Chapter 22
Safe Harbor
"The cavern is clear, Leader Misty." The nervous young trainer called out to the orange-haired gym leader who was impatiently tapping her foot at the tunnel entrance. By his side, a black and grey wolf sniffed the air again. With his strong sense of smell, enhanced with an odor sleuth, Mightyena could smell a ghost hidden in a shadow from 100 feet. He was certain no trainers or Pokémon remained in the cavern
Looking around the ruined cavern, he couldn't blame them for wanting to leave.
All around him lay the ruined remains of a great mushroom grove, a rare habitat cultivated by Paras and Parasect deep within the mountains. Para colonies would live, breed, and die in the same caverns for generations. Tending to the mushrooms that grew there and which provided them with food and shelter in a hostile environment.
Now there was nothing but broken stems, crushed fungus, and sand.
Giant, jagged boulders littered the ground, having fallen when part of the cavern caved in, sealing an entrance to the cavern and diverting the narrow river that ran through the cavern. Now the cavern was slowly flooding as the waterfall fed the lake to greater and greater sizes.
The dark lake stood in stark contrast to the burned and blasted section of the cavern, embers still glowed from the bonfire that once raged there. Breathing in, the air smelled of burnt earth.
"Those motherfuckers…" Misty cursed, looking around. "This cavern was a protected ecosystem. We let this happen under our noses." At her side, a Vaporeon whined softly at the destruction.
"I tried to mitigate the damage as best I could. But when someone pulls a Tyranitar on you, you don't have much choice." Joven admitted, staring sadly at the lifeless cave.
"I read the report. Kudos for staying alive." Misty replied dryly. "Lead us to the Paras, they are our top priority. Then we can worry about hunting down these bastards."
"Right this way," Joven said, jogging across the spongy earth and weaving around boulders the size of wagons. It had only been a few hours since they had fled the cavern but there was a deep pit in his stomach when he thought of what might have happened to the Paras in that time.
He had already noticed that the broken and melted lab equipment that had been in the center of the cavern was missing. Someone had clearly taken the time to clean up any evidence the lab might have left behind.
Easily finding his way to the short tunnel, Joven didn't even slow as he burst through the slightly ajar door into the small chamber where he had found Miguel in earlier that day. Quickly scanning the room, Joven cursed, as this room had also been scrubbed clean of any drug paraphernalia. Four small piles of webbing were still stuck to the floor, showing where the scientist had once been string-shotted to the stone.
Behind him, the rest of their group filtered into the room. Misty immediately pushed past him, the shorter woman scanning every inch of the room. Jane silently stepped to the side once inside the chamber, her lips pressed firmly together in a line when she saw the cleared-out chamber.
Next came their group's medic. A pink-haired man named Felix had been silently following the group through the underground. He had been requested specifically to care for the Paras and had already been briefed on their appalling condition. With grim determination, he marched straight toward the ominous door on the far end of the chamber, releasing two Pokémon as he went.
In a flash of light, a pink ovoid Pokémon materialized. With short, stubby arms and legs, Chansey were kind-hearted Pokémon not suited for combat. Instead, their species focused on caring for their sick and wounded brethren.
Beside the egg Pokémon, a Vileplume inquisitively looked around, peering out from beneath the bulbous red petals that grew from its head.
"This is what I told you about guys. Get ready." Felix said, swallowing nervously and gripping the door handle. Glancing over to Misty, the gym leader gave him a single nod and he pulled the door open.
Before their eyes could adjust to the dark, everyone present was buffeted by the foul and putrid smell that drifted from the dark cave. Shifting yellow carapaces hugged the walls as the abandoned mushroom Pokémon tried to hide from whoever had opened the door.
Crying out in horror, Chansey rushed toward the door pulling out an egg she had been carrying in her pouch and lobbing it into the cavern. The soft egg rolled to a stop in the center of the cavern and the bug-types flinched away, recoiling as if attacked. The first egg was quickly followed by a second and a third as Chansey materialized as many eggs as she could, desperately trying to help however she could.
