Following Kurt, Ash and his group arrived at his home, a place filled with the scent of wood and the constant sound of tools clinking against one another.
The interior was simple yet orderly. Various unfinished Poké Balls and crafting tools hung along the walls, while piles of differently colored Apricorns sat stacked in the corners, silently reflecting the daily life of this skilled craftsman.
"So you're Mr. Kurt."
Ash spoke respectfully. The old man's earlier disheveled appearance near the well had done nothing to hide the calm and steady aura of a true artisan.
After chatting for a while, they learned that Kurt was not only an outstanding craftsman capable of turning Apricorns into specialized Poké Balls, but also the guardian of Azalea Town's Slowpoke Well, carrying the important responsibility of maintaining the local ecological balance.
Ash carefully took out the strangely patterned GS Ball from his backpack and handed it over to Kurt.
"Professor Oak asked me to deliver this to you."
Kurt accepted the GS Ball and carefully traced every inch of its surface with his fingertips, his brows slowly knitting together.
He repeatedly examined it under the light and even took out a magnifying glass to inspect it closely. In the end, however, he could only shake his head helplessly, his face filled with confusion and amazement.
"Incredible... Even I've never seen a material like this before. It's neither metal nor wood, yet it contains a strange energy fluctuation. Professor Oak really handed me quite the difficult problem."
Although the mystery of the GS Ball remained unsolved for now, Ash finally felt relieved after successfully delivering it to Kurt.
To thank Ash and the others for helping save the town and resolve the drought crisis, Kurt generously gifted each of them a finely crafted Fast Ball. He also specially permitted them to head into the mountain behind the town under the guidance of his granddaughter, Maizie, to gather Apricorns so he could create custom special-purpose Poké Balls for them.
"Really? Thank you so much!"
Excitement shone in Ash's eyes.
As a trainer, he knew very well how useful special Poké Balls could be during a journey. This was undoubtedly an unexpectedly precious gift.
Although his system could exchange for many kinds of Poké Balls, he was more than happy to accept Kurt's kindness.
Kurt's granddaughter, Maizie, was a lively and clever little girl who eagerly volunteered to act as their guide.
As she skipped happily ahead, she enthusiastically explained:
"There are seven colors of Apricorns! White, red, blue, black, pink, green, and yellow! Poké Balls made from different colors all have completely different functions!"
It turned out that only white Apricorn trees were planted in Kurt's backyard, which was why they needed to come to the more diverse mountain forest to find the other kinds.
The moment they entered the mountain, cool and refreshing air washed over them, completely different from the dry atmosphere surrounding the town earlier.
Before long, they came across a grove of pink Apricorn trees loaded with beautifully colored fruit.
"Look, those are Pink Apricorns!"
Maizie pointed toward the trees as she explained:
"Poké Balls made from these are called Love Balls. They're supposedly much more effective when catching Pokémon of the opposite gender from your own Pokémon!"
The moment she finished speaking, Brock's eyes instantly lit up, and the familiar dreamy expression appeared on his face.
"Oh! Love Balls! Doesn't that mean they'd work perfectly when catching Pokémon belonging to Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny..."
"BROCK!"
Before he could finish, Misty swiftly grabbed his ear and twisted it without hesitation, cutting off his fantasy.
"Snap out of it already!"
Watching the scene unfold, Ash could only smile helplessly.
Sometimes, Ash genuinely wondered how Brock could accurately distinguish every Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny in every region. It was probably some kind of unique, unsolved "superpower" possessed only by him.
Unfortunately, the Pink Apricorns here had not fully ripened yet and were unsuitable for picking.
Maizie also reminded everyone not to harvest too many at once, otherwise the trees would be damaged.
Continuing deeper into the mountain, they soon discovered another grove filled with yellow fruit.
"Those are Yellow Apricorns. The Moon Balls made from them are specially used for catching Pokémon that evolve using Moon Stones."
Unfortunately, these Yellow Apricorns were not ready for harvesting either.
Just as everyone was beginning to feel disappointed, a vibrant green grove appeared ahead of them.
"It's a Green Apricorn grove!"
Maizie excitedly called out.
"Friend Balls made from Green Apricorns can make newly caught Pokémon become very friendly with their trainer immediately!"
She carefully examined the fruit before adding:
"Hmm... Picking one ripe one should be fine!"
"Great! Then I won't hold back!"
Ash was delighted and stepped forward to pick one, but suddenly, a dense buzzing sound filled the air.
A swarm of furious Beedrill burst out from the forest and positioned themselves protectively in front of the trees!
Beedrill were classic swarm Pokémon. Individually they might not be too threatening, but in groups they were extremely troublesome. Their sharp twin stingers gleamed coldly, making them look especially intimidating.
Yet Ash remained completely calm.
His gaze sharpened slightly as blue Aura power quietly flowed through his eyes. An invisible force spread out gently, like soft ropes temporarily restraining the Beedrill's movements.
The frequency of their wingbeats visibly slowed, and the swarm froze midair for a moment.
Taking advantage of the opening, Ash swiftly and carefully plucked a ripe Green Apricorn.
The instant he succeeded, he immediately retreated back toward his companions.
"Run!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed Maizie's hand and turned to flee.
Misty and Brock reacted just as quickly and followed behind him.
Almost the moment they escaped, the Beedrill broke free from the Aura restraints and angrily chased after them.
Fortunately, the swarm possessed extremely strong territorial instincts. After pursuing them for a certain distance, they eventually gave up and returned to guard the grove.
Ash finally stopped running and looked back at the Beedrill no longer chasing them. Then he glanced down at the Green Apricorn in his hand, symbolizing friendship and closeness, and smiled in satisfaction.
Afterward, under Maizie's experienced guidance, they successfully gathered two Blue Apricorns and one Black Apricorn as well.
"Lure Balls made from Blue Apricorns are extremely effective against Water-type Pokémon hooked while fishing!"
Maizie explained enthusiastically. The deep blue color almost seemed to contain the power of flowing water itself.
"As for Black Apricorns, they can be turned into Heavy Balls," she continued while pointing at the dark-colored fruit.
"They're especially useful for catching huge and extremely heavy Pokémon."
There was also a small incident during the harvesting process.
A Pineco accidentally fell from a tree and landed directly on Brock's head.
Unexpectedly, instead of attacking, the Pineco affectionately rubbed against Brock.
Fate truly worked in mysterious ways. Brock immediately used the Fast Ball he had just received to capture it, adding a new companion that looked quite calm and reliable to their group.
Returning to Kurt's workshop, accompanied by rhythmic hammering sounds and the focused expression of a dedicated craftsman, the special Poké Balls were quickly completed.
Misty received a beautifully crafted Lure Ball.
Ash obtained a Lure Ball along with a heavy-feeling Heavy Ball.
Meanwhile, Brock received the Friend Ball imbued with the power of friendship.
Holding the brand-new Poké Balls in his hands, Ash turned his gaze toward the symbolic building located at the center of Azalea Town, fighting spirit rising within him.
"Alright, next up... the Azalea Gym!"
...
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