Back when they had first arrived at the beach, Shaymin had already sensed that many of the Breloom tribe in the forest nearby were badly wounded—some of the Shroomish were even on the verge of death. That was why it had dashed into the jungle in such a hurry.
Initially, Shaymin had simply been curious about the state of the forest, but to its surprise, it picked up on the presence of a dying tribe. Shaymin's kind nature wouldn't allow it to stand by and do nothing, so it had rushed in to help.
By the time Shaymin reached the scene, even the Breloom leader was gravely injured and barely clinging to life. Most of the Shroomish in the tribe were also seriously hurt. But with Shaymin's healing powers, they all gradually recovered.
Without Shaymin's help, the tribe would likely have been wiped out or driven from their territory by predators drawn to the scent of blood. The surviving Shroomish would have become aimless wanderers with no home.
When the Breloom and the others tried to thank Shaymin, it had already slipped away, vanishing before their eyes.
Now, seeing Shaymin again for the first time as Rex and his group arrived, the Breloom leader finally recognized the mysterious Pokémon that had saved them. Though it didn't know exactly what kind of Pokémon Shaymin was, it could feel the vibrant life energy radiating from it.
This also explained why Shaymin had fallen asleep so quickly after returning to the beach—it had spent a great deal of energy healing the Breloom and needed rest to recover.
From the extent of their injuries, Rex could tell that the tribe had recently encountered a powerful threat. That also explained why Breloom had reacted so aggressively when they'd first stepped into its territory.
With the tribe still on edge from the previous attack, it was no wonder they had seen Rex and the others as potential enemies.
"So soft and cute!"
Under the great tree, the Shroomish were very friendly, thanks to Shaymin. Yuli, Yui, and Karen quickly got to know them, and Yui even boldly picked one up for a cuddle.
Luckily, the Shroomish she held didn't mind—in fact, it seemed to enjoy the affection from the lively teenage girl.
Meanwhile, the Breloom leader brought out a pile of berries from the tree hollow where they lived. It was clearly a gesture of hospitality.
Of course, the offering was meant for Shaymin, but Rex and the others were welcomed by extension. Rex didn't mind being included like that.
As they relaxed in the grass and watched Chimchar and Bagon playing with the Shroomish, a rustling sound came from the bushes nearby, drawing everyone's attention.
Moments later, a group of Pinsir emerged one after another. Rex counted—there were over ten of them, and several were visibly wounded.
Upon seeing them, Breloom immediately became tense and rallied the Shroomish. Both sides quickly squared off, with Breloom angrily confronting the Pinsir who seemed to be their leader.
Even though Rex couldn't understand what they were saying, he could clearly feel the hostility—this was not going well.
The Pinsir leader kept gesturing toward its injured followers, making it obvious they were here to get revenge.
That was all Rex needed to know. These were likely the same Pinsir that had previously attacked the Breloom tribe.
And judging by the state they'd left the tribe in, just a few Pinsir had nearly wiped them out. Now that even more had arrived, things could get ugly fast if Rex's group didn't step in.
By the logic of natural balance, outsiders like them technically shouldn't interfere in conflicts between wild Pokémon tribes. But having met the Breloom first and even bonded with them, they couldn't just stand by and watch them be wiped out.
Even Chimchar and Bagon had jumped into the Shroomish ranks, baring their teeth and growling at the approaching Pinsir like they were part of the tribe themselves.
But even with those two, the Shroomish were still far too weak. Their only real defense was toxic spores, which weren't very effective against the hard-shelled Pinsir.
Only Breloom had the strength to go head-to-head with one.
When the argument fell apart, the Pinsir leader gave the order to attack.
Breloom charged the Pinsir leader. Chimchar and Bagon each picked a target of their own, not backing down in the slightest. But the remaining Pinsir continued advancing on the Shroomish.
Seeing this, Karen sent out her newly evolved Swellow to help. With its type advantage, it managed to intercept and hold off two Pinsir from reaching the Shroomish.
Still, the Shroomish were no match for the rest of the attackers and quickly began losing ground. If this continued, they'd be overwhelmed.
"Go! Gyarados!"
Rex wasted no time. He released Gyarados, who positioned itself in front of the Shroomish to face the remaining Pinsir.
Its massive body, fearsome expression, and Intimidate ability immediately startled the Pinsir, halting their charge.
The Pinsir leader, locked in battle with Breloom, roared in anger. That roar snapped the rest of the Pinsir out of their fear, and they launched their attacks at Gyarados.
But Gyarados didn't dodge. It took the hits head-on with its tough defenses, then unleashed a powerful Dragon Tail, sending several Pinsir flying.
The impact only fueled Gyarados's battle instincts. A huge Dragon Twister formed in front of it and swept toward the enemy group.
The Pinsir weren't about to be taken down so easily—they quickly dodged the attack and responded with moves like Bug Bite and X-Scissor, launching a fierce counterattack. A chaotic melee broke out between them and Gyarados.
With so many opponents to face, Rex chose not to end the battle quickly. He stood back, letting the Pokémon fight freely. With him and Shaymin present, he wasn't worried about things spiraling out of control.
What surprised him was that Chimchar, thanks to its type advantage, was the first to defeat a Pinsir—even one that had been stronger than it. Still, Chimchar was now covered in scratches and wounds from the intense fight.
(End of Chapter)