Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

31 Get the Message

I hovered outside the ER, hands fiddling with the hem of my sleeves. If someone asked if I was worried, I'd call them an idiot. Dry throat. Sweaty palms. Endless deep breaths in an effort to calm myself. Pacing back and forth. Trying to take a seat and standing up immediately after. My best friend had been behind those closed doors for at least an hour, with Nurse Joy tirelessly working to stabilize his condition.

Worried was an understatement.

"You know, your pacing isn't going to help anyone," muttered Paul. I started falling apart the minute we arrived at the Pokémon Center, and he witnessed all of it with a frown and eyebrows drawn together. "So sit down already."

I ignored him.

He must've thought I didn't hear him, so he tried again. "If you keep thinking too much about it, you're going to stress yourself out. He'll be fine. You just have to relax a bit."

I still ignored him.

"Rosa!"

"What?!"

"You need to take a breath! Nurse Joy is in there doing everything she can, and Luxio will be alright. You know that. He's a lot stronger than he looks."

Fists tight, fingernails biting into my palms, I replied through clenched teeth, "I can worry or relax all I want. That doesn't change the circumstances, Paul."

"What circumstances?"

"That this was all my fault!" My stomach hardened. "It's my fault he got poisoned in the first place. If I hadn't trusted that bastard, maybe this wouldn't have happened, or if I had taken better care of Dratini and kept her from jumping out of the bag."

Dratini had her head poked out of my bag, and at the words, she whined.

Instantly regretting my choice of words, I scrambled to fix the damage. "Ack! No, Dratini, I'm not blaming you. Neither of us could've known that Justin's just a two-faced jackass. Please, don't blame yourself."

She shyly nodded her head, receiving a pat on the back from Pikachu.

"You should take your own advice," suggested Paul.

"How about you just be quiet? My negligence led to this. Nobody else's." I dipped my head. "And it's about to cost me everything."

"Don't say that! Assuming the worst-case scenario is the last thing we need right now! You're going to work yourself into the ground if you keep overthinking. Luxio will recover from that poison and you know that. Now, just take a breath, relax, and come sit down, and..." He reached out.

"Don't touch me!" I shoved his arm aside and whipped around, eyes bulged and nostrils flared. "We're not best buddies now just because you helped me out a little! I'm still super freaking pissed off at you!"

"I'm just trying to help you out! What else do you want me to do?!"

"Nothing! I never asked for your help! I don't want it, and I don't need it! I've been through this thing on my own before and I can do it again-Ah!" I froze, all anger and tension evaporating from my voice.

His eyes widened. "Before? You've been through this-?"

"F-Forget it! Just forget I said anything and mind your own damn business!"

With teeth clenched, he turned his glare away. "Do you want my help or not? You can't have it both ways. I know I'm a jerk, but come on."

I stepped away from him, chin dipping to my chest as my posture slumped. The stomachache from earlier grew exponentially more painful. It only got worse the more I considered the words I was unable to take back.