The mattress under her body didn't feel as soft as hers back home... her body was hot and felt like it could melt at any moment. Smelling the scent of latex gloves, she didn't have to open her eyes to know she was in a hospital room

"Wyatt..." she groaned and opened her eyes, staring up at the white ceiling. Looking to the side to avoid the bright light, she noticed Froslass standing there with Castform on its head "You're here with me... I would expect to see my family here" Froslass shook its head "huh?" by looking at its eyes, she understood clearly "I see... so I was just hallucinating" she covered her hot face and sat up slowly, seeing a heart monitor attached to her arm "I... I don't want to be here" the window in her room showed that it was already dark out "we better leave... This is the last place I want to be in" Froslass handed her last few pills for the night "thanks"

Moving in a slow state, Crystal examined the room to find her belongings. Froslass kept them close on her. The heart monitor was the only thing keeping anyone from finding out she left the room, so she grabbed her blankets, tied everything on the machine to silent the speakers as much as she could, and removed the needle from her arm

Learning to wrap her own wounds and anything medical related that she could pick up while watching Wyatt work, she never expected to use it for the perfect escape. Froslass opened the window, letting Castform fly out first into the cold rain pouring down

"Someone is going to see you, return" Crystal returned her excited normal type and headed for the window with her gown and cloak on "This is what I get for being reckless" knowing a hospital can help her tame her fever, there was no way she was sticking around until someone figures out who she is. That Rhea girl knew her from the gym, and will spill the beans if she doesn't get out as fast as possible

Luckily the room she was in was only on the first floor. Carefully lifting her legs to jump out the building, she pressed on her hood over her head to avoid the rain and walked off as fast as she could without falling

Froslass tried getting her to put on her boots, but it's too risky to stop now in the middle of the village. She doesn't know how long she's been in that room, so the likeliness that even Brenda could be out there could be possible... What a terrible day

"H-how long was I asleep..?" She gasped, reaching out for the rain to take the cold water and wash her face to cool off. Froslass shook its head "I see... that's a relief" it glanced over to the side and faced something staring at them. Crystal narrowed her eyes and spotted a boy with wild blue-gray hair staring at her wide-eyed, almost dropping his umbrella

Confused on why he was looking at her like that, she recognized that his eyes looked similar to Rhea's eyes, and quickly continued walking

"Hey! Hold on a minute! What are you doing out here?" She stopped "I took you to that hospital for a reason! You're running a terrible fever and you need rest" he jogged over and carried the umbrella over her head. His friendliness made her stare at his kind close-eyed smile "that's better"

"Who are you?" He blinked, almost falling in place, then laughed to himself

"Right... you weren't in the best condition to recognize who I am. I'm Westly, but you can call me West, if you want" she nodded and just stood there, noticing him waiting

"What? You expect me to tell you my name?"

"Well... I was kinda hoping. I would have thought that your rescuer would get the privilege to at least know the name of who I rescued from the cold in the middle of the route in the late evening" Crystal wanted to leave the umbrella, but West kept it over her

"Listen, I appreciate you helping me, but the last thing I need is to be slowed down. I'm in a hurry and if I stay in one spot for too long-"

"Then this Wyatt guy will find you?" She flinched "Yeah, you told me some stuff while I tried helping you. I'm pretty sure you thought I was him and kept hanging onto me"

Her face flushed immediately, making her lose balance and took Froslass's hands to keep steady, leaning on its body a little "Listen, it's late at night and even if we have a quiet village, it's dangerous to be out here, especially for someone in your condition"

"I can take care of myself... I'm surprised that girl didn't tell you who I was"

"You mean Rhea? She's my sister" even worse "she told me you battled my cousin, Aaron, when he demanded a battle. You were pretty fierce from what I heard" he chuckled "but she never mention knowing who you were or anything" she wondered what's stopping her.

Crystal would have thought that Rhea would have her whole family try to battle Crystal to represent the family name again. How annoying...

"Huh..." Crystal held onto Froslass's cold body a little more, not wanting to fall "your body feels cool..." she sighed, wanting to ease her fever. At least she got a fever instead of getting something else she really hopes not to get in the middle of her journey

"Come on, I'll walk you to the hospital" he held his hands out. She slapped them away, dropping the umbrella, and stood back under the rain again

"That's the last place I want to be!"

