Elaine is unlucky. She manages to bond with the Pancham but in it's drunken rambles during the bonding process it leads her rather dangerously close to the borders of the West Desert. It's there that she has an unfortunate encounter with a Cacturne that's taken offense to her face. And probably the Pancham's belches that woke it up.

The injuries aren't extremely severe or life threatening, but getting into a fight with a cactus is generally not a good time.