fanfiction Lovesick Chapter 9: Keep The Faith

[ArdillaVerde93]

  *Chapter 9: Keep The Faith*

  "Click-thud! Click-thud!" Again and again, Tyler attempted defibrillation, becoming more desperate for success with each failure. Despite his undeniable skills, Tyler didn't have a perfect survival record for his patients. Over the course of his career, he had lost patients, but it was incredibly rare. There was his daughter, who died before Tyler could find out what was wrong. Then, there was the Sylveon. She was brought into the Centre with horrific injuries, which her trainer claimed she suffered as the result of a battle. Tyler soon discovered, however, that the injuries were, in truth, the result of abuse. The Sylveon died from her injuries. The trainer attempted to flee the Pokémon Centre, but he was cornered and taken into police custody. Of course, what Tyler was dealing with now was far different. And, of course, the stakes were far higher. Tyler didn't think he'd be able to bear the sorrow and guilt he'd feel if Shaymin died right in front of him. Determined to avoid that outcome by any means necessary, he kept trying. Just as Shaymin had done in her dream, Tyler realised that one of the most important things in the world to him was right in front of him. "C'mon," he pleaded, as Shaymin convulsed yet again from another shock. "You're too young, Shaymin; you have so much to live for!" He hung his head in sadness. "Don't go... Y-You... You can't..." Tragically, he was interrupted by the worst sound he could possibly have heard at that moment: a long, high, steady tone. Shaymin's heart stopped.

  Tyler couldn't believe his eyes. It was over. After everything Shaymin had been through, she died of something altogether unrelated to her condition. It was completely unfair! Tyler wanted to scream, and he had every reason to do so. But he didn't. He knew it wouldn't solve anything. Nothing would anymore. Shaymin was dead. That horrific truth began to sink in. Tyler dropped the defibrillator paddles he was holding, leaving them to dangle by the cords with which they were attached to the main machine. "No... Shaymin, no!" He shut the music off, then, in a show of emotion that belied his years of experience, began to cry. "You didn't deserve this, Shaymin. It shouldn't have ended like this! You had so much left to do with your life! You could've found a mate, or learned how to fly again!" His crying became louder, as he realised the injustices he had forced upon her recently. Or, at least, what he perceived to be injustices; were Shaymin still alive, she would doubtless have told him that she wasn't angered in the slightest by what he was talking about, and that she had, in fact, forgotten a great deal of it. "I know you can't hear me," Tyler continued, "but I'm sorry. You just wanted to help, and I shunned you for it("You most certainly did not!" Shaymin would've assured him, if she was alive.)! It's my fault you can't fly anymore, in the first place("What?! Oh, come on; you don't honestly believe that, do you?")!"

  Standard procedure requires doctors to wait 10 minutes after cessation of a patient's vital signs before declaring them dead. As such, Tyler didn't disconnect Shaymin from the monitors that she was attached to, which, by that point, were showing absence of life from all angles. No respiration, no heartbeat. The flatline tone rang out, unbroken, but Tyler didn't pay much mind to it. What mattered, of course, was who it was supposed to be showing vital signs for. As Tyler made short work of stitching up the entry incision he made at the start of the operation, a fairly dark realisation dawned on him. The irony of the situation, too, was not lost on him. For some time, Shaymin was in what Tyler assumed must surely have been agony. Wretched sickness that, as Kevin had said, not even a murderer was deserving of. Shaymin had slept, but what she had couldn't have been restful. As Shaymin lay motionless on the operating table, though, Tyler couldn't help but notice that she finally looked peaceful, how she hadn't looked in about 2 weeks. That was another thing that Tyler realised. It had taken only a matter of weeks for a microscopic organism to cut Shaymin's young life short. Not to mention, it had certainly taken even less time than that to put her through Hell. If there was anything Tyler could take solace in, it was that he assumed Shaymin was finally in a better place. He made the assumption simply to clear his conscience, which was much more cluttered than it had reason to be. In this case, however, he was correct.

