Nightingale Chronicles

Aria is partially recovered from the eruption and has too make a sudden decision. Will she continue on her journey to become a Pokemon master? Or will she go to Jhoto to live with her mom.

Chapter 4

 

   When I was finally able to go down stairs, with Gary’s help of course, the sight wasn’t what I had expected. There were easily 5-10 people lying on the floor of the living room. I recognized most of the people. They were all from Cinnabar Island. Had they all been affected by it? How much damage had the eruption caused? I saw one of the older ladies leaning against the couch with her husband in her lap.

“I need your help.” I told Gary. I stumbled over to my neighbour and kneeled beside her.

“Mrs. Luray, let me help you up to a more comfortable place.” I gripped her arm  as stiffly as I could and hoisted her up to her feet while Gary helped her husband.

“By goodness, Aria is that you?” I nodded.

“Yes. I’m so happy to see that you and Mr. Luray are all right.” I led her up the stairs letting her lean on me, while I leaned on the railing. I guided them to the bed I had laid in previously.

   We got them settled and exited the room.

“Mr. Luray has a bad back and needs a stiff bed to sleep without worries of waking up in the morning without pain. Mrs Luray and my mom use to talk about it all the time.” I leaned against the wall and stared at Gary and smiled.

“Thanks for your help.” Suddenly my side erupted in pain and wetness. I slumped to the floor in pain, crying out.

“You idiot, you ripped your stitches.” He kneeled be side me and lifted up the side of my shirt.

“You’re going to need new stitches and your bandages have to be rewrapped.”

“Do you lift up girl‘s shirts often Mr. Oak?” I looked over Gary’s shoulder and stared at a woman in an apron with brown hair and brown eyes. She was a little taller then Gary but looked like she could take on anything. Gary quickly removed his hand from my side, his hand red with my blood.

“Oh my, you’re bleeding. Here let me stitch you up. Gary take her to the bathroom and clean up her wound. Cut out the old stitches and throw away that bloody bandage. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” She hurried down the steps. Gary picked me up and carried me over to a door and kicked it open. He set me down on the toilet seat.

“Pick your shirt up while I find the scissors.” I lifted up my shirt with my right hand, so that my left side wouldn’t be in pain.

 

The process was painful but ended quickly, the lady, now known as Mrs. Ketchum, claimed she sewed a lot and had a lot of practise stitching up her sons wounds when he was younger.

“Is your son’s name Ash by any chance?” The question seemed to catch her off guard.

“Yes have you heard of him, he has become quite famous lately.” I shook my head. I remembered him from the diner on my tenth birthday.

“No, I’ve met him, when I was ten I met him and his friends at a diner on my birthday. He had a really cute Pikachu that was really nice to me. Also one of his friends hit on my mom, it was creepy.” I shuddered at the memory.

“There done.” She taped the bandage closed and stood, Gary was leaning on the sink cleaning the needle and scissors.

“That’s nice; I haven’t seen Ash since he left for the Hoenn region a few months ago.” I nodded. Gary walked me back to the room I ha been in before so I could get my bag. It shuddered in my arms.

“My Pokegear!” I exclaimed. I had forgotten about the thing this whole time. I dug through my bag and pulled it out.

“Hello.” My breath was shallow as panic washed over me.

“Aria is that you sweetie? Oh thank Arceus you’re really ok. I had talked to Oak before but he had told me you had been unconscious since they had found you a week ago.”

“Grandpa, what day is it?” My voice wavered, how long had I been out for?

“It’s August the third.” I had been out for almost a month how had I been able to sleep for that long? I felt myself being drawn out of my thoughts as I realised that my grandfather had been talking.

“-the island was cleared and no one was hurt too badly and no one that we know of died. But the island…” My breath caught.

“It’s uninhabitable.  The lava has hardened in most places but no one can search the whole island, the center of it is still bubbling with lava.” I nodded ignorant of the fact that he couldn’t see me. Still it was a relief to hear his voice and know that he was ok. He had started talking again.

