David returns, setting the hairbrush on the front counter, and leans against the wall with a sigh.
"What is wrong with you?" Blare asks.
"I had no idea how much ground Kyla had to cover. I take every mean thing I ever said about her back." David replies.
"What did you say about her?" Blare asks curiously.
"Well, originally I thought my boss was just a girly girl with no work ethic, more and more I realized that was not the case. Now I see she is a harder worker than me. If she was a full-time trainer, I have no doubt she would have mastered Kanto by now, maybe even halfway through Johto too." David says.
"No offense taken, but fuck you, David." Kyla says from the other room, as she turns the corner with one of the drinks in her hand. "On another note, thank you for the drinks, supplies, and leaving your Pokemon to help Blare."
"Shit." David says as he falls into a chair with a thud. "You are welcome...."
"How was the area?" Kyla asks.
"Quiet as far as the main island is concerned. Oh, Blare, the Eevees say hello." David says.
"How far out did you go?" Kyla asks.
"The main island and the two closest." David answers.
Kyla chuckles. "That is why you are so worn out. Meet the crazies, huh?"
"The crazies?!" Blare asks.
"Yeah, there are two islands near the main island. One is barely ever visited by trainers, so wild Pokemon go there to avoid capture. The other thou.... is full of bat shit crazy Pokemon that will attack the first thing they see, without question." Kyla responds.
"What is their deal, seriously?! They just went berserk the minute I hit the beach." David exclaims.
"I have no idea. I figured that was the island Tentacruel came from, based on how he was acting." Kyla leans against the doorway. "Once captured, they are fine... most of the time, but sometimes they never get used to their trainers."
"How are you feeling?" David asks.
"Better, thanks for asking. Laying on Chaz was like cuddling with a warm blanket. He is up and about at full blast again, by the way." Kyla says.
"That is what he needed, bit of Protein and a long hug." David smiles.
"Do you hug your Pokemon, David?!" Kyla asks, annoyed.
"Yes, why wouldn't I?" David looks surprised at the question.
"I sleep with Eve every night if that counts." Blare says.
"That is sweet, Blare. That is a great way to bond, especially with an Eevee. They can be very.... unsure of themselves." David says. "It is very good that you give her that reassurance."
"What do you mean, unsure?" Blare looks down at Eve.
Eve looks away nervously.
"Eevee has eight different evolutions, for that reason they look to their trainers for signs of what evolution might best fit their personality. In your case, you are telling Eve that she is just fine the way she is, which is not bad. Everyone thinks a basic Eevee can't be strong, but that is far from the case. An Eevee aims to please and can grow as strong as it thinks it must to keep it's trainer happy." David replies.
Blare turns to Eve. "You are perfect the way you are, get as strong as you want, but always know we are together forever, no matter what."
Eve yelps and dances around happily joined quickly by Chika. The two dance around each other while the others talk.
"So, maybe give me another day....."
"Two days, Kyla, I am not changing my assessment." David interrupts. "You have been pushing yourself more than you let anyone know. And you primarily ride around on Chaz, which pushes him harder also. Am I wrong?"
Kyla looks away. "I do what I have to. This job, this island is very important to us."
Chaz walks into the main lobby, glaring at David.
Chika turns quickly and runs to the other room.
"No Chaz, not this time. You have both been pushing yourselves too hard. Without proper training, you both might be seriously injured if you have to break out another mega evolution." David says.
Chaz approaches David and looks him closely in the eyes. Chaz grunts at Kyla.
"Whatever makes you feel better." Kyla waves her hand as she returns to the other room.
"What, Chaz, are you mad at me for bossing Kyla around?" David asks.
Chaz does not respond, he continues to stare into David's eyes.
"If you and Kyla continue the way you have, the next few mega evolutions could mortally wound Kyla." David exclaims.
Chaz starts to see a reflection in David's eyes. He bares his teeth.
David grabs Chaz by the back of the head and pulls him closer. "I'll make myself very clear. Without proper training, Kyla could die. And I'll be damned if I am going to let that happen."
A single tear rolls down David's face. Chaz smiles gently and pulls way from David.
"Wait.... were you... testing me?" David asks with a surprised expression.
Chaz gently taps David's shoulder with his fist and walks to the next room.
David chuckles, whipping the tear away. "That Charizard really is her big brother." David turns away and goes to the back room.
"One big happy family." Blare hugs Eve close.
Eve barks happily.
An hour passes with no one talking. Kyla sleeps with her Pokemon while David and Blare continue their normal inventory checks. A sound of wheels coming to a hard stop outside catches David and Blare's attention as Jenny rushes in.
"David?!" Jenny shouts.
