Chapter 7: Chapter 7:SHINY STARYU!
Ace sat outside the Pokémon Center under the soft afternoon sunlight, his Pokémon happily munching on their specially prepared food. Smeargle enjoyed the sweet flavor of his meal, while Mankey and Elekid shared a spicy and sour variant. Watching his team devour their well-earned feast brought a smile to Ace's face.
"You guys really gave it your all in the gym battle," Ace said, leaning back. "We're one step closer to the league."
Smeargle wagged his tail, and Elekid gave a satisfied grunt. Mankey, in his usual fiery demeanor, pounded his chest as if to say he will fight in the next Gym,before returning to his food.
Once they finished eating, Ace decided to check in with Professor Cerise. He headed to the Pokémon Center's video phone and dialed the professor's number. Within seconds, Professor Cerise's familiar face appeared on the screen.
"Ace! Good to see you," Cerise said with a warm smile. "I heard you earned your first badge—congratulations!"
"Thanks, Professor!" Ace grinned, holding up the Cascade Badge. Talia and Chloe also came from behind and congratulated him as the group talked a little before Talia reminded Ace to change his underwear.
Ace chuckled, embarrassed. "I won't, I promise. Thanks, everyone. I'll keep pushing forward!"
After the call, Ace decided to check his Pokédex for updates. To his surprise, his account balance had increased significantly.
'Wait… 30,000 Pokédollars?!' Ace stared at the number, stunned.
He mentally broke it down: 15,000 I saved before starting the journey, 5,000 from the League's starter fund, and… 10,000 from beating Daisy?
"Man, battling a gym leader really pays off!" he exclaimed. "This is awesome! I can finally stock up on supplies."
He recalled his Pokémon, then headed to the bustling Cerulean City marketplace. Ace picked up everything he needed: potions, Poké Balls, antidotes, Pokemon food, human food and some extra bait for fishing. As he was checking out, the cashier handed him a coupon.
"Congratulations!" the cashier said cheerfully. "Today marks the grand opening of the new bike store in town. Use this coupon to participate in the lottery—they're giving away a free mountain bike!"
Ace took the coupon skeptically. 'I never win these kinds of things,' he thought, but decided to give it a try.
At the bike store, a small crowd had gathered for the lottery. Ace handed over his coupon and watched as the store owner shuffled through a bowl of tickets. After a tense moment, the owner pulled one out.
"And the winner is… Ace Drago!"
Ace blinked. "Wait… me?"
"Yes, you!" The owner smiled, gesturing to a sleek, foldable mountain bike. It was shiny red colour, lightweight, and came with a compact bag for easy storage.
Still in disbelief, Ace accepted the bike as the crowd applauded. "Uh, thank you!" he managed, still processing his luck.
He left the store, securing his bag on the bike and taking it for a test ride around the city. "This is unreal. First a badge, now a free bike? Things are looking up!"
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Ace decided it was time to leave Cerulean City. His next destination was Mount Moon, but first, he had another goal in mind: catching a strong water Pokémon.
He rode his new bike out of the city and stopped by a large, serene lake just outside its borders. After placing the bike on its stand, he surveyed the shimmering water.
"This looks like a good spot," Ace said, pulling out the fishing rod he had purchased earlier. He baited the hook carefully, cast his line into the water, and sat down on the grass.
Patience was key in fishing, and Ace didn't mind waiting. As the gentle ripples spread across the lake, he leaned back and smiled. "Let's see what we can reel in today."
The quiet serenity of the lake was broken by a sudden tug on Ace's fishing rod. He blinked, feeling the weight of something on the line.
"This is it!" he muttered, gripping the rod tightly.
Slowly, he began to reel it in, keeping his movements steady. Whatever was on the other end was strong, resisting his efforts. But Ace was determined. With one final pull, the Pokémon shot out of the water and landed on the ground with a splash.
His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.
