Chapter 47 Goopool Swamp Part 1
With Gina now joining them, the group finds themselves in the eerie expanse of Goopool Swamp. The dense fog envelops them, and the twisted trees loom like shadowy figures in the mist. Alice squints into the gloom, her voice tinged with unease. "I can't see anything..."
"Me neither," Ash agrees, his eyes scanning the fog-shrouded surroundings. He turns to Gina, curious. "You said you train here a lot?"
"Yeah," Gina replies with a slight smile. "It's mysterious, and I kind of like that."
Suddenly, Alice stumbles forward, her foot catching on something unexpectedly sharp. She yelps in surprise, "What did I just bump into?"
Before she can react, the spiky object at her feet begins to shift, unfurling from its ball-like form. It bristles, preparing to defend itself with Spiky Shield. Gina quickly reassures her, "Don't worry, that's just a Toxidon. It's Poison and Ground type."
Ash's eyes light up with excitement. "Then I'm definitely going to capture it!" Without hesitation, he pulls out a Dusk Ball and throws it at the Toxidon.
Alice watches in disbelief as the ball encapsulates the Pokémon, wiggling a few times before sealing shut with a satisfying click. "Wait, you didn't even battle it? And that's not a Quick Ball..."
Ash grins as he retrieves the Dusk Ball, now containing his newest Pokémon. "Don't worry, I had a feeling it would work," he says confidently, much to their surprise.
Toxidon: The Quill Pokemon: Poison Type. When startled, Toxidon roll up into a ball shape, using the spikes on its back to defend itself from attackers. Contrary to popular belief, however, they cannot roll well.
"So, are you planning to capture all the Pokémon here as well?" Alice asks, her tone a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"Of course," Ash replies with a determined grin. He glances around the shadowy swamp, the eerie ambiance sending a slight shiver down his spine. "But this place looks really spooky. Does that mean there are Ghost-type Pokémon here too?"
Gina nods, her eyes narrowing as she peers through the fog. "Of course. And I think I can see one right over there."
They spot a cluster of pumpkins in the distance, partially hidden in the mist. Alice tilts her head, puzzled. "Is there a Pumpkaboo hiding among those pumpkins?"
Gina shakes her head. "Nope, Pumpkaboo is from Kalos. But look closer." They all see a bug-like Pokémon gnawing on one of the pumpkins. "That's the Ghost-type Pokémon we're looking for."
"Yeah, that's Halloweed," Golly chimes in, recognizing the creature. "It loves to eat pumpkins."
Ash wastes no time. "Alright, I'll take it on. Terraz, come on out!" With a flash of light, Terraz emerges, ready for battle. "Use Air Slash!"
Terraz unleashes a sharp gust of wind at Halloweed, but the Ghost Pokémon glows ominously, as if something unseen is gripping it tightly. Gina watches closely. "That's Phantom Grip," she explains.
Ash remains unfazed. "That won't stop us! Terraz, use Parabolic Charge!"
Terraz glows with electrical energy before releasing a powerful burst that strikes Halloweed, overwhelming the Ghost-type. Ash quickly tosses a Pokéball, and with a few shakes, it clicks shut—Halloweed is captured.
"Wow, Terraz just evolved into Terravolt!" Alice exclaims, watching as Terraz transforms.
Terravolt: The Winged Finger Pokémon. Electric and Flying type. Evolved from Terraz at LV:32. Terravolt leads flocks of Terraz, ensuring they can keep up, but ironically, Terravolt themselves cannot sustain flight for long periods.
Halloweed: The False Plant Pokémon. Ghost and Bug type. Halloweed's main diet consists of pumpkins, and it has an uncanny ability to hide among pumpkin plants, gorging on them without being noticed.
As soon as Ash sends Halloweed out, it begins to glow, surprising the entire group. "Already?" Ash mutters in astonishment.
The newly evolved Pokémon, now Hallowkin, suddenly lashes out, trying to attack Ash. Acting quickly, Ash uses a nearby pumpkin to shield himself, managing to calm the aggressive creature, much to everyone's relief.
