Moonlight Pearl

The next morning, Yuga took Shoryu to visit Dr. Maury.

Dr. Maury's hospital was the largest in Pastoria City, so it didn't take Yuga long to find the place.

Before arriving, Yuga had already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Maury. Once at the hospital's front desk, he gave his name, and a young nurse led him to the door of an office.

Knock, knock, knock...

The nurse knocked on the door and said, "Dr. Maury, Mr. Shimizu, who made an appointment to see you, has arrived."

A deep and mellow voice came from inside. "Come in."

The nurse stepped aside and said to Yuga, "You can go in yourselves. I have other things to attend to, so I'll leave now."

Yuga quickly expressed his gratitude. "Thank you for your help."

After the nurse left, Yuga entered the room with Shoryu and Audino. Inside, they saw an elderly man with graying hair sitting at a desk. There was no doubt this was Dr. Maury.

Hearing the noise, Dr. Maury looked up. Upon seeing Yuga and Shoryu, he immediately stood up and greeted them with a warm smile. "You're here! Please, have a seat."

He gestured for Yuga and the others to sit on the chairs nearby.

Dr. Maury appeared to be in his early fifties. Although his hair was white, he was in good spirits. His office was minimally decorated, with only essential items and little else.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yuga, Dr. Maury said, "I thought you wouldn't arrive for another couple of days. I didn't expect you so soon."

Yuga chuckled. "When it comes to treating a child's illness, the sooner, the better. I wouldn't feel at ease letting it drag on."

Dr. Maury nodded. "That's true. Did you bring his previous medical records? Let me take a look first."

"Yes, I did." Yuga quickly pulled out all of Shoryu's past medical records from his backpack and handed them to Dr. Maury. These were given to him by Koga before he left.

Dr. Maury took the records and began carefully reviewing them.

Yuga noticed that Shoryu, sitting beside him, had a tense expression and was sitting rigidly. He gently patted the boy's back and whispered, "Don't be scared. Once we get your illness treated, you'll be just like any other kid—healthy, able to run and jump around."

"Okay." Shoryu responded softly, and his body gradually relaxed, no longer as stiff as before.

The records were not just a single file but rather a stack of documents, making them quite thick. Dr. Maury spent a good while reading through them all.

"This little guy's condition has indeed been neglected for far too long. That he's still in such good spirits shows he's been well taken care of. Here's what we'll do: we'll start with a full-body examination to get a complete picture of his condition. After that, I'll plan the surgery accordingly."

Yuga quickly agreed. "We'll follow your instructions, Dr. Maury."

Following Dr. Maury's advice, Yuga took Shoryu around the hospital, going through all the departments to complete the necessary examinations.

Once Yuga brought the test results back to Dr. Maury, the doctor said, "We'll schedule the surgery for three days from now. In the meantime, make sure Shoryu gets plenty of rest and doesn't overexert himself."

"I understand. Thank you so much, Dr. Maury," Yuga replied.

Before leaving, Yuga asked Dr. Maury about the precautions they needed to take before the surgery. Only after receiving detailed instructions did he take Shoryu back to their hotel.

Over the next few days, Yuga took Shoryu around Pastoria City to relax and have fun. The city had beautiful scenery and plenty of attractions, so they had no shortage of places to explore.

...

Because Shoryu's health was fragile, Yuga rented a car and hired a guide to prevent him from getting too tired.

Shoryu had a great time. He had never been so relaxed as he was in these past few days. His mood improved significantly, and with it, his complexion became rosier.

On the day of the surgery, Yuga brought Shoryu to the hospital as scheduled. Dr. Maury noticed Shoryu's flushed cheeks and commented with a smile, "You look good!"

Seeing that the surgery was about to begin, Dr. Maury could tell that both Yuga and Shoryu were a little nervous. He reassured them, "Don't worry. This surgery is very advanced now and carries almost no risk of failure. Besides, this is the most authoritative hospital for treating this condition. There's no need to be so tense."

Hearing Dr. Maury's comforting words, Yuga indeed felt much more at ease. He also reassured Shoryu, who was even more nervous. "Did you hear that? There's no need to worry. After today's surgery, we'll no longer have to suffer from this illness. Your father will be so happy when he finds out."

Upon hearing this, Shoryu nodded firmly.

At that moment, the Gastly by Shoryu's side also chimed in to cheer him on. Although Shoryu couldn't understand its words, he earnestly responded to Gastly's encouragement. The boy and the Pokémon seemed to strike up a conversation in their own way.

