Set in Stone (A Pokèmon Fanfic)

Chapter 8

"Regina! Regina!"

I opened my eyes, and gasped. Green was standing over me, his face a picture of concern. His eyebrows were knitted together, and he was shaking me, hard. When he saw me awake, he shouted and hugged me. I swear, he took the breath right out of me- not in a good way. Panting, he leaned back and looked me over.

"You're awake!" he say joyfully, stating the obvious. "I thought you were dead!" He leaned in for another hug.

I gently pushed him away. Catching sight of myself in a mirror, I inhaled. I was pale grey, and sweat poured down my face in rivers. My pillow was already damp, and Green was pushing my head up, replacing the wet pillow with a clean one.

"Where am I?" I croaked, twisting my head to look at the scenery. I was in a hotel room, with two king sized beds and a table in between. A desk and TV were opposite me, and a minifridge, plus a coffee/tea maker sat on a plain wooden table. The windows opened out onto a stunning vista- the neat and orderly columns of trees.

"You're at the Cherrygrove City Pokemon Center," Green replied, perching himself on my bed.

"Pokemon Center?" I exclaimed, incredulous. "Why do they have hotel rooms?"

"To accomodate visiting trainers in towns without hotels," Green answered. "It's in a section hidden off the building. Room are cheap, and many people who don't want to travel fancy stay here."

I frowned. "How did we get here?" I asked changing the subject.

Green sighed. "After the battle, you turned grey and fell on the floor. You were writing and screaming, pleading with an unknown something that you hadn't failed them yet." Turning to me, he looked suspiciously at me.

"I'm probably right in saying you were pleading with your mother."

I nodded, and Green went on. "I picked you up and carried you to the nearest city, which happened to be this one. The boy kept up with me, asking me if you were okay. I said yes, of course."

I rolled my eyes. "I was totally okay," I said sarcastically. Green smiled.

"Anyways, he bothered me so much I gave him your number so he could check in from time to time, to see if you were okay."

I gasped. "Green!" I protested, weakly hitting his chest. I stopped and thought for a moment. "Where is he now?" I asked.

"He went back to his post," Green said. "He said he stays out there every day, to test out his, as he puts it, his 'top percentage rattata'." Green snickered. "I bet it's just a rattata he caught on the field."

I smirked. "No, it's actually a top percentage rattata," I said, drawing a surprised look from Green. "It has six IVs."

Green's mouth hung open. "Whaaaaa-" he started, but I cut him off.

"Continue, please," I said. Green nodded and went on.

"I got you to a Pokemon Center and bought you a room. The nurse, seeing your condition, insisted checking on you first. And so I carried you to the infirmary."

I rolled my eyes. "It seems to me you looked like a hero, carrying in the damsel in distress," I teased. Green smirked.

"Indeed I did," he replied. "And everyone was asking me if you were my girlfriend."

I blushed. "What?"

"Yep. I'm pretty popular in all the regions," Green said casually. "You'll see later on."

I was still curious. "What did you say?"

Green laughed. "I told them that yes, you were my new girlfriend."

I gasped. "Green!" My face was red now.

Green laughed louder, obviously pleased with my discomfort. "It'll be on the front page tomorrow," he promised. I covered my mouth.

"My parents will see that."

Green sobered. "Oh my gosh, I didn't realize that," he said. Now he was the uncomfortable one.

Changing the subject, I asked, "Then after you carried me in, what happened?"

"The nurse told me you apparently had a traumatic past, and led me up to a room. Then you woke up, and you know the rest." Green finished, rather lamely.

I frowned. "You didn't have to do all that for me, you know," I said softly. Green smiled.

"Yeah, but Reg, it's kind of hard to leave someone like you alone."

I was confused. What did Green mean by that?