"I'm Nurse Joy, by the way," she introduced herself, extending her hand. "And you are…?"
"Alex. Nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand.
"Alex?" she asked. "That sounds familiar. Where did I hear that name before?", she said pondering.
"Ah! I remember now. Professor Oak spoke highly of you, you know," she began.
"Could we talk privately for a moment?"
Alex turned from the seat he was resting on, surprised by her approach. "Sure, Nurse Joy," he replied, getting up.
"See you guys in the morning then?", Alex said to Ash and Misty waving them goodnight.
"Sure, let's meet here in the lobby before we leave.", said Misty in response, with Ash nodding along in acknowledgement.
"Okay then."
Nurse Joy gestured toward a quieter corner of the reception area, away from prying ears. She began with a formal introduction, explaining that she remembered his efforts against Team Rocket and was impressed. As they settled into conversation, she brought up something unexpected.
"Prof. Oak mentioned that you have an... unusual situation." There was a gentle but probing quality to her tone. "I think there's potential here, Alex, and I'd be happy to support you in your journey as a sponsor. How about we discuss it in detail tomorrow morning?"
Alex blinked, trying not to look too surprised. Was this what Oak had meant when he mentioned "sponsorship"? He nodded slowly. "I'd appreciate that. I'm still trying to get my bearings, and any help would mean a lot."
Nurse Joy's expression softened. She seemed genuinely pleased by his response, yet Alex noticed a subtle hint of curiosity in her demeanor. He decided to discreetly use Observe to gauge her feelings. As he activated the skill, a brief flash of information crossed his mind:
---
Nurse Joy - Emotional State:
- Cautious
- Curious
- Warm and Hopeful
---
She was cautious, which Alex found interesting. It seemed she was genuinely willing to help, but perhaps not without her reservations.
Nurse Joy's expression softened as she handed Alex a warm smile. "That's settled then," she said. "For now, let's make sure your Pokémon are well taken care of."
She shifted the conversation to Alex's Pokémon, asking if any needed healing. Alex nodded, handing her Ace's Poké Ball. "My Pidgey, Ace, has been through a lot today," he said. "He could use some care."
Nurse Joy took the ball, nodding sympathetically. "Pidgey are strong-willed, but they deserve rest like everyone else." She placed the Poké Ball on a tray Chansey was holding before turning her attention back to Alex.
"And about the others I caught," Alex said, scratching the back of his head, "I haven't registered them yet. I wanted to ask about the process." He went on to explain that he had caught a Rattata, Mankey, Magikarp, and Spearow during his journey here.
Nurse Joy smiled and explained the procedure. "It's quite simple. I am sure Professor Oak might have already this to you before, but let me say it again. Trainers must register their newly caught Pokémon to their Trainer ID by an authorized individual here at the Pokémon Center, which would be me or any certified research lab, like Prof. Oak's lab, before they're able to use them in battle."
"Would you like me to register your Pokémon for you right now?"
"Yes please"
Nurse Joy took the Poké Balls of Rattata, Mankey, Magikarp and Spearow and Alex's Trainer ID for the registration process.
One by one, Nurse Joy started registering each of the Pokémon that he caught.
Spearow. Registered.
Magikarp. Registered.
Mankey. Registered.
As she was about to register Rattata, Alex hesitated, "About that Rattata," he said slowly, "I was considering selling it. I'm not sure how that works..."
Nurse Joy's smile turned a little more serious. She nodded, choosing her words carefully. "How about we discuss that more in-depth during our talk tomorrow morning?" She paused, then added, "For now, there's no need to register Rattata if you're considering selling it, but you can leave it with me for healing."
"Thanks, Nurse Joy. That works for me." Alex said.
As she turned to leave, she seemed to hesitate. She turned back to Alex, an apologetic smile on her lips.
"Alex, I know this might be sudden," she began, "but I could use a favor. We're still dealing with the aftermath of Team Rocket's attack—especially since they came crashing in through the ceiling." She gestured up at the glass dome above, now shattered and covered with makeshift tarp.
"I'm the only one on duty tonight besides Chansey, and Chansey is busy taking care of Pikachu." Her eyes pleaded with him, though her smile remained apologetic. "Would you be able to man the reception desk for a while? I need to attend to some other issues."
Alex was taken aback. The idea of manning the Pokémon Center's reception wasn't something he'd ever imagined doing. But then again, neither was transmigrating into the Pokémon world. He looked into Nurse Joy's tired yet hopeful eyes and felt a pang of empathy.
After a moment's hesitation, Alex smiled. "Of course, Nurse Joy. I'd be happy to help however I can."
Nurse Joy's face lit up, and she sighed in relief. "Thank you, Alex. You have no idea how much this means to us right now." She gave him a grateful pat on the shoulder before moving away to tend to her other responsibilities.
As he watched her leave, Alex's mind began to wander back to the events of the day. He thought about his conversation with Masae, and the rumors she had shared about Red's disappearance and the documents he had seen on the table during his visit to Professor Oak's lab. 'Project Eclipse: Contingency Protocols' and 'Red's Last Transmission: Decoded Message' had been scribbled on the papers. How were they connected? Alex's curiosity was piqued, but he didn't want to dwell on it. He didn't want to get caught up in anything that might put him or his Pokémon in danger.
As he settled into his new role behind the reception desk, Alex's eyes fell on the mural behind him. It depicted four Pokémon. Ash had recognized one of them as Ho-Oh in the anime. But on closer look inspection, he ruled out Ho-Oh. He thought they were the three legendary birds Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos. The fourth Pokémon looked like Arcanine, which seemed out of place among the legendary birds. Alex wondered if there was a story behind the mural, and if he would ever find out.
The system chimed in his mind, breaking his focus.
---
[New Quest Available]:
• Pokémon Receptionist!
Manning the reception desk at the Pokémon Center. Complete the task efficiently to earn rewards!
- Rewards:
~ XP: +5
~ 100 ₽/hr. (Will be given by Nurse Joy)
~ New Skill Unlock: Customer Service Basics Lv. 1
---
Alex blinked at the notification, trying not to laugh. Of course, there was a quest for this. His system was nothing if not thorough.
He sighed, resting his chin on his hand as he surveyed the empty reception area. The dim lights of the Pokémon Center gave the place an oddly serene atmosphere.
Alex couldn't help but think about how his day had unfolded after he parted ways at Oak's Lab. He had met Ash and Misty at Route 1, and arrived at the Pokémon Center looking for Ash and his injured Pikachu.
Only for Team Rocket to attack the Pokémon Center. Together with Misty, Alex defeated the trio from Team Rocket. He had also met Nurse Joy, who had offered to sponsor him on his Pokémon journey. And now, he was manning the reception desk, helping out in any way he could.
Things had moved fast. Too fast. He was still trying to get used to being in this world, and now it seemed like responsibilities were piling on quicker than he could react.
The bell on the desk suddenly rang, pulling Alex from his thoughts. He looked up, seeing a weary-looking trainer standing before him, holding a Poké Ball.
"Uh, excuse me," the trainer said, "Can you help me get my Geodude checked in for healing?"
Alex took a deep breath, straightened up, and put on a smile. "Sure thing. Just leave it to me."
---
End of Chapter 17
Author's Notes:
- Hey, just a head's up. The next few chapters are gonna focus on world building and lore. Sorry for the info dump guys.
MRiz03