Chapter 20: Joy to the World
New
The inside of the Pokecenter - even the garage entrance the pair had passed through - felt warm and welcoming. The walls were painted white, but the kind of white that was soft and warm, like fresh sheets on a bed or white sand on a beach. The walls had thick lines and pokeball symbols across them in a familiar pink color that the Ariados couldn't quite place, while the floor of the area they were in was made of durable, tiled stone that had seen its fair share of scratches. The stones in the middle of the room had another massive pokeball pattern to them.
The area itself was mostly empty, save for a trainer and his Onix to the side, the latter curled up around the former, who was lazily browsing his phone, sitting atop one of the stone snake's coils. The Onix was peering over his shoulder, their head tilted at an angle to stare at the tiny screen they were both apparently watching.
The Onix didn't have any visible injuries, so it was likely that the pair were just here for a checkup.
Against the back of the room was a wide counter, and standing there was a sight that was decidedly nostalgic. She didn't look quite the same as from the Ariados' memories - reasonable, given this was real, and not an animated show - but the similarities were too close for her to be anyone else. Pink hair that had been styled into a pair of loops at the back, slate blue eyes that had a cheerful and encouraging air, and of course the classic nurse's outfit - complete with a pink-and-white pokeball emblazoned on the cap.
Nurse Joy.
Cautiously, the Ariados made her way to the counter, the smile on the nurse's face never wavering in the slightest, even as she tilted her head back slightly to maintain eye contact. Her hands were steady, clasped together on the counter, and her posture was completely relaxed in the face of a giant, seven-foot spider.
"Gym Leader Bugsy! So wonderful to have you visit us again. Gym Leaders Pryce and Clair arrived earlier and gave us the gist of the situation - they're with their teams now. Pryce's Mamoswine is in intensive care at the moment but she's certain to make a full recovery, and her tusk is expected to be completely regrown in two weeks as long as she takes her Sitrus Berry infusions."
Turning her attention slightly lower to focus on the Ariados' face, the nurse's smile, if possible, grew even bigger.
"And you must be the Ariados I've heard so much about! What beautiful coloration you have, not to mention your impressive size! I hope the city hasn't been too overwhelming for you, dear - I know that wild pokemon tend to struggle with the crowds."
She rummaged in her apron, pulling out…
A cupcake?
"You've been very brave, my dear, walking here from the docks. Care for a pokepuff?"
The pastry had a pink base, which was topped with white cream, and then had pink icing layered on top. It was topped with what looked like a cherry - perhaps a Cheri Berry? It was sealed inside some transparent green packaging, which the nurse quickly tore open.
The scent that wafted over to her had the Ariados' mouth watering. It smelled decadent.
Nurse Joy held it out to her on her palm, apparently unconcerned about the Ariados' fangs or mandibles. There wasn't a drop of fear in her gaze nor in her scent.
Is she just that confident? Or is it something else?
Delicately, she brought her head forward, her mandibles carefully gripping around the treat and bringing it to her mouth where she began munching away at it. It was…
It was…
Heaven in every bite. Soft and fluffy and so, so sweet.
The texture! The flavor! That soft, spongy goodness! It had been so, so long since she'd had baked goods. It had been thick, acidic liquids or berries ever since she'd been trapped on that island. It had been years since she tasted something like this.
Tears sprang, unbidden, from her eyes and poured down her face.
Real food. Not some disgusting corpse-slurry I had to let sit over several days. Not the raw fruits I hunched over like an animal, juice dribbling down my face.
The waterworks didn't stop, even as Nurse Joy slipped around the counter and wrapped her arms in a hug around the Ariados neck, even as Bugsy gently rubbed at the Ariados' side and quietly whispered words of comfort. She was spellbound by the flavor, at the confirmation that this wasn't a dream - she had really escaped.
She had gotten away, found the freedom she'd craved for so long.
—
Nurse Joy led the pair to a different room, further into the building and along a suitably-large hallway. Bugsy had opted to walk from this point onward, and she sort of missed the comforting weight of him on her back. It had been nice, in a way, being able to feel that he was with her without having to keep an eye on him. Knowing that he was safe there. She'd grown rather fond of him since their meeting in the jungle.
