Chapter Three: The Blind Lucario |Let Me Be Your Eyes|

Mira and Piplup arrived at the Pokémon Center with no problem. Right away Mira noticed how busy the Pokémon Center was. She had never seen so many people at one Pokémon Center.

"Wow Piplup, look at all the people. I've never seen so many people at one Pokémon Center. It might take us a while before we're able to go see Lucario again."

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center, what can I do for you today?" Darkmoon City Nurse Joy greeted Mira with a smile when it was finally her turn.

"I would like you to check on my Pokémon, if you don't mind Nurse Joy." Mira placed Piplup and her other Pokémon on the Poké Ball tray.

"Of course, that's my job as a Pokémon Nurse. This will only take a few minutes. Please wait in the waiting room until their treatment is done." Nurse Joy took Mira's Piplup and the other Pokémon to the back room for a checkup.

Mira went and took a seat in the waiting room. While waiting for her Pokémon Mira couldn't help but continue to think about Lucario. What was Lucario doing in a cave like that? Something seemed off about that Pokémon, but Mira couldn't figure it out what it was. Suddenly, the door to the back room opened and Nurse Joy came back out with Pipup and Mira's other Pokémon.

"All your Pokémon are in tip-top shape. In perfect health."

"Thanks Nurse Joy." Mira took Piplup and her other Pokémon from Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy, I have a question."

"What would that be?"

"What's up with the Lucario living in the cave by the entrance to the mountain? Is it hurt or something?"

"Oh my, is Lucario still there? That poor thing." Nurse Joy sadly said.

"What do you mean Nurse Joy?"

"A few weeks back a group who calls themselves Team Nebula was working on Mt. Darkmoon, trying to look for Dark stones. Lucario got in their way. It was trying to protect the Pokémon who live in and around the mountain. It fought hard but Lucario got seriously hurt. I've tried to approach Lucario many times before to give it some help, but I could never get close enough to see if it had any injuries. I'm afraid that Lucario will get worse if it's not treated soon."

"So that's what happened. No wonder Lucario attacked me with Aura Sphere when I first saw him. He must be really scared and maybe in pain. Thank you Nurse Joy, now I know what I have to do. Come Piplup." Mira took off running out of the Pokémon Center and back to Mt. Darkmoon.

When Mira made it back to the cave she saw he empty can of Pokémon Food and the Poké Puff she had left was gone. A smile couldn't help but appear on Mira's face. Lucario would act tough, but really, it was nothing more than kind gentle soul. Mira picked up the empty Pokémon Food can and placed it back in her bag. She took out her Pikachu flashlight and shined it into Lucario's cave.

"I understand now Lucario, why you won't let me near you or let Nurse Joy help you. You were attacked by Team Nebula and because of them you got hurt. You don't trust humans, you think we're all horrible people, but I promise, Nurse Joy and I only want to help you get better. So please, Lucario, will you trust me enough to take you to Nurse Joy to get treated?" Mira pleaded with Lucario to come out of the cave, but instead another Aura Sphere came flying at Mira. She quickly dodged it but didn't run off.

"Lucario please. I promise that no one will hurt you! I'll stay with you as long as I can while you get treated. So please, let me help you!"

The Aura Sphere's suddenly stopped, and the light sounds of footsteps echoed off the stone walls of the cave. Mira looked up to see a beaten up Lucario. His fur was messing and looked like there were patches of fur missing in some spots, Lucario was holding his right side and it looked like there was something wrong with Lucario's eyes. They looked scarred and in pain.

"Lucario, come, I'll get you fixed up at the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy will be able to fix you up no problem." Mira held out her hand to Lucario when suddenly, Lucario started to fall. Quickly Mira rushed over and caught Lucario before he had the chance to fall to the ground.

"Lucario?! Oh no, he's a lot worse than I though. I need to get him to the Pokémon Center to get treated by Nurse Joy right away. Come Piplup, we need to hurry!" Mira carefully placed Lucario on her back and carried him back into town to the Pokémon Center.

"Nurse Joy! Please help! This is the Lucario from the cave in Mt. Darkmoon, he really needs your help!"

