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

#088 Grimer

Grimer, the Sludge Pokémon. Grimer's sludgy and rubbery body can be forced through any opening, however small it may be. This Pokémon enters sewer pipes to drink filthy wastewater. Grimer emerged from the sludge that settled on a polluted seabed. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germ- infested fluid from all over its body.

In the days after the incident with the Ekans, Isabelle got some exercise by walking around Celadon City with a lonely Pokémon. That way, Isabelle could recover without lying in bed all day. Working with Pokemon had always cheered up the nurse's daughter and, in time, it would do so again this time.

Today, Izzy was walking with a Gloom. She had evolved before her Oddish sisters have, and as a result of that, she has been cast out their little group. Still, she was a loving, little girl and liked to hold Izzy's hand with the arms she grew after her evolution.

Because her good friend Erika loved Grass-types, like her mother, Isabelle decided to visit the Celadon Gym grounds. However, at the Gym itself, the trainers told her that they had not seen the girl since morning. They reassured the young blonde that Erika was probably wandering the grounds surrounding the gym.

"Gloom Gloom!" The slightly-smelly Pokémon next to Izzy suddenly spoke up, pointing in some direction before heading off. Thanking the trainers at the door, Isabelle followed the surprisingly speedy Gloom.

The small Gloom led her to the older parts of the city, with loads of abandoned warehouses and sheds. Pokémon such as Mankey and Primeape liked to hang around here, because the buildings made a great playground. The little girl was worried for her friend. Erika was not supposed to come here. Their mothers had told them often. Still, Gloom rushed on. The place had an awful stench, too. It smelled like there was an open sewer or something was rotting. Trash, maybe? Whatever it was, it smelled foul. Then they heard a scream.

It came from one of the buildings. There, a foul-smelling blob of goo was roaring threateningly, which caused the female voice to scream out again. Gloom launched a Stun Spore to the Grimer of her own accord, while Isabelle dragged the girl away. Erika looked terrible. She was scraped all over and very filthy. Her mother would be so mad. As Izzy guided Erika outside, Gloom defeated and chased away the Grimer. When it came back, it reached up for Erika's hand, holding it while the girl cried.

"Don't cry, Eri. We're okay. See? Gloom is okay, too!" Izzy said.

"Gloom Gloom!"

The entire way home, Gloom held Erika's hand, even when they arrived at the Gym and were yelled at by Erika's mother. Izzy found the Gym Leader very scary, unlike her own, gentle mother. She was too young to realise this kind of sternness was because the Gym Leader had been worried sick and was really alarmed to see her daughter injured and filthy; she thought it was just anger.

Izzy received a frown from her own mother when Elenor came along after Erika's mother had called, to explain what happened. Because Erika needed to be bathed, Izzy was sent home. However, Gloom did not want to leave. She kept calling her name as she stood as close to Erika as possible, who hid behind the Grass-type.

"Mommy, Gloom saved Erika. I think she wants to stay with Eri," Izzy told Nurse Elenor Evergreen.

"Is that so? Astrid, what do you think?"

"Well, I have been trying to get Erika to open up to a Pokémon. I mean, it's about time she starts to learn how to deal with one. If Gloom is so dedicated to her, they both could learn a lot. Is Gloom up for adoption?"

"Yeah, she is. Came from a band of Oddish, but this one evolved when the others did not and so she was cast out." Elenor looked rather sad to see it happen.

"I see. Let's go inside to get the paperwork done. I'll sign her as property of the Gym, for now, until Erika's old enough to adopt it from the Gym."

Utterly excited, Izzy hugged Erika, who didn't seem to realise what was going on just yet. Luckily, she did over time, and that Gloom was still a very good friend to Erika to this day.