"Ah—Dad's Miltank is having a difficult birth and bleeding heavily?!"
Hearing her mother's explanation, Serena let out a huge sigh of relief. At least it wasn't her father who had been injured.
But when she thought about the pregnant Miltank suffering from severe bleeding during labor, Serena couldn't help becoming anxious herself.
"Aunt Grace, let's go ask the other people in town. Maybe someone has some bleeding medicine we can borrow."
Everyone else in the living room had heard what Grace said.
Today was supposed to be Serena's birthday, and everyone had originally been enjoying themselves. Nobody had expected an emergency like this to happen at Serena's father's ranch.
But now that it had happened, Tierno, Shauna, and the others naturally stepped forward to help.
"The trip from Vaniville Town to Lumiose City takes about thirty minutes by minibus. If we ride Flying-type Pokémon, we can cut that time down considerably."
"My Charmeleon just evolved into Charizard recently. In a little while, my cousin Clemont and I can ride Charizard to the Lumiose City Pokémon Center and buy some bleeding medicine."
Trevor also offered his suggestion.
"Okay."
Clemont immediately nodded in agreement.
"I want to help too!"
Bonnie, the energetic little girl clinging to her brother Clemont, eagerly raised her hand.
"Trevor's Charizard can carry at most two people. Bonnie, why don't you go with us into town to get the medicine?"
Shauna suggested.
"Okay!"
Bonnie immediately nodded.
"Aunt Grace, I have psychic powers that can heal external injuries. And Clarissa is from the Kanto Joy family, so her Pokémon are capable of treating injuries as well."
"Since the situation is urgent, Clarissa and I should go to the ranch first. Maybe we can help."
Seeing all his friends stepping forward to find a solution, Ash naturally wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. He immediately stood up and offered his assistance.
"That's wonderful! I almost forgot that you possess psychic healing powers, Ash, and that Clarissa is a member of the Joy family!"
Grace's expression brightened as she suddenly remembered.
"Then that's settled. The situation is urgent, so we shouldn't waste any more time. Clarissa and I will head over immediately."
"However, I don't know the way to your husband's ranch. If possible, I'd like Serena to come with us and guide me."
Ash spoke up.
"Of course. No problem."
It wasn't troublesome at all, so Grace immediately agreed and asked Serena to accompany Ash.
"Come out, Pidgeot. I'm counting on you."
After stepping outside the house, Ash immediately threw a Poké Ball.
"Pidgo~!"
Pidgeot emerged in a flash of light.
"Ash, can your Pidgeot carry three people?"
Serena looked at the majestic and powerful Pidgeot before her, a trace of concern appearing in her eyes.
"Don't worry. Pidgeot can become even larger."
Ash smiled confidently as he looked at the Pidgeot standing before him.
At its current height of only 1.5 meters, carrying three people would indeed be difficult.
Ash then slightly pulled back his sleeve, revealing the Green Pearl Bracer around his left wrist.
Set between the two emerald-green gemstones was a Key Stone.
With time running short, Ash didn't bother explaining everything to the others. He immediately raised his left hand and used his mental power to touch the Key Stone embedded in the bracer.
At once, the Key Stone resonated with the Divine Catalyst Ring worn around Pidgeot's leg.
"An evolution beyond evolution—Pidgeot, Mega Evolve!!"
Ash shouted.
In an instant, dazzling evolutionary light erupted.
Pidgeot threw its head back and released a powerful, crystal-clear cry that sounded like the shriek of a mighty eagle.
The next moment, its body rapidly transformed.
Its frame expanded dramatically, becoming far more imposing and powerful. Its height surged to an astonishing 2.2 meters.
Mega Pidgeot had arrived.
"Whoa!!"
"What?!"
"That's Mega Evolution?!"
As the birthplace of Mega Evolution, Kalos was naturally familiar with the concept.
Clemont and the others had all heard about Mega Evolution.
But they had never imagined that a Kanto regional Pokémon like Pidgeot could Mega Evolve.
Even more shocking was the fact that Ash himself possessed the power of Mega Evolution.
The sudden sight of Ash and Pidgeot completing Mega Evolution left everyone stunned.
Clemont, Tierno, Trevor, Shauna, Bonnie, Serena, and even Grace all stared in disbelief.
"Don't worry about being surprised right now. This is an emergency."
"Clarissa, Serena—let's go first."
"Come on, get on."
Ash didn't waste time explaining.
He immediately swung himself onto Mega Pidgeot's back.
After Mega Evolution, Pidgeot's body had increased dramatically in size. Its broad back was now more than large enough to carry three people.
"Okay!"
"Right!"
Seeing Ash extend his hands toward them, the two girls quickly snapped out of their shock. They grabbed his hands and climbed onto Mega Pidgeot's back.
"Misty, you go with Shauna and the others into town and see if you can borrow some bleeding medicine. I'll head to the ranch first."
Ash looked toward Misty.
"Okay. Don't worry, Ash!"
Misty nodded firmly.
"Hold on tight."
"Serena, you guide us. Pidgeot, let's go!"
The moment Ash finished speaking, Mega Pidgeot spread its enormous wings and shot into the sky.
Ash immediately used his Aura to create a protective barrier around the three of them, shielding them from the freezing wind.
With Serena guiding the way, Mega Pidgeot flew at full speed.
What should have been a journey of considerable distance was covered in just three minutes.
They arrived at Serena's father's Miltank ranch.
"Pidgo~!"
"Ah!! What is that?!"
The enormous Mega Pidgeot suddenly descended from the sky.
At the ranch, Serena's father and the workers who had been anxiously waiting for Grace to bring the medicine were all startled by the sight.
"Dad!"
"Serena?!"
Seeing his daughter climb down from the back of the enormous bird Pokémon he had never seen before, Serena's father was equally shocked.
"Dad, this is Ash I told you about. And this is Clarissa Joy."
"The bleeding medicine at home was already used up a few days ago when Gogoat was injured."
"Mom and some of my friends have gone into town to borrow medicine. Trevor and Clemont are riding Charizard to the Lumiose City Pokémon Center to get more."
"Ash has psychic powers that can heal injuries, and Sis Clarissa's Pokémon can also treat wounds."
"The situation was urgent, so we came here first to see if we could help."
Serena quickly explained.
"Healing psychic powers... and Clarissa from the Joy family?"
Upon hearing this, Serena's father was instantly overjoyed.
"With the two of you here, I believe we can definitely get this Miltank through the crisis."
"The situation is critical, so I won't stand on ceremony with either of you."
"Please, follow me."
He immediately turned around and hurried toward the ranch.
Ash and Clarissa exchanged a glance before following him.
The atmosphere that had been filled with birthday celebrations only moments ago had completely changed.
Now, there was no time for celebration.
A life was hanging in the balance.
And Ash had arrived just in time.