The Viterals

Chapter 5: Wailmer Wars

A warm breeze swept into the cabin, and dusk came with it. In Pallet a snowstorm raged, but on the Orange Islands where Kirish lived, tropical weather was king. Zakana felt the warmth envelope him as his cold fever morphed into a dripping sweat. His mind drifted to his recent moments with Kirish. She was always an unstoppable force. To think that she had hurt all this time was unbelievable.

Yumin moved to the open door, peered out. "That's not good. Not good at all."

Zakana knew Yumin was trying to avoid what had just happened in the room.

"What are Wailmer Wars?" he asked.

The walking pink egg of a Pokémon waddled up to Yumin. "Chansey!" it said.

"I don't know yet." Yumin leaned down, looked into the Pokémon's eyes. "Chansey, keep watching after Zakana here, okay? I need to check on Kirish. This isn't good at all," he repeated.

"Chansey!" the Pokémon nodded, bobbed from one foot to the other.

Yumin stood tall, reached his full height of six feet. "Chansey took care of you and patched you up Zakana so show her some thanks. I'm going to check on Kirish. I think she's in a really vulnerable state right now. Not thinking straight." Yumin paused, pointed to a table against the south wall. "Use that Poke-talker if you need to get in touch with me. I've got the other. Be safe and don't do anything stupid. Wait until I get back, okay?"

Zakana nodded. "Where's Slowpoke?"

"Kirish and I took it the Pokémon Center down the road. It got banged a bit, but should be fine. If you feel well enough you can go pick it up. You'll be going to Celadon with me as soon as you're better. Then we can get to Bambi." Yumin shot Zakana a disturbing look that said, you better be ready. Then he shut the door.

"Chansey!" announced the Pokémon again, sidling up to the bed like a concerned relative. Its eyes and nose scrunched up, made its face seem even smaller on its oblong, misshapen body. Zakana lowered himself slowly so as not to irritate his shoulder any more, and laid his head on his pillow.

"Chansey," he sighed, unable to oppose these things any longer, said, "thank you."

"Chansey!"

"Some information would come in handy right about now. Where's Oodi when you need him?"

Zakana scanned the room for his backpack. He noticed where he was for the first time. He had been so out of sorts that he had forgotten where he was or how he'd gotten there. He was in Kirish's home and he had gotten there because of Yumin. It had been over 6 years since he'd been on the Orange Islands and if he never came back it would be too soon.

"Chansey, say . . . could you bring me that backpack from over there?" Zakana pointed to a chair across the room.

Chansey scuttled to the pack, brought it back immediately. "Chansey!"

"Thanks," he said, pulling back the zipper and removing the Pokedex. He let his backpack fall to the floor.

"Oodi," he said, opening his device. "Give me a read on this Pokémon."

"Chansey. The lucky Pokémon. Chansey are almost always associated with taking care of sick people and are usually used as healing Pokémon. They are said to bring good luck wherever they go."

"So, am I supposed to rub its lucky egg or something? Rub the top of its head?"

"Shall I use the jokes I am equipped with or answer truthfully in this situation?"

Zakana sighed. "If you're gonna use a joke just use it. It doesn't work if you ask beforehand."

"Then no, you probably shouldn't rub the Chansey."