Icy and Sara were waiting impatiently in the waiting room.  It was getting late.  Images of the battle flashed past Icy’s mind.  “I shouldn’t have let her continue the match.  I should have called it off,” he kept muttering.  Sara was getting worried.  She searched for Hocus’ pokéball hoping he would be able to help Icy get through this.
    She finally found it and released Hocus.  “Please Hocus.  Icy needs help.  He’s not acting like himself.”  Hocus’ burns had already healed by using recover.  He went at sat next to the depressed pikachu.
    “Master...”  Icy was silent.  His mind was elsewhere, all his thoughts focused of Buttercup.  “Master, please answer me.  You are beginning to frighten me as well as Sara.”  Icy’s eyes were still distorted by tears.  “MASTER!  SNAP OUT OF IT!” Hocus shouted telepathically at Icy.  Icy jumped being startled by Hocus and turned to him.  “Now that you are back with us, perhaps you could cheer up.  Sara is really afraid for you, as am I.”
    “I... I’m sorry...”  Icy was still crying, but not as much now.  He glanced again at the light above the ER.  It was still lit bright red.  “I could have prevented this.  I could have recalled Buttercup when she got burnt the first time.”
    “You didn’t do anything wrong,” Sara said trying to comfort Icy.  “There was nothing you or Buttercup could do.  You didn’t know that Magmar was so powerful.”
    “I know, but, that’s not going to help Buttercup now...”
    “Master, you can’t change the past.  Buttercup will recover.  You yourself have survived much worse injuries.  Perhaps the nurse will let us visit her in a few minutes.  She won’t let Buttercup die.  Buttercup has a strong life-force.”
    “I hope you are right.  But there’s no way I’ll be able to defeat Blaine.  He’s just too smart.  You and Buttercup were my best bet on beating him, and he made fools of both of you.”
    “I admit, that Ninetails pulled a clever stunt tricking me into teleporting only to blast my when I reappeared.  But losing can have just as much benefit as winning, maybe more.  I may have lost the match against Ninetails, but I learn a valuable defense lesson.  If I was to battle it again, I would not be as easily fooled.”
    “I understand what you mean.  But Blaine’s pokémon are smart and strong.  Fancy defense tactics won’t beat him.”
    “You need to think positive again.  Buttercup wouldn’t want you to be so depressed like this.  She, like me, made an underestimation.  But she stayed positive.  For her sake, at least smile.  It will make you feel better as well.”
    Icy wiped the tears from his eyes.  He looked at the light above the door again.  It turned off.  Joy came out of the room and walked towards Icy.  “Is Buttercup... ok?” Icy asked sadly.
    “She’s resting now.  You can go in and see her.”  She led Icy, Hocus, and Sara to Buttercup’s room.  She was lying on her back with wires and other medical equipment connected to her.  Her body was still slightly dark from the burns but would heal in time.  A monitor tracked her heartbeat.  Icy couldn’t hold back the tears as he moved closer to his friend.
    “I... I’d... I’d like to... to be alone for a bit...”  Sara and Hocus went with Nurse Joy back to the waiting room.  Icy looked down at his friend.  “Please be strong Buttercup.  Don’t leave me.”  He spent the rest of the night with her while Sara slept in Nurse Joy’s room with the other chanseys.

    Nurse Joy woke Icy in the morning.  Buttercup was still asleep.  Icy looked at her with sadness filling his face.  “How is she?”
    “She’s doing better today Icy.  She should make a complete recovery by the end of the day if all goes well.”  Joy checked the monitors displaying Buttercup’s condition.  “Icy, don’t worry.  She’s going to be just fine.  Why don’t you and Sara have some breakfast.”  Sara stood behind Nurse Joy.
    “Thank you...” Icy said quietly.  He walked over to Sara and the two pikachus held paws going to the diner.
    “Are you feeling better today Icy?” Sara asked.
    “A little...” he replied softly.  They sat down at the table as a tall, baldheaded man walked in.  He put on a red an orange wig and asked Nurse Joy something.  Then, he walked over to where Icy and Sara were sitting.
    “Am I correct in assuming I am addressing Icy the Pikachu?” the man asked.
    “You would be correct.  Who are you?”
    “Oh, you don’t recognize me?  I am Blaine, the fire gym leader.  I came to ask how that butterfree of yours was doing.  It is... ok, isn’t it?”
    “We’re not sure, but Nurse Joy seems hopeful that she will survive...” Icy responded softly.  A sigh of relief came over Blaine.  He was glad to know his Magmar hadn’t killed Icy’s pokémon.  The thought of it was too unbearable.
    “I’m glad to hear that.  I am really sorry Magmar hurt your pokémon so badly.  Perhaps when she’s better, you’ll return for another try?”  Blaine collected himself and went back to his gym.
    “That was nice of him to apologize.  Are you really going to battle him again?”
    “I have no choice.  I need that badge.  But I’m not going to use Buttercup.  I’ll use Cyber and Hocus.”
    “But Hocus lost last time.  What if Blaine’s pokémon beat him again?”
    “They won’t.  This time will be different.”  Nurse Joy went back to Buttercup’s room.  Icy told Sara he’d be right back and ran to catch up with Joy.
    “Can I see her again please?” he asked.
    “Yes.  She’s awake but very weak.  You’ll have to keep it brief.”  Icy nodded and went in.  “That’s one dedicated trainer,” she said to herself.
    “Buttercup...”
    “I... I... Icy...” Buttercup managed to speak.  Her voice was very weak.  “I... I dreamed... last night that... that you came and stayed with... me...”  Her voice trailed off.
    Icy put is paws on the backs of her wings.  They were soft and had a silky texture.  Her color was now almost back to normal, a few dark spots on her left wing.  “I wanted to tell you that I am very proud of you.  You are a very courageous pokémon and a valuable friend.  I know you will pull through.”
    “Frii... friii...”  Buttercup closed her eyes and fell asleep again.  Icy took his paws off her wings and left the room.  Nurse Joy entered with some chanseys to give Buttercup some medicine.
    Icy sat down with Sara again and finished his breakfast.  Later that day, he, Hocus, and Cyber trained to battle Blaine.  He wanted to be ready for anything Blaine could pull the next time they battled.
    That night, while Icy and Sara were having dinner, Nurse Joy came up to Icy and asked him to come with her.  Sara followed them into Buttercup’s room.
    “She is doing much better Icy.  She still needs rest, but it’s likely she’ll be able to leave with you tomorrow morning.”  Buttercup was eating some pokémon food that Joy had got special order from Brock.  Icy gave Buttercup a small hug.
    “I knew you could do it Buttercup.”  A tear sparkled from his eye before hitting the ground.  Buttercup smiled and went to sleep.