BOOM!
The loud sound resembled a sudden clap of thunder, with a silver light illuminating half the sky.
Soon after, the explosive fire and choking black smoke surged upward like a heavenly dragon.
The bird Pokémon, who had just settled down, were startled once again, fluttering about frantically, trying to avoid any impending threats.
The cacophony of calls made many fleeing wild Pokémon raise their heads.
They looked to the horizon, either panicked or bewildered.
Was it thunder?
The foreboding clouds were often accompanied by thunder, and such a display of might always made them uneasy. A few years ago, lightning had struck and split a giant tree, causing a mountain fire. If it weren't for the abundant water sources nearby and the cool, damp weather, their homes might have been completely consumed.
"Azuma...rill..."
The round-bodied Azumarill looked worriedly in the direction of the flames, shared a determined glance with its companions, and decided to go back and check out the situation.
When the time comes, they'll do whatever they can to help; if they can't extinguish the fire, they'll turn around and escape.
The landslide had already destroyed their home, and they couldn't sit by and let the forest be ravaged by fire.
Once the Azumarill started moving, the other wild Pokémon also reacted. The timid ones stayed put, anxious and restless, while the braver ones gritted their teeth and followed along.
Undoubtedly, this was what set Pokémon apart from most wild animals.
Just like in the movie "Genesect and the Legend Awakened," where Pokémon like Feraligatr bravely defend their homes, confront the Genesect army, and later put out the fire.
In the mountains and fields, there were also Pokémon like Absol, who warned of disasters, and the Azumarill, who weren't willing to abandon their homes to become wastelands.
Even if they lack the profound wisdom of humans, having this self-awareness is remarkable enough.
However.
When they rushed to the scene where flames shot skyward, they found a massive metal-colored object crashed among the sand and stones, its main body reduced to a pile of rubble, with limbs scattered and ablaze.
In the place where drizzle fell.
The Mega Steelix, like a mountain, stood nearby, ignoring the intense flames around it, drilling into the center of the massive object with its tail that resembled a drill. The buzzing sounded much like a construction site.
Inside, inexplicable screams of terror and anger could be heard.
A little further away, a young man was sending various Pokémon to rescue another group of Pokémon trapped in an iron cage. The loner Absol, who had previously warned them of the danger, was among them.
Beside them, two other humans lay on the ground with unknown conditions.
What exactly was happening?
The wild Pokémon that came to extinguish the forest fire hesitated, not daring to advance as they exchanged glances.
Were humans fighting among themselves? Why were they in such a place?
"Huh, why are there wild Pokémon running back?"
Baimu turned his head at Aggron's reminder, looking somewhat surprised at the wild Pokémon peering down from the hill, "Coming back to save their companions?"
He turned his gaze back to the Pokémon squeezing out of the cages, who seemed about to flee but stopped upon realizing no one was moving around them.
"Blissey, check them over. If they're injured, treat them; if not, let them hurry away from this dangerous place."
He instructed Blissey clearly.
The terrain softened by the landslide could easily give way again at any moment.
"Absol..."
A voice resembling a cat's meowing was heard, and Baimu noticed an Absol limping towards him, its hind leg apparently injured, causing it to walk unsteadily.
But more than its injuries, Absol seemed to have something else urgent on its mind.
"Hmm~" The white-haired cat repeatedly glanced towards where the landslide rushed, then quickly shifted its gaze back to Baimu.
"You want to go below?"
Hearing Porygon II's translation, he was initially puzzled, but then he realized this coal-mining-like white-haired cat had a hurt leg and still wanted to notify the wild Pokémon below to avoid disaster!
Recognizing it couldn't run anymore, it sought his help.
This isn't a Disaster Beast; it's clearly a Fortune Beast, a Good Beast. Even if not beneficial, at least it has its danger-avoiding attributes maxed out.
"...Blissey!"
Baimu immediately called for Blissey.
He believed that in Absol's situation, it should take care of itself first. The leg injury looked quite severe, and if it worsened, even becoming permanently lame wasn't impossible—
Of course, Pokémon, under normal circumstances, can self-heal even with a broken leg without needing to go to a Pokémon Center.
In any case, leaving the patient to the professionals is always the correct choice.
"Happy!"
Blissey became serious, diligently nodding its head, shedding its previously soft demeanor and fully displaying its Nurse Joy persona.
As Absol watched it, it felt inexplicably uneasy, like it had just escaped from a tiger's mouth only to fall into a "wolf's den."
Shortly after.
The white-haired cat's fears were realized.
"Absol—"
"Happy!"
The somewhat pitiful cat howls and stern cries resonated, drawing the gaze of the surrounding wild Pokémon.
But in reality, Blissey was merely bandaging and applying medicine to Absol, albeit a bit forcefully.
Yes.
Just a bit.
"Happy!"
Blissey saw Absol in tears from the pain, attempting to turn its head and lick its hind leg, and promptly held its head down, warning it sternly: "Happy!"
Don't lick the wound!
Even Lei Gong couldn't handle this Pink Giant Egg, let alone a mere white-faced big cat.
Absol nodded, tears in its eyes.
On another note.
Baimu, trudging through the uneven path, arrived beside the airship wreckage and jumped to the front of the cockpit, peering through muddy iron plate gaps at the Pokémon Hunter leader struggling within.