I felt sick. A wave of nausea came on so violently that I couldn't focus. I stomach clenched and I lost my breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the snap of a finger. The taste was extremely unpleasant. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and held back my hair as I wretched again. I realized that I got vomit all over Ben's clothes and felt about ten times worse about my situation.
The Drapion was coming closer and I looked up, ashamed of how vulnerable I made myself. I was still attempting to get to my feet. I continued to wretch until nothing was coming up.
It. Sucked.
And now I was going to fail the past and—
A blur of pale green came between me and Drapion and attacked with a stunning array of light. Blinded temporarily, Drapion fell back, landing on the tablet and crushing it beneath its weight. I finished the Capture on one knee and shakily got to my feet, which were covered in... Actually, let's not talk about that anymore!
I felt worse after every slight movement. My blood felt like it was on fire. And the pain only got worse. I looked to Celebi, who was rather concerned. She nudged me with her head, as if to ask if I was okay. I nodded.
"Thank you for your help." I said to Celebi, giving a small nod to show my appreciation.
Despite the fact that I felt like shit and probably looked like it, too, I walked over to the Drapion, who was confused and disoriented after the steelhead's control was broken. The Drapion looked at the poison spike in my hand and had the decency to look ashamed.
It wasn't his fault. He was mind controlled. "Are you okay?" I asked him.
The Drapion gave me a look, then nodded. "You are the one that is hurt." A low, shrieky voice, which I could only assume was the Drapion's voice.
"I'm fine. It's just a scratch." I said. Then I realized more Steelheads were on there way and, as much as sure that I'm capable of getting out of here, there's no way in hell that I can get out of here before I was surrounded.
Before I could say anything, Drapion put me on his back. "You are in no condition to be..." I lost the other half of what Drapion said, but I'm sure it was about my health.
I looked over to the Steelhead. "We can't just leave him there." I said.
Drapion gave a noise of indignation.
"I know, I know... But he may have information. Information on how I could stop the other Steelheads from hurting other Pokemon, like they did to you."
Still not happy with having to bring the Steelhead, who seemed to have passed out somehow (Could it be tied to the control gloves and his rapid breathing?), Drapion started for the stairs, dragging the Steelhead behind him. I heard the continuous thunk thunk thunk behind me and winced.
Soon, Drapion opened the gates with some difficulty and dropped the Steelhead in the town plaza. Kira, Ravio, and Tanvir had been conversing with a pink-haired girl with kind blue eyes before looking over to us.
I heard Kira shriek, "Oh my Arceus!" And she rushed to my side and slid me off Drapion's back. The sudden movement made my stomach lurch and my skin prickled. This poison was horrible! I would never wish this kind of thing upon my worst enemy! How do Pokemon stand it?
"What happened?" Kira asked, taking in my gross appearance.
"I got hit by a poison spike." I weakly murmured.
Kira gave the pink haired girl a look. "Caiya, do me a favor and get your Oran Berry and Pecha Berry supply, as well as some of your herbs?" Kira asked.
Caiya meekly looked at me, giving me a strange look, then ran off to get the supplies.
Kira layed me on the ground. "Okay, so you're gonna live from this. You'll probably faint soon from the pain."
I gave her a fake grin. "What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine!" I said through clenched teeth. As if on cue, then pain got so much worse.
Kira continued to speak calmly to me, ignoring my obvious lie. "We're gonna get you cleaned up, though. You should return to your own time soon, but we need to patch you up. You're going to need to change out of those clothes. You're absolutely drenched in..." She shivered and didn't bother to finish her sentence.
I moved onto my knees and dry heaved again. My stomach kept doing backflips and it was horrible. I felt my eyes water from dry heaving so much and I harshly rubbed the water away before they could fall and make it look like I was crying. Kira eased me back into a reclining position and moved my back onto her legs.
She spoke quietly and calmly and assured me that I was okay. She was being so levelheaded and calm, and it just... She was being so nice. This time, actual tears pricked at my eyes. Everything hurt. Kira brushed my hair out of my eyes and continued to speak in hushed tones.
Ravio, who was looking on in shock, finally came to his senses. "I think the Steelhead is waking up!" He said.
Kira was about to get up and investigate, but Tanvir stopped her. "Summer needs somebody to watch over her right now until Caiya gets back." Tanvir said, talking over me even as I assured them that I was perfectly able to take care of myself. "Do this for me, Kira." Tanvir asked.
Kira gave a small smile. "I was planning on staying with our friend anyway. It seems she can't admit when she needs help."
Tanvir nodded and Drapion, who still hadn't left even though he was free to go at any time, lifted the Steelhead up to eye level with Tanvir.
"Where am I?" The Steelhead nervously asked.
"You're outside of the temple." Tanvir simply stated. Looking through the slits in the mask, Tanvir saw the man's worried and confused look. "Do... You remember what you just did?" He asked.
A spark of recognition found its way into the man's eyes. "Tanvir....?" He looked down to where Kira was running her hands through my hair to calm me down, ignoring how wet and sticky it was. "And Kira?"
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Kira barked harshly at the confused man, making me flinch. I really don't like Kira when she's mad. "You made your Drapion attack this girl!" She said, nodding down at me.
The Steelhead looked at me. "I wouldn't ever..." He trailed off in disbelief. "Why would you accuse me of such a horrible thing?"
Kira wasn't buying it. "You've got to remember it! What happened to you?"
Ravio piped in, "I really think he doesn't remember."
Kira groaned. "Fine. Just try and remember. But I'm not done with you yet!" She added with a glare.
Tanvir took the man into a house to talk to him further. Drapion sat down at my feet. Caiya finally returned.
She dropped a wooden box beside Kira. "There you are, Kira." Caiya said, though she was looking at me the whole time she spoke, as if I would attack her if she took her eyes off me for a moment. She stepped backwards away from us slowly, turning on her heel and scurrying off before Kira could even thank her.
Kira started rifling through the box. "You'll have to excuse her, Summer. She's never seen anyone quite like you before, and in such a condition." Kira told me. I nodded.
Kira took out a fruit. It was a Pecha Berry. "This is supposed to neutralize poison, but I think you're going to need more than a berry to patch you up." She admitted. "Let me see where Drapion hit you."
I lifted up my shirt to show the puncture wound in my side. It didn't seem to go in too deep, just enough to break the skin and inject the poison. Drapion looked away in shame. Kira applied a set mix of herbs to the wound on my side. I didn't mention my heel, because I felt bad enough that they were wasting their resources on me.
Kira talked me through what she was doing. "I'm going to apply this here and it'll help. The smell is awful, but it gets the job done. Okay, you look about done."
She was right. It smelled like rotten berries and week-old milk.
"I hope you'll still help us even though this happened, Summer." Ravio finally spoke.
I turned to him. "Of course!" I tried to stand up, but Kira insisted on helping. The unyielding pain I felt began to subside, but I was still nauseous and dizzy.
"Be careful. It'll take a few days before you're back to normal. Just take it easy, okay?" Kira begged.
I nodded.
Drapion allowed me to lean on him for support. "Thank you," I told him.
"No problem," Was his response. "I'll be waiting for you, so come back soon."
"No, don't wait for me." I said. "Because the next time I come back, it may be years."
"Then take me with you."
"You know I can't do that..."
Kira and Ravio gave me a look and I realized I was talking out loud to a Pokemon. I clapped a hand over my mouth, horrified that I exposed a secret that I didn't mean to reveal.
"Summer...Were you, er, conversing with that Pokemon?" Kira asked slowly.