Shinx had been on the run for several days now.
During that time, it had been chased down by humans twice and had only managed to escape with great difficulty.
Now, where should I go...
Shinx trudged slowly through the desolate wilderness, feeling its vision beginning to blur.
A sense of helplessness welled up inside it—it could almost feel its life force slipping away.
Whoosh...
Just then, a cold wind blew across the land.
Shinx's nose twitched instinctively, and suddenly, an overwhelming stench drifted into its nostrils, jerking its senses awake.
Back in the Black Forest, it had often roamed through the territory of Skuntank and was very sensitive to foul smells.
This particular stench seemed familiar. It had smelled it back in the Black Forest—it was likely the odor of a Gloom.
That direction… there's a Gloom there.
Shinx looked in the direction the wind had come from. A place where Gloom lived usually meant fertile land.
Moreover, Gloom was relatively docile and wouldn't actively attack other magical beasts. Shinx thought it might be safe to check it out.
Enduring the cold wind, Shinx pushed forward step by step. Perhaps it was the hope of survival that gave it strength—its eyes now gleamed with determination as it pressed on toward its goal.
As it moved forward, the stench grew stronger. Lifting its head, Shinx saw a stretch of lush green grass ahead.
It sighed in relief and staggered toward the greenery. Its vision grew increasingly hazy, and just before losing consciousness, it saw a tall figure rushing toward it.
…
Back on the farm, Aven was busy making Pokémon food.
To turn Tangela's vines into proper Pokémon food, they first had to be processed.
From harvesting the vines to completing the final product, it would take at least a week.
That day, just like usual, Aven was working on Pokémon food when Peter suddenly burst into the farm on his Mightyena.
"Aven! Help! You've got to save this Shinx!" Peter gasped out between breaths, speaking urgently the moment he saw Aven.
"Shinx?"
Aven looked toward Peter's arms and saw the small blue electric-type feline soaked in blood.
Such severe injuries—it needs immediate treatment! Aven's heart sank. A single glance was enough to tell just how weak the Shinx was.
Without wasting a second, Aven took the Shinx from Peter's arms and rushed into the inner room.
Placing it on a table, he quickly retrieved some healing potions—first helping the Shinx drink a dose, then using the rest to clean its wounds.
These wounds are serious…
As he washed away the blood, Aven's concern deepened. Not only was its body covered in injuries, but several of its bones were broken.
What caught his attention most were the strange wounds on its body. They looked like they'd been slashed by claws—yet somehow more precise, more like cuts from a blade.
Could it have been Leaf Blade, or another slicing move...?
Aven frowned, his hands not stopping as he continued treating and bandaging the wounds.
After drinking the healing potion, Shinx's breathing noticeably steadied. But its injuries were far too severe—potions alone weren't enough to fully heal it.
Now that the emergency treatment was done, the rest depended on the Shinx's own ability to recover.
"If only there was a Pokémon Center…" Aven sighed. The medical capabilities of this world desperately needed improvement.
In a proper Pokémon Center, these injuries wouldn't be a problem. But here, all they had were potions.
Besides potions, another effective treatment method would be healing-type moves from other Pokémon. But these moves involved the manipulation of life energy and were among the hardest to master.
Aven knew how to train healing moves—but only a small number of Pokémon could learn them, and they required high potential to do so.
…
"How's the Shinx doing?"
Outside the room, Peter asked anxiously as soon as he saw Aven step out.
Aven let out a long breath and forced a smile.
"I gave it emergency treatment, but the injuries are serious. It'll still take some time before it wakes up."
Hearing that, Peter sighed in relief. As long as the Shinx was alive, he could rest easier. The rest of its treatment was now beyond his ability to help.
"Anyway, thanks for saving it."
Aven chuckled. "You're starting to seem more and more like a real Trainer."
There weren't many people in this world like Peter—willing to help a Pokémon in need.
Peter scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, I guess I was influenced by you. I've also been reading that Trainer's Handbook you gave me."
"If you treat Pokémon sincerely, they'll return that sincerity," he said, glancing at his Mightyena.
Mightyena looked back at him, proudly lifting its head, a soft glint in its eyes.
Peter then recounted the events of how he had found the Shinx during his patrol.
He had originally just been training Mightyena's physical fitness in the wasteland between the village and the abandoned orchard.
But during the session, Mightyena suddenly picked up the scent of blood. When they followed it to its source, they found the Shinx collapsed on the ground.
Hearing the story, Aven frowned once again.
A heavily injured Shinx turning up near the village was not a good sign.
Especially during times like this. Although the village was still relatively safe thanks to the Glooms' protection, the threat of magical beasts remained ever-present—they couldn't afford to lower their guard.
He still didn't know what exactly Shinx had been through. They would have to wait until it regained consciousness to learn more.
"I'll head out and strengthen the patrols around the area," Peter said solemnly, having realized the gravity of the situation.
Aven nodded. After a moment's thought, he added, "Don't go too far from the village. It's best to patrol with the other Mightyenas."
"And if anything happens, don't engage directly. Come back and report it to us right away."
Peter agreed at once, then turned and left the farm with his Mightyena. Behind the door, his Gloom peeked in curiously before quickly scurrying after him.
(End of Chapter)