Chapter 40 Route 7

As Ash and his friends make their way along Route 7, they spot Keira training with her new Pokémon, a Roobeo. Noticing them, Keira waves enthusiastically. "Oh, hey guys! How are you?" she calls out, greeting them with a smile.

"We're great! How about you?" Alice asks, returning the smile.

Keira nods. "I saw your battle with that red-haired guy back at Docking Port. He seems tough, but he's a good trainer."

"I agree," Ash says with a nod. "If he could just change his attitude, he'd be a perfect trainer."

Keira grins. "How about a battle? I've got a new Pokémon I'd love to try out."

"Sure," Ash agrees eagerly.

Keira sends out her Roobeo, and Ash responds by sending out Aquad, ready for a fierce battle between their Fighting-type Pokémon.

"So, which Pokémon do you think will win, Mark?" Delia asks, curious about the matchup.

"Both are great Pokémon, but Brother has the advantage," Mark replies confidently.

"I see," Alice says, watching the battle unfold.

The two Pokémon clash with powerful moves, but in the end, Aquad begins to glow, signaling its evolution. As it grows taller, reaching the same height as Ash, it uses Submission, delivering a final blow that knocks Roobeo out.

"Wow, you evolved!" Ash exclaims, his eyes widening in surprise as he looks up at his newly evolved Pokémon. He quickly scans it with his Pokédex.

Smaqua: The Freshwater Pokémon. Fighting and Water Type. Evolved from Aquad at Level 28. Smaqua train by standing on rocks in the center of whitewater rapids, avoiding and smashing any obstacles that may wash down the river.

Keira smiles, recalling her Roobeo. "I enjoyed that battle. You're still the best, Ash." She then asks, "Are you headed to Highpoint City?"

"Of course, I need to get my fifth Gym Badge," Ash replies.

Keira nods in understanding. "Well, I'm heading back to Route 6 to train my Pokémon. I think I need to catch a stronger one... Good luck with the Gym in Highpoint City. We'll definitely meet again. Bye!" With that, Keira waves and heads off in the opposite direction.

As she leaves, Alice comments, "So she came all the way here just for a battle?"

Ash shrugs as they continue forward. "Maybe she just wanted to show us her Roobeo."

With that, they press on, their goal of reaching Highpoint City and earning Ash's fifth Gym Badge driving them forward.

As Ash and his friends continue their journey, they come across a section of the forest with charred trees and scorched ground. Mark surveys the damage and says, "Wow... I wonder what kind of Pokémon could have caused this."

Just then, they spot a bear-like Pokémon practicing its Flamethrower on a tree. However, when it notices the group, its expression instantly shifts to a cute, innocent look, causing Alice to coo, "You are so cute."

Ash, however, remains cautious. "But that face... it sure changes rapidly," he remarks, noting the Pokémon's sudden shift in demeanor.

Suddenly, the bear Pokémon turns its head and shoots a Flamethrower directly at Ash. Fortunately, Ash manages to dodge just in time. "Hey, what was that for?" he exclaims, startled by the attack.

"I think it's mad about you mentioning its changing expressions," Mark says with a chuckle.

Before the bear can launch another attack, Ash quickly sends out Charizard. Charizard swoops in, grabbing the bear Pokémon to prevent it from causing more trouble.

"Let go of me, you overgrown lizard!" the bear yells, struggling in Charizard's grasp.

"Not until you calm down," Charizard responds firmly, holding the bear securely. The bear then changes tactics, putting on its cutest face and pleading, "Please?"

Ash watches the interaction with interest. "From that Flamethrower we saw, you have a lot of potential to get stronger. How about I capture you? We can train together and help you become even stronger."

The bear Pokémon eyes Ash carefully, considering his offer. After a moment, it nods in agreement. Ash smiles and tosses a Poké Ball, which captures the bear Pokémon without a struggle.

Cuburn: The Bear Pokémon. Fire Type. While having an adorable appearance, Cuburn's temper flares up easily. They may even cause wildfires when engaging in especially heated battles.

As the Poké Ball clicks shut, Ash picks it up and smiles. "Welcome to the team, Cuburn," he says, eager to see how this fiery new addition will grow.

With their new teammate secured, the group continues on their way, ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.

As the group continues down the road, Pikachu suddenly senses something amiss. His ears twitch, and he urgently yells, "Everyone, dodge!"

Reacting quickly, the group leaps out of the way just as a barrage of barbs whizzes past them, narrowly missing their heads. "What was that?" Ash exclaims, looking around in alarm.

Mark points ahead, where they see several iron ball-like Pokémon with purple barbs shooting wildly in all directions. "I guess they might be the ones who caused it," he says.

"They're Barball," Alice identifies the Pokémon, her voice tinged with concern. "But why are they attacking us?"

"I don't know," Ash replies, frowning at the chaos around them. "But we have to stop them."

Without hesitation, Ash calls out Monstune. As usual, Monstune tries to hug his trainer, but Ash quickly stops him, refocusing him on the task at hand. "Monstune, use Earthquake!"

Monstune stomps the ground, sending powerful shockwaves through the area. The Earthquake hits all the Barball, causing them to faint instantly.

Delia nods in approval. "They're four times weak to Ground-type moves. Good thinking, Ash."

"Yeah," Ash agrees, glancing at the fainted Barball. "But I think I'll just randomly catch one." He throws a Poké Ball, and it successfully captures one of the Barball.

