Riding Arcanine all the way back to the Breeding House, Lucas noticed many familiar faces on the Breeding Path.
Grandpa Manny and Grandma, Grandpa Yask, and other grandpas, grandmas, uncles, and aunties.
"Grandpa Manny, why are you all here?"
Lucas had the Arcanine under him stop and asked the grandpas, grandmas, uncles, and aunties who were setting up a temporary resting spot.
"Oh, Shopkeeper."
Grandpa Manny put down his work and greeted Lucas.
"Why aren't you staying home, hiding, and instead running out here?"
Lucas frowned and asked them.
Their age was evident; if they really caught a high fever, the consequences would be unimaginable.
So Lucas was a little angry.
"Aren't we just seeing that help is needed here, so we came?"
Grandpa Manny chuckled and said.
"You shouldn't be here. This fever is highly contagious. If any of you get infected, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"It hasn't spread yet, has it? Besides, there aren't enough hands, and so many people and Pokémon are waiting for rescue. How can you expect us to sit still?"
Grandpa Manny said.
"Many of them are children we watched grow up. There's no way we could sit still. And there's already a shortage of hands. Although we're old, I do run a Seed Shop, so I have some knowledge of Traditional Medicine. We took precautions before coming."
Seeing that Lucas still wanted to say something, Grandpa Manny directly interrupted him.
"Besides, Shopkeeper, you're not afraid and are on the front line, so we old folks certainly can't be cowardly. Don't worry, we promise to stay at the very back."
Grandpa Manny quickly assured him.
Lucas knew their minds were made up and could only sigh.
Looking at their exceptionally determined eyes under the moonlight, Lucas could only say:
"Then after you've set this up, go back to the Breeding House's backyard and help me brew cold medicine."
"Don't worry, we understand."
"What did Old Brother Manny's grandson say, something about the Shopkeeper's something-something group?"
"Support group."
"Ah, right, we, Shopkeeper Yan's support group, promise to obey the Shopkeeper's orders."
Grandpa Yask saluted.
Lucas looked over; there were also some young boys and girls inside.
But what the hell is my support group?
A support group of grandpas, grandmas, uncles, and aunties?
Lucas shook his head, feeling weary. He didn't have time to deal with this matter for now, so he reminded them again for a while, then rode Arcanine and continued forward.
The grandma from the Seed Shop watched Lucas's retreating figure.
She murmured to herself, "Oh, you silly child—"
Returning to the entrance of the Breeding House, Lucas dismounted Arcanine, stood at the door, and had Lilligant disinfect him, Gengar, and Arcanine with alcohol before entering the Breeding House.
The Pokémon in the backyard were all busy on the Breeding Path. Lucas quietly went upstairs and opened Shauna's room door.
Shauna had already woken up and was sitting on the bed, chatting with Chingling.
"Uncle."
Seeing Lucas walk in, Shauna looked at him worriedly.
Lucas walked to the bedside and stroked her little head.
"It looks like Shauna will have to stay in her room for a while longer."
Shauna nodded understandingly. Gengar floated in with a bowl of cold medicine.
"Drink this, then get some sleep. Uncle promises you'll be fine when you wake up."
Shauna wrinkled her small face, looked at the cold medicine in the bowl, then took it with her small hands and drank it all in one gulp.
"kijie"
Clang, clang, clang, clang~
Just as Shauna was about to spit it out from the bitterness, Gengar quickly took out a spoonful of blessed sweet honey and put it into Shauna's mouth.
Shauna instantly felt surrounded by happiness.
"Remember to brush your teeth before sleeping."
Lucas smiled and patted her little head.
Shauna nodded, ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth, then obediently returned to bed and lay down.
Lucas tucked her in, "Good night, little Shauna."
"Good night, Uncle, please be careful."
Gengar turned off the light, turned on the night light, and followed Lucas out.
The door closed, and Shauna's big eyes stared straight at the ceiling.
