Author's Note:

Double release today, Ch 191 was released alongside Ch 190. So go back and read it if you accidentally skipped ahead.

***

Apricorns tasted like really nutty mangosteen. That was the closest equivalent that Nina could think of in her head. The fruit, once its hard exterior was cracked open, revealed segmented flesh of brownish white that tasted luxuriously supple in the mouth.

“That tastes absolutely divine!’ Nina exclaimed as she reached over to grab another portion. “But where’s the seed?” She wondered while taking another bite of the juicy Apricorn innards.

Mr Pokemon laughed. The guy was a dapper old man wearing a once well tailored suit that now looked ill fitting in his shriveled and wrinkly frame. “That’s because the whole Apricorn itself is the seed, my child. What you’re eating right now is actually its pulp.”

“So if I want to plant an Apricorn tree, I need to plant the entire Apricorn in the ground?”

“Haha. Indeed.” The man affirmed as he slowly settled down with a shaky grip on his cane.

“Would you be opposed to a physical later, sir?” Kerry asked in concern. “I imagine it must be difficult for you to get to a medical provider around these parts.”

Mr Pokemon let out another jovial laugh. “We do have a local doctor that serves the community, but his expertise is limited. If an esteemed Joy is willing to offer her services, then who am I to say no.”

Kerry blushed at the old man’s high regard. “Please sir, I’m just an apprentice. But I’ll do my best to relieve your pain. Just bear in mind that my supplies are limited at the moment. Though it shouldn’t be too much trouble for Nina to Fly back to the city.”

Nina nodded in support of her friend’s words.

“I appreciate the kind offer.” Mr Pokemon smiled. “Now then, I imagine you’re not just here to visit a lonely old man.”

“Actually yes,” said Nina in response. “We came here out of curiosity. But also because I’m currently researching Celebi, and Professor Elm told me you once had an encounter with it?”

Mr Pokemon chuckled. “Calling it an encounter would be generous. But I have had the good fortune of witnessing many wondrous legends in my lifetime. However, if it is Celebi you seek, then I would be happy to refer you to Kurt tomorrow. That old man would have more to say on the matter.”

Nina immediately lit up at the mention of Kurt. “You’re talking about the legendary Pokeball smith, Kurt, right? I thought he was based in Azalea Town?”

Mr Pokemon laughed. “He moved here some years ago with his granddaughter — went into seclusion because he got sick and tired of everyone seeking him out for their greed. Kurt’s become a nasty little grump in his old age, but with Elm’s backing and my assurance, he shouldn’t turn you away.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll make sure not to trouble Master Kurt too much.”

***

Mr Pokemon bounded up the sloped path like a man in his thirties. Nina had asked Espy to help support the elder’s gait with her aura, and after a massage with special ointments and some physical therapy from Kerry the day prior, the old man was feeling more sprightly than ever.

“Please be careful, sir! Your body is still not in great shape!” Kerry yelled as she struggled to keep up with the old man.

The place they were headed to was a little workshop in the village, one attached to a cozy looking wooden two-storey home. 

Sounds of a hammer against a chisel echoed rhythmically in their approach as Mr Pokemon led the two girls against the mountain wall towards the back where Maizie could be seen pounding away at an Apricorn Ball with a deeply concentrated frown on her face. 

She appeared to be etching patterns onto the underside of the shell. Though what kind, Nina could not tell. Only that the shell appeared incomplete with half a hinge poking out and a rudimentary looking button.

To the side was Heracross, using a pair of buzzing wings to feed a steady supply of oxygen into the small furnace that the girl was working with.

“Maizie, hi!” Nina called, but was utterly ignored as the older girl was fully locked into her work. So the trio just stood around and watched on in interest, curious to see how Apricorn Balls were made.

Maizie set aside the Apricorn shell that she was working on alongside the hammer and chisel she was holding, more akin to a needle in its narrow tip.

Nina watched as the girl transitioned her attention over to the furnace to evaluate a small crystal sphere that she had attached to a hollow metal rod laying atop burning coals, turning it this way and that to assess its color. 

The girl then glanced over to her Heracross, eliciting an affirmative “Cross!” in return as the sturdy Bug Type stood by for action. Then, with a deep and steady breath, she gradually blew into the metallic tube, slowly expanding the superheated crystal on the other end. 

“Is that… glass?” Nina whispered, not wanting to distract Maizie with their presence.

“No,” responded Mr Pokemon. “It is a Pokecrystal — a special sort of silicone substance that enables the dimensional storage capabilities of a Pokeball. By itself, it is an inert resource, but by etching the appropriate channels and inscriptions into the interior of an Apricorn shell that had undergone prior treatment, the Pokecrystal can be bonded to the fruit and effectively ‘programmed’ to behave in a specific way, forming the basis of an Apricorn Ball.”

The old man then explained that the location of this village wasn’t just because of the abundance of wild Apricorn trees, but also because of an ancient deposit of Pokecrystals nearby. Though he wouldn’t say where since it was a closely guarded secret. He did say, however, that the presence of Pokecrystals, more often than not, would result in an abundance of Apricorn trees in the vicinity. Something about the inherent minerality of the crystals leaking into the nearby soil

As he was speaking, the Pokecrystal that Maizie was working on had ballooned and tripled in size, prompting the girl to signal her Heracross with her eyes as she continued to blow and turn the crystal to maintain its current state.

