Clan progressed pretty much the same as yesterday, but he was walking much faster because he really wanted to arrive at Jubilife, he was an hour away from getting there.
Solaris would recover from his battles admirably fast even after a long battle, he had enjoyed through all the frequent battles, mainly because he haven't lost a single match, yet. He had also battled against the many wild pokemons in the forest. Everytime Solaris would recover he would be itching for a battle against the other trainers - but eventually decided that Solaris had enough battles for the while.
One thing that he noticed was that there were a lot more trainers today, which he judged to be due to their proximity to Jubilife City. They couldn't be more than a hour away from the city.
"Solaris. We are about to arrive at the city." Clan mentioned, as he looked around the road all around them. He then looked down at Solarid who was trotting beside him. He released him out of his pokeball since he wanted someone to talk to and have a company.
"Chirp." Solaris nodded, he was also very expectant. He didn't like to admit it, but after all that battling with the other trainers he was exhausted. But he was overjoyed by the fact that he had been visibly improving in his techniques when he used his moves in battle. Now, all that he ever wanted right now was to be taken care of by a Pokemon Center.
"You know Solaris. I was wondering if we would chance upon a pokemon that would be a great addition to our team. I was hoping a pokemon that would be strong against our battle with the Oreburgh Gym." Clan mused loudly.
Solaris made another thrill in agreement. He could agree to that, having an additional companion with them would be nice, for sure. But, all the pokemon they had encountered so far are not that strong or didn't specially give something out that would make it stand out. What Solaris and Clan both mutually agreed on was that they were extremely passionate about battling. This was an attitude Solaris could get behind. Most trainers desired to strengthen themselves; the best trainers pursued the strength of their pokemon together as a bond. Clan may not have noticed it now, but he was beginning to subconsciously carry out the conduct.
Clan suddenly noticed the chic pokemon stopping on his tracks. He was staring at the right side of the forest cautiously with his feathers sanding up in alert, nervously glancing around the area and Clan realized that something was wrong.
"Is something wrong, Solaris?" Clan paused and then decided to quietly asked his starter with caution. Pokemons are more sensitive than humans, as their senses are more keen than theirs. Clan trusted that Solaris must have sensed something.
Not too long after, Clan could also hear the rapid and frantic like rustling of leaves coming from the bushes. Clan prepared for it to come out towards them, he tensed up and got ready.
*Swoosh* *Thud*
A small pokemon came out of the bushes. Clan blinked as he focused his gaze on it.
The thing in front of Clan drew his and his companion's breath away. Right there, laying on the middle of the main road was a pokemon, it wasn't a pokemon Clan recognized but it certainly was one. He noticed how horribly weak and malnourished this creature was if his sunken cheeks and visible back bone was any indication. Clan could only stare in shock before he saw the eyes of the pokemon flashed in despair when it caught sight at them. After that, his eyes rolled at the back of its head, unconscious.
Clan was awoken up by his stupor when Solaris chirpped loudly in a state of shock. "Solaris! Let's go and help that pokemon!"
The fire-type was only too happy to obey. Clan quickly moved towards where the pokemon was laying down, he crouched down and began inspecting and trying to wake it up. When he got no reaction after quite a long while no matter what he do, he finally began to panic, it's health was clearly been done by harsh conditions. He seemed to have been running from something. Clan guessed. The breathing of the pokemon was heaving so heavy and was unorganized even in his unconsciousness. Also, his body had clearly been beaten up savagely, bruises and deep cuts were found all throughout its entire body.
"Change of plans, buddy! We need to hurry and bring this pokemon to the Pokemon Center, ASAP!" Solaris agreed as he chirpped, allowing himself to be return to his pokeball. Clan took out one of his two super potions his parents bought for him, and began spraying it all over the body of the injured pokemon. He then took the reptilian-like pokemon in his own arms, realizing how heavy the pokemon was even when it was clearly malnourished, and he sprinted.
