Long chapter
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The group started climbing the mountain once they reached the forest area, the place where the Apricorn trees grew. All the while, Ethan was recounting their side adventure in the ruins.
"And that's about it," Ethan said as they carefully avoided a random cliff.
"So, you and Ash, and not only that—the Gym Leader himself—all went and did all that?" Misty said, giving a side-eye to Ash. "And why didn't you tell us anything about this?"
Ash shrugged. "I guess it just never came up."
Ethan shook his head. "Dude, seriously, you're way too humble. If I were in your place, I'd make a song about myself. It would go, '🎵Gold the hero~ he's good as gold🎵~'... Well, you get it; I'm not the best at singing."
"...You know, I'm suddenly grateful Ash keeps things to himself now," Misty said, imagining the alternative.
"Agreed," Brock added. He didn't dislike the way Ethan was; it's just that after everything he and Ash had been through, it would be strange if Ash acted so goofy. Can you even imagine that?
Maizie caught their attention. "Hey guys, we're here. Look around—this is where all the trees are."
As everyone looked back at the young girl, she pointed to the different trees. "Okay, listen up. The Apricorns come in Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Red, White, and Yellow, and each of them can be made into one type of Pokéball: Heavy, Lure, Friend, Love, Level, Fast, and Moon."
She smirked. "That is, as long as you use only one. But if you mix and match, you can make even more options. For example, if you mix Blue and Red Apricorns, you get Great Balls, and if you mix Black and Yellow, you get Ultra Balls. And obviously, they're far better than the ones you can buy."
Everyone looked amazed at Maizie's knowledge, and Ash was taking notes since he was already growing Apricorn trees in his dimension. He'd bought the saplings in Celadon City as a special order through Erika, who had gotten him one of each. They were already bearing fruit.
As they continued walking and looking around, most of the Apricorns didn't catch anyone's interest. When they got to the Pink Apricorns, Brock wanted to run up to them—Love Balls were interesting to him for all the wrong reasons. Needless to say, one spray from Poliwag later, and they moved on.
As they kept going, they saw some Blue and Black Apricorns, but on their way to the Yellow Apricorns, Maizie stopped them. "Wait, we can't go any further. Look," she said, pointing at a tree.
Looking closer, they saw a bunch of Pineco hanging on the branches, resting with their eyes closed.
"Wow, those look pretty scary," Yellow said as she checked her Pokédex, which showed their tendency to explode at the slightest provocation.
"Yeah, they look like grenades," Misty said, peeking over Yellow's shoulder. Then, noticing their typing, she added, "Yuck, and they're Bug types. Even worse!"
"Hey, what's wrong with Bug-types? Bugs are cool," Ethan said, resting his hands behind his head. "Even the Gym Leader here uses Bug types."
Misty shivered—that was not something she expected. "T-The Gym Leader uses Bug types? B-But I thought they'd be Water or Psychic specialists with all the Slowpoke around…"
"Nope, Bug specialist," Ash confirmed. "And yeah, they're pretty cool."
"I know, right?" Brock said, stepping in front of them. "I want one!"
"How are you going to make sure it doesn't blow up on you?" Ethan asked.
"That's the fun part about being a breeder-in-training! It's a challenge I need to pass, and I'm looking forward to it!" Brock said excitedly.
"..." Ash stayed silent as he pulled out a Pokéball. "You wanna borrow Venusaur to use [Sleep Powder]?"
"Yes, please," Brock replied shamelessly, taking the Pokéball and completely ignoring his earlier speech.
Needless to say, one quick [Sleep Powder] from Venusaur and the Pineco were out like a light, so Brock easily took his pick and caught one. This time, he didn't waste a Fast Ball on a Pokémon with a speed of 15.
After they gathered the Apricorns they wanted for Poké Balls, the group regrouped to discuss their next steps.
"Alright," Ethan said enthusiastically, "Now that we've got what we need, Maizie, take me to where that Pokémon you want is!"
Maizie looked slightly conflicted. "Uhh, I know... but shouldn't I help everyone get off the mountain first? I mean, they don't have to get involved in this, right?"
"We don't mind, right?" Brock said, looking around at everyone. "And it's not like it's hard to see where we came from—I can see Kurt's house from here."
"Yeah, besides, you helped us get these Apricorns. The least we can do is be here for you when you get your first Pokémon!" Misty said, clapping her hands.