He had asked to stop by one of the PCs available in the building before they moved on - he had needed to print out some of the paperwork he'd mentioned earlier and was even now writing on it using a provided clipboard. He hadn't elaborated on the contents much, only that they were relevant to approving her own relocation and setting up a business.
She was happy to leave him to it - one of the things she didn't miss from being a human was having to deal with bureaucracy.
The room they entered was similar to the entrance in terms of flooring and walls, with a few art pieces hung up - mostly landscapes of the region, which she appreciated looking at. The one of the Bell Tower was her favorite so far. There were chairs against one wall and a counter off to the side. It had a sink and several different pieces of medical apparatus - the standard things you'd find in a patient's waiting room, or perhaps a vet.
Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if they treated both humans and pokemon here, despite the place being called a Pokecenter.
The only odd thing that caught her eye were four half-spheres mounted in the corners of the ceiling. They were pink, like the designs on the walls, and didn't have any obvious function that she could tell. Perhaps they were cameras?
Bugsy took a seat, grabbing a magazine from the short table beside it and began to read. It was called 'Trainers Monthly', and seemed high-quality. The current issue was apparently about the Ice Path near Blackthorn City - dangers, opportunities, pokemon found there, that sort of thing. She couldn't exactly peer over his shoulder from this angle, so instead she settled down, resting her bulk on the floor.
They didn't have to wait long.
Nurse Joy returned soon, accompanied by another Joy - this lady had her hair tied up in a bun, wore some thin-framed rectangular glasses, and instead of a nurse's uniform was dressed more like a doctor. The white coat looked good on her, honestly. She was looking down at a clipboard, a pen held in one of her hands as she read something off of it. After a moment, she looked up at us, a smile blossoming onto her face.
"Hello! I'm Doctor Cassandra Joy, and I'll be performing Ariados' checkup today, Gym Leader Bugsy. We've already received the report you submitted on her from when you were on the ship, and preliminary scans from the scanners don't show any obvious issues with her - there's a surprising lack of any parasites or diseases, and she appears to be getting proper nutrition in spite of her size as an Alpha. Along with the standard checkup routine of getting her measurements, confirming weight, and checking certain areas, we'll need to administer several vaccines."
Her gaze drifted to the Ariados, who perked up at the attention. "To confirm your consent, I'm going to ask that you tap twice on the floor. If you do not consent, please tap once." Doctor Joy was looking intently at her, her expression serious.
Her opinion of the lady rose a few notches. It was nice to see that people didn't treat pokemon like dumb beasts. She gave a quick tap-tap of consent, and Doctor Joy nodded in understanding.
"Wonderful! Let us begin."
The measurements were straightforward, with the doctor and nurse using a cloth tape measure on several parts of her body - checking leg length, abdomen and thorax size, horn length and width, and so on. Weight was also similarly straightforward, though rather than directing her to a scale, they instead had her position herself in the middle of the large room before pressing a button on the wall. There was a click, and the floor beneath her broke away from the rest of the room, sinking several inches while a screen on the wall provided the pair with information that they quickly wrote down.
The 'checking certain areas' of the checkup was significantly more… interesting. The first thing the pair of Joys did was confirm the contents of a briefcase the nurse pulled from one of the cabinets. It was white with a pink pokeball on top and was emblazoned with the word ANTIDOTES.
Then they got her to open her mouth. The doctor inspected her mandibles first, checking for any possible damage, and finding none moved deeper in. The size difference was such that, with the head-mounted flashlight the doctor had put on, she was able to stick her head inside the Ariados' maw, offering soft reassurances the entire time.
Don't bite. Do not bite. This is not food in your mouth. Don't. Bite.
The inspection of her fangs and whatever else the doctor was checking out went smoothly. She seemed very pleased, while the Ariados just wanted to collapse to the floor. It had been… stressful. The next item on the list was apparently for her to give a venom sample. She was happy to do so, and delicately bit into the proffered jar with its rubber top, her fangs piercing the material easily and injecting enough venom to fill it almost to the lid.
