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The redhead blinked back tears. “You’re right. Thank—thank you.” She appreciated the young man’s kindness, even if she doubted the truth of them. She knew how important hope was, even if it came from a lie. His shout startled her. “Of course. How could I not?” Aubre eventually murmured, not sure who she was trying to convince. At his dream, her lips again tilted upward. “I look forward to it. Maybe I’ll hear you on the radio one day.” Well, as long as he played music she enjoyed. Hardcore metal and rap weren’t really her scenes. Still, it was best not to say that. Musical tastes often caused as much conflict as politics.[break][break]

At the noise, Aubre’s breath caught in her chest. Terrified green eyes swept up and down the main thoroughfare as if expecting a squadron of armed guards. This was done even though she knew the animatronics did not seem to have ears. Slowly, her pounding heart reined itself back to a canter. It wasn’t even that loud, you nitwit. Arceus, stop freaking out. It’s not good for you. As Dylan made the offer, Aubre chewed thoughtfully at her lip.[break][break]

“No, I—” She took a deep breath to banish the tremble in her voice. “---if we break the door down, there’s nothing to keep them out." The redhead turned thoughtful. "Do you have anyone that can jam it?” Her eyes drifted toward the Pokemon who’d made the journey with her. Unfortunately, none of them were made of steel. They also did not have any attacks hard enough to stop the whirring gears. “Maybe a steel or rock type?” Again, her eyes drifted hopefully to her own companions. But, just like earlier, all she received was a shrug.[break][break]

An audible click followed. Something, somewhere had opened.

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“Well, yes, I suppose. Your aviary seemed so peaceful.” That was not to say, of course, that her clinic was a warzone. Her rehabilitation facilities were smaller. So, there were more chances for fights to break out. Her low tolerance for conflict—any being too much—also tended to malign the most innocent action. She’d also been in the place for an hour at most. But knowing these facts didn’t make her feel any better. [break][break]

Attentively, the woman listened to Alexei. I try to socialize them. Is it not long enough? Maybe I’m impatient? She nodded along with each statement. “I see. I’ll keep that in mind.” A hand dropped to her pants in search of a memo pad. But this only ended in flushed cheeks. Like her keys and her wallet, she’d left the stationary in a locker. The last thing she wanted to do—especially while falling to her death—was lose her keys. Arceus, why do you spend so much time worrying about the stupidest thing? Look how high that obstacle course is!
[break][break]


The redhead shook her head at his question. But, then, she settled into a pensive silence. “It’s not really a problem. I may just be expecting too much. I mean no one has ever been seriously hurt.” There were a few scratches and some blood, but the doctor wasn’t sure it was too serious. She also, for some reason, didn’t want to give this man the impression that she couldn’t do her job. Then, she stammered. “Well, not in rehabilitation. I mean, obviously, they’re hurt enough to come to us.” Her mind journeys back to her time in the hospital. The nasty, venomous way she hissed at those who cared. The way she bared her teeth and shed out was not too unlike an angry cat.
[break][break]

Behind her, Marcus sized up the other Dragonite. The second the creature touched the earth, he drew himself straighter. Tiny nostrils flared as he coiled his muscular tail. Tiny wings—a wonder of physics—pushed outward as if trying to stretch. When his posturing was done, the male offered a single, curt nod. Aubre, throwing a reproachful glance at the showoff, turned to smile apologetically at Alexei. “I have been meaning to—these non-traditional challenges are so unique.” She wished she had a pocket or loose thread to fiddle with. Her hands felt so idle.[break][break]

“What made you pick—” An airborne death trap? “--an obstacle course?”

