Chapter 70:

A Cold Heart

"Here's the door." Caleb scratched his head, "Well champ, just go in there and your Pokémon will be in top condition in no time."

"You're not coming?" I asked Caleb, uncertainty creeping in my voice.

"No, Coldheart kind of scares me," He smiled with embarrassment, "Besides I need to run damage control to make sure the Hunt's best psychic doesn't go AWOL."

Yeah, Sabrina did look kind of pissed. She had wordlessly handed me the Marsh badge and walked out on me, only stopping to retrieve Alakazam who was frozen like a popsicle.

"Well, see you when you are done," He gave me a final pat on the back and left me on my own again.

"You're staying, right Snowflake?"

"Yip!" Snowflake bounced on her hind legs as she barked her reply. Not sure what the idea behind that was but weird shit.

I stared at the white door in front of me.

It was a clean white door in an otherwise gloomy-looking hallway. Although the gloomy part came from the fact that this base had been abandoned for who knows how long. There were some decorations added to the hallway to make it look less like gritty. A weird abstract painting hung on the wall and a flower pot rested on a colorful pillar. The flower, I didn't recognize the species, seemed to be in a healthy state.

A neat small sign was attached to the left of the door.

Doctor A. Coldheart

My door is always open, unless it's not.

I hesitantly knocked on the door. It doesn't happen a lot that my Pokémon need healing, I mostly only visit Pokémon Centers so I don't have to prepare my own food. My Pokémon only got a quick check-up at a Pokémon Center but every time they needed more than a quick check-up I couldn't help but feel anxious.

Apparently, the Hunt was still working on their own sickbay (The reason I woke up in a locked room) but Doctor Coldheart could apparently heal my Pokémon, despite his fucking creepy name.

The door opened and I could not help but to take a step back in surprise because I may or may not have been zoning out that second.

A woman with blue hair, the same shade as mine, stood in the door wearing a white doctor's coat with casual clothes underneath. She had her hair in a weird ponytail/bun combination.

Deep blue eyes stared into mine, only separated by her black glasses I estimated her to be around 40, maybe older or younger, hard to tell.

"Hello?"

"Uh hi," I smiled brightly. "My 2 Pokémon need healing, can you please fix them?"

"Sure, come in." The woman opened the door and I entered. She did not even bat an eye when Snowflake snuck in after me.

I was met with a rather small room. Only one medical bed, a desk with a computer, a shelf with a lot of books and a lot of drawers. A photo stood on her desk of what seemed to be her and 2 other people, one of the persons in the picture had his face crossed through with black marker lines.

"My name is Anne Coldheart." She extended her hand out to me.

"Sup, my name is Dust Wildfire," I shook her hand and noticed that even her nails were painted blue. Guess she really loves the color blue. "Cool last name."

"Thanks," Coldheart said, her reply almost sounding like a question.

"Take a seat." She pointed at the plastic chair.

I sat down and she took place in her much more comfortable office chair. "You said your Pokémon needed healing?"

"Uh yes," I fished out two Pokéballs from my pocket and enlarged them with a single push of a button. I had no idea which one contained Fay and which one was Luna's. Drawing their names on them with a marker seemed a bit childish, maybe I should use them more.

"I'm worried about them, they had quite a fight and I want to know if they are alright."

Of course, they would be alright. Luna had endured more damage during our battle against Paul anyway, still can't wait to get my own 2 Pokémon back in shape and ready to join my fight. I absentmindedly began to pet Snowflake who sat down beside me, her almost cloud-like tails dancing in the air with satisfaction.

Coldheart took the two Pokéballs and aimed both of them at the medical bed. Two beams shot out of it and ultimately summoned two unconscious Pokémon lying on the bed, their eyes shut but in a peaceful way, like they were just sleeping.

The woman put the Pokéballs down on her desk and summoned one of her own from one of the pockets in her doctor's coat. She tossed it up with a small gesture and the red and white Pokéball exploded into light.

A weird blob-like creature, vaguely looking like a Salamander with a huge tongue sticking out of its mouth appeared.

Without wasting a second, it waddled over towards the bed and licked both Luna and Fay which was something that looked very disturbing, seeing how the tongue was bigger than Fay's body. With the deed done it wordlessly returned into its Pokéball. This entire thing happened in the brief span of a few seconds, somehow I had the feeling the Lickitung held no love for the act of being awake.

"They will be back in top condition within a few minutes," Doctor Coldheart reassured me with a comforting tone.

I stared at Fay and saw the blue fur on her body was already repairing itself, the dirt and sand seemingly vanishing while her fur returned to top condition. Man, Biokinesis is weird as hell.

"So how is your arm, Dust?" The woman slumped back in her much more comfortable looking chair.

"Alright?" I frowned, "Why'd you ask?"

Coldheart shrugged. "Just a basic checkup, now if you'd please slowly copy my movement."

She started to open and close her hand, slowly taking the time to make sure every finger was being used.

I stared aghast at her but she wordlessly pressured me into doing it anyway. With a skeptical look, I effortlessly copied her movement.

"So are you the one who healed my shoulder?"