David walks out of the back room. "What's going on, Jenny."
"I found the trainer from yesterday, he seems to be....."
"Blind?" David asks, bluntly.
"Yes, but how did you know?" Jenny asks, confused.
"Kyla is recovering in the next room. Her situation is less severe, but I know exactly what is happening. He must have had Beedrill in Mega form for an excessive amount of time." David says.
"Can you help him?" Jenny asks.
"Bring him in... I will do what I can. Blare, grab two small test tubes out of the back." David orders.
"Right!" Blare rushes to the back lab area.
Jenny helps Chad inside and sits him in a reclining examination chair.
"Where am I?!" Chad asks, nervously.
"The Pokemon Clinic." David answers, rolling cross the floor on a chair. "And you, sir, are suffering from, what I like to call, mega consequences."
"Haha, Doc, that is original. Can you help my eyesight or not?" Chad asks.
"Should I help you? After all, you did this to yourself." David says.
"Wait, you said the Pokemon Clinic, right?" Chad asks.
"I did." David replies.
"Then Kyla is here..." Chad responds, unhappily.
"Recovering, to be exact, from a lesser issue." David responds. "You, however, took it way too far. The fact that you are still able to move is a testament to your training routine."
"Five miles every morning, Doc, with rocks in my backpack." Chad says proudly.
David turns away, examining a flask of liquid. "All that training without a proper diet to reinforce it. What a waste."
"It's not like healthy food grows on trees." Chad rebuts.
"On the contrary, they do. You could have asked some Aipom, that hang around the island, to show you, I am certain they would have pointed you in the right direction." David grins as he holds one of Chad's eyelids open.
"Whoaa, what are you doing?" Chad exclaims.
"Pouring something into your eye. It should determine whether you are shit out of luck or not." David says, pouring the liquid into one eye, then quickly into the other. "Tell me if you start seeing colors, or if you feel anything."
Chad stops moving, trying to focus on his eyes. "They feel.... cold."
"Good start, your nerves aren't shot. Next, can you see any colors, no matter how faint?" David asks.
Chad opens his eyelids, looking into a light David is shinning into his eye. "I think that is blue."
"I was hoping for red." David says monotoned.
"Why red?" Chad asks.
"The color of your blood, dumbass. That means there is a lack of blood going to your eyeballs." David says.
"Then how do we....."
"Increase blood flow? Easy, we turn you upside down, for starters." David says as he adjusts the examination chair to lean head first. "I would advice you hang on."
Chad grabs the arms of the examination chair. "Are you sure you are a Doctor?"
"Yep. Now, tell me again, what color you see." David shines the light in Chad's eye again.
"I think that is dark pink." Chad says.
David claps his hands. "Progress! There may be hope for you yet."
Chad smiles. "You have got to be the craziest Doctor I have ever met, but I can not argue with results."
David leans down to Chad. "I hope not, cause I didn't like seeing Kyla so out of her element. Next time, I might leave the room and let Chaz treat you."
"That... that isn't funny Doc." Chad stammers.
"I wasn't trying to be funny. Regardless, I will be back in about ten minutes." David opens the door. "You two play nice now!" David exits, leaving Chad by himself.
"DOC!!!" Chad exclaims as the door shuts.
David walks to the main lobby where Jenny is waiting.
"So, will he recover?" Jenny asks.
"One week, maybe two, but he will regain his eyesight. More importantly, I doubt he will be causing anyone much trouble." David smiles.
"Why is that?" Blare asks.
"Right now, he thinks he is alone with Chaz. The idea alone is enough to make him think his heavy breathing belongs to Chaz. That is better for his recovery, however, considering how fast his heart must be beating." David chuckles.
"That is mean!" Jenny says, surprised.
"Yeah well, the little shit caused me a lot of paperwork the other night, so this is just my way of saying thank you." David smiles gently.
"I'd hate to see what you did to your professors in college." Blare exclaims.
"Oh! Do you want to know?" David asks, excitedly.
"NO!" Jenny and Blare say at once.
David turns and begins going through drawers. "Fine, it was hilarious thou."
"Somehow I doubt your version of hilarious matches mine." Blare says as she looks around, suddenly realizing Jenny has left. "I think you scared Jenny off."
"One less woman trying to flirt with me, satisfactory result." David says as he looks at his watch. "About five more minutes."
"Where are we going to keep Chad till he recovers?" Blare asks.
"I will be nice, put him up in the hotel next door, given he makes a regular Doctor ordered progress report." David says.
"How is he going to do that, if he can not see?" Blare asks.
"Easy, he will be right next to my room." David shuffles through some papers.
"You live in the hotel?!" Blare asks.
