From: Rob (robfrompw@yahoo.com) Subject: [PW!] The Freelance Therapist Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2001-07-24 00:18:27 PST "Blissey. Bliss, blissblissey bliss blissey! Blissey bliss bliss bliss-ey." Nurse Marcia nods, "Tell me more." "Rattata, rat, rattata rat Rattata." "Blissey, bliss, blissey bliss bliss Blisseybliss." "That sounds awful!" Marcia grimaces, "How did the Noctowl knock you out of the tree?" "Rat rattata rattata rat." "Bliss blisseybliss blissey bliss bliss." "That's okay, Rattata. I understand..." Nurse Marcia smirks and adds, "I mean I understand why you'd rather not talk about it, even though I don't understand your language, which is why Omelette has been translating for you. I think I've heard enough to make a sound analysis." She smiles at the Rattata who is laying down on a small couch in the Violet City Pokemon Center's outpatient room. Marcia sits across from him in a chair and Omelette, her Blissey, stands between them. Her Pokemon's been translating for the Rattata for the past few days, ever since his recovery, and Nurse Marcia's been taking everything in. "...bliss?" Omelette asks while leaning towards her surrogate mother, the compassionate nurse, eager to find out what Marcia's final analysis is. "Aaand, Omelette, I've come to the conclusion that Rattata needs to get in contact with his ex and tell her how he really feels, so that he'll have closure with that Furret." Nurse Marcia swivels her chair towards the Rattata, to address him personally, "Now, I know she had no right to dump you when she evolved, and I understand you're angry that she hooked up with some Raticate, but trying to evolve prematurely, especially by trying to defeat high level Pokemon that nest in high trees, will only leave you disappointed every time you lose. That'll just increase your anger and frustration. You'll evolve when it's right for you. But for now, you must realize that you're special just the way you are, and if that Furret can't see that, then you shouldn't be trying to get back together with her in the first place." "Rat..." The Rattata tilts his head to the side, to contemplate Marcia's prescription, then after thinking it over, he nods and waves his paw, "Tat. Rattata rattata!" That said, the rat Pokemon hops out of the small couch he's been resting on and scurries out the exit of the outpatient center, heading back to the field he calls home. "Bli-" Omelette begins to translate, but Nurse Marcia cuts her off by saying, "I know he said 'thanks'. I know that word in just about every Pokemon language." She smiles, getting up from her chair, "I hear it all the time now. It's a wonderful word. It lets me know I've done a job well done." Feeling quite satisfied with the advice she gave Rattata, when she arrives at the front desk to relieve Nurse Joy, she feels foolish when Nurse Joy mocks her, before leaving into the back room, for still wearing an Officer Jenny outfit so Splash won't recognize her. "Good night, Officer Marcia," Joy said innocently enough, but the comment makes Marcia think. When Nurse Marcia sits down, she crosses her legs, and turns to Blissey, "Do you think I did the right thing setting the Jenny Brigade loose on Splash, Omelette? I know he's definitely crazy, but I'm a nurse - they're just police officers. They'll probably put him in jail if they find him, and that won't cure his problems..." "Bliss Blisseybl-..." Omelette begins to say something, but stops, concerned she'll hurt Marcia's feelings. Marcia blinks, then asks, "A Pokemon? What do you mean?" Omelette shyly rubs her egg when she says, "Bliss bliss Blisseybliss bliss." "I know I'm a Pokemon nurse, not a nurse for human beings, but the problems of Pokemon really aren't that different from those of humans." Nurse Marcia shakes her head, "I used to think that most Pokemon weren't truly sentient. But now that I've been working with them, I've found out just how sentient even seemingly unintelligent Pokemon are. It makes me feel horrible about some of the things I did to them in the past, but at the same time, their human-like sentience makes me feel all the more better for helping them now and for years to come. Since I help them so readily, shouldn't I have tried to do the same for Splash?" The Blissey next to Marcia puts one arm on the nurse's back and says, "Bliss sey bliss blissey." "I know it's not easy..." Nurse Marcia replies, putting her arms on the front desk, "Let me think, Omelette. Splash was one of the few people who was fond of Minax. Maybe I could do something to jog his memory so that he remembers who I am? If he recognized me, then it would be much easier to talk with him. As long as he thinks I'm Murasaki, I won't be able to make any progress. He wasn't even listening to what I was saying at the cafe the other day. Well, one thing's for sure - if I want Splash to recognize me for who I really am, I can't be wearing this Officer Jenny disguise..." Marcia takes off her Officer Jenny hat, undoes her Jenny-like ponytail, letting her shoulder-length blue hair loose, kicks off her uncomfortable black high-heels, and sighs, "Oh, who am I kidding? What are the chances that he hasn't already been arrested and carted off to some correctional institute in Kanto?" She stares at the Violet City Pokemon Center's closed doors. -Marcia