Seeing Shoryu finally relax, Yuga smiled with relief.

Soon, Shoryu was taken into the operating room, while Yuga, Audino, and Gastly waited anxiously outside.

The waiting was long and arduous. Time ticked by, second by second, until finally, after eight hours, the door to the operating room opened. Dr. Maury emerged, looking exhausted, and said, "Mission accomplished—the surgery was a success."

Yuga, overjoyed, responded, "That's wonderful news. Thank you so much for all your hard work, Dr. Maury ." With this, half of the promise he made to Koga had been fulfilled.

The surgery had just ended, so Shoryu's body hadn't yet recovered. As he lay in the hospital bed, the first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Yuga smiling brightly and waving to him from outside the room.

At that moment, all of Shoryu's fears vanished.

After the surgery, Shoryu needed to rest and recuperate in the hospital for some time. His condition was quite unique, and the procedure had significantly drained his vitality. Careful post-operative nurturing would be required for him to gradually recover.

After checking on Shoryu, Yuga went to Dr. Maury's office. There, Dr. Maury carefully explained the post-surgical care requirements for Shoryu, with Audino attentively listening alongside Yuga.

Once all the instructions had been delivered, Dr. Maury sighed and said, "If only we had Moonlight Pearls. That would make the little guy's recovery much easier."

"Moonlight Pearls?" Yuga asked, surprised. "What are they? I've never heard of them."

Dr. Maury shook his head and said, "It's not surprising you don't know. Moonlight Pearls are a specialty of the Great Marsh, but they've become increasingly rare in recent years."

Despite their name, Moonlight Pearls are not actual pearls. They are the fruit of a plant called Marshgrass.

This fruit is a perfectly round sphere, about the size of a pearl, and it emits a beautiful glow under moonlight, hence its name. Moonlight Pearls are considered a premium remedy for restoring vitality.

Marshgrass only grows in the Great Marsh. In the past, people in Pastoria City could collect a decent amount of Moonlight Pearls. However, due to overharvesting, Marshgrass near the outskirts of the Marsh gradually went extinct, and Moonlight Pearls became scarce.

Nowadays, finding even a single Marshgrass plant near theMarsh periphery is nearly impossible. Collecting Moonlight Pearls requires venturing deep into the Great Marsh.

But the Great Marsh inner area are very dangerous. Most people simply don't have the capability to go there, which is why fewer and fewer Moonlight Pearls are harvested.

While Moonlight Pearls do occasionally appear in Pastoria City, the supply is far too limited to meet demand. Even if Yuga were willing to pay a high price, a few pearls wouldn't be enough to help Shoryu's condition. And obtaining more than a few might be impossible, even with money.

Yuga pondered for a moment before asking Dr. Maury, "What do Moonlight Pearls look like?"

Hearing this, Dr. Maury took a book from the shelf behind him. After flipping through it, he pointed to an illustration and said, "Here it is."

The picture depicted a small, verdant plant with a translucent white fruit at its tip. The fruit was crystal-clear and exceedingly beautiful.

Yuga asked, "Dr. Maury, could I borrow this book for a few days?"

"Are you planning to collect Moonlight Pearls yourself?" Dr. Maury asked suddenly.

"Yes," Yuga admitted with a nod.

Judging by Shoryu's current recovery speed, he would need to stay in Pastoria City for quite a long time. Yuga didn't want to waste too much time here. The opportunity to accelerate Shoryu's recovery was like a pillow delivered to someone ready to sleep.

Dr. Maury initially wanted to dissuade Yuga, but considering Yuga's identity, he swallowed his words.

"Very well, be careful. I'll take good care of Shoryu for you," Dr. Maury agreed, sliding the book toward Yuga.

"Thank you for your trouble," Yuga said gratefully.

"It's no trouble," Dr. Maury replied, shaking his head. He was helping because of an old friend's request.

Leaving Dr. Maury's office, Yuga returned to Shoryu's hospital room.

"Shoryu, I'll be away for a few days. You must focus on resting and recovering. If you need anything, ask Dr. Maury," Yuga instructed.

"Big Brother, where are you going?" Shoryu asked, his voice tinged with worry.

Yuga gently patted his forehead. "I have something I need to take care of, but I'll be back soon. Don't worry—Audino and Gastly will stay here with you."

Hearing this, Shoryu nodded obediently. "Alright, I'll wait for you to come back."

