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

#108 Lickitung

Lickitung, the Licking Pokémon. Whenever Lickitung comes across something new, it will unfailingly give it a lick. It does so because it memorizes things by texture and by taste. It is somewhat put off by sour things.

As a nurse on the road, Nurse Isabelle's life was filled with tiny events. However, today could be a big day for two people she held dear to her heart. Therefore, she had spent more attention to her appearance than ever. Her hair, though braided, shone healthily and curling bangs framed her face. She wore form-fitting jeans and a silky shirt that reminded her of Pidgeot's mane.

Despite being half an hour early at the meeting room of Celadon City Pokémon Centre, she was not the first one. Her friend Wendy Foxglove already sat on top of the meeting table with her back towards the door. Wendy looked good; she had changed her usual uniform (which she rarely kept to, anyway) into a knee-length, flowery dress. The same colour flowers were also in her hair. Isabelle couldn't tell whether they were fake or real. Knowing Wendy, they probably were real.

Walking up to the younger nurse, Isabelle saw what she was doing: she was squirting a Lickitung's tongue with a spray bottle in the shape of a Bellsprout, which was an interesting design for a spray bottle, Isabelle thought.

"Hey Wen. Nice Lickitung. When did you catch him?" Izzy said, sitting down at the head of the table, because it had the most comfortable chair.

"Oh, Licky's not mine. He just follows me around," Wendy declared as if this was the most common thing in the world. Isabelle pulled a thoughtful look.

"Why haven't you caught him?"

"Because he likes to be free!" At that exclamation, she spread her arms as if she were a Pidgey herself. Lickitung did the same, though his reach was much less.

"Right. Have you seen our guest yet?"

"Mhmhm," Wendy hummed affirmatively. "He went to make a phone call back home, he said."

Not long after that, Gary Oak arrived and sat down on Izzy's left, for Wendy sat on her right.

"All right, everyone," Isabelle started. "We are here because Professor Oak could use help with all the Pokémon in his care in Pallet Town. The amount of active trainers is growing and the professor is not getting any younger. Gary Oak here will represent Professor Oak, as he is too busy to come himself. Also, he has the best for the professor at heart." Gary nodded.

"Wendy Foxglove here is the nurse I recommend for this position. Even though we both graduated just over a year ago, Wendy has a gift with Pokémon that cannot be denied. This Lickitung, for example," Isabelle gestured to the plump guy in the corner who was squirting himself with the Bellsprout water bottle. "Wendy just told me this Lickitung is not hers. He just started following her around and she's fine with it." Wendy beamed a bright smile and Gary raised an eyebrow. Since he was a decent competitive fighter, this was rather odd to him.

For the duration of the meeting, Gary and Wendy discussed work ethics, dreams, and skills. Isabelle occasionally needed to act as an interpreter since Gary talked business and Wendy spoke Pokémon. However, what seemed to impress Gary most was Wendy's dream of a Pokémon Sanctuary. It said most about her character in a way that fitted Professor Oak's current lifestyle very well; she would not try to use the Pokémon for her own gain or battle them against each other. She genuinely cared for their well-being alone.

At the end of the meeting, both shook each other's hand and then Izzy's hand. "I'll be in touch," Gary said with a wink, causing Wendy to giggle and blush. Isabelle's eyebrows raised up into her hairline. Of all people to match, this was not one Isabelle had thought could happen.