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The rest of the part passed without incident. Hundreds of people cycled past the cage. A few offered empathy while others clung fitfully to the bars. These little birds represented various things: hope, resilience, and freedom. A few even tossed crumbs at the Taillow's feet as a farewell.
[break][break]
Then, the time came to release them. With her head held high, the redhead walked over to the cage's door. A deep breath pushed back the threatening tears as she pulled the portal open. A gentle tap on the doorframe drew the birds' attention. For a few seconds, they seemed to debate about the freedom offered to them. One went so far as to pull on the doctor's shoes. Then, the boldest hopped pass the threshold. It turned to meet Aubre's eyes. Almost as if it was asking permission.[break][break]

The doctor nodded. "It's all right." The bird hopped closer to her. But its eyes were staring at the blue sky above. "Go." As the first Taillow took to the skies, the others were quick to follow. Soon, only a few feathers on the bottom of the cage showed they'd been there at all.

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Her voice repeats what he said slowly—reminding herself of a Chatot. “A…lime rind?” The puzzle seems to capture her attention for a moment. Her mind runs through every Pokemon she can think of. Which, when it’s required, is suddenly very few. What makes you think it’s from a Pokemon, anyway? Talk about being closed-minded, Aubre. It could be a lubricant, a strange cultural remnant, or literally anything else. Dylan’s admission draws her attention. “It’s not too late to go back.” The veterinarian mutters. “If you want to. Obviously.” [break][break]

The redhead looked at the fading silhouettes with an almost forlorn expression. “I have to remind myself of that..” Her voice is whisper quiet. Some part of her hopes the Thievul’s ears are just for show. “And I have to think that’s better. Can you imagine living life in an endless loop?” Was there any kind of consciousness in there? When that Corviknight died, Aubre thought she saw a flicker of something. But she felt bad when her foot smacked a rock too hard. As Dylan talked about the why behind this place, goosebumps raced up her arms. She shuddered. “I am glad whoever created them is gone.” The idea of a Jigsaw running around this place was horrifying.[break][break]

A few mental countdowns allowed her to regain her composure. Or, at least, as much as she could in a terrible, backward place like this. “Our base?” At his words, green eyes lifted to the door in front of him. She dropped her gaze to check the building’s entrance. The dust here had not been disturbed in some time. The conspicuous slots were also absent. Cheery smoke wafted out of the roof. “I think a reset would be nice.”[break][break]

With help from her Swampert, the redhead tried to tug the old doors open. But, just as she got to a point she could see into the cavern beyond, something began to whir. Gears clicked and the door slammed shut. “BOOM!” Aubre jumped.

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The redhead nodded.”Y-yeah. She is.” Aubre’s voice seems to piece itself back together. A scarred hand bunched irritably at her side—the answer not even having the benefit of a target. “And, I can’t keep her waiting.” The cracks in tone are sealed by stubbornness and self-immolation. It’s even harder for her, and here you are wallowing in self-pity like a damned Grumpig in the mud. A nervous hand rearranges frizzy curls into place as she forces herself to literally face forward. [break][break]

As Dylan spoke, Aubre’s ruffled feathers smoothed somewhat. Just hearing something other than spinning gears and cuckoo clocks helped her feel more grounded. It was harder to notice the waterboarding. “Slime? Maybe something from a Reuniculus?” The doctor’s curiosity took hold. A question like this is a welcome distraction from the grating noises of the gear beneath their feet. “Medical, huh? It’d explain the bags—I know I never got any sleep.” She winced. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said that out loud." Maybe it was her own sleep deprivation at work. You'll be lucky if he doesn't just leave you hear. Meeting a man and insulting him in the same breath. Where are your manners?[break][break]

“I’m glad you’re all right. That sounds terrifying.” At least the Corviknight had been slow and physical. It certainly didn’t spit fire. [break][break]

A squeak of surprise punctuated their initial spin. “!?” A few stumbling steps get her into some semblance of rhythm. All the while, her cheeks turn more and more red. She’d never even held hands with anyone but her husband. Behind them, her two Pokemon tried to imitate the human’s strange movements. The Swampert tried to draw the Grimmsnarl in while the Heliolisk kept beat with his expanding frill.
[break][break]
Please work. Oh, Arceus, they’re looking at us! Her heart’s pounding swelled until it overwhelmed the ticking of the clock. She could just imagine the axes sliding down her back. Those vicious, lifeless eyes stared at her secret with a detached, analytical stare. Then, something clicked. With a series of grating, jerking movements, the suspicious Thievul made their way back to their little henhouse.