  *Meanwhile...*

  Shaymin fell unconscious after her ordeal in the park. When she regained her senses, she was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of seraphic calm so powerful, she sighed as though somebody had placed her into a hot spring after a snowball fight. Her sigh was the only thing she could hear; wherever she was, it was silent. Slowly, she opened her eyes, hoping she would wake up and be back at the park with Tyler. She didn't get a good look at her surroundings, though, because she was immediately met with a stark white light, which made her quickly shut her eyes, then inhale sharply. "Wh-What the? What's going on?" She hadn't expected a response, since she believed herself to be alone. Therefore, when she got a response, in the form of a booming male voice greeting her and calling her by her name, she scrambled to her paws. "Who's there?!" The voice responded with a deep chuckle before speaking. "Calm yourself, and open your eyes." Shaymin didn't calm down, but she opened her eyes. What she saw when her emerald eyes adjusted to the light certainly didn't calm her down either. "Arceus?!"

  Indeed, standing before her was Arceus. Even on all fours, He towered over Shaymin's petite body. Shaymin, however, was, for good reason, preoccupied, and decided to skip formalities. "What happened? The last thing I remember, I was at the park with Tyler, and I started getting shocked!" "I'm sorry I'm the one who has to tell you this, Shaymin," Arceus said, with a sorrowful tone of voice that showed He meant it, "but that was merely a dream. Tell Me, Shaymin; what is the last thing you remember before going to the park?" The presence of Arceus, coupled with still not knowing what had brought her in front of Him, had muddled Shaymin's short-term memory. "Umm,... I-I think... yeah; I was at the Pokémon Centre. Tyler put something over my mouth, and I guess I fell asleep." Arceus nodded. "Precisely. You're still there, Shaymin." At these words, Shaymin's expression brightened. "So, this is a dream, too? But wait; why are You here, then?" "No, no, My child," Arceus corrected her. "Your heart stopped during the operation; you're dead, Shaymin."

  Shaymin wasn't incredibly surprised by Arceus' explanation; she hadn't had the heart to tell Tyler, with all he was doing for her, but she had known she was living on borrowed time, as it was. Thus, the gasp that escaped her throat was not due to realisation of her fate, but for Tyler, who had tried so very hard to keep her alive. For all Shaymin knew, her beloved was mourning not only her tragic death, but also the sad fact that he would now have nobody to comfort him as he lay in bed, wounded by Eleanor, as was commonplace. In fact, Shaymin remembered several nights when, fearful for Tyler's life, she had stood guard over him until he awoke the next morning. "If she ever does this to you again,..." she had said more than once as a vague threat. In the past, Tyler had helped Shaymin with far more than attempting to fight off a debilitating illness. As such, she felt that the least she could do to show the gratitude that her species exemplified was to offer someone so dear to her comfort and kindness in the dark moments of his life.

  "What happens now?" Shaymin asked simply. Arceus smiled warmly at her before speaking. "You lived a life of adventure, thankfulness, and, certainly, love. Your reward will be eternity in paradise. In addition, you shall be granted any single request." Such words are what many hope to hear, but, to Shaymin, they were almost meaningless. She shook her head in refusal. "What troubles you in a time that should be joyful?" Arceus asked her, in a voice of legitimate confusion. "Surely, you are not denying yourself Heaven, My dear?" Even against Arceus Himself, Shaymin didn't falter. She spoke with a calm, yet defiant, tone of voice that surprised even herself. "I'm afraid You're mistaken; You can't take me to paradise. At least, not the way I assume You mean that." "Oh, really?" Arceus challenged, advancing on her. "And how did you interpret My meaning that led to this?" "You wanna take me with You," Shaymin answered. "But where You'd take me would be Heaven in name only. You see, my Heaven is the pretty boy back on Earth. If I get to have a request granted, I know what I want, without a doubt. Let me go back."

  Hearing such confidence coming from such a small, innocuous source took Arceus quite aback. He could tell in an instant that the goddess of flowers was absolutely serious. Nevertheless, He made a fruitless attempt to change her mind. "I can return you to your body, if you wish, but is it truly what you want?" No sooner did the words leave Him, than Shaymin nodded. "I'm absolutely sure. Tyler needs me, and..." Finally, her voice wavered and cracked. It was as if what she said next either caused painful memories to resurface, or was new even to her. "I... I-I need him, too. Please, Arceus; bring me back to him!" There was nothing more Arceus could do, and He knew it, so He nodded. "Your words and your devotion have touched My heart. It is clear to Me that the love you have for this boy transcends even My comprehension. I would be a fool not to reunite you with him."

