Chapter 17 Thieves in the Haunted House
As Ash and Alice continue deeper into Blackleaf Woods, they soon spot Damon standing in front of a strange, weathered hut. He's staring at it with a contemplative look, muttering under his breath, "Every time I look at this house, I wonder who built it and for what purpose..."
"Damon? The Gym Leader?" Ash asks in surprise, causing Damon to turn around abruptly and notice the two approaching.
Damon's eyes narrow with suspicion. "Who are you, huh? Unless you're here to help, stay out of my way."
Ash quickly steps forward, his expression determined. "We're really here to help! There's no way we can let criminals get away. My name is Ash Ketchum, and this is Alice. She recently became the Gym Leader in Subhail City."
Damon's gaze shifts to Alice, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Oh, so you're the new Subhail Gym Leader. It's surprising that you're not at your post."
Alice meets Damon's gaze confidently. "I want to gain more experience before fully taking on my role. That's why I'm traveling with Ash, who's aiming to win the Rikoto League."
Damon nods at Alice's explanation and then turns his attention to Ash. "So you're Ash, a Trainer aiming for the Rikoto League, huh? And you've heard about the thieves, I take it? Well, if you want me back at my gym, you'll have to help me first."
Ash sighs, his determination unwavering. "We did say we're here to help you, didn't we? Were you even listening?"
Damon studies Ash closely, noticing the fire in his eyes. There's something familiar about that determination, something that stirs a memory deep within him. "Are you, by any chance, related to Delia Ketchum? Your eyes... they remind me of hers."
Ash blinks in surprise. "You're talking about my mom? Did you know her?"
Damon's expression mirrors Ash's surprise. "Now that explains a lot. Delia was my traveling partner back in the Unova Region. She's not just strong—she's... well, let's just say she's also quite attractive."
Ash's eyes widen slightly in surprise. "Hot? I've never heard anyone describe my mom like that..." He sweatdrops, clearly unsure how to respond to such a statement.
Damon chuckles, waving off his comment. "Ignore that. What matters now is this place," he says, turning his attention back to the mysterious hut. "I've got a bad feeling about it, and I'm not one to ignore my instincts."
Ash and Alice exchange a glance, then nod in agreement. "Let's check it out," Ash says, stepping forward with Alice by his side.
Together, they follow Damon toward the hut, each of them bracing for whatever might be waiting inside.
As they rush inside the hut, Ash, Alice, and Damon come upon two thieves in the middle of a heated argument.
The first thief, clearly frustrated, snaps at his partner. "What kind of thief are you? Stealing a Poké Ball without a Pokémon in it..."
The second thief defends himself, sounding a bit sheepish. "I just thought she had another Pokémon besides the Lophug with her..."
"Never mind that. Let's focus on our next run. I've heard there's an organization buying stolen Pokémon for a lot of money!" the first thief suggests, his eyes gleaming with greed.
As they turn to leave, they freeze in their tracks, finally noticing the three intruders. The first thief sneers, "Hey, who are these losers? Did anyone invite you in?"
Damon steps forward, his tone cool and unimpressed. "Is that any way to treat your guests? From what I overheard, you two must be the thieves causing all the trouble. That makes my job a lot easier."
The second thief glares at them, panic creeping into his voice. "What? Good luck trying to catch us! You'll have to beat us first!"
As the thieves attempt to flee, Ash and Alice move swiftly, blocking their escape routes with determined expressions.
"Talk about bad hospitality," Ash quips, his eyes narrowing.
"Yeah, why don't you stay here for a while?" Alice adds, her voice dripping with confidence.
With a growl of frustration, the thieves send out their Pokémon—a vampire-like creature and a spider-like Pokémon. Damon, unfazed, glances at Ash and Alice. "Leave these Pokémon to me. You two, see what they've got in those bags."
"Got it!" Ash and Alice respond in unison.
Damon then sends out his own Pokémon, a fierce, wolf-like creature that exudes a dark, intimidating aura. The Pokémon wastes no time, launching a powerful attack called Dark Matter that knocks out the thieves' Pokémon with a single blow.
Meanwhile, Ash and Alice quickly search through the thieves' bags. When they open them, they find five puppy-like Pokémon and five spider Pokémon inside, all of them looking frightened but unharmed.
"These are Beopup and Darcula..." Alice says, recognizing the species as Ash scans them with his Pokédex.
Beopup: The Full Moon Pokemon: Dark Type. Beopup hunt in packs, in every pack there's an Alpha. In order to be Alpha they must know a certain move, if another Beopup learns that move, it can compete for the role of Alpha.
Darcula: The Tarantula Pokemon: Bug and Dark Type. Darcula have built up resistance towards Spidox venom from competition; Not even a dose strong enough to take out human adults would have any effect on them.
As Ash and Alice marvel at the information, the sound of footsteps approaching fast catches their attention. The police, led by Officer Jenny, burst into the hut, quickly apprehending the thieves.
"Thanks, you three. We couldn't have caught them without your help," Officer Jenny says, her tone grateful as her officers secure the area.
Damon smirks, brushing off the praise. "I'm always on the side of justice, Officer Jenny."
He then turns his attention back to Ash and Alice, a curious look in his eyes as he approaches them. "So, what's the situation here? Did you find anything else?"
Ash and Alice nod, standing beside the bags filled with Beopup and Darcula. "We found these Pokémon in the thieves' bags. They must have been capturing them to sell," Ash explains.
Alice adds, "Beopup and Darcula are native to these woods. It's no wonder they were targeted by these criminals—they're rare and valuable."
Damon's expression softens as he looks at the frightened Pokémon. "These poor things... Good thing we got here in time."
