Team Young Episode 39: Fighting the Flu

Nick walks inside while Tom’s arms wrap around him. Tom keeps his face buried in his chest. “She’ll be back. Maybe I can help you fix your relationship problem.”
Tom looks up to him. “Really?”
Nick smiles. “I was the one that brought you two together, I can help you fix it.”
Tom wipes his face of tears and smiles. “Thank you.”
Zach walks toward them. “What happened out there? Where’s Lily?”
Tom faces her. “She went for a walk.”
Nerelia hides behind the couch. “She’s not going to do bad things to me, is she?”
Nick shakes his head. “Of course not. I won’t let her get to you if she does.”
Nerelia wipes her paw across her forehead and lets out a big sigh. “Thank goodness.”
Melissa pats Tom on the forehead. “Lily’s probably tensed from what happened last night. We should leave her alone.”
Zach hunches sideways and leans against the table. “I don’t feel so good.” His legs shake before he collapses to the floor.
Melissa gasps. “Zach!” The gang runs and kneels to him.
“What’s happening?” Tom asks. “Is Zach okay?!”
Nick feels Zach’s forehead. “His temperature’s high! We better get him into bed.”

***

Lily walks toward the marketplace. She browses around and lets out a big sigh.
A Lucario wearing an orange and white-stripped bowtie walks over to her. “Are you okay, Miss?”
Lily turns away. “No, I’m not. I’m a little upset.”
The Lucario leans to her. “About what?”
Lily sighs, turning to him. “I just had to end a relationship with my boyfriend.”
“Oh. What does he look like?” The Lucario asks.
Lily turns away. “He is an Oshawott with a red mask.”
The Lucario’s eyes widen. “Wait, aren’t you the girlfriend of the Oshawott on Team Young?”
Lily turns to him and nods. “Well, I used to be his girlfriend.”
The Lucario smiles. “My friends, Riolu and Sierra told me all about you guys. I’m Marcus.” He holds out his paw. “Why don’t we talk about it a little more?”
Lily faces away from him. “I don’t know. I don’t feel comfortable talking about it right now.”
Marcus walks in front of her. “Talking will make you feel better. Come take a walk with me.” He offers his paw, which Lily takes and she walks beside him.

***

Zach’s eyes open halfway and he moans. Pain throbs in his head as his bloodshot eyes stare at Melissa, Tom, and Nick.
Melissa sits beside him. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I feel awful,” Zach answers. His bloodshot eyes stare at her.
Cindy hands him a glass of water. “Here, drink this.” She holds the glass by his lips and tilts it upward slowly, allowing the water to slide down his throat. Zach takes the glass from her and forces the water to go down before he places it beside the counter. Nick pushes him lightly back against the bed as he coughs.
Tom sits by his legs on the bed. “Man, you look terrible.”
Zach turns to Nick. “What… what’s happening to me?”
Nick places his hand on his chest. “Take it easy. What are your symptoms?”
Zach holds his stomach. “I feel like I’m going to throw up, my head is pounding, I’m hot, my body is shaking but I’m not cold, and I’m tired.”
Nick rubs his chin. “Hmmm… fatigue, fever, shakes, nausea, coughing, and headaches.”
“Sounds like the symptoms of the Pokéflu,” Nerelia adds. “I remember my friend had it.”
Tom turns to her. “Can’t you like cure him with tribal magic?”
Nick shakes his head. “You can’t cure this type of illness. It has to go away on its own, but you can treat it.”
Nerelia nods. “The lum berry can be used to treat the Pokéflu. It will make the immune system strong enough to get rid of the virus quickly.”
Jenny turns to her. “What does a lum berry look like?”
“It’s a lime green berry that grows on small shrubs,” Nick explains.
Tom’s eyes widen. “I know where to look!”
Nick quickly turns to him with widened eyes. “You do?!”
Tom nods. “When I was taking Nerelia home with me, I saw a bunch of shrubs with those berries by the river.”
“They usually grow there,” Nerelia adds. “My father has taught me what berries can be used as medicine.”
Nick stands. “I’ll go with you. Even though we haven’t seen Valerie for days, I have a feeling she’ll show up.”
Tom stands too. “I want to go, too. I feel like I should learn some things.”
Nick narrows one eye to him. “You? Learn something new from us? Okay.”  
“You three go ahead,” Melissa says. “Jenny, Cindy, and I will make sure we stay with Zach.”
Nick nods. “If Valerie shows, call us.” Melissa nods, watching Nick, Nerelia, and Tom walk out of the room.

***

Lily places her teacup down on the pure white plate on the table. “So, that’s my story.”
Marcus has his cup hovering by his mouth. “Don’t you think this other girl is just finding Tom unique?”
Lily narrows one eye. “How?”
Marcus places his cup down. “Well, like you said, this Oshawott girl was raised and her friends weren’t Oshawotts. Tom is the first one she’s seen in her life.”  
Lily sighs. “That’s what Tom said, but I never believed him. He was telling the truth the whole time?”
“See?” Marcus puts his cup down. “Tom still loves you. You should go back and make up.”
“You know what?” She stands from her chair. “Maybe I will. Thank you so much, Marcus.”
Marcus smiles. “Any way to help. Just walk up to him and tell him how you feel.” Lily shakes his paw and walks away from the table.