After reassuring Shoryu, Yuga called out Audino and gave it a series of instructions.

Once everything was arranged, Yuga left the hospital and headed for the Pokémon Center in Pastoria City.

At Nurse Joy's place in Pastoria City, Yuga obtained a map of the Great Marsh and asked about the area and the Marsh Grass. He also learned about the preparations needed before heading there.

That day, Yuga didn't rush to depart. He purchased all the necessary supplies, returned to the hospital to spend another night with Shoryu, and set out for the Great Marshearly the next morning.

The edges of the Great Marsh are dotted with small villages that serve as starting points for adventurers heading to the Marsh's various entrances. Yuga first arrived at one such village called Finewater Village.

Finewater Village regularly hosts adventurers heading into the Great Marsh, so the villagers were not surprised by Yuga's arrival and welcomed him warmly.

Adventurers often stop in the village for supplies or lodging, giving the villagers a chance to make a little extra money. This fostered a friendly, open attitude toward adventurers, and the villagers were not at all wary of outsiders.

Yuga went to the village chief's house and explained his purpose: he was there to collect Moonlight Pearls and wanted advice on the best direction to take.

The village chief took a long look at Yuga and said, "Young man, you're still so young. Why take such a big risk?"

"Is collecting Moonlight Pearls very dangerous?" Yuga asked.

The village chief sighed and replied, "Moonlight Pearls are becoming scarcer and scarcer. To find them now, you have to venture deep into the Great Marsh. It's dangerous there—many people who go never return. Why else do you think Moonlight Pearls are so expensive?"

Yuga then asked, "Are there a lot of people collecting Moonlight Pearls?"

The village chief answered, "Oh, plenty. How could there not be? Moonlight Pearls are incredibly valuable, and everyone dreams of getting rich overnight."

The village chief often shared such warnings with passing adventurers, but few ever heeded his advice.

Yuga said, "I have a sick family member who urgently needs Moonlight Pearls, so I hope the village chief can help me."

Hearing this, the village chief couldn't refuse. "Alright then," he said. "I've never been to the deeper parts of the Great Marsh myself, so I don't know much about it firsthand. Most of what I know comes from adventurers passing through, but I'll tell you everything I've heard."

Yuga gratefully said, "Thank you very much."

The village chief explained that the western and eastern edges of the Great Marsh were dotted with villages, and those were also common starting points for adventurers entering the Marsh.

However, with so many people heading in those directions, the chance of finding Moonlight Pearls in those areas was dwindling. The chief suggested that if Yuga truly wanted to gather enough Moonlight Pearls, he should head south, which led to the deepest parts of the Marsh.

But fewer people venturing south also meant it was more dangerous. The chief cautioned Yuga to think carefully before proceeding.

After gathering the information he needed, Yuga set off in the direction the village chief had recommended.

"Chief, I'm back!"

Not long after Yuga left, a white-haired woman returned to the village chief's house.

Noticing signs of recent visitors, the white-haired woman asked, "Did someone come by?"

The village chief nodded. "Yes, an adventurer heading to collect Moonlight Pearls stopped by for some advice."

Hearing this, the white-haired woman didn't ask further questions. Adventurers were a common sight in the village, so it wasn't anything unusual. After all, that was one of the reasons the village chief had taken her in initially.

By this time, Yuga had entered the Great Marsh.

The Great Marsh was a place of stunning beauty. Gorgeous aquatic plants grew everywhere, and clear pools of water dotted the landscape like smooth mirrors. Occasionally, a Pokémon would emerge from the water, crawling leisurely to the shore to bask in the sunlight. The entire Great Marsh exuded a sense of peace and serenity.

But this tranquility was deceptive.

The most common Pokémon in the Great Marsh were Croagunk, which were also the mascot of Pastoria City. People in Pastoria City treated Croagunk with great respect, and it was strictly forbidden to harm them.

In the Great Marsh, Croagunk were generally amicable toward adventurers. As long as they weren't disturbed, they wouldn't attack humans.

However, their evolved form, Toxicroak, was a different story. Some Toxicroak had fiery tempers, and any adventurer daring to trespass into their territory risked being attacked.

Sure enough, Yuga had barely ridden his Sawsbuck for a short while before spotting three people being chased and harassed by a Toxicroak in the distance.

Upon seeing Yuga, the trio reacted as if they'd found a savior. One of them shouted loudly, "Help us!"