From: John Willemin (vze27q9e@mail.verizon.net) Subject: [PW!] Convalescence Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2001-06-02 12:52:52 PST (OOC: What we have here is not so much a fanfic as a blurb. ^_^ Blink and you'll miss it!) Kyle recalled Grendel the Aerodactyl as he and Jessica stepped into the tent that was Seafoam's makeshift Pokémon Center. Thanatos the Gengar was floating over Kyle's left shoulder, and the newborn female Nidoran that the Gengar had helped hatch was in Jessica's arms. As he approached the front desk, Kyle was quickly recognized by the resident Nurse Joy. "Well," Joy said. "You came to visit after all." "Don't sound so shocked," Kyle snorted. "So, how is my Charizard doing?" "'Espio' is doing just fine," Joy replied. "He's in the back chatting with one of my other patients." Kyle and company walked past the desk to the back of the tent. Espio was sitting inside a large recuperation chamber and relating war stories to a nearby female Dragonair who was hanging on his every word. Espio quickly turned and pressed his face against the chamber's glass as Kyle approached. "Kyle!" Espio exclaimed. "I was getting worried...!" "I come bearing gifts," Kyle said as he pulled a large bottle of Wild Cherry Pepsi out of his backpack. "Well, really only one." Kyle opened Espio's chamber and handed the white dragon the soda bottle. "So. How's it going?" "All right, I guess," Espio responded. "Food's lousy, though. How about you? I notice Kerrigan's egg hatched." "We're fine." Kyle scratched the back of his head. "Listen, ah...y'know, in lieu of recent events, I've been thinking about life's fragility and all that..." He quickly checked Espio's reaction before continuing: "...and, well, looking back over the years you've been on my team, I realized something: you've gone way out of your way to help me, but I've barely done anything good for you. And I feel bad about that. It's like I've just been...using you this whole time." Espio's eyes suddenly filled up with tears. "Am...am I dying?" "No! No!" Kyle quickly corrected him. "It's just that...well, I want you to know..." He paused as he wondered how to phrase this. "...your companionship means a lot to me, and I'd hate to prolong any, y'know, bad blood you might have." "Is that all?" Espio asked as he rubbed his eyes. "Kyle, I don't have complex necessities. All I ask for is food, shelter, food, a purpose, and food. All of which you've provided. Sure you casually sling insults at me, but isn't that what food...I mean friends are for?" Kyle blinked. "Don't worry about it," Espio continued. "You're the best trainer I've ever had! I wouldn't trade you for anyone." He started to open his soda bottle. _What an odd thing for a Pokémon to say,_ Kyle thought. "Go on, now," Espio commanded. "You and Jessica probably have some zany adventure to embark on." "We'll keep in touch," Kyle promised. Kyle, Jessica, and Thanatos waved goodbye as they turned to leave. Espio would have waved back, but both of his hands were grasping the bottle of Pepsi that was now swiftly being chugged. As they exited the Pokémon Center, Kyle released Grendel again. "To Jeanette's, I take it?" Jessica asked as she took a seat atop the Aerodactyl's back. "Right!" Kyle answered, feeling at ease now. "Grendel, let's Fly!" (OOC: Hey Adrian, if you're reading this, you might be interested to know that within the past two days, David Gonterman has changed. In a Prozac-induced revelation, he decided that he now REVELS in being "The Ed Wood of the Net". ^_^) -------------------------------------- K * A * R * N * I * V * A * X Vaarok, mecha artist, on one of my drawings: "I don't particularly like that style of anime, but the chick is great. The dragon, on the other hand, looks unthreatening, alien, and stupid. There's no snout, no impression of anything other than starving apathy. The dragon has no menace." Me: "Sounds like my dragons and your mecha have a lot in common... =P"