***

Nerelia leads Tom and Nick to the riverbank. She points to the bushes lined along the riverside with lime green berries. “These are the lum berry bushes.”
Tom has his paws on his knees, panting. “Good, let’s pick them and head back to the house. I’m beat from this walking.”
Nick turns to him. “I thought you said you wanted to come along with us. You could’ve stayed with Zach and the girls, but why did you come with us?”
Tom begins, “ Because, I was concerned for Nerelia’s safety.”
“That’s sweet of you, Tom,” Nerelia replies. “But, I can look after myself. I learned a lot from my father about defense.” A loud roar echoes, putting Nick and Nerelia on their guard.
Tom hides behind Nick, who has his spear drawn to the gap between the shrubs. “What was that?!”
Nick clenches the handle. “A Hondour. I sense it coming toward us.” The Hondour sprints toward Nick, Tom, and Nerelia from the distance. Nick turns his spear sideways, separating the Hondour and pushing it away from him. “You two collect the berries! I’ll deal with this Pokémon!”
“Right!” Tom runs to Nerelia and starts picking the lum berries in a fast pace. The Hondour circles around Nick, finding his weak point. Nick grasps his spear tightly, waiting for the Hondour to make its move. The Hondour charges towards him, but Nick points the spearhead at its torso. He stabs the Hondour in the stomach and tosses it aside by the river.
Nick smiles. “Had enough yet?” The Hondour growls before it pounces onto him, its jaws trying to close on his neck. Nick has the spear between him and the Hondour’s neck. He struggles, trying to keep it from biting him. The Hondour bites the spear in half and scratches his torso. Tossing the broken weapon aside, Nick uses his hands to keep the Hondour from getting closer to his neck.
“Leave him alone!” Tom pulls out his scallop and slices the Hondour’s leg. The Hondour turns to him and sprints to attack, but Tom slashes its middle, causing the Hondour to collapse. Blood drips from the Hondour’s body to the river. He walks over to Nick and offers his paw to him. “Are you okay?”
Nick takes his paw and pulls himself up. “I think so, thanks.” Tom’s eyes widen at the bloody scratch on the right of his torso. “Don’t worry about that. It’s only a scratch.”
“But, you’re bleeding,” Tom implies. He searches Nick’s pack and pulls out white linen bandages. Unwinding the linen, he wraps it around Nick’s torso three times and cuts it from the tape wheel. “Better?” Nick nods.
Nerelia walks to them, swinging her Deerling-skinned backpack around her shoulder. “Okay, we’ve got the berries, let’s go.”
“Right,” Nick grunts, following Nerelia with Tom by his side.

***

Melissa walks into the room and sits beside the bed, stroking Zach’s head below the wet cloth. “Hey, how are you feeling?”
“A little better,” He answers in a low tone.
Melissa lifts the bucket on the floor beside him, which is half filled with Zach’s bile. “That wasn’t pleasant for you, was it?”
Zach moans softly while shaking his head. “I hate feeling like this.”
Lily enters the room. “Has anyone seen Tom?” She notices Zach in bed with a damp cloth adjacent to his forehead. “What’s wrong with him?”
Melissa stands. “Zach is sick and Tom went with Nick and Nerelia to find berries for him.” She stares at the clock.
Tom appears in the doorway. “We’ve got the berries.”
Melissa smiles. “Thank goodness.” When Nick walks in, she notices the bandages around his torso. “What happened there?”
Nick shows her the palm of his hand. “It’s nothing. I’m okay.”
Lily walks to Nerelia as she comes in. “I want to apologize about what happened earlier.”
“It’s okay, Lily,” Nerelia answers, pulling the berries out from her bag. She hands them to Melissa. “Make sure he sits up and eats these. After they go down his throat, tell him to rest.”
Melissa nods, taking the berries from her paw. She walks to Zach. “Zach, I’ve got something for you.” Zach fixes his eyes on her paw full of berries. “You have to sit up first.” With all of his strength, Zach pulls himself into sitting position. Melissa hands him a berry, which he eats. Melissa puts her paw on his back. “You should get some rest and let your body fight the flu.”
“Okay.” Zach lies against the bed and closes his eyes. Melissa pulls the blanket up to his chin.
“Tom,” Lily says. “I want to apologize to you too. I’m very sorry for the way I acted towards you.”
Tom rubs his chin. “No, maybe you’re right. Maybe our relationship is too deep. I should take it slow.”
Lily recoils. “What are you saying?”
“Lily,” Tom continues. “I thought about a lot what you said and maybe we should just be friends.”
Lily’s eyes widen. “Uh, okay then.” Nick smiles, and then places his hand on his torso.
Nerelia puts her paw on his shoulder. “Let’s see what we can do for that scratch.” She leads him out of the room with Tom and Lily following.
Melissa plants a kiss on Zach’s forehead. “Goodnight, Zach,” She whispers. “Feel better.” She walks out of the room and gently closes the door behind her.