Coldheart stopped folding and opening her fist and smiled. "Indeed, you dropped from quite a height but luckily you only manage to dislocate your shoulder."

"It was nothing." I said, "But thanks for fixing my arm."

The blue-haired doctor's smile vanished. "I suggest you don't pull a stunt like that ever again."

"I'll try, Doctor Coldheart." I smiled innocently at her, already knowing that I most likely won't be able to hold that promise, seeing how I can't move my ass without someone trying to kill me. Although that might also be partly my fault sometimes.

She ignored me and instead proceeded to type something on her computer. Couldn't see what because the screen was facing away from me.

"Please call me Anne," Coldheart spoke matter of factly. She had finished whatever she was typing and turned to look at me, quickly adjusting her glasses. "So, Dust, how are you feeling?"

It did not sound like she actually wanted to know but more like she was following some dumb protocol.

"Good...why are you asking?"

"I was just wondering that because you might be suicidal."

She said it with the same tone I would use to explain the weather.

I blinked, feeling kind of flabbergasted. "That's dumb, why are you asking that anyway?"

She shrugged. "Curiosity, I was wondering what would compel someone to jump from such height to save their Pokémon, especially in the middle of a battlefield."

"Well, love, the powers of friendship and so on," I scowled, "Please don't make it sound like it was the most stupid thing I could have done."

"But it was," She gave me a dry look that sat between slight amusement and morbid curiosity. "Jumping and hoping the recoil of a Disarming Voice will prevent you from going splash would be considered suicidal by most, thus I am asking that because that kind of behavior isn't normal."

"It was a do or die situation, not a whole lot of time to think about my options." I countered. "Besides, how would you know that?"

"I did read Sabrina's report before I attended your shoulder and it made me very curious."

I narrowed my eyes. "Curious?"

Coldheart nodded. "Yes, I even requested your other medical reports and found you had similar situations before, one in which you tried to dismantle a Team Rocket outpost by using a rock?"

Good old times.

"Yes I did, also, don't you think that sounds a bit creepy? Tracing all my steps and progress?"

Anne shook her head in a dismissive way. "Far from it, I was just making sure we were not bringing a terrorist or criminal underneath our roof, so to speak. my only concern here is safety, yours and everyone else's."

I raised my eyebrow at her. "You are a doctor, not some kind of bodyguard slash-detective-right?"

"I am a doctor," Coldheart informed me, "Both medical and in psychology. It is part of my job to make sure everyone in this place is healthy, both physically and mentally."

I suppressed the urge to groan loudly. Why the hell did she have to go full interrogation mode on me?

"Well, I am feeling perfectly fine, both mentally and physically."

"Are you sure?" Was it my imagination or was she smiling a little bit? "Because I read up on you and found you've been diagnosed with retrograde agnosia. Don't you ever feel like talking about it with someone?"

She annoyingly clicked with her pen. "I can imagine it must be quite disturbing to be so disconnected from your roots and previous identity."

"No?"

It's not like I was in a world I had only imagined being fictional and knew nothing about it and had to survive starting from zero. Haha, that would be crazy.

"Are you sure? Sometimes you only need someone to lend you an ear."

Coldheart looked me in the eyes. "Because keeping everything to yourself can be quite depressing."

"I manage. Besides, why are you so obsessed with my emotions? seems a bit unprofessional to me."

"Does it sound so strange that I want to help someone who clearly needs it?" She sounded sincere but I had my doubts about her motives.

"Ugh..." A weak voice came from my right.

"Yip yip!" Ninetales ran towards the medical bed and jumped on top of it, her cloudy tails following behind her. After landing, she proceeded to give my Riolu a lick on the face.

"Aaah!" Fay's eyes snapped open and the first thing she saw was the sight of a happy Ninetales looking down on her.

"Get away!" Fay rolled off the bed and ran towards me, she stopped in in front of me with a panicked look on the face. She rubbed the saliva of her face with her paw. "Dust, that Ninetales is crazy!"

"Relax," I pointed at Snowflake. "She's just trying to be nice, she is just bad at showing it."

Snowflake gave me a proud smile like she had single-handedly healed Fay.

Luna opened her eyes next, she eyed the white Ninetales. {Nope!}

Before the Ninetales could give Luna the same treatment she disappeared with a bright flash and teleported on top of my head. {I am back, Dust!}

"I'm glad you both are alright." I smiled at them.

Fay cast her eyes down, she placed her arms behind her back and with a small voice she spoke, "I'm sorry for losing like that."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah you totally should have seen that Painsplit coming, can't believe you fell for that trick."

The Riolu gave me a skeptic look. "You're doing that thing again aren't you? The sar-thing."

{Sarcasm} Luna said, {Yes, he is being sarcastic. But we won, right?}

"Yes we did, Alakazam fainted before you did, Luna, no idea why but it worked." I grinned, "Both of you were perfect today."

I got up from the chair and offered the woman my hand. "Welp. Seems like you did a great job, my Pokémon are now fixed up so thanks."

"No problem," Coldheart nodded. "But keep in mind what I just said, if you ever need help or someone to talk to."

Okay, she was officially on the don't-like list.

"Seriously, what makes you think I need help?"

