fanfiction Lovesick Chapter 5: One Step Forward

[ArdillaVerde93]

  *Chapter 5: One Step Forward*

  *Trigger warning: This chapter includes a short scene involving male-on-female domestic violence.*

  *This chapter contains implied watersports, and a South Park spoiler.*

  Between Tyler and Kevin, Tyler was most definitely the brains to Kevin's brawn. That isn't to say that Kevin was stupid, or that Tyler couldn't hold his own in a fight. Simply that Tyler wasn't as athletic as Kevin, whose profession requires physical strength. Likewise, Kevin wasn't as learned as Tyler, whose profession requires a keen mind. Nobody on the streets of Goldenrod City on that particular day, however, would have had any way of knowing that Tyler wasn't particularly athletic; he ran like he hadn't done before in his life. Normally, Tyler could only run in bursts before stopping to catch his breath. Now, though, the realization that not only was Shaymin not improving, but she was getting sicker, spurred him on. As he ran, memories of his time with Shaymin filled his mind. The specific moments went by quickly, but he could hear her voice, high and sweet, almost as clearly as it she were standing right next to him. "Thank you so much,... Tyler, was it? Would you consider staying a bit longer?" "T-Tyler?! Oh, wow! Fancy seeing you here!" "Happy birthday! I didn't know what to get you, but I hope you like this!" "It's awfully cold; do you think... do you think there might be room for one more?" Those thoughts and more raced through Tyler's mind as he ran, and, before he knew it, he had reached the doorstep to his house. His adrenaline still pumping, he practically punched the front door until Eleanor opened it, scowling. "Oi! Mate, I dunno what has ya so angry, but you'd better calm the fuck down before - BLOODY HELL!!"

  Tyler made it a point not to hit girls, and he stuck to it. Though he didn't hit Eleanor, he barreled past her, knocking her down. He paid her no mind and kept running, not stopping until he reached the door to the guest bedroom. On the other end of the door, Shaymin, having heard what she believed to be a fight, was visible only as a quivering bulge beneath the bloodstained and vomit-soiled blanket. In fact, since Tyler hadn't spoken when he walked back into the house, Shaymin had no way of knowing if it was even him. She couldn't go by what Eleanor said, either, since, being Australian, she called most everyone "mate." Not willing to take the chance of being discovered by what, for all she knew, may be a burglar or serial killer, she remained hidden, albeit terribly, beneath the foul pink shroud. Anyone with decent eyesight would have no problem finding her in mere seconds. Tyler, of course, was no different; he spotted her, or, more accurately, the shape of her body, under the blanket the moment he walked in. Armed with only the knowledge that the "intruder" was in the same room as her now, it was all Shaymin could do not to scream and beg for mercy(in her condition, physical and mental, it didn't occur to her that, even in her weakened state, she had sufficient power to have killed the "intruder" already.). Tyler, of course, was not a bloodthirsty murderer; in fact, what he saw took him by surprise. The pink bedspread stained several colours, primarily scarlet. He knew that Shaymin had vomited, of course, but he hadn't expected to see such a mess, considering Shaymin's small size. He, of course, knew better than to voice his surprise and worry her, though, preferring to make his presence known with a joke instead. "So,... did Ellie put you in time-out or something?"

  If Tyler was talking to any female besides Shaymin, he probably would've jokingly diagnosed her with emesis gravidarum(commonly known as "morning sickness."). In this particular case, though, it would've been a terrible joke to make. Shaymin was made infertile years prior as a result of sustaining blunt-force pelvic trauma. Tyler knew that joking about her having a condition only associated with pregnancy was close to the equivalent of telling a "yo mama" joke to somebody whose mother is dead. Whether or not the "time-out" joke he used even had the desired comedic effect was unknown; Shaymin was so happy to hear his voice, there was little he could've said to her that wouldn't have immediately taken her from afraid for her life to ecstatic and relieved. There was a soft rustling noise, and Shaymin emerged from underneath the blanket, just enough for her head to show. Her voice was weak from profuse vomiting, but the emotion in it was still evident, and she showed every indication that, if she weren't sick, she would be in his arms by this point. "Tyler! Oh, praise Arceus; I thought you were a burglar!"

  "That's understandable," Tyler admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I did kinda storm in here, after all. Sorry if I scared you." "Don't worry about it," Shaymin said, immediately forgiving him. "You're here, and that's what matters." She was blushing, but it wasn't visible through her stark white fur, and, even if Tyler saw it, he would've thought it was due to her high fever. At any rate, it took an admirable amount of willpower for her not to flirt with him. "Uh, I-I'm really sorry... about... well, y-your bed." Tyler looked at her in disbelief. Was she actually apologising for being sick on the bed? "Oh, poor girl. Your fever must be spiking again." Shaymin returned his look with one of confusion, which prompted him to give her an explanation. "The Hell with the bed; are you alright?" As he spoke, he took a clipboard and a pen from an ornate bedside table. The clipboard held several papers, each of which contained notes and information pertaining to Shaymin, written by Tyler himself. He rearranged the papers, then continued talking. Through the motions, Shaymin watched him intently, not even answering his question.

