ITT: We Have All Become Pokémon

Room 17, Foxfell Hospital

Yeah, well...I'll gladly take any help you might want to give me in the future. But I trust myself to move away from the obsession that caused me to end up like this.

In this particular moment I start to see the others start to trickle into the room. I'm none the more relieved to see all of them.

Guys! I'm so glad you're all here! I can't really move my leg right now but...please, come closer!

Foxfell (Hospital)

(Man, that Espeon really gets around. It's almost starting to weird me out. But now's probably not the time to dwell on that. I move inside. Marsha moves to stand beside Marlon's bed while I stand with Delilah close by.)

How's your leg, dude? (I ask.) It's nothing too serious, right?

Noriaki and Hikari approach, both bowing their heads a bit at the Espeon as they pass.

"Hello again, Marlon" said Noriaki, "How are you feeling?"

"We heard you're expected to make a recovery" said Hikari, "We are happy to hear that."

Room 17

Well, I'm still in pain and from what I've gleaned over I'm not gonna be able to walk for a few days, but I'm feeling far more optimistic than I feel like I've ever had ever since this all happened. Any recovery is good, because I don't want to ever have to do this again.

The Blissey receptionist follows in to back up Noriaki.

Yep, honey, that is correct. We just need Dr. Star to come in and begin the next steps with you, alright? Just sit tight.

As she goes to leave to fetch Dr. Star I look around the group assembled (and perhaps others also filing in.)

But I do want to talk to you all about how I've handled myself recently...and why exactly I didn't seek help much sooner.

While nearly everyone else went off to visit Marlon, I remained at the castle. An uneasy frown was engraved on my face. I dunno how Marlon's leg could've possibly gotten that bad with Hikari's treatment.
… Unless he… didn't get it treated…?
Nah, he can't be that thick, can he? Either way, with him out of commission like that, the gang's lost an asset. Maybe not permanently, but everyone else would still need to pick up the slack.
… Guess I better do my part, then. Luckily, of all the people who went to visit Marlon, a certain someone remained.
"Mom?"

Foxfell (Hospital)

Well, what do you have to say, Marlon? (Delilah asks, crossing her arms.)

Edited by kablammin45 on Jan 8th 2020 at 9:18:31 AM

"Well then... We're listening" said Noriaki.

Room 17

I mean....where do I start? My general gung-ho attitude to fighting, that got me into the mess with this leg to begin with, and got us into sticky situations before...and what exactly happened for this to get worse. Now, I don't blame you or Goobert for what ensued on Danjor Island, but I was so driven to save him that I put the needs of trying to save another over keeping myself healthy and in one piece. We were always gonna get you back, man, but I took it too far and could have lost a leg for it. Does this make any sense?

Foxfell (Hospital)

Well, yeah, I mean... (I try to think of what to say.) Yeah, helping people is cool and all, but you can't run yourself ragged.

Exactly. (Delilah says.) You can't just forget to take care of yourself when you try to help Goobert or anyone else, Marlon. Any longer and you probably would have been worse off than you are right now. Plus, you're not the only one looking out for Goobert. I'm looking out for him, Noriaki is looking out for him, Goobert's looking out for us, too...we're ALL looking out for each other whenever we get into these things.

Room 17

I know, Delilah. In retrospect I just cannot believe that in my pursuit of trying to be a hero once again I almost let myself get that much worse than it ultimately did. I have all of you guys for a reason, and this time I appreciate that more than I ever have. I want to lean on you guys to help me learn to break from wanting to do the heroic thing without thinking first, and to always have my back as I would yours...but I just generally want to learn to be more reasonable in how I approach the things we inevitably get ourselves wrapped up in. Can you guarantee that?

Edited by Team42Larson on Jan 8th 2020 at 10:17:25 AM

"Yes, there is no shame on relying on your allies" said Noriaki, "You have plenty of strong comrades in this group. As long as you keep that in mind going forward, I am sure you'll fare just fine."

Hikari spoke up, "Yes, and perhaps learn when it is best to take some time to rest. You don't always need to be on the front lines when danger appears."

Foxfell Hospital

"Speaking of taking carrrre of yourselves... I recall seeing that your companion, Eliot, wasn't in the best of states. I believe therrrre may be something to be done there, but I shall have to let you know in the futurrrrre."

Uryu has taken to preening himself in the interim, staring under his raised paw to speak to the assembled mons even as he smooths out the fur around his face. His smile hasn't faltered either, offering his best attempts to soothe everyone present as he purrs out his comments.

Foxfell Castle

Still wandering about the castle, having difficulty sitting still even with Mila now back (though with how quickly the Raichu collapsed on her bed, Autumn hardly had time to talk to the 'chu) Autumn finds herself caught a little off-guard by Nyquil's comments. She'd assumed that he would have gone off to check in on Marlon, she couldn't imagine that he was keeping himself away so as not to chew him out at least.

"Huh? Niles, what's the matter?"