"The nearest Pokemon Center is in Jubilife City." Clan muttered to himself. After running for a few dozens of minutes, Clan could now see Jubilife City from where he was in the main road. He was really struggling, his upper body was sore and with all the running and having no rest, his legs was aching so bad. He glanced at the fragile pokemon on his arms. He could just leave the pokemon to the side, but that would be going against what Clan believed in as a Pokemon Trainer, he can't possibly leave a pokemon when it is clearly in a sorry state in this wilderness, it was dangerous.
But, he really had to think of an alternative way, he can't keep on running with this much weight in his arms. Clan paused as he wistfully glanced down at his pokebelt where his empty pokeballs were attached. Without hesitation he unclipped one and enlarged it, making a decision he wouldn't ever regret. "Sorry about this. But this is the only way." With a flash of red light, it enveloped the body of the pokemon and was sucked right into it.
The pokeball didn't even made a move in any indication of a resistance, it just immediately chimed in response to a succesful capture. With that Clan looked towards the city far ahead, quickly breaking into a run.
...
Jubilife City - The city of joy, was the largest, with urban areas, complete with tall buildings, skyscrapers and large populations, it was a very imposing place as the most modernized city in the Sinnoh Region, bustling with people on the go. It was also known for its own Contest Hall: where Pokemon Coordinators can participate.
However, none of that was in Clan's mind right at this point. He was too pre-occupied to notice the large scope of the city, and care about the large crowd of people in it. He didn't care how many curious eyes potentially gazed upon him as he ran through the city.
Pokemon Centers were always quite big. They doubled as not only as medical centers for pokemon to be healed and treated at exceptionally fast rates, largely dependant on the severity of their injuries, but also as hotels for Pokemon Trainers to stay at. Funded by the Sinnoh League itself, their services are completely free of charge, and a lifesaver for all the Pokemon Trainers all over the world.
However, Pokemon Centers in the major cities took this to the next level. Even in his stressed out state, Clan still couldn't help but gawked at the gigantic size of the pokemon center as he slowed to a walk practicularly involuntarily.
It towered over all of the surrounding buildings, standing several stories high, and was unspeakably wide. Given the number of patients that the pokemon centers in major cities got, not to mention the amount of Trainers that often stayed over every night, it made sense for the unspeakable size.
Breaking into a run yet again, Clan made his way through the automatic doors.
Clan had never been to a Pokemon Center before. But, this would be the first of many visits. The place was... very clean. Famous for their maintenance, Pokemon Centers offered an unrival level of comfort and hospitality for Trainer everywhere.
It was somewhat welcoming for Clan as the stressed out youngster made his way to the lobby. The expression on his face was still glum, nevertheless.
As he expected, the lobby was quite occupied completely of Trainers. Potted plants stood on the shelves and he spotted a few Chansey conversing in the corner.
Clan made his way towards the other side of the lobby. There was a few people in line. After it was his turn, and arriving at the corner while adjusting the beanie on his head, Clan pressed the button at the side, signaling that there was somebody waiting for service.
It took only a few moments for the pink-haired woman to arrive at the other side of the counter. She had her signature smile on her face, but frowned when he saw Clan's current appearance.
Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny are an odd case. All of them were related, and all of them looked exactly the same. Clan wasn't sure how that work, but tried not to focus too much on that.
"Dear me." Nurse Joy spoke in a voice that was filled with soothing compassion. Clan felt his nerves easing up a bit as she spoke. Given that Pokemon Centers were supposed to provide comfort and assistance to any Trainer, Nurse Joy was certainly perfect for her job, in more ways than just medical aspects. "What happened to you?"
"I found a pokemon with very harsh conditions on my way here from Route 202." Said Clan after finding his words. "He was greatly malnourished, weak and beaten up. I have no clue what pokemon it is though, Nurse Joy. Please, help it."
"May I see?"
