Poképocalypse

Cat's Out of the Bag

"What were you two thinking?"

Nurse Joy was wrapping bandages around Jordan's midsection, after disinfecting them of course.

Jordan looked away in shame. She had never let herself get injured like this on a quick run to gather materials. She was disappointed in herself. They hadn't even gotten as much firewood as she wanted!

"We were just trying to get some—ah! Ow! HOT!"

Nurse Joy glared at Axel. "It doesn't matter what you two were trying to get—you were both stupid enough to do it on your own and not tell any of us what you were trying to do."

Axel joined Jordan in looking away. There was no explanation for it. They got unlucky out there and didn't let let anyone know why they were going out there in the first place.

"You two are just lucky that you came across snover and not something more aggressive. Now, Jordan—" Nurse Joy placed her hands on the girl's shoulders—"lay down for me."

Jordan slowly leaned back, wincing from the pain in her midsection. There was a bin of warm water—which Nurse Joy heated up using some firewood from the back of the Pokémon Center. As Jordan slowly dipped her left arm and shoulder into the water, she winced and cringed—those cuts were really stinging.

"Leave most of your arm out of the water," instructed the nurse, "and dip the frozen area into it. That way, we can get your body temperature back to normal. Once that one's done, we'll do the same with your right arm."

Jordan cringed again and nodded.

"Hey Nurse Joy!" Axel waved and smirked. "I think my leg's staring to feel better now! I'll go ahead and leave if that's oka—"

Axel's words stopped cold as Nurse Joy pointed a glare towards him. The pink haired nurse normally didn't glare at people, but when she did, it would make the biggest and baddest trainer cower in fear.

"You, mister 'I have a sword so nothing bad can happen to me,' will stay here until your leg is completely healed." Nurse Joy smiled. "We don't want to have to amputate it, right?"

Axel gulped.

"Good." Nurse Joy sighed. "Both of you stay there; you'll need to soak for a while."

Nurse Joy left the room, and Axel looked at Jordan. "So... how are you going to cook that sneasel now? Your arms are pretty useless, aren't they?"

"They aren't useless," growled Jordan. "Once they're bandage, I can cook."

"You just won't be able to do things like sue your bow and arrow for a while."

"Don't bring that up."

"I won't be able to walk around comfortably for a while either." Axel stared up at the ceiling. "So what will us two useless bums do?"

"Axel, if you say one more thing like that, you'd better pray to whatever god you believe in that I don't—"

"—I know. Just trying to make some casual conversation while our frostbitten limbs soak in warm water so we don't lose use of them forever."

"If I could move right now, I would soak you."

"Which is exactly why I'm saying all of this." Axel smirked. "You have to listen, and you can't do anything about it."

"..."

After a few moments of silence, Axel decided to speak up again. "Do you still think this is worth it? Hunting and cooking pokémon, I mean."

"It has to be. We'll all die if this doesn't work out."

Many hours and warm water baths later, Jordan and Axel were bandaged up and allowed to leave the room. Axel still had to limp everywhere, and Jordan had a tough time moving in general. The cuts on her midsection and arms didn't do much to help. Nurse Joy had instructed them to stay inside the Pokémon Center until they felt better, but Jordan was intent on cooking pokémon meat as soon as possible.