A shaky, sobbing breath escaped Aubre as she dropped her hands to her knees. “I—I thought they were going to—” She gulped for breath. “--they almost—” She swallowed. Finally, the doctor settled for a simple nod. “Thank you.”

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Though El’s smile is bright, Aubre cannot help but fixate on the clouds behind the sunny expression. The way the other hesitates to finish the sentence. [break][break] Way to assume they can’t do it themselves. Why not just build yourself a throne, Aubre? Just because you have a degree doesn’t make everyone else stupid. At the talk of bonding, she bobbed her head—eager for something positive. “It can be! You just have to be sure to explain why you’re doing it. To them, we’re the stupid ones.” Right now, her Dragonite was proving a hard study. Though he seemed to like reading, he preferred letting his body speak for him.
[break][break]

A melancholy smile reasserts its dominance. To keep these Taillow from the skies—even with the danger—was just cruel. “I think it’s just the mother in me.” She laughed. The sound was tainted with tears. Her brain tried to picture her little angel in the bird’s place. But it just made her laugh harder. The beaks did not lend themselves to the toddler’s normally haughty expression. “It’ll be my daughter I’m letting go of one day.” And, there was only one thing to do. It was time to let these guys go. “But, you’re right. They’ll be fine.” Until someone caught them. Or something ate them. Or they flew into an active warzone. Or an angry, possessive nutjob set them on fire.
[break][break]

Huh. So that’s what this was about. It always came back to that, didn’t it?
[break][break]

Across the lawn, someone began to talk—reminding people of why they were there. The senior doctor cast about for the junior, casting her a stern glance.
[break][break]

With a mess of nods, the doctor turned to hurry to her spot. “Thank you, El. Eat lots of cake for me!” Scarred hands lifted in a fond wave as she almost tripped over the step to the aviary. A few of the spectators turned to her. Let’s not brain ourselves on the way to the microphone. Arceus. When she turned back, Alastor was stuffing his face with the remnants of his lunch.
[break][break]

One of the birds soared up toward the top of its cage, staring longingly at the sun as it hung from the bars.

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I was afraid he’d say that.. Just like that, any idea of eccentricity or sleepwalking goes out the window. Not to say there had been a high possibility of either to begin with, but the pacifist in her could dream. Heck, even if he’d lied she might have let him go. “I kind of figured it would be, but I didn't want to assume.” [break][break]She shrugged—a tiny, defeated little gesture. On a normal night, she would not be here. The man would have waltzed in and out with only Chester the wiser. Some part of her wanted to go back inside. To pretend this dream was just another pearl in a necklace of nightmares.
[break][break]

The talk of male and female took her back to a sensitivity course. “In all fairness, most Pokemon aren't dimorphic.”
[break][break]

But, Aubre couldn’t do it. These Pokemon depended on her. Or, well, the clinic really. And to just let someone waltz in to steal them—even if he changed his mind—was a terrible idea. “I do not think that makes what you’re doing any better.” The Phione peered at the man from behind the Gyarados’s left fin. “These Pokemon are people, not trinkets to be bartered and sold for your stupid war.” At the talk of its parent, the creature’s arms folded tightly across its chest. Water began to gather in its hands.
[break][break]

The man invited her to part amicably. Those words were like a siren’s song to the coward she professed to be (but rarely was). Just let him go. You can just walk away. No one has to know. No one needs to get hurt. Tiny hands curled into uncertain fists. Her jaw set stubbornly. “So you can finish the job another day? When there is something you want resting in the spring?” She shook her head. At her side, Alastor lit up like a Christmas tree, sparks arcing around his disc.[break][break]


This asshole didn’t get to threaten his sister like that. A few scribbles on his notepad punctuate the tense silence. With a narrowing of blue eyes, the lizard turns it around: ‘Go fuck yourself, asshole.’


