Pokѐmon Journey II: Gwyn's Passage

Chapter 12: A Problem in Olivine

Gwyn's Point of View:

While the hospital greatly helped me with my recovering, even if Violet was the one who really helped me the most, I was agitated easily and extremely jittery.

I didn't like being held in the hospital, even if Violet told me to. While I respected her wishes and did stay for a good week, after that I couldn't stand it anymore and left with the boys, them making me promise them that I'd take it easy for at least another few days before I got into serious battling and training again. I respected those wishes well, but it didn't mean I enjoyed it.

My pokemon seemed to have the same feeling as me, Cynder and Sunrise the most because of their personalities and natures. The two of them were competitive and destructive, not like anyone didn't know that, but it was a deadly combo for the two of them, especially since we couldn't go anywhere and didn't get to battle anyone. The nurses and doctors hated them since they were always rough housing with each other to pass the time, if they weren't napping that is.

Shocker was just as bad, I'd forgotten how much he hated the apparent general public at times. Most nurses that dubbed him as "cute" or "adorable" or "a fine pokemon for a young girl trainer" clearly didn't make him too happy. He fried them all when they got in so close to touch him, even after all the warning signs he'd given off and I'd warned them in the first place, but they paid no heed to us, and ended up getting hurt in the process. Some of them wanted to charge me and get them locked away, but I threatened them back that I could get Champion Violet Vilmos to side with me and make their lives miserable. Violet was not a person to be trifled with and would set you straight if you flowed wrongly by her. None of them dared do anything after that, but none of them would approach except for a few nurses who knew about my pokemon and how much they didn't exactly care for others.

Even Ticky tended to be a bit sour in the hospital. She was quiet most of the time compared to her happy and cheerful self. I didn't know if it had to do with her evolution or if it happened to be the events that led up to her evolution, or possibly if it was where we were, but anyway, my poor baby pokemon was angry, not happy. I tried to cheer her up best I could, and I sometimes could get a good smile out of her, but when others were in the room that weren't people she recognized, like Tristan, Aaron, Nurse Joy, Violet, or any of their pokemon, she got quiet and hid behind me as she sulked.

While I rested in the hospital, I actually looked up what Ticky now was. She was apparently a togetic.

Togetic, the happiness pokemon and the evolved form of togepi though a strong bond of happiness with its trainer. They say that togetics appear before kindhearted, caring people and shower them with happiness. Togetic can grow dispirited if it is not with kind people. It can float midair without moving its wings. There are no known togetic nests in the area.

It took me all but two seconds to realize that it was the people in the hospital that was making Ticky so upset. Her nature deals with happiness, but even if I was happy and giving her all the love I could, being surrounded by people who were upset or hated us didn't exactly help. It didn't help that part of the reason why the rest of my pokemon were so upset was because of Ticky, they were worried for their baby sister.

I made it a point then to tell the boys to get me out of there and to the pokemon center, where I promised to rest the entire rest of the week, but I wasn't about to make my pokemon suffer in the hospital. The boys understood and quickly got me out of there, ignoring the protests of the doctors and nurses while we asked Nurse Joy to come and meet us there to help me back in a wheelchair. I rested the rest of the time I spent off my feet and resting my head in a quiet little room with my pokemon, which seemed to calm all of their spirits and they all finally calmed down and rested, and I did the same.

It was now almost a week and a half to two weeks after the event that took place where Ticky evolved and I was injured. The boys took extra care to make sure I didn't hurt myself as I traveled, but after seeing my temper that came from this concussion, they learned to not overdo it or else I might lose it and tear their heads off (and I normally didn't do that, so they were very afraid.)

We were now walking on route thirty-eight and thirty-nine on our way to Olivine City. From what Morty had told me, the next gym leader I was facing was going to be all the way over in Cianwood before I would come back to Olivine and face the gym leader there for my sixth badge. But Olivine was first somehow, which didn't quite make a whole lot of sense, but it happens.

