Chapter Thirty – Disconcerted
Keith leaned forward against the Daycare Centre fence and watched as Troy checked over the anxious Pichu in his arms, Harvey standing nearby with a stethoscope hanging from his neck. Daniel stood next to Keith, leaning against the fence in the same fashion, watching with a little less interest; Daphne and Peggy had since left to carry out their day at Striaton Academy. Perri and Michael were nearby, communing with Reese and Robbie over the fence. Eventually, Harvey and Troy approached Keith with Ava.
"Is she okay?" Keith asked as he took Ava back into his arms; Ava was more than pleased to be back with him.
"Considering that you're not an experienced Trainer – or a proper Trainer to begin with – she's a very healthy Pichu," Harvey said happily. "And I see she's a happy one, too."
"How did you come by her anyway?" Troy asked curiously.
"Oh, I was talked into taking part in a raffle and...Ava's egg was the prize..."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Harvey laughed.
"I didn't think Pokémon eggs being handed out as prizes was common practise, that's all..."
"Pokémon eggs can be obtained through numerous sources," Daniel began. "While most people tend to seek Daycare Centres or Breeding Centres as their main sources, other sources include raffles and even competitions."
"What kind?" Keith asked.
"It doesn't matter; it could be a race, a costume contest...basically anything that can become a fully pledged competition," Daniel answered.
"In either case, it's all perfectly legal, don't worry about that," Harvey winked.
"I dunno...to be honest, I still haven't caught her in the Poké Ball that came with her egg case."
"Why not?" Daniel asked.
"He's a Ranger; they don't use Poké Balls," Harvey explained.
"But you shouldn't worry about it; PLA regulations do consider Pokémon Rangers when it comes to making their laws, so I don't think they'd see you having Ava as being against the law. Actually, they also allow the partner Pokémon of Rangers to be trained for battle."
"Huh? They do?" This was news to Keith.
"I already gave Robbie and Reese a bit of training when you left them with me the other day; if you'd like, I could do the same for Ava."
"Thanks, Troy...but...I'll think about it," Keith said quietly.
"Your call," Troy grinned. "But if you want Alexa to help with that instead, I don't mind."
"I'll ask for her opinion on the matter tomorrow," Keith said quickly. A loud roar echoed around the entire route, catching everyone off guard; Ava was so startled she accidentally shocked Keith with another weak Thundershock attack. While Keith recovered from the shock and tidied his messy hair, the heavily wounded Phoenix sluggishly flew towards the Daycare Centre and staggered as he touched down; seeing his multitude of bruises and cuts alarmed Keith in particular.
"Phoenix! Holy Muk, what happened to you, buddy?!" Troy asked frantically. Phoenix glanced at Troy briefly as he began to pant, but he soon faced Keith in earnest.
"Rhhr...rrr...rrg..." Harvey quickly looked over at Phoenix's injuries from the opposite side of the fence.
"Those are some NASTY bruises...are you sure nothing's broken?"
"Rrrrgh!" Phoenix snarled viciously at Harvey in a vain attempt to make the breeder back away from him. Despite not succeeding in that endeavour, Phoenix returned his focus to Keith and bent down carefully, as though he were suggesting that Keith should climb onto his back. "Rrrrgh..."
"Phoenix, what's going on?" Keith asked worriedly. The only response he got from Phoenix was a look of grave concern.
Hayden and Tidus frantically searched the Mistralton Pokémon Centre until they eventually came across Alexa, Ryder and Jollie in one of the quieter corridors; they all looked highly shaken up in their own right, but Alexa was understandably the most anxious.
"Alexa!" Alexa immediately responded to her father's call and faced him; even with the distance between them, Hayden could see the look of fear in her eyes. Without a second thought, Alexa dashed along the corridor and flung herself into her father's arms; Hayden held onto his distressed daughter comfortingly as she almost alternated between sobbing and hyperventilating. "Hey...what happened?"
