บท 66: Chapter 66: Erin's Condition

The bright sun glared down as I walked out of the hotel, the five-star luxury quickly fading into the chaos of the streets. I stifled a yawn, my body still heavy from sleep, and continued toward the police station in town. My footsteps, though calm, felt purposeful. I had things to handle, things that didn't involve endless naps in comfortable beds, but that nap had been worth it.

I wasn't surprised when I saw a crowd of people gathered outside the police station. What else could possibly draw this much attention? I pushed through them, forcing my way to the front, and there they were—the same five Squirtle who had caused trouble before. Typical.

Officer Jenny, Ash, Misty, and Brock stood nearby, along with Pikachu who perched on Ash's shoulder. The little electric mouse looked as ready for a fight as always.

I slipped next to Misty, leaning in close enough for her to feel my breath on her ear. "Where's Erin?" I whispered.

She jumped, letting out a startled yell. "What the hell!" She turned, her expression snapping from surprise to fury in an instant. "Where were you all day?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.

I shrugged, keeping my tone cool. "Sleeping. I tried to find you all, came to the police station, but Officer Jenny wasn't here. So, I ran into Gary, had some lunch, and then... well, that five-star hotel's beds were calling my name." My voice had an easy, relaxed drawl to it, but I could see Misty was far from amused.

Ash's voice cut in. "You met Gary? Where is that bastard?"

"Gone." I didn't even bother looking at him when I said it. I could feel the tension in the air, like a live wire waiting to spark. Ash could throw a tantrum about Gary later; I wasn't in the mood to indulge his rivalry today.

Brock's voice was softer, more serious. "You should see Erin. Her condition… well, only you or her family can help her now."

That made me pause. "Her condition?" I repeated, my heart giving an uncomfortable thud.

Misty's voice was clipped, her anger still simmering. "She's inside. She cried all night."

I blinked. "Erin… cried?" The words didn't match up in my head. Erin, with her calm demeanor and blunt honesty, didn't seem like the type who would cry. I'd seen her confused, scared even, but never this.

Misty nodded, her anger replaced by a brief flash of concern. I didn't waste another second. Nodding toward Officer Jenny, I walked past her and entered the station, my steps quick, my mind racing.

The station felt too quiet, almost eerie. I followed the faint sound of sobs, barely audible, but unmistakable. When I found her, she was huddled in a corner, knees pulled to her chest, her face hidden.

"Hey, Erin," I said softly, my voice steady despite the knot forming in my gut.

She looked up at me, her face calm as always, but her hazel eyes—there was something there, something raw. Relief. Hope. Excitement. Happiness. All of it swirled together in a single look. And before I could say anything else, she launched herself at me, her arms wrapping around me so tightly that I stumbled back, crashing to the floor.

"Where were you?" she asked, her voice as calm and blunt as always, though it was underscored with something else now. Fear. "I was so scared. That Meowth is… so bad."

"Meowth?" I muttered, piecing things together. "Team Rocket…"

I tried to soothe her, my hand awkwardly patting her back. She clung to me like a lifeline, and it took a while before her shaking stopped. When she finally calmed down, she looked up at me with those too-calm eyes, the kind that always threw me off balance.

"Don't leave me alone again," she said, her tone oddly flat, though the words carried a weight. "Or I'll complain to my grandfather."

I sighed, pushing myself to stand. "You can complain all you want, but you're not a child. There are things I have to do, and I will leave again. You need to get used to it if you want to travel with me."

She didn't answer, just continued to cry softly, hugging me like I might vanish if she let go.

Frustrated, I called out, "Misty, get in here."

Misty walked in, glancing between the two of us. "How is she?" she asked, her tone gentler now.

"What happened after I left?" I asked, my voice low and even, though my patience was thinning.

Misty frowned. "After you left, Officer Jenny told us about the Squirtle Squad and how they've been causing trouble. We were sitting by the lake when one of them attacked us. Ash and Pikachu tried to fight, but it got messy fast. They caught us, took us to a cave."

I stayed quiet, but my eyes flicked down to Erin, still clutching my arm like it was her only tether.

"What about Erin?" I asked.

Misty's face tightened. "She freaked out. Pokémon got too close, and she passed out more than once. It… it wasn't pretty."

"And Team Rocket's Meowth?" I asked, feeling my hands ball into fists despite my attempts to stay calm.

Misty's lips pressed into a thin line. "That Meowth… he's disgusting. He kept forcing her to rub his body, to massage him. He put his tail in her face, mocking her."

I was speechless for a moment. I glanced down at Erin, then back to Misty. "And?"

Misty sighed. "She didn't want to, but he forced her. It was… awful."

Erin's voice broke through, still calm, still honest. "I hate that Meowth. I hate it. I hate it."

I patted her head, motioning for Misty to stop. Erin didn't need to hear it again.

We stood there in silence for a while, the tension thick in the air. Finally, I sighed. "Let's go."

Misty nodded, and we headed out. Erin didn't let go of my arm, and I didn't have the energy to fight it.

Outside, the others were waiting—Ash, Pikachu, Brock, Ash new Squirtle, and Officer Jenny. As we walked past them, I turned to Erin. "You know, your grandfather's going to kill me if you keep hugging onto me like this."

Erin didn't miss a beat. "I'll talk to him."

I nearly tripped. This girl...

Brock chuckled, breaking the tension. "Let's get going, then."

As we turned to leave, Ash came up beside me, puffing his chest out. "See? I've got a Squirtle. Do you have one?"

I gave him a look, one that wiped the smug grin right off his face. He quickly recalled his Squirtle into its Pokéball and bolted, leaving the rest of us to follow.