She laughed back and agreed, getting off my now deflated stomach and walking over to her bed. I turned the lights off and closed my eyes. Now there's a pokemon I can get used to. I thought, smiling inwardly at the new friend I had made before drifting off into a deep sleep.
I woke up a few hours later to a dark, silent hospital room. Nothing but the whirl of the industrial air conditioning and the rustling of sheets could be heard. I closed my eyes just as a furry form slipped underneath my covers. The coarse fur against my arm confirmed the identity of my midnight visitor. I didn't know why she had slipped in, but her warmth was welcomed in my frigidly cold bed.
I started to drift back off to sleep, already much warmer than only a few seconds ago. Yep, I could definitely get used to this.