  Meanwhile, Tyler's gaze shifted between Shaymin and a clock on the wall. "C'mon, Shaymin; please don't let it end like this!" he pleaded, tears streaming down his face. "I don't... I... I don't wanna have to pull the plug on a Legendary." Only a few of the allotted 10 minutes had passed, but, to Tyler, it seemed much longer. The flatline tone still filled the room, and, to Tyler, the situation seemed hopeless, until, suddenly, the heart monitor began a rhythmic beeping once more. Tyler leapt to his feet. "No way! Her heart rate is... back to normal." He checked the various other devices Shaymin was connected to. "Respiration has resumed,... circulation has returned,... I don't believe it! She's back!"

  For the while that followed, Tyler had offered Shaymin several treats, which she politely refused. Finally, to placate her loved one, and thinking that she might have a renewed hunger when the medicine began working, she made only a single request. She asked Tyler to make her favourite breakfast, which was pancakes, following her healing. Tyler happily and immediately agreed. In addition, Tyler suggested, and Shaymin agreed, that they both spend the night in the guest bedroom. Shaymin was first to get into the bed, and she waited patiently for Tyler. The instant that Tyler was in bed, Shaymin curled up beside him, nuzzling against his neck. "Thank you, Tyler," she whispered lovingly. "Thank you for everything. Without you, I don't know where I'd be." "I appreciate it," Tyler began, "but I think you're giving me way too much-" "Stop it," Shaymin interrupted him. "Quit doing that to yourself. Shying away from the recognition you deserve, apologising like crazy for little things,... Has Eleanor ruined your self-worth to that extent?" She didn't tell him about her encounter with Arceus; she didn't want him to think that he had absolutely nothing to do with her healing. In response to her question about Eleanor, Tyler sighed. "I'd... rather not talk about her right now, if it's all the same to you. You're right, though; I should be more confident. After all, I'm in bed with the most beautiful Pokemon in the world; I must've done SOMETHING right!" Shaymin blushed and giggled. "Aww! You're so sweet! No wonder I love you so much!" The next few minutes were full of a serene calm. It was as though the air itself was full of the unorthodox couple's love. However, Shaymin, who was nearly asleep, opened her tired eyes upon hearing the rustling of the blanket. "Huh? What's... You okay, Tyler?" "Yeah; I'm alright," Tyler answered in a whisper. "I just forgot, I have to take my makeup off." With that, he got out of bed. "It's dangerous to sleep with makeup on." Shaymin gave a tired nod and a yawn in response. "Alright, then." She watched, as best she could in the dark, as Tyler walked away. She wanted to stay awake until he returned, but, as the gravity of what happened ran through her mind, she found herself unable to stay awake any longer.

  *Author's note*

  And this is why doctors shouldn't get romantically involved with patients. In Tyler's defense, though, that Shaymin needs to have a warning label. "Warning: Contains excessive sweetness. Not recommended for people with diabetes." Well, I suppose the important thing is that she's gonna be alright. So, you can put down your guns now. Anyway, this chapter's alternate name is "Living On A Prayer." I'm sorry it took so long, but I got busy and forgot where my priorities lie. I'll start work on Chapter 10, which will be the finale, right away.

[Neptune]

I hope that isn't just another dream at the end there D: Not when things seem to be going better for the both of them D:

[ArdillaVerde93]

Don't worry; I wouldn't do that to you. Shaymin really is back "home," waiting for Tyler to return.

[SMFoxy]

Damn it 'Dilla.
You finally get chapter 9 up and it's like this?

Spoiler

At least she survived in the end, so I can forgive you for (briefly) killing her off. xD

 

[ArdillaVerde93]

Is it really that bad? What should I improve?

[SMFoxy]

2 hours ago, ArdillaVerde93 said:

Is it really that bad? What should I improve?

No, it's not bad.
Just a little feels-y.

I mean, you (temporarily) killed off Shaymin.
At least God is apparently not a dick. At least in your story.

[ArdillaVerde93]

XD Yes; many feels are being had. The message, I suppose, is that the good guys don't always win. Shaymin died, Tyler's being beaten, and yet, Kevin, a paedophile, is living happily. Not to mention, what kind of life has Arceus allowed Shaymin to return to? She still can't have Tyler; the fact remains that he's married.