[1] The Daughter of Nurse Joy

Cora Joy vs. The Lightning Lieutenant

The gang looked up at the sign right above them that read:

Vermilion City

"After two weeks of traveling." Alain started.

"We're finally here!" Mairin cheered, pumping her fists in the air.

During those two weeks, Cora had trained with her Pokémon and three of them had evolved. One of her female Eevee's finally evolved into Sylveon, which she named Stella, her shiny male Eevee into an Umbreon, which she named Zunair and Digger evolved into Sandslash. Oddly enough, they lost Ash and his friends, again. Cora could swear that Ash believes that he's going in the right direction when he clearly has the lack of the sense of direction.

Right now, they've finally arrived in Vermilion City.

"Now I can finally take a nice hot bath and sleep in a real bed!" Mairin smiled.

"And we can finally do some laundry." Alain said.

"Let's also get some food and rest for our Pokémon and us." Cora decided when she noticed how exhausted Kilala and Chespie were.

So the group headed to the Pokémon Center.

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"We'll fix them right up," Nurse Deidra Joy said kindly as she took the tray that contained Cora's Pokéballs, Mairin staring at Deidra blankly while Cora and Alain sighed and leaned on the counter.

"I know why you're surprised," Nurse Deidra Joy smiled when noticing Mairin's stare. "I look like all the other nurses, don't I? My first cousin works at Pewter City and my second cousin works in Viridian City. I think I'm the prettiest one, don't you?" She said with that same kind, gentle smile and giggle all Nurse Joys wore and used. Cora, Alain and Mairin just blinked at her. Whatever else Mairin was planning to say, interrupted by the center doors opening and a boy's shout.

"Hurry!" The boy cried, calling attention to the rolling cot with a severely hurt Rattata on it. "You'll be okay, Rattata," the boy murmured, sounding on the verge of tears as Chansey rushed the cart through the lobby. "Hurry!"

"That Rattata is in rough shape," Alain noted, face serious. "I wonder what happened."

Nurse Deidra Joy stood then, hands on hips in disapproval. "Oh! It's the fifteenth one brought in this month!" She frowned.

"This month?!" Cora repeated, deep seated disapproval of her own settling in her chest as Deidra Joy wordlessly led them to a room full of occupied beds holding various injured Pokémon.

"This is terrible." Alain muttered as he took them all in.

"They all lost to Lt. Surge, the Vermilion City gym leader." Nurse Deidra Joy informed, upset.

Cora looked at all of the trainers with their injured Pokémon with pity. She couldn't understand why Lt. Surge had to be so brutal to all these Pokémon. She knew that you didn't need to so badly hurt the opponent's weaker Pokémon if you were experienced and knew your Pokémon well, two things a gym leader of all things should be. Cora did not like how this Lt. Surge was so readily destroying his weaker opponents, especially considering most of them are so young and inexperienced. To her point of view, Lt. Surge is a huge bully to all inexperienced trainers.

A ding sound was heard nearby which meant that her Pokémon were healed.

"Oh? That signal means your other Pokémon have recovered." Nurse Deidra Joy happily led the trio out into the lobby where Cora's Pokéballs were waiting on a tray with a content Kilala sitting by them, finishing a small apple.