“Your mom is staying with her sister in Goldenrod City. That’s in Jhoto if you remember. I have already called her and she knows that you’re ok. I told her that you’re in Pallet Town. You have the option. Do you want to continue your journey to become a trainer or do you want to go to Jhoto?” The question hit me fast and hard, but the answer was clear even before I could think about it.

“I’m staying, I’m gonna make you proud. Then I’m going to come to Cinnabar and get that badge.” A smile spread across my face.

“After I get better though. I’m a little torn up at the moment.” I heard him laugh deeply.

“That’s my girl. Get some rest and don’t strain yourself. I’ll see you when you get here.” The line went dead and I threw the phone into my bag.

“You should wait a week before going. Just so you can heal and rest.” Gary was standing across from me, his arms crossed over his chest.  I sighed as my reply.

“Oh yea, someone has been wanting to see you.”

 

   He forgot to mention that, the someone he was talking about was the Lapras that had saved me. When it saw me it whistled and barked loudly. Obviously quite happy to know I was still alive. I outstretched my hand so that he could sniff me. He didn’t even bother but nudged his head under my hand, whistling softly in contentment. It was the first time I actually had the chance to look at the ‘amazing’ Lapras. His skin was purple and his eyes were a deep red. In the water he was about a foot taller then me if he had his neck outstretched.

“He’s been here this whole time. I had to visit him every day and tell him how you were so he wouldn’t try sliding out to Mrs. Ketchum’s house.” I laughed.

“I appreciate your concern, but as you can see, I’m nearly healed.” An idea flashed through my head almost making me jump for joy if not for the pain I would experience.

“When I’m healed, would you like to be my starter Pokémon?” It was perfect. We already liked each other, as far as I could tell, and the first Gym would be a snap. The Lapras looked at me intently. I coughed nervously; maybe our bond wasn’t as well formed as I’d thought it was.

Lapras barked happily and nudged my hand, which was still outstretched, and licked my palm.

“Have you ever caught a Pokémon before?” Gary had been silent the whole time Lapras and I had been reuniting.  I shook my head, the one thing my grandfather hadn’t shown me.

“It’s pretty easy.” He handed me a poke ball from his pocket. “Just throw it at Lapras, or which ever Pokémon you want to catch, and depending on if the Pokémon wants to be caught or not or if their weak enough.” I nodded grasping the information and storing it into my memory.

“Go ahead.” Faced Lapras and smiled at it. I held out the poke ball and Lapras touched the capture button with its nose. Suddenly Lapras became a red light and seemed to float into the poke ball.

“What the-” The capture button faded faintly like a light switch turning off and on. Suddenly it emitted a sound that sounded like a ‘click’ and the light from the capture button ceased.

“I didn’t, I caught my first Pokémon.” The smile already on my face spread even wider. I turned and faced Gary.

“Thank you so much for your help Gary.” He smiled.  “It’s better if you let them out for a little while so that you can spend time with them.” As soon as he finished his words, a red light exploded from the poke ball and Lapras appeared in the water again. He whistled loudly. He nudged my undamaged side toward his shell.

“You want to go for a ride?” I looked at Gary.

“Do you want to come?” He shrugged, “Sure, I’d be able to make sure you don’t tear your stitches again.” I grabbed Lapras neck and stepped cautiously onto his shell which seemed to have the right bumps in the right places for my feet to fit into. Gary stepped on to Lapras easily.

“Have you ever ridden on a Lapras before?” He shook his head.

“Nope, this is my first time.” I had seen competitions where riders had raced Lapras around a track competing to collect rings and come in first place. I obviously wasn’t one of those riders, but I knew a safe position. I let my legs fall over its neck so that my feet almost touched the water.

“Over time he’ll grow to be over 8ft tall and almost half a ton.” My eyes widened.

“How do you know so much?” He placed his hands on my waist.

“I’m the grandson of Professor Oak, the most famous Pokémon researcher; I should at least now this.” He had a good point. Being the granddaughter of a fire gym leader, I knew things that most people didn’t know about fire types and the moves that they use.

“Here we go.” Gripped one sides of Lapras shell just as he turned and speed into open water. I let out a joyous scream.

 

 

Author's Note

Tell me what you think. You see anything that would be worded better feel free to tell me. Enjoy.