"I-I'm so sorry, Dad...!"
"Huh? What are you apologising for?" Hayden asked in befuddlement.
"Alex, none of this is-"
"I-It was Adelina...!"
"What?" Alexa looked up at Hayden; he saw the guilt, fear and anguish clashing in her eyes.
"I'm so sorry...!"
"Hey...!" Hayden held Alexa closer to him, but his attempt to comfort her were all for naught. "Don't worry about her for now...what exactly happened?" he asked carefully.
"Xavier...he's...actually, I don't know what's going on..."
"That's not what I asked," Hayden said quietly.
"Oh, right...we, uh...we got into a battle and...Xavier..."
"...that's all I need to know right now," Hayden said sensitively. He looked down at Alexa, who was still alternating between her hasty breathing and her sobbing. "Xavier's in good hands, there's no reason to-"
"Miss?" The sudden arrival of a Pokémon Centre nurse caught everyone's attention as they quickly faced her anxiously. "About your Zoroark-"
"He's dead, isn't he...?!" Alexa asked fearfully.
"N-No, but he is very seriously ill," the nurse said sincerely. "I'm sorry to have to tell you...but we've had to rush him into Theatre."
"Theatre? What's happened to him?" Hayden asked worriedly.
"He has an acute subdural haematoma in the back of his head...if we don't perform the surgery to deal with it, there is a significant possibility that he will die." The nurse's words added to Alexa's stress, and she was already carrying too much of it before the diagnosis!
"Will he be okay?" Ryder asked sadly.
"Presuming the surgery goes without incident, I would hope so. Excuse me." With a courteous bow, the nurse left Alexa and returned to her duties. Hayden was far from impressed.
"A little sympathy wouldn't go amiss, NURSE," he muttered furiously to himself.
"...it's my fault...!"
"Huh?"
"...it-it's Lydia all over again...!"
"Alex, that's not true," Ryder said gently. "It was Adelina; she-"
"Chippa!" Chutney's call startled even Alexa as he and Purukin slowly but surely made their way over to the group, their cuts and bruises making themselves known to them.
"Chutney, Purukin!" Alexa pulled herself out of Hayden's embrace and virtually collapsed onto her knees as she caught the Pachirisu leaping towards her. Ryder approached the reunion and noticed their wounds; he began to feel guilty about asking them to cover him and Alexa while they fled into Mistralton. Alexa, however, noticed something that stressed her even further. "...where's Phoenix?"
"Wig-"
"Where is he?!" Alexa screamed in a panic. Her stress alarmed Purukin and Chutney, causing them to chuckle nervously.
"W-Wigglytuff...?" Alexa felt as though the extra shock she just received was going to make her faint.
"Pachi?"
"Alexa? Are you-" Alexa suddenly took out a Moon Ball from her belt bag and immediately recalled Purukin. With Purukin inside the Poké Ball, Alexa stood up straight as she pulled out a Friend Ball from the bag.
"Ryder, c'mon, I need to get you and the others healed," she said suddenly as she recalled her confused Pachirisu.
"I'm fine," Ryder insisted.
"Come on!" Alexa exclaimed. Not wanting to put her under any more stress than she already was, Ryder and Jollie reluctantly followed Alexa as she began to race down the corridor.
"Alexa!" Hayden called out to her, but she sped off, dangerously close to tears. Despite not wanting to do so behind Alexa's back, Hayden held his Xtransceiver in front of him. He sighed as he began his Xtransceiver conversation with his wife.
"Hi, sweetie! How did your meeting go?"
"It went well, but that's not why I'm calling..."
"Oh? What happened?" Lily asked with concern. She sat on the sofa in her Castelite hotel room with an open novel on her lap, with her fingers pressing against the pages she was reading from. Keenan and Iara were standing near the room's mini bar fridge; Keenan was looking inside it, trying to decide which soda can and piece of confectionery to consume for his snack.
"To be honest, I don't know the whole story...but..."
