Going Apricorn!

Sometime after capturing Cyndaquil, Ashlyn decided to train her Pokémon for their upcoming gym battle in Azalea Town for a day or two. After two days of training, the gang left the forest and soon made it to Azalea Town. Azalea Town was one of those peaceful towns surrounded by nature. When they first set foot in the town, they found out that the people there respected Slowpoke because they bring the rain whenever they yawned together. And the Slowpoke lived in Azalea Town as well as the Slowpoke well, which was an underground river filled with Slowpoke.

It was then that Team Rocket appeared and tried to take the Slowpoke. Luckily a man named Kurt, the man they were looking for, was able to help them defeat Team Rocket and sent them blasting off.

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The next day:

The gang were at Kurt's house. They were sitting in his living room with him and his granddaughter, Maizie.

"Thanks a lot, you guys. You really helped us out. I'm glad that you were able to help my grandpa get rid of those thieves from taking the Slowpoke." Maizie thanked the gang.

"Well we couldn't let those Team Rocket members take those innocent Slowpoke. So we're glad that we were able to stop them." Ashlyn said.

"Never the less, thank you," Kurt thanked them, "So what are you all doing here?"

"My friends and I are here because Prof. Oak asked us to give you something." Ashlyn took out the G.S ball from her backpack and handed it to Kurt. "Prof. Oak has no idea what this ball really is, so he thought you may find out about it."

"Well," Kurt gazed at the GS ball, "this ball is certainly a mystery, but I will see what I can do to solve it."

"Thank you, we appreciate it." Ashlyn thanked Kurt.

"Yeah no need to worry," Maizie assured the gang, "If anyone can figure out this mysterious ball, Grandpa can."

"By the way, Kurt, if its not too much to ask, but could you make us some of those special Pokeballs I've read about?" Ashlyn asked.

"I would be glad to. Which ones do you want?" Kurt asked.

"I would like one each of the seven Pokeballs." Ashlyn replied.

"Very well then." Kurt accepted.

"There are seven different types of Pokeballs?" Misty asked.

"Yes. They're all made from apricorns. Right?" Ashlyn said.

Kurt nodded, "Correct."

"Apricorns?" Misty asked.

"They're like giant berries except humans and Pokémon can't eat them because their skin is very rough." Ashlyn explained.

"That's right," Kurt added, "and there are seven different kinds of apricorns, so I make seven different types of Pokéballs with them."

"Wow that sounds interesting. I think I would one of them." Misty said.

"Me too." Brock added.

"Alright, but you'll have to get some apricorns for me first." Kurt requested.

"I'll help you." Maizie offered.

Ashlyn smiled, "Thanks."

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Maizie showed the gang a tree that was growing outside the house. White things were growing in the tree.

"Those are white apricorns, Grandpa uses those to make Fast Balls. Fast Balls are used to catch Pokémon that move quickly." Maizie explained.

"Are they okay to pick?" Misty asked.

Maizie looked at the white apricorns closely and carefully, "The ones on the lower branch are and before you pick one, I want to explain something first." She answered, her tone sounded serious and her look as well, "You must be careful when picking apricorns because if you pick them like crazy and before they are even ripe, the apricorns tree would end up destroyed. So you should pick them when they are ready to be picked and not take too many at once."

The gang understood and promised to be careful, and then Ashlyn picked a white apricorn.

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Next Maisy took the gang to a forest near Azalea Town.

"Why are we here?" Brock asked.

"We can get the other apricorns here as well." Maizie replied.

She first led them to a tree with pink apricorns.

"Pink apricorns?" Misty questioned.

"Those pink apricorns are for making Love Balls. They work best if your trying to catch a Pokémon of a different gender." Maizie explained.

"Hm, do you suppose that a Pokéball made from this kind of tree would help me catch Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny?" Brock asked, blushing.

Misty grabbed and pulled Brock's ear, "She didn't say that they were magic." She growled.

"Togi Togi." Togepi smiled.

"That's cool." Ashlyn said.

Maizie showed Ashlyn which one was okay to pick and she picked it.

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They gang continued to walk around the forest.

"Rai!" Tesla pointed out.

"See that one. That's a yellow apricorn. Which becomes a Moon Ball. They work on Pokémon that uses Moon Stone to evolve." Maizie explained.

"So like Clefairy, Nidorina and Jigglypuff." Brock said.

"Skitty and Munna." Ashlyn added.

Ashlyn picked one.

Brock saw something in another tree nearby, "Hey, look there." He pointed out.

The gang turned to the tree and saw some Pokémon that looked like a blue-green, pinecone-like Pokémon with red eyes hanging on the tree branches.