Beside her, Vileplume was helping in his own way. As Chansey materialized a fourth egg, Vileplume's petals began to glow a vibrant green. Growing brighter and brighter, Vileplume squeaked in exertion and an explosion of green powder burst from his petals and quickly filled the tiny chamber and the room beyond with a green haze. A sweet, soothing smell washed away the stink of the cave and filled the chamber. One by one, as the powder settled on the Paras, the mushroom Pokémon visibly relaxed, and electrical burns that covered a few of their bodies began to heal.
A Parasect slowly stepped away from the huddled masses and carefully approached the pile of large eggs in the center of the room, wary of a trap. With a quick snip of his one remaining pincer, Parasect sheared off a small piece of egg and quickly retreated, examining it along with several of the Paras.
The mushroom Pokémon glanced suspiciously at Chansey, and then back at the food. The egg Pokémon stood silently at the doorway, motioning for the Pokémon to eat it. Encouraged by the positive effects of Vileplume's aromatherapy, Parasect took a bite.
The mushroom Pokémon's eyes widened as the healing properties of the egg instantly took hold. Sore muscles felt refreshed, chipped chitin repaired and the shriveled mushroom that crowned the Pokémon filled out slightly.
With an amazed cheep, Parasect waved at its colony, pointing at the pile of eggs. In an instant the colony rushed the eggs and began to tear them apart and devour them.
Joven sighed with relief as the first of the Paras began to recover. Color returned to their carapaces and they seemed just slightly more relaxed. With the colony taking its first steps towards recovery, Joven could leave the rest to Felix.
0000
Despite wanting nothing more than to find a bed and fall asleep, Patrick and Tasha had to take care of their injured Pokémon first. Two of the cadets had dragged Miguel directly to the police station to be processed, while Mikelson had taken them to the Pokécenter to have their Pokémon checked over.
Tasha had been to Cerulean before and protested that they didn't need an escort, insisting she knew how to get to the center on her own, but Mikelson didn't relent. Patrick, who had never been to Cerulean, appreciated it.
Walking down the wide main street, they were flanked on both sides by tall wooden buildings, between two and three stories, and crammed together to form a nearly solid wall of window fronts that showed off various merchandise for sale, grocery stores, cafés, and bakeries. Each building had a colorful awning to shield potential customers from the frequent rains and gave the street a lively feel.
All around them, people and Pokémon walked, hopped, slithered, and flew. Water and Grass-types were a common sight, as the wet climate allowed them to thrive more than a Fire or Rock-type.
Although the sun was shining, the streets were muddy, and puddles dotted the cobbles. Locals didn't seem to notice and some easily wound around them, while others trudged right through with waterproof boots.
Patrick learned quickly he had worn a hole in one of his boots over the last day when he stepped in a puddle and his foot was immediately soaked. He made a note to buy new shoes while he was in the city.
Having only just entered the city, they were still walking on dirt and stone, however, Patrick could see a wooden bridge rising from the street before them and running across the water to the nearest island just offshore, where a tiny neighborhood of wooden houses stood.
Before they could cross, Mikelson steered them to the right and Patrick saw the familiar ruby-red roof of the Pokécenter at the end of the road.
Stepping through the sliding glass doors, the Pokécenter's lobby was an exact copy of the center in Pewter, right down to the style of chairs in the waiting area and the selection of pastries at the café. Quickly walking across to the reception desk, they were greeted by Nurse Joy, an identical copy of her counterparts in Pewter and Viridian.
Patrick and Tasha gave Joy a brief description of the wounds their Pokémon had suffered and how long ago they had been sprayed with potions. Joy nodded along seriously, typing notes as the spoke, and took all their Pokéballs for a thorough check-up and to run them through the Pokécenter's healing machine. After some coaxing, Bug finally agreed to return to his rarely used ball, and he was handed over as well.
"I'm sorry to bother you, butthe captain requests you come to the station tomorrow at 9 am to give statements about what you saw while underground," Mikelson said, stepping forward. He had been respectfully keeping his distance while Tasha and Patrick spoke with the nurse, but once they finished, he spoke up. "Nothing serious, just standard procedure for any crime scene investigations."