Anne Coldheart politely coughed. "Dust, I may not be a psychic so I can not read your mind, in fact, Sabrina told me that there's a huge chance no one can..."

The doctor paused for a second. "But I pride myself in knowing how to read people and you, Dust..." She sharpened her eyes. "You have not answered a question in full honesty since you stepped into this room."

Did I? I tried to retrace all the lies I had spoken, not big lies but definitely lies. It was kind of creepy seeing how good I had gotten at lying.

"Well-"

"Think about it Dust," Anne got up from her chair and opened the door for me. "I don't mean to insult you but you do look like you really need therapy."

I couldn't come up with a quirky or fun reply.

"Uh, sure thing." I finally managed to say as I stepped out of the room. The blue-haired doctor shot me one final look before slamming the door behind me. Snowflake almost got her tail caught but she made it just in time.

"What was that about?" Fay stared perplexedly at the door.

"I have no idea," I lied.

{Weird woman,} Luna scoffed.

I nodded and walked away from the room, not sure where I was going considering this entire place is designed to be a fucking maze.

{So,} Luna finally asked from atop of my head. {Did you get the badge?}

"Yes, I fucking did!" I grinned and retrieved the Marsh Badge from my pocket where I had put it so I could show it to Luna and Fay later.

{Wow!} Luna jumped off my head and landed in front of me. With big eyes, she watched the Marsh Badge. {Can I please touch it?}

"Ehh, yeah?"

Luna took the Marsh Badge and held it up to the ceiling light like it was her most precious thing. She did a spin while holding the badge above her head. {So Shiny haha!}

"I don't get it." Fay stared aghast at Luna. "What's so special about it? We can't eat it nor sell it."

"It's evidence that we overcame a challenge, that we achieved something." I tried to explain.

"I don't know," Fay said unconvinced.

{It shows we are superior!} Luna stopped her weird dance and tossed the badge back at me. I caught it with one hand and put it in my backpack.

"Nine!" Snowflake spun around, I followed her line of sight and Queen Meanie stood behind us.

I got up and stared at Sabrina, not really sure what to say.

She coughed uncomfortably, "So uh, good to see your Pokémon are doing fine."

{Not thanks to you.} Luna scoffed.

"Be nice," Fay muttered.

"Uh, yeah, Doctor Coldheart healed them with her weird Lickitung."

Sabrina nodded and closed the distance between us, looking as awkward as I felt inside. She avoided my eyes and took an unnatural interest in the vomit-green wall.

She coughed and again but this time she met my eyes after it. She heaved a deep sigh and began speaking.

"I know I may not have been the nicest person to you and during our battle I kind of overreacted. I tried to get you on the edge, it's my Gym's gimmick if you want to call it. I personally believe that someone's true self shines through when they feel their most basic emotions."

I nodded, "Sounds about right. "

"It takes most people multiple tries to beat me, most of them first try to brute force it and only later they realise that doing that won't work."

"I can imagine that," I was wondering where she was going with this entire explanation.

"Today you turned the tables on me, Dust," Sabrina admitted embarrassed. "You frustrate me to no end, you managed to make me lose my calm and overcame my tricks and in the process, I learned 2 things."

"Nine?"

"I realized that I can be wrong sometimes, that's why I want to apologize for what happened in the desert and treating you unfairly, a sincere apology this time."

"Apology accepted," I said, feeling really confused, this kind of came out of nowhere. Maybe mood swings are a psychic power.

"Thanks," Sabrina had a small smile on her face, "This means more to me than you think."

"So we agree that I am awesome?" I asked.

"No, you are still annoying."

Welp, being annoying was definitely one of my best skills, not useful skills but 'best' skills.

"However there was another thing I learned," Sabrina's smile dropped.

"If you truly are capable of using psychic powers while being a blindspot-"

{Danger!} Luna screamed.

The sound of a metal click followed, suddenly Sabrina was pressing something metallic and heavy against my head. Sabrina grimaced as she pulled back the safety switch on the gun with her thumb while slightly pressing the trigger with her index finger.

Her hand was shaking and despite her efforts, she failed to hide the fact that she was on the edge of a mental breakdown. Her voice shook as she finally spoke again.

"Then that means you are an S level Threat in the making, thus you should be eliminated and for that… I am truly sorry."

A/N Lickitung can use Wish which is a healing move, although it's only by breeding it out of a special event egg. Also, this world is kind of an AU which means that some Pokemon use moves that they can't in the games but realistically (or in my opinion) should be able to use.

So since I started using this author note section as a makeshift diary anyway; started playing Fire Emblem on the DS and god is it hard. I'm only at level 7 and I have around 40 resets cause my fav characters kept dying.

Writing tip of the day 3: Having your Pokemon lumber around weights all day is a perfect way to train, there's no way doing such a thing can ever be boring to do or boring to read.

(Reviews)

-Xavier V. Royal (I hope i addressed the issues in the AN well enough)

-Hmmmm

(Most of them are just power fantasies anyway)

-theguyinblue

-Guest (Sorry I am kind of bad with colors, I'll fix it and don't mind if I borrow some tips from you?)

-Kauris Azurai

Cya all later!

-CaptainMoonShine-