With another affirmative cry, Heracross hurriedly grabbed the two halves of the Apricorn shell that Maizie made and slowly sandwiched the expanded Pokecrystal between them.

It was clear to Nina that the crystal balloon was simply too big to fit into the Apricorn shells. But to her surprise, the Pokecrystal was gradually compressed as the hollow shells made contact and began to close on it. Not without resistance though, as Heracross could be seen straining to maintain a steady pressure in his carapaced arms, smoldering ever so slightly from heat transmitted through the Apricorn’s shell.

Both trainer and mon worked in tandem; Maizie carefully blowing into the tube to maintain the crystal’s spherical shape, adjusting the pressure every so often to ensure that it did not rupture, her face red from the exertion. While Kuwamushi the Heracross continued in his efforts to confine the delicate balloon, making sure to use just the right level of strength to avoid breaking the fragile sphere.

Until eventually, the Apricorn closed shut with a blinding flash of light, and left behind a smouldering trail of smoke as Heracross carefully buried the semi-completed Apricorn Ball into a box of sand to cool.

Maizie paused, wilting slightly in exhaustion as the young Pokeball smith wiped at the sweat on her brow and flashed a triumphant smile at her partner.

Seeing that the girl was now free, Mr Pokemon chimed in. “Little Maizie! Is your grandpa around? I brought guests!” The man called as he approached with a sunny smile.

Maizie let out a weary sigh as she looked up at her visitors. “Old man… And the two outsiders… Aye, grandpa is inside. He can’t go out too much these days.”

Mr Pokemon nodded. “In that case, perhaps Miss Joy over there can help take a look at him? I know he’s all stubborn about not wanting to go see a doctor, but he can’t complain if I bring him a Nurse Joy now can he?”

Maizie chuckled and beckoned for them to come in. “He can, but I’ll make sure he sucks it up. Come on in, I’ll make you guys some tea while I go get grandpa.”

***

The inside of Maizie’s house was a rustic and lived in space, despite the fact that they had only spent a few years in the village. 

Hallways cluttered with junk and furniture, tools strewn about haphazardly and a myriad of colourful Pokeballs lining every wall and shelf. That final element was the only thing in the house that was organised neatly, with not a single spec of dust on any of the Balls on display — really serving to showcase the priorities of the house’s inhabitants.

Nina tried her damndest to not reach out and touch anything, merely perusing the dizzying array of Pokeballs with her eyes and wondering about each of their functions.

“What do ya want now, ya old Growlithe?” came a gruff voice. The speaker was a man around the same age as Mr Pokemon, also wearing a set of light blue haori with a head of unkempt grey hair and a perpetually furrowed set of brows.

“Kurt, you stubborn old Mankey! Is that how you greet an old friend?” Mr Pokemon exclaimed with a hearty laugh as he got up to pat his friend on the shoulder.

Kurt groaned and returned the exuberant sentiment with a dismissive wave before sitting down on the tatami floor and leveling a glare at Nina and Kerry. “If it’s Pokeballs yer after then talk to my granddaughter. This old smith is retired.”

Nina smiled. “We would like to commission something from Maizie, yes. But mainly, we came to this village to visit Mr. Pokemon. He brought us here because I asked him about Celebi — said that you were knowledgeable on the matter?”

Kurt scoffed. “Heh. You wanna know about that little rascal eh? What for?”

Nina then proceeded to explain her current pursuit of the Unown, which she tried her best to frame as purely being a form of academic interest.

“My uncle once had an encounter with Celebi in his youth — or at least, I think it was Celebi.” The girl recounted her Uncle Ali’s supernatural experience in Ilex Forest and mentioned that there were Unown script decorating the interior of the little phantom huts that the younger Ali encountered.

“From my research, I have plenty of reason to believe that the phenomenon my uncle encountered was due to a chance encounter with Celebi, whether he knew it or not. And that the ‘phantoms’ he described were actually shadows of the past,” said Nina

“I’m looking to retrace his steps and find this shrine that he mentioned, in the hopes of being able to study the Unown scripts that he spoke off.” She also added that Professor Elm had already granted his blessings to her pursuit, just to pad out her credentials a little more.

Kurt chuckled. “The Unown eh… Maizie, do you have any broken shells lying around?” 

“What for?” The girl asked.

“Just bring it over and show it to the kid.”

Maizie shrugged and went off to do as she was told, coming back with a cracked half of an Apricorn shell that she tossed over to Nina.

Nina tilted her head in confusion and closely examined the item she was given, before letting out a sharp gasp at what she saw. “This is…!”

Underneath the smooth, shiny exterior of the Apricorn shell, on its rough fibrous interior, were Unown scripts carved onto its surface, melding perfectly with the natural grains of the hollowed out fruit and flowing beautifully into one another like a cascade of primitive calligraphy.

As Nina’s mind raced with all sorts of theories and implications, Kurt got up shakily from his seat and gestured for them to follow him. “C’mon, there’s something else I wanna show you.”