Hallowkin: The False Plant Pokémon. Ghost and Bug type. Evolved from Halloweed at LV:32. Even in the murky darkness of the swamp, Hallowkin can hunt with its soul-piercing glowing eyes and keen ability to detect vibrations.
"What a relief..." Ash sighs as Hallowkin finally opens up to him, its menacing demeanor fading. Gina, noticing the change, steps forward. "Well, Ash, I happen to have some Dusk Stones. Why don't you give one to Hallowkin so it can evolve further?"
"Are you sure?" Ash asks, hesitating for a moment.
Gina nods confidently. Ash then takes a Dusk Stone and offers it to Hallowkin. The Pokémon begins to glow again, its form twisting and transforming into a rotten, pumpkin-like creature.
Rottoween: The False Plant Pokémon. Ghost and Bug type. Evolved from Hallowkin with a Dusk Stone. Every October, swarms of Rottoween emerge from the swamps to hunt, leading to the tradition of placing jack-o-lanterns around homes to keep them at bay.
"So that's why people make jack-o-lanterns," Ash muses, intrigued by the connection. "That's new."
Encouraged by the success, Ash uses a second Dusk Stone to evolve his Napkid. The Pokémon takes on a human-like form draped in bedsheets, its appearance both eerie and familiar.
Phansheet: The Bed Sheet Pokémon. Ghost type. Evolved from Napkid with a Dusk Stone. Phansheet wraps itself around Pokémon and humans alike, sapping their life energy. Fortunately, this only results in putting its targets to sleep.
"I see," Ash says thoughtfully, "We'll have to be careful from now on."
Alice nods in agreement, understanding the caution in his words.
As they cautiously step deeper into the swamp, the thick, murky mud clings to their legs, making each step a struggle. Alice groans in frustration, her voice tinged with discomfort. "I really don't like this place... My legs are a mess..."
Gina offers a reassuring smile, though the atmosphere remains tense. "Don't worry, after this, there's the sea up ahead. We just have to get through this."
Suddenly, a shadowy figure looms near Gina, moving stealthily through the fog. Ash's eyes widen, and he shouts, "Watch out!"
Gina turns just in time, but instead of panicking, she lets out a calm sigh. "Don't worry, Ash." With a swift motion, she pulls out a wand, and a beam of light shoots out, startling the approaching creature. The Pokémon recoils, retreating into the shadows.
"What was that?" Ash asks, still on edge.
"A Swampheap," Gina replies, her tone steady. "It does that to its prey—lurks in the darkness and attacks when they least expect it."
Without hesitation, Ash takes out a Quick Ball and throws it at the Swampheap, capturing it with ease.
Swampheap: The Lurking Pokémon. Dark and Grass type. In dark environments such as swamps, Swampheap can fully blend into their surroundings, dragging unaware prey into their jaws.
Ash watches the Quick Ball settle and nods, his expression serious. "I see... We really need to be careful here."
As they continue through the swamp, the group notices a frog leading a group of tadpoles swimming by. Alice curiously asks, "What are they?"
Gina, observing the scene, replies, "Those are Purpole, and the middle one must be Frogoo." Ash quickly pulls out his Pokédex to scan them.
Purpole: The Slimy Pokémon. Poison type. Purpole secretes venomous slime from its body regularly. While contact with it isn't lethal, it can cause severe pain.
Frogoo: The Slimy Pokémon. Poison type. Evolved from Purpole at LV:32. Frogoo thrives in murky and polluted water, with the toxins flowing through its body counteracting any potential harm the water could cause.
As they watch, one of the Purpole begins to glow and evolves into Frogoo right before their eyes. Ash, impressed, remarks, "Looks like one just evolved."
Pikachu nods in agreement, but the newly evolved Frogoo suddenly perks up, recognizing Ash's voice. It quickly swims over to them. "Ash... is that you?"
Ash blinks in surprise, his heart skipping a beat. "Wait, are you... could you be one of my Pokémon who was... killed?"
Gina steps forward, her expression softening. "You're right, Ash. I was there when Mother brought the souls to their new bodies. If I remember correctly, this one was your Palpitoad."
