Nurse Isabelle and the Kanto Pokédex: the Diary of a Travelling Nurse

#028 Sandslash

Sandslash, the Mouse Pokémon. The evolved form of Sandshrew. Sandslash has two large claws on its paws and feet. These claws are its primary weapons, and are used for slashing. They can also be used for burrowing. Its claws and spikes can both break off and are shed regularly, but grow back quickly. It can curl into a large ball to protect its white underbelly. In this position, it can roll to attack or escape and protect itself from heatstroke. Sandslash is also adept at climbing trees, and is prone to ambush its enemies from above. Sandslash can mostly be found in deserts.

Somewhere near Pewter City, Nurse Isabelle's help was needed again. A couple of miners were doing maintenance on the Rock Tunnel, removing rocks that are in the way, fortifying the ceiling, and other stuff Isabelle had never been interested in. But that wasn't why she was there. One of the Pokémon helping the miners had fallen ill.

Sitting in the small, but cosy house of one of the miners, Isabelle was kneeling on the ground next to the sick Mouse Pokémon. The poor thing had a harsh fever, probably from working too hard. Pokémon tended to go far for their trainers and sometimes too far. The heat from the fireplace made the cabin nicely warm. The Sandslash preferred heat over cold so this should make it feel better and help it heal easier.

While Isabelle was doing her best to bring the Sandslash's fever down, her Ivysaur helped the miner whose Pokémon she was treating. Ivysaur could Dig a little and could use the training, having napped way too much over the last weeks. Izzy had been going a bit soft on her affectionate starter.

Meanwhile, Pidgeotto was out to fly to the Pokémon centre to get some medicine for this Pokémon. All Nurse Isabelle could do now was make sure the Sandslash drank enough and kept warm.

Izzy's heart melted for this Sandslash. Even delirious with fever, it constantly sought praise and recognition. Its trainer had apparently raised it with a lot of positive reinforcement. Izzy had noticed he treated it this way from the way he said goodbye to his Pokémon, leaving with her Ivysaur. He had knelt in front of the Mouse Pokémon and whispered to it to take it easy and rest up. He had said that Sandslash was his champion and even champions needed rest occasionally.

While waiting for Pidgeotto to return, the Sandslash had left its place in front of the fireplace and crawled up against Izzy, so she got herself comfortable in front of the fireplace and allowed the spiky mouse to snuggle against her chest with its chin on her shoulder. Because it had so many spikes, Isabelle could not pet it but that Sandslash didn't seem to mind this. Like this, the Pokémon fell asleep.

By the time the sun set and the miner came home with her Ivysaur, the Sandslash had napped for hours and even had a Potion to regain strength. The spiky mouse was feeling much better. Ivysaur, however, wasn't as pleased. It was tough work, working for a miner and he was entirely covered in mud. His mood brightened a lot when his Human brushed him until he was all clean and shining, fed him an amazing meal with the tastiest Pokémon food, and then allowed him to sleep on her bed with her in the Pokémon centre tonight.