Now that we were out on our own again, my pokemon were thrilled to be able to move about and not be cramped up. Ticky was so much better off once we left the hospital, and even more so once we left Ecruteck. She's been flying around my head in laps, getting used to her cute new little wings and the ability to fly. While her siblings were a tad jealous, they were happy to see their baby sister in high spirits again. The others still continued to roughhouse with each other, and now that it wasn't so rough, Shocker joined in with his two sisters and they all had a blast.

Olivine soon came into view; I could see it from the tall tower off in the distance that I knew was its famous lighthouse that lit the way for thousands of ships daily. Ticky was the next one to see it since she was up so high, but didn't see it first since she was still playing around, making up for the lost time when things weren't so great over at the hospital. The others soon saw it shortly after and it was then that Aaron had somehow convinced Tristan to race to town, not even thinking about me, which made me grin. It was probably the first time they hadn't thought about me for a while now since I got roughed up by that Rocket member.

I continued to walk behind the rest of them as they took off, and then my pokemon raced after them. Out of kindness and fear to leave me alone, Aaron's bayleef released itself from his pokeball and walked beside me to make sure I wasn't attacked or fell, plus, being on your own, without a pokemon at your side, especially out of the city, was a very dangerous thing.

"Thanks Bayleef, you're so sweet. Aaron got lucky to choose you." Bayleef only sighed and nodded, it muttered a few words under its breath about its trainer, which I picked up as "little bit as too energetic for his own good". I couldn't help but laugh at its statement, oh how true it was. I ended up patting the side of its head and it looked up to me. "You're a good pokemon Bayleef, thank you for looking after Aaron like you do."

It was a little strange how this all worked out, for some strange reason, most pokemon tend to take on their trainer's personalities, or at least their first pokemon does in the beginning, but ever since Bayleef and Aaron have been together and traveling, it hasn't been that way at all. Aaron's been too energetic and Bayleef's been just the right amount of calm to keep him in place. The same can be said about Cynder, while she can be calm at times, she's normally wild and misfit like, just like when I met her. And even Tristan's Croconaw is much more energetic then he ever would be.

We finally caught up with the others as we approached the city. I was instantly hit with the waves of salt water flowing richly in the air, much like back home. Even if we weren't at a large seaport town like Olivine was, it didn't mean that we weren't as attached to the sea as Olivine was, it was just in a better area, climate and had more land to change into a tourist attraction with its beaches.

The boys waited for me at the entrance to the city, but apparently an argument had begun while I was absent. I don't know in Lugia's name what happened, but I was going to put an end to it.

"You take Aaron, I've got Tristan." Bayleef nodded to me as we approached the group. I was shocked to see that my pokemon were ignoring the two arguing trainers and playing off to the side with all the other pokemon. I couldn't help but sigh at the side of Bayleef. Don't these two ever learn?

In a swift moment, Bayleef released its vines toward its trainer and Aaron was caught in its grip. Tristan was startled by this and was about to make a move when I stepped before him, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. He froze. I could hear Aaron behind me snapping out some ugly comments, none of them particularly pointed at anyone, but his temper was at its peak now. I gave him a few moments to let out all he wanted to say while Bayleef held him up in the air before he stopped; he muttered a few words and quieted down.

"You can let him down now Bayleef, I think he's calmed down enough." The pokemon nodded and set down its trainer. When his feet hit the ground, he huffed and pushed off the vines that covered his body.

"You didn't have to have my own pokemon grab me…" he growled under his breath.

"Oh hush Aaron, now let's get going, we still need to catch a boat ride to Cianwood and beat the gym leader there before we can come to Olivine and battle the gym leader here." I shook my head. "Now do I dare ask what you two were arguing about?"

"I won the race!" Aaron cried out quickly. "This dumbass over here doesn't seem to get that."

"If you ran as fast as you ran your mouth, you would have beaten me." Tristan's comeback even had me taken back and to the point of laughter. Who knew Tristan could make a joke.

"Why you-"

"Alright! Enough!" I hunched over a bit as spews of laughter escaped me. "Let's get over to pokemon center for some lunch and then we'll get going."