Ash's eyes widen in recognition. "Palpitoad? Is that really you?"
The frog Pokémon nods, its eyes shining with emotion.
Alice, intrigued, adds, "Palpitoad... I've heard that its long, sticky tongue is used to capture prey. It lives both on land and in the water. It makes sense that it would reincarnate as a Pokémon like Frogoo."
As the other Purpole and Frogoo gather around, they listen intently as Frogoo explains its past life as Ash's Palpitoad. The others are surprised but delighted to learn that one of their own was once the Prince's Pokémon. The reunion is heartwarming, and Ash, filled with joy, recaptures Frogoo, his long-lost friend.
After bidding farewell to the Purpole and Frogoo, the group continues their journey through the swamp, only to spot several Pokémon floating inside bubbles. Gina squints and recognizes them. "Those must be Aqlarva."
Ash's eyes light up with excitement. "I'm going to catch one of these too. Jellitot, I choose you!" As his female Jellitot emerges, Ash quickly commands, "Use Acid Spray!"
Jellitot unleashes a blast of acidic liquid, hitting one of the Aqlarva and weakening it. With the Pokémon subdued, Ash throws a Dive Ball, capturing the Aqlarva with ease. As the ball clicks shut, a glow surrounds Jellitot, and she begins to evolve.
Jellinip: The Toxic Jelly Pokémon. Water and Poison type. Evolved from Jellitot (F) at LV:32. Using their many tentacles, Jellinip entangles their foes and submerges them in toxic clouds. The cloud of poison decomposes within a few minutes.
Aqlarva: The Larva Pokémon. Bug and Water type. Aqlarva keeps a bubble of water around itself when it is out of water. In dry areas, it is essential for trainers to provide it with an additional water supply.
"So the female Jellitot evolves into a Poison type," Alice observes, intrigued. "I'm glad I got the male one."
As they continue forward through the dense fog, a sudden scream echoes through the swamp, causing the group to stop in their tracks. Alice looks around, alarmed. "What's wrong here?"
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Ash mutters, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Before they can react further, two Team Lunar grunts—one male, one female—emerge from the shadows, both looking panicked. The male grunt blurts out, "Oh my god! Did you hear our cries?!"
Ash steps forward, frowning. "Team Lunar? What are you doing here?" The grunts immediately strike exaggerated battle poses.
The female grunt, her voice shaky, explains, "We were just looking in the graveyard for something special... but then a creepy man appeared out of nowhere!"
"So it's a ghost, huh?" Gina speculates, her tone casual.
"What? You mean he could be a ghost?" the female grunt asks, her fear growing.
The male grunt scoffs, trying to regain composure. "Stop joking, ghosts don't exist."
"Maybe, or maybe not," Gina replies cryptically, adding to the tension.
The female grunt shudders, "We should go back... Commander Scarlett sure isn't happy with us running away because of this ghostly guy..."
The male grunt narrows his eyes at Ash and Alice, recognition dawning. "Mhh..., you look really familiar... I remember you two! You're the kids who battled us in Dullfern Forest in front of Commander Scarlett!"
The female grunt nods, her expression darkening. "Because of you, our commander was really angry with us! Mercifully, she didn't report us to Leader Derek!"
"Derek? Is that their boss' name?" Ash whispers to Alice, who shrugs in response. Meanwhile, Delia visibly flinches at the mention of Derek, and Gina notices, her expression turning to one of concern.
"This must be fate," the female grunt declares, her voice filled with determination. "We have to battle you again, and this time, your time has come!"
The two Team Lunar grunts quickly send out their Pokémon—Monstrap and Widox—ready for battle. Ash and Alice exchange a determined glance before sending out their own Jellitot.
"Use Ice Beam!" they shout in unison as their Jellitot glow, evolving into their new forms mid-battle. The newly evolved Jellitic unleash powerful Ice Beams, freezing and defeating the Spider and Fly Trap Pokémon with ease.
Jellitic: The Cold Jelly Pokémon. Water and Ice type. Evolved from Jellitot (M) at LV:32. Jellitic shields themselves from attackers with ice shields formed instantaneously. However, they discard these every time, lacking the strength to move them.
