Dr. Sorensen woke up sitting bolt upright with a frightened shout, his pillow drenched with sweat as his heart pounded in his ears.
"Dear... God... 'That' dream again, good lord..." He said, referring to his only recurring dream, now more than twenty years old. Suddenly the door to his office flew open, sending him sprawling head first under his desk, only to see Nic and Alex there seeing what was wrong with the good doctor.
"Doc, you okay? Your heart rate was off the charts..." Nic asked in a concerned tone while Alex walked over to Todd and sat him in her lap to try and comfort him.
"It's nothing you need concern yourself with, I'll be fine..." He said in a shaky voice.
"So something is wrong... c'mon, spill it doc what's eatin' ya?" Nic pressed, intent on dragging it out of his boss, who clenched his jaw in anxious nervousness. He stayed silent for awhile before saying anything.
"Alright, alright... I of all people should know better than to try and bottle things up for as long as I have, but I've GOT to tell someone or I'll lose it..." He said, his breath almost catching as he talked.
"22 years ago, I was on an expedition to the Dark Continent, trying to find cases that I could work with, albeit it was a fool's errand... My team of 14 members plus myself made the mistake of camping out on the plains, as we had set up many a precaution to deter any would-be attackers in the form of dark type Pokegirls... Or so we believed." He said, his face screwing up in remembrance.
"Athena was my starter at the time, and she wasn't like she is now... She had a lovely personality, but what happened that night changed everything, including her... The camp was razed by a blaze of some kind of black fire, afterward anyone not outright burnt to cinders were eaten alive by a nearby horde of Zombabes, attracted by the enticing smell of burning flesh... Athena lost it entirely and began slaughtering them all, afterwards winding up as how you see her today... I found the nearest medical case large enough to hide in and stayed put until I was sure I heard nothing but the horrid sound of dead silence..." He said, a few tears rolling down his cheeks at the memory.
"When I finally came out of that case, what I saw... I can't even begin to describe the destruction Athena had caused by herself, let alone on the group of attacking Pokegirls, now nothing more than cinders themselves... after I came back to the Johto league via finding a nearby village which somehow had a phone, I called for a rescue party which eventually came, but not quickly enough in my opinion... I wanted to get away from the sight I had been forced to witness, feeling like a coward for not trying to help my team... Athena was the main reason I decided to open Bramble view, because I knew at that moment there were people that needed my help, people that had gone through events and encounters they didn't enjoy remembering... But no matter what I've tried, she still won't... or can't... respond to anything I do... It makes me feel completely useless when I can't even help the one I'm closest to... I can't imagine what she had to endure that night, and to be honest I'm honestly afraid to try, but I refuse to stop helping these girls, even If Bramble View itself is gone." Todd Said, his voice becoming braver by that last comment.
"Is that why you're afraid of the H-Ward?" Nic asked abruptly, causing Dr. Sorensen's head to lift sharply. The Doctor didn't respond as he seemed to stare past, no, right through Nic in deep thought.
"I thought so... look, in my opinion you need to see to EVERYONE'S needs here at Bramble View, isn't that what you just said yourself?" Nic said encouragingly.
"I... I can't... go down there..." Todd said in a hushed whisper, fear choking his words in an icy grip.
"Why? You can't let this keep you from doing your job, boss..." Nic said firmly, obviously becoming agitated with Dr. Sorensen's attitude.
"I guess I should tell you... I've been down there several times already, and I'm still breathin' aren't I?" Nic said in a sarcastic tone. Suddenly Dr. Sorensen got an extremely irritated look.
"I told you NOT to go down there! What if they tried something harmful?" Dr. Sorensen squeaked in a failed attempt to be angry.
"Listen to me, cut the bullshit and follow me, or I'll tell you what: I'll quit and take all my shit with me, how's that sound?" Nic threatened, sending Dr. Sorensen in a flurry of mixed emotions.
"You're not leavin' me with a whole lotta options doc, it's not somethin' I'd rather do either... I'll be with you the whole time, Alex can come too if you want, sound fair?" Nic said, trying to get Todd to go along with this. Dr. Sorensen swallowed hard, but finally nodded without a word. As they walked down his least favorite hall, Todd could feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck as they approached what would have looked like to anyone else a normal door. To Todd however, it was the gateway to hell. He nervously took his keys off his retractable belt cord, suddenly saying,
"Oh, would you look at that I forgot the key in my office, well it's getting late I'd better get back to... EEP!" He said as he tried to walk away when Nic grabbed the back of his shirt collar with the words,
"Let's use mine then, alright?" He said as Todd heard the lock turn in place, sliding aside the last barrier between him and the H-Ward. Nic opened the door to reveal a bare hallway, with nothing happening and no movement, dragging the doctor in behind him and locking the door back as they entered. Todd's eyes flickered across the well lit hallway, nervously expecting something to pop out and eat his face off, when suddenly the light at the end of the hall flickered off and then on again to reveal a figure in some kind of old style dress.
"H-hello...?" Todd squeaked, when Nic whapped him upside the head with the words,
"Her name's Nancy, all she ever wanted was someone to talk to, though to be honest she doesn't wanna seem to ever stop..." Nic said mumbling the last part. Suddenly 'Nancy' was right there between them, sending Todd up against the wall in cringing terror. As he got a good look however, he noticed she was a Bardess in some kind of party dress, obviously from some ancient time, but she didn't seem angry or threatening, just very lonely... Todd's mind began to finally chug to, life again as he cleared his throat to get her attention, saying,
"Hi erm, Nacy, was it? My name is-" He started to say when she cut him off with,
"Hello Dr. Todd, Sheila's told us much about you..." She said in a soft, calm tone of voice, looking up at him with a sense of nostalgia about something.
"Sheila? Oh, right, Sheila... I was wondering what had become of her lately, I haven't had any pranks pulled on me for weeks now..." He said, suddenly feeling someone giving him a comfortable shoulder rub.
"I'm right here, doctor... And boy do I need a check-up alright..." He heard a sultry female voice say from behind him, causing him to spin around 180 and see Sheila, dressed in some kind of skimpy nurse outfit. Needless to say, Todd couldn't speak for the next thirty seconds as Nic snickered behind his back.
"See, this is what you were afraid of boss, a buncha folks down here lonely and bored without anyone to keep'em company, in one way or another..." Nic said, finally busting out laughing, which apparently woke some of the other 'residents' of the H-Ward, who upon seeing what the commotion was about merely turned back around and seemed to phase back through the walls, despite having no doors in said hall.
"So what'll it be doc, you still need us down here or are you good for now?" Nic asked while Todd wrenched his gaze from Sheila to respond.
*ahem* "Yes, that's all... If you could make some coffee, there should be a few packs left in my desk drawer..." Todd instructed Nic.
"But it's 1 am..." Nic said.
"I'm going to be down here for a few hours, I've got to apologize for my actions personally, so..." Todd said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Alright, one cup o' Joe comin' right up..." Nic said as he walked out through the H-Ward door back to the land of the living with Alex following close behind. As he closed the door but not locked it to let his boss out when he needed to, he noticed Alex seemed to walk stiffly by him...
"Alex? You okay...?" Nic asked as he saw a look of terror on her face.
"That place IS scary... Don't make me go back, okay...?" She pleaded nervously, leaving Nic to facepalm with the words,
"Good Lord help us all..."