Maizie's face lit up with a bright smile. "Aww, thank you! Okay, let's go then. I'll show you the way, but be careful—it might get dangerous."
Ethan grinned, walking beside Maizie and holding a Friend Ball. "Don't worry about us. We're all strong enough to take care of ourselves."
As they climbed further up the mountain, they started to see steep rocky cliffs. Ethan almost slipped down one when Ash grabbed him by the collar of his jacket just in time.
"Gaa! Thanks, Ash…" Ethan said, catching his breath.
"Don't mention it," Ash replied, helping him steady himself.
"So, Maizie, what's this Pokémon you're looking for anyway?" Ash asked.
"Oh, she's called Teddiursa. She's this round, cute Pokémon with adorable little ears," Maizie said, smiling and holding her cheeks as she pictured the cute cub.
"Kinda like that?" Yellow asked, pointing toward the cliff. As they all looked over, they saw a little Teddiursa nearby.
Maizie's eyes widened with excitement. "*Gasp* Yeah, that's her! That's the Pokémon I want to be my friend!"
"Okay, stand back and watch," Ethan said, holding up the Friend Ball and sneaking up on Teddiursa. But just as he got within throwing range, a massive Ursaring emerged from behind a large rock, roaring at him.
"YAAAAA! An Ursaring!" Ethan yelled, jumping back and almost bumping into Maizie. "You didn't tell me about the evolved form!"
Just as Ethan was about to grab Maizie and start running, a Sneasel suddenly appeared and slashed at the Ursaring's claws, freezing them solid.
While everyone was processing what just happened, Silver walked out from behind a rock where he'd been hiding. "Way to ruin my capture. I was just about to surprise this thing."
"Hey, it's you!" Ethan said, recognizing Silver from the lab when he'd started his journey. "Thanks for the help—you saved me there."
Silver scoffed. "I wasn't aiming to save you; I saved the girl," he said, referring to Maizie.
"Are you still hung up on that? I said I was sorry!" Ethan tried to argue. Suddenly, they noticed Ursaring melting the ice on its hand with a fiery [Fire Punch].
"Grrr, this thing's smarter than it looks. Croconaw, Sneasel—attack!" Silver commanded as Croconaw jumped out from the rocks, joining Sneasel in their attack on the Ursaring.
"S-should we help?" Yellow asked as Chuchu prepared to jump in. Brock and Misty were already reaching for their PokéBalls.
But Ethan held out his hand and smiled. "No need, I've got this. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Aibo, let's do this!" he said, tossing a Poké Ball and releasing Aibo.
"Aibo, help him out! Let's take down that Ursaring!" Ethan commanded as Aibo leaped forward, slapping Ursaring across the face.
"Are you trying to poach it off me?!" Silver's face darkened. "Weren't you after the Teddiursa?"
"No, I'm trying to help you here! Can't you just accept my help?" Ethan argued, momentarily distracted. "Oh, right—Teddiursa! Where is she—" He turned just in time to see Teddiursa charging straight toward him, ready to headbutt, but he was too slow to dodge.
"Pikachu!" Ash's voice rang out as Pikachu jumped in, blocking the cub's attack with a swift [Iron Tail], sending it tumbling back toward its papa bear.
Ash stood behind them. "How about you two stop arguing and focus on taking down this Ursaring first?"
"Grr, fine," Silver muttered, still irritated. "But only because I have to."
"Wow, okay, edgelord..." Ethan replied dryly.
Once they stopped bickering, their Pokémon began working together to beat down Ursaring. Realizing it was being pushed back, Ursaring glanced around and spotted a new target: the defenseless Maizie.
With a furious roar, Ursaring dashed forward. At first, it looked like an attack on the group, so they dodged easily. But then they saw its real target—Maizie. Just as they were about to shout a warning, Ash sprinted forward, grabbed Maizie, and slid underneath Ursaring, causing the bear to plunge its claw into the ground.
"Looks like I have to do this myself. Pikachu, use—" Ash started, but then he noticed something alarming. Ursaring smirked, pressing its claw deeper into the rock, causing the cliff they were standing on to crack.
They tried to scramble out of the way, but it happened too fast. Only Brock, Misty, and Yellow managed to escape safely; Ash, Silver, Ethan, and Maizie started to plummet down the cliff along with the two bears.
"Ash!" Brock, Misty, and Yellow cried out in unison, horrified as they watched their friend fall.
