A Checking-In Check-Up

Luka was sitting on the counter of the check in area watching as Finn, Jazz, and Ribbon made a few of the waiting Pokemon, who’s trainers were getting check-ups finished, laugh and cheer. Usually the job he was doing would be taken care of by Celeste, but the other was on break enforced by their trainer along with Snowdrop. As the door opened to reveal a new patient, Luka froze for a few moments before puffing up and letting out a small spark of fire. It was that Abra… and his trainer! Why were they here? He watched them as they entered the building a tad more, then his aggression faltered. The man was holding himself oddly, and he didn’t have to a genius to notice the Abra’s worry. Quickly he grabbed the check-in clip board next to him and flew it over to the man, tweeting at him in a fast pace, before releasing it, and hoping it would be caught as he flew to the curtain covered doorway. He had to go get his trainer from the back.

---

Mariko let out a relieved sigh as she finished the last set of tests to work. She was almost done with all the patients she had at the moment. As she was about to turn and go back to the back to check on the four trainers she had waiting there, she was stopped by the frantic sound of Luka tweeting, and then the Pokemon, himself as he gestured wildly at towards the waiting room. “Luka, what on earth is all this about?” She questioned, but allowed her Pokemon’s seem panic to make her move quickly towards the waiting room. Once she was there she first looked towards the Pokemon being entertained. Nothing seemed to be wrong there. Her eyes then turned to a very familiar person she had not seen in a while. “Zandrophin, how nice to see you. I’m sorry for Luka’s lack of professionalism.” She started, taking a guess over the situation that might have happened with Luka’s attitude towards the situation earlier. “How may I help you today? Is this a social visit or otherwise?”

Mariko gently shook that had offered to her while taking note of the pain Zandrophin seemed to be in. However, when the Pokeballs were taken out and the Pokemon released, Mariko took a sharp intake of air, which she then let out slowly and closed her eyes to steady herself. Yes, she had had Pokemon in her clinic in this sort of condition before, but that didn’t make seeing them that way any easier. That, and when the trainer is in the same state…. Internally she shook her head to clear that thought away, while externally she opened her eyes and put on her professional face.

“Let’s go to the back. From what I can see, I’m going to need to see where the fractures are in your Excadrill’s arm so that I can set it correctly, as well as the fact that I need to stop the bleeding. I also need to make up a healing salve for your Blastoise’s shell, one that will not only fill in the cracks, but make sure that the pain he is in will be nullified. And you, and don’t you dare say that you don’t need to be treated as much as they do, will sit down and not move an inch from the hospital bed. You have strained muscles from the way you are moving and walking around will only make them worse. I am not having that on my watch.” She ordered before she turned and called out another order, this one to the two Pokemon in the break room and Luka, since her last helper,Windy, was already in the back. “All available hands, I need the herbs for a repair salve brought to the back, as well as bandages, and the herbs to make a muscle care salve!” And once that order had been called, she waved at Zandrophin to follow her with his Pokemon.

Mariko gave a small smile at the comment Zandrophin made about her command, though the other couldn't see it due to her facing away from him.  To his second comment she gave a small hum as though in thought before giving a small sigh.  "Perhaps there is something you can do.  Can you make sure that they stay calm while I work?  I know that some Pokemon don't like being treated by outside forces.  Even in the Pokemon centers back on the mainland, this is a problem."  She allowed before she stepped into her treatment area and waved her hand at the open hospital bed.  "And while you are doing that, you can sit like I said."

As she said that, Windy made her way over with the bandage bag, while Celeste and Snowdrop arrived from the front holding the requested herbs for the repair salve and the muscle care salve.  Luka also flew in, though he looked a little lost on what to do.  Noticing this, Mariko gave him a smile.  "Luka, can you be a dear and bring the herbs for the bruise salve, as well as the ones for scratches?"  She asked making the Fletchinder nod and fly off towards the front once again.

