Chapter 5

When the sun settled, Bob had made it to the Pokécenter.

"Welcome again, how can I help you?" Nurse Joy spoke, bowing.

"I need my pokémon to rest," Bob replied, rubbing his eyes,

"My, you need a rest as well," She said, placing the tray down, "there are rooms here for trainers, so feel free to use them,"

"Thank you," Bob said, placing the pokéballs on the tray.

"You may wait," Nurse Joy said, walking away, and Bob sat down on the same bench he sat on the last time.

He covered his mouth as he yawned.

'Walking all this time and I'm only tired?' He thought, lowering his cap, 'Let's hope I don't get sore legs,'

Bob decided to wait, slumped back on the bench, and his eyes closed half the time.

Then, Nurse Joy's footsteps alarmed him fully, and Bob stood up and walked to the counter.

"Your pokémon are well rested, once again," She said, placing the tray down.

Bob nodded and took the pokéballs.

He heeded Nurse Joy's advice and looked around for the rooms.

Luckily, there was a door that read 'Trainer Rooms' on the left side of the counter. Bob walked in.

A long corridor with stairs at the end exposed itself to Bob. The other way it turned. On one side, was a massive and long glass panel that showed the outside the whole way. Several doors stood at the other end, with numbers on each of them.

Bob took a guess and went into the first door.

The room inside had a bed, a closet, a television of some sort on a stand, and a table.

There was another door that lead to a bathroom.

'How comfy,' He thought, 'I can't wait to sleep,'

Though, he wanted to bring out his pokémon.

So after finding the light switch, he released the two.

"Cyndaquil!"

"Pidgey!"

'They did rest, but I must feed them,' Bob thought, placing his bag down and taking something out, 'the pokéfood I saw and bought at the Pokémart proves it,'

Cyndaquil looked at Bob curiously while Pidgey stared at the roof as he took out two small bowls from his bag.

"Here," He said, pulling out a packet, "want some food?"

A nod came from the fire type, while the flying type had his beak on the packet, trying to pull it.

Bob only opened the packet and poured the food into the two bowls.

The food was attacked just then.

'Good,' Bob thought, watching his pokémon eat, knowing he had eaten already, 'Oh yeah,'

The book was pulled out next.

Leaning against the bed and sitting on the floor, Bob placed his cap next to him and opened the book.

'Hmm,' He scratched the numbers out with an eraser and wrote it back in, 'that works,'

However, he noticed Pidgey standing on his cap looking over, and Cyndaquil was on the bed, staring down at what he was writing.

___

Cyndaquil: 0-1-0 (1L Streak)

Pidgey: 2-0-0 (2W Streak)

___

"Cynda?" The fire type seemed to ask, pointing at his name, specifically at the numbers.

Pidgey had the same idea.

"You could call these your records," Bob explained, lowering the book so Pidgey could see better, "It numbers your Wins, Losses, and Assists,"

Bob only frowned at the confusion plastered on his pokémon's faces.

"To be more specific, it's the amount of pokémon you knocked down, how many times you were knocked down, and the last one..."

Bob took a breath, "For example, let's say I send Pidgey out for battle. He fights, damages the opponent, yet nearly faints,"

Cyndaquil and Pidgey nodded again, though Pidgey looked cross at what Bob said.

"so I switch him out for Cyndaquil, and if Cyndaquil knocks out that pokémon, he gets the win while you, Pidgey, get the assist, understand?"

More nods came his way.

Then, Pidgey laughed, somehow.

"What is it?" Bob asked, then he looked at Cyndaquil, who was nearly blowing a fuse, "Oh yeah, this does mean that you have a loss, Cyndaquil,"

"Cynda," He scowled, folding his small arms.

"Also," Bob said, "these only count for trainer battles, so no wild pokémon,"

"Pidgey!" Pidgey squawked again, laughing still, despite Cyndaquil's dismay.

"After you're done laughing, I want to give you guys your nicknames,"

At that, Pidgey nearly stopped laughing while Cyndaquil tilted his head while jumping down to Bob's right.

There was not a lot of thought put into the names, but Bob could not say that out loud, as he might hurt their feelings, and that may lead them to underperform.

'I definitely won't give them numbers,' He thought, ordering them to stand in front of him, side by side, 'but names will do,'

For a moment, he stared at the two pokémon in front of him.

He picked up the cap and placed it on his head.

"Okay, Cyndaquil," He spoke, "I have decided to give you the nickname..."

The fire type waited.

'He has a quick fuse to anger,' Bob thought, resting his head on his hand, trying to think of a name, 'and his whole 'too angry to faint' shtick reminds me of a certain someone, so this name would be alright,'

"Guts," Bob finished, "how does that sound?"

"Cyndaquil!" Guts the Cyndaquil cried as if to agree.

"Okay, now you, Pidgey,"

At his call, Pidgey bowed with one wing out and the other on his chest.

"You, uh, will be named..."

'I could name you Griffith, but that would be boring,' Bob thought, 'I have another name though,'

"Dio," He finished, "sounds good?"

Pidgey responded by posing, and both Cyndaquil and Bob felt their bodies deconstruct from embarrassment.

"Almost too perfect," Bob said, 'Th-that was a JoJo pose!? No fricking way!'

"Anyway," Bob spoke, "Guts and Dio, those are your nicknames now,"

The two nodded.

"Now finish your food," Bob ordered, and they both agreed.

Bob stood up and walked to the bathroom.

He opened the door and saw a shower and a sink.

'Phew,' He thought, 'now I can shower,'

So he turned on the water, and after undressing himself, he stepped into the hot stream of water.

'I only have two pokémon now,' He thought, trying not to get weirded out that he was washing another body, 'I should catch more pokémon tomorrow,'

As he scrubbed himself, he thought of what Jonathan said about his Butterfree.

'I have a theory,' Bob thought, washing his hair with soap, 'I need to test if pitting your pokémon against a foe with the type advantage will make them stronger,'

'To do it, I need to get to Dark Cave, as my second subject will be there,'

Within a few minutes, the tap was switched off, and a dry Bob walked out of the shower.

He looked at the door and saw his clean clothes.

'Good thing I placed them there,' Bob thought, taking them and fitting the clothes on.

Bob walked out and saw that Cyndaquil and Pidgey had eaten their fills.

"Now that you're done," He spoke, taking out their pokéballs from his bag, "you must return now,"

Guts and Dio did not argue.

After returning them back to their pokéballs, Bob placed them in his bag and laid on the bed.

He took off his shoes but kept his cap on.

'Phew,' He thought, 'so tired,'

That was his final thought before falling asleep.