Chapter Text
The young Buizel wasn’t exactly used to human company or any company at all if he was being honest. It wasn’t that he didn’t like others, they just didn’t venture into his territory much. The forest bordered a small human town who mostly kept to themselves, but the young ones liked to play on the outskirts. Occasionally one would wander a little too far and the search parties would begin but even then his portion of the river and forest would be too out of the way for the search.
The other Pokemon inhabitants steered clear for their own safety. It was instinctual, not out of an actual threat from himself. Most of the forest consisted of small bug or normal types - think Wurmples and Bidoofs - not ones made for fighting. Especially with the river on his side, there wasn’t much for a threat or friendly company. So he lived alone: trained on the trees, collected from the berry bushes and sometimes watched the town.
A change in routine wasn’t unwelcome but it was certainly strange. He’d just come back from gathering the goods - sitrus berries were a must after a hefty training session of blasting trees with Sonic Booms and Iron Tails. When he abruptly stopped on the edge of his clearing next to the river bank, a few berries rolled off the pile in his arms. There was a figure lying flat in the dirt. She? Yes. She was splayed on her front as if just dropped from the sky. Her head was to the side, facing away from him and she had one arm tucked toward her, lightly clenching a brown leather rucksack. Brown hair was falling out of a ponytail and her white jacket was muddied and ripped. Looking like she’d been dragged through a bush was a nice way of putting it.
“Bui?”
The Buizel tilted his head confused. He lowered the berries to the ground - being mushy and bruised made them pretty much inedible in his mind - and scampered closer. He circled her first, checking she was actually conked out. First prodding her foot with his tail, to make for an easy escape. She didn’t respond. He poked other parks of her, quickly braving up and poked her with his hands. Still nothing. Cautiously, he listened closer to her head. He waited and there-. A small exhale. Alive at least.
He shook her shoulders. A groan. That’s more like it.
“Bui Bui?” Are you alright?
He hopped over so he was in front of her face. She whimpered weakly. Eyes clenched before opening slightly. She looked over him with squinted, unfocused eyes.
“How cu-te.” Her raspy voice whispered. The smallest of smiles, an upturned corner of her split lips (the most it seemed she could manage) graced him. Then she was gone again. Eyes closed. Unresponsive.
The Buizel frowned. What to do? Then he heard it. A voice. No. Voices. Coming from down stream. They’ll have to help. He dived into the water, his propeller-like tail helping him follow the current. Eventually he found them. Two men on the river bank next to a docked motor boat looking at a small electronic device.. They didn’t look the most friendly. Dressed in all black, one was skinny with a mean face, the other far bulkier with sharp eyes. It didn’t matter. They’ll have to do.
“Bui! Buizel.” He called out. The two men looked at each other in surprise. The skinny one looked at the other man with a raised eyebrow. “This one?” He asked lowly.
The other curled his lip. “Not needed. But I think it wants us to follow him. Maybe to his trainer.”
With a friendlier smile, voice laced with faux concern, the larger man called out, “Are you alright? Is your trainer hurt?”
For a lack of being able to explain better he nodded. “Bui.” Kinda hard to say: ‘No, there’s just a stranger passed out where I like to eat.’ when you can’t understand me.
The men, grasping the opportunity they’d been presented with both hands, just shrugged. “Lead the way buddy!” The skinny one called as they worked in unison to untie their boat. The Buizel didn’t exactly like the men. They made his whiskers twitch uncomfortably. Nevertheless, there wasn’t much he could do at that point but continue to swim upstream, keeping his head above the water so they could follow him.
They kept muttering to each other giddily but the current racing passed his ears made the conversation hard to hear. It didn’t matter. They were here to help. He shook his head. He called out again as they approached the clearing. Over here. He gestured.
The men turned off the motor and pulled into the bank. Together they walked over to her and the otter Pokemon crouched near her head. The big guy spoke first. “You alright there girlie?” No response.
“She don’t look too good there, Mick.”
“No shit. Just check her.” The skinny guy moved her jacket away from her waist. “No balls. Probably not then.”
“But she’s got him.” He nodded over at the Buizel who had started to narrow his eyes. Why weren’t they doing anything?
“In the bag maybe? Actually I don’t care. Just take the bag and let’s go.” He muttered but the Pokemon still heard him.
“Bui?!”
“Chill squeak. We’re just gonna grab some stuff from the boat for her.” The Buizel watched as Mick walked away. Liar. He growled lowly as he saw him begin to push the boat off the shore. It got louder as he saw the other one trying to unclench her grip from the rucksack.
“No -. M- mine.” A small raspy voice complained.
The girl’s eyes followed as the matchstick man managed to grab the bag and began retreating to the boat but with the heavy ache deep in her bone there was little more she could do than that.
