Nurse Isabelle and the Johto Pokédex: the Trials of a Field Nurse

#007 Totodile

Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokémon. Much of the head's size is composed of Totodile's snout and strong jaws. Totodile tends to be playful by nature, and has a habit of biting anything it sees, including its Trainer. In the wild, Totodile prefers to live along the edges of bodies of water. – Nurse Evergreen

As was their usual routine, Dominic Whitewater woke before his fiancée did. While he dressed not so quietly, Isabelle Evergreen woke up. He would give her a kiss on her forehead and go out for a run with whichever Pokémon wished to join him. Having been cooped up for a long time, most of his Pokémon joined him, all except for Kingler, whose broken leg hurt him when he used it too much.

While Dominic was out, Isabelle showered and dressed. So when he came back, he was able to shower when she fed and groomed all the Pokémon. After a few months together, they moved as smoothly as a well-oiled machine.

In the lobby, excited chattering could be heard. Children between the ages 10 and 18 from Cianwood and its neighbouring villages had gathered to pick up their starters, with which they would start a relationship that would last a lifetime. One of these kids would be Hamilton Foster.

"You think you can guess who is he?" Dominic whispered in her ear. She could hear the grin in his voice. Chuckling, Isabelle scanned the crowd. She searched for a kid around fifteen years old, if she remembered correctly. What did guys even look like at that age? Could she rule out the ones with the moustache attempts?

Then, in the corner of her eye, she saw a tall-ish kid with brown hair. He had dyed his front lock a striking blue which framed familiar blue eyes. However, what sparked that surge of recognition was the excited grin that matched the one right next to her.

"The kid with the blue streak, near the front?" Izzy guessed.

"He did what?!" Dominic exclaimed. When she pointed to where she saw the boy, the young man saw the two of them and made his way over.

"Sup, Dom?" That grin never left his face. The differences were visible considering they had different fathers.

"Hal, what have you done? What is this?" Dominic asked, touching the dyed hair. He was joking, mostly, but still utterly surprised.

"Isn't it obvious? I dyed it! Doesn't it look rad?"

"Well, I think it looks lovely. What's the colour called?" Isabelle asked sweetly. It seems the elder brother was more conservative with his outfit choices.

"Thanks, miss! It's called "Golduck Blue". Are you Isabelle my bro told me about?"

Dominic wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her against his side.

"Yeah. I am," she replied with a brilliant smile. "You're Hamilton, I take it? Else we've been talking to the wrong boy."

The laugh that escaped was so like Dom's that it made the nurse laugh too.

"Attention soon-to-be trainers! Can everyone come to the lab?" A voice announced over the intercom.

"Woot! That's me! Gotta be fast," Hal exclaimed and dashed off with immeasurable energy.

"Let's go get breakfast," Dominic whispered in her ear. "They're getting the 'first-time trainer' speech about basic typing and such. They'll be a while."

Sipping a cup of tea, Izzy watched the parents chatter in the canteen. Their kids were making one of the most important decisions of their life. It was also the first time the parents had to slowly let go of their children.

Dominic was still eating, chewing on toast as he read a newspaper. His eggs caused stains, hiding some headline about poachers under yellow muck.

"What do you think he'll pick?" Isabelle asked to make some conversation.

"Who?" Dom asked with his mouth full.

"Hamilton!"

"Oh! Him. Kidding," he grinned at her. "It'll be Totodile. Mum's got one. All evolved and ancient, of course. Don't tell her I said that."

"What does your stepfather have?"

"David?" The answer was muffled again, signifying that he had taken another bite. "He hasn't got any."

"None at all?"

"Nah. Not really the travelling trainer type. Nox was that. My biological dad," he explained. "David is more of an office guy. He feeds some Pidgey that come by occasionally. He likes Pokémon, but is too busy with work to dedicate to them full time."

"Fair enough, I think? Not everyone's lives are all about Pokémon."

Some of the children returned, causing the parents to cheer. Each and every one of them held up a Pokéball and announced which starter they had chosen. After a short while, Hal showed up.

"Totodile!"

"Called it," Dom grinned at his newspaper as Izzy hooted and applauded for him.

As the two brothers hugged in excitement, Izzy went to get their bags to get ready to set out for Greybark village, which is where the Foster family lived.