Nurse Isabelle and the Kanto Pokédex: the Diary of a Travelling Nurse

#038 Ninetales

Ninetales, the Fox Pokémon. The evolved form of Vulpix. Ninetales is a very vengeful Pokémon that has been known to curse those who mistreat it. This intelligent Pokémon is able to understand human speech easily. It can live for 1,000 years, due to the energy within its nine tails, each of which is said to have a different mystical power. Observation has shown that it can swim. It can be found living in grasslands.

With the newly born Vulpix in her arms, Nurse Isabelle finally left the volcano. For a long moment, she merely stood outside with her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the wind on her overheated skin. Vulpix, however, soon got bored and wiggled his way out of her arms, walking his way down the path to the inn on unsteady paws.

Following Vulpix, Isabelle headed to the area behind the inn, where some of the Gym trainers who did not come from Cinnabar Island lived. At the very least, Isabelle wished to thank the trainer who had fed her while she took care of the egg.

Izzy found him at the back exit of the inn, brushing his Vulpix. He greeted her and invited her to sit next to him on the porch. The newly born Vulpix climbed on her lap, still attached to the nurse since she had been the first thing he saw when he hatched.

As Isabelle watched silently how the trainer brushed his Vulpix, the young one tries to coax a reply out of the older fox. It was easy to keep track of who was making a sound since the male's voice was lower. Then Isabelle noticed something about the female Vulpix.

"Hey, your Vulpix only has three tales," Isabelle said. The guy, called Cain, nodded.

"That's right. Cinder – that's her name – hatched only just before winter. She's too young to battle just yet, so Blaze, my Ninetales, nurses her until she's about a year old," Cain said. Isabelle nodded thoughtfully.

"Could your Ninetales take this Vulpix? Blaine said the egg was alone, and I cannot raise him myself. He should stay with the gym."

"That's an excellent idea!" Cain exclaimed. "Blaze sure wouldn't mind. While she is nursing, she does not have to fight and get her fur dirty." He jumped up, with Ember in his arms. "Oh... ehm ... is it alright if I take that Vulpix from you, then? I mean ... it's not yours..." The poor guy looked so embarrassed to be even asking such a thing, making Isabelle laugh.

"You have to ask Blaine. Vulpix was born in his gym. But I am okay with it. Aren't you, Vulpix?" "Vul!" The fire fox cried out.

As they headed over to where the nursing Pokémon rested, Cain explained he lived in the inn. Having come here with an egg and an overprotective Ninetales, he could not be of any use fighting for the gym, so Blaine appointed him the cook of the inn. Luckily for him, he said, he loved cooking. Isabelle smiled at him and thanked him for cooking for her, only just not realising she had wanted to thank him in the first place. It had been delicious, she said.

In a building with open boxes, barks and neighs could be heard from the several Pokémon inside. A soft cry came from the box they were headed to, causing Cinder to squirm and dash inside. By the time Cain and Izzy arrived, the fox was already nestled comfortably underneath Blaze's nine tails as Ninetales lounged in the box.

Isabelle knelt in front of the two and set the young, male Vulpix on his paws in front of them. Giving him a tiny nudge, she encouraged him to go to them. Standing at the arch of the door, Cain and Izzy watched anxiously to see if he would be accepted in the little family.

Blaze, the Ninetales, sniffed the male fox for a long minute before licking his snout. She pulled him near with her front paw and licked his head and snout vigorously. Isabelle could breathe again. She smiled at Cain and whispered:

"If Blaine is okay with it, you have yourself a new member of the family."

Later in the evening, Isabelle said goodbye to Blaine and Cain on the porch of the inn. Blaine heavily tried to convince Isabelle to stay longer; surely, Vulpix is too young to be left behind, but Isabelle convinced him Vulpix would be in good hands under the excellent care of Cain's Ninetales.

"Come back soon, then!" Blaine told her as Isabelle waved goodbye, walking down the road. "E-mail me!"

Taking the boat back to the mainland, Isabelle regretted a tiny little that she could not have enjoyed the island a bit more, but hatching an egg had been nearly as good for her soul as time off would have been.