HGSS: Johto Saga
Season 1 Opening: Believe in Me
Part 6
Kurt of the Apricorns
Ethan and Lyra enter a small little town. They see a sign that says "Azalea Town" and they rejoice.
"Yes, we're here! I'm heading to the Pokemon Center," Lyra warned.
"Okay, I'm gonna ask around about that old guy!" Ethan called as she dashed off.
He talked around the town, asking about the old man. One young woman pointed him towards a house in the northwestern part of town.
Ethan entered the house, to see a man, hopping off of his desk, a knife in his hand, something pink floating in the air.
"Apricorn...de-shelling!" He bellowed.
He whirred around, slashing the item. The outside of it fell to the ground, while the center of it fell into an item resembling a pokeball.
"There, one Fast Ball completed!" The man said proudly, holding up the ball.
"Awesome, grandpa! You're so good at making those, grandpa Kurt," the little girl next to him said.
"Aw, thanks...Hm? And who are you? OH! You must be the boy who rid the Slowpoke Well of Team Rocket!" He bellowed, noticing Ethan.
Ethan shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. What were you doing just now, Mr.?"
"Oh, call me Kurt, son. I was making a pokeball out of Apricorns. It's how they did it in the olden days! It's very simple. Crack the shell, drop the seed into the pokeball, and it makes it work, like the energy is dispersing into it. I never had the gall to look it up. Anyway, would you like to make you a pokeball?"
"Oh, that's cool!" Ethan's eyes glittered. "Would you please make me one?"
"Do you have any Apricorns?"
Ethan shrugs and look in his bag. "Well," he pulls out a large white object, "I found this, but I don't know what it is."
"Ooh! That's an Apricorn!" Kurt gently takes it out of his hand. He opens a case and takes out an open pokeball with nothing inside except a drive. "Okay, with this I can make you a Fast Ball, just like the one I completed when you got in here!"
He takes a bit of time feeling the Apricorn, and then he took a precursor and tapped on it in various places. Later, he spun it into the air and hopped off his chair with the knife, spinning around and knocking the shell off of the seed inside. The seed fell into the open ball and closed, glowing white for a moment. He then took a small portion of time to paint the ball dark orange on top, then add bright orange spots on different spots.
"Here you go, Ethan!" He said, presenting the finished ball to Ethan.
"Thank you so much sir!"
Suddenly, from behind, Lyra walks in, a handful of Apricorns.
"Hi!" She greets.
"Ah hello, young girl! Are those Apricorns for me?" He asks brightly.
"Mhm! It was kind of hard to gather them, since those Pineco's out there were desperately trying to get them from me..."
Kurt and his granddaughter look at Lyra peculiarly. "Um, sweetheart...those aren't Apricorns!" He screams.
"Huh?" She looks down to see the blue items moving.
"THEY'RE PINECO EGGS!" The granddaughter shrieks.
Lyra bursts outside back to where the Pineco were and sets down the eggs. A Forretress appears from a tree and two Pineco were next to it.
"Agh!"
Kurt rushes out, three pokeballs in his hand. "Go, Heavy Ball, and Level Balls!" He throws the three balls, the biggest one hitting the Forretress and capturing it, the others hitting the Pineco's and capturing them. He picks up the balls and releases them.
"We are sorry for invading in your sanctuary...release!" He releases the pokemon, giving them back their eggs, and they hurdle back into the trees.
He turns to Lyra. "Young lady, you need to be careful of things like this! Here..." He takes a blue pokeball with a moon on top out of his pocket. "Take this Moon ball. As a gift."
He hands her the pokeball and she smiles. "Thanks Kurt. And I'll be careful next time!" Ethan walks out and grins.
A little later in the Pokemon Center...
"Be quiet Ethan!" Lyra shrieks.
"I'm just saying that I didn't expect someone like you to do that!" He chuckles.
"Oh, nevermind it! Ugh!"
"Hey, Lyra, I think I'm gonna head over to the gym, okay? You stay and do whatever."
"Fine, I'll come. But don't expect me to sneer you on!" She replies, almost laughing. As they exit, Silver rushes in and collides with Ethan.
