Chapter 16 Blackleaf Woods
After arriving at Crestlight City with Nurse Joy's help, Ash and Alice immediately notice a commotion near the Pokémon Center. The crowd is gathered tightly, and the air is buzzing with concerned murmurs.
Ash turns to Nurse Joy, curiosity and concern etched on his face. "Nurse Joy, do you know what's going on here?"
Nurse Joy also observes the crowd with a puzzled expression. "That's strange... I'm not sure. Let's go see what's happening."
As they make their way through the throng of people, they catch bits of conversation. A woman's voice rises above the rest, clearly distressed. "...And when I was taking a stroll with my Lophug, I felt a strange presence... I looked around, but couldn't see anything suspicious. Then, in a flash, someone grabbed my handbag and ran off with it!"
A man standing nearby, dressed in a sleek black suit with matching black hair and a striking yellow scarf, interjects with a smirk. "Veni, vidi, fugi—What a hero," he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The male police officer attending to the scene tries to calm the woman. "It must have been quite a shock, madam. But I understand the handbag has been found, right?"
The woman nods, relief evident in her voice. "Yes, yes! Damon here found it for me! I'm so glad!"
"I nearly broke my neck over it," Damon grumbles, rubbing his neck for emphasis. "Perhaps we should charge that thief with attempted murder as well?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Damon," Officer Jenny interjects, her tone stern yet patient. She turns back to the distressed woman. "Madam, are you missing anything from your handbag?"
The woman takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "Miraculously, I'm only missing the Poké Ball for my Lophug. Luckily, it was an empty one. I could have been in a lot more trouble, so I'm really relieved!"
"Good to hear you aren't missing anything more valuable, like a wallet," the male police officer says, nodding sympathetically. "Do you remember any details about the thief?"
The woman shakes her head, frustration clear on her face. "No, I swear it was just a moving shadow! Perhaps it was a malicious Dark-type Pokémon instead..."
"A malicious Dark-type Pokémon?" Damon muses, his brow furrowing. "The only Pokémon I know that can pull off something like that is Zoroark, but they aren't native to this region. I didn't think we had any around here..."
Officer Jenny shoots him a disapproving glance. "This is no time for jokes, Damon. We have to take this seriously. There have been numerous reports of similar incidents in the past few days."
Damon sighs, his earlier bravado fading. "I apologize. I'm just bitter about these recent events. I thought we'd banished those scoundrels from daylight and put them under lock and key."
Officer Jenny shakes her head, concern etched in her features. "I'm afraid this situation is beyond what you can handle on your own, Damon. We need a more coordinated effort to deal with this."
"You might be right... but I won't give up!" Damon declares, his determination rekindled.
The woman, still shaken, voices her concerns. "How could these thieves remain untraceable? I'm starting to fear for our safety in this city..."
Before anyone can respond, the male officer interjects, "Um, if I may add something? We just received a report! Apparently, mysterious individuals were spotted in Blackleaf Woods. They might be the ones we're looking for! After all, most incidents have occurred near Blackleaf Woods."
Damon's eyes narrow with resolve. "I will vanish into the shadows and pursue these criminals full force..." he says, his voice trailing off as he suddenly dashes away, disappearing into the crowd.
Officer Jenny watches him go, her expression turning serious. "I'm implementing strict security measures in Crestlight City. We can't allow anyone in or out until we have more clarity on their whereabouts. Blackleaf Woods is a dead end—those criminals will get trapped there eventually."
"Understood. I'll inform the authorities immediately," the male officer replies, giving a brisk nod. But as he prepares to leave, Officer Jenny suddenly realizes something.
"Where's Damon?" she asks, looking around.
The woman gasps, "He disappeared without a trace!"
"That's unfortunate," Officer Jenny mutters, though she quickly regains her composure. "Never mind. I'll block the north entrance of the city, and my partner will secure the south one."
"Got it! I'm on my way!" the male officer says, hurrying toward the south gate. As he reaches the entrance, he spots Ash and Alice standing there, looking surprised by the unfolding events.
The officer spots Ash and Alice and approaches them. "Hey, you two! Are you trainers? Looking for a Gym battle? Well, I have to say, you picked an interesting time! We're blocking the city's gateways because of a crime spree..."
Nurse Joy, who had been following behind, frowns at the news. "That's awful. So I guess we're stuck in the city until this is resolved?"
The officer nods, "That's right. The only accessible area outside the city is Blackleaf Woods, but it's a dead end—nowhere to run or hide."
Ash, curious about the situation, asks, "So, that guy, Damon—what's his deal?"
The officer looks back at Ash with a nod of respect. "Damon's the Gym Leader here in Crestlight City. He's been helping us with the investigation, so he's not in his Gym at the moment. Right now, he's searching for those mysterious individuals in Blackleaf Woods. I'd advise you not to get in his way."
With that, the officer turns and moves toward the entrance, setting up barriers to block the exit.
Nurse Joy, sensing the gravity of the situation, speaks up, "This is troubling. If Damon, the Gym Leader, is out there on his own, he might need some help. But with the city under lockdown, there's not much we can do here at the moment."
Ash and Alice exchange a determined glance. "We'll go to Blackleaf Woods and see if we can help Damon," Ash says with resolve. "We've dealt with our share of trouble before, and we can't just stand by when someone might be in danger."
Alice nods in agreement. "Plus, we might be able to find out who these mysterious people are and stop them before they cause any more harm."