  "Eleanor told me you threw up," Tyler began as he scribbled more notes on the top paper, "but she didn't say you were throwing up blood." He turned his gaze from the paper back to Shaymin. On closer inspection, he could see that some of the fur around her mouth was stained a bright red. "That's called 'haematemesis,' and it's very serious. When did that start?" "Right before you got here," Shaymin answered quickly. "Less than 10 minutes ago." Tyler nodded, then went back to writing. "Did it hurt?" Shaymin's reply was nearly immediate. "It still does; it feels like I tore my throat up. That was how it felt when I first threw up blood." Apparently, Shaymin's answer was exactly what Tyler was hoping for, because his expression changed to a satisfied smirk. "You look happy," Shaymin noted with a weak giggle. Tyler didn't immediately reply; he set his clipboard down. "That's because I figured this out already! A prolonged episode of vomiting, followed by painful haematemesis,... Shaymin, my diagnosis for you is Mallory-Weiss Syndrome."

  Shaymin didn't know how to react. Certainly, she was happy to have a name put to her condition after such an agonising wait. On the flip-side, however, she only knew the name of her condition, as opposed to whether or not it was curable. Nevertheless, she had to give credit where it was due. "Oh, Tyler! I knew you could do it! After all this time, you finally found out what I have!" Tyler, unfortunately, while he was happy for sure, didn't quite share the divine hedgehog's excitement, and, as such, he shook his head. "Not so fast, Shaymin. We're not done yet. I have some good news, and some bad news, followed by more good news." His words quickly dulled Shaymin's joy, but he kept talking. "The first good news is that Mallory-Weiss Syndrome is not uncommon, and it's treatable. The bad news is that, from what I've seen so far, it's just a symptom of a bigger disease." "So, we're no closer?" Shaymin assumed, hanging her head. Again, though, there was a smile on her de facto boyfriend's face before he answered. "Well, that's the second good news! See, now that I know you're throwing up, that narrows down the list of illnesses you could have! We ARE closer; a great deal closer, in fact!"

  Shaymin didn't have enough lung strength to breathe a big enough sigh of relief. It was as if a Snorlax had been lifted off of her chest. She felt lightheaded and, most certainly, giddy. "It's practically over! It's... It's practically over!" "You have faith in me," Tyler noted, "and, believe me, I'm honoured. But-" With a weakness in her voice that made her sound as if she were covered by the soiled blanket again, Shaymin cut him off by shushing him. "Don't ruin this, please." "Sorry, Shaymin, but you need to understand-" "Shh! Tyler, let me tell you something about me. Something very important. No; put your clipboard down and come over here. Please?" Even giving orders and trying to be authoritative, Shaymin's voice was sweet and almost fluttery. Not being one to refuse the wishes of a Legendary, Tyler set his clipboard down and walked over to Shaymin's bedside. "What is it?"

  "I don't think you realise how much you mean to me, Tyler," Shaymin said. "Do you not understand that, if I wasn't afraid that I'd throw up on you, and in your mouth, the smart money says I'd be kissing you right now?" "Gee; thanks!" Tyler joked. "Do I really look that bad?" "Do you think I'm joking?" Shaymin scowled. "'Cause I'm not!" Having surprised Tyler, and herself, with her sudden assertiveness, she sighed, then coughed a few times. "Look. I love you, Tyler; with every fibre of my being, I love you. And, for the record, you look fabulous; if I had hands instead of paws, I'd do spirit fingers." They both had a good laugh at that before Shaymin continued talking. "It's because I love you that I need to say this to you. Ever since we've known each other, you've acted like a peasant talking to a queen. I'm not a queen, Tyler. I'm a Legendary Pokémon; there's quite a difference. I'm not above you. I have no more authority than you do. I want you to see me as an equal; not as an almighty goddess." "That's what you are," Tyler stated flatly, making Shaymin sigh again. "So, I can control plants. I'm not the only one, y'know! Celebi can do that, too, to a degree(that wasn't a very convincing argument, seeing as Celebi is also a Legendary Pokémon.), and Meganium can bring them back to life. Kevin's Lopunny could throw me around like a rag doll, especially as I am now. I probably wouldn't even last long against your Goodra!" "What is it you want from me, then?" Tyler asked, quite politely, considering his wording. Shaymin flashed a warm smile. "Let's stop the formalities, doctor. That's all. The formalities and your gratuitous modesty. It was cute for a while, but, now, it's sad. After all, you figured out this Mallory thing; not me."