The thief smiled to himself as he gripped the bag. “Sometimes it’s just too easy.”
“BUI BUI. BUIZEL!” How dare they!
The smug smile began to drop from the man’s lips as he glanced from his goods to the indignant weasel. “Mick! Time to go!”
Hearing the tremor of panic in his partner’s voice, Mick looked over. “Please. Squeak’s not gonna do anything to yo-. Shit!” He yelled, seeing his partner fall to the ground from a well aimed Sonic Boom.
He gave the boat a final shove off the bank and hopped in. He started the motor as the skinny man fumbled with the bag and stumbled to the boat. The Buizel growled again and charged towards the man. He built up speed until he was a blur and tackled him. The bag flew off to the side and the skinny man rolled to the boat. Mick hopped out and practically threw him in. Sometimes there is honour among thieves.
The Buizel didn’t care about that though. He was, rightfully, pissed. He rushed the boat this time as the men panicked trying to set off. His tail hardened and glowed white behind him.
“BUI.” He struck the engine.
It exploded in waves of heat and light. The hull shattered into shards of wood, the men’s belongings flew in all directions and the men themselves were thrown into the water and promptly carried downstream by the crushing current.
The Buizel was thrown back to the shore, fairly unscathed from the explosion. He gathered the bag and scampered back towards the girl. She looked at him with a small smile. “Thanks Slick. That was pretty cool.” She said weakly. He tilted his head and placed a cool damp paw on her forehead. She was burning up. She sighed weakly in relief. “Th-that’s nice.”
She passed out again. He looked around worriedly. What to do now.
He needed people. That much was clear. Who though? The town wasn’t too far. Maybe the nice pink-haired lady from the red building. She often helped the Pokemon from the woods. Never him. But he’d heard tales from the other forest residents after they’d injured themselves like the new-born Starly that fractured its wing diving into a tree or if they needed a guaranteed meal which mostly happened when a harsh winter cripples the berry bushes. Sometimes he watched her from the treeline. She spoke kindly to all. Always trying to rehabilitate rather than keep. He respected her for that. Some people were just far too greedy.
The Nurse Joy of Sunvale town was rightfully, dreadfully, bored. The town was located just off of route 220 between Sandgem Town and Oreburgh City but with no direct routes to either meaning the only way into the town was by the water either by boat or Pokemon or else you risk traversing a forest with no paths.
There was little traffic through her Centre and little else to do in the rest of the town. A lot of the residents of the town were settled living peaceful lives separated from the rest of society, few had pokemon and fewer needed tending to. Still, she treated those that needed it and was thankful that the forest nearby gave her something to do. Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t like them being hurt but she appreciated feeling useful.
Still, it was a rather mundane life. The visitors she got were repeating, predictable. The young Starly with a wonky wing. The stubborn Pokemon kept leaving before fully healing and would then injure themselves again from a flight gone awry. Then there were the Bidoofs that kept scrapping. Each week it was something new - food, territory, once a lady Bidoof and each time she’d have to treat them separately or else they’d begin to squeak at each other.
Biweekly on a Monday morning, she’d check up on Mrs Murphy’s Machoke. She used to be a renowned trainer but a battle that went too far left her Machoke, Mason, with a weakness in his bones, specifically his knees which he never could fully recover from. For his safety and comfort they retired comfortably from the battling scene and came home to Sunvale. Occasionally, during the town events, she’ll let the young ones play with her other Pokemon and recount tales from her trainer adventures.
Mrs Murphy was one of the best the town had to offer having made it to the quarterfinals of the Sinnoh league before losing to the fellow who would go on to win. They, of course, did produce other trainers, none of which were particularly memorable to the public eye. Well, all bar one but he was Sunvale’s little secret. He was often busy with other duties, but returned home for holidays and time away from the public eye.
God. She chuckled to herself. Even I’m infected with small town syndrome.
“Chansey, Chanse?” The round pink Pokemon questioned looking up from the soup she was stirring.
“Nothing Chansey. Just reflecting I guess. It smells lovely, darling.”
“Chansey.” The Pokemon glowed. As Chansey began ladling the soup into bowls, Nurse Joy began setting the table for their lunch.
Ding! Ding! Ding!Ding!Ding!Ding!Ding!
Nurse Joy dropped the spoons and Chansey the ladle as they looked at each other in shock. A visitor? Chansey shooed her towards the reception with her little arms. The pink-haired woman could read the pokemon easily after all their time together. “Go, go deal with them, I’ll sort this out and be with you after.” The expression said.