"What a good job! We treat Arbok fairly frequently here, and they tend to have some trouble with this part - I think you deserve a treat for that," Doctor Joy crooned, pulling out a pokepuff from one of the cabinets. Immediately, the Ariados began salivating, her gaze trained on the pastry. She resisted the urge to just snap it up and instead carefully took it in her mandibles, which apparently earned her a pat on the head from both Joys.
"Alright, while you're enjoying that, the nurse will be checking on your spinnerets while I give your undercarriage an inspection. Please don't settle down while I'm under there. If you understand, please tap twice," Doctor Joy asked, even as the nurse circled around her. A bit more hesitantly this time, she gave two taps.
Just focus on the pastry. Probably why they gave it to me, actually - it's a distraction.
With the Ariados' consent given, the doctor pulled out what the Ariados could only recognize as one of those rolling boards that mechanics used to work underneath cars. It was a thought that almost made her start chuckling. Doctor Joy slipped underneath her while Nurse Joy did an examination from behind.
She'd been to a gynecologist before, as a human. Still, it had been a long time since then, and the sensations she was experiencing were rather uncomfortable. No pain, thankfully, but it made her want to squirm.
She focused on her pokepuff instead.
"Excellent job staying still, Miss Ariados. Before we administer the vaccines, there's one last thing we'd like to ask you to do. This is completely optional, and if you do not wish to do so that is perfectly fine."
There was a pause as the doctor and nurse made eye contact with her. They seemed… not nervous, but ready to act. Bugsy had tensed up slightly as well. The Ariados watched them with trepidation. Were they going to ask for a blood sample? Shove a camera somewhere? Her thoughts began to spiral with worse and worse possibilities.
There was a pop-hiss as Scyther emerged from his pokeball at Bugsy's belt, the mantis pokemon taking a guarding stance next to him. The Ariados' panic rapidly began to spike.
"May we get a sample of your silk?" The nurse was holding a thin wooden cylinder. Presumably for her to wrap some around.
The Ariados stared for a moment, her train of thought coming to a screeching halt.
That's all?
She gave a shallow nod and turned around. Her back-limbs flexed down toward her spinnerets and the nurse held out the wooden cylinder, her palms on either end to hold it in place.
A bit of adhesive to secure the beginning of the thread, and soon enough she was spinning the rod between the nurse's hands with dexterity borne of years of practice, a thin stream of silk rapidly swirling around it. Doctor Joy watched, her brows raised and quietly scribbling something down on her notepad. She glanced toward Bugsy when it was clear there weren't going to be any issues. Scyther had relaxed by this point, watching the proceedings with interest. Bugsy, meanwhile, seemed delighted.
"Do you suppose the group of Spinarak and Ariados you brought in will be as cooperative?" Doctor Joy asked the young man, who tilted his head in thought.
"Probably? It would help if Miss Ariados was present, I think - they consider her their leader, from my understanding. As far as I'm aware, she explained the idea of the silk farm to them and they had no issues, so I don't think it will be a problem regardless, but better safe than sorry," Bugsy replied, nodding firmly.
Doctor Joy returned the gesture, and by that point the Ariados had produced a significant amount of silk - the nurse was struggling to hold it up.
The Ariados snipped off the last of the thread and settled down onto the floor, waiting for whatever was going to happen next.
Doctor Joy looked over the spool of spider silk curiously, tapping one of those wooden popsicle sticks doctors carried around against it. When she was able to pull it away without issues, she beamed. "Amazing work, Miss Ariados! You've done an incredible job so far. Would you like another pokepuff?" She pulled another green-tinted package from a cabinet, and the Ariados gave a rapid nod of assent.
I'm going to get fat at this rate.
…
I regret nothing.
As she happily munched on her third positively scrumptious treat today, the nurse retrieved another briefcase. She didn't pay much attention to it, focused on her food as she was. She clicked open the container and pulled something out, fiddling with it - the Ariados couldn't see it from this angle.
