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

#144 Articuno for DragonFelicis

Articuno, the Freeze Pokémon. When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it, making snow fall. It flies from icy mountain to icy mountain. According to legend, it appears before doomed travellers lost in icy regions. Articuno sometimes aids these travellers and guides them to safety. Articuno lives in cold, isolated locations, such as mountain peaks. – Nurse Evergreen

The advantage of posting articles online was that people could contact Nurse Isabelle and talk to her about her journeys. Another nurse from a northern outpost, for example, had responded to a recent article by inviting her over, promising a truly spectacular sight. Of course, Isabelle could not resist the temptation. The blond nurse knew this woman, like how she knew many other colleagues. Like the Goth Joy from Saffron City, this Joy also decided to differ from their family's characteristic appearance.

The first part of the journey north had been done on Ponyta, making swift time as she could gallop through fields and over sandy roads that no bus or car could take. However, it soon began to get rather cold and a bit too rocky for the horse to continue. A Rapidash was a stronger runner, but Ponyta clearly wasn't ready to evolve yet, which was fine to Izzy. So the nurse thanked her fiery steed and switched her out to summon Pidgeot.

Pidgeot, her bold bird, loved a challenge. Tall mountains and icy weather was just the kind of thing he wished to be summoned for. On his back, she soared effortlessly to the lone Pokémon centre up in the icy mountains. This was a very remote area where very few people came. Those that did venture this far north knew this centre very well. It had saved many weary travellers from an unpleasant end in the harsh mountains. The nurse that worked here had a personality as warm as the hearth fires that burned all over the place. She trained only fire Pokémon who helped her keep her centre warm.

Isabelle always underestimated how cold it exactly was up in the mountains. Flying on Pidgeot's back, she felt the icy wind cut straight through her soft pink, winter coat. When the centre finally appeared, it was a sight for sore eyes. Descending as close to the door as she could manage, Izzy took her Pidgeot inside. He was a tad too big for the door, but he deserved to bask in the warmth of the living room.

You see, this centre wasn't clinical like most centres were. The Joy of Snow Peak had designed her centre like a log cabin. Instead of a lobby, there was a living room. The standard lay-out of the bedrooms had been changed to something homelier, with art from young, promising artists. Instead of a Chansey, Joy partnered up with a Jynx, who could endure the cold outside very well. It was her only non-fire type.

As Pidgeot settled in the living room, Isabelle headed over to the office, where she would find Joy. However, in the door opening, she stood still, astonished. Instead of the pink hair she had expected, she found a lady with very short, very red hair. It wasn't that it didn't look good on her; it did, truly. It was just so unexpected. As a matter of greeting, Izzy ran her hair though that short hair, making the Joy laugh.

"It's quite different, isn't it?"

"Yes," Isabelle answered. "And yet it represents what you stand for so well. It entirely makes sense, and I'm surprised I only see it just now. What's the colour called on the box? Magmar?"

"Nah. Vulpix, but it turned out redder than I expected. With time, it'll tone down to something hopefully similar to a Vulpix colour."

Izzy laughed and hugged her friend. Telling each other stories, they headed back into the living room to make Izzy some lunch and tea, and get Pidgeot something to eat.

"Excuse me, miss?" Both ladies turned around to find the source of the utterance. A young man sat on the couch with a glass of gluhwine, which is a warm, spiced wine. To Izzy's embarrassment, Pidgeot had also crawled onto the couch, cooing and rubbing his head against the guy's chest.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry. Pidgeot, come back." With the Pokéball, she swiftly summoned her bird back. "He sometimes forgets he's not that tiny anymore."

"It's all good," the young man put his cup down on a coaster on table and stood up, stretching his hand out. "I am Felix, and you are?" Felix was a pleasant looking man, about Izzy's age. His voice was smooth and his manner confident. His brown hair was in need of a trim for it slightly hung into his eyes. His clothing was functional, with a woollen sweater and black trousers. He was not wearing shoes and his socks, with a Pokéball pattern, were visible. They made Izzy smile.

"Nurse Isabelle Evergreen. It's a pleasure to meet you," she shook his hand, giving him a pleasant smile.

Before the blond nurse had time to sit down with something to eat and something warm to drink, a sudden snowstorm whipped up. It alarmed Izzy, but the Joy swiftly pulled on her coat and told Isabelle to do the same. They apparently were going outside. Felix could not head outside with his lack of shoes and therefore was forced to stay inside where it was warm.

Followed by Jynx, Joy and Izzy dashed outside. There, they huddled close to preserve warmth and shield each other from the wind. As quickly as it had come, the snow storm disappeared. When the women could see again, two travellers lay in front of them. Their lips were purple and they were hardly breathing. As Joy and Jynx carried them inside, Isabelle caught a glimmer in the corner of her eye.

A massive bird sat perched right on top of the centre's logo, watching over the travellers as they were carried inside. He was much bigger than Pidgeot and certainly more majestic. His icy-blue coat glimmered like sun on snow. His powerful wings were folded inwards as he watched over the valley that was visible from Snow Peak Centre's front door. This was an Articuno, a guardian of the icy mountains and everyone that lived there.

It was a sight Isabelle could never forget. For a moment, Articuno resembled a caring mother as it watched over Joy and her centre. Certain the two travellers would be safe, he spread his wings and lifted off, whipping up icy winds with the beats of his wings. By the time it was possible to see again, Articuno was gone.