The Pok?mon Academy

[Mew13]

Nat went with Ruby and Sparks to the Gym, where the two began training.

Nat was amazed at the intensity Ruby went at her training. There was a fire in her eyes that Nat had never seen before. Perhaps it was because she had brought Fang and Pounce back into her life, or perhaps she merely wanted to impress Sparks. Either way, she was going at it like a hungry dog to a leg of chicken.

After a 20 minutes of furious weight-lifting and running, Nat heard the warning bell sound. Calling Ruby to her, they both bade farewell to Sparks and headed to Breeding Methods.

At the end of Breeding Methods, her professor pulled her aside before the girl went to Battle Tactics.

"Nat," he said, a hint of worry in his eyes. "I've just recieved word that you are to go to the hospital wing. I believe the doctors need to speak to you about you're leg..." He paused to grip her shoulder gently. "You've been excused from you're classes for the rest of the afternoon."

Dazed, Nat wandered to the Wing. What could they possibly want now!?

 

[Shadow Absol]

Sparks, after 60 minutes, looked disgustedly at himself in a full body mirror. He was so used to working out for hours, that he was even embarrassed to walk out of the weight room without working for another hour. Now that Nat and Ruby were gone he could push himself harder. Sparks set all the weight up to 200 pounds, which was what he was at when he last weight lifted, to his disgust he found he could barely even lift 150. So he stayed at 150 and worked hard.

After about 20 more minutes he collapsed on the floor breathing hard, his body hot, and drenched with sweat. He starved for water but found he had no strength to get up. He then started screaming, "RAI RAI RAI! CHU RAI!?" Which translated roughly to, "Someone help me! PLEASE!?"

 

[Mew13]

As Nat and Ruby walked to the wing, Ruby's large ears began to twitch. Ruby began racing down the hallway to thier left, Nat doing her best to keep up.

It took a minute before Nat realized they were on their way back to the Gym. Peeking inside, Nat saw Sparks collapsed on the floor. Ruby gasped.

Thinking quickly, Nat recognized Sparks's symptoms to be that of being over-worked. She reached into her bag and pulled out her 1st aid kit. Digging through it, Nat found a bottle of water and sat down awekwardly (sp) next to Sparks.

Her casted leg stuck out at an odd angle as she placed the bottle to Sparks's mouth, helping the tired Raichu to drink.

Ruby looked on worridly.

 

[Shadow Absol]

Sparks eyes flashed open and narrowed. He sent a weak shock up the bottle. But it wasn't even strong enough to kill a blade of grass. He struggled to his feet with all his strength and shot a disgusted look at both Nat and Ruby. "Rai!" He said and struggled to walk back over to the tredmill and tryed to get up on it, to start training again.

 

[Mew13]

Ruby looked quite hurt. "Chu!" she said quietly. "Rai chu raichu..."

"That's right, Sparks. We were only trying to help you."

Nat watched as the obviously weak Pokemon started to train again. She packed up her bag and struggled to her own feet, using her crutches for support.

Nat whispered to Ruby. "Ruby, you've gotta stay here and keep an eye on him. If he collapses again, leave him be, but stay with him."

With that, she hurried away.

Nat had begun frantically searching the hallways, looking for Blaze. She knew he could talk some sense into Sparks. But the vastness of the Academy was overwhelming. She searched and searched, nearly forgetting she was supposed to be in the Hospital Wing.

She shook off the feeling of guilt. She'd feel much worse if something happened to Sparks because she neglected the Pokemon. She continued her desperate search.

 

[Shadow Absol]

"Slow down there, tiger." I said smiling as she ran passed me as she rounded a corner. "Did you forget about your leg?" I said laughing softly.

------------------------------------

Sparks than fell back down, not even able to get up on the tredmill. He pounded the grow, maddened at his weakness, and not being able to train like he used to. He then looked over at Ruby, with dark eyes, ready to waist every energy to attack anything living. As he prepared for an energy wiping Thunder attack, he realized who it was and stopped. He looked at Ruby with apologic eyes and said, "Rai..." Then he fainted and laid there motionless on the floor.

 

[Mew13]

Ruby rushed over, crying out. She patted his hand, hoping Nat would get back soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nat turned around, her usual smile was nowhere to be found. "Blaze!" she panted. "Sparks.... the wieght... room.... Too weak... wouldn't take my help!" she gasped.

She then grabbed his hand. "We've got to hurry. I'm not sure if he's attacked Ruby yet or not! He was acting very strangly..." she said, her eyes full of worry.

 

[Mari]

Marina nodded. "And you're Blaze, right?" She asked happily.

She thought she had heard of him before. She then watched as Muu-chan flew beside Togepi, gazing carefully at each of Blaze's Pokemons. Togepi then jumped off Marina's arms and ran to Blaze, hugging him tightly, Muu-chan quickly following her.

 

[Shadow Absol]

Sparks eyes opened a little bit, and he whispered hoarsely, "Rai..." He then rolled over on his stomache and closed his eyes.

-------------------------------------------

I didn't rush over to the gym, but I walked casually over stopping every now and then to look at trophies and displays. When I finally made it over to the gym. Sparks was laying over fainted, I sighed, and said, "Get Ruby away from him and you two step behind me. Go Jess!" I called Jess out and she stood there ready to attack the down Raichu.

 

[Mew13]

Nat gripped Ruby to her, wondering what Blaze was going to do.

"What are you doin!?" she asked in a shocked voice as her released his Absol.

Ruby stuggled to get away and protect Sparks, nearly causing Nat to overbalance.