"Alright, Miss Ariados! You've been a wonderful patient so far, and we just have one last thing to take care of before we're done. You might feel a slight sting-"
The nurse turned around. In her hands was a metal-and-glass cylinder, a plunger on one end and filled with a purplish liquid. The other end boasted a long, sharp-
CRASH.
—
"Honey, I promise, it's okay. You'll barely feel the needle. I even have a blindfold for you so you won't have to look at it."
Doctor Joy stared upward, her expression full of concern. She hadn't had a pokemon react like this, before - it was highly unusual, and she honestly wasn't sure how to handle it. Humans sometimes had these sorts of responses, but they weren't massive spiders capable of clinging to ceilings.
The Alpha Ariados stared down at her and the nurse from her spot above them, stock-still and clearly frightened, the poor dear. Despite her size, she was out of reach - the ceiling was fairly high in these rooms to accommodate large pokemon, after all. She had tried offering more pokepuffs to no effect. She had assured her that it would be almost completely painless. She'd even retrieved an overlarge blindfold.
She really wasn't sure what to do, at this point, and she didn't want to break out the anesthesia quite yet.
Gym Leader Bugsy spoke up from beside her. "Ariados, do you want me to hug you while they give you the shots?"
She wasn't sure if that-
Slowly, hesitantly, the Ariados began to descend. She was still wary, obviously, the sweet thing, but she made it to the floor.
Gym Leader Bugsy moved beside the spider pokemon and wrapped an arm over the spot between her thorax and abdomen. "Do you want the blindfold too?" He asked, gently rubbing the side of her head with his free hand.
The Ariados gave a minute nod, and Bugsy took the blindfold that Doctor Joy offered him. Carefully, he wrapped it around the Ariados' head, obscuring her eyes, and then returned to his prior position with his arm around her. "Alright, Ariados, just listen to my voice, okay? It's gonna be fine. I'm here, and you're safe."
Gym Leader Bugsy continued to offer reassurances even as both Doctor and Nurse Joy slipped beneath the Alpha Ariados, finding a spot on her underside where the chitinous plates met. The needles were administered carefully and swiftly, the massive pokemon seeming to not even notice.
As they emerged from underneath and Nurse Joy went to inform the pair that they were done, Doctor Joy stared up at the ceiling.
Hmm. They were going to have to get those gouges in the plaster fixed before they used this room again.
The area itself was mostly empty, save for a trainer and his Onix to the side, the latter curled up around the former, who was lazily browsing his phone, sitting atop one of the stone snake's coils. The Onix was peering over his shoulder, their head tilted at an angle to stare at the tiny screen they were both apparently watching.
The Onix didn't have any visible injuries, so it was likely that the pair were just here for a checkup.
Against the back of the room was a wide counter, and standing there was a sight that was decidedly nostalgic. She didn't look quite the same as from the Ariados' memories - reasonable, given this was real, and not an animated show - but the similarities were too close for her to be anyone else. Pink hair that had been styled into a pair of loops at the back, slate blue eyes that had a cheerful and encouraging air, and of course the classic nurse's outfit - complete with a pink-and-white pokeball emblazoned on the cap.
Nurse Joy.
Cautiously, the Ariados made her way to the counter, the smile on the nurse's face never wavering in the slightest, even as she tilted her head back slightly to maintain eye contact. Her hands were steady, clasped together on the counter, and her posture was completely relaxed in the face of a giant, seven-foot spider.
"Gym Leader Bugsy! So wonderful to have you visit us again. Gym Leaders Pryce and Clair arrived earlier and gave us the gist of the situation - they're with their teams now. Pryce's Mamoswine is in intensive care at the moment but she's certain to make a full recovery, and her tusk is expected to be completely regrown in two weeks as long as she takes her Sitrus Berry infusions."
Turning her attention slightly lower to focus on the Ariados' face, the nurse's smile, if possible, grew even bigger.
"And you must be the Ariados I've heard so much about! What beautiful coloration you have, not to mention your impressive size! I hope the city hasn't been too overwhelming for you, dear - I know that wild pokemon tend to struggle with the crowds."
She rummaged in her apron, pulling out…
A cupcake?
