Of Hellos and Goodbyes Part 2

Previous two pastes:
The Story Begins: https://pastebin.com/6BNjdkth
Of Hellos and Good byes part 1 https://pastebin.com/UHtWeUCW

The back of the Barn was more of a house, with a series of rooms for the That housed various pokemon. As we entered the room the lights slowly came up, and around the room rustling showed the waking of the patients.  Mark took a moment to lap the rooms checking in on each of them. As he walked he explained.

“Sometimes when the injuries are extensive enough that treatment requires a personal touch. Quick healing at the pokemon center is fine for small things, but for extensive injury you can often overheal, or heal things incorrectly. “

A Meowth murred from the darkness of one of the rooms as we passed. From somewhere in the back something whined plaintively.

“Each group has its own researcher looking after it. It cuts down on the stress of the healing process and keeps them from becoming domesticated.” He paused by the door to the last room on the left and took out his keys.

“Will I be causing problems then? “ I asked as he opened the door.

“No probably not. In this case the damage is extensive and even if they recover they probably will not survive reintroduction to the wild. “ his voice is controlled as he says this. He flips on the light, and for a second nothing happens. The pause lasts just long enough for me to wonder if the light bulb was out before a slow rising of light caught my attention.

“Grass types like a natural light cycle.” He explained with out a word from me.

“So you are going to keep it? Like as a pet?” I said.

“Pet? No. At this point they’ve been dealt so badly by humans that it barely can stand me.  If we leave things as is it will just be put out to pasture until it passes. I’m hoping if I introduce more people it will learn to trust again.”

“Hence me.” I smirked as he looked guilty . “ and here I thought you just wanted to give me what I want.”

“Oh that’s part of it, but I figured that if you were going to see him I couldn’t help but observe. At worse you make him agitated. At best I earn a helper.”

“So calculated!” I laughed and stepped into the room. The smell of freshly dug earth hit me on a wave of warm humidity.
As I moved forward in the slowly brightening room low leafy plants slid against my legs. It was like a tropical paradise.

As the lights fully came up I saw the paitent, a squat green toad like creature crouching under a blanket. It was awake and it’s red eyes were watching me as I moved. When I paused then stepped closer it let out a strange screeching noise.

Madoc slipped out of the foliage from nowhere, growling. The introduction of a new Pokémon caused the creature to redirect its gaze. Soon it was screeching and gurgling In reply.

Mark stepped beside me watching intently , a notebook in hand. “Best keep your distance for a while, let him get used to you.  I’m going to feed him. Then check him over.”

I nodded and went back to studying the creature. It was strange seeing it up close. It was bumper than I imagined, with a different pattern of spots than was standard . Had that been the only difference I might have been fascinated but as my eyes raked over the back of the creatures stomach turned. There was a hollow, just covered by the blanket, in it back. It started just behind its shoulders, where the green was molted a disturbing shade of black. I was thankful I could only see the edge as even with the cover the way the blanket seemed to tent off the body made me shiver.

“Why would someone do this?”

“Superstition mostly.” Mark grunted as he dug out a bowl from the top shelf of the cabinet. “Apparently if you eat the fresh bulb from a live bulbasaur you reap many health benefits. Long life , increased fertility, strength. Same with the pollen.“

I paused . “Does it work?”

“No, or at least no more than it would if you waited for them to molt or extracted the pollen that they can release on command.  Yet millions a year are made on disfiguring them.”

“That’s sick.” I muttered watching the bulbasaurs eyes dart between the three of us.

“It’s not usually this bad. Usually they just chop off the root and take the sprout. Less work I suppose. Who ever did this though must have had a vendetta against the little guy. Ripped his entire root system out. Did lots of damage to the nerves too. It’s a miracle that he can walk. “

“I wonder why.”

“ Don’t ask me to fathom the minds of monsters. “ Mark said before kneeling to place the bowl down. The bulbasaur made that screeching sound again and snapped . Mark moved his hand swiftly and ignored it.

“You might want to look away.” He muttered and I nodded. Turning my back to them.

“Is poaching like this common?” I asked trying to ignore the pained noises from behind me.

“Around here? Not really. It’s only started recently. I’m not sure why here but I plan to find out.”

The way he said it was so final. I wished I could sound as confident and determined as he did. As the silence stretched out between us I considered if I even could be confident. We didn’t have much to go on.  Poachers could be anywhere, and even the area around pallet town was big enough that one person could hunt for years and find nothing.  I doubted even two people would be efficient, but the way he had said that made me believe against all hope that he would.

“Do you need help?