Aubre, however, makes no move to attack. She is a pacifist at her core. A doctor promises to do no harm, after all. And even the worst criminals have something of worth inside of them. She believes that. No, she has to believe that. [break][break]

She tries to force courage into her next words. To make them convincing enough to pause the man’s hand. “You set off the alarm.” What a terrible liar she was. The inability to meet his eyes. The shifting of her feet. “I already called the police.”

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The redhead tried to picture the scenario presented. All of the core strength it’d take to stay balanced on a Starmie’s top layer as it spun like a top.”That sounds… dangerous.” Those edges were sharp as knives. That gem, meanwhile, was hard as a diamond. Aubre shuddered. “Especially if you fall.” With all the arteries in that area, the doctor could not help but imagine the seas turning red. [break][break]


A proud smile perked up the normally morose doctor’s lips. “I knew he could, but I never thought he would.” A quick glance between the pair ensured that the Farigiraf was not offended.Thank Arceus. Mother and father had taken her somewhere new every summer. Daddy’s gym work meant she saw almost every Pokemon known to man. And, unfortunately, saw what her father’s Pokemon could do to them. “Arthur isn’t much of a battler. He prefers to use his words.” The head swiveled to gently gnaw at a strand of stray auburn hair. [break][break]

A laugh pushed its way past that ever-present anxiety. “He certainly isn’t happy about it. Retrofitting the house is a slow process.” And, while he could duck through tall doorways, that was no way to live. The psychic type made its displeasure evident with a snort. “It does make dusting easier though.” At the talk of size selection, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “I’ve never really thought about it, but, then again, I don’t really catch Pokemon.” She couldn’t collect them like stamps—they were living, sentient beings with thoughts of their own. “Almost everyone I have has been with me since I was a kid.” The exceptions were the rehabilitation fails and the little mythicals who called her sanctuary home. [break][break]

The redhead smiled softly at the Farigiraf beneath her. After years with three legs, he was still uncertain about four. He had to unlearn all the habits he picked up. The difference in cadence and upward jerks to accommodate the prosthetic. Aubre stood up to whisper in an ear; it twitched, tickling her cheek. “Just one step at a time, Arthur.” The uncertain trotting shifted as he found his stride across the bumpy forest ground. As they drew even and Shalin sped up, she grinned. A competitive beast unfurled. [break][break]

“Let’s put these long legs to use.” Wanting to please his BFF—more than he wanted anything—the normal type picked up his pace. [break][break]

REESE RHODES

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Life is really a matter of masks. And, in this job, Aubre wore more than you’d find at a Halloween store. Though it was almost always the same theme. She pretended to be someone who knew the answers. Her anxiety and uncertainty were suffocated beneath the translucent white coat. Still, she could not hide a start as she spotted the blood. [break][break]

The good samaritan’s almost apology receives a shake of the head in return. “Fortunately, even I can see what the problem is.” It was splattered in red across the floor and reflected back on the steel. The poor thing needed help, and it needed it now. [break][break]


The little balloon Pokemon looked almost deflated, Its normally vibrant color is two or three tones less saturated than usual. “Shhh.” Scarred hands gently stroked the Marrill’s head as she knelt beside it. “I won’t hurt you. It’s okay.” A bunch of empty words that’d comfort no one. Certainly not her. [break][break]


There’s a brief pause as she offers a small smile to Reese. This job is about the trainers as much as the Pokemon. “Al?” The Heliolisk perked up. Claws dropped to his little notepad. “Would you get Maggie for me?” An irritable croak emerges as he turns away from the pair. Everybody knew he was the best translator in the room. But his rough mannerism was just as sandy as his skin. With a shrug, the lizard vanished from the room in search of a pink ball of plant fluff. Someone just doesn’t appreciate my bedside manner. [break][break]

“Can you talk to him for me?” She moved over to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a plastic bag. This she ripped open with a ssssszzzt. From a different drawer, she pulled out a stitching kit. “They understand more than people realize.”