"You've been very brave, my dear, walking here from the docks. Care for a pokepuff?"
The pastry had a pink base, which was topped with white cream, and then had pink icing layered on top. It was topped with what looked like a cherry - perhaps a Cheri Berry? It was sealed inside some transparent green packaging, which the nurse quickly tore open.
The scent that wafted over to her had the Ariados' mouth watering. It smelled decadent.
Nurse Joy held it out to her on her palm, apparently unconcerned about the Ariados' fangs or mandibles. There wasn't a drop of fear in her gaze nor in her scent.
Is she just that confident? Or is it something else?
Delicately, she brought her head forward, her mandibles carefully gripping around the treat and bringing it to her mouth where she began munching away at it. It was…
It was…
Heaven in every bite. Soft and fluffy and so, so sweet.
The texture! The flavor! That soft, spongy goodness! It had been so, so long since she'd had baked goods. It had been thick, acidic liquids or berries ever since she'd been trapped on that island. It had been years since she tasted something like this.
Tears sprang, unbidden, from her eyes and poured down her face.
Real food. Not some disgusting corpse-slurry I had to let sit over several days. Not the raw fruits I hunched over like an animal, juice dribbling down my face.
The waterworks didn't stop, even as Nurse Joy slipped around the counter and wrapped her arms in a hug around the Ariados neck, even as Bugsy gently rubbed at the Ariados' side and quietly whispered words of comfort. She was spellbound by the flavor, at the confirmation that this wasn't a dream - she had really escaped.
She had gotten away, found the freedom she'd craved for so long.
—
Nurse Joy led the pair to a different room, further into the building and along a suitably-large hallway. Bugsy had opted to walk from this point onward, and she sort of missed the comforting weight of him on her back. It had been nice, in a way, being able to feel that he was with her without having to keep an eye on him. Knowing that he was safe there. She'd grown rather fond of him since their meeting in the jungle.
He had asked to stop by one of the PCs available in the building before they moved on - he had needed to print out some of the paperwork he'd mentioned earlier and was even now writing on it using a provided clipboard. He hadn't elaborated on the contents much, only that they were relevant to approving her own relocation and setting up a business.
She was happy to leave him to it - one of the things she didn't miss from being a human was having to deal with bureaucracy.
The room they entered was similar to the entrance in terms of flooring and walls, with a few art pieces hung up - mostly landscapes of the region, which she appreciated looking at. The one of the Bell Tower was her favorite so far. There were chairs against one wall and a counter off to the side. It had a sink and several different pieces of medical apparatus - the standard things you'd find in a patient's waiting room, or perhaps a vet.
Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if they treated both humans and pokemon here, despite the place being called a Pokecenter.
The only odd thing that caught her eye were four half-spheres mounted in the corners of the ceiling. They were pink, like the designs on the walls, and didn't have any obvious function that she could tell. Perhaps they were cameras?
Bugsy took a seat, grabbing a magazine from the short table beside it and began to read. It was called 'Trainers Monthly', and seemed high-quality. The current issue was apparently about the Ice Path near Blackthorn City - dangers, opportunities, pokemon found there, that sort of thing. She couldn't exactly peer over his shoulder from this angle, so instead she settled down, resting her bulk on the floor.
They didn't have to wait long.
Nurse Joy returned soon, accompanied by another Joy - this lady had her hair tied up in a bun, wore some thin-framed rectangular glasses, and instead of a nurse's uniform was dressed more like a doctor. The white coat looked good on her, honestly. She was looking down at a clipboard, a pen held in one of her hands as she read something off of it. After a moment, she looked up at us, a smile blossoming onto her face.
"Hello! I'm Doctor Cassandra Joy, and I'll be performing Ariados' checkup today, Gym Leader Bugsy. We've already received the report you submitted on her from when you were on the ship, and preliminary scans from the scanners don't show any obvious issues with her - there's a surprising lack of any parasites or diseases, and she appears to be getting proper nutrition in spite of her size as an Alpha. Along with the standard checkup routine of getting her measurements, confirming weight, and checking certain areas, we'll need to administer several vaccines."