"I was going to wait on those until after I dealt with the more major issues, but I think it would be better to make him feel helpful."  She muttered before she turned her attention to Zandrophin's Blastoise.  "Now what is this one's name?  I'll need to start with him since he has the most damage.  His shell, thankfully, did its job and protected the nerves, but sadly not by enough.  While I am doing that..."  She started before looking at Snowdrop.  "Sweetie, do you mind asking the nice Excadrill over there where it hurts the most?"  She asked while looking briefly in question at Zandrophin, hoping he would also supply the Excadrill's name.  If the Pokemon had a name, she always felt more comfortable using it when treating them.

Snowdrop, upon hearing the order, gave a small salute and made her way slowly over to the Excadrill, stopping just far enough away to be heard, but not enough to encroach on the other Pokemon's space.  Hello, I'm Snowdrop, my trainer wants to know where it hurts the most in your arm.  Do you mind letting me know?  The baby Pokemon asked.

Mariko gave the Roserade a calm smile.  "That's very admirable of you to want to protect your friend."  She told her before looking over at Zandrophin with a raised eyebrow, smile turning into a smirk of amusement.  "And don't you think that is a tad over dramatic?  You will be fine, just try not to do anything that involves the muscles you have overexerted."

With that said, she took the herbs from Luka, who had just flown in with them, and placed them with the rest of the ones she had been brought by the others.  "Celeste, Mortar and Pestle please? Windy, Luka, same things.  I'll need to make three separate mixtures."  She instructed, quickly being brought what she had asked for by the Pokemon in question.  Giving her Pokemon a thankful smile she then grabbed the herbs for the repair salve and two of the herbs for the scratches so that she the pain would be dulled.  Quickly, and professionally, she dropped the herbs into one of the Mortars she had been brought and began to mix them.  When she was done, she gave the salve she had made a small confirming nod.  "Alright...  That should do it.  Rose, was it?  I'm going to apply this to Squirt's shell now alright?  Squirt, whenever you feel I have been in your space too long let me know.  Also let me know when it will be okay to continue applying the salve alright?"  She stated placing the Mortar down to put on one of the pair of gloves she used to apply her salves with.  She then picked up the Mortar and waited for the Pokemon she was about to treat's permission.

While all this was going on, Snowdrop had given the larger Pokemon a nod before running over to the clipboards that were specially made for her with pictures of a small sized Pokemon, a medium sized Pokemon, and a large sized Pokemon.  These were used for her to mark where the Pokemon she had spoken to's pains were so that she could hand it to Mariko when it was needed.  Heading back to where she had been standing before, in front of Ruta, she took the pencil connected to the clipboard and marked the area the Pokemon said she was feeling pain, on the picture of the large Pokemon.

That does help.  I'll give this to my trainer.  She'll be able to help.  I've seen her do so many times!  Snowdrop confirmed before she tilted her head.  By the way...  Your fur is really shiny!  She exclaimed, the still immature part of her taking over.

Mariko gave the Blastoise and Zandrophin a nod before she walked closer to Squirt and dipped her gloved hand into the salve.  "If that is the case...  I'm going to start now."  She said in a calm voice before she reached out and gentle touched the first of the cracks with the salve.  Each time she heard a pained sound from her patient, she stopped briefly to let the pain ebb some before she went back to applying it.  It was a simple process, since Zandrophin was right in saying the Pokemon would let her continue to work even if she told him it was okay to tell her to stop.  It took a few minutes, but soon, she had covered all of the cracks she could see clearly with the salve and moved away slightly to see if there were any she missed.  Noticing a couple, she moved back into place, and applied the salve to them as well before stepping back once more with a nod. 

"That is all of them.  Now we have to let that sit for a couple of minutes so it can do its job properly.  Once that's done, we can get you into one of the showers to wash it off.  Then I can apply the cut and bruise salve."  She said before moving in front of the Blastoise with a smile, all the while giving him some space since she had been close to him for so long.  "You did well.  I know it must sting and itch some, but the pain should die down soon."  She stated before looking at the Roserade sitting nearby.  "If you want, you can go ahead and help numb some of the effects.  I'm sure he would appreciate it."  She said, giving her a smile as well while taking the gloves off, avoiding getting the salve on herself in the process.