"Oh, those are Pineco." Maizie said.

Ashlyn took out her phone and scanned the Pokémon:

[Pineco, the bagworm Pokémon. Appears calm as it hangs quietly on tree branches, but it will self-destruct at the slightest provocation.]

"I think it's scary. Looks like a grenade." Misty said, slightly scared.

"That's why it's cool. I want a Pinco." Brock said, smiling.

"How are you going to keep it from self destructing?" Misty asked, scared.

"What breeder could pass up a challenge like that?" Brock smiled as he clenched his fist in front of him with determination, "Sometimes a breeder's road is more like a rocky path. But its important to meet all challenges head on. Here goes."

He took out a Pokéball and ran towards the tree where the Pineco were.

"Hey! Stay away from there!" Maizie called out.

"Ready or not, here I come, Pinco!" Brock declared.

But then he tripped over a rock and his face hit right into the tree. The girls winced when he hit the tree and fell in front of the tree.

"Well he met it head-on all right." Ashlyn stated.

Misty and Maizie nodded, "Yeah."

Suddenly the Pinco glowed white and lowered themselves from their branches and exploded around Brock. Then Brock was sent flying away from the tree, covered in soot.

Ashlyn sighed, "And here I thought he knew the dangers of catching a Pinco."

Tesla nodded, "Raichu."

"Like I said, it's a rocky path." Brock pointed out.

"Well in his case, that's two more ways than one." Maizie commented, shrugged with her arms out.

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Maizie took them to the next tree that was filled with green apricorns.

"This grove is full of green apricorns. These kind are used to make Friend Balls." Maizie explained, "Which are used to catch Pokémon, but makes them friendlier. You can take some if you like, they're all ready."

Ashlyn picked one.

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Maizie took them to another tree that was filled with red apricorns.

"Red apricorns. What are they used for?" Brock asked.

"Red apricorns are used to make Level Balls. Which is used to catch wild Pokémon that are weak." Maizie answered.

Ashlyn was about to go and pick one when she suddenly saw the landscape change in front of her, like a sonar map, noticed a hole in front of the tree. Then her vision went back to normal.

"Ashlyn, what's wrong?" Misty asked.

Ashlyn picked up a good sized rock and threw it at the where she saw the hole which revealed to be a pitfall trap.

"Where did that come from?!" Maizie exclaimed.

"Team Rocket." Ashlyn responded.

As if on cue, Team Rocket appeared out of the bushes.

"How did you know where our trap was?!" Jessie exclaimed.

"It was hidden perfectly!" James added.

"Alakazam, Lurantis, I choose you!" Ashlyn released her Psychic Pokémon and her Bloom Sickle Pokémon.

"Kazam!" Alakazam called out when he stood in front of the gang.

"Lurantis!" Lurantis cried when she appeared next to Alakazam.

"Alakazam, use Psychic!" Ashlyn ordered.

Alakazam's eyes glowed blue and Team Rocket was outline blue and they were lifted into the air. The trio cried out in panic.

"Ah! I don't like being lifted in the air!" James whined.

"Cats aren't meant to be flyers!" Meowth panicked.

"Lurantis, use Magical Leaf to send them flying!" Ashlyn commanded.

Lurantis jumped in the air, spun around and released multiple glowing green leaves from her body. The leaves then started spiraling in a tornado-like fashion while heading towards Team Rocket who were soon sent flying into the sky.

"I can't believe we didn't get any apricorns or Raichu!" Jessie yelled.

"Just when we thought we were so close to getting a quick buck." James whined.

"So much for getting rich quick." Meowth commented.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" Team Rocket screamed as they disappeared into the sky.

Everyone sighed in relief.

"Good job, Alakazam, Lurantis." Ashlyn thanked the two Pokémon.

The two smiled at their trainer's praise.

"Wow, what cool Pokémon." Maizie smiled in awe at Ashlyn's Pokémon.

"Thank you." Ashlyn smiled, "So which ones can I pick?"

Maizie showed which one Ashlyn could pick. So she picked a red apricorn.

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The next tree Maizie took the gang to were filled with blue apricorns.

"As you tell by looking, but those one are blue apricorns. Grandpa uses the apricorns from these trees to make Lure Balls." Maizie explained, "Which are the best kind for Water-type Pokémon."

"Perfect for you, Misty." Ashlyn commented. "Which ones are ready?"

Maizie stared at the blue apricorns carefully, "Ah, see those one in the front. They're ready to be picked." She replied.

Ashlyn picked one while Misty picked two.