Gathering herself, the woman scuttered to the front desk with an air of urgency and slight excitement she tried desperately to contain for the sake of professionalism. To her utmost surprise the visitor was a new one perched on the front desk. With its orange fur, blue finned arms and yellow floatation sac around its neck, the Pokemon was unmistakably a Buizel. There were Buizels in the forest? How she hadn’t seen one before was beyond her.
“One or two rings would’ve been plenty, y’know?” The orange paw hovered over the bell as it stared at her a little guiltily. The little guy shook his head and pointed urgently at the forest.
“Bui! Bui Bui! Buizel!”
“Oh no! Is a Pokemon hurt in the forest?”
“Bui! Zel Bui.” He nodded, then shook his head.
“They’re not hurt or oh -!” The Buizel , deciding not to play a game of twenty questions, jumped from the counter and tugged her skirt before pouncing in the direction of the glass doors. ‘Let’s just go!’ He seemed to be saying.
“Alright, I’ll hurry. Let me just grab Chansey.”
Nurse Joy rushed out of the room, towards the kitchen. “Someone or thing is hurt in the forest dearie, so the soup will have to wait for later. Our visitor was rather insistent, so I’ll need you in the Pokeball for speed sake.” She pulled the Pokeball from her apron’s pockets. “Chansey. Return.” The red beam engulfed the Pokemon as she was returned to the ball.
The weasel Pokemon, having followed her to the kitchen, motioned with his paw for the Nurse to follow him. “Bui!”. Together they raced through the centre, towards the forest and followed the stream deeper in. They approached a clearing and the nurse saw the reason behind the Pokemon’s urgency.
“Oh goodness!” She kneeled by the girl’s side, inspecting her. “Out you come Chansey. Will you be able to carry her back? There’s not much I can do here.”
The pink oval looked around and replied hesitantly. “Chan - Chansey.” Yes, but not quickly. Nurse Joy frowned. The girl didn’t look good at all. Bruised, battered and a little bloody from the split lip and scrapes on her arms. A fractured ankle or just swollen? She probed the area in question and the girl moaned softly in pain.
“I’m sorry darling. I’m just checking. I’ll try to be gentle.” There wasn’t much she could or wanted to do until she could assess the full extent of the girl’s injuries. She frowned in thought.
“Perhaps I can help.” A smooth voice called out. Had the situation not been urgent Nurse Joy may have swooned a bit as she usually did whenever he came into town. He stood tall and calm in a red suit paired with black shirt. He - Lucian - pushed his hair back and continued speaking. “I can have one of my companions carry her back if required.”
Seeing the confusion on her face, he assumed from his sudden appearance he explained: “ I’ve just arrived back in town and saw the urgency with which you left the centre. I followed you in case you needed assistance.”
Nurse Joy, recovering from her surprise. “That’s very kind. Please. As quickly and gently as possible would be appreciated.”
“Gallade! I require your assistance.” The green and white humanoid figure appeared from the red beam. Lucian stepped forward and the previously forgotten Buizel leapt into his path. He crouched into a fighting stance. ‘You’ll have to go through me.’ He seemed to say.
“Buizel, he’s not going to harm her.” Nurse Joy said placatingly.
“Buiii.” He growled. Gallade stepped forward, tense as if there was a metal rod tied to his back, prepared to defend his trainer. A single raised hand from Lucian and the fighter stepped back into line with him.
“There’s no need for that. The young one just doesn’t trust us yet.” He crouched and addressed the Buizel directly. “I promise, I’m here to help her. My friend here, Gallade, is the only one here who can carry her back. She will not be harmed anymore.”
Hesitantly, the sea weasel retreated back to the fallen girl. “If you’d please, Psychic.”
A soft blue glow emitted from the Gallade’s otherwise red eyes and the same glow appeared around the girl. Gently, she was lifted into the air and the pair began to walk back towards the town.
“Chansey, return!” Nurse Joy looked at the Buizel searchingly. “Come on, we need to follow them.” The Pokemon looked at her, and was about to follow her before he spun and grabbed something - a leather rucksack - off the floor, then nodded decisively. Nurse Joy saw him struggling to carry it effectively: Holding it in his hands meant he couldn’t run on all fours if he wanted, carrying it in his mouth meant that it dragged against the ground when he ran on all fours.
She reached for it. “Perhaps I should -”
“BUI!” The sea otter snatched it away from her towards his chest and shook his head determinedly.
“Oh -” She gasped softly. “I can’t hold it.” He firmly shook his head. “How about I help you put it on properly?”
He thought about it for a moment before nodding. Holding one strap firmly, he allowed her to help him slide one arm through the strap which he then gripped and repeated on the other side. “My, you are mighty possessive. No, protective, is probably the better word here.”
Together, they rushed to catch up with Lucian who was just leaving the clearing.