"Nurse Joy! Nurse Joy!"

A young boy bursted through the front entrance of the Pokémon Center, panting heavily while tears rolled down his cheeks. He had a few scratches on his hands and knees, but the injuries were incomparable to the Pokémon in his trembling arms.

The Rattata was horribly bruised; dark lumps covered his underside, and his tail was bent at a crooked angle. His eyes were screwed shut in pain.

A young Nurse Joy quickly left her position at the counter, running to the boy and ushering him towards the operating room.

"Please tell me how this happened?" Nurse Joy questioned, taking the Rattata from the boy's arms as they walked briskly into a monochrome white room.

The child rubbed his eyes and hiccuped as he tried to speak. "W-well, I wanted to prove to my mom that I was strong enough to start a journey, so I went into the tall grass...but...Rattata and I got ambushed by a group of Spearow a-and...!"

The boy bursted into tears at the unfinished statement, watching Nurse Joy set his Pokémon on an operating table through his blurred eyes.

Nurse Joy nodded in understanding. "If you don't mind my asking, what's your name?" She asked, pausing her work.

"I-it's Joey, ma'am!"

Nurse Joy put on a determined face, a fervent fire burning brightly in her eyes. "Joey, I promise you; your Rattata will definitely be okay."

※

A loud growling sound gave Liesel the chills as she halted. Warily, she turned her head to face a Snubbull, glaring at her from within a fence.

As Liesel was about to flee, an old woman appeared behind the Snubbull, and she stroked the Pokémon's head affectionately. In response, Snubbull leaned into the touch, smiling in content.

"Don't be shy. Snubbull is actually quite the darling. She just wants to protect me," the woman said fondly.

Liesel stared at the scene before waving goodbye and leaving to go to school.

The teenage girl always thought she was different from the rest of the Joys in her family. Her family lived in a poor village. She didn't want to become a nurse.

She hated Pokémon.

Liesel couldn't cooperate with Pokemon. They didn't seem to like her, and she had trouble empathizing with them. The first time she tried to befriend one, she frightened the Pokémon.

She just couldn't realize why Pokemon were recognized as faithful companions.

※

Liesel was walking to school when she suddenly felt a shiver down her spine.

There was a group of people in front of the old woman's house and they were carrying a body.

Liesel rushed over to catch a glimpse at the unfolding incident. She could feel her mind slowly processing the shocking scene. Her perception screamed death; it was as if the world had been claimed by the mourning color...black.

Despite her dislike of Pokémon, she had grown fond of the elder who waved and said hello to her every day while she was walking to school. She had also started to become less afraid of the Snubbull.

Concern for the Pokémon suddenly overcame Liesel as she searched for it.

Then, she noticed.

The Snubbull was desperately trying to follow the old woman. As her body was being carried away, she tried to remain by her side.

Liesel bit her lip. The village was devastatingly poor; there was a doctor, but there were limited medical supplies, not nearly enough to help a person on the brink of death. Not only that, but the doctor worked only part time and had finite knowledge about his profession.

She didn't want to admit it, but there was no hope for the old woman.

※

Liesel was lost in her own thoughts when she noticed the Snubbull.

The Pokémon was staring out the fence.

Liesel couldn't read Pokemon, but she assumed that the Snubbull still missed her owner. However, her fear sent her speeding past the Pokemon without any greeting towards it.

The next time she passed by, the Snubbull was still sitting in the same position.

She waited.

Liesel felt a twinge of sympathy for her. Tentatively, she reached into her school bag to pull out a small piece of bread.

When she saw that the Pokémon didn't take it, she sighed and left the food in front of her. She would have to start trying harder.

Liesel still didn't know much about Pokémon, but she resolved that she would learn in order to help the Snubbull recover.

It soon became a routine for the two—Liesel would bring food—Pokéblocks and such—and the Snubbull would watch her. Eventually, the Pokémon started to take the food. She even allowed Liesel to pet and feed her.

The two became so close to each other that Liesel overcame her fear of Pokémon. All of her love was poured into the Snubbull who opened up her heart.