As they fell, Ash called out, "Don't worry about us! Get back to Kurt—we'll meet you there!" They lost sight of him as he and the others disappeared below. Despite their concern, they took a breath. It was Ash, after all; he'd handled worse…right?
Meanwhile, Ash held Maizie protectively as they plummeted toward the ground. He glanced at Silver and Ethan. "Get close to me, NOW!"
They nodded and pulled themselves and their Pokémon closer to Ash, who reached for a Poké Ball on his belt and threw it toward the ground below.
As the PokéBall opened, releasing Snorlax, who landed with a soft thud and continued snoozing, allowing them all to land safely on his soft belly. The same couldn't be said for Ursaring.
Ursaring fell hard, clutching Teddiursa close to shield her from the impact. It hit the ground with a loud thud but, being a powerful Pokémon, still managed to get up.
As they all stood, Silver clenched his teeth. "Even after all that, this thing is still up."
Ash jumped down, returning Snorlax to its Poké Ball while still holding Maizie. "Can you guys handle this, or do I need to step in?"
Ethan stretched his arm behind his head, smirking. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on protecting Maizie—we've got this."
Silver grunted but gave a nod of agreement. "Fine. Let's do this. Croconaw, Sneasel—dual [Ice Punch]!"
Croconaw and Sneasel leaped forward, their fists glowing a frosty blue. Ursaring raised its claws to block, but when the punches landed, Ursaring's hands froze together in an icy grip.
"My turn! Aibo, [Return]!" Ethan commanded.
Aibo charged forward, flipping into the air and bringing down a powerful tail-fist directly onto Ursaring's face, toppling the bear over.
The little Teddiursa hurried over, anxiously shaking her father. After a moment, Ursaring struggled, breaking free of the ice with brute strength.
Ethan raised a Friend Ball, and Silver readied a Heavy Ball. "So, I'm guessing you want big, bad, and stubborn," Ethan said.
"And you're after the little one," Silver replied.
They nodded in unison. "Right!" they said together.
They tossed their PokéBalls through the air. Ursaring, noticing the incoming balls, rose up and swiped at them. A normal PokéBall might have shattered, but these were reinforced, merely bouncing back.
Ethan and Silver were about to look for another approach when Ash called out, "Don't worry about it—I've got this!"
Near Ash, Pikachu suddenly appeared, holding a thin thread. Unbeknownst to them, Pikachu had been busy setting up a [Electroweb] the entire time they'd been down there.
The Poké Balls landed in the web, and Pikachu pulled the strands tight, sending the balls flying back. They ricocheted off each other in midair, catching Ursaring and Teddiursa off guard and forcing them into the Poké Balls.
After a few rolls, the balls settled with a *ding*, signaling the capture. Ethan and Silver approached, each grabbing their respective Poké Ball.
"Hey, we did it! Nice job, dude!" Ethan said, holding out a hand for a high five from Silver.
But Silver was already walking away, giving a nod of acknowledgment to Ash as he headed toward the forest.
Ethan's eye twitched. "I said I was sorry! He's still upset about that?"
Ash shrugged, setting Maizie down. "I mean, you did accuse him of stealing and, on top of that, tried to flirt with what's essentially his sister. So yeah, he's not exactly a fan."
Ethan sighed and looked down at Maizie, handing her the Friend Ball. "Here's your Teddiursa. I think you two will get along great."
Maizie took the ball, releasing Teddiursa. As the little cub appeared, she knelt down, eyes sparkling. "Will you be my friend?"
Teddiursa tilted her head, then nodded happily, prompting Maizie to scoop her up and hug her tightly.
Ash sighed, looking up the path they'd come down. "So, how about we get off this mountain?"
Ethan tapped Ash's chest lightly with the back of his hand. "I'm out—you take it from here. I did my part," he said, waving as he walked away. "See ya, Maizie! Bye, Teddiursa!"
Maizie looked up at Ash. "So… how do we get out of here?"
Right on cue, Abra appeared on Ash's shoulder. "We take the Abra Express, of course," he said, picking up Maizie and her new Teddiursa. In a flash, they teleported out.
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{Meanwhile}
"And… that's what happened," Brock finished explaining to Kurt why Ash and Maizie hadn't returned with the rest of them.
Kurt looked stern, though his worry was clear. "So… where are they now?"
"I don't k—" Brock started, but suddenly, Ash and Maizie appeared in the middle of the room, Maizie holding a delighted Teddiursa.