She wasn't scared this time, because she believed that her uncle would definitely succeed this time too.
Then she closed her eyes, hugged Chingling, and fell into a sweet sleep.
Arriving in the backyard, Machoke and the others were already cooperating with Gothorita to speed up the brewing of cold medicine.
More than half of the herb garden was already bare.
The other Pokémon in the Breeding House were also doing their best to help.
Soon, Grandpa Manny brought his team to the backyard. Lucas told them to stay put in the backyard.
After the first patient arrived at the designated resting spot in the Breeding House, Lucas had all the Pokémon retreat into the Breeding House.
Then, he, along with Gengar, Machoke, and Lilligant—the Pokémon from the Breeding House—busied themselves carrying Traditional Medicine.
Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny soon arrived at the Breeding House, bringing the large quantity of alcohol Lucas had requested.
For patients with extremely severe symptoms, Lucas would have them drink a bowl of cold medicine first, then wipe their body surface with alcohol to accelerate heat dissipation and reduce fever.
As more and more patients were brought in, Lucas and the Pokémon at the Breeding House were already overwhelmed, even with the addition of many people who came to assist from Sandgem Town and Jubilife City, they were still too busy to turn around.
Lilligant constantly ran back and forth, carrying bowls of cold medicine, her calves almost smoking from the effort.
Vespiquen's wings were almost broken from fanning.
"Gengar, alcohol."
The alcohol was quickly delivered to Lucas's hand. After Lucas wiped down a Snorlax, he handed the alcohol back.
Only then did he realize that it wasn't Gengar who handed him the alcohol, but a Kricketune.
Gengar was not far away, coaxing several children who were crying loudly because they felt unwell.
Lucas looked around.
Many Pokémon were holding bowls, or carrying alcohol, cotton swabs, and some even helped comfort the sad people and Pokémon who were feeling unwell.
This is—
Lucas immediately recognized these as the Pokémon from the backyard.
He had clearly told them not to come out, to avoid contracting this terrible fever themselves.
When exactly did they come out?
Lucas didn't know.
Looking at Gengar making funny faces to coax the children, Lilligant running around with bowls in her hands, Vespiquen distributing sweet honey everywhere, Heracross and Pinsir helping to support patients, Machoke, Roselia, and Marill maintaining order and delivering cold medicine—
And some people who were maintaining order, also running around with bowls.
In an orderly fashion, Pachirisu, using its adorable nature, jumped into people's arms to soothe their hearts, Kricketune played beautiful music to help them relax—
People and various Pokémon tirelessly wiped alcohol on patients.
And Gothorita, Mime Jr., and other Pokémon, along with Grandpa Manny and his group, were constantly busy in the backyard.
Lucas smiled, looking at the subtly rising sun.
Lucas didn't know when these Pokémon arrived.
But Lucas knew.
Day had broken.
Kricketune's melody suddenly became solemn.
Lucas took a bowl of cold medicine handed to him by an Ambipom, then gently fed it to a Prinplup.
Subsequently, more people and Pokémon appeared successively from the sky and in the distance.
Kricketune's melody reached its climax.
Lucas, recovering from his tense mental state, let out a sigh of relief, reached out, and picked up the wooden tag on his chest that felt a little hot.
Kricketune, sing freely for all people and Pokémon.
Lucas thought so.
Then he raised his head, let the rising sun fall on his face, and sat down with a thud.
"kijie!!!∑(ǒaǒ|l)/"
"Laji!!!"
"Nik-hek!!!"
"Bee!!!"
"Lucas!!!"
====
Watching them run towards him in panic, Lucas waved his hand.
Gengar, realizing he was just tired and wanted to sit down and rest, narrowed its eyes.
A Lick landed on him.
Again, again—numb—
After eating a Cheri Berry to cure the paralysis, Lucas felt much more refreshed.
Did his physique also change? To actually find paralysis invigorating!
Lucas quickly shook his head.
....
Power Stones PLZZZZZ
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