"Nice job, Jello," Alice praises as she gently pets her Jellitic.
The male grunt groans, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Urgh... we lost again..."
"Luckily, Commander Scarlett wasn't here to see our defeat..." the female grunt adds in relief. But their relief is short-lived as a figure emerges from the shadows behind them.
"I've seen enough to tell you fools that you've failed again!" Scarlett's voice rings out sharply, making Ash mutter, "Great, more problems."
The grunts turn pale, as if they've seen a ghost. The male grunt stammers, "Commander Scarlett! I'm sorry for running away..."
"Please forgive me, Commander! But that creepy man was so scary..." the female grunt pleads.
"Scared? What's come over you!? How will you survive in Team Lunar's world of chaos if you're scared by a ghostly guy!?" Scarlett snaps, her cold glare making them shrink back.
"We are so sorry, Commander Scarlett!" the male grunt echoes, desperation in his voice.
Scarlett facepalms in frustration. "Ahh, you two are hopeless... Consider yourselves lucky that I'll still be your Commander in our new world! But in addition to running away, you lost to these twerps again!"
Alice bristles at the insult. "Who are you calling twerps!"
Ash sighs, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Alice, it's fine. I'm already used to it."
Scarlett eyes the group with a smirk, her voice dripping with mockery. "Even though you change as a person... it seems you're always chasing us. As the queen and the prince, you really like placing yourselves in danger, don't you?"
Delia meets her gaze coolly. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."
Scarlett's expression hardens as she turns to Ash. "It's time for a lesson. I've been waiting for this ever since our first battle."
"If you want to face my brother, then you'll have to get past me first," Gina declares, stepping forward.
Scarlett scoffs, unimpressed. "Is that supposed to scare me? Goons, out of my way. This twerpette is mine!" She sends out her Taraterror, while Gina releases her shiny Rottoween. Despite the type disadvantage, Gina's Rottoween fights valiantly, using Trick-or-Treat and Bug Bite to defeat Taraterror.
Scarlett's eyes narrow in annoyance. "Annoying... It's just one loss... But you won't be able to stop our plans! Goons! We're leaving! I'm sure we won't find what we came for here..." As she turns to leave, she throws one last threat over her shoulder. "Remember my words: In Team Lunar's world, you'll have to obey what I say!"
With that, she and her grunts disappear into the fog. Gina watches them go, her expression serious. "So they were the ones trying to steal the elemental stones and the crystals for Lunaro?"
"Yeah, and they've got the Earth Stone. But they won't succeed since we have the Core Stone," Alice replies with a nod.
Ash, still tense from the encounter, tries to focus on the path ahead. "Let's ignore them for now and keep moving. But something's bothering me... Is there really a graveyard here?"
Gina's expression softens as she answers, "Oh, there is. In fact, our Dad is buried there."
Ash stops in his tracks, shocked by the revelation. "What? How could you, Mom?" he asks, turning to Delia, who sighs heavily.
"I guess I forgot to tell you about this," Delia admits, a hint of regret in her voice.
Ash shakes his head, still processing the news, as they continue forward.
I wanted to make it a chapter, but there is too much that I am forced to split into two chapters, I hope you like it.
New Pokemon/Evolution: Toxidon, Terravolt, Rottonween, Phansheet, Swampheap, Frogoo, Jellinip, Aqlarva, Jellitic
Goopool Swamp:
Land: Toxidon:30% (LV:30~32), Slibloo:25% (LV:30~32), Holloweed:20% (LV:30~32), Trohollow:15% (LV:29~31), Kapplash:10% (LV:29~31)
Headbutt: Widox:40% (LV:33), Stickut:40% (LV:33), Taraterror:20% (LV:33)
Surf: Aqlarva:60% (LV:30~32), Swampheap:30% (LV:30~32), Skeledeep:10% (LV:29~31)
Old Rod: Purpole:100% (LV:10~15)
Good Rod: Purpole:80% (LV:25~30), Skeledeep:20% (LV:25~30)