"Honey, you sound shaken up." Now Lily's talk with her husband caught Keenan's attention, and just when he'd finally chosen his drink, too.
"If I'm honest, yes, I am..."
"What's wrong?"
"It's Lexie... I don't know what happened, but I've just seen her and Ryder rushing Xavier to the Pokémon Centre in Mistralton..."
"Is he all right?" Lily asked worriedly.
"He's having surgery for a haematoma."
"Oh, gosh...!" Lily was shocked to the core; no wonder Hayden was so concerned. "How bad is it?"
"Acute. Alexa's...not taking it well...she thinks it's Lydia all over again..." After taking his soda out of the fridge and closing it, Keenan and Iara quietly made their way back into their room.
"And she hasn't said anything about what happened?"
"She's completely rattled...she thinks it's Lydia all over again...although she did mention Adelina..."
"Adelina?! What does she have to do with all of this?!"
In the safety of his hotel room, Keenan tossed his snacks onto his bed as he quickly established a contact with his Xtransceiver. In a matter of seconds, Daniel's face appeared on the central screen.
"What is it, Keenan? You look troubled."
"I-I thought you should know..."
"Huh?"
"A-Alex, she...Xavier's really badly hurt..."
"Pokémon get hurt, Keenan, that's a consequence of battling." Keenan had no patience for Daniel's bluntness.
"He has a haematoma, you jerk! But the worst part is...Mum and Dad mentioned Adelina."
"What?! Do you mean SHE was the one Alexa was battling?!"
"I don't know...do you think that's what happened?"
"That would be a reasonable conclusion to jump to, yes. But why would Alexa go out of her way to battle her?"
"Who said she did?" Daniel was intrigued.
"What do you have in mind?"
"No, Alex, Jollie's fine!" Ryder protested as he watched Alexa handing Chutney and Purukin's Poké Balls to the nurse behind the reception desk.
"Will you please just take Jollie with you?!" Alexa asked, trying her hardest not to let herself succumb to her stress.
"I don't need to, she's unscathed! Alex, it's okay to-"
"RYDER! Just...take her with you! Please!" Nobody noticed Phoenix, now more exhausted than before, walking through the automatic doors.
"She doesn't need any-"
"Rrrgh..." Ryder, Alexa and Jollie looked over at the tired and wounded Charizard. Feeling even worse after seeing Phoenix's additional injuries and complete exhaustion, Alexa hurried over to her Charizard.
"Phoenix! Are you okay?! You need to rest-" She suddenly turned to the cheerful nurse behind the reception desk. "Can I get some help here, please?!" she cried desperately. Hearing her plea, the nurse rushed over to her and Phoenix. "My Charizard, he's-"
"Don't worry, love, we'll take care of him," the nurse said kindly. "Would you like me to take your Lucario and Buneary as well?"
"No, we're-"
"Y-Yes, please."
"Alex, I am not going with her and neither is Jollie!" Ryder argued just as Keith walked through the doors with Ava on his shoulder.
"Will you please just go with her?!"
"We don't-"
"Rrrgh!" Ryder turned to his mentor in confusion, but grew concerned when the Charizard shook his head, telling him not to argue with Alexa's overbearing concern. Ryder sighed as he begrudgingly followed Phoenix and the nurse with Jollie. Picking up the Moon and Friend Balls on the way, the nurse escorted the walking Pokémon into an examination room and closed the door behind them. Alexa was on the verge of snapping entirely when Keith finally approached her.
"Alexa?" Alexa gasped when she heard his voice and was even more surprised, albeit relieved beyond all comprehension, to see him standing in front of her.
"Keith!" Keith was alarmed when Alexa suddenly flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around him as her panic returned to her; she began to hyperventilate and choke back her sobs, despite Keith's warm embrace. "I-I'm so glad you're here...!"
"What happened?" Keith asked as he held onto her. "Why was Phoenix-"
"She knows...!"