"Huh? Oh, it's you again! Hey, I challenge you to a battle right now!"
"You! Wait, now? I was about to head to the gym!" Ethan insists, standing up.
"Too bad, we're battling! Besides, I just got the badge!"
"Hmph, did you steal it?!" Lyra sneers, noticing the red hair and Ethan calling him Silver.
"What? No...Hey, you, Ethan! You told her about me didn't you? I don't want to hear anything from you. We're battling!"
"But...Fine! Three-on-three, if you're soo desperate!"
Outside, they begin their battle.
"Go, Zubat!" Silver yells, sending out a small bat pokemon.
"Zubat the Bat pokemon. Capable of flying safely in dark places, it emits ultrasonic cries to check for any obstacles," Ethan's pokedex reads.
"Let's go, Slowpoke!" Ethan sends out his pink pokemon.
"Zubat, use Astonish!" Zubat flies closer to Slowpoke, and then spreads its wings, scaring Slowpoke backwards, initially causing 'damage'.
"Slowpoke, use Water Gun!" Slowpoke released a jet of water and it slammed into Zubat, throwing it higher into the air.
"You just set yourself up for pain! Use Wing Attack!" Zubat's wings glowed bright and it zoomed down quickly.
"Slowpoke, use Confusion!" Ethan ordered. Slowpoke took control of Zubat and threw it to the ground, fainting it.
"Return, Zubat. Can't believe this...Go Gastly!"
He sends out a wispy pokemon.
"Gastly the Gas pokemon. Its body is made up of gases. Despite lacking substance, it can envelop an opponent of any size and cause suffocation."
"Gastly, use Lick!" Gastly shoots out its pink tongue and it slaps Slowpoke, then wraps around it.
"Gastly, now use Spite!" Gastly shimmers, then releases a copy of itself to collide with Slowpoke. "Heh, now you're out of uses of your Confusion. Gastly, use Night Shade!" Gastly shoots two rays out of its eyes.
"Slowpoke, use Water Gun on its tongue!" Slowpoke shoots the water on its tongue and Gastly shoots Slowpoke upwards. The rays then avoid it. "Now, use a full blast of Water Gun!" Slowpoke shoots a powerful shot and it collides with Gastly.
"Gastly! Return...Go Croconaw! With this one, you won't be so lucky!" A pokemon is released, looking similar to Totodile, except it has an egg look on the bottom of its body. "Croconaw, use Fury Swipes!" Croconaw rushes towards Slowpoke and continuously slashes the pokemon roughly. Slowpoke is thrown back, fainted.
"Slowpoke, return. Great job, buddy. All right, I guess it's Cyndaquil's turn!" He releases his small fire echidna. "Cyndaquil, use Ember!"
It releases the small flaming burrs towards Croconaw.
"Croconaw, use Water Gun!" Its beam of water sprays right through the fire and collides with Cyndaquil. It hits the ground, but when the dust clears, it's gone!
Silver looks around anxiously, as well as Croconaw. Suddenly, Cyndaquil appeared from below ground and slammed into Croconaw.
"Whoa! It learned Dig, Ethan!" Lyra shouted.
"Awesome! Cyndaquil, now use Tackle!" Cyndaquil span in the air and landed, then shooting itself towards Croconaw.
"Croconaw!" Silver screamed as Croconaw was thrown across the ground. "Croconaw use Ice Fang!" Croconaw opened its mouth wide. Two of its fangs glowed bright blue. Suddenly, fangs of ice stretched away from the fangs and ripped toward Cyndaquil.
"Cyndaquil! Look out! Use Ember!" Cyndaquil released the flames. They collided with the fangs, constantly hitting them. The two attacks went on for a moment, then the fangs dissipated.
"Cyndaquil, use Dig once more!" Cyndaquil dove into the ground and soon appeared above, slamming into Croconaw.
Croconaw fell to the ground, fainted.
"No! Return...Agh! You'll pay for this!" Silver shrieks as he dashes off into the forest on the west side of town.
"Yay!" Cyndaquil flies into Ethan's arms. "Great job!"
