"Ahh Ash, it's great to hear from you how is our errand going?" Professor Oak asked, via video call.

"Just about finished. We're going to be meeting with Kurt today hopefully and find out the secrets of the GS Ball." Ash said, holding up the ball to show the Professor.

"Wonderful news, have you had any troubles getting it there?" Professor Oak asked.

"No more than usual," Ash joked. "Oh right, you should meet my new Pokemon." Ash said, sending out Houndour and Gligar.

"Remarkable, a Gligar and a Houndour, both are rare Pokemon to find even in the Johto region." Professor Oak remarked. "How about your other Pokemon how are they doing?"

"How long do you think they'll keep talking like this?" Casey asked.

"Relax, this is a big project for them." Molly said. "Besides you're just angry that I was right."

"No, I do not like him, he annoys me to no end every time we talk!" Casey argued.

"Then why stick around?" Molly questioned.

"Because we're sort of friends and if I left you alone with him, you'd probably get locked in a tower guarded by a spiteful legendary Pokemon or something like that." Casey said a bit flustered.

"Please, as far as excuses go, what is the likelihood of that happening ever?" Molly jokingly questioned.

"Alright, everybody ready?" Ash asked, walking over.

"Yeah, did Professor Oak want anything?" Molly asked.

"Other than to borrow Gligar, he just asked for us to stick around for a few days to see if Kurt can find anything out about this." Ash admitted.

"You didn't give him Gligar, right?" Casey asked.

"No, with Charizard gone I'll need all the versatility I can get for the gym here in town." Ash admitted. "Now come on, time's a wasting!"

A few minutes later at Kurt's house

"Hello, Mr Kurt, are you home?" Ash asked, knocking on the door.

Steps were heard from the other side of the door before it opened for an older man on the other side.

"Hello, who are you?" The man asked.

"I'm Ash, this is Molly and Casey," Ash said. "Professor Oak sent me to deliver this." Ash said, holding out the GS Ball.

"Yes, Samuel, he told me you'd be on your way sometime soon." The man said. "My name is Kurt."

"So do you think you can figure out how to open this Pokeball?" Casey asked, following him in.

"I believe I can, a Pokeball is a Pokeball, even as old as the style I make." Kurt said.

"You make Pokeballs in the old style still?" Molly asked.

"Yes, I still take pride in crafting Pokeballs from Apricorn fruits." Kurt said, pulling out a box from a shelf.

"Mr. Kurt, if there is a chance, if we brought you some Apricorn's, could you make them into Pokeballs?" Casey asked.

"I don't see why not, the forest east of here is full of the trees, if you bring me 5 of a kind, I'd be happy to make you a Pokeball from them, though they do take time to make." Kurt said.

"Sounds like fun, having some older style Pokeballs." Ash admitted. "But do they work?"

"They work better than those store bought ones you kids use these days." Kurt argued.

"Sorry, got it, they work really well, I understand." Ash admitted. "Let's go find some Apricorn fruit."

Molly and Cyndaquil

"Look at those up there, I think those are some Pink Apricorns." Molly said.

"Cyn." Cyndaquil said inquisitively, looking up.

"Hoo boy, you'll struggle to get those down from up there." A boy said, walking over, startling Molly. "Oh sorry, I'm Cinder, the apprentice of the Kindling Master here in town."

"Hi I'm Molly and this is my partner Cyndaquil." Molly explained. "And what do you mean I won't be able to get them down?"

"I've learned about Apricorn harvesting, when they're that high up you need to cut them down, you can't just shake them loose." The apprentice said.

"Cut them down, like the move?" Molly asked.

"Yeah, I can help you learn it." The apprentice said. "Farfetch'd, let's show them how it's done. Use Cut!"

Farfetch'd flew up toward the top of the tree, slicing an Apricorn free.

"See, now you try." The apprentice said.

"Cyndaquil, let's try it out, use Cut!" Molly called out.

Cyndaquil clambered up the tree, slicing several more apricorns down to Molly's feet.

"Wow, you're a much quicker learner than I am with that move." The apprentice admitted. "Why are you collecting so many anyways?"

"Oh the Pokeball Master Kurt said he'd turn them into a Pokeball if I brought him enough." Molly said.

"Yeah, I think he also got you to do some work for him, each of these makes one Pokeball, not five to one." The apprentice said.

Casey and Chikorita

"I think those are some apricorns, though they look sun bleached." Casey said in confusion. "Maybe there are white Apricorn."

"Chika?" Chikorita said in confusion.

"I've got an idea, Dunsparce come out and use Headbutt!" Casey called out.

Dunsparce popped out of it's Pokeball, slamming it's head into the tree, knocking several free as a result.

"One, two, three…". Casey counted, at the fallen. "Perfect, five in one go, great work Dunsparce!"

"Dun." Dunsparce said in confusion before being returned to his Pokeball.

"Come on Chikorita let's get these back to Kurt!" Casey said.

"Chika!" Chikorita cheered, following his trainer.

Ash and Pikachu

"Come on we need to find the perfect apricorns, something so great we'll get like a MAster Ball from them!" Ash exclaimed, pushing his way through some brush.

"Pi Pikachu!' Pikachu cheered at the idea.

"Hey, what is that?" Ash said, seeing a small shrine by a lake. "Let's take a look."

Ash approached the shrine, and went to wipe off some dust to see what it read as a voice echoed through his head.

'I'm so close, please bring me home, I'm so tired and scared.' A voice called out.

Ash shot his hand back as red energy flew from the shrine to his finger tips.

"Pikachu, tell me you heard that." Ash said in shock.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked in confusion.

"Okay, let's try this one more time, just gotta be careful." Ash said, gingerly placing his hand on the shrine.

'Please bring me home, you've done so much, I just want to go home.' The voice said.

"Who are you, where are you?" Ash asked, not being launched back this time.

'Please bring me home. You're so close.' The voice said.

"I'll do what I can, but I don't even know who or where you are!" Ash exclaimed.

As Ash lifted his hand, he red energy dissipated from his hand with no back shock this time.

"Pikachu, we have another task, whoever this shrine is home to, they need our help, and I won't leave Azalea until we do just that. Are you with me?"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.

"Now, how do we get back to Azalea?" Ash questioned looking around.

Back at the Pokemon Center, several hours later

"There you two are, we were worried sick!" Molly exclaimed, rushing over to check on Ash and Pikachu. "What happened, did you not find any apricorns?"

"No, we found some, along with a weird shrine in the forest." Ash admitted. "Look, this is going to sound strange, but I heard a voice again when I touched it, they were asking for help."

"You heard that voice again?" Casey asked. "Like the one you heard in the ruins."

"No, that voice was like an echo of many voices, this one was like that of a girls." Ash admitted.

"A girl is in danger?" Molly asked.

"No, I don't think so. She didn't sound like she was in danger, just lost and scared." Ash said. "Look I'll talk to Kurt and Professor Oak tomorrow to see if they might know anything about the shrine, I'm sure there's an explanation for it." Ash assured. "Let's just get some rest, tomorrow is a new day."

Molly's Current Team and their Moves

Cyndaquil: Ember - Tackle - Smokescreen - Cut

Mareep: Tackle - Thunder Wave - Flash

Casey's Current Team and their Moves

Chikorita: Razor Leaf - Vine Whip - Tackle - Sweet Scent

Dunsparce: Dig - Headbutt