"Excuse me?" I blinked at the unfamiliar voice and turned my head to watch as a man, who most likely lived here because of his sailor uniform, hurried over to us. "Are you guys planning on traveling to Cianwood?"

"Yes, is there a problem with that?" Tristan was starting to get a little snappier and withdrew more then I'd preferred, I jabbed him gently against his arm and he quickly got the message to clean up his act.

Aaron was about to say something as well and I stamped on his toes. He howled out in pain and glared at me. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Don't give me that Aaron, I knew you were about to make a comment too." I sighed and turned back to the stunned sailor that watched us. "I'm sorry about them; could you please tell us why you questioned us about our passage to Cianwood?"

"Well, the reason is because the pokemon up at the top of the lighthouse that helps ships come in at night is sick." The sailor rubbed the back of his head. "Without Ampy, the pokemon atop of the tower, keeping it running, we can't send in or out ships past nine until six the next morning. Poor Ampy has been so sick that gym leader Jasmine Tamerlane, the gym leader of Olivine, has been trying to nurse him back to health, but its been a slow process…"

"Well… we can go see if we can help her." The boys both blinked over at me in surprise. "What? The only way we get to battle her in the future is if that pokemon gets healed up, and doing nothing will only make it take longer, but we can see if we can help out with anything, and that might get the pokemon better faster."

"I guess so. I mean, its beats doing nothing…" Aaron sighed and Tristan only shrugged.

"I don't mind whatever we do as long as we get to train and face a few gym leaders," was his reply to me.

"Then let's get going, I'm not that hungry right now anyway." We then passed the shocked sailor that shook his head before turning back to us.

"Hey! Don't use the elevator when you get over there! Jasmine locked up herself and Ampy so he wouldn't get others sick! Use the trap door on the level just below them!"

"Got it!" I turned to walk backwards with the boys and our pokemon as we headed toward the lighthouse. "Thanks!"

HalloweenWitchHalloweenWitch

The lighthouse was much larger then I figured it would be when we finally made it to the base of it. The large structure easily went up six levels or so. I could see the windows and how there were other people inside as well. I wonder if they were trainers?

"So are we going or what?" Aaron was already getting impatient and wanted to get going to face some of these trainers that were inside.

"Would you relax already Aaron? The trainers inside, that I know your itching to battle, against aren't going anywhere, so why don't you go ahead and battle them while Tristan and I take our time coming up after you?" I could feel the tension grow as soon as I asked. Aaron was glaring down at Tristan, who at first seemed surprised by his sudden glare, then sized himself up.

"You know what-" I paused just as I was about to intervene. I sighed angrily and huffed before walking around the two of them caught up in their own little world of hating each other. "Forget it."

The boys didn't even hear a word I said, I wasn't even in their mindset other then them disagreeing with each other. I rolled my eyes and with my pokemon I walked around them and inside the lighthouse.

Within the building was, as the sailor had stated, an elevator and then a set of stairs to the side of it that seemed to go around the outer walls of the lighthouse, while still allowing a space to get off at to walk on each level and a center pillar that the elevator apparently traveled on. It was bright and almost homey with white and light blue floors and walls on the first wall with paint and carpeting, and a few splashes of green and other colors with plants here and there. I passed them all and made my way up the steps.

It was quiet on my own, but it was nice, the headache I'd been milking away from the boys arguing was starting to finally faded to the point where I even couldn't feel the dull echo of pain ringing in my head in waves. The pain I probably felt from that was left over from my concussion, it really wouldn't surprise me. The boys had been good for the most part while I was out of it, now I guess they're making up for lost time, either that or they're just now showing me their heated arguments that they had behind closed doors.

The stone steps were cold, strangely cold for the city of Olivine, one of the warmest places in this region. I could feel it as if there was a cold breeze by the base of my feet… like… a ghost… I looked down at my feet, surprised to find what looked to be a haunter at my feet. I blinked in surprise at it while it raised its body from the floor where it had been hidden before and hovered around me.

