“The nerve of that grrah!” I scream as I strangle my pillow. “I challenged her to a battle, and she dared to deny me ‘because’ all I have are wild pokemon following me around!” I scream as I throw my pillow while I rage. “I cannot believe they were waiting for me to wake up JUST to tell me that NONE of my pokemon survived!” My umbreon hops onto my bed with my pillow. I snatch at it, but she evades me. I try again and she evades once again. I sigh heavily and take a calming breath. “Are you insisting that I calm down, girl?” She drops the pillow and puts a paw on top of it.
“Room service Ms. Oline.” says the nurse as she walks in with a cart filled with meats, pastries, and a variety of berries. “You didn’t have much written on your trainer profile, so I peeked at Blink’s info for meal ideas. I’m not sure what’s good for an umbreon to eat but I called Nurse Joy in Castelia City, and she sent me a meal plan. She also said your pokemon’s flavor preferences will take after your preferences since the two of you have been together for so long. So, take a few bites and then tell me what had you in here raging worse than a gyrados.”
Maybe it was the food in front of me or my partner waiting patiently in front of her food, but I chuckled at the nurse's words. “Sounds like a plan.”
I had been shoving the amazing food in my mouth for a few minutes when the nurse put a firm hand on my wrist. I looked up to see my poor umbreon pouting as the nurse held her by the scruff of her neck. “Alright you two, take a break and let that food settle. You are both acting like munchlax.” says the nurse with some strain in her voice. She lays umbreon on the bed with me and starts to move our leftovers to the side and covers everything. Maybe she really just means a break and we can finish the rest soon. Hmmm, two plates and three bowls are stacked to the side. Have I really ate that much? Those dishes were overflowing with food. “Umm. . . so, please tell the cook that the food is great and that I really appreciate it.” I said, somewhat tired now that I started to feel how much I had actually eaten. The nurse simply nods as she works to straighten up.
Umbreon lays down next to me but continues to stare at the huge pot that I suppose her meal came from. To my surprise, the nurse pulls a chair next to my bed and settles in for a conversation. “From my experience, the JA of Unova told you that your entire team is listed as K. I. A. Your trainer privileges are suspended until you register at least one new pokemon, which you cannot do until you pass a written exam that will emphasis Journey safety. This umbreon here,” She waves a hand toward the former Blink. “Must undergo a complete physical and certified training before you may register, it as your official starter pokemon. The real icing on the cake is that once you were suspended, your parents had the right to make all these decisions for you while you were out of commission.” the nurse sighed as she saw the confirmation on my face and simply asked, “When did your parents schedule your Journey safety class to start?”
Her matter-of-fact tone surprised me, but she was older than me. She’s also a trained professional that’s seen this play out before. “Nurse, what’s your name?” Oddly enough, that question seemed to surprise her, and she blushed as she nervously answered. “It’s ummm well ya see, my first name is Carmine, and I umm well married into the Joy clan last year. Please do not call me Nurse Joy. It’s embarrassing.”
Oh my gosh! I bet it is! A nurse Joy that is a nurse but not a Nurse Joy! Oh, I guess the family that all look alike is a real thing here too. Maybe? “Sorry to embarrass you. I just wanted to know your name. You’ve been nice to me since I woke up and defended my partner when I couldn’t. Mrs. Carmine, is it alright if I consider you a friend?” I asked with all the bashfulness of a ten-year-old despite my age because as I started talking, tears started to fall. Maybe I was just overwhelmed or maybe I hadn’t recovered physically yet, but the tears came.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Mrs. Carmine pulled out her berry bag and handed me a bowl of oran berries. She motioned for me to pass my tablet to her and tapped around on it for a few minutes then handed it back to me. There was her name, nurse number, clan title, trainer title, phone number and mailing address. I blinked and rubbed the last of the tears out of my eyes. No way!
I looked at Carmine and then the screen a couple of times before I could speak. “You. . . you are an Elite Four finalist! Aa and and Master nurse of the Joy clan?!” I exclaimed in awe. The lady with broad shoulders and a full figure, pats at her dull black hair pretending to straighten up her perfect hair bun low on her neck. Her red eyes sparkle and the light skin around her cheeks is covered in a rosy blush of modesty as she says. “I was and I am. The Joy clan gave me a test six months after I married into the clan. As for the certification, well I am going to lose that title and my trainer status soon. It’s almost been two years since I earned the right to challenge the Elite Four. Since I’m not part of a gym and I’m not a certified breeder, I can’t maintain my trainer status much longer so I will forfeit my shot at the Four once I lose my status as a Pokemon trainer.
I waited eagerly, for a few minutes. There’s a long story coming, right? Mrs. Carmine fidgets with something in her apron. It looks like the outline of a box. Oh? Is she carrying her badges around still? I lean back into my hospital bed and actually look at the woman in front of me. She acted so sure of herself and in command. She would explain herself when it was important for understanding and she was efficient. I assumed that she was in her thirties or forties because of what I’d seen but now that I watched her fidget in front of me, nervous about whether I would believe her, I could see it. Carmine Joy is young.
I felt my own cheeks flush as it dawned on me what she had just admitted and an envious “Wow.” escaped me. “That husband of yours is one amazing capture.” I told her with a twang of resentment. The nurse goes scarlet and asks. “Aren’t you going to demand to see my badges? Don’t you want proof?” she asks in disbelief. Heh, that’s why she carries them around. A smile spreads across my face. “I am only just starting my Journey but even I know that finding a perfect partner is worth more than any title.” Mrs. Carmine lets out a loud and boisterous laugh alongside a few tears. “My mother said those exact words to me and until I met Marcus, I thought she meant that my team was still lacking! Look at you and your old soul. You already know more than I did ten years ago!”
She earned a shot at the Elite Four when she was eighteen. I wonder if that’s normal. Probably not since she was ready to prove herself.
A few days ticked by in the hospital. My schedule could be called light if it hadn’t taken so much out of me. Umbreon and I started the morning with breakfast, then we watched T.V. until Nurse Carmine took me to physical therapy and took umbreon outside for some exercise. Once that was done, we returned to our room and shared lunch with our amazing nurse.
Carmine told me how she was buying and mixing umbreon’s food herself since the staff refused to do so. She agreed to let me cover some of the cost of food. I still had some money left in my personal account. Turns out, I really am a rich kid. I had been more surprised by all the zeros in my frozen trainer’s account!
After lunch there was more physical therapy. Carmine left work while I was still in therapy. I would return to my room to find cups of oran berries and an umbreon that was just as tired as I was. Last night she left a cup of chesto berries and a note praising how much effort umbreon had put into exercising. Was an Elite Four finalist training my girl?! I smiled despite the exhaustion because my umbreon, no, my partner, was getting tips from a pro.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLcZKDqAgCB0RT9xy9dWI9b_xVXdG6pzr&si=rlVHInea0t5aROaI
Whose your favorite character?
