Went to the Pokémon Center to heal the injuries of the three contributors.
Chansey and Mawile were basically uninjured; the former wasn't touched by Swellow and Crustle at all, while the latter, in its showdown with Tauros, had a sudden creative idea and transformed into a bullfighter to release its power to the fullest.
When asked how it came up with the idea of climbing onto Tauros's back, Mawile said it was a flash of inspiration, and it jumped up just to hammer the bull's head.
Normally, when battling Aggron, it climbs on its back all day long, and the same with Steelix.
It's just a habit.
Who would have thought that Tauros's back was its blind spot for attacks? Had it been Aggron or Steelix, they would have thrown it off long ago.
It was a lucky hit that inspired Mawile with a way to attack the large Pokémon.
It memorized the experience from the battle with Tauros.
As for Aggron, being the only injured one, the visible damage was not as much about energy depletion but rather the numerous cuts on its chest and abdomen's metallic armor from Zangoose's claws.
Half a finger wide and quite deep, they crisscrossed and looked somewhat ferocious.
This also showed that Zangoose's combat power was strong.
It's a pity that it probably didn't expect Aggron to be so resistant, even ignoring the use of amped-up attacks, and that Metal Explosion, as a countermeasure, was finally finished off by Brute Force.
Honestly, Aggron held back; if that Double Claw Cannon Hammer had hit Zangoose, it would take at least three or four days to recover, but because it only let attribute energy impact the latter, Zangoose would recover after lying down for a while.
A merciful heart from the Big Monster.
And undoubtedly, the scars on Aggron's chest and abdomen became its new badge of honor.
This guy was quite satisfied with those half-finger-wide scratches, seeing them as strong testimony that it could withstand four times the effective attack.
Treatment finished.
Baimu didn't rush back to the lodging but instead took Chansey and strolled in a nearby park.
Because he noticed Chansey was in low spirits, clearly still thinking about the recent battle, he planned to let it relax.
Overall, although it was just a minor harmless mistake that didn't change the result, the fact that it caused trouble for its teammates still put a mental burden on it.
It had finally got a chance to participate, yet it performed like this...
"You did very well already, don't worry too much, the result and the process are equally important. Moreover, as long as you learn from failure, then this failure is not meaningless."
He patted Chansey's head. Fundamentally speaking, whether dealing with Swellow or Crustle, the latter's methods were not wrong.
The issue was that this fellow's current skill pool wasn't deep enough to interfere decisively in a deadly confrontation with the opponent.
Moreover, is it strange for the opponent to launch countermeasures?
Not strange at all.
Mawile and Aggron could always shatter the opponent's delusions with real actions when they tried to counterattack, and the frustration comes from being unable to do the same.
"Lucky..."
As Baimu's second Pokémon, Chansey found it hard to accept.
The more it wanted to keep up with its companions' pace, the more it realized it was far behind them.
But it also knew it was greedy, wanting to play the role of support in the team while also hoping for strong combat capability.
How could all good things in the world be enjoyed by just one?
However.
If not, if it didn't show its bright spots, Chansey feared it wouldn't be able to stay by the trainer's side.
It rarely craved anything, except being able to see Baimu's peaceful sleeping face every morning and feel completely relaxed, irresistibly drifting back to sleep. It's something it couldn't give up no matter what.
Otherwise, Chansey would truly doubt that the emotions it gained, the delight and praise, and all those smiling faces over these days were fake. It was still trapped in that dark cage, dreaming unlikely dreams.
Its day.
Truly began from that morning moment.
"Lucky..."
Feeling the persistent warm hand on its head, Chansey didn't stay dejected; it understood the trainer was right, learning new things from failure is more important than the failure itself.
It must overcome its weaknesses, and even without attacking moves, there are still many other things it can learn.
Chansey was more determined than ever in its resolve.
——
Back at the lodging.
Mann Chong seemed to have already heard the news about Baimu's victory and the theft at the battle tent and was initially happy to congratulate him upon seeing him.
But soon remembered the stolen Pokémon Egg for the reward, hastily shut his mouth, and his face turned beet red.
Baimu laughed seeing this from the kid, "Alright, just say what you want. I won't be mad."
"... Congratulations!"
Only then did Mann Chong speak, feeling much relieved instantly, and then with a bit of indignation, "Those thieves are just too hateful! Why do they do such things?"
Quite a sense of justice?
"They just like getting something for nothing, I've met many like that before. Don't worry, they'll be caught sooner or later; you can't walk by the river often without getting your shoes wet."
Baimu responded with a smile.
Mann Chong nodded and then curiously asked, "Met a lot before? Mr. Baimu, were you a policeman before?"
"How is that possible? The police wouldn't employ minors. I was just responsible for maintaining order."