  As much as Tyler wanted to form a rebuttal, he simply couldn't. Shaymin's uncanny ability to be authoritative without sounding like it left the young doctor at a loss for any conceivable argument. Luckily, after having known him for such a long time, Shaymin picked up on that, and changed the subject. "So, how's Kevin?" "You'll be able to ask him yourself in a few minutes," Tyler answered. "Him and Prudence, for that matter." "Ooh!" Shaymin said excitedly. "They're coming over?" Tyler nodded. "Yep, and it's a good thing, too; I have another test I need to run on you, and I'll need his help. Are you up for it?" The moment Tyler finished talking, Shaymin made her decision. "Absolutely! What is it?" Shaymin's response was so downright cartoonish, it was all Tyler could do not to laugh. "I-It's called... a 'lumbar puncture.'" His voice cracked with stifled laughter. "Sorry; your excitement... I couldn't help it." Shaymin dismissed his slip up immediately. "Don't worry about it. So,... you'll be puncturing something, I assume. What else can you tell me?" "Yes," Tyler began, happy to explain. "A lumbar puncture is like giving you a shot, except I'll be taking something from you, instead of putting something in you. I'll be sticking a needle into your back, near your spine. You don't have blood there; you have spinal fluid. The objective of a lumbar puncture is to collect that fluid for analysis." Shaymin, who had been listening intently throughout Tyler's explanation, nodded in understanding. "Alright; that seems straightforward. What do you need Kevin's help for?" Tyler got straight to the point. "The procedure is quick, but painful, and I can't give you anything orally to numb the pain, thanks to your torn esophagus. I'll need Kevin to hold you down, so you'll stay put; if you move around too much, I might make a mistake. In fact, I need to ask you for your permission, because of the risks involved." Shaymin took in a quick, sharp breath. "I see. Well, we've come too far to give up now! I hereby give you permission to perform the procedure." To emphasize her enthusiasm to help Tyler any way she could, she added a joke. "Just don't Eric Cartman me, m'kay?" "That's Mr. Mackey," Tyler corrected, giggling wildly(not at Shaymin's incorrect impression, but at her bringing up the South Park episode "Tonsil Trouble," in which Eric Cartman contracts Human Immunodeficiency Virus, commonly known as "HIV," after a surgical procedure.). "Well, whoever it is," Shaymin said dismissively, "let's do this!" "That's what I like to hear!" Tyler exclaimed, practically cheering. To Shaymin's incredibly pleasant surprise, he picked her up. "First, though, we have to get you cleaned up! Poor girl, covered in sweat." Shaymin's face flushed beneath her fur. "That's... not all sweat. Sorry; you scared the Hell out of me when you walked in."

  *Author's Note*

  Sorry; I had to get that joke out of the way. Shaymin wetting the bed; not the South Park joke. I came up with that on the spot. The bedwetting joke had been planned for a good while. No, Shaymin has not become incontinent. If the idea of that turns you on, however, try FurAffinity; there's a shocking number of pictures I think you'll like. By the way, so you don't go crazy looking for it, Tonsil Trouble is the first episode of Season 12.

  This is the first chapter without an alternate name, but you can make up your own, if you'd like. Also, I apologise for Tyler hurting Eleanor; something tells me he'll be paying for it later. As for Shaymin, for those of you not well-versed in medicine,...

  "She was rendered infertile after receiving blunt force pelvic trauma" = "She broke her lady parts, so she can't have babies."

  Mallory-Weiss Syndrome is a painful, but non life-threatening, condition caused by intense or profuse vomiting. Vomit is very acidic. Throwing up a lot can cause the acid to burn a hole in the esophagus. The main symptom of Mallory-Weiss Syndrome is painful haematemesis(vomiting blood.)

  Tyler failed to explain something to Shaymin, by the way. He said he needed Shaymin to remain still for the lumbar puncture, but he wasn't completely truthful about why. If Shaymin moves around, Tyler might accidentally stab her spinal cord, which could cripple or paralyse her. He didn't want her to worry too much, after she gave him such a lovely speech. So, what do you think? Who thinks they could bear a Chapter 6?

[SMFoxy]

Poor Shaymin's life sucks right now huh?
But yes, I really want to see the continuation/conclusion no matter what the result is.

[ArdillaVerde93]

She's taking it surprisingly well, though. I'm really starting to see Shaymin and Tyler as a couple, but I'm just not sure if they'd be good together.

[Neptune]

Awesome chapter, as always X3 Looking forward to when they actually diagnose poor Shaymin and finally treat her D: 

But I can't see why they won't be good together. She already cares more for him than his actual wife. They would be the cutest couple imaginable <3

[ArdillaVerde93]

Well, it's not as if you don't already know what she has! You helped me decide, after all! XD Honestly, though, thanks for such a nice reply and a like!

I just can't see them together. Tyler probably considers it a death sentence for Shaymin, given how he thinks of her.

[Neptune]

Yeah, I know I already knew, but the characters don't know, and that's what I am interested in X3

That's fair enough. I guess I could write a fanfiction xDD

[ArdillaVerde93]

Yes, but what will they do once Tyler's figured out what she has, assuming he can even do so before it's too late? It's not as if he can bring Shaymin into the Pokémon Centre, and work on her there. Shaymin's a Legendary; the media would be all over both of them! O_O

A fanfiction of a fanfiction? Fanficception!

[Neptune]

Yeah, that is the LAST thing that Shaymin needs right now. It would cause her a lot of stress... not to mention the pressure on Tyler to cure her.

Yes >D

[ArdillaVerde93]

Tyler can do the lumbar puncture without being at the Centre, but he'll have to go there to get the spinal fluid sample analysed, then, based on what Shaymin has, he may have to operate on her!