"You can't be out here! It's dangerous!"

"Then why are you out here?" He looked down at his rain boots

"I just got off my night shift, I have you know" he held out his hand "Now are you going to come with me? You don't even have shoes and it's cold. You want that fever to get worse?"

"We don't know each other, so leave me be" she walked away "I have better things to do than to talk to a Kimana..." she muttered

"Sorry, what was that?" She didn't respond. The umbrella was brought back over her head. She stopped in place, knowing her feet wouldn't let her continue on. She looked down and hugged her body, shaking

"Please, don't take me back there..." she shut her eyes, knowing her tough words won't get her far now that she can't move "I don't want to go back there. I have to go... I'm not planning on having a long journey, that's why I have to do this before I go back home... I'm sure Wyatt will be ready to tie me down and nurse me back to health if he saw me like this"

"What do you mean?" She turned around to look at him. Her wet hair was all over her face, softening her looks and feeling her body failing to stand any longer

"He's my doctor... he's the only one who can take care of me. If it wasn't for him, I would still be living in the hospital due to my rare condition" she accidentally leaned on his shoulder "I haven't been able to see my family in years since he took me away from there. I left to see them one last time before I go back to my prison, the one place that kept me safe and healthy" she sighed, knowing her illness was causing her to speak her life story to a stranger, but she didn't care at the moment "I don't want to regret leaving... I'm completely helpless" West stared at her red face slowly falling asleep on him

"You really don't want to go back to the hospital, huh?" She mumbled a no "in that case, since I can't have you staying out here... how about..." he rubbed the back of his head "I don't want to seem out as a creep, since we actually just met out here, but do you want to come to my place?" she opened her eyes a little, staying in place

"You're right..." she leaned away "that is creepy" she slowly looked up at his eyes that could only be seen with a street lantern nearby "what's in it for you?" He looked away, blushing

"W-well... like I said, you're out here in the cold, with a life-threatening fever, without shoes, in the rain, and in the middle of a village that is dangerous at these hours due to Mightyenas roaming around. You could get hurt, and the last thing I want is to see someone dead... especially someone as..." he looked down, embarrassed

"As what?" She blinked confused

"Someone as small as you are... You don't weigh a thing, and I'm fearing for your life here! I'm trying to be a gentleman and offer you a place to stay warm... I'm actually surprise you know how bad you feel and yet you still decide to travel this way. When I found you in route 3, my Houndour found you asleep under a tree. You're lucky nothing happened"

"I had my Castform with me at the time... and Froslass stays at my side to make sure I'm safe" even if she still doesn't understand why it's with her in the first place...

"Yeah" he offered his hand again "I'll have my aunt come to even check up on you since you don't want to go back to the hospital" Crystal glanced over at Froslass just standing here, not cautious of this offer. Even if it didn't see danger in him, the look in the eyes she can read so easily were warm and innocent enough to trust

"Fine... but I don't want to hear you asking me for a battle" he chuckled

"I know my family are battle addicts, but you don't have to worry about that" she took his warm hand, letting him wrap his arm around her to help her walk. Seeing this failing, he just carried her while she held up the umbrella

"Are you an addict?" She asked, resting on his shoulder. He laughed nervously

"I am, honestly... it runs in the family, but I won't make you battle me like Aaron did back in town" she sighed, closing her eyes

"That's a relief... Rhea did the same thing" she muttered

"What?" She shook her head, pulling over her hood

"Nothing" the two of them approached a porch and opened the door to see Houndour guarding the inside

"Good boy, thanks for keeping the place safe while I was gone" closing the door behind him and throwing his boots to the side, he walked upstairs to head to the open bathroom large enough to fit 2 Snorlaxs, which was pretty big but not as big as her own. Crystal looked around before being placed on a chair, staring at West looking around

"This is quite the place you have here. It's... lovely" she admit. He offered a towel

"This isn't much. I can lend you my clothes while your clothes are washing" he looked at the bag in Froslass's arms where he can see the dress he found on her on the first day "hope the princess will be comfortable in my humble home"

"Hm... I'll try my best" she sat there like the princess people assumed she was. She didn't get offended when called a princess, since her lifestyle consisted of anything a royal was given, even if she didn't really see herself as one, honestly. She was the princess stuck in the tower, just like in the fairy tales

"This place sounds quiet... Where are your parents?"