Her gaze drifted to the Ariados, who perked up at the attention. "To confirm your consent, I'm going to ask that you tap twice on the floor. If you do not consent, please tap once." Doctor Joy was looking intently at her, her expression serious.
Her opinion of the lady rose a few notches. It was nice to see that people didn't treat pokemon like dumb beasts. She gave a quick tap-tap of consent, and Doctor Joy nodded in understanding.
"Wonderful! Let us begin."
The measurements were straightforward, with the doctor and nurse using a cloth tape measure on several parts of her body - checking leg length, abdomen and thorax size, horn length and width, and so on. Weight was also similarly straightforward, though rather than directing her to a scale, they instead had her position herself in the middle of the large room before pressing a button on the wall. There was a click, and the floor beneath her broke away from the rest of the room, sinking several inches while a screen on the wall provided the pair with information that they quickly wrote down.
The 'checking certain areas' of the checkup was significantly more… interesting. The first thing the pair of Joys did was confirm the contents of a briefcase the nurse pulled from one of the cabinets. It was white with a pink pokeball on top and was emblazoned with the word ANTIDOTES.
Then they got her to open her mouth. The doctor inspected her mandibles first, checking for any possible damage, and finding none moved deeper in. The size difference was such that, with the head-mounted flashlight the doctor had put on, she was able to stick her head inside the Ariados' maw, offering soft reassurances the entire time.
Don't bite. Do not bite. This is not food in your mouth. Don't. Bite.
The inspection of her fangs and whatever else the doctor was checking out went smoothly. She seemed very pleased, while the Ariados just wanted to collapse to the floor. It had been… stressful. The next item on the list was apparently for her to give a venom sample. She was happy to do so, and delicately bit into the proffered jar with its rubber top, her fangs piercing the material easily and injecting enough venom to fill it almost to the lid.
"What a good job! We treat Arbok fairly frequently here, and they tend to have some trouble with this part - I think you deserve a treat for that," Doctor Joy crooned, pulling out a pokepuff from one of the cabinets. Immediately, the Ariados began salivating, her gaze trained on the pastry. She resisted the urge to just snap it up and instead carefully took it in her mandibles, which apparently earned her a pat on the head from both Joys.
"Alright, while you're enjoying that, the nurse will be checking on your spinnerets while I give your undercarriage an inspection. Please don't settle down while I'm under there. If you understand, please tap twice," Doctor Joy asked, even as the nurse circled around her. A bit more hesitantly this time, she gave two taps.
Just focus on the pastry. Probably why they gave it to me, actually - it's a distraction.
With the Ariados' consent given, the doctor pulled out what the Ariados could only recognize as one of those rolling boards that mechanics used to work underneath cars. It was a thought that almost made her start chuckling. Doctor Joy slipped underneath her while Nurse Joy did an examination from behind.
She'd been to a gynecologist before, as a human. Still, it had been a long time since then, and the sensations she was experiencing were rather uncomfortable. No pain, thankfully, but it made her want to squirm.
She focused on her pokepuff instead.
"Excellent job staying still, Miss Ariados. Before we administer the vaccines, there's one last thing we'd like to ask you to do. This is completely optional, and if you do not wish to do so that is perfectly fine."
There was a pause as the doctor and nurse made eye contact with her. They seemed… not nervous, but ready to act. Bugsy had tensed up slightly as well. The Ariados watched them with trepidation. Were they going to ask for a blood sample? Shove a camera somewhere? Her thoughts began to spiral with worse and worse possibilities.
There was a pop-hiss as Scyther emerged from his pokeball at Bugsy's belt, the mantis pokemon taking a guarding stance next to him. The Ariados' panic rapidly began to spike.
"May we get a sample of your silk?" The nurse was holding a thin wooden cylinder. Presumably for her to wrap some around.
The Ariados stared for a moment, her train of thought coming to a screeching halt.
That's all?
She gave a shallow nod and turned around. Her back-limbs flexed down toward her spinnerets and the nurse held out the wooden cylinder, her palms on either end to hold it in place.