Clan quickly complied, handling her the pokeball as she placed it into a special slot. "Here you go." Clan was still a little out of breath from the marathon he just did, so he huffed when speaking.
"Thanks." She watched as the information appeard on her screen. "Hmm... oh? How interesting... you said that you encountered this pokemon by chance, am I correct?"
Clan nodded. "Yes."
"That's not possible." Nurse Joy quickly denied him with a firm shake of her head. She looked at him with a hard gaze. "Do you really expect for me to believe that you found... an Axew around Route 202? Even if you did managed to find one, do you really expect for a pokemon like its species wondering around the lands of the climate of Sinnoh?"
"Axew?" Clan uttered in confusion, so that was what he had found in the main road? He quickly focused back to the situation when he found Nurse Joy's eyes eyeing him uncomfotably. "That really was what happened, Nurse Joy. I tried to carry him here, but I was still quite a great distance away from the city. So I decided to catch the pokemon and put it into a pokeball."
Nurse Joy opened her mouth, then close it. She shook her head, clearly still in disbelief at his words.
Clan frowned when he saw that, that really was what happened. He wouldn't lie about it if it was his, would he?
Nurse Joy's eyes lit up when she saw the red device resting on the front pocket of his jacket. "We can verify your story if you would show me your Trainer info inside your pokedex. It should only take a moment."
Clan wasn't afraid of anything, he didn't do anything wrong. He complied yet again and passed the red device to Nurse Joy. "Here you go."
When she saw how cooperative Clan was, Nurse Joy softened her gaze, which the youngster notices. She inserted the pokedex on a slot specially made for the purpose besides her computer, like a credit card. She watched as her screen shows her, Clan's information. "Lets see, your name is Clan Eclairè, you're from Twinleaf Town. You recieved your License at Professor Rowan's Lab and including a starter, a Torchic? With that, you also have an Axew, which you catched... About an hour ago?"
Letting out a sigh, she turned towards Clan. "It seemed you were telling the truth after all, Mr.Eclairè."
"I didn't know that, tell me more." Clan deadpanned, though half-heartedly.
Nurse Joy smile at that. Even the simple smile and the look in her eyes gave Clan an unusual comfort.
"Can you fill me in the details what's the kind and species of the Pokemon I just caught, Nurse Joy?" Clan was really clueless what the details regarding the pokemon he had found in the main road, Axew from what he just heard from the nurse but even with the name he couldn't find anything related to it in his stack knowledge. He was also wondering what that little poor fella was running so hard from. He also have caught the despair in his eyes when he saw him, he was wondering why.
"Certainly." He watched as he saw her type some things down on the keyboard. "I'll add the information of the breed Axew in your pokedex, the Pokemon Center have some certain authority, so we can help you with it. You can check it by scanning the pokemon, would that be fine?"
"Yes, please. Oh! Also can you do so too with my Solaris-" Clan saw the confused look on her face, then he hastily corrected himself. "-my Torchic." He already was accustomed to his starter's nickname that it became habitual to him.
Nurse joy began typing on the keyboard again. "Okay, we'll be happy to. I'll assign you to a room. There are a lot of trainers assigned in a room today, I hope you wouldn't mind being with the accompany of others in a room."
"I don't mind it at all. Thank you, Nurse Joy." He smiled less tense than before at the pink-haired Nurse.
Her gentle smile widened a bit. "It was no problem at all. I'll call your name over the speakers the moment I finish checking your pokemon. Because this Axew... by my rough guess, should be a pokemon that was captured by certain people... It would take some time, I would suggest for you to go to your room and settle yourself before I will call you for your pokemon's recovery."
Clan nodded his head yet again in thanks as he grabbed a key she handed out with a room number. He was very worried when he heard the situation about the 'Axew' but Nurse Joy was taking care of it so that gave him some assurance. His thoughts then drited to some matter. "About the registration for the Gym Curcuit..."
(Now, this time, really. I'll return at most a week to organize and finalize some stuff.)