 

[Shadow Absol]

"Jess, Razor wind, now!" I said. Jess used razor wind on Sparks sending him flying up against the wall of the gym. Sparks got to his feet with a dark look on his face. "Get ready to side step, Jess." I said reading my pokemons move before he made it.

The raichu used a thunder bolt, but Jess did as I instructed and side stepped out of the way, "Now quick attack! Be ready for a shock!" I ordered Jess. Jess pinned Sparks up against the wall, and just as I predicted even touching Sparks weakened body set of sparks. After Jess pressed Sparks harder into the wall. The shocks finally stopped and I recall Jess, saying, "Well done girl."

I put my hands in my pockets and walked over to the downed pokemon, I stood beside his head and said smiling, "You ok there, little buddy?"

"Chu..." He said weakly smiling back. I picked him up and carried him over to Nat.

"That's all you had to do. Sparks gets alittle reckless and dangerous when something gets frustrating. He's a stubburn pokemon, that's for sure." I said smiling, as the weakened pokemon laid limp in my arms.

 

[Mew13]

Nat just looked on in shock.

She regained her composure and smiled slightly. "I can see," she said quietly.

Ruby poked Nat's arm and looked up at her.

"Oh yes!" Nat excalimed, heading out of the Gym again. "Sorry Blaze, I've got to go to the Hospital Wing," she called with her back to him, so he wouldn't see how worried she was.

 

[Shadow Absol]

I sighed and sat down in the weight room with my Raichu. i knew that they wanted to see about her leg. I overheard them saying that she was going to need sergry. I sat there, and decided it best to take care of my raichu amnd skip the rest of my classes, even though I knew it meant detention.

 

[Mew13]

Upon entering the Wing, Nat was greeted warmly by the nurse who had taken care of her during the disease episode.

She was ushered into an official looking office where a man in a long white coat was sitting behind a desk.

"Nat," he said quietly as she sat in the grey padded chair offered to her. "I'm afraid we've got some bad news about that leg," he stated, lighting up a floresent X-ray viewing machine.

He pointed to the obvious cracks in the bone X-ray. "The Mightyena did more damage then we assumed," he said gently, so as not to upset her. He then pointed to the MRI printout also on the screen. "It bit through many mucles, tendons, and ligaments-" he said as his hand transfered back to the X-ray. "-and bit clean through a growth plate that hadn't closed yet."

He waited a moment to let this sink in. "This kind of injury is serious business, Natalie. You could likely be crippled for life. But-" he added hurridly, seeing fear rise in Nat's eyes. "surgery is an option."

"Surgery?" Nat questioned.

"Yes. We can go in and put a metal plate over the growth plate, securing it there. An artificial closure if you will. You'll be put in a cast for another few weeks, then we'll transfer you to a jointed brace to allow the muscles and tendons to heal."

Nat stared at him a moment. "If I go through with the surgery, do you think it will be likely for me to dance again?" she asked.

The doctor cast his eyes away from the youth's. "I cannot make you any promises..." he muttered.

Nat sat quietly a moment, thinking. With tears in her eyes, she asked a final question. "When will the surgery be?"

"Tomorrow," the doctor said.

"So be it," she murmered and left the office. She headed to the cafeteria in a daze.

 

[Raichu_tamer]

Ali held Princess in his arms, walking to his last class of the day, Travel. He was disappointed that Lava was able to defeat Princess so quickly, but what else could you expect from a Pichu battling a Quilava?

"Chu…" Princess looked up at Ali, shyly. She felt very tired, very weak, and even scared of Ali being angry with her despite the fact that she knew he would never do such a thing for such a small reason. He took a seat in a desk, and paid close attention to the teachings.

 

[Mew13]

Nat looked about the room, seeing no one she knew. She walked outside, and sat awekwardly in the grass. She saw a dead tree stump nearby, and set about training Ruby up a bit.

After the stump had been sucessfully pounded to a pulp, Nat sat back down, Ruby by her side. Ruby was panting and sweating, but looked happy.

Nat looked up at the darkening sky, transfixed by the pinks and oranges overtaking the blue of the sky. She allowed a single tear to drip down her cheek. She was scared. Scared of the surgery, scared of what would happen afterwards, but mostly, scared she would never be able to dance again.

Ruby seemed to understand, and patted her trainer's arm lovingly.

 

[Raichu Master]

After the rest of my classes were done I went for some fresh air. That's when I found Nat laying on the ground. I smiled and walked up to her, as I neared her I noticed something was wrong. I jogged over to her and knelt beside her and said, "Are you ok!?"

Meanwhile my tubby Raichu left my side to go into the weight room again. But Blaze, who I haven't seen for the whole day, came up beside me and sat down and looked around for any sign of trouble.

 

[Mew13]

Nat smiled unconvincingly. "Well, they want to do surgery on my leg. Sounds like I won't be dancing again for awhile..."

She stopped, realizing Blaze didn't know about her love for dancing. She shook her head. "I've been dancing since I was 3. I always dreamed about going professional, but now...."

Ruby looked up. She patted her arm again, voicing her opinion. "Chu! Raichu, rai!"

Nat smiled and hugged the Pokemon to her. "Thanks," she whispered.

 

[Raichu Master]

I knelt there for awhile in thought. "I heard, I thought it was best I let the doctors tell you. I guess it's better than not walking at all. But I'll back you no matter what you decide to do." I said smiling as I laid down beside her looking at the clouds.

 

[Mew13]

Nat smiled. "Yeah, that is something to be greatful for..." she said. She settled back in the grass and looked at the pink and orange clouds. She took a mental picture, as this scene would be an awesome backround.

A Pokeball on her belt glowed and out popped Fang. Nat repremended him quietly for coming out without being called, but allowed the Houndoom to rest at her feet.