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A thousand images flashed through the doctor’s mind. [break][break]

Her daughter clinging to her favorite book, throwing a dozen glances at the door. The worry and anger of her husband as one night missing stretched into seven. Then, her mind turned to all the firsts she would miss—an empty hand as the little girl boarded the school bus for the first time. An awkward pause as her daughter’s date stared at the half-empty table. [break][break]


They’ll think I abandoned them. Or worse, that it’s someone’s fault. She somehow doubted Leon’s morality pledge would subsist. Tears punctuated her quiet, desperate sobs. As Dylan knelt, green eyes lifted to his. She swallowed. An anxious hand dug into her knees.”Y-yeah.” Chewed nails scratched at the denim of her jeans. He’s right. Stop being a coward. Get up, you worthless, spineless buffoon. Unsure of the reason behind the tears, the Swampert glared at the strange man. Webbed fingers dug into the metal ground as she debated knocking him aside. A squeeze from Aubre’s hand stopped the axolotl in its tracks. [break][break]

“You’re right.” With a grunt, the doctor pushed herself to her feet. “I’m sorry. I’ve just—it’s been a lot. Being away from my daughter like this.” An audible tick punctuated her sentence. She laughed. Just so she wouldn’t cry. “And, apparently, I’m not cut out for life in a clock.” Each tick just brought to mind the fact that another second had come and gone. It also reminded her that patrols would be around soon. With them, the pounding of her chest she swore was louder than these damnable automatons. Just move. This young man has a life too. Left foot. Right foot. [break][break]

Turning toward the east, Aubre began to pick her way toward a small manor in the distance. “I ended up here about a week ago.” Her Swampert took up the rear position. “We were picked up by a Corviknight, but we—we subdued it.” Cut the beautiful thing into goddamned pieces. A door opened nearby as a series of dancing figures emerged.

"Oh no!" Weren’t they early? Had she really cost them that much time? The Thievul at the front of the line jerkily turned toward them. An axe gleamed in the mechanical fox’s paws. [break][break]

The doctor hissed and grabbed Dylan’s hand. “Dance!” She curtsied awkwardly, her entire body trembling. “Now.”

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The tiny paw’s grip was spectral at best. Each move of the doctor’s hand threatened to send the rabbit squeaking into the underbrush. I need to calm him down. It’s just making things worse. The redhead swallowed. “W-would you like something to eat? To make up for the berries earlier?” With agonizingly slow movements, she reached into her pocket. From it, she withdrew a gelatinous berry bar, similar to a thickened fruit roll-up. [break][break]

This she waved in front of the rabbit’s nose. As he took it, the doctor tilted his injured paw over. A relieved gasp rushed out as she spotted the problem. Nothing seemed to be broken or sprained. A relieved laugh spilled out—the noise drawing growls from the lurking kaiju. Aubre swallowed. From her bag, she fished out a pair of thin-nosed forceps. “This might hurt a little bit, but I’m going to need you to be a big boy, okay? You’re tough like daddy, right?” The fruit bar was pulled out of reach as her Kabutops translated. “Ran.” Her patient nodded. [break][break]


The redhead flushed. “Well, I think the Nidoqueen seems quite...charmed.” Angry. On pins and needles. A few seconds away from tearing them apart. Aubre shuddered. Oh, Arceus, why was she such a bad liar? [break][break]


“I just—” She swallowed as she saw how close the poison types were to breaching the very human, very breakable line in front of her. “--I just need a few more seconds.” Rolling the paw over, she drops the bar into the far side of her lap. The Nidoran moved to follow it as she dropped his paw to her lap, revealing the thick, nasty thorn growing into it. She brings the tool from her side to her hand. Keep your eyes on the prize, McKenna. Head down. Then, she jerks back. Once. [break][break]


It’s so quick he doesn’t even notice. The steady stream of infection quickly dwindles to nothing. The ignorance continues until she slides a bandage in place. At this point, aware of the pain, the Nidoran squeals—a few seconds late to the party. Her heart pounds. Jumps into her throat. “We’re good!” The doctor shouts as she scrambles to the side and tries to rise to her feet. “Clear!”

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