"What are you doing?" It was not a pokemon that lived in this area, and this lighthouse is too active for its tastes, even in the night time. But it was still midday, there was no reason for a ghost to be out and about unless it belonged to a trainer and was roaming around.

"Toge!" Ticky flew down by my head and pointed to the haunter. "Toge to toge ge!"

"That's Tristan's huanter?" My eyes trailed up to the pokemon that was worriedly looking at me and keeping close, watching all my movements and keeping its hands at the ready. "Tristan must have sent it up here to make sure I didn't hurt myself since I'm apparently alone." I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. "They must have finally gotten over arguing and are making their way up. Come on you guys," I motioned them to follow me up the stairs. "If we hurry, we can get up there before the boys catch up with us."

My pokemon nodded and hurried after me, leaving a worried haunter to quickly decide to report to its trainer or follow me. It chose the latter.

HalloweenWitchHalloweenWitch

I finally made it to the top level after a short while longer since Tristan's haunter showed up at my feet. Following the instruction of the sailor that I'd seen earlier today, I found the trap door that was right in the center of the fifth floor. Of the few people that were on the top floor, two sailors, they watched me worriedly as I pulled down the string that was apparently tried up to the entrance. A latter that was attached to the door came undone and landed a few feet off the ground, just barely low enough for me to reach it and get a good footing. My pokemon, other then Ticky, returned to their pokeballs and we climbed up. Haunter followed after us worriedly, floating behind me in case I fell.

I made it to the top level with Ticky hanging near by my head. As soon as I saw the place, it looked much like a child's room, decorated and made for someone to live and enjoy. A TV was hung on the wall, a bed was off against another wall, and on that bed was a sick looking pokemon. It looked a lot like Shocker, so I guessed it was its evolution, and judging form its sickly looking appearance, it had to be Ampy, the pokemon the sailor was speaking of. I could only see its head since the rest of its body was under blankets, but I recognized the ears and the facial features, though it was yellow, I knew it was an evolution of Shocker's.

"What are you doing up here? I haven't asked for anything to be brought up." My eyes then caught the sight of a young woman who sat at the pokemon's bedside. She was dressed as if she was ready to have some outdoor fun in a summer dress that was a light blue in color, decoratively edged with a frilly, white fabric and a large pink bow on her chest. Her hair was a light brown, two orange beads held part of her hair strait up toward the front in two separate ponyta-tails. The rest of her hair flowed down her back. She was skinny as a twig and pale as ever I'd seen a person, but if you're nursing a sick pokemon back to health and were out of the light of day, I bet anyone would be too.

Her copper colored eyes turned dark when she saw me and she stood up quickly from her seat to glare down at me. "You're not one of the chefs I asked to cook for Ampy, nor any of the deliverers I've seen before."

"I'm neither," I replied to her. "I'm a trainer, Gwyn Jalen."

"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for trainers right now, nor am I having any gym battles right now, so you can just leave." She huffed and turned back to her seat. "I have a sick pokemon to cure right now and I can't battle anyone with not only his life, but also the state of Olivine riding on Ampy getting well."

I raised my eye brow as I pulled myself up from the latter and stood there by the entrance. Jasmine, the woman who had just basically claimed who she was through her speech, angrily looked over at me when I refused to leave. We stayed locked in a glare contest between each other before she angrily stood up and walked over to me, forcing herself into my personal space to try and push me back, but I planted my feet and didn't move (plus it helped that Haunter and Ticky were keeping me from falling from pushing against my back.)

"I asked you to leave," she hissed.

"You don't even know what I want," I argued back at her.

"Fine!" She angrily cried out and threw her hands into the air. "What do you want? What is it that you must have so you'll leave?"

I crossed my arms over each other. "I wanted to help you."

The air suddenly became stiff and silent as the young woman was totally taken by surprise and took a few steps back. Falling into her chair as she stepped back. "Pardon me… but… repeat that?"