"Oh my!?! You were really able to get Lucario to come out of the cave. Quickly, bring him here and I'll start treatment right away!"

Nurse Joy worked on Lucario all through the night and into the next morning. Lucario was in really bad shape, the worse that she's ever seen before, but she was able to do it thanks to the help of her Pokémon Nurse assistant Chansey. Mira ended up falling asleep in the waiting room, not waking up until early morning the next day.

"I hope Lucario is alright. Once I got a good look at him yesterday I had no idea Lucario looked like that. Team Nebula really are rotten people. Doing something like this to Lucario."

Suddenly the light to the treatment room turned off and doors opened and out came Lucario with Nurse Joy behind him. Bandages were wrapped around Lucario's eyes, feet, stomach and hands. Lucario looked a lot better.

"Lucario, you look a lot better now that Nurse Joy has treated you! But Nurse Joy, what's up with the bandages around Lucario's eyes?" Mira asked concerned.

"The attack Lucario took from Team Nebula was more serious then I originally thought. It was an Acid attack that got into Lucario's eyes. The damage was too severe, it damaged Lucario's eyes."

"What does that mean Nurse Joy?!"

"It means Lucario can no longer see, he's blind now."

"Blind?! What's going to happen to Lucario now?" Mira knelt down in front of Lucario, taking one of his paws in her hands.

"Lucario needs to have constant care now. Either a trainer who has the extra time to take care of Lucario or Lucario is going to have to stay here at the Pokémon Center to get his treatment." Nurse Joy placed a gentle hand on Lucario's head.

As Mira looked at Lucario she could see that he was still a bit scared. He had no idea what was going on around him. Mira could feel anger swelling up inside her at Team Nebula. As she thought about what she wanted to do to get back at the people who did this to a Pokémon like Lucario, she suddenly felt a soft paw on her face. Looking up she saw it was Lucario holding her face and as she looked carefully at Lucario she could see tears streaming down from behind his bandages.

"Lucario," Mira took Lucario's paw from her face and took both paws in her hands. Lucario knelt down in front of Mira to be at his level. "Lucario, I couldn't even imagine how scary this must have been for you. Losing your eyesight, but what's worse is that you lost your trust in humans. I don't know if I could ever make a difference, but I would like you to come with me."

Lucario's head suddenly looked up at Mira. It couldn't be seen, but there was a shock look on Lucario's face.

"I want to show you that not all humans are like the way Team Nebula are," Mira suddenly wrapped her arms around Lucario. The Fighting/Steel type was stunned with shock. More tears ran out from underneath the bandages.

"Lucario, if it's alright... let me be your eyes."

"...Lucario...Lucario...Lucario!"

Lucario suddenly broke out of his daydream memory of six months ago. Even though he couldn't see Lucario looked straight at his Trainer.

"It's time we get going Lucario. We still have some traveling to do. It was nice seeing you again Ophela." Mira stood up from her seat, at the same time Ophela did the same. The two friends wrapped each other into a hug as they said their good-byes.

"You be careful Mira. I've heard things about Team Nebula. They're real cruel people who'll take care of anyone who gets in their way, Pokémon or human. I can tell just by looking at Lucario that he's strong, he has potential to be a strong Pokémon, even against those who are able to see. I wish you and your team the best of luck on your journey."

"Thanks, Ophela, and good luck to you on becoming Professor. Come Piplup, Lucario, let's get going." Piplup jumped down from the table and Lucario stepped down from the chair he was sitting in and followed their Trainer down that streets of Magnolia Town, heading towards their next adventure.

Lucario was still thinking about the day Mira saved him in Darkmoon City. Her words to him still echoed in his ears. Tears suddenly started to fall from Lucario's foggy eyes.

"Lucario? Are you alright? Why are you crying?" Mira suddenly noticed the tears falling from Lucario's eyes. She knelt down in front of her Pokémon. Right away Lucario wrapped his paw around Mira's neck. This sudden embrace startled Mira, she didn't know what was going on.

"Lucario?"

As Lucario tightened his grip around Mira's neck, Mira's words to him continued to echo in his ears.

"Lucario, if it's alright... let me be your eyes."