Chapter 13: Gentle For A Time

"Here you go."

Tina handed Carla a glass of green liquid. She nodded in thanks - and stared at the contents. It looked even more unappetising than the previous dosage.

She downed it anyway.

"The bucket's down there by your bag when you need it. You can let your team out if you want, but they'll have to stay in the room with you."

Carla tried to open her mouth, but for some reason she couldn't find the words. She couldn't make herself speak.

"Let's see now. Can you raise your head a bit for me?" When Carla did so, Tina gently probed at the top of her throat. "Your glands are down; that's a good sign." She smiled ruefully. "You're not the first victim of poisoning we've had here. We're pretty quiet out here - I think you'll like that."

Again, Carla tried to talk to Tina and found herself unable to do so. What was going on? What was happening to her?

A voice came from the doorway; it was Ross. His arms were folded and he leaned against the wooden doorframe. "Tim told us he thinks you might have a bit of a stubborn streak. That right?"

Carla looked away from him, down at the pattern on the quilt.

"I thought he would be. If you don't want to tell us what happened with your poisoning, that's up to you. But if you follow doctor's orders, you'll be out of here in no time." Ross looked right into Carla's eyes. "Can you do that?"

Absolutely.

She nodded.

"Good. Like Tina said, you're not the first sick trainer that's stayed at the farm and you won't be the last either."

"You'll have to stay on the sofa for a while," Tina told her. "We'll move you up to the bedroom later on. For now, why not see if your team wants to come out? They're probably worried about you."

Once she was alone, Carla reached down for her bag, took out the occupied pokéballs and released her team. As soon as she saw her trainer, Tess let out a delighted cry...which then faded away when she saw Carla lying on the sofa. Zoe's broad smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Nixie and Rakel watched Carla with anxious eyes.

Carla still couldn't bring herself to speak, so she smiled reassuringly and hoped her eyes were conveying the right message: I'm OK. I will be OK.

Tess hopped up to the sofa and raised her wings, stretching up on her toes. Carla picked her up, wincing as she did so, and settled the Vullaby against her side. Nixie scampered up beside her.

With another wince, Carla lifted Zoe up and put her beside Tess. She barely had time to check that the stitches hadn't burst before Rakel was floating just above her stomach.

Carla leaned her head back and gazed at the ceiling.

Staying still was almost completely foreign to her now.

It had been difficult walking down the stairs, holding onto the banister with one hand and Simon's shoulder with the other, but she managed to do it without the stitches bursting. Then they made her lie down on the sofa again and drink another glass of the vile juice.

"We don't have any television - you probably noticed already - but there are some books on that table there," Tina said, motioning with her hand. "I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I put a selection on there."

Carla smiled in thanks.

She forced herself not to get up and roam around the room, and instead concentrate on the books. One was about the travels of a girl and the Nidoran she adopted - Carla vaguely remembered Glennis having this one - and another was about the care and raising of Water-types.

Carla wished she had a notebook so that she could take notes from that one. She was about to open her mouth to call for someone - but she still couldn't do it.

Tears of frustration welled up. Why couldn't she do it?

No, she refused to cry like this. She picked up the book again and began to study the different Water-types there, in case she came across something she wanted on her team.

Just as she was studying the Tentacool line, nausea came back with a vengeance and she only just grabbed the bucket in time.

"I'm so sorry." Tina had reappeared and was now looking down at Carla sympathetically. When it was over, she took the bucket and asked: "How are you feeling now?"

Carla gave her a shaky nod.

"I'll bring you through some water in a bit. We'll be having broth for lunch; if you're up to it, you can have a small bowl. In fact, you should probably have something light anyway, just to keep your strength up."

After brushing her teeth for the second time that day, Carla went back to the book. As she read and read, her eyelids became heavier and heavier until she just had to rest them. Reluctantly, she set the book to one side and closed her eyes; before long, she was asleep.