"Eh?" Keith grew more worried when Alexa faced him eye to eye; she almost looked paranoid – and it was a look that Keith saw once before.
"Adelina! She-she knows about Team Galactic and she threatened me to keep quiet about her activities or she'd tell my family, but then she forced us into a battle and she-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down; you're talking way too fast! Start from the beginning and speak slowly...what happened?"
"...Adelina...heard me and Ryder talking about Team Galactic...!"
"So she knows?"
"...just that they...y-y'know..." Keith nodded understandingly. "...s-she...she blackmailed me to battle her, but...she...she hurt Xavier and...broke his Poké Ball...!"
"She what?!" Keith was fuming with absolute hatred.
"X-Xavier...he's in surgery for an a-acute subdural haematoma...! ...and all because I... ...I...! ...I can't take anymore...!"
"Huh?"
"I-I have to tell them before SHE does...!"
"What?"
"M-Mum and Dad... I-I need to tell them about my past before Adelina does, but, even if they hear it from HER, they're going to hate me for it because I've kept it from them for so long and I was stupid enough to get myself involved in that mess in the first place and—AAH!" Keith suddenly slapped Alexa across the face and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking at her squarely in her eyes.
"Get a hold of yourself! You're not doing yourself any favours!"
"I-I need to tell them, Keith, I-I really do...!" Keith pitied her.
"I agree; it's clear that repressing it is why you're such an emotional wreck – like when Keenan was admitted to hospital in Johto. But, for the love of all things sacred, wait until you're ready!"
"Ready?! Keith, I've had THREE YEARS to get ready for it and I hadn't even THOUGHT to tell them about it – NOT EVEN ONCE!" Alexa was completely overwhelmed with her despair, fear and her guilt; the unhealthy cocktail of emotions made Keith feel even more sorry for her. "Even if I'm not ready for it, I HAVE to tell them now – before they hear it from HER!"
"Alexa..."
"...but...I'm scared..." She wasn't kidding; Keith had never seen Alexa look so terrified before – she was visibly shivering where she stood, her breathing was rapid and she was on the verge of breaking down completely. "...n-no matter who they hear it from...it's...it'll be hard for them to take... ...Dad especially...!"
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Keith asked carefully. Alexa shook her head, but finally lost herself to her tears immediately afterwards. Not knowing what else to do, Keith cuddled her gently; Alexa wept in the security of his arms while Ava watched her sadly from Keith's shoulder.
"Are you kidding me?!" Harvey exclaimed in disbelief. He and Troy were speaking to Hayden and Hailey through Harvey's Xtransceiver; Hailey was equally as horrified as Troy, Perri, Robbie and Reese, but Hayden looked incredibly sincere. "Alexa battled Adelina!?"
"I don't know for sure," Hayden said calmly. "Alexa just mentioned her name and Ryder wasn't specific about the battle they were forced into."
"Come ON, Hayden, you'd have to be born with half a BRAIN to not realise that Adelina forced Alexa to battle her!" Hailey exclaimed violently.
"Nothing of the sort was mentioned-"
"Hayden, read my lips; Adelina battled Alexa! You know what that stupid THING of hers did to Vergil, so it only makes sense that Xavier got hurt because of her!"
"We don't know what Pokémon of hers injured Xavier in the first place."
"You didn't think to ask!?" Hailey asked interrogatively. Hayden lost his patience.
"Alexa thought she was going to lose a second Pokémon, so excuse me for not being an enquiring mind when my daughter's suffering from a traumatic case of deja vu!"
"Is Xavier going to be okay?"
"Zoorr...!" Michael rubbed his head against Perri's hip to calm her down, but not to much success.
"All I know is he's in surgery for head trauma."
"That MILTANK! I can't believe she's still pulling this crap out of her cleavage!"
"That's a little vulgar, Aunt Hailey," Troy said with revulsion.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand why she'd force Alexa of all people to battle her! Sure, Alexa wasn't at her politest when she first met Adelina, but, still...!"
