47. Lost and Found

Head towards a main road while looking for shelter. Whichever we find first we take.

Avoid contact with other humans unless absolutely necessary, last thing we need is some opportunistic prick wanting to steal someone while Blue's out of it.

Priority should be avoiding ferals though.

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Unfortunately, without a guide to lead their way, the three pokegirls soon found themselves hopelessly lost. 

"Ah, dammit. It's that stupid log again," Lamina groaned, pointing at a familiar looking sight. The large, rotting log in front of them looked wholly unremarkable apart from three lines cut into its base - the same lines that the Armsmistress had left the last time they'd passed this place. "I told you we were going in circles."

Beside her, Isadora pursed her lips, glancing worriedly up towards the sky. The sun was still up, but none of them knew how much longer they'd have daylight. Already, the shadows were lengthening, making it harder to find their way around. 

"We need to keep moving," Thana insisted, their tamer still carried gently in her arms.  

"Alright, alright," the former gladiator rolled her eyes. "This time we'll go... this way!" she declared, pointing at a random direction.

Isadora blinked. "We just came from there," the Witch pointed out. 

"Okay, so we'll go this way instead," Lamina said, marching off in the opposite direction. The two remaining pokegirls shared a look before sighing and chasing after their... overenthusiastic companion. 

A few moments later, they heard Lamina shout something from somewhere ahead of them. Picking up the pace, the two pokegirls sprinted forwards, already prepared for the worst - and paused, mouths gaping as they realized what the Armsmistress had found. 

"Told ya I'd find the way out," Lamina smirked, visibly enjoying the looks on their faces. 

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Blue awoke slowly, groaning at the throbbing in her head. Slowly, carefully, she forced herself up, blinking in confusion at the unfamiliar surroundings. Before she could do anything, she herself face to face with a tall pokewoman of some kind, dressed in a nurses uniform with bandages wrapped around most of her face. 

"Here, drink this," the pokewoman ordered, shoving a glass of something dark and unpleasant looking into her hands. "Well? What are you waiting for?" she arched a brow, all but daring the young tamer to resist. 

Blue took a tentative sip, then blanched at the taste. "What is this stuff?" she croaked, trying to hold it at arms reach. 

The nurse rolled her eyes. "Medicine. Finish it. Now." she growled, her hoarse voice making it clear that it was not a request.

Making a face, Blue swallowed the entire glass in a single gulp. Before she could do more then gasp at the now burning sensation in her throat and stomach, another glass was pressed into her hands, this time filled with cold water instead. 

"Feeling better now?" the healer asked, watching as she gratefully gulped down the refreshingly cool water. "Good. You're lucky your girls are smart."

"What... where are my pokegirls?" Blue frowned. "Where am I, for that matter?"

"Meadowood Village," the pokegirl sniffed. "We don't get many visitors here. My master and I are the closest thing this place has to a pokecenter. Your girls are downstairs getting healed."

"How are-"

"They're fine. Probably better then you, to be honest." the nurse interrupted. "Honestly, tamers these days... why the hell were you wandering off the main path?"

"It... seemed like a good idea at the time?" Blue offered. The nurse snorted. "A good idea, she says. Why I oughta..."

"Marie! Is our guest awake yet?" a man's voice called from somewhere outside the room. The nurse paused, poking her head out the door. "YEAH! SHE'S UP!"

"Good! Let her know that her pokegirls are going to be done soon."

"SURE!" the pokewoman turned, eyeing Blue carefully. "Well, you heard the man. You feel ready to head down now, or do you wanna wait till your girls are done first?"

[] "I'll go down now and talk to your master immediately."

[] "I think I'll wait till my girls are done. I'd like to talk to them first."