"No way… IT'S A SHINY STARYU!" Ace's voice echoed across the lake, filled with disbelief and excitement.
The Staryu's armour gleamed with a mesmerizing golden hue with a blue gem in the middle, and its white body shimmered under the sunlight. Ace's heart raced. A shiny Pokémon? The odds of this are insane!
Without wasting a second, Ace grabbed Elekid's Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. "Elekid, let's go!"
Elekid materialized in front of him, crackling with energy. Staryu spun in response, glinting dangerously. Ace also sent out smeargle and told it to not let staryu escape as smeargle blocked Staryu's way to the lake.
"Elekid, use Shock Wave!" Ace commanded.
Elekid released a wave of electrical energy that surged toward Staryu. But just as it was about to connect, Staryu spun rapidly, its metallic sheen intensifying. The electricity passed harmlessly through it and into the ground.
Ace clenched his fist. "That's Gyro Ball… and it knows how to counter electric moves?! This Staryu isn't just rare; it's experienced!"
Determined, he called out, "Elekid, use Quick Attack to close the distance, then hit it with Dynamic Punch!"
Elekid darted forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. It closed the gap and slammed its glowing fist into Staryu's core, landing a powerful hit. The Staryu skidded back but quickly retaliated, spinning into a Rapid Spin that struck Elekid hard.
Elekid stumbled but stood its ground. Suddenly, Staryu's movements faltered as sparks danced around its body.
"Yes! Static kicked in!" Ace cheered as the paralysis slowed Staryu's actions.
Staryu, unable to move freely, conjured a shimmering green barrier around itself. Ace recognized the move immediately. "That's Protect. It's trying to buy time!"
He quickly adapted. "Elekid, keep using Shock Wave to break through that barrier!"
Elekid unleashed a barrage of Shock Waves, each one slamming into the protective shield. The barrier held strong at first, but cracks began to form. Finally, the Protect gave way, and the next Shock Wave hit Staryu directly, sending it tumbling onto the ground.
"Now's my chance!" Ace shouted, pulling an empty Poké Ball from his bag. He threw it with all his might.
The ball struck Staryu, opened, and pulled the Pokémon inside with a flash of red light. It shook once… twice… three times…
Ting!
Ace froze for a moment, staring at the Poké Ball on the ground. Then, realization dawned.
"I caught it! I caught a shiny Staryu!" he roared, his voice filled with triumph.
Unable to contain his excitement, Ace rushed to Elekid and Smeargle, pulling them into a group hug. "We did it, guys! This is incredible!"
Elekid grinned while Smeargle wagged its tail happily.
Ace held up the Poké Ball, marveling at it. "A shiny Pokémon… this is a 1 in 10,000 chance in the real world! This is insane!"
Ace pulled out his Pokédex, eager to scan his new catch. As the device lit up, it displayed the information about his shiny Staryu.
[Name: Staryu (Shiny), the Mysterious Pokémon.
Description: An enigmatic Pokémon that can effortlessly regenerate any appendage it loses in battle.
Type: Water
Ability: Natural Cure
Gender: Genderless
Moves: Gyro Ball, Harden, Tackle, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Minimize]
Ace grinned as he read through the details, his excitement bubbling over.
"This Staryu's a beast!" he exclaimed, gripping the Pokédex tightly. "It already knows Recover and Gyro Ball, plus Rapid Spin, Water Gun and Harden for utility while Minimize for evasion. And its ability…"
Ace's eyes sparkled as he reread the ability section. "Natural Cure—that's perfect. Way better than Illuminate or even Analytic for my playstyle."
Natural Cure's potential clicked in his mind. With it, Staryu could shrug off status conditions like paralysis or burn simply by switching out
His heart still pounding with excitement, Ace placed the Poké Ball securely on his belt. As he looked out at the lake, he smiled.
"Welcome to the team, Staryu. You're going to be a star in our journey—literally!"
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Pokemon:Ace's Adventures!)