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

#104 Cubone

Cubone, the Lonely Pokémon. Cubone pines for the mother it will never see again. Seeing a likeness of its mother in the full moon, it cries. The stains on the skull the Pokémon wears are made by the tears it sheds.

Sometimes, while under treatment in a Pokémon centre, Pokémon became lonely. Their first night alone, especially, could be hard to take for some. So when Nurse Isabelle found Wendy Foxglove doing a shift in a centre she passed by, Izzy immediately volunteered for the night shift.

There they sat, in the lobby, with a cup of tea and a Pokémon on their lap. Isabelle cradled a Psyduck on her lap, who could not sleep unless she had physical contact. As Isabelle held it gently, the duck was fast asleep, resting against her breast and trusting the young nurse with her life.

Wendy held a Cubone on her lap. The poor thing had been crying all evening, but Wendy's Pokémon magic seemed to work once again. Aside from the occasional sniffle, the Ground-type Pokémon was silent.

Her friend from nursing school looked good. She had this glow on her face one would only get from doing something you love. Additionally, she wore a crown of many daisies wrought together, keeping her sandy hair in place. Where Izzy got freckles all over her face in summer, Wendy's face remained silky smooth, kissed lightly by the sun.

"I love this most about the job," Wendy spoke quietly. "Not healing the Pokémon of the kids that battle them too hard, but caring for the lonely and the weak. Caring for hatchlings, for example. Does that make sense?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yeah, I think about it, too, sometimes. It can get frustrating how careless some kids get with their Pokémon, but there's little we can do about it aside from lecture them. I've been helping Pokémon in need. I told you the Abra story, right? There are more Pokémon in trouble. I can feel it, and I'd like to help them."

"How noble!"

"Heh. Yeah... I met this guy. He's a Ranger and seems to feel the same as I do, only a bit more nature-oriented than I am. I remain a city-girl in my heart."

Wendy laughed. "I think I'd like to start a sanctuary. There was a tiny, hidden village that helped rehabilitate Pokémon, but it was abandoned when I sought it out. I'd like a proper sanctuary, about the size of the Safari Zone!" Wendy gestured something outstretched with her hands and Cubone, giggling, copied her. "That's a good boy," Wendy told him, kissing his skull.

Isabelle thought for a moment. "You know..." she began. "I think I know a place that might suit your needs. You know Professor Oak? He used to give lectures back at school. He has this laboratory where he studies Pokémon and has outstretched lands as far as the eye can see. However, he's getting old and his grandson is unable to help." Wendy's attention was fully on her blond friend. "I spoke to Gary, his grandson, recently and suggested that Oak should get some help with the Pokémon, so he can dedicate his time to the research, instead of caring for the hundreds of Pokémon. So, I kind of suggested you could do it?" Isabelle trailed off, a bit self-conscious about the fact she suggested something before asking permission.

Wendy remained silent for the longest of time and Izzy genuinely began to wonder if her friend had even heard her. Just as she was about to speak up, she exclaimed: "That's an amazing idea!" She spoke so loudly she woke Izzy's Psyduck up, who began quacking in terror as if she was under attack. It took a while to hush the Pokémon because the quacking made Cubone cry again.