"That must be the debrief Joven was talking about," Patrick whispered to Tasha before turning to Mikelson and letting him know the two of them would be there. Bowing his head in thanks, Mikelson quickly left through the glass doors, his Growlithe trotting after him.
"I'll need to leave right after... Or as soon as Hitmonchan is cleared to travel." Tasha quickly added. "I'm technically still on the clock and need to get to Saffron."
"Is it about that dark orb the drug boss was asking you about," Patrick whispered as the two grabbed separate card keys and headed upstairs to the rooms on the higher floors of the Pokécenter.
"I can't say, sorry," Tasha said apologetically. "Top secret job and all that."
"That's okay! I totally understand" Patrick said, putting his hands up and not pushing further. "It's a shame that it is probably buried under a ton of stone now after the cavern collapsed…
"Well… this is my room. See you tomorrow." He said tiredly, before opening the door and stepping inside.
"See ya!" Tasha said, waving as the door closed.
Once she was alone in the hallway, she patted her jacket pocket, feeling for the perfectly round parcel inside.
0000
Patrick had intended to immediately collapse on the bed, have a midday nap and explore the city that evening. His whole body ached from the action of the past 2 days, and he could barely keep his eyes open.
That was until he lifted his arms to take his shirt off and the smell nearly overpowered him. Using the last of his willpower, he stumbled over to the small bathroom and quickly rinsed down. The pounding of hot water against his back eased the tension in his shoulders and after ten minutes he stumbled out, dripping wet, and collapsed onto the bed.
"Good night, team." Patrick's muffled voice came out of the pillow, before realizing he was all alone. With a sigh, he rolled over and fell asleep.
0000
Heavy pounding on his door startled Patrick awake and he sat up in the Pokécenter bed.
He blinked and looked around, the overhead lights were still on as he had only meant to fall asleep for a coupleof minutes and still had things he had to do in the evening. He had a job to do while in Cerulean after all.
Groaning, Patrick stood up. His feet, legs, and back muscles felt like they were made of lead but his brain at least felt rested. He wrapped his towel around his waist, walked over to the door and opened it a crack.
Tasha stood in the hallway; her arms crossed over her chest. She wore the same clothes from yesterday but had showered and cleaned the dirt from the road off.
"We are going to be late." She said before Patrick could speak.
"Late for what?" Patrick asked bewildered, blinking away the drowsiness, and opening the door further.
"The police debrief?" Tasha asked incredulously, squinting her eyes at Patrick. "The one we were told about yesterday…"
Yesterday.
Yesterday?
"Yesterday…" Patrick said slowly. "What time is it?"
"It's 8:50, and I can tell you now. The police station is more than a 10-minute walk." Tasha said, checking her watch. "So, get your skinny butt in some clothes, and let's go!
Patrick quickly stepped behind the door, face heating up when realized he only had a towel on.
"If you need more motivation… Joy says your Pokémon are ready." Tasha grinned, tapping her belt, which was filled with Pokéballs.
"I'll meet you in the lobby!" Patrick said, slamming the door.
He raced around the room, searching for his discarded clothes. He had lost his pack in the mushroom grove, so he was unfortunately stuck with yesterday's smelly clothes. He'd have to buy some more clothes and a new pack when he bought new boots. Even though he had lost his wallet, he had already set up his bank account, he'd just have to visit their branch in the city and hope he could withdraw something.
After a brief search, he was mostly dressed. A sock was under the bed, his pants were hanging on the closet door. His hoodie was in a ball in the corner of the room.
With his lower half dressed, he leaned into the bathroom to pick up his shirt from the sink when he stopped. Squinting at his reflection in the mirror, he turned in the light and poked one of the lines on his stomach.
Was that… a muscle?
When he was a researcher working under Professor Rowan, he had always been a little soft around the middle which he easily waved away as a hazard of working 12 hours a day in a lab. Too little exercise and too much takeout.
Once he had begun working as a trainer and doing fieldwork, he'd noticed his belly had shrunk a little but didn't pay too much attention. But now… his trek through the mountain had melted away any remaining softness.
He wasn't buff by any means; his body just felt firm. He flexed his arm and a small bicep popped up. Barely raised from the skin…
Yup, definitely not buff.