It was then that she turned her attention to Snowdrop, as she put the used gloves in a nearby basket.  "Sweetie, do you have the information?"  She asked, drawing the Smoochum's attention to her.  Snowdrop nodded and reached the clipboard out to Mariko, who walked over and took it, then frowned.  "Oh dear...  You poor thing.  It seems you might have done more damage than I thought...."  She then turned to Zandrophin.  "What exactly was the cause of this, may I asked?  She may have, not only shot her upper arm, there is a chance her shoulder might be affected as well.  Not only that, but she is bleeding from her claws which are cracked themselves."

---

As Mariko asked this, Snowdrop turned her attention back to Ruta.  It'll be okay.  My trainer knows what she's doing, I promise!  And soon, she'll get your claws and arm back to the same shiny your other claws and arm are!"  She said, putting her hands together and swaying from side to side, hoping to distract the other Pokemon from her pain.

At the sight of the blood, Mariko's eyes narrowed.  "I will, you can trust me on that.  First, you will lay down though.  There is obviously something more wrong than the strained muscles.  Mentus, was it?  Can you make sure he does that?  I know how worried you are"  She ordered before turning her attention fully to Ruta.  "Hello Ruta, I'm sorry in advance, but do you mind if I feel around your arm and shoulder?  I need to see how extensive the damage is so I can start to come up with the best way to treat you."  She asked, waiting for the Pokemon to give some sort of signal that it was okay for her to do what she had asked.  "Would it also be okay for me to place the same salve I used for your friend on your claws? It will help repair them and make the pain easier to deal with."  When a Pokemon was as injured as the one in front of her, it was always best to ask for permission first before preceding with anything.  This was something she had learned early on, and it was something she continued to practice even to this day, even with the most well-behaved of Pokemon.

---

While she asked this, Snowdrop moved her attention to the Blastoise and the Roserade.  How are you feeling?  Your shell looked really bad before...  Does it feel better now?  She asked before looking at the Roserade.  And your friends flowers look really pretty!  It must be nice to have a Pokemon as pretty as her being your friend!  Also if you're worried about your other friend and your trainer, my trainer will do everything she can to help them.

Mariko held back the shiver that wanted to go down her spine at Mentus speaking in her head, but she held it back.  Not sure how to respond she cleared her throat and decided to speak as normal, all while keeping what was said in mind.  "You can help by making sure Ruta stays calm while I work.  As I said, it will be painful for her.  I'm going to have to feel along her whole arm, and around her shoulder, in order to find out where the damage is the worst.  I can make more of the salve, as I used all of the first batch on Squirt's shell.  That shouldn't take to long.  What will take the longest, however, will be when I have to cast Ruta's arm after I have found out how bad the damage is."  She stated while sparing Zandrophin a glance.  "Your also on watch duty.  He is not to sit up.  I am not having him make himself worse while I am standing here."

That said, Mariko moved over to Ruta and gave her a small smile.  "Alright.  I am about to start.  As I told your friend before, if you want me to stop for a few moments let me know."  She said before she gently placed her hands on the Pokemon's arm and began to feel around on the area indicated by where Snowdrop had indicated on the clipboard.  It was almost immediate that she found where one of Ruta's bones felt off.  Taking mental note of that, she continued working, moving her hands as carefully as possible while she moved up to the shoulder and back down the arm.

---

Snowdrop tilted her head at the last comment but nodded.  You can trust my trainer.  She always puts her patients first.  Always.  She said trying to make it clear that she would stand behind what she was saying, no matter what.  Just ask Celeste.  She was saved by our trainer when she was hurt, and has stayed with her ever since.  She was even given the chance to leave, but she didn't want to because she trusted our trainer that much.  She then paused and put one of her hands to her mouth in thought.  Humans might be fragile...  But there is something that I have noticed from watching all the patients who have come in.  They're resilient.  Your trainer is resilient.  He'll be treated by my trainer, and be back on his feet in no time!