Chapter 17: Volcarona and the Preservation operation rescue the egg
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
We join our heroes in the middle of the Pinnwheel forest on their way to the bug Pokemon reservation, finding out what is happening there.
"I wonder how long until we get there, Brock?" Ash asked Brock, who was looking at the map. "I'm sure my contacts in the league will let us in, but it is a protective preservation," Ash said.
"I'm sure that either you or Burgh will be enough. But the map doesn't tell us where it is, only that we know it is midway through the forest. That is all I can say," Brock said. Misty was looking for a building or a gate to preserve and noticed a massive metal gate not far from where they were.
"I think that that might be it, you guys?" Misty said to Ash and Brock, who turned to where she was pointing and walked towards where it was, and it was indeed the preservation guarded by the league's Police like Officer Jenny. Brock, being Brock, tries to flirt his way with Officer Jenny only to be threatened with being arrested.
"That's okay, Jenny, they are with the league, most importantly Ash here," A voice called out to Officer Jenny, who let Brock go and nodded as if it was Jason.
"Hey, Jason, fancy to see you here? You are here on league investigation about what Burgh told us?" Ash asked Jason, who let the group in as they walked towards the security area.
"Yes, I am, as this is one of the last few Volcarona around that isn't owned by a trainer. Even the champion of the region has it as one of his Pokemon. Also, Brock, contain yourself, please; if you pull that stunt again, all three of you will be thrown out; sorry, but it's the league's policy," Jason asked Brock, Misty, and Ash. Pikachu and Snivy glared at Brock because this was their only chance to be in a place like this, who nodded at this. Jason pulled up a young moth-looking Pokemon who was cuddling an egg of its own. "This is her, the Volcarona. She is the only wild one left, as trainers own many. Recently she had a mate and two eggs; however, the mate and one of the eggs were taken just the other day," Jason told Ash and the others.
"Awe, she so cute and a mother as well," Misty said, not scared at seeing her. Ash nodded at this and let Blitzle out. As this was her area of expertise, Volcarona obscured the view for her to get a good look at the eggs.
"I can see that she has an egg, Ash, but until I get a closer look, I can't tell if it's okay or not?" Blitzle told Ash, who explained Blitzle's talent about being a Pokemon egg expert and the growth of the younglings when hatched.
"As much as I want you to visit her and help cheer her up, I don't think she trusts humans. I mean, a poacher was the one who stole one of her eggs, and she barely managed to keep the other," Jason said.
"We can at least try. I mean, we aren't the types to pry a mother of her egg," Misty suggested as Jason nodded and led the group out to where the Volcarona noticed this and took a defensive position, but they could tell that she was shy.
"Please, no more humans. I had already lost my mate to whoever wanted him, and now my egg was taken. You came back for the other?" Volcarona said in a hurtful way while flaring up her body to protect her egg.
"Don't worry. We are here to help and check on you to see if you or your egg is okay?" Ash said to Volcarona, who hid the egg under her arms protectively. Ash backed off and showed that he was willing to cooperate with her.
"Like me, Ash is also with the league and has a history of taking good care of bug Pokemon, but I understand you aren't very trusting towards humans. You barely made it with one egg if Serperior and I didn't step in," Jason said to Volcarona, who nodded. Blitzle was very concerned about this as this situation isn't suitable for an egg.
"For now, let's see what we can do to find both of them?" Ash suggested to Jason, who nodded as the group left.
"Right now, rescuing the egg matters, as the mate was taken a few weeks ago. The egg was taken just the other day," Jason said. "The hunter is an amateur and has left behind many things that made it easier for us to find him," Jason explained.
Jason took Ash to the security room and showed them what had happened with the eggs. "Man, you weren't kidding about this guy. He's so bad that not even Team Rocket was that bad. Well, Jessie and James, that is," Ash said to Jason, who nodded at this.
