The first Pokémon to be treated by Comfey were Poliwhirl and Growlithe. Lucas had already taken care of their battle injuries, so Comfey's job was easy.
Comfey shook itself gently, releasing a pink glow from the flowers on its vines—its signature healing move, Floral Healing. They say the move's power is directly linked to the flowers Comfey wears.
After about ten seconds, Poliwhirl's arm—injured by Growlithe's bite—was as good as new, and Growlithe's energy, sapped by Water Pulse, was restored.
After making sure they thanked Comfey, Lucas noticed Fidough and the Poliwags peeking from the door, looking for their leader. He sent them off to play, then turned to Delibird, quietly sitting in the corner.
Comfey perched on Lucas' head, making him look like he was wearing a flower crown.
Comfey glanced at Delibird as if wanting to share its flower ring, but remembering something, it hesitated and stayed put.
Lucas noticed all this.
Comfey loved sharing its flower crowns, but since Lucas hadn't planted any beautiful flowers yet, giving one away would mean running out. Constantly picking wildflowers wasn't a solution.
So, Lucas mentally added "plant flower beds and build fences" to his to-do list.
At his signal, Delibird slowly climbed onto the small bed and lay down obediently, its shiny black eyes watching Lucas and Comfey.
A moment later, Lucas placed his hand on Delibird's head and gently instructed, "Close your eyes. Try to relax and remember how you felt flying in the sky. But don't force yourself—if it feels uncomfortable, stop, okay?"
Delibird obediently tried to recall the carefree feeling of flying. As it relaxed, however, the fear from that stormy night flooded back, like a shadow it couldn't escape.
The fear made Delibird tense and its face twist in pain.
"It looks like the trauma runs even deeper than I thought," Lucas frowned, nodding to Comfey. "I'll need you to use Aromatherapy."
Seeing Delibird's pain, Comfey's face filled with sympathy. After nodding, it floated above Delibird, closed its eyes, and a soothing fragrance spread from its center, filling the whole room in seconds.
Lucas inhaled, feeling his mind clear and his fatigue fade. Impressive.
Aromatherapy, in the games, heals the team's status with calming fragrance. Could mental trauma count as a status condition?
Game status effects are things like poison, burn, freeze, paralysis, sleep, etc. But if applied to reality, this move's potential could be much greater.
Looking at Delibird, its pain had eased, and its face relaxed.
After checking Delibird thoroughly, Lucas concluded that Aromatherapy worked well, easing Delibird's psychological burden.
Unfortunately, a single session couldn't cure it—Aromatherapy only relieved the symptoms. Full recovery would need time and perhaps a drastic breakthrough.
Thinking this, Lucas checked the Casseroya Lake weather with his battered phone.
"No rain tomorrow... or the day after... Ah, here it is!" Lucas' finger froze, eyes lighting up. "There's an 80% chance of rain at Casseroya Lake in a week, and a 60% chance of thunderstorms! That's it!"
His excited voice made Delibird and Comfey tilt their heads, puzzled by his reaction.
Lucas squatted down, patting their heads with a smile. "It's nothing. Comfey, I'll leave Delibird's treatment to you for the next few days. Delibird, you'll need to cooperate too. In a week, I'll take you somewhere."
"Comfey~" "Delibird~"
Comfey and Delibird nodded obediently. Lucas felt so much more at ease with such understanding Pokémon.
Comfey used Grassy Terrain and continued treating Growlithe, Poliwhirl, and Delibird. Seeing Comfey getting tired, Lucas took out a prepared flower basket.
There were no flowers in the basket, just a soft blanket—a cozy nest for the new farm member.
Comfey happily snuggled in, chirping with joy. Delibird looked on, clearly envious, but didn't say anything, knowing Lucas had already prepared a nest for it as well.
And since Delibird couldn't fly yet, Lucas left its nest on the ground for now, instead of hanging it under the eaves.
After settling the two, Lucas pondered—Comfey would be busy for the coming week, so he'd need to get it some supplements.
As a Fairy-type Pokémon with a plant slant, Comfey's tastes would likely be similar to those of Eldegoss.
He remembered the cakes made by Ceruledge and the others that night—delicious! He'd just bought flour to tide them over until his own wheat matured, and still had eggs and other ingredients. With Milcery's fresh cream, he could make a wonderful dessert.
But something was missing.
After thinking, Lucas recalled spotting some Combees near the farm. Their honey was highly nutritious and tasted great.
Why not go search for honey?
Suddenly, Lucas imagined all sorts of honey desserts and foods, and couldn't help but drool a little.
Decision made, he'd go out that afternoon and try his luck. He remembered Gym Leader Katy, who ran a dessert shop in Cortondo City, had taught him how to find Combees and honey in the wild!
Lucas packed up items he might need, shouldered his backpack, and was about to head out when—
A familiar, excited voice rang out.
"Wow! So this is Teacher Lucas' farm?!"