"Can you teach me how to use Protect?" I ask, getting right to the point. "The guards said they would teach me later, but I thought that I could get a head start, just in case." Just in case I'm gonna need it. "Besides, you seem to know ins and outs on it, so…"

Foxfell (Hospital)

Yeahs, and remembah that we're all heres for yas. (Marsha says, giving Marlon's hand a squeeze.)

Yeah, dude! (I say, trying to give Marlon a thumbs-up...man, it's so hard to do with just two fingers on your hand.)

(Oh, right, Eliot! I haven't even seen him since we got here! Benji, Dinah, and Lucy didn't sound like they had seen him yet either when we talked to them before going into the hospital.) Uh, do you know where Eliot is? (I ask Uryu.)

(A Clefable doctor enters the room as I ask this.)

Room 17

I smile (perhaps for the first time in at least a few days) as I get the reassurances I need that again, I have the tight people surrounding me going forward, the ones who'll help me get msyelf right. Upon heating the mention of Eliot I also snap to asking a question about him.

Oh, right—I heard about how he uh...had multiple personalities. Did you find the root cause of it? Is he getting better?

As the doctor enters the room the Blissey re-enters the room as well. She says nothing for now, given an ongoing conversation, but motions for Dr. Star to start discussing the next steps to me.

I'd hate to get in the middle of their reunion, Doc, but I think you need to go ahead and discuss what's next with him.

Edited by Team42Larson on Jan 9th 2020 at 5:15:22 AM

Noriaki, having overheard the Blissey and doctor's exchange, nodded to them.

"Do not worry about us, Marlon's health and the plan going forward for that is important" he assured the doctor.

Foxfell (Hospital)

Right, right... (The doctor walks up to Marlon.) Alright, Marlon, you'll have to spend a few days in rehab here, but after that, you should be able to go. Make sure to still get plenty of rest and not work your leg too hard for at least a while, though.

Foxfell Hospital

(For a while, I stayed inside the waiting room. Hoping that it'll all go well. When the news that Marlon's gonna be fine with some recovery, I felt some sense of relief. At the very least, he's able to walk in the future. I did spend some time thinking to myself. If I did any more reckless shit, I'd end up there with him or worse: six feet under. I should count my blessings because lord knows how many I still have. Shoulder's feeling better, but I shouldn't try a move like that too often.)

(Might as well check up on him and see how he's doing. I got up and followed the directions for a Room 17.)

Room 17

(With a few knocks I came inside the room to see a few familiar faces and one not-so familiar. I made myself known with a question for the patient of the hour.) Hope I'm not interrupting. How's Marlon feeling?

Room 17

Oh, of course, Doc! With a support system like this around me I'll be more than fine following these orders. It'll be a dream for me to get my full capabilities back.

At this moment Grigs finally also trickles into the room, and I greet him as he does.

Oh, Grigs! I'll be fine, man. We were just talking with Uryu about Eliot. Have you seen him?

"He really just needs a few days to recover, he should eventually regain at least most of his leg's functionality" Noriaki explained further.

Room 17

That's good to hear. (No amputations at the very least, so can't complain about the medical technology. I assume "Uryu" is one of the doctors, not sure which one. Regardless, I answered Marlon's question about the Smeargle, somewhat curious on why they brought him up.) Nope. He's probably at the castle by now.

Foxfell Hospital

"Indeed, orrr rather, he has been these past few days. I can't speak for his prrrrresent location, of course. I can't say I know exactly how to currrrrre him either, but."

Uryu pauses for a second, watching the expressions of the mons around him as he speaks. He can't help but smile a bit when he spots any that might be looking over towards him, though he keeps calm and only finishes his thought after licking clean his paw once more.

"I've hearrrrrd of those who've dealt with and helped currrre similar issues in the past, and I have ways to rrrreach them, shall we say?"

Foxfell Castle

"Hmm? Teach—? Oh, of course! Let's just get to the training room first... err, you lead the way on that one."

As much as it embarrasses and amuses her to admit, Autumn isn't completely knowledgeable about her expansive home. Admittedly, she was never one to watch the guards train, especially given her dedication to nonaggression. At least it was somewhere she knew Nyquil would be familiar with, so she wouldn't have to show her lack of knowledge by asking a less familiar guard— not that they'd laugh at her to her face about it, but she knew how word got around in this place.

I blink for a moment. Does she… not know where it is? But I shake the thought from my head, because I dunno if I can blame her. It's an entire castle.
"Right. It's this way. I think." Luckily, the training grounds are pretty easy to find, so I should be able to get us there.
Should.

Foxfell

Man, we haven't even seen him yet since we got back here. (I remark.) Think we should go back by the castle once we head out of here?

(The whole thing about Eliot is really worrying me, though. What's he going to be like when we see him again?)

Room 17

I listen along and realize that Uryu probably has a real handle on this, but also Eliot isn't anywhere immediate. This is obviously kind of a problem.

I'm not gonna be able to walk on this, as I've said, so if any of you do find Eliot over the next few days, would you be able to send him this way?

Edited by Team42Larson on Jan 10th 2020 at 6:37:23 AM