The momentary stillness inside the Pokémon Center was shattered by the commotion outside. Shouts and hurried footsteps echoed through the walls of the Pokémon Center.
"Chansey, go get the medical kit quickly!" As Nurse Joy quickly gathered the her supplies.
"Chan, Chan!" Chansey nodded and quickly ran to the basement to get it.
Lily's heart raced in anticipation, and without a second thought, she followed her mother and Chansey toward the entrance. Happiny, who had been snoozing in her arms, blinked awake, sensing the urgency in the air.
As they stepped outside, the scene that greeted them was chaotic. A large crowd had gathered near the town square, murmurs of concern and fear spreading through the people. In the center of it all was a massive Hippowdon, its body towering over the crowd as it bellowed in distress.
The ground shook slightly with each of its movements, dust rising from the force of its heavy stomps. A group of trainers stood at a distance, clearly intimidated by the wild Pokémon's size and unpredictable behavior.
Lily's eyes widened as she took in the sight. This Hippowdon wasn't just upset—it was in pain. Its usually formidable figure was limping over, and every movement seemed heavy. As she watched, the Hippowdon let out another deep, mournful roar, causing the ground beneath her feet to tremble once again.
"Lily, we have to approach carefully," Nurse Joy said, her voice calm but urgent.
"Hippowdon's can be unpredictable and aggressive when they're in pain." Lily nodded, instinctively crouching lower to the ground as she followed her mother.
The trainers nearby seemed to recognize Nurse Joy, and a path was quickly cleared for them to move closer to the distressed Pokémon.
As they neared, Lily could see what was causing the Hippowdon's pain—a deep gash running along its rocky hide, oozing dark, sticky blood. It looked like the injury had been sustained recently, possibly from a battle or a fall. Nurse Joy motioned for Lily to stay back as she assessed the situation.
"It's all right, Hippowdon," she spoke softly, raising her hands in a calming gesture.
"We're here to help you."
But Hippowdon was beyond hearing her words. Its eyes were wild, darting around in panic, and it stomped its foot hard on the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth. Lily could feel the tremor beneath her feet, and for a moment, fear gripped her.
Suddenly, she felt a tug at her sleeve. She looked down to see Happiny staring up at her, a determined glint in its eyes. Then, she remembered. She immediately ordered Happiny.
"Happiny use Heal Bell" Without hesitation, Happiny waddled forward, holding out its tiny arms and started humming towards Hippowdon. Despite the size difference between them, Happiny stood resolute, exuding a calm and soothing energy.
Lily watched, her breath caught in her throat, as the Hippowdon locked eyes with Happiny. For a tense moment, only a soothing hum is heard. The towering Pokémon seemed confused by the small, round creature standing before it. Then, slowly, Hippowdon's posture began to soften, its heaving breaths becoming less frantic as it listens to the soft hum of the little creature.
"That's it," Nurse Joy whispered to Lily.
"Pokémon can sense the intent of others. Happiny is trying to calm Hippowdon down."
Lily marveled at how something so small could have such an effect on a creature so large and powerful. It reminded her of what Nurse Joy had said earlier that morning—how every Pokémon had its own personality and needed to be approached with understanding and compassion.
As Hippowdon settled slightly, Nurse Joy took the opportunity to move closer, inspecting the wound more carefully.
"It's deep, but not too severe," she said, her brow furrowed.
"We need to treat this quickly before it becomes infected."
Chansey sprang into action, opening the medical kit and taking out the necessary supplies—antiseptics, and bandages.
"Lily, please go to the Pokémon Center and get some potions, as well as berries and healing herbs" Nurse Joy said, as she, Chansey and Happiny calming Hippowdon.
"Okay!" Lily answered, and immediately rushed to the Pokémon Center.
By the time she returned, they had already managed to calm Hippowdon enough to begin cleaning the wound.
"Here, Mom," Lily said, handing over the supplies.
Together, they worked quickly and efficiently. Lily held the bandages steady as Nurse Joy carefully applied the antiseptic, while Chansey is using Heal Pulse to lessen the wound. Hippowdon flinched slightly, but Happiny was still there, patting its leg gently in reassurance. Lily found herself silently thanking her Pokémon for its bravery and calm demeanor.
As they continued treating Hippowdon, the trainers who had gathered around began to murmur with admiration.
"Isn't that Nurse Joy's daughter?" one of them whispered.
"She's really good with Pokémon."
Lily overheard the whispers, and while a part of her felt proud, another part of her knew she still had much to learn. Every moment spent in the Pokémon Center had taught her that caring for these creatures was an ever-evolving process, one that required patience, empathy, and a deep understanding of their needs.
Once the wound was thoroughly cleaned and bandaged, Nurse Joy stepped back, wiping her hands.
"There you go, big guy," she said softly.
"You should be feeling better in no time."
Hippowdon let out a low rumble, its eyes no longer wild with panic but now filled with something like gratitude. It lowered its massive head toward Nurse Joy, as she gently patted it.
Lily couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was moments like these that made her love being around Pokémon even more—seeing the bond that could be formed between humans and these incredible creatures, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
But just as things seemed to be settling down, another sound erupted from the far end of the square—a roar that made the hair on the back of Lily's neck stand up. She turned quickly, searching for the source of the noise. What she saw sent a fresh wave of tension through the crowd.
In the distance, emerging from the thick forest that bordered the town, was a group of large bird Pokémons. Their wings beat furiously against the air, and as they swooped down, Lily recognized the lead Pokémon immediately—it was an Archeops, its majestic wings spreading wide as it glided above the square. But this was no ordinary flight.
The Archeops was leading a flock of Archen and Archeops, and something was terribly wrong. The flock was in disarray, their flight paths erratic and uncoordinated. The Archeops roared again, and this time, Lily could see it—an arrow lodged in its wing, the feathers around it stained with blood.
Panic rippled through the crowd once more. The ancient bird Pokémon were clearly in distress, and in their confusion, they were flying dangerously close to the buildings and the people below. Windows rattled, and people ducked as the flock soared overhead.
"Lily, stay close!" Nurse Joy called, her voice tense.
"Something's wrong with them. We need to help them, but we must be careful."
Lily's heart pounded as she watched the leader Archeops struggle to keep its flock in formation. How could this happened? Who would attack such a majestic and ancient Pokémon, and why?
As these questions raced through her mind, she looked at her mother, who was already forming a plan.
"We'll need to split up," Nurse Joy said.
"Me and Chansey will get the medical supplies ready for Archeops and its flock. Lily, I need you to help calm them down before they cause any more damage." Lily nodded, determination flaring within her. This was her chance to prove that she had learned from all the experiences so far.
"I'm on it!" she said, her voice firm. She turned to Happiny, who was already at her side, ready to help.
The air was thick with tension as Lily sprinted toward the flock of distressed bird Pokémon. With each step, the ground felt like it vibrated under the weight of her own adrenaline. She could see the Archen and Archeops circling frantically, their cries of confusion filling the air.
As she reached the center of the square, she could see the leader, Archeops struggling to maintain control over its flock. Its movements were sluggish, the arrow in its wing clearly causing it immense pain. Lily's heart clenched—she had to help, but how could she get close enough without scaring the flock further?
"Happiny, we need to show them we're here to help!" she called out.
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Another chapter finished...
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