"So what do you two think?" Ash asked, having brought Kurt to come with a call with Professor Oak.
"Hearing voices is never a good sign Ash, however this is hardly the first time you've had a strange encounter." Professor Oak said.
"Yeah, but these voices are becoming frequent, and she was asking for help, like she was lost or something." Ash said.
"If the shrine is what I believe it to be, then you might have found the shrine of Celebi." Kurt said, deep in thought.
"Celebi?" Ash questioned.
"It's a Pokemon of Myth, rumored to have the ability to travel through time itself, and even bring people across time." Professor Oak said.
"I've heard about Celebi, but those are just children's bed time stories." Casey pointed out.
"A lot of stories we tell come from experiences and things older than even us." Molly pointed out. "There was a time that many legendary Pokemon were thought to be nothing more than a myth until explorers found traces and undeniable truth about them."
"Precisely Molly, but as for how much truth there is to Celebi it's hard to say, and if it is true, we can't be certain that the voice belongs to Celebi." Professor Oak said.
"Look, there are some murals and texts in the well outside of town, if you three want to look into it more, that would be a place to start." Kurt said.
"Alright, we'll check it out." Ash said. "Bye Professor Oak thanks again." Ash said, getting ready to hang up.
"Hold on Ash, I'd like to speak with Kurt for a bit, if that's alright." Professor Oak said.
"Of course old friend." Kurt said, as the three kids and their Pokemon left. "alright Samuel they're gone. We both know that Celebi is far from just a myth."
"Yes, but he didn't say anything about those events, it must not have happened to him yet." Professor Oak said with concern.
"Do you think it's just a coincidence, or maybe it comes later down the line?" Kurt questioned.
"It's impossible to say for certain, and I don't want to risk anything by trying to interfere with the events." Professor Oak said. "But if it does happen soon, that GS Ball might be the key to this mystery."
"I will keep working at it then, until next time Samuel." Kurt said.
"Always a pleasure speaking to an old friend Kurt." Professor Oak said, before hanging up.
At the well
"This well is called Slowpoke Well, it's a local specialty spot." Molly said.
"Slowpoke Well, that's a unique name, I wonder why it's called that?" Casey asked.
"Oh I don't know, seems pretty clear to me." Ash said, seeing the bottom of the well filled with Slowpoke.
"Mareep help out with Flash, give us some light!" Molly called out.
Mareep swung her tail, giving out a soft baa, illuminating the surrounding area.
"That's a lot of Slowpoke." Casey said in shock, seeing all of the Slowpoke with their tails in the water. "What exactly are they doing though?"
"Fishing, they feel pain at such a delayed rate that it might take hours before they even feel a bite." Ash said.
"Hey look, this one's moving!" Molly said.
"So is this one!" Casey exclaimed.
"And a third, this is a lot of movement suddenly." Ash said, as all three tails shot up, with two Slowpoke glowing, one with a Shellder on his tail, the other on it's head.
'Slowbro, the Hermit Crab Pokemon, a Water and Psychic type. Naturally dull to begin with, it lost its ability to feel pain due to Shellder's seeping poison.' Molly's Pokedex explained.
'Slowking, the Royal Pokemon, a Water and Psychic type. Every time it yawns, Shellder injects more poison into it. The poison makes it more intelligent.' Casey's Pokedex said.
"I don't think mine was a Shellder." Ash said, seeing the Pokemon still on the Slowpoke's tail.
'Totodile, the Big Jaw Pokemon, a water type. Its well-developed jaws are powerful and capable of crushing anything. Even its trainer must be careful.' Ash's Pokedex said.
"What's a Totodile doing all the way down here?" Molly questioned.
"Not sure, but I'm pretty sure it's biting way too much of that Slowpoke's tail." Ash said, rushing to help it, pulling at the Totodile. "Why is he so stuck." Ash grunted.
"Just hold on." Casey said, grabbing Totodile's other leg, the two pulling at the water type to try and free it.
"Alright, hold on." Molly said, grabbing Totodile's tail to help pull him off.
"He is really stuck." Ash said, trying to come up with a plan. "I have an idea!"
A few minuted later
"Use Vine Whip!" Ash and Casey called out, their grass types extending vines around Totodile, pulling it as both trainers pulled their grass types, only for all four to go crashing back.
"Maybe we're just overthinking this." Molly said. "It's a Pokemon, we should be able to catch it right?"
"Great idea! Pokeball, go!" Ash exclaimed, throwing his Pokeball only for it to not even attempt at capturing Totodile.
"Hey idiot, maybe try battling it first." Casey commented.
"Hey idiot, maybe if you nyeh nyeh nyeh." Ash mocked. "Houndour come on out and use Bite!"
"Well I have to say I don't know what your plan was, but I doubt it was this." Casey said, seeing Houndour now biting the tail of the Totodile that is biting the tail of a Slowpoke.
"To!" Totodile exclaimed, snapping his jaw shut, cleanly slicing Slowpoke's tail off before flailing about.
"Oh my Mew!" Molly exclaimed.
"His tail!" Casey shouted.
"You two take care of Slowpoke, we'll get its tail!" Ash said.
"Take care of it, how?" Casey exclaimed in shock.
"Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center, she has to know what to do!" Ash exclaimed.
"Right!" Casey said grabbing the still processing Molly before getting the two grass types to help in moving the tailless Slowpoke.
"Come on guys, let's go catch that Dile." Ash said racing deeper into the well with Pikachu and Houndour hot on his tail.
Several hours later
"Ash, this is becoming a strange occurrence." Molly said. "Did you get the tail?"
"Nope, the Totodile either lost it or finished it by the time we caught up with it." Ash groaned, flopping onto a couch. "How's Slowpoke doing?"
"Nurse Joy said that Slowpoke tails come off fairly easily and that it will regrow in a few months time." Casey explained. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, just ready to call it a night for today." Ash said with a sigh.
On the outskirts of town, at the Slowpoke well, a small blue Pokemon scurried his way out of the well before giving a small energetic dance and heading towards the town.