"No argument there. We did locate him nearby and will get the egg tomorrow, as the safety of Volcarona and her egg is a top priority. We have footage of what happened to her mate," Jason said while showing said footage. The footage showed the male Volcarona, which was shiny, but suddenly, a blackish blur covered the screen, and then suddenly, the Volcarona was gone. "The problem is that every other camera isn't showing who took the Volcarona or moving it outside the preservation," Jason told the gang.
"Yeah, a shiny is not something that you can miss like that easily must be some Pokemon that must've been flying under the radar," Brock said to Jason, who nodded.
.
"The problem is we don't know what Pokemon that is. And it wasn't showing up on any other camera," Jason told the group as Blitzle watched this and was even more concerned about Volcarona.
"I'm worried Ash she is too stressed and might do things her way, and that's not good for either a mother or an egg given that her flame body ability might put the egg in a bad position," Blitzle said to Ash, who was now concerned and voiced this to Jason.
"We've been checking on her about that, and I agree with you, Blitzle. She just became a mother recently," Jason admitted to Blitzle, who was now worried.
The night comes, and Ash can't sleep as well as Blitzle as Ash gets up with her to go and check on Volcarona, especially for Blitzle's sake. As the two walked out of doors, Volcarona was about to attack them but noticed the friendly human from before.
"Oh, it's you. I appreciate that you are concerned about me, but I'll be fine," Volcarona told Ash, calming down but still defensive. Ash backs off and nods.
"I understand that you say that, Volcarona, and before you ask, I have a translator to understand you. Blitzle wants to check on the condition of your egg as she was raised in a Pokemon daycare, and I am worried as you are using your ability too much, something might happen. Please, we won't touch it, and Blitzle is good at it," Ash asked nicely as Volcarona thought about it and sighed and nodded as she was indeed worried about her egg.
"You're the first human that I trust to see my egg. Okay, I trust you enough. As a first-time mother, I don't want something to happen to my precious little Larvesta," Volcarona said to Ash and Blitzle and moved her body to show the egg, which was warm and very motherly. Ash was amazed by seeing this egg as it was a rare-looking Pokemon egg Blitzle walked towards the egg patiently and safely, not to warrant Volcarona's anger.
"I must say, for the amount of energy you are giving, the egg is going to be born a perfectly healthy baby," Blitzle told Volcarona, who was crying at hearing this as Ash calmly wiped it from her face, not caring that it was hot.
"You okay, Volcarona?" Snivy asked Volcarona, now worried why she'd cried like that Volcaronna nodded happily.
"Mostly perfectly healthy eggs barely run in either of our families. Both eggs were going to be a gift for my mate as we both wanted to start a family and from the looks of it, this place isn't good to take care of just one," Volcarona told Ash and Snivy. "I know that my mate won't be coming back anytime soon as humans captured him. Please get back my other egg, please, right now, these are my family's future," Volcarona pleaded to Ash.
"We will. I promise you this, but I need you to trust us, please we just found out where he is. Jason was right. He is a big amateur at this," Ash told Volcarona, who looked down.
"I do trust you, but," Volcarona was about to say but was interrupted by Snivy, who was more concerned about the egg being left alone.
"A mother has to protect their younglings, born or not, but you can't just leave this place. You'll get injured, and that is not what your children want, do they," Snivy said to Volcarona crossing her arms. Volcarona nodded at this.
"We'll be leaving to get to that Poacher tomorrow morning. Please have patience. We'll get that other egg back, please. You already trusted us enough. Just trust us to do the right thing," Ash said to Volcarona, who nodded as Ash and the others went to bed. The following day came, and Jason woke Ash.
"Volcarona just went missing." Ash fell instantly woke up along with Misty and Brock as they ran to where Volcarona would be.
"She must've gone to find where the poacher is even after we told her not to last night after we checked on the egg," Ash said as Blitzle ran over to the egg.
"I'll look after the egg. Ash go and help get her and the other egg back," Blitzle said to Ash, who nodded at this.
"I saw that on camera this morning, and I don't blame you for checking on her last night; she trusted you enough for that. It's not your fault. Ash, let's get moving now before something else happens," Jason told Ash and the others as they left to where the Poacher was. Volcarona was trying to attack the Poacher only to be battling a Scolepeed and a Gigalith.
