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

#123 Scyther

Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. Scyther's blade-like forearms are capable of slicing through logs, and become sharper by cutting through hard materials. Using swift movements, it camouflages itself and enhances the effectiveness of its scythes. It has been observed that wild Scyther form groups. If a challenger Scyther wins a battle against the leader of the Scyther swarm, the original Scyther leader will depart and the challenger will take place as the new leader. It has also been shown that some Scyther despise the colour red, and become aggressive when confronted with this colour. Although it is rare, Scyther can be found in grasslands.

Having spent a few days in Cerulean City in order to get through all the paperwork regarding the overhauling of Cerulean Gym, Nurse Isabelle had neglected her Pokémon a bit. The exception was Dewgong, who was doing fine, having exercised more than enough in the waters of the Water-type Gym. The Seel that had been previously injured stuck to Dewgong as they swam around, like a parent looking after their kid.

Isabelle's plan was this: she would ride on Ponyta to a nice grassy area where she would release Chansey and Pidgeot. With a sharp pain in her heart, she realised she did not need to keep Ivysaur in mind anymore. However, she had that egg in her care. Whatever came out of it would depend on her and her Pokémon. Chansey surely would be a great help.

It felt great to gallop atop Ponyta, over the roads away from Cerulean. In the weeks Izzy had had Ponyta, her fiery steed had grown as well. Gone was the trembling foal; Ponyta was on her way to becoming an elegant, confident lady. She still had a bit of her skittish nature, startling easily, but that was okay. No need to break her character for a mindlessly obedient horse. Izzy loved her Pokémon the way they were, even if their personalities were odd sometimes, such as a hot-headed Chansey.

They soon arrived at a clearing that would do just fine. Ponyta started grazing a bit further along their path, Pidgeot flew somewhere above like the mighty bird he was, and Isabelle sat on the grass with Chansey. When the Egg Pokémon discovered her trainer also had an egg, she grew wild with excitement. The egg shell felt cold to the touch, which usually was a bad sign for Chansey, but when Izzy explained she received it from a Water-type trainer, the motherly Pokémon settled down a little. The egg did have a strange texture, almost like coral. Despite her interests, the nursing school paid little attention to the care of eggs. Still, it was something Izzy was considering doing, perhaps, when she retired from being a travelling nurse.

A loud screech startled everyone. From one side of the field, a horde of Scyther came stampeding towards the nurse's band of Pokémon. Ponyta, who would be very effective against the Scyther, reared and dashed off. Pidgeot swooped in, pelting the Bug Pokémon with gusts of wind and slices of his wings. They could not be stopped, though.

"Chansey! The egg!" Isabelle called, asking for her Pokémon to take the egg in her pouch, keeping it safer than Izzy could have done. Where would an egg be safer than with the Egg Pokémon? Maybe a Kangaskhan. Still, Isabelle had no idea what to do. Pidgeot fought bravely but could not handle so many Scyther. There had to be at least seven of them.

From her right, a roar sounded, causing Izzy's heart to drop. Another Pokémon, charging. A Nidoqueen came, fists raised, ready to defend those she cared for. Izzy stumbled back, keeping close to Chansey. They were in deep, deep trouble.

However, Nidoqueen did not attack Isabelle or her Pokémon. Instead, she punched the nearest Scyther in the face. Together with Pidgeot, they made short work of the attacking Bug types and sent them cowering back to where they came from. In relief, Izzy sat down on the grass, holding her head in her hands. Things could have ended very poorly for them. Of course, now that she thought of it, she came up with many things she could have done better, such as immediately summoning her Pokémon back and flying away on Pidgeot, but in her moment of fright, she had not been able to do so.

Thundering footsteps signalled the approach of the Nidoqueen and a rush of air was all to be felt when Pidgeot descended gracefully. Standing up, she first nuzzled her face against Pidgeot's head, murmuring sweet words of gratitude before facing the Nidoqueen. Isabelle vaguely recognised her from the Nidoqueen she had left a Nidoran, a Nidorina, and a Nidorino with, last winter. She had not realised she was so close to their territory.

Carefully, she placed her hand on Nidoqueen's shoulder. They were of similar height. Right now, Izzy didn't care Nidoqueen was a Poison-type. Instead of harming her, she had been saved. Even though she already knew this, deep inside, she began to realise Poison-types weren't as evil as that Ekans had been, many years ago.

"Thank you, Nidoqueen. You saved us," Isabelle said, keeping eye-contact.

Nidoqueen nodded her head, taking a glance at Chansey with Izzy's egg, before giving her something of a smile. Remembering something, Izzy dashed to her backpack and retrieved something. Holding her hands behind her back, she approached the Nidoqueen with a smile. Then she offered the Pokémon that saved her the item in her hands. It was the Moonstone she had gotten so long ago from that muddy, male Nidoran. Nidoqueen had more use of it than Izzy did; one of her Nidorina or Nidorino could evolve with this.

"I want you to have this. As thanks for saving us." In the background, Ponyta carefully came back, still unsure of this Nidoqueen near her trainer. It could be evil, for all Ponyta knew, since she'd not seen anything of the brief skirmish.

Nidoqueen accepted the Moonstone, nodded once more, and left, back to her cave where she took care of so many Nidoran.