Pokemon: Next Generation

Chapter 3: The Pokemon Center

Chapter 3: The Pokemon Center

Nurse Joy had been sitting outside her Pokemon Center, talking to her Chansey. I guessed it was a slow day somewhere in the rear of my mind.

"My Pidgeot's hurt. We were flying and flew into something on accident," I explained, looking at Daniel for help. He nodded, looking glad I hadn't gone around mentioning invisible walls to a nurse. They'd lock me up in some sort of mental institute for sure.

"Chansey, we need a stretcher," Nurse Joy called to Chansey, who waddled inside.

"No need, Nurse Joy. Felicity, use Psychic to carefully move Cloud, please," Amanda instructed. Felicity's eyes glowed blue and Cloud rose up off the ground, floating a couple feet in the air slowly through the now open doors of the Pokemon Center.

"I'll need time with him. Please feel free to use anything in the lobby and kitchen," Nurse Joy told us before hurrying inside after Felicity and Cloud.

I sank to the ground. Zuko rested his head on my lap.

"Emma," Daniel said soothingly. "It's not your fault."

I tried to sniff quietly.

"You didn't know that there was something there. Cloud's going to be ok. We got here faster than humanly possible to get him fixed up. He'll be alright." Daniel knelt down next to me, trying to force me to look at him.

I refused to make eye contact. Zuko, however, glared at him and growled.

"Fine. We'll leave you two alone. Anthony, Amanda, let's go inside." He stood back up and rubbed Smoky's neck before recalling him. Anthony returned Fortis to his Poke Ball as well and they followed Daniel inside. Fenrir sniffed and touched his nose to my head before following in a sympathetic gesture.

I was outside alone with Zuko who grunted, shifting positions so that he could look me in the eye. He was worried.

"Yeah. I am too," I told him. My voice shook.

He nudged me a bit, his dark blue head bumping against my cheek to dry my tears. Zuko's eyes showed determination as he tried to get across from me that it wasn't my fault.

"It feels like my fault, though."

Zuko looked toward the Pokemon Center, then stood up, grabbing my arm with his mouth and pulling gently.

"Yeah, we should go inside. Nurse Joy might have news soon."

I rose out of the dirt, brushed myself off, and walked numbly through the doors. Zuko followed me on all fours, glancing around for the others who were seated on some plushy pillows in a circle.

"Hi," I said in a dead voice.

"We haven't heard anything about Cloud yet." Amanda's eyes were wide and scared. "Daniel told us what happened since Anthony and I were behind and didn't see. That must have been why Fenrir veered off so suddenly."

"You think so?" I asked, interested.

"Is that why you did that, Fenrir?" Amanda asked him directly. Fenrir nodded, lashing his tail impatiently, "He's very sensitive to what's going on around him. That's why it's so hard for him to focus sometimes."

"What are we going to do about the invisible whatever it is?" Daniel asked in a hushed voice. "I think we need to find out what it is and why it's there."

"What if it's something dangerous?" Anthony's eyes narrowed. "You know what happened just half an hour ago. We shouldn't repeat it."

"You're new to hanging out with us, Anthony. We get into trouble and get our hands dirty. You know that's always been my style," Daniel retorted.