Flexing in the mirror one last time, Patrick held his breath and quickly put his shirt on before rushing out the door. He pulled his blue hoodie on as he walked down the hall.
Taking the stairs 3 at a time, he ran up to the front desk where Joy was waiting for him.
"Good morning, Patrick! I have your Pokéballs right here." The nurse said brightly, handing him two red-and-white balls.
"Thanks- Um… Where is the third ball?" Patrick said, noticing one was missing.
"I'm sorry, Nidorino's healing will take just a bit longer. He was more injured than the others, so we are giving him a more thorough check-up and running a few tests. We'll be able to give you a better update this afternoon." Joy said reassuringly, "But don't worry! Your Nidorino is in good hands!" she quickly added, seeing Patrick's face fall.
"I… understand," Patrick said slowly, turning to see Tasha already waiting by the door tapping her foot. "I'll be back in a few hours."
Patrick hurried over to Tasha and they both stepped outside and made their way to the police station.
0000
The debrief was intense.
Tasha and Patrick were immediately separated after announcing their arrival at the front desk and were both whisked into small side rooms with nothing but a table and two chairs. A police officer named Jenny had him give a detailed summary of his and Tasha's trip from Pewter, all the way to Cerulean. She regularly asked questions and dug deeply into what seemed like quite random tangents.
It was only on his retelling did he realized they had never informed the gym about the Charmeleon and Charizard hunting along the route. Fleeing from the Charizard felt like a lifetime ago now.
At that point, Jenny had gotten up and whispered instructions to someone just outside the door before sitting back down and motioning Patrick to continue.
"And what was your purpose for traveling to Cerulean in the first place?" Jenny finally asked after Patrick had finished his tale.
"I'm a research aide, working for Professor Oak. We are taking note of any Pokémon around the city that might have had an abnormal or unique evolution." Patrick said, quickly explaining their search for extrinsic evolutions. "And I'd like to challenge the gym while I'm here if I have time." He added at the end.
"Unique evolutions, eh? Well, I can say I've seen anything like that around here but I'm sure Oak knows what he's doing. Very well, you are free to go," Jenny said, scribbling a last note in her notepad and flipping it shut. She stood from her chair and pushed the door open, waving him through. "If we have any further questions, we'll reach out."
"Thank you," Patrick said, quickly getting up and leaving through the door.
Retracing his steps to leave the station, he rounded a corner and nearly ran into Joven and Jane.
"Hey, Patrick! Told you we'd see you at the debrief!" Joven said cheerfully.
"Good morning," Jane nodded.
"Hello, are you about to go in? I think Officer Jenny is free now, I just left her." Patrick said, gesturing to the slightly cracked door.
"Don't worry about it! We were debriefed yesterday, we've already moved on to our next job." Joven waved away Patrick's offer. "They're rounding up a whole team of trainers to sweep the underground beneath the mountains. Now that we know we are looking for Paras and their mushroom groves, we'll be able to clear areas much more quickly.
"I'd invite you along but… You need 3 badges to apply…" Joven said, rubbing the back of his head.
"That's all right, I understand," Patrick said, waving his arms. He had just escaped the darkness and wasn't too thrilled by the idea of going back. "I have plenty to do in Cerulean already. I hope you find those two, they can't have gotten far."
"That's the hope. That many people traveling quickly, they'll leave a path so obvious, a blind slowpoke could follow it." Joven said. "One of the trainers we brought on has a Mightyena who specializes in Odor Sleuth. It'll be a cakewalk."
"That is need-to-know information only," Jane whispered to Joven, elbowing him in the ribs.
"I trust Patrick completely! After all we've been through? There is no way he's a bad guy," Joven said, looking genuinely hurt that Jane would suggest otherwise.
"Anyways," Jane said, clearing her throat and lifting an envelope. "We'd also like to give you this."
"What is this?" Patrick asked, taking the heavy envelope. Whatever was inside, there was a lot of it.
"You participated in our mission and helped with its success. It's only right that you get a percentage of the payment." Jane said.
