"Ash, according to the trainer's report, this Machoke suffered joint damage due to improper training in its early years. Later, because Vermilion City has a humid coastal climate with frequent rainfall, it gradually developed rheumatic arthritis in its shoulders."
"Got it."
Ash nodded, already moving into action.
He placed his hands gently on Machoke's shoulders.
Without hesitation, he activated Healing Grace.
A warm, vibrant energy flowed into the joints, seeping deep into the affected areas.
Rheumatic arthritis—whether in his past life or in this world—was notoriously difficult to cure. It stemmed from immune complications, often triggered by infection, and once it took hold, it lingered like a shadow.
For a Fighting-type Pokémon like Machoke—
This was devastating.
Its shoulders were its foundation.
Its strength.
Its future.
Under normal conditions, it could still move, still train—
But the moment rain came, the pain would surge, unbearable, crippling.
Over time, the disease didn't just weaken its body.
It crushed its spirit.
When Machoke had first appeared on the examination table, it sat slumped, shoulders hanging, eyes dull and lifeless.
It didn't believe.
Not really.
Ash noticed—but said nothing.
He didn't offer false hope.
Because giving hope only to take it away…
Was far crueler.
Instead—
He acted.
The Viridian Power surged.
The infection within the joint capsule was eradicated almost instantly.
Then—
Something changed.
The dull, aching pain that had haunted Machoke for years…
Vanished.
Warmth spread through its shoulders.
Strength returned.
Machoke froze.
Then suddenly—
It lifted its head.
Its eyes—
Lit up.
"Ko… KOHHH!!"
It sprang to its feet, swinging its arms in wide arcs, testing—
Confirming—
Rejoicing.
The pain was gone.
Gone.
Completely gone.
Even through the soundproof glass, the staff outside the treatment room could feel its overwhelming joy.
Far away—
Inside the Vermilion City Pokémon Center—
A man who had been watching the livestream—
Shot up from his seat.
It was Machoke's trainer.
He stared at the screen, eyes wide—
Then suddenly burst into motion.
Jumping.
Laughing.
Crying.
"It's healed… it's healed!!"
"Machoke's arthritis—it's completely gone!!"
His voice broke.
At first, it was laughter—
Wild, uncontrollable joy.
Then—
It turned into sobbing.
Because no one knew better than him—
What this moment meant.
Machoke had been his very first partner.
Back when it was still a Machop, they had made a promise:
To grow stronger together.
To chase their dreams as trainers.
But everything changed—
Because of him.
In a desperate attempt to win, to prove himself, he had pushed too hard.
Ignored the warning signs.
Forced Machop through brutal training.
And when it collapsed—
The damage had already been done.
The injury never healed.
It worsened.
Turned into chronic arthritis.
Years passed.
Machop evolved into Machoke.
But its shoulders never recovered.
As a Fighting-type Pokémon—
It was, essentially…
Broken.
Their dream ended there.
And all this time—
The guilt never left him.
Every time he saw Machoke's dull expression—
It felt like a knife twisting in his heart.
But now—
It was healed.
Completely.
He covered his face, tears streaming freely.
"Thank you… Ash…"
"He didn't just heal Machoke…"
"He saved me too…"
His voice trembled.
At that moment, inside the Pokémon Center—
Others began to notice.
At first, they looked at him strangely.
But when they realized—
This was the trainer of the Machoke just healed on the livestream—
Their expressions changed.
Then—
Shock hit.
"Wait… what did he just say?!"
"Did he say rheumatic arthritis was cured?!"
"No way…"
"That's impossible, right?!"
But it was real.
Ash had just cured a condition—
That even modern medicine struggled with.
"My god…"
"I thought his powers were only good for external injuries…"
"He can heal chronic diseases too?!"
"This is insane… the medical association should give him an award or something…"
"We completely underestimated him…"
His power—
Was far beyond what anyone imagined.
"And if he can cure arthritis…"
"Then what about psoriasis? Allergies? Chronic bronchitis? Gout?"
"My mom has allergic rhinitis… it's not life-threatening, but it affects her every day…"
"My grandfather has gout… when it flares up, the pain is unbearable…"
"My grandmother has asthma…"
"My aunt has heart disease…"
One realization spread through the crowd like wildfire—
This wasn't just treatment.
This was hope.
And in that moment—
Inside the Vermilion City Pokémon Center—
The waiting trainers no longer looked anxious.
They looked…
Desperate.
Because for the first time—
They could see a future—
Where even the impossible—
Could be healed.
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