Nurse Joy looks at them, her expression a mix of concern and admiration. "You two are really brave... but please, be careful. Blackleaf Woods can be dangerous, especially with those criminals on the loose."
"We will, Nurse Joy," Ash assures her with a confident smile. "We'll do our best to help Damon and get to the bottom of this."
Alice adds, "And we'll make sure to come back safely."
Nurse Joy smiles, though the worry doesn't leave her eyes. "I'll head back to the Pokémon Center and keep things under control there. If you need any help, you know where to find me."
With that, Ash and Alice bid Nurse Joy farewell. "Take care, Nurse Joy," Ash says as they part ways.
"Good luck, and stay safe!" Nurse Joy calls after them as she turns to head back to the Pokémon Center.
Ash and Alice then turn west, making their way toward Blackleaf Woods with determination in their steps. The path ahead is uncertain, but they're ready to face whatever challenges lie in wait.
As they step into Blackleaf Woods, Ash glances around, his voice echoing softly in the dim light. "It really is dark here..."
Alice nods in agreement, her eyes scanning the shadowy surroundings. "Yeah, this place sure lives up to its name..." Suddenly, she feels something sticky clinging to her leg, preventing her from moving. Her heart skips a beat as she tries to lift her foot but finds it stuck. "Um... Ash, can you please help me?"
Ash turns around, concern flashing across his face as he sees Alice struggling. "My foot is stuck... I don't know why..." Alice explains, her voice trembling slightly. But then Ash's eyes widen in horror as he spots a shadowy Pokémon behind her, its mouth opening wide to reveal sharp teeth.
"Alice! Watch out!" Ash shouts, his voice filled with urgency.
Thinking quickly, Ash grabs the first thing he can find on the ground—a Dusk Ball—and hurls it at the Pokémon just as it lunges toward Alice. The ball strikes the Pokémon and opens, pulling it inside with a flash of light. The ball shakes for a moment before clicking shut, indicating the capture.
At the same time, Alice, realizing something was behind her, turns around and catches a glimpse of the terrifying sharp teeth before the Pokémon disappears into the Dusk Ball. She gasps, her legs giving way as she stumbles backward, trembling.
Ash quickly rushes to her side, calling on Aquad to wash away the sticky goo that had trapped her leg. "Alice, are you okay?" he asks, his voice full of concern as he gently supports her.
Alice, still shaken by the close call, clings tightly to Ash, her heart racing. "I... I was so scared..." she whispers, her voice barely audible.
Ash wraps his arms around her in a comforting embrace, holding her close. "It's okay, Alice. You're safe now."
After a few moments, Ash pulls back slightly and takes out his Pokédex to identify the Pokémon he just caught. "What was that thing that I captured?" he wonders aloud as he scans the Dusk Ball.
Vennap: The Trap Pokemon: Grass and Dark Type. Vennap excretes a sweet, honey-like scent to attract prey. As they get close enough, Vennap spits sticky goo onto the prey and traps them, allowing for no escape.
Ash frowns as he reads the entry. "That must be the goo that trapped you," he says, looking back at Alice. "But don't worry, Alice, I'll protect you." He gently grabs her arm, causing her to blush slightly. "I won't let go of you, so it should be fine."
Alice tries to take a step forward, but a sharp pain shoots through her leg, causing her to wince and kneel down in discomfort. "Oh no... the goo must have corroded my leg," she says, her voice laced with worry.
Ash's face pales with concern. "But I forgot my healing items back at the Pokémon Center. What should we do?"
Just then, they notice a small, pink bunny-like Pokémon hopping nearby. Its presence is almost ethereal in the dark woods. Ash's eyes light up with hope. "Maybe that Pokémon can help?"
Without hesitation, Ash throws a Poké Ball, successfully capturing the Pokémon. He quickly releases it and kneels beside Alice. "Whoever you are, can you help me? Alice is injured by Vennap's goo."
The pink Pokémon immediately responds, hopping over to Alice with a sense of urgency. It gently wraps its soft, fluffy tail around her injured leg. As the Pokémon works, Ash takes out his Pokédex again to scan it, eager to know more about their newfound ally.
Ash watches in awe as Lophug's ears emit a gentle, soothing glow. "That is so cool," he says, impressed by the Pokémon's healing abilities.
In just under five minutes, Alice's wounds are fully healed, the pain completely gone. She looks at her leg in amazement, the corrosive effects of Vennap's goo now a distant memory.
Alice smiles gratefully at Lophug. "Thank you so much," she says, her voice filled with gratitude.
Ash nods in agreement. "Yeah, you really saved us."
With a final affectionate hop, Lophug returns to Ash, and he gently sends the Pokémon back into its Poké Ball. "Rest up, Lophug. You've done an amazing job."
Feeling relieved and ready to continue their journey, Ash and Alice exchange a determined look, knowing they can face whatever challenges await them in Blackleaf Woods.
Here is a new chapter, and you can see that Ash and Alice finally arrive at the next city, but they have to solve a crime first before getting to battle the gym. I hope you like it.
New Pokemon: Vennap, Lophug
Blackleaf Woods:
Land: Vennap:20% (LV:10~12), Darcula:20% (LV:10~12), Beopup:10% (LV:10~12), Stotox:15% (LV:9~11), Jumple:25% (LV:9~11), Lophug:5% (LV:9~11), Geckone:5% (LV:9~11)
Headbutt: Doveheart:55% (LV:10~12), Jumple:30% (LV:10~12), Vambat:15% (LV:10~12)