The Professor's Secret

5. The Ruthless Pyroar

The elevator screeched through the silent building, then it beeped, opening its doors inside Sycamore's office. I took a careful step inside, looking around in the dark – faint moonlight penetrated through the windows and served as the only source of light. The floor and every surface shone subtly under that silver spell.

"Sophie, didn't I dismiss you already?!" I heard his tired voice, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps.

Sycamore crossed his office and was suddenly in front of me. I froze, surprised by his looks: He no longer wore his coat, and his blue shirt was unbuttoned almost all the way down, revealing the soft contours of his chest and abdominal muscles.

His face looked tired – his hair slightly more unkempt than its style demanded.

"Why... Annie!" His voice dropped a few pitches, and sounded warm and solacing... it was enough to melt all my defenses against him!

"Professor Sycamore! It's Charmander... he's...." I started sobbing, my throat tensed up with all the torment I had been holding out.

"Hey... Shhh, shh... Calm down now, okay? Tell me peacefully... what is wrong with him?!" His hands reached me, encircled me and rested on my back. They'd occasionally rub my skin there in a form of incentive.

"I don't know... No one does! He's just... sad..." I explained.

"Well, why don't you let me take a look at him?!" His voice was almost a quiet whisper, meant specially to soothe my nerves.

I reached for my pokeball and watched with a childish sob. Professor Sycamore encouraged me with a warm and patient smile. I was reminded that even though the strings he touched in me would later produce pain, being in his presence was the most soothing remedy.

I released Charmander. The silence that both me and Sycamore seemed reluctant to break with more than whispers was immediately pierced by the beginning of the Pokémon's puppy cry. I saw Charmander begin to embrace himself in his saddest expression, when suddenly his eyes lit up – he looked about himself, recognizing the lab, then he darted immediately to Sycamore, jumping and grabbing hold of his leg. The latter laughed, playfully trying to be rid of the creature's grip.

"Hello there, little one! I missed you, too!"

I watched with amazement as all of Charmander's sadness washed away, instantly replaced by overwhelming joy.

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him..." Sycamore reached out and lifted him, observing closely. Charmander squirmed in his hands, desperate to play. "In fact, he looks much happier than when he left..."

I felt myself sink a little – I was the problem, indeed! Charmander couldn't wait to return to Sycamore, and that was the cause of his strange behaviors.

"I swear he looked like he could die just a few minutes ago..." I couldn't help but bitterly observe, then sighed.

I was relieved that there was nothing serious going on with him, of course... But I was also consumed with frustration now, showing Sycamore how I was not that brilliant trainer he had seen in me the day before.

"You, on the other hand..." He dropped Charmander and walked closer "You look like you've taken quite the beating."

"I ran all the way from Camphrier here, scared that he might just..." The words died in a mad sigh before I could utter them.

"Shhh, don't worry... Calm down now...!" Professor Sycamore's hands held my shoulders and leaded me into his office.

"He was trembling, and crying... He did it all night!" – I pursued, justifying myself and my anger.