"Personally, I call BS on the whole idea," Harvey said, starting to become highly annoyed. Hayden felt offended.
"In what way?"
"All I'm saying is I was under the impression that Alexa was trying to stay clear of this whole Adelina epidemic; why would she battle her out of the blue like that?"
"I'm very certain that Alexa didn't intend to battle Adelina!" Hayden said furiously. "Please to note; INTEND!"
"So you think she was forced into it?" Hailey wondered.
"After seeing the state she was in, that's EXACTLY what I'm thinking!"
"I dunno, Hayden, maybe she did what I did and challenged her because she had a chance to get answers for her behaviour."
"Harvey, why are you making Alexa sound like she was in the wrong for doing what you did?!" Hayden asked nastily.
"Hey! In case either of you hadn't noticed, Adelina is supposed to be MY supposed friend; why would she even battle anyone OTHER than me?!" Troy observed the argument worriedly; it appeared to him that his father, aunt and uncle were all turning against each other.
"She had no reason to accept Harvey's challenge, what makes you think she had a reason to get a battle from Alexa?!" Hailey enquired further, walking around her circular kitchen table. Daniel and Rhonda watched Hailey arguing with Harvey and Hayden from the kitchen doorway; Rhonda looked worried, but Daniel was alarmed to see his mother turning against her brothers. It was almost as if the entire family was falling apart!
"It doesn't matter what happened and how it happened right now; one of my daughter's Pokémon is going through surgery as we speak and she's terrified that he might die!"
"We can't sweep this under the rug, Hayden—"
"I'm not intending to, Harvey, I'm taking a rain check on it while Xavier's life is on the line!"
"So you're not interested in asking Adelina if the accusation's even true?!" Hailey asked angrily.
"Accusation!? Now you're saying Alexa's made everything up?!" Hayden questioned furiously.
"That's low, Hailey."
"Says the one who called BS on the matter!" Hailey retorted.
"Mum, I think you should-"
"Not now, Daniel, please," Hailey said quietly, not even bothering to acknowledge her son with eye contact.
"Why would you even speculate that Alexa's made everything up?! She's a terrible liar and she'd never fabricate any circumstances leading to the critical injury of any of her Pokémon!" Hayden said in valiant defence.
"I don't know, Hayden, but, like you said, we don't have the full story!"
"Weren't you the one who came to the conclusion that Alexa battled Adelina to begin with?!" Harvey enquired. Daniel was about to speak up again.
"Dad, please, calm down-"
"It's a reasonable presumption based on what Hayden was told!" Hailey exclaimed in frustration, cutting off Troy's attempt to quell the dispute. Colin sighed as he approached the kitchen doorway.
"What's going on now?"
"Mum's arguing with Uncles Harvey and Hayden..."
"Eh? Excuse me." Rhonda moved aside to allow Colin access to the kitchen. "Hailey, I can hear you from-"
"What other conclusion could there be?!"
"I don't know, but I'll see if Alexa will be willing to divulge me AFTER Xavier's away from death's door!"
"Hailey, what's-"
"Colin, could you please just give me a minute, please?!" Hailey snapped.
"Hailey, I could hear you from my office; can you not raise your voice while I'm working?!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry that we're inconveniencing you!"
"Everyone stop it!" Daniel shouted. But, alas, his words fell on deaf ears.
"Lashing out on Colin isn't going to make this issue go away, Hailey!" Harvey said angrily.
"Look, the two of you can bicker all you like, but I have certain priorities that require my attention!" Hayden fumed before hanging up on Harvey and Hailey.
"Now look what you've done!"
"What I'VE done?!" Hailey questioned in anger as she returned her attention to Harvey. Daniel sighed as he began to watch his father getting involved in his mother's argument; the more he observed the verbal fight, the more he began to believe that he was witnessing precisely what Peggy had previously talked to him about – the prospect began to worry him.
To be continued...