Patrick's eyes widened when he realized there was money in the envelope and suddenly it felt much heavier.
"I can't accept this, it's way too much!" Patrick said, pushing it back at the Rangers. "I barely helped anyways."
"You earned it! Without you, we never would have captured Migue! The manager's name is Miguel, by the way. We've already requested a Psychic-type to come up from Saffron to act as a lie detector. Soon, we'll know all his juicy secrets." Joven said, patting Patrick on the shoulder. "Besides, our envelopes were much bigger." He whispered.
"We've given a similar envelope to Tasha as thanks for her part in the mission." Jane said, "Now if you'll excuse us, we need to attend a meeting. Misty herself is leading the search parties and she does not like tardiness."
"We better head off…" Joven said, shaking Patrick's hand as Jane walked down the hall. "Now go get some badges! Next time we see each other, I want you to join us on a mission!"
With his parting words of encouragement, Joven patted Patrick on the shoulder and jogged down the hallway after Jane. As Patrick watched him leave, the air over Joven's shoulder shimmered and a green chameleon briefly became visible and waved goodbye before disappearing in another shimmer.
Patrick absently waved back before looking down at the thick envelope. Replacing his gear just became a whole lot more affordable.
0000
"And you have to leave right now?" Patrick asked.
He and Tasha were standing off to the side of the Cerulean's main street, avoiding the mud and the crowds rushing past them. Thankfully it was another dry day, and the puddles were slowly shrinking under the sunlight. Bug was in his usual spot, hidden within Patrick's hood. Patrick had tried to release Meowth, but the cat had hissed at the mud and puddles in the road and refused to get her paws dirty, so she had been returned.
"Yup, times ticking and Hypno and Hitmonchan are cleared for travel." Tasha said, "I may be coming back through here in a few days so we can catch up then. Anders and the team will need me to help protect the dig site. They are probably lost without me there." she said, flicking her hair with false bravado.
"I'm sure the dig site is falling apart without you there." Patrick agreed, smiling at his friend's antics. "I'll be training at the gym for the next few weeks, so if I'm not at the Pokecenter when you are in town, come by there. We can let Nidorino and Hitmonchan have a quick battle before you head back to Pewter as well!"
"Look at you, Poindexter! Challenging me to a battle? You sound like a real trainer." Tasha laughed, punching him on the shoulder. "I'm looking forward to it."
Patrick chuckled and resisted the urge to rub his aching shoulder.
With nothing more to say, they gave each other a quick hug and parted ways. Spearow hopped down from a streetlight and fluttered onto Tasha's shoulder, gripping the leather jacket with short talons. Pokémon and Trainer quickly disappeared into the crowd.
"All right, Bug. Let's find this gym." Patrick whispered and turned to walk in the opposite direction. In the back of his hood, he heard a small chirp of agreement as he pushed through the crowds.
Patrick quickly left solid ground behind and stepped onto the worn wooden planks of one of the many arched bridges that spiderwebbed between the shoreline and the islands that dotted the lake. Clumped closely together, many of the bridges were short and wide, barely more than a few dozen feet long, just enough for people, Pokémon, and carts to move from island to island.
Beneath him, Patrick saw gondolas drifting underneath the bridges and between the islands, propelled through the water by gondoliers or Goldeen. The vibrant orange-and-white fish easily pulled the light boats through the shallow waters.
As Patrick explored island after island, each seemed to have their own designation or industry. Some islands were purely residential, covered in one and two-story wooden homes, some houses even jutted out into the lake, suspended by wooden stilts above the water. Other islands were retail, selling clothing, luxury goods, or Pokémon-specific food and items.
As he passed a street vendor selling some kind of fried seafood on a stick, he was reminded he hadn't eaten since yesterday, so used some of his envelope money to buy two. Munching on one skewer and half of the other, he wrapped the remains in a paper bag and stuffed it in his pocket as a treat for Meowth later.
One of the islands further removed from the city was industrial, with smokestacks stretching into the sky and plain concrete factories dominating the stony island. As Patrick passed by, he could see a Grimer playing in the surf. The sludge Pokemon happily ingested any pollution or garbage that escaped the island and ran off into the lake.