"Yes, how do you think I handle this job, being the only Doctor for day and night shift?" David peeks over the papers.
"I... well...." Blare stammers.
"Look, don't rush it. I know you want to be of help around here, but you will learn everything you need to know by watching us work." David stands. "Want to come watch what I am doing to Chad?"
"Uh, yeah.... sure." Blare follows David back to the examination room.
David opens the door just as Chad cries out in surprise and falls off the chair.
"Did I alarm you?" David asks.
"I take it back, you are an asshole!" Chad exclaims.
"Takes one to know one, Chad." Blare says.
Chad sits and thinks for a moment. "Aren't you that chick that Growlithe and I battled?"
"Good to see your memory wasn't affected by that fall. Now." David pulls Chads head back and drops more liquid into his eyes. "Hold still."
"What is that?" Blare asks.
"Simple eye drops, I am dilating his eyes so they adjust to see more light. This was how I discovered his eyesight would improve at all." David says, holding up a light to Chad's eye. "Now, what do you see?"
Chad opens his eyes and stares at the light. "Bright red! I see bright red!!!" Chad answers excitedly.
"Good, progress at its finest." David puts his hand on Chad's shoulder. "Let's make a deal."
"What sort of deal, Doc?" Chad asks.
"I am going to make arrangements for you to stay in the hotel room next to mine, in return, you will continue with a strict diet and regular reports to me as things change." David requests.
"Sounds simple enough." Chad nods.
"Also, you can not care for your Pokemon in this state, so I must request you let Professor Ivory take care of them till you recover." David goes on.
"That is fair." Chad nods.
"You may pay my fee as you wish...."
"Wait, fee?!" Chad interrupts.
"Yes, fee. Reimbursing me for the hotel room, food, medical care, etc." David nods.
Chad hangs his head. "I hate to tell you this, Doc, but I am flat broke. I am actually stranded on the island because I have no money. That is also why I was battling so many people, I was doing some behind the scene betting with money I never had."
"Where have you been sleeping then?" Blare asks.
Chad looks in the direction of Blare's voice. "A tent in the woods."
David puts his hand over his face. "No wonder your diet was shit."
"Yeah... I was basically eating fish that I caught." Chad says.
"Then.... I will talk to Jenny about finding you something to do, once you recover." David says, monotoned.
"After you scared her away?" Blare glances at him.
David sighs. "Can't be helped. I will have to.... apologize."
"Me? Work with the police?!" Chad exclaims.
"It is the best I can do, take it or leave it." David says.
Chad thinks for a moment then outstretches his hand, almost hitting David in the face. "Deal!"
David takes Chad's hand and turns to Blare. "Think you can handle the clinic for a bit?"
"Yeah! No problem." Blare smiles.
Eve barks once for yes.
David helps Chad out of the clinic and to the hotel next door. Blare sits, going through paperwork, at the front desk. The front door opens with a beep and an older woman walks in. She is dressed in a fur coat, a red dress, and carrying an expensive handbag. Her high hill shoes tap the floor as she walks to the front counter.
Chika peeks around the corner, at the sound of the door opening. Her normally happy expression turns to one of shock, as she turns and runs to her Pokeball hitting the button and going inside.
Snorlax and Gyarados look at each other and shrug.
Blare stands and welcomes the woman. "Welcome to the Pokemon Clinic, how may I help you?"
The woman looks around. "Could you heal my Pokemon?"
"Yes Ma'am!" Blare says as she takes the woman's Pokeballs and puts them on the machine. "Do you need any supplies?" The machine finishes and Blare collects the Pokeballs.
"No, I think this will be all, for now. I am staying at the hotel, so if I need anything before I head out, I will stop by again." The woman says, taking back her Pokeballs and heads out the door.
"Thank you, come again!" Blare smiles.
Eve leaps out from behind the counter and runs to the other room where she finds Chika's Pokeball. She sniffs it then hits the button. Chika immediately leaps behind Snorlax to hide. Eve barks at Chika, waking Kyla.
"What is going on?" Kyla asks.
Chika runs to Kyla and buries her head into her arms.
"What's wrong, Chika? Did you have a bad dream?" Kyla asks.
Blare walks in. "What's wrong with her?"
"I have no idea." Kyla says.
Chika cries heavily into Kyla's arms. "CHIKA!!"
Eve runs to Blare and pulls at her shoe with her teeth.
"Eve! Do you know why Chika is so upset?" Blare asks.
Eve points her paw at the door with a nod.
"Blare, did someone come in the clinic?" Kyla asks.
"Yes, a woman about the same age as Ivory." Blare answers.
Kyla looks down at Chika with a worried expression and holds her close.