Chapter 37 Orshore Town
As they arrive at Route 5, they are greeted by the sight of beautiful gardens and vibrant flowers stretching as far as the eye can see. Alice's eyes widen in amazement as she takes in the scenery. "This place is so nice," she says, her voice filled with wonder.
Ash smiles, glancing at her. "I agree," he replies, his tone warm. "But it's not as beautiful as you." Alice blushes at his words, feeling her heart flutter.
Mark, noticing the exchange, turns to Delia with a teasing grin. "Since when did Brother become such a flirt?"
Delia chuckles softly. "Well, ever since he noticed his feelings for Alice," she explains with a sigh. "But, I've only ever heard him flirt with her and no one else."
They decide to take a break by a serene pond, its surface reflecting the colorful blooms surrounding them. As they rest, two Pokémon slowly approach, their curious eyes fixed on the group. Both are female, and it's clear they're drawn by the auras radiating from Ash and Alice.
"Hello there," Ash greets them gently. "What brings you here?" To his surprise, the Pokémon respond, expressing that they were drawn to the group and wish to join their team.
"Really?" Ash says, taken aback. "Well, if that's what you want, then you're more than welcome to join us." He reaches for two Dive Balls and, with a calm and steady hand, captures both Pokémon.
Shrubsea: The Sea Lily Pokémon. Water and Grass Type. Shrubsea lives on reefs close to the shore, anchoring themselves to rocks and swaying gracefully with the sea's currents. Their habitats in the Rikoto Region have become popular tourist attractions, known for their serene beauty.
Weedsea: The Sea Weed Pokémon. Water and Grass Type. Weedsea blends into seaweed crowds, using natural camouflage to evade predators. Some seaweed colonies, upon closer inspection, reveal themselves to be made up entirely of Weedsea.
Alice, intrigued by their new companions, observes the Pokédex entries. "The Pokémon you captured are female as well, so they can evolve," she notes thoughtfully.
"Just like Vespiquen," Ash says with excitement. "This is so cool!"
After their journey, they finally reach Orshore Town. The first stop is the Pokémon Center, where they hope to find any quests or requests that might need their attention. As they enter, they notice a lone scientist standing near the quest board, looking somewhat anxious.
The scientist spots them and quickly approaches. "Hello there! I'm a scientist working on a project related to magnetism," he explains. "For my research, I need a specific Pokémon, but... I can't seem to recall its name. I'm really not good at catching Pokémon, which is why I'm seeking help."
Alice tilts her head in curiosity. "What kind of Pokémon are you looking for?"
The scientist thinks for a moment, trying to piece together his thoughts. "The Pokémon I'm searching for is gray-colored and has a segmented body structure. It's also capable of learning the move Magnet Bomb. The move has to be in its moveset."
Ash's eyes light up with recognition. "I think you're talking about Atomix!" he exclaims, already certain of what the scientist needs. "And as luck would have it, my Atomix knows Magnet Bomb."
The scientist's face brightens with excitement. "Ah, yes! That's exactly the Pokémon I'm looking for! Let's check if it indeed knows Magnet Bomb... Yes, it does! This is perfect! Would you be willing to let me have Atomix for my research?"
Ash and Alice exchange uneasy glances, their enthusiasm dampened by the thought of parting with one of Ash's Pokémon. Ash's heart sinks a little; he's grown attached to his Atomix. But before they can respond, Delia steps forward with a calm smile.
"It seems I had a feeling this might happen," Delia says, reaching into her bag. She produces a Poké Ball. "Elena caught several Atomix, so we can spare one for your research."
The scientist's relief is palpable as Delia hands over the Atomix. In return, he gratefully presents them with a TM for Magnet Bomb. "Thank you so much! This will be invaluable for my research."
As the scientist leaves, Ash and Alice share a quiet sigh of relief. They're glad they didn't have to part with Ash's Atomix after all.
As they continue their journey, they come across a large bridge stretching out before them. Ash's curiosity gets the better of him. "What is that?" he asks, eyeing the structure.
"That is the Battle Bridge," Alice explains. "It's a place where trainers battle their way across. If we want to move forward, we'll have to defeat every trainer on the bridge."
"I see," Ash nods thoughtfully. Just then, Mark chimes in with a suggestion.
"By the way, we should go meet Burt," Mark says. "I have some Apricorns that need to be turned into Poké Balls."
"Sure," Alice agrees, and the group heads off to find Burt's workshop. After a short walk, they arrive at a small but bustling shop, the sign above the door worn but welcoming. As they step inside, an older man with a friendly face looks up, surprise and recognition flashing in his eyes.
"Ah, Delia. It's nice to see you again," Burt greets warmly.
"Likewise, Burt," Delia replies with a smile. She gestures to her companions. "These are my sons, Ash and Mark, and this is Alice. She's the Gym Leader of Subhail."
Burt nods appreciatively. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"You too," Ash responds, studying Burt with a curious expression. "Wow, you really look like Kurt back in Johto."
Burt chuckles at that. "That's because we're twins. So you've met my brother, huh?"
"Yeah," Ash says, smiling at the memory. "I once collected some Apricorns for him to make Poké Balls. We heard that you can do the same here, right?"
"You're absolutely right," Burt confirms with a nod. However, his eyes widen in surprise when he sees the collection of Apricorns the group has brought. "My, you've got all ten kinds of Apricorns! That's quite impressive. It should take some time to process all of these. I never knew you could find all kinds here in this region."
Mark grins. "We made sure to keep an eye out for them."