Perhaps it was because of her that the Snubbull found the will to live.

One day, as Liesel was returning from school, she excitedly looked for the Snubbull; however, she realized that she was not waiting in her usual spot.

Worried, the girl sharply turned her head around. However, waiting for her was the Pokemon.

"Snubbull!" Liesel ran up and embraced the Pokemon tightly with a grin on her face. In response, Snubbull nuzzled her chin and let out a content sound.

As they separated, Liesel gave the Pokemon a serious look. "Listen...I know I'm not the best with Pokemon, and I know I can't replace your owner...but will you be willing to give me a chance?" She whispered, closing her eyes.

Snubbull let out an energetic cry and tackled the girl, the two of them falling down in a heap of laughs.

"Thank you...!" Liesel smiled, looking at her new partner fondly.

※

They were inseparable. Ever since Liesel and Snubbull became partners, they were always together.

Whenever Liesel walked to school, Snubbull would trail behind her. When she was in class, the Pokémon would always wait for her.

"Snubbull!" The girl called out as she hurriedly paced out of the building, looking for her friend. Faithful as always, Snubbull was sitting right by her school.

Liesel enveloped the Pokémon in her outstretched arms with joy before setting it back down. "Thanks for waiting for me again!" She exclaimed. Snubbull perked up at the statement and nodded enthusiastically.

The girl rummaged in her school bag before clasping a cute navy bow in her hands. "I made this for you in art class today! My teacher taught me. I know it's not much, but I hope you like it!" She offered.

Snubbull's eyes widened as she immediately started bouncing up and down. Encouraged by her Pokémon, Liesel crouched down and fastened the bow into her silky, pink fur, rubbing her head afterwards.

"Snubbull, you're so adorable," Liesel said sweetly as they began heading home. Snubbull bobbed her head in agreement.

Immediately after the two had reached their home, the cheerful smile on Liesel's face vanished, and it was replaced by a solemn frown.

While the girl was studying, she felt glad that her facade had worked. However, she did not notice her Pokemon occasionally shooting her a worried glance.

Hours passed; the pastel cerulean sky in the afternoon gradually faded to a vibrant blend of reds and oranges in the evening, and then it was all enveloped in darkness at night.

Liesel couldn't sleep. A previous confrontation in school had left her bewildered. "Liesel, you can't keep avoiding it. You're one of our top students. For the sake of your parents, and for your own sake, you need to figure out what you're going to pursue in life," her principal had said.

Now, all she could think about was her future occupation. She would soon be graduating, and she had to brainstorm what her career path would be. Even though Liesel was poor, she worked diligently, and she had received many invitations to schools.

Although she was hesitant at first, the idea of becoming a nurse suddenly appealed to her. If she hadn't cared for the Snubbull, the poor Pokémon would have been physically weak and mentally scarred. Liesel didn't want any Pokémon to become like that.

However, the thought of being the exact same as all of her cousins made her unsure. How could she make a difference if she was just Nurse Joy?

Deciding to put her troubling thoughts away, Liesel only hoped that Snubbull was unaffected by her problems.

Liesel managed to get a decent amount of sleep through her fitful tossing and turning, and woke up around 5:30 in the morning. She rubbed the bleariness out of her eyes and got up from her bed.

She noticed that her parents weren't up yet, and she wondered if her Pokémon was awake. Liesel proceeded to locate Snubbull until she noticed her sitting in the yard.

"Hey Snubbull, what are you doing?" Liesel asked while heading towards it before stopping. The Pokémon was looking up at the sky in awe.

Liesel followed its gaze and she was mesmerized. The previous darkness of the night had surrendered to the radiant glow of the sunrise. Everything was bathed in the warmth of the sun's rays. The sun itself—it was cloaked in a shroud of light that expanded into hues of yellow, orange, red, and purple.

"This is...amazing," Liesel breathed. Snubbull let out a content mumble in response.

