[Pokemon] Chapter 63: The Poké Ball Factory

“…………”

Aboard the Brave Olivine, in a previously unused room, Jin was currently occupying the space for a specific purpose.

“…Next, grind up this herb and mix it in.”

On the desk lay various berries and medicinal herbs, along with a mortar, pestle, and grinding tools borrowed from Murdock. Jin picked up the grinder, placed several herbs into it, and ground them with all his strength until they turned to powder. Then, using the mortar, he mixed that powder with previously ground berry powders and poured the mixture into a small vial.

“Phew…”

Just as he finally finished the process and exhaled in relief, there was a knock at the doorton ton ton.

“Jin, it’s Diana. Is it alright if I come in?”

“Diana? Sure, come in.”

“Excuse mewhoa! What is that smell!?”

As Diana stepped into the room with Jin’s permission, she was immediately hit by the strong stench of herbs and berries, causing her to reflexively recoil.

“Ah—sorry about that. I’ll ventilate the room.”

Jin removed the mask he had been wearing and opened the window, letting fresh air in to dilute the thick smell. The scent didn’t disappear completely, but it became bearable enough that Diana could cautiously enter while still grimacing.

“What in the world are you doing?”

“Just mixing up some medicine.”

Jin gestured to the ten or so small vials lined up. Diana peered more closely and recognized the contents.

“Wait… are those the potions you bought from Tepen the other day?”

“Yeah. As thanks for buying so much from him, Tepen gave me the recipes. I figured I might as well try making them myself.”

“You actually made them by hand…?”

Diana had already thought Jin had some peculiar tastes for buying those oddball medicines from Tepen—but she hadn’t expected him to recreate them by hand.

“At first, I tried improving them—specifically removing the drawback where the user also falls asleep. I even tried mixing in a tiny bit of Chesto Berry powder, which wakes Pokémon from sleep… but doing that weakened the overall effect and eliminated the one major benefit: putting Grass-types to sleep.”

Jin had tried everything he could think of to improve the formula. But in the end, every attempt had failed. Reviewing the recipe again, he noticed detailed notes—presumably from Tepen—carefully explaining every step. It was clear Tepen had refined the formula through extensive trial and error.

“It’s a little frustrating to stop here, but with my current knowledge and skill, eliminating the drawback seems impossible. I guess it’s a case of ‘no reward without risk’…”

Still, Jin hadn’t given up. If new berries or herbs were discovered, they might help resolve the flaw. If he kept adventuring, he might stumble upon just the right ingredients one day. For now, he’d wait for that moment.

“…You’re quite the eccentric one, aren’t you?”

When they first met, Diana had thought Jin was a calm, relatively normal boy for his age. That impression had changed quickly after spending time with him aboard the ship, but even she hadn’t expected this researcher-like side of him.

“So? Did you need something?”

“Hm? Oh, right. I wanted to ask you for a favor—could you go check on Liko and the others?”

“Liko? She’s not on the ship?”

“Huh? Oh… right, you’ve been in here the whole time. We already arrived at our destination. Liko and the rest are off the ship.”

“What!? Since when!? We just had breakfast…”

“Jin, it’s been hours since breakfast.”

Apparently, he’d lost track of time while mixing potions. Jin had always had a bad habit of becoming completely absorbed in