"I said, I want to help you." I sighed and my hands automatically went to my hips. "My two friends and I heard about your problem once we got into the city and, since we realized that without that pokemon here better, we weren't about to get any gym battles soon. I was able to convince them that we could try to help you get this pokemon better, because until it is, this pokemon is keeping you at its bedside and unable to perform your duty as a gym leader, that, and I really hate seeing pokemon suffer." I tilted my head at her. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Oh my Lugia, I am so sorry!" She literally jumped from her chair and grabbed me into a bone shattering hug. "Oh, I am so sorry… I've just been so stressed lately and trainers have kept coming for battles-"

I placed my hand on her shoulder, silencing her. "It's alright now Jasmine; now tell me what you need me to do."

"Well, obviously I need medicine for Ampy, something strong since nothing seems to be breaking his fever; it just seems to be slowly getting worse." She led me back over to the bed where the pokemon was, breathing heavily with a cloth over its head. I saw how much redder the face looked as we approached until we stood right before the pokemon.

"So we need some sort of powerful medicine to break the fever and help get this guy on its feet?" Jasmine nodded and hurried over to a bag she had on a glass table in the room and wrote some things down on a piece of paper.

"Yes, there's a special pharmacy that carries natural and powerful medicines in Cianwood." She handed me the paper and I looked at the single name she had on it, a word I could not pronounce, nor even attempt to try and read. "This medicine is Ampy's only chance to break the fever and get better, without it, I don't know how much longer he may last."

"Then I'll get over there and get it. I'll try to pick it up tomorrow and get my gym badge quickly there while I wait for a boat back, they won't let us travel during night hours." I pocketed the note and Jasmine nodded to me.

"And rightfully so, we've already had almost twenty accidents on the water during the night all during the time when Ampy got sick and there was no light to lead them into port." She quickly pulled out a pokegear of her own, checking the time. "You can still catch the next boat that leaves in half an hour if you hurry. Grab your friends and run or else you'll have to wait for the last one of the day, and that one might not make it out before being called back, night will be settling in soon." Jasmine was right. I looked out the window and looked at the rainbow of colors in the sky. The sun was starting to sink and my time was running short.

"Alright then! I'll be back as soon as I can tomorrow." I hurried off to the latter. "Hang in there Ampy!"

I used that moment to grab onto the latter and then loosened my grip to slide down. It went all for the most part smoothly all until my foot got caught on something and it shook me off balance and I was suddenly thrown off the latter. I heard someone gasp and I felt movement behind me before I crashed into the ground.

My landing felt softer then I guessed it would have. Wasn't there a thick stone ground beneath this latter? I opened my eyes that had closed on me out of sudden fear of the moment from the fall and I looked around. No one was here now other then apparently a person who was below me and had prevented me from taking a nasty fall. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was Tristan. He groaned as he sat up and noticed I was looking at him as I sat up. I slid back, putting some space between us so he wouldn't be so uncomfortable.

"Sorry…" he blushed under his thick red hair that covered his face. I blinked at him as I helped myself get to my feet, and then got him to his.

"What are you apologizing for? You're the one who saved me from a bad accident that would land us right back into the hospital. I should be apologizing." I quickly turned my head toward the exit though. "I'm sorry for what happened Tristan, but now we gotta go find Aaron and get out of here! We got to make the next boat to Cianwood in under half an hour unless we wanna wait for tomorrow and Ampy might not have that long to wait for the meds he needs."

Tristan nodded and hurried to help me away from the stairs then. "Let's go then, that idiot is battling down stairs, a trainer got him roped in because he can't say not to a damn challenge."

Witch's Note:

Oh Gwyn… aren't you so dense… she's such an innocent girl… its gonna be fun as hell when I break that… XD

Anyway, I know I made Jasmine a bit meaner then she probably should have been, but its gotta be a lot of stress on a person when they're looking after a sick pokemon while they run a gym and have to keep turning away challengers while saving her city. Oh well, she'll be nicer later on.

Anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you guys would send your thoughts on the chapter since it was shorter then most of the others and I'm not sure if it's rushed or not. I may have to tweak it a bit more.

So anyway, please send in PM's, Reviews and Questions! Love you all and see you next week!

Halloween Witch