She wasn't sure what woke her up, but she kept her eyes shut, waiting to go back to sleep again. Then she felt it - something warm against her cheek and a tiny breath against her skin.

Carla opened her eyes and turned over onto her back. A pair of soft brown eyes gazed back at her.

How did you get in here?

The Buneary leaned in closer to Carla's face and sniffed, ears twitching. Did it belong to Tina? She did seem like the type to own something small and cute - but a pokémon belonging to someone else wouldn't normally go up to a complete stranger like this.

"Here's some soup! Hope you don't mind..." Si stopped dead, bowl and spoon in hand, and stared down at the Buneary. "Is that yours?" he asked Carla.

Carla shook her head.

"Ross, did you leave the back door open?"

"Yeah, why?" Ross' voice called from the kitchen.

"Cause we've got a little visitor."

The Buneary hunkered down and snuggled against Carla's side; tentatively, Carla began to stroke its velvety fur. Simon set the bowl and spoon down on the table with a chuckle.

"Looks like she thinks you're hers, now." The twinkle in his eye told Carla he hadn't been talking about her.

With the sound of her hosts talking in the background about the types of berries they were going to harvest, and the Miltank egg they were hoping to purchase, Carla brought out the occupied capsules and released her team.

The Buneary hopped off the sofa, her eyes bright and alert. Nixie scampered up to her and the two pokémon inspected each other, Nixie's tail twitching repeatedly. Then, as if coming to an unspoken agreement, they began to chase each other in circles. Tess screeched with delight and joined in the game while Zoe and Rakel looked on.

Carla looked at the Misdreavus and Snorunt, and raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

Zoe tipped her head forward twice; Rakel blinked lazily and made a small movement that might have been mistaken for a shrug if she were human.

The Buneary had been accepted, but she still needed a name - something sweet and playful, but easy to use in battle. Carla clapped her hands; Nixie, Tess and the Buneary stopped moving and turned their attention to their trainer.

"Layla." Carla could barely get the word out; her voice was hoarse from disuse. She took a gulp of water, cleared her throat and said to the Buneary: "Your name is Layla."

Her phone was ringing.

"Hello?"

"Carla? It's me, Tally! How are you?"

Carla sat up, wincing a little as she did so. "I'm all right. How's the berry harvest going?"

"It's going really well! We only one more tree left, and my team's been helping out as well. Oh, Treble evolved yesterday!" Tally sounded so delighted that Carla couldn't help but smile.

"That's great! I can't wait to see her."

"I can't wait to show her to you! Did you get that Electrike you wanted?"

Carla glanced down to where Nixie was busily grooming her tail. "I got something better - a Pachirisu. And there's a Buneary on the team too; their names are Nixie and Layla."

"Don't you normally get both of those in Sinnoh or something? Wow, Carla, you are so lucky."

Carla's hand strayed towards her stomach and rested right where the barb had gone in. "Yeah, I know."

Tally sighed heavily. "While I was on the road, I really missed my mum and dad but now that I'm home...I miss travelling. Does that sound strange?"

"No," Carla said at once. "And once the harvest is over, you can start travelling again."

"I know - and I can't wait!" There was a faint noise in the background. "Sorry, Carla, I've got to go. See you soon!"

"Bye."

After Tally hung up, Carla leaned back against the cushion and stared at the ceiling above her. Her friend's words made her think about her own family. When the right amount of money had been paid, Carla would have at least five pokémon - six after she caught that Water-type - which would make the house even more crowded, especially after Zoe, Tess, Layla and the Water-type evolved.

And she would still have to face her father. Carla was not looking forward to that.

Did he know? Carla would have to call Glennis to check.

There was a knock on the front door. Carla listened as Si opened it and greeted the visitor with a hearty: "Hello, Tim! Are you here to check on the patient?"

"I am."

"She's just through here. We'll give you both some privacy."

Dr Tim from Fallarbor walked in cheerily. "Hello! How are you feeling today?"

