13.Ash's Rikoto Story

Chapter 20 Crestlight City Conclusion

When Ash, Alice, and Delia arrive at the quest floor, the room buzzes with activity. Amidst the adventurers preparing for their missions, they notice an elderly couple seated at a table near the corner. Curiosity piqued, they decide to approach the lady first.

The old woman greets them with a warm smile. "My husband and I are fans of rare Pokémon. I've heard of a pink Fairy Pokémon with big hand-like ears that lives in Blackleaf Woods. Could you show me the one I mean?"

Ash's face lights up with recognition. "Of course! We have a Lophug, and she actually helped me win the gym battle." He then releases Lophug from its Poké Ball, proudly showing the Pokémon to the woman.

The lady's eyes widen with delight. "You have it! It's a Lophug! What an interesting Pokémon!" She claps her hands together, clearly pleased. "Since you've shown me this rare Pokémon, I'd like to give you something in return!"

To their surprise, the woman hands them five Love Balls. Ash and Alice exchange curious glances as she continues, "With these Balls, you can catch Pokémon of the opposite gender more easily."

Alice raises an eyebrow, muttering under her breath, "Okay... I wasn't expecting some Love Balls..."

Ash chuckles, pocketing the gift. "Well, you never know when they might come in handy."

Next, they turn their attention to the husband, who looks just as eager as his wife. "My wife and I are fans of rare Pokémon," he says, his eyes sparkling with interest. "I've heard of a blue and red Psychic Pokémon that lives in Blackleaf Woods. Could you show me one? If I can have a look at it, I'll give you something in return!"

Alice smiles, already knowing which Pokémon he means. "So you want to see a Geckone? It's great that we have one on our team as well."

Delia nods, a proud smile on her face. "It seems like you've captured quite a few new Pokémon, Ash. I imagine Professor Pinewood is going to have his hands full with all your discoveries."

Ash grins, his eyes twinkling with pride. "Well, I am your son, after all. The Pokémon just seem to want to come with me."

Ash then releases Geckone from its Poké Ball, the blue and red Psychic Pokémon appearing before the man. His face lights up in excitement. "Oh! I see! This is the Pokémon! It's a Geckone! What an interesting one! Since you've shown me this rare Pokémon, I'll give you something in return!"

The man hands them five Fast Balls, his smile as bright as before. "With these Balls, you can catch fast Pokémon more easily!"

Alice chuckles, glancing at Ash. "Wow, first Love Balls and now Fast Balls. We're really collecting quite a variety of useful Poké Balls."

Ash nods, pocketing the new set of balls. "Yeah, who knows what we'll catch next with these!"

With their gifts in hand, they thank the elderly couple and continue to explore the quest floor, eager to see what other opportunities await them.

At another table, they notice a girl who seems visibly panicked, her eyes darting around nervously. As they approach, she quickly addresses them. "Hello. I'm here because I lost one of my Poké Balls in Blackleaf Woods. But now... I'm too scared to go back into the forest. Maybe you could search for my Poké Ball?"

Ash immediately steps forward, his voice reassuring. "Sure, we can help you out. So it's in Blackleaf Woods... Can you tell us more details?"

The girl nods, trying to recall the specifics. "I think I lost it in the northern area of the forest."

"Northern area... Got it." Ash turns to his mother. "Mom, we'll head to Blackleaf Woods now. How about you stay here with the girl?"

Delia nods, her expression calm but supportive. "Of course. Stay safe, you two."