"Well, you've done an excellent job," Burt says, smiling. "Would you like to help me while I work on them?"
"Sure!" Ash eagerly agrees, and the group sets to work, assisting Burt in crafting the unique Poké Balls. After some time, their efforts are rewarded with ten different kinds of Poké Balls, each crafted with care.
With their new Poké Balls in hand, they bid farewell to Burt, thanking him for his help. As they step outside, they turn their attention back to the imposing Battle Bridge, ready for the challenges that await them.
"Wait up!" They hear a familiar voice calling from behind. Turning around, they see Rodney sprinting towards them, his breath coming in short, heavy bursts. "Puff-puff-puff! Geez! You're so fast!"
"Are you okay, Rodney? Why did you run?" Alice asks, concerned as she watches him catch his breath.
Rodney finally steadies himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I was hoping I'd catch up to you!" he explains, still panting. "I take it you guys just came from Burt's house? I got some Poké Balls from him too, so watch out! I'm gonna catch some awesome Pokémon with them."
"I see," Ash says with a nod. "So, have you caught anything new?"
"I have," Rodney replies with a grin, his energy quickly returning. "Let me show you in a battle." Without hesitation, he sends out his Pokémon, Weakid, ready to challenge Ash.
Ash responds by sending out his newly caught Pokémon, Paraful, eager to test its strength. The battle begins with Weakid launching a swift Mach Punch, landing a hit on Paraful. But Paraful retaliates with a powerful Talon Gash, swiftly turning the tide and securing victory.
Rodney sighs, a mix of frustration and admiration in his voice. "Wow, Ash. That was intense, but I'll get you next time."
"Looking forward to it," Ash says with a friendly smile. His tone then shifts to something more serious. "By the way, there's something important we need to discuss. I want to know more about Alice's bullies."
The statement catches everyone off guard, especially Alice, who looks at Ash with wide eyes. Rodney's expression turns serious as well. "What about them?" he asks cautiously.
"It seems that they're coming to Rikoto," Ash explains, his voice heavy with concern. "And worse, they're teaming up with the murderers who killed my Pokémon."
Rodney gasps, his face paling at the news. "Oh no... If they find out that both me and Alice are here, we're going to be in serious trouble. Thank you for telling me, Ash."
Alice, her worry evident, asks, "Rodney, are you okay with facing them if they're here to cause us trouble?"
Rodney clenches his fists, determination replacing his earlier fear. "No, I'm not okay with it," he admits. "But we have to face them. We can't let them do whatever they want, especially now that they're teaming up with those murderers."
Ash nods in agreement, but before he can say anything else, Alice notices a soft glow coming from Ash's bag. "Ash, one of the eggs is hatching!" she exclaims.
Ash's eyes widen with excitement as he quickly takes the egg out of his bag. The purple egg is enveloped in a bright white light, and before their eyes, it transforms into a new Pokémon. Ash beams with recognition. "It's a Feva... I remember Donna has one."
Feva: The Fever Pokémon. Poison Type. Feva can cause illness in both humans and Pokémon with just a touch. Specialized gloves are sold in stores specifically for handling this evolution line.
Ash's initial excitement is dampened by a frown. "So I can't touch her?" he asks, disappointed by the thought of not being able to hold the newborn Pokémon.
Delia, noticing his concern, quickly reassures him. "Don't worry, Ash. The gloves you're wearing are specialized for this purpose."
Relieved, Ash gently hugs Feva, feeling a surge of affection as the Pokémon nuzzles into him, acknowledging Ash as her father.
Rodney watches the tender moment with a smile before shifting back to his own plans. "Well, I'm heading to the Docking Port to gain some more experience. I guess you're going there too, right?"
"Yeah," Ash replies, nodding. But before they can continue their conversation, they spot Rick approaching. Alice sighs in exasperation. "Not him again..."
Rick saunters over with a smug expression. "Oh... you guys. Heading over the Battle Bridge?" he asks, his tone dripping with arrogance.
"Yeah," Ash replies calmly. "What about you?"
"Same here. I'm gonna beat all the Trainers on the bridge as fast as I can so I can get to Highpoint City and snag my next Gym Badge! I don't have time to waste battling you right now. How about we meet at Docking Port for a battle?"
"Sure," Ash agrees, though he's a bit surprised by Rick's unexpected politeness. But the moment is short-lived as Rick turns away, tossing a final remark over his shoulder. "Catch you later, losers."
As Rick disappears from view, Rodney shakes his head in frustration. "Oh... that guy is such a windbag. I'll definitely find him at Docking Port and teach him a lesson! We'll see each other there."
After Rodney leaves, Mark turns to the group, frowning. "So that guy is Rick? He sure is rude."
"Believe me, it's not the first time," Alice sighs, clearly exasperated by Rick's attitude.
Here is a new chapter, and in this chapter we wrap up Route 5 and Orshore Town. I hope you like it and the next chapter will be the Battle Bridge.
New Pokemon/Evolution: Shurbsea, Weedsea, Feva
Route 5:
Land: Snuffuzz:40% (LV:21~23), Budcherp:30% (LV:21~23), Weashock:30% (LV:21~23)
Headbutt: Paracaw:30% (LV:20~22), Budcherp:30% (LV:22~24), Woodbeak:20% (LV:22~24), Elecritter:10% (LV:20~22), Tweetot:10% (LV:22~24)
Old Rod: Angling:100% (LV:5~10)
Orshore Town:
Old Rod: Shrubsea:70% (LV:5~10), Weedsea:30% (LV:5~10)