Scatterbug felt the gentle Aura released by Ash and gradually lowered its guard.
However, the moment it relaxed completely, its already weakened body could no longer hold on, and it fainted on the spot.
Clemont adjusted his glasses and said with concern, “Ash, it looks extremely weak.”
Bonnie immediately suggested, “Let’s hurry and take it to a Pokémon Center.”
Serena quickly checked the map.
“Ash, the nearest Pokémon Center is just over there.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Ash carefully removed the tracking device attached to Scatterbug, then gently picked it up and followed Serena toward the Pokémon Center.
Fortunately, the distance was not far, and they arrived quickly.
“Miss Joy, please help.”
Ash handed Scatterbug over.
“Understood.” Nurse Joy nodded and called out, “Wigglytuff, I’m counting on you.”
Wigglytuff pushed a medical cart forward and took Scatterbug inside for treatment.
Afterward, Nurse Joy turned to the group and said, “That Scatterbug is not native to this area.”
“Huh?
You can tell just by looking?” Serena asked in surprise.
“Of course.
Take a look at this.”
Nurse Joy projected several images onto a large screen.
“These are Vivillon from different regions.
Each one has distinct wing patterns depending on where they originate.
Besides these, there are many other variations as well.”
Bonnie’s eyes sparkled.
“That’s amazing.”
Nurse Joy then asked curiously, “Where did you find that Scatterbug?”
She had already confirmed that it was a wild Pokémon and not one belonging to Ash or the others.
“It was captured by a poacher named Daz,” came a voice from behind.
Officer Jenny walked in at that moment.
“Daz?” Nurse Joy looked at her in surprise.
“The black market dealer who traffics Pokémon?”
“That’s right.
Thank you all for your help earlier.”
Jenny bowed slightly to Ash and the others.
Ash noticed that she had returned alone and asked, “Did he get away?”
Jenny nodded, her expression slightly embarrassed.
“He drove into the forest, and I lost him.”
Despite receiving help, she had still failed to capture the criminal, which clearly bothered her.
At that moment, Wigglytuff returned, pushing the recovered Scatterbug.
The group sat down nearby as Jenny explained the situation.
Daz specialized in trafficking Vivillon due to their unique and region-specific wing patterns, which made them highly valuable to collectors on the black market.
According to Jenny’s estimation, his hideout likely contained a large number of captured Scatterbug.
Suddenly, the Scatterbug began spinning in panic.
After several rotations, its body emitted a bright white light.
It evolved.
[Pokémon: Spewpa]
[Type: Bug]
[Gender: Male]
[Strength: Ordinary Low-tier (11)]
[Ability: Shed Skin (May heal status conditions by shedding skin)]
[Held Item: None]
[Moves: Harden, Protect]
“This is…”
“It evolved?”
Everyone watched in surprise.
For Bug-type Pokémon, such rapid evolution was not uncommon due to their naturally short growth cycles.
Ash took out the small device he had removed earlier.
“Officer Jenny, I think that man will come back for this.”
Clemont leaned closer, examining it carefully with a magnifying glass.
“This is a tracking device.”
Serena immediately realized the implication.
“So that means Daz is still nearby.”
“Spew…”
Spewpa looked at Ash with pleading eyes.
Ash gently patted its head.
“Don’t worry.
We will help you rescue your companions.”
Serena thought for a moment before suggesting, “We can use this as bait.
Let Daz retrieve it, and then follow the signal from the tracker to his hideout.”
“That is a good plan,” Jenny said, “but how do we track the signal?”
Clemont suddenly stepped forward confidently.
“Leave that to me.
Now is the time for science to shine.”
He raised his hand dramatically.
“Citron Engine, activate.”
With a flash of enthusiasm, he revealed two devices.
“This is the Omnidirectional Response Signal Sensor, specifically designed for situations like this.”
In one hand, he held a horn-shaped receiver, while in the other he carried a radar-like display.
Ash looked at the devices and could not help but twitch slightly.
From experience, anything Clemont created had a high probability of malfunctioning.
Still, for narrowing down the search area, they would be useful.
After some preparation, Clemont decided to use Chespin as bait instead of Spewpa.
They attached the tracking device to Chespin, placed it inside a cage, and returned it to the location where the original cage had fallen.
Not long after, Daz returned, accompanied by his Diggersby.
He glanced at the cage, confirmed the presence of the tracker, and loaded it into his vehicle without much suspicion before driving off.
To ensure they would not lose him, Ash released Fletchling to follow from above.
As a native bird Pokémon of Kalos, Fletchling was well-suited for tracking targets discreetly.
Guided by Clemont’s device, the group followed the signal into the forest.
As expected, not long after entering, Clemont’s machine malfunctioned and exploded.
Fortunately, Fletchling had already located the destination.
Following its lead, they arrived at an abandoned building near the edge of a cliff.
Daz’s vehicle was parked right outside.
Ash glanced toward a pile of debris near the entrance and said calmly, “Daz, stop hiding.
I already know where you are.”
Realizing he had been discovered, Daz stepped out with a grin.
“So you figured it out.
Not bad.
Your methods are simple, but I’ll still make a good profit off this one.”
Before he could do anything else, Jenny threw a rope and restrained one of his arms.
“Daz, you are under arrest.”
Daz laughed mockingly.
“You think it will be that easy?”
He immediately released his Diggersby.
[Pokémon: Diggersby]
[Type: Normal, Ground]
[Gender: Male]
[Strength: Ordinary Mid-tier (25)]
[Ability: Pickup (May obtain items during battle or exploration)]
[Held Item: None]
[Moves: Arm Thrust, Mud Shot, Quick Attack, Dig, Take Down]
“Pikachu, Quick Attack.”
Pikachu dashed forward with incredible speed, slamming into Diggersby and knocking it off balance.
Before it could recover, Pikachu followed up with Iron Tail, striking decisively and knocking it out completely.
With his Pokémon defeated, Daz had no means of resistance.
After receiving a dose of Manectric’s electricity, he was quickly restrained and handcuffed by Officer Jenny.
Inside the hideout, they discovered a shocking number of captured Pokémon.
The total number of Scatterbug and Spewpa exceeded one hundred.
After being freed, the Spewpa gathered together in an open area.
One after another, they evolved.
Vivillon of various patterns spread their wings, filling the sky with vibrant colors as they fluttered around Ash and the others.
After expressing their gratitude, the Vivillon rose into the sky together and disappeared into the distance.