"Oh, hey, everyone! Hi, Gran—oh…" Maizie's voice trailed off as she saw her grandpa's expression, and she shrank back.
"BAD GIRL!!! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT DOING THAT ISN'T SAFE!" Kurt said angrily
Maizie shrunk down, making herself small, "I'm s-sorry…"
Kurt took a breath and put a hand on Maizie's head, "Well…it's alright," Kurt said, putting on a big smile, "I'm just glad you're safe, you'll take good care of that Pokemon, won't you."
Then he turned to Ash, Brock, Misty, and Yellow. "As for you four, I'm sorry things didn't go exactly as planned. But my offer still stands—hand over the Apricorns you collected, and I'll turn them into Poké Balls."
As they gave the Apricorns to Kurt, a low rumble sounded. They turned to see it was coming from Maizie's stomach. She blushed, embarrassed. "Sorry… I guess I still haven't had lunch."
Everyone chuckled, and Brock stepped up. "How about I whip something up? I'm kind of hungry, too."
Maizie's face brightened. "Okay! Follow me, I'll show you the kitchen!"
They started to follow her but noticed Ash sitting down. "Hey, Ash, you coming?" Yellow asked, holding Chuchu in her arms.
"Nah, I already ate before we met back up," Ash replied, then nodded toward Pikachu. "But feel free to take this guy—he's always hungry."
Pikachu opened his mouth to protest, but his stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble. Grumbling, he hopped over to Yellow, accepting his fate.
"Oh, alright then!" Yellow said, turning to follow the others to the kitchen.
Once everyone else had left, Kurt got to work, lighting the furnace and preparing the Apricorns. Ash stepped closer, watching intently. "Hey, Kurt, could I ask you something?"
Kurt looked over, curious. "Sure, what do you need?"
"Would you teach me how to make Poké Balls?"
Kurt paused, halfway through handling an Apricorn. "What…?"
Ash anticipated his reaction. "I know it's not easy, and I don't expect to master it. But I've already taken some classes in Poké Ball crafting with Professor Oak. You could ask him."
Kurt's gaze softened a little, though he still looked doubtful. "You really think a few classes can prepare you for this? I've spent my whole life studying and crafting Poké Balls."
"I'm not saying I'll be a pro," Ash replied. "I just want a chance to prove myself."
Kurt considered this. Given everything Ash had done recently—from saving Maizie to bringing him the GS Ball—he decided to give him a chance. "Alright, but on one condition."
Kurt placed a box of Apricorns in front of Ash. "One of these Apricorns is ripe enough to make a Poké Ball. The rest aren't. Pick the right one, and I'll teach you."
Ash looked over the Apricorns. At first glance, they all looked the same, but he'd learned some tricks from his farming experience and knew how to tell which were ripe.
"Actually, trick question—these are all ripe," Ash said confidently. "But they're not meant for Poké Balls, are they?"
Kurt gave a rare chuckle. "Sharp eye. These are edible Apricorns, picked just before their skin becomes too hard. Well, a deal's a deal—I'll show you, but you'll only get a few tries."
"That's fine," Ash said with a grin. "I'm a quick study."
Ash watched intently as Kurt demonstrated. First, Kurt heated the Apricorns in the furnace to soften them. Then, he carefully cut through the hard skin with a specialized knife, scooping out the fruit inside, which he gave to his Shuckle to make juice. Once the Apricorn was empty, he shocked it in cold water, making the outer shell harden like iron.
After that, he placed the Apricorn back in the furnace until it was glowing hot, then hammered it to shape the top of the Poké Ball. Once that was done, he set it aside to cool while he worked on the bottom, which could be crafted from iron, plastic, or another Apricorn shell, which is what Kurt preferred. Finally, he assembled the pieces, adding a button mechanism to complete the ball.
Ash paid close attention, following every step and listening to Kurt's instructions. When it was his turn, he mirrored Kurt's techniques, and after the final assembly, he presented his finished Poké Ball to Kurt.
Kurt examined it closely, then nodded. "Not bad. For your first try, that's impressive. You're a natural. You wouldn't happen to want to stick around and be my apprentice, would you?"
Ash smiled, shaking his head. "Thanks, but I'm a trainer first and foremost. Still, I appreciate the offer."
Kurt nodded in understanding. "Alright, then. Let's keep going—there are more Apricorns left. And if we finish up, I'll show you how to mix Apricorns to make different types of Poké Balls."
With that, Ash and Kurt continued working side by side.