While typically disliked due to their unpleasant smell Grimer, and their evolution Muk, were vital in purifying the environment of any contamination human activity might cause. In most cases, as long as the Pokémon kept to themselves and stayed away from homes, city officials were happy to leave them be.
Finally, as he neared the islands furthest into the lake, he came to a long, narrow bridge that jutted straight into the center of the lake. It ended at a cluster of islands and sand bars far removed from the city.
The Cerulean Gym.
From this distance, Patrick could just see a squat white stone building standing in the center of the sandy island. Patrick eagerly stepped up to the bridge ready to race across when a sign stopped him.
Civilians
Trainers v
Patrick raised an eyebrow at the message, but sure enough, just before the bridge, there was a second trail worn into the grass and stone that split off and disappeared under the bridge. Cautiously, Patrick stepped down onto the lower path and peered under the bridge.
From this angle, two rows of evenly spaced wooden pillars rose from the lake and supported the bridge overhead, forming a covered corridor. Waves lapped gently against each pillar and dark green algae covered the damp wood. Between the pillars, a line of logs floated in the water, held in place loosely with thick, rusted chains.
As Patrick watched, a small wave sent the line of logs bobbing up and down wildly.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Patrick muttered, watching the undulating balance beam. He guessed it was at least two hundred meters long.
Walking up to the edge of the water, Patrick gingerly placed a boot on the thick log floating in the water and pressed down. To his surprise, the log barely moved as he placed more and more of his weight onto the log until finally, he was balancing on the swaying log with his arms spread wide for balance.
"This might not be as hard as I thought," Patrick said, addressing Bug who had crawled out of his hood to stand on his shoulder. The tiny insect looked doubtfully at the dozens of logs still to go and after a moment's thought, hopped off Patrick's shoulder and landed on the side of the wooden pillar.
From his more solid vantage point, Bug chirped at Patrick to continue.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Patrick said, before looking down at the log and taking a shaky step forward.
0000
One hour later, Patrick stood in front of the glass doors of the gym exhausted and soaking wet.
Leaning against the building, Patrick took off his boot and poured lake water onto the sand before putting it back on. The water in the other boot had already drained thanks to the hole in the sole.
Shaking off as much of the water as he could, Patrick pushed through the doors into a small well-lit room.
Two women sat behind a counter, one was staring at computer monitors in front of her, andthe other seemed to be dozing. Hearing the door open, the one at the computer glanced up to greet the newcomer. A ghost of a smile flickered across her face, and she gently nudged her colleague awake before greeting Patrick.
"Welcome, Trainer." The woman said brightly, standing up to great Patrick. She wore a uniform consisting of dark blue, with accents of light blue around the sleeves and collar. A light blue teardrop on her chest marked her as a trainer of the gym. "Thank you for completing the Tidemaster's Path unprompted."
"Yeah, you wouldn't believe the number of sissies who try to skip it the first time they come to the gym." The second woman said from where she sat. Reclined in the chair, her boots rested on the counter. She wore the same dark blue top as the other woman, however, it was unzipped revealing a black bathing suit beneath. Her most striking feature however was her vibrant red hair. "They come in here dry as a bone and we send them right back out!"
"My name is Diana, and this is one of our instructors, Lily. She oversees the trainer classes for those with one to three badges." Diana said, motioning to the woman with unnaturally red hair. "Would you like to register for a class or have you come to challenge the gym for the Cascade Badge?"
"Yes. To both actually, although I don't want to challenge the gym just yet." Patrick said. "I was actually hoping to request a meeting with Misty. I'm a researcher and I'd to ask her a few questions regarding any unique evolutions she may have encountered as a gym leader."
"What do you mean by unique evolutions? Like a Blastoise with three arms?" Lily asked, cutting in. She'd taken her feet off the desk and now leaned forward in her chair, staring at Patrick suspiciously.
"No, more like if a Wartortle evolved into something that wasn't a Blastoise. Or if a Cloyster evolved." Patrick corrected, before quickly explaining the theory behind extrinsic evolutions. Patrick had just begun to explain item interactions with different types of energy when Lily cut him off.
