"Finally!" Ash groaned, as they made it into the Cherrygrove City Pokemon Center.
"You know if you just let me navigate we would've made it here a lot quicker." Casey teased.
"You! No talk! You knew the whole time and decided to say something WHEN IT WAS IN SIGHT!" Ash said angrily.
"Actually I did tell Molly, you just weren't there." Casey teased.
"And I'm leaving." Ash groaned.
"Ash, where are you going?" Molly asked worriedly.
"For a walk!" Ash countered. "Away from her!"
"You didn't have to say you told me." Molly reminded.
"I know, but it's fun pushing his buttons." Casey remarked as the two made their way up to the front counter.
"Hello and welcome to the Cherrygrove City Pokemon Center, how can I help you today?" The Nurse Joy asked.
"We were hoping to have our Pokemon looked at." Molly said.
"Of course, here are some trays, just put your name on top and put your Pokeballs on them and we'll let you know when your Pokemon are all good." Nurse Joy said with a smile.
"So now what, we have to wait for our Pokemon, and Ash just stormed off." Molly commented.
"Why are you so bent on staying with him?" Casey asked.
"My father is a researcher on ancient Pokemon mysteries and I have a feeling that whatever brought Ash here to Johto has a big one just waiting to be found." Molly said deep in thought. "He just won't tell me what it is."
Out in the city
"We're on the right path, and soon we'll know every secret this little thing has." Ash said, shining the GS Ball.
"Well hello there son! You seem like a trainer." A man in a suit said walking up.
"Yeah…". Ash said, pocketing the GS Ball.
"Now obviously a strapping young lad as yourself must be quite the experienced trainer, I can tell that just by looking at you." The man continued.
"I've been around a bit, yeah you're right I am experienced." Ash said, buying into what the man was saying.
"Of course you are, then of course I must be wasting my time, no trainer with any experience doesn't already have one." He man said.
"One what?" Ash asked excitedly.
"Why a Pokegear!" The man exclaimed.
"A Pokegear?" Ash asked in confusion.
"Don't tell me you've never heard of one before?" The man asked in a faux shock.
"No, I don't think so, sorry." Ash apologized.
"Well then do I have a deal for you. This is every trainers best friend, and it's even portable. Tell me have you ever found yourself on your way to your next destination only to have gotten turned around with no idea as to where you're supposed to go?" The man asked.
"Yeah, a bit more than I'd like to admit." Ash sighed, remembering him and Casey's argument.
"Well worry no more! The Pokegear has a built in electronic map with GPS and a Compass!" The man said.
"Okay, but couldn't I just buy a town map then?" Ash asked.
"Haha, I see you're a smart thinker, I like that!" The man said. "Yes that is what a Town Map does, but this isn't just a town map. Now let me ask you this, a strapping young lad such as yourself has to have at least a few girls waiting for him to call when he reaches town, a girlfriend, possibly even two?"
"Eww, no, just my mom, she likes to know I'm okay and hear about my progress." Ash said.
"Well, what if I told you she wouldn't have to wait weeks between calls, just load this up with your phone card like you would at any Pokemon Center or pay phone, and you can call anyone from anywhere at any time!" The man said. "Got a Great Aunt Florence in Holon, not to worry you can call her up to chat right on the side of a mountain!"
"I guess that could be nice." Ash said. "But what if I don't have a signal?"
"Not to worry, our companies satélites cover over 99% of all of Kanto and Johto. Act now and I'll throw in the deluxe version." The man said.
"Deluxe version, what's that?" Ash asked.
"Stop it, stop twisting my arm already, I'll tell you." The man chuckled. "If you agree to buy one now for only 109,999, I'll throw in free upgrades like the protective case and a built in clock WITH an alarm."
"That's a lot of money, I don't know if I can afford that." Ash sighed.
"Hmm, tell you what, I'll cut you a deal, since you seem to be such a promising young trainer. I'll sell it to you for only 9,800 right here and now." The man said, holding out a black object.
"Sold!" Ash said, holding out the money.
"Another happy customer." The man said gladly, handing Ash the Pokegear.
"This'll show Casey." Ash gloated to himself.
Back at the Pokemon Center
"Feeling better?" Casey questioned as Ash walked in with a smug look.
"Oh yeah, take a look at this!" Ash said proudly holding out a Pokegear.
"Do you know how to work it?" Molly asked.
"Of course I do." Ash said proudly.
"Turn it on." Casey said nonchalantly.
"What?" Ash asked.
"Open it and turn it on." Casey said calmly, leaning forward. "Prove you know how to work it."
"I will." Ash said defiantly. Fiddling with his Pokegear.
"Need a hand?" Casey taunted.
"No, I just don't feel like opening it right now." Ash said, pocketing his Pokegear.
"You have no idea how to use it." Casey teased.
"Out of the three of us, he is the only one to have one, we should try to help him." Molly reminded.
"Fine, let's see it." Casey offered.
"Maybe I don't want your help." Ash countered.
"Ash, stop being yourself and let us help you." Molly scolded.
"No, it's fine." Ash argued.
"Ash, just show us it!" Casey argued.
"Fine!" Ash groaned, digging into his pocket, pulling out everything in his pocket, his Pokegear, and the GS Ball.
"Okay, better question, what is that?" Molly asked, picking it up.
"Hey, be careful, that thing is important!" Ash exclaimed.
"What even is this?" Molly asked, as Casey turned on the Pokegear.
"It's what I came here for." Ash said, grabbing the GS Ball.
"Well I'll be, he did come here for a secret mystery." Casey said, finally turning on the Pokegear. "So what is it?"
"You two aren't going to drop this until I tell you, are you?" Ash questioned.
"Nope." Both girls responded at once.
"It's a Pokeball unlike any other that defies everything we know about them. Professor Ivy in the Orange Archipelago found it and realized that there is something inside but wasn't able to open it. Even stranger, the transfer system will reject the ball and send it right back. So Professor Oak had me go and pick it up and bring it to him, except that he couldn't open it either, so he asked me to bring it here to Johto to visit a Pokeball expert and see if he can open it." Ash recounted.
"Woah." Molly said excitedly. "I want in."
"In, there is no in, this is just an errand." Ash pointed out.
"You said it yourself, this thing defies all logic, it should work like any other Pokeball, but it won't open and it won't transfer, the only thing you know for certain is that there is something in it." Molly said excitedly.
"It does sound exciting, so where does this Pokeball expert live?" Casey asked.
"Azalea Town, I'm supposed to meet with Kurt and see if he can open it." Ash said.
"Then that's our end goal. But our next closest stop is to the north." Casey said, showing the map app.
"I know, Violet City, home of my first Johto Gym Badge." Ash said confidently.