Pokemon: Book One: The Dark Hearted

Chapter Four ~ Injuries

The PokeCenter was spacious and bright. Torch was sitting on Britney's shoulder and I was limping after as they walked into the building, right up to the lady in the front.

"Hello!" The lady there said cheerfully. "I see your Pokemon have gotten injured. Do you want me to heal them?"

"Yeah," Britney nodded.

The lady said, "I can heal them right now, for five hundred dollars each."

Britney hesitated, searching her bag, and said finally, "oh... I only have ten hundred. I don't want to use it all up so I'll just have Torch healed." She sent the Torchic into his Pokeball and held it out.

The lady pursed her lips, sending a sideways glance at me. "What about your Absol? We can do a different kind of healing for two hundred dollars each, because it will take a week or so to heal. Then both your Pokemon can be happy and healthy."

"No thanks," Britney said, and I was enraged. I shot her a glare and sulked on the floor.

The lady sighed, glancing at me apologetically, and set Torch's Pokeball on a square-shape machine. There were a couple flashing lights and noises, and she handed the Pokeball back.

"Thanks," Britney said, paying the lady and walking out the door with me scrabbling behind, trying my best to ignore the fiery pain in my chest. Behind me I heard the lady mutter, "just put the Absol in the Pokeball, don't make him follow," under her breath.

Well, that's the first human I've ever met that actually cared about my opinion.

    Plug your ears and take that sentence out of your mind forever. I did NOT just say that.

    "Well, it's too bad I didn't win," Britney said, letting Torch out.

    "We didn't win?" The fire chick roared. He advanced on me. "Of course we didn't, you were her last hope, and you failed!"

    "At least I was able to beat that Snivy," I said back. "Got pounded by a grass type, you did. It was a girl too, by the way."

    He blushed furiously. "I- I-"

    "-have nothing to say to that?" I taunted back, pleasantly watching him give a silent tantrum.

    "What should we do now?" Britney asked. "We should train again before signing up."

    Torch nodded, but I groaned. I really don't want any more injuries. That burn on my chest hasn't gotten any better.

    Britney smiled. "How should we train? Should you two go against each other? We could ask someone to train with us?" She immediately scanned the area. Eventually she spotted a blonde girl walking across the street with a Raichu skipping along next to her.

    "Hey, you!" Britney shouted, and the girl turned curiously. She hesitated before coming over.

    "Hello?" She asked nervously, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. The Raichu looked at me curiously while Britney asked for a battle.

    "Why are you all beaten up?" the Raichu asked, studying the whip marks. "Oh- you were in the battle yesterday! Shouldn't you have gotten healed?"

    "Should have," I said through gritted teeth.

    The Raichu frowned, looking at Britney. "Why not?"

    Suddenly Britney squealed, "yes! Who should fight your Raichu?"

    The shy girl glanced at me. "Maybe the Tor-"

    "Horn!" Britney declared, and I groaned. The Raichu blushed.

    "He looks hurt," the girl pointed out.