Barball: The Barb Pokémon. Steel and Poison Type. Barball sheds their worn-out spikes for new, sharper ones every once in a while. The shed spikes are still incredibly venomous and have been used as arrowheads in the past.

"So, it must have been their time to shed those worn-out spikes," Ash muses, looking at the Poké Ball in his hand.

"Yeah, but at least you have one now," Delia replies with a smile.

As they continue along Route 7, the final Pokémon Ash encounters is a small ant-like creature. Without warning, it bites Alice on the finger, causing her to wince in pain as a burning sensation spreads from the wound.

"Alice, let me help you," Ash says quickly, pulling out a medical kit from his bag. He carefully tends to her wound, applying an ointment to soothe the burn. "Thank you, Ash," Alice says, grateful for his quick response.

"Anything for the one I love," Ash replies, causing Alice to blush deeply.

Mark, observing the scene, can't resist teasing. "Are you going to keep flirting, or are you going to capture that Pokémon?"

Ash snaps back to attention, realizing he still has a job to do. "Right! It's a good thing I have a Quick Ball."

He quickly throws the Quick Ball, and it successfully captures the Pokémon. As Ash checks his Pokédex, he notices something unusual.

Fyrant: The Fire Ant Pokémon. Bug and Fire Type. A bite from a Fyrant can cause a burning pain that can last for hours. They are usually found around volcano vents where they build their underground nests.

"But it's green... that means we caught a Shiny one!" Alice exclaims, noticing the unique coloration of the captured Fyrant.

"Yeah," Ash agrees, looking at the Poké Ball in his hand. He then turns to Alice, his expression filled with concern. "I'm sorry you got hurt again, Alice."

Alice smiles warmly at him, brushing off his worry. "It's fine. As long as I'm with you, there's no need to worry."

With their bond strengthened and a new Shiny Pokémon added to the team, the group finally reaches Highpoint City, ready to face the challenges that await them.

When they arrive at Highpoint City, known for its scorching temperatures and bubbling lava pools, Ash and his friends immediately make their way to the Pokémon Center. After healing their Pokémon, they decide to check out the quest board to see if anyone in the city needs help.

The first person they encounter is a lady who approaches them with a hopeful expression. "Hey, you're Trainers, aren't you? I've heard that other cities have vending machines everywhere... I've always wondered why Highpoint City has none, especially with how hot it is here. Do you happen to have any drinks from those vending machines? I've been dying to taste one."

"Drinks from vending machines?" Ash repeats, glancing at Alice. They both rummage through their backpacks, and Ash pulls out a bottle of Fresh Water. "We only have a Fresh Water. Is that okay?"

"Oh, Fresh Water! Thank you so much!" the lady exclaims, eagerly taking the bottle. She quickly gulps down the refreshing drink, visibly relieved by the coolness. After finishing, she turns back to Ash and Alice with a grateful smile. "For bringing me something to drink, I'd like to give you something special in return—some rare evolution stones."

She hands them a Sun Stone and a Moon Stone as thanks for the drink. Ash and Alice accept the stones, thanking the lady for her generosity.

The next person they encounter is a bug catcher, eagerly approaching them with a wide grin. "Hello there! My name is Hubertus, and I really, really, really love Bug-type Pokémon! I traveled all the way from Johto to Rikoto just to see all the Bug-type Pokémon living here!"

"Oh, so you're from Johto... It's been a while since I've been there," Ash comments, feeling a pang of nostalgia.

Hubertus nods excitedly. "A friend of mine told me that there are many Bug-type Pokémon here that have a second type. But I've been having trouble finding some of them. I'm still searching for Bug and Grass, Bug and Fire, and Bug and Water combinations... Can you prove to me that they all exist in Rikoto?"

Alice turns to Ash, a curious expression on her face. "Well, I think we can do it?" she asks, prompting Ash to check his Pokédex.

After a moment, Ash frowns slightly. "The problem is that I don't have any Bug and Water types on my team..."

Delia, always resourceful, chimes in with an idea. "I have a suggestion. Formling can transform into any Pokémon, and the bug catcher just wants to see the Pokémon, not keep them."

Ash nods, realizing the cleverness of the plan. He quickly retrieves Formling, along with Stickut and Fyant. Delia instructs Formling to transform, and in an instant, Formling takes the shape of a giant mosquito-like Pokémon.

Ash looks at the transformed Formling in awe. "That's a Bug and Water Type?"

Delia nods. "Yes, it's a Mosliquo, a Bug and Water type native to Rikoto."

Hubertus's eyes widen with amazement. "Unbelievable! They really do all exist in Rikoto! Thank you for proving me wrong. Here's a gift for your effort."

With gratitude, Ash and his friends receive a TM for U-turn, adding it to their collection as they continue their journey in Highpoint City.

Here is a new chapter, and the group finally arrive at Highpoint City, but there is still more to do before the gym and I hope you like it.

New Pokemon/Evolution: Smaqua, Cuburn, Barball, Fyant

Route 7:

Land: Moostone:25% (LV:24~26), Kidlit:25% (LV:24~26), Irimp:20% (LV:24~26), Barball:20% (LV:24~26), Fyant:5% (LV:24~26), Hottop:5% (LV:24~26)

Rock Smash: Hottop:100% (LV:24~26)

Headbutt: Irimp:59% (LV:24~26), Paraful:41% (LV:24~26)