A bit of adhesive to secure the beginning of the thread, and soon enough she was spinning the rod between the nurse's hands with dexterity borne of years of practice, a thin stream of silk rapidly swirling around it. Doctor Joy watched, her brows raised and quietly scribbling something down on her notepad. She glanced toward Bugsy when it was clear there weren't going to be any issues. Scyther had relaxed by this point, watching the proceedings with interest. Bugsy, meanwhile, seemed delighted.
"Do you suppose the group of Spinarak and Ariados you brought in will be as cooperative?" Doctor Joy asked the young man, who tilted his head in thought.
"Probably? It would help if Miss Ariados was present, I think - they consider her their leader, from my understanding. As far as I'm aware, she explained the idea of the silk farm to them and they had no issues, so I don't think it will be a problem regardless, but better safe than sorry," Bugsy replied, nodding firmly.
Doctor Joy returned the gesture, and by that point the Ariados had produced a significant amount of silk - the nurse was struggling to hold it up.
The Ariados snipped off the last of the thread and settled down onto the floor, waiting for whatever was going to happen next.
Doctor Joy looked over the spool of spider silk curiously, tapping one of those wooden popsicle sticks doctors carried around against it. When she was able to pull it away without issues, she beamed. "Amazing work, Miss Ariados! You've done an incredible job so far. Would you like another pokepuff?" She pulled another green-tinted package from a cabinet, and the Ariados gave a rapid nod of assent.
I'm going to get fat at this rate.
…
I regret nothing.
As she happily munched on her third positively scrumptious treat today, the nurse retrieved another briefcase. She didn't pay much attention to it, focused on her food as she was. She clicked open the container and pulled something out, fiddling with it - the Ariados couldn't see it from this angle.
"Alright, Miss Ariados! You've been a wonderful patient so far, and we just have one last thing to take care of before we're done. You might feel a slight sting-"
The nurse turned around. In her hands was a metal-and-glass cylinder, a plunger on one end and filled with a purplish liquid. The other end boasted a long, sharp-
CRASH.
—
"Honey, I promise, it's okay. You'll barely feel the needle. I even have a blindfold for you so you won't have to look at it."
Doctor Joy stared upward, her expression full of concern. She hadn't had a pokemon react like this, before - it was highly unusual, and she honestly wasn't sure how to handle it. Humans sometimes had these sorts of responses, but they weren't massive spiders capable of clinging to ceilings.
The Alpha Ariados stared down at her and the nurse from her spot above them, stock-still and clearly frightened, the poor dear. Despite her size, she was out of reach - the ceiling was fairly high in these rooms to accommodate large pokemon, after all. She had tried offering more pokepuffs to no effect. She had assured her that it would be almost completely painless. She'd even retrieved an overlarge blindfold.
She really wasn't sure what to do, at this point, and she didn't want to break out the anesthesia quite yet.
Gym Leader Bugsy spoke up from beside her. "Ariados, do you want me to hug you while they give you the shots?"
She wasn't sure if that-
Slowly, hesitantly, the Ariados began to descend. She was still wary, obviously, the sweet thing, but she made it to the floor.
Gym Leader Bugsy moved beside the spider pokemon and wrapped an arm over the spot between her thorax and abdomen. "Do you want the blindfold too?" He asked, gently rubbing the side of her head with his free hand.
The Ariados gave a minute nod, and Bugsy took the blindfold that Doctor Joy offered him. Carefully, he wrapped it around the Ariados' head, obscuring her eyes, and then returned to his prior position with his arm around her. "Alright, Ariados, just listen to my voice, okay? It's gonna be fine. I'm here, and you're safe."
Gym Leader Bugsy continued to offer reassurances even as both Doctor and Nurse Joy slipped beneath the Alpha Ariados, finding a spot on her underside where the chitinous plates met. The needles were administered carefully and swiftly, the massive pokemon seeming to not even notice.
As they emerged from underneath and Nurse Joy went to inform the pair that they were done, Doctor Joy stared up at the ceiling.
Hmm. They were going to have to get those gouges in the plaster fixed before they used this room again.