"Huh? Oh, they live out in the Battle Tower in the middle of the region. I live by myself"

"You look the same age as me... how did you manage to get a place for yourself?" he chuckled, amused "what's so funny?"

"Well, some of us work for a living" she sweatdropped "I work for this place... if it's not battling in the Pokémon tower and earning money that way, it's from doing field work in the dangerous fields at night"

"Are you just assuming I'm a princess because of my attire?" He nodded positively "Hmph... You must have some real guts to work in such a dangerous sight"

"Well, you can say I can be someone's knight and shining armor" he laughed out loud for a few seconds before fixing himself, noticing Crystal questioning his sanity "anyways, I never caught your name"

"That's because I didn't throw it" she took out her dress from her bag "You don't need to know my name. We won't see each other after tonight, I have to leave soon" only after taking a look at the village she's been wanting to explore for awhile

"Have to avoid that doctor of yours?" he kneeled down to feel her forehead "You're not as hot as you were before, but it's still bad enough to burn my skin" he waved his hand a little "You know... People have doctors for a reason. Why did you have the need to leave him? Why can't he just go with you to this journey of yours?"

"He's distant and doesn't want to see my family after what happened a few years ago. He refuses to leave my sight, so seeing my family isn't an option"

"Because he doesn't want to? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that sound selfish?"

"It is selfish, and I told him before, but I have to understand that what happened was..." she shook her head "this is none of your business, why am I telling you this?"

"Probably because of your fever" he poked on her head and took her dress "seeing how you are now, I'm taken that your little episode in the Pokémon center wasn't intentional?" She furrowed her brows confused

"What happened?" He shook his head

"Nothing we need to relive now. I'll wash these for you..."

"That's delicate material, it requires to be hand washed. Don't worry about it. Leave it there and I'll do it myself when I get the chance. I don't trust you to take care of a dress I made"

"You made this dress?" she nodded, scanning the bathroom "impressive"

"What's that supposed to mean?" This is the longest she's ever talked to a stranger. This is strange "I would like the shower now"

"Okay. Is there any clothes in your bag that I can wash?"

"No, they're delicate"

"And you expect to travel in dresses? You know this region is pretty hot, you know?"

"I'm aware" it's all she has. He put her clothes down

"I'll lend you some of my clothes then. If you need something, I'll be in the kitchen downstairs. If you can't walk then don't bother coming, I'll be over to get you" His Houndour walked over "Houndour will let me know if you need me" he gave a smile before walking out. Crystal looked down at Froslass staring at him leave

"This is strange. Hopefully, I can leave without this fever bothering me" she glanced at the Houndour laying near the wall "I've never spoken to a stranger so casually. Even if I could tell he isn't bad, he's a Kimana. He'll vow to hate me because of my family's name" she chuckled coldly "Him hating me is the least of my problems. I wouldn't be surprised if he threw me out right now if he finds out... regardless, I need a place to rest and if I say something now, that could be bad. I don't want to get into the trouble of hearing him demanding me for a battle, so it's best to not say anything at all" his Houndour tilted its head confused

It was nice to actually take a shower and bath without having Wyatt all in her business about getting out on time and told to not slip. So far, she got out safely and wrapped herself with a towel. Not knowing what else to do, she started seeing things become into two

Houndour opened the door by pulling on a rope attached and ran out unexpectedly "can anything get weirder around here..?" She sat on the floor, unable to carry her weight any longer "it suddenly got really hot in here..." Froslass reached out to her before the door quickly flew open, letting in West in panic mode until he noticed Crystal half naked and all red on the floor with her shiny legs exposed to his wide eyes. It only took a short glimpse to freak out and pass out from a nosebleed

This is not the time for a nosebleed! Lol!

edited on grammarly 11/30/18

Ai Westly