Officer Jenny steps forward, taking a closer look at the Pokémon. "We'll make sure these Beopup and Darcula are returned to the wild where they belong. And as for you two," she nods towards the captured thieves, "you'll be facing a long list of charges."
The thieves glare back, but it's clear they've been defeated. Ash, Alice, and Damon watch as the police lead them away, knowing that their efforts have made a difference.
Damon turns to Ash and Alice, a confident grin on his face. "Anyway, now that we've taught these burglars a lesson, I can head back to the gym. If you want a battle, I'll be waiting. But don't take too long—I'm pretty impatient."
Ash nods, his determination sparking again. "We'll be there soon, Damon. Get ready!"
Alice smiles, appreciating Damon's straightforward nature. "We won't keep you waiting for long."
With a final nod, Damon turns and walks away, his steps firm as he heads back toward Crestlight City. Ash and Alice watch him leave, feeling the anticipation of their upcoming gym battle growing inside them.
Now that it's just Ash, Alice, and Pikachu left in the eerie hut, strange, rumbling sounds begin to echo through the walls, sending a shiver down their spines.
"What is that sound?" Alice asks, her voice trembling as the unsettling noises grow louder.
Ash looks around cautiously, his eyes catching glimpses of a faint white glow in the corners of the room. Though he doesn't focus on it too closely, an uneasy feeling begins to settle in. "I think... we might be inside a haunted house..." he says, his voice low.
Alice's face pales, and her body begins to shake with fear. "Can we get out of here? Please?" she whispers, her voice barely above a breath.
Noticing how scared Alice is, Ash nods immediately, his protective instincts kicking in. "I'll take you out of here," he says firmly, reaching out to gently guide her. They waste no time and leave the hut as quickly as they can, the strange noises still lingering in their ears.
But as they step outside, the realization hits them—they're lost in the dark, shadowy woods. The once clear path now seems to twist and turn, with no familiar landmarks in sight.
"Uh... oh..." Ash mutters, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Alice, do you remember how to get back to Crestlight City?"
Alice's fear only deepens as she looks around, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. "I... I don't know... What if... what if we're trapped in these woods... with monstrous Pokémon and ghosts..." Her voice trails off as her fear overwhelms her, and she begins to faint.
Panic rises in Ash's chest as he quickly catches her, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting hug. "Alice, we'll be fine," he says, trying to steady his own nerves. "We won't give up until it's over. I promise, I'll find a way out of here."
He holds her close, willing his calm to transfer to her, even as the darkness of the woods seems to close in around them. As Ash desperately looks around for a way out, his eyes land on a small, gecko-like Pokémon watching them from the shadows. Without hesitation, Ash calls out, "Can you help us? We need to get back to Crestlight City—please, we're lost and need some help."
The gecko-like Pokémon approaches them calmly, its eyes glowing with a mysterious light. It gently taps its tail on the ground, and suddenly, Ash and Alice feel a warm sensation spreading through their minds. The Pokémon's voice echoes in their thoughts, "I apologize for not recognizing you sooner, young Prince and young Princess. I will teleport you out of the woods immediately."
Before they can fully process the words, a bright light envelops them, and in an instant, they find themselves outside the woods, safely back on the outskirts of Crestlight City. Wasting no time, Ash quickly carries the still-unconscious Alice to the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy provides them with a room to rest.
After some time, Alice bolts awake, her eyes wide with confusion as she realizes she's in the familiar comfort of the Pokémon Center. "Ash...?" she calls out softly, still trying to piece together what happened.
Ash, who had been watching over her, rushes to her side and pulls her into a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're awake, Alice. I was so worried about you..."
Alice, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, struggles to breathe under Ash's hold. "What...?" she manages to gasp, gently pushing him back to catch her breath. After a moment, she asks, "But how did we get out of the woods?"
Ash smiles softly and steps aside, revealing the gecko-like Pokémon that had saved them. "It was thanks to this Pokémon," he explains. "It helped us find our way out and get back here safely." He then takes out his Pokédex and scans the Pokémon to learn more about it.
Geckone: The Illusion Pokemon: Psychic Type. Geckone are able to tap into the minds of people and Pokémon as a defense mechanism, overlaying their visions with illusions.
Alice, still feeling a bit weak but immensely grateful, smiles at the Geckone. "Thank you so much for helping us," she says softly.
Geckone nods, its eyes shimmering with a gentle light. "No problem," it replies telepathically. "Since I've read your minds, I can see that both of you are aiming for greatness. That's why I want to join your team and help you achieve your goals."
Ash nods with a smile, appreciating the Pokémon's willingness to join them. "We'd be honored to have you on our team. Welcome aboard, Geckone." With that, he gently taps a Poké Ball against Geckone, capturing it and officially adding it to their growing group of friends.
Turning back to Alice, Ash notices the lingering fatigue in her eyes. "Alice, your body is still weak from everything that happened. You should rest now," he says, his voice full of concern.
Alice nods, her eyelids already feeling heavy. "Okay... I'll rest," she whispers, closing her eyes and quickly drifting back to sleep, comforted by Ash's presence.
Feeling the weight of the day's events himself, Ash decides to lie down beside her, keeping a protective arm around her as he too closes his eyes. The gentle hum of the Pokémon Center's equipment and the quiet breathing of Alice beside him soon lull him into a peaceful sleep.
Here is a new chapter, and I'm sorry that they didn't capture any Ghost Pokemon in the Haunted House, but I still hope you like it. The next chapter will be the Gym battle.
Haunted House: Vennap:30% (LV:11~13), Napkid:25% (LV:11~13), Darcula:30% (LV:11~13), Skreech:15% (LV:11~13)