As the girl sat down next to her Pokémon, she sighed, breaking the peaceful atmosphere. "Hah...I'm so confused. Graduation is coming up, and...I don't know what to do. I'm considering being a nurse, but the change would be so sudden. Snubbull, I'm not sure if I've told you this, but I come from a family of doctors and nurses, albeit the fact that I'm on the poor side of the spectrum. I'm not sure I could just leave this village and wind up in a high tech hospital, you know? It's not just the village, but my parents and my friends too." Liesel ranted, her hands moving frequently to express her discomfort.

Her partner remained silent before turning towards Liesel. Seeming to already know of her unsettling conflicts, Snubbull reached out her paw to touch Liesel's hand gently, and she gave her a cheerful grin.

"You'll...you'll believe in me? No matter what I do?" Liesel interpreted.

The Pokemon nodded energetically.

Liesel's eyes widened before she pulled Snubbull in for a hug. "Thank you, thank you so much. Snubbull, you're the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for, thank you—"

Snubbull simply let the words tumble out of the girl's mouth, remaining in her arms.

After Liesel began to separate from her Pokémon, she looked at her with a newfound determination. "Snubbull...I'll never forget this day," she stated, before turning her head to look at the sunrise.

The sun had begun to emerge, casting a bursting shine of light. The fact that a scenery so beautiful could emerge every dawn amazed Liesel.

"There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope," Liesel recited, the quote emerging in her memory as she turned towards her Pokemon once again.

Snubbull met her friend's gaze with surprise.

"I'll never forget it. I'll never forget this sight. I'll always keep hoping, because I have you by my side. Snubbull, my beloved friend, I promise you that I'll keep moving forward with whatever conviction I have in the future." Liesel paused and collected her thoughts before continuing.

"You're always my shining ray of hope, and you always realize when I'm feeling down, right? ...I won't lie to you anymore. You understand me too well, and for that, I'm eternally grateful."

Liesel averted her gaze to the sunrise once more.

"I promise that I'll always watch the sunrise, and when I look up at the sky, I'll be reminded of my companion who always encourages me and stands right by my side."

Snubbull looked at the girl with amazement.

"I swear I'll keep this promise, on my honor as your friend."

※

To say Liesel was excited was an understatement. She was absolutely enthralled. She had been accepted into a prestigious nursing school. Liesel still wasn't exactly sure about the details of her career, such as her workplace, but with the support of Snubbull, she knew it would be okay.

However, as she exited the school, the same chills she thought she would never feel again came back. It reeked of blood.

There was a small crowd in front of her. They seemed to be whispering.

"That Pokémon, she protected the school."

Ever so slightly, someone leaned to the right and Liesel saw it.

There was a man dressed in dark clothing sprawled out on the ground. He seemed to be unconscious, and blood was leaking from his head. Liesel did not miss the gun next to him. Beside the man was—

Liesel shoved her way through the crowd and screamed, tears splashing the concrete ground as she clutched the fallen life form. "SNUBBULL! Please...please, hang on...!"

As she sobbed, she looked around at the people. "Why?! Why didn't you help? Why didn't you do anything to help Snubbull?!!" When she was met with silence, she gathered her friend in her shaking arms and pushed past the crowd, stumbling towards the makeshift clinic in the middle of the village.

As Liesel ran, she murmured, "Please don't give up. You're going to be fine, okay? Promise me."

Snubbull weakly opened her eyes to stare at her loving friend.

When Liesel reached the clinic, she felt dismayed; the door was closed. She quickly set Snubbull on the ground and proceeded to bang on the door.

"OPEN UP! PLEASE, DOCTOR, I NEED YOUR HELP! MY POKEMON IS INJURED...!" Liesel screamed, her voice cracking. "PLEASE!"

She couldn't accept it. This couldn't have been happening.

The girl continued to smash her fists into the door, her attempts becoming weaker and weaker as she was overcome by despair. Her eyes were rimmed with red and her vision became obscure from the constant tears.

She cursed herself for not learning nursing sooner. If only I had accepted the family job sooner I could've saved my friend—I could've...I could've!