"I get it, sheesh. You're a nerd." Lily said, waving her hand to get Patrick to stop talking. "You can tell all that to Misty. You might have to wait a while though, she's off in the mountains on a job and doesn't know when she'll be back. Until then, my sisters and I are running the gym.
"Until that time let's get you signed up! How many badges do you have?" Lily said, leaning over Diana and began typing on her keyboard. With a sigh, Diana rolled her chair backward and allowed Lily to take over her workspace. Judging by her expression, it happened often.
"I have one badge. The boulder badge." Patrick replied quickly.
"Only one? With how old you are?" Lily said, glancing over the monitor to look at Patrick with a shrewd look. "What took you so long?"
"We are happy to teach all trainers at the Cerulean gym, regardless of ability level," Diana said diplomatically, trying to push Lily away and failing.
"I've only been a trainer for a few months, I was… in academia before that," Patrick said evenly, clenching his jaw from saying anything rude.
"Sure. Sure. I've signed you up for my class tomorrow morning. I'll see what you're made of then." Lily said, typing in one last sentence into the computer and standing up. "Now I've gotta go crush some noobies. Later." With that, Lily spun around and marched out the back door, letting it slam behind her.
"Sorry about her, she takes some getting used to," Diana said, quickly regaining control of her keyboard and monitor, adjusting them slightly. "Lily signed you up for tomorrow's 10 am class, is that a convenient time for you or would you like me to change it to a later date? We have another offering at 2 pm the following day."
"Tomorrow is fine, I have a few errands to run while I'm in town but I'm flexible," Patrick said easily. He had to replace nearly all his equipment and call Professor Oak. His Pokédex had been in his pack that had been stolen from him in the mushroom grove, he'd have to beg the old professor for a replacement.
"Great, you are all booked in for tomorrow. Could I please get your payment informat-"
A bright red phone at the desk cut her off with a shrill ring.
"Excuse me, this is the direct line to the Pokécenter, they may be calling about a trainer's injured Pokémon. One moment please," Diana said apologetically and picked up the phone. "Cerulean Gym, how may I help? Mmhmm. Yes. He's here right now, he just arrived. I'll let him know.
"Patrick, that was Nurse Joy. She says they have an update for you regarding your… Nidorino…" Diana began to say before realizing she was talking to an empty room.
0000
Patrick stood in front of a wall of clear glass, staring intently at the Pokémon inside and jaw clenched.
A hospital bed stood in the center of the sterile room, slightly reclined to make its inhabitant as comfortable as he could be while experiencing multiple organ failures. Nidorino panted quickly and shallowly on the table, each breath fogged the respirator mask that was strapped around his muzzle.
An IV had been inserted into an artery in his neck and a bag of clear fluids hung on a stand above him, steadily feeding nutrients and antibiotics directly into his bloodstream. EKG pads covered his torso, connected to a monitor showing a rapid, irregular heartbeat scrolling across the screen.
As Patrick watched, a Chansey fussed over Nidorino, diligently checking his wounds, fiddling with the oxygen canister, and resting a cold compress on Nidorino's head to help fight his fever.
Although the potions Tasha had sprayed Nidorino with had helped stabilize and heal the superficial burn damage, it had done nothing for the internal damage. Which had been far more extensive than any of them had realized. Nurse Joy had said Nidorino must have been attacked by a particularly strong Dark-type Pokémon, as his insides exhibited many of the common signs of Dark's corrosive effects.
The doctor on call had reported that Nidorino could make a full recovery, however, it would be difficult, and he would have to fight every step of the way. That had eased his fears a little.
Patrick knew Nidorino.
Nidorino would never stop fighting.
Somewhat certain that Nidorino would make a full recovery, Patrick's fears quickly boiled over into anger. There was only one person who could have been responsible for those specific injuries. The one man in the mushroom grove who had a powerful dark/fire-type. This was the second time Patrick and Nidorino had encountered him, both times they had been thoroughly outclassed. Eyes burning with resolve Patrick glanced down at the crumpled paper in his hand.
Fighting.
Water.
Rock.
Ground.
The four types most suited to crush a Houndoom.