Maizie turned her head to her side and gasped, "Oh, look at how big the black apricorns got." She said.

"What kind of Pokéball do you make with those?" Misty asked.

"They're used to make Heavy Ball, which is really good to capture Pokémon that weight a lot." Maizie explained.

Ashlyn and Brock were about to pick one when a group of Pinco lowered themselves from the tree.

"Yes! Now's my chance to catch one!" Brock cheered and ran towards the tree, "I wish to catch one of you."

The biggest Pineco jumped from off the tree.

"Wow that Pineco doesn't seem afraid of being captured." Misty stated.

"I'll say." Ashlyn agreed.

Brock sent out Graveler to battle Pineco.

"As Geodude is a rock type, Pineco won't have a chance, since it's a bug type Pokémon." Ashlyn explained.

"What?!" Misty gasped, "Pineco's a bug Pokémon?"

"Yes, they may not look like a bug but they are." Ashlyn responded.

"Well Pineco doesn't look creepy to me." Misty commented.

Ashlyn was relieved that Misty wasn't screaming like mad as she always does around bug Pokémon.

"Okay Graveler, use Tackle." Brock ordered.

"Geo!" Graveler charged towards the bagworm Pokémon.

"Pineco!" Pineco jumped, avoiding the Tackle attack and then it shoot out stars from its body.

"That Pineco knows Swift. It must be its egg move." Ashlyn said.

The stars did hit Graveler, but not that much damage as normal moves like Swift wouldn't work on Rock-type Pokémon.

"Use Mega Punch Graveler." Brock commanded.

Graveler's fist glowed white and then he punched Pineco really hard. Pineco got really hurt by that punch. Then Pineco started to glow white.

"It's going to use Self-Destruct!" Maizie exclaimed.

Brock took out a Pokéball that is red, yellow and black, he threw it towards the Pineco.

"Hey, that's a Fast Ball!" Maizie said.

Brock threw the fast ball at Pineco and Pineco was captured. Ashlyn, Misty and Maizie congratulated Brock for his capture.

"Hey Brock, when did you get a Fast Ball?" Ashlyn asked.

"At the Pokémon center," Brock replied, "There was an empty fast ball on the floor and I asked Nurse Joy if it belonged to anyone, and apparently no one claimed for it. So I decided to have it."

"I see." Ashlyn responded.

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Soon they went back to Kurt's house and the gang gave the apricorns to the Pokéball maker.

"Thank you. I'll start making them into Pokéballs right away. They'll be done by tomorrow." Kurt said.

"That's great," Ashlyn said, "In the meantime, we're going to the gym tomorrow. So we'll pick them up after."

Kurt nodded.

"Speaking of Pokéballs, did you happen to find anything about the GS Ball?" Brock asked.

Kurt frowned, he took out the GS Ball and stared at it, "It's simple yet complex. Classic but bold. Advance but somehow still primitive." He answered, "I still don't know."

"I see." Ashlyn said.

"I have no idea who design this thing but it's protected by a very powerful lock." Kurt explained.

"A powerful lock?" Ashlyn, Misty, and Brock asked.

"That's right and there must be a way to break that lock but I don't know what it is yet." Kurt said.

"There is something you don't know Grandpa?" Maizie said.

"I said I don't know yet Maizie, but I'm positive that I can get to the bottom of this with enough time." Kurt looked at the gang, "Is it okay with you kids, if I kept the GS Ball a little longer?"

"That's perfectly fine." Ashlyn responded, "But don't forget to let Professor Oak know if you found anything about the GS Ball."

"Sure. I'll tell him." Kurt said.

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That night the gang were resting in the Pokémon center.

"I can't wait till we get our special Pokéballs." Ashlyn said.

"Hey Ashlyn, what Pokémon are you going to use in the gym battle?" Misty asked.

"That's easy; Searius, Cyndaquil and Poseidon." Ashlyn replied.

"Huh, is Poseidon ready for a gym battle?" Brock asked.

"Yep, I've trained him many times and my Pokémon taught him some new moves, so he's ready now." Ashlyn stated.

Soon they all fell asleep.

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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Type: Null (Talos)(Genderless), Lugia (Poseidon)(M), Heracross (M), Sentret (F), Shiny Carbink (F), Lurantis (F), Alakazam (M), Bulbasaur (Cedar)(M), Stantler (F), Chikorita (F), Alolan Sandslash (Eirwen)(M), Cyndaquil (M), Shiny Entei (Searius)(M)

*Marshadow is hiding in Ashlyn's shadow

Pokémon Caught: Heracross (M), Sentret (F), Stantler (F), Chikorita (F), Cyndaquil (M)