She couldn't have.

Before she started to pursue her dream, there was no Snubbull.

She had no conviction.

She had a fear of Pokemon.

If I know this, then why do I keep blaming myself?

While Liesel struggled to accept the truth and continued her futile attempts, Snubbull watched her through her closing eyes.

Perhaps it was because of her that Snubbull found the will to live. Even if she was beginning to die from the bullet wound in its body, she was glad that she had the opportunity to live again, thanks to Liesel.

Snubbull was so, so honored to have met her. Never before had she met such a passionate and caring person.

Memories of their encounters flashed through the Pokemon's head.

Her one final wish was that she hoped Liesel would remember her promise.

Snubbull finally closed her eyes as everything was drowned out and her surroundings became deathly silent.

※

"Joey?" The young boy perked up at the call of his name to see his Rattata looking back at him with kind eyes.

Joey dashed forward, leaving his chair and reclaimed his partner from Nurse Joy's arms. "Rattata...Rattata, I'm so sorry for being a bad friend, I was so foolish and careless. I still want to be your trainer, so please, forgive me..." He cried, squeezing the Pokemon tightly.

The Rattata chattered and gave Joey a smile, nodding his head.

"Thanks...Rattata, you're the best!"

Nurse Joy stared at the two with a wistful smile. If only someone was there for my partner. Yet nonetheless, she was grateful that she prevented the same situation from happening again.

"Joey, did you wait here all night?" She asked.

The boy nodded. "I couldn't just leave Rattata. He's my best friend; there's no way I'd abandon him."

Nurse Joy looked outside through the window. "I'd like to show you something." She held open the door of the old, run-down clinic, and allowed Joey to exit before following him.

Immediately, Joey let out a gasp. "Wow! The sunrise is so pretty."

"Mmhm. Not many people stay up long enough to realize how beautiful dawn is."

Nurse Joy glanced at the boy and his Pokemon before turning her attention back to the sunrise.

"I once made a promise with my best friend. I promised that every morning I would watch the sunrise and be reminded to keep moving forward in life. I promised that I would keep going with all of my strength, no matter what."

Joey stared at her in awe. "Wow, that's really cool!"

Nurse Joy laughed slightly. "I'm glad you think that." She looked up at the familiar shine of the sun amidst beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple.

"Joey. I want you to promise me this. Always protect Rattata. Keep him close to your heart, because anything can happen, and only you can be there for him. Rattata is your one and only top percentage Rattata, and nothing will ever replace him, so promise me that when you start your journey, you will always cherish him," Nurse Joy stated. "You can even watch the sunrise with Rattata, if you want."

Joey bobbed his head in affirmation. "Rattata is my top percentage Rattata, and I'll always be there for him!"

Rattata chattered happily as he settled on Joey's shoulder, both of them watching the sunrise with serene expressions.

Nurse Joy waved goodbye to the two and headed back into her clinic.

She did not regret her choice at all. Her cousins had all questioned her: why had she remained in her dirt poor village when she could've become a top notch nurse in a Pokemon Center? Why restrict herself when she had better opportunities?

She never wanted that scene to happen ever again.

It didn't matter if Nurse Joy was poor or rich; none of it affected her desire to save as many Pokemon as she could. She hoped that through her nursing, she could teach people to appreciate the time they had with their Pokemon.

Perhaps it was because of Snubbull that she found a dream to pursue.

Nurse Joy caught a quick glance at the rising sun before resuming her work.

Have I fulfilled my promise, my beloved friend?

※

Word count: 3090

This is a really old piece I completed back in 2016. It's based on that sad dog commercial. I used to watch a lot of those back in the day; maybe that's where I got my love of angst

Anyway, I'm trying to stay motivated despite all the things that are happening in the world, and I ended up doing a lot of organization in my graphics/writing google drive account. Lo and behold, I found this old thing. I edited it a little bit because there were some mistakes but nothing major, it's like 98% untouched

Stay safe everyone. Through the sad things that happen in life, we have each other; we will make it out of this together.