"I see the mother hasn't learned her lesson from the last time we fought. You two don't hesitate to put her in her place. My client has her mate and doesn't need another," The Poacher said. The two Pokemon would attack her only to be stopped by a thunderbolt and an energy ball as Ash and the others arrived just in time to save Volcarona.
"Ash, I'm sorry I just," Volcarona tried to explain, which Ash politely interrupted her by giving her a nod of understanding.
"We can talk later, and we don't blame you Blitzle is protecting the other egg. You can be happy, but let's get rid of this Poacher and get your other egg back," Ash said to Volcarona, who nodded.
"Ugh, how did you find me this easily? No matter, I'm waiting on my clients, so let's let this stupid battle go," the Poacher said.
"Serperior used frenzy plant," Jason commanded his starter, who launched his attack at the two Pokemon sending them back.
"Pikachu, use Volt tackle. End this," Ash commanded Pikachu, hitting both Pokemon, sending him toward the Poacher, landing on him. Officer Jenny cuffed and took him away as Volcarona returned her egg. As she was happy about this, Blitzle also gave the same diagnosis on the second egg she did with the first egg as they returned to the reservation. However, Volcarona and Blitzle discussed something while Ash and the others talked.
"Well, whoever ordered that Poacher was the one who took the other Volcarona as well, but the problem is he was smart enough not to give who they were," Ash said to Jason, and Volcarona heard this.
"I'll contact the league about this, Ash, as this is big, but until then, we'll have to move on and do our best," Jason said. Ash was about to leave when suddenly Volcarona flew over to Ash, holding the egg she had protected before.
"Ash, thank you, but I know this is sudden, but I want you to take care of this little one for me. I don't want to have something happen to another one of my eggs, please take care of it, and I know it'll be good for you?" Volcarona asked Ash, who was surprised to hear this.
"You sure, Volcarona, even after all we did for you? You still want me to take care of this little one?" Ash asked after seeing what she went through and how rare they were.
"I'm sure Ash and maybe you can break the trend one day, and it'll find a love for it. I want it to have its own life as well, but I do feel like that unless my mate comes back, that might not happen, for now, so I trust you with this egg," Volcarona said to Ash, who took the egg and smiled at this.
"Sure, and I am sure they will be happy to be with me and find a mate. But I promise to take good care of the little one. Maybe we'll see each other again after this is over," Ash said.
"Ash, once her mate returns, I am planning on having the two be brought to Professor Oaks lab to be taken care of better as this place was that easy for Poachers to do that, and it's the safe place," Jason told Ash, who nodded at this. Volcarona nodded at this as it was safer than this place.
Ash and the gang wave goodbye to Jason and Volcarona as they leave the forest and soon to Castellia city.
With the safety of the Volcarona egg now guaranteed, Ash and the others head on their Journey. With a soon-to-be new member of the team as the Journey continues.
Meanwhile
News about what just happened reached the client. "We should have done this ourselves that Poacher was an amateur and messed up bad," Jessie said.
"Well, the twerp can have that egg as we have the real prize," James said, turning to the tanks of brainwashed Pokemon with a new member, the Shiny Volcarona.
"Some mate he is; he didn't try to fight the attraction. He must not have realized that he would be a father," a tiny Pikachu-looking Pokemon laughed from behind the Volcarona tank. "If I knew that they had an egg together, I would have gotten it myself," she said.
"No, that would've drawn attention to you, Emolga, and you did your job. You can have the next day off coming up," A Buizel said to her before looking at Jessie and James, crossing his paws. "Right, you two?" Buizel said to Jessie and James, as he was more in charge of this operation.
"Of course you can, Emolga. You scored as the rarest Pokemon out of all of these, and Buizel, we'll need you for this next mission as it has to do with your element, and it's a fishing competition," James said.
Buizel's tails wagged and snickered at this, as did Emolga.
Stay tuned.