"A lot better, thank you." Carla cringed; Simon must have heard that. She hadn't meant to be rude by not speaking.

"Good. Can I take a look?" After inspecting the injury, Dr Tim asked: "How's the nausea? Are you still being sick?"

"I was yesterday, but nothing's come up today." Carla looked down at her stomach and saw it wasn't as red and angry as she had thought it would be.

"That's good to hear; it means the poison's left you. The stitching will dissolve into your skin soon, and you should be able to leave in about two or three days depending on how you feel. But when you do leave, don't do anything strenuous at first. Go easy on yourself."

Carla nodded. "I will. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I think you're well enough to get up properly now."

Carla swung her legs over the side of the sofa, tried to stand - and immediately wobbled. Dr Tim caught her shoulders and said: "Take it slowly." Carla kept a grip on his arms until she could stand steadily on her own feet.

"Thanks."

When she came down from a quick shower, she found Tina in the kitchen chopping vegetables. Carla sidled up to the table, sat down and picked up a peeler.

The next three days passed before Carla realised they had gone.

She spent her time helping Tina with small tasks around the house, and playing with her team. They didn't do any training out of respect for their hosts' farm - any damage would be disastrous.

As she watched her team run around outside on the last evening, Carla realised how easy it would be to call a place like this home. Maybe when she was older, she could find a cottage like this in a quiet place somewhere. She and her team could be very happy here.

Maybe it was a good thing that they were only staying for this last night. If they stayed longer, she would never want to leave.

"Sure, you take care of yourself," Si said as Carla shouldered her bag. "Sure you don't want us to call that teleporter?"

"No, thanks. I think I'd rather walk to Fallarbor myself." Carla needed to get back into the swing of training, travelling and battling. Five days could have been enough to put herself and her team out of shape.

She straightened up and looked at Tina, Ross and Si. "Thank you," she said. "For everything."

"You're welcome," Tina said warmly. Ross grinned.

Carla walked out of the farm with a final wave. She did not look back.

The nurse behind the desk looked up and smiled when Carla entered. "Hello," she said. "Back again?"

Carla nodded. "Do you have a spare room?"

"Since we don't have a contest coming up, yes. How are you feeling now?"

"A lot better, thanks." Her stomach was still a little tender, but it was nothing she couldn't work through. "Can I use the computer here?"

"Course you can. The only other person here hasn't moved from his seat for I heal your team while you're on the machine?"

"That'd be great."

As Carla headed towards the single computer in the Centre, she casually glanced at the other trainer - and stopped in surprise.

She knew him. It was the same guy Tally had battled in the Mauville Food Court. The same one the stranger outside Verdanturf had been looking for. What was his name again?

Randall Shaw.

Carla went over to him. "Hi," she said.

His eyes flickered up, then back to the TV. "Hey."

"Do you know someone with dark blond hair and green eyes? He's very tall, and wears a dark green jacket."

Randall scoffed loudly. "No."

"Well, he knows who you are, Randall. And you'd better be careful, because something about that guy just feels wrong."

She turned on her heel and walked to the computer; after logging in, she searched the database for Layla's species.

It turned out that Buneary didn't evolve after gaining the right experience, but when they were sufficiently happy. Carla had heard of Eevee evolving because of this, and it had to be because of genuine happiness, not forced or manipulated.

Where a Buneary's strength lay in its ears, a Lopunny's lay in its legs. They were not only fast but stronger than they looked, and they could deliver great damage by kicking their opponents.

But what Carla found most interesting was that they were capable of mega-evolving into a half-Fighting type. Clearly, the species wasn't to be underestimated.

"Your team's ready!" called the nurse.

Carla logged off and glanced to where Randall had been sitting. The chair was empty.

I'm sorry this chapter's so short. Hopefully the next one will make up for it!

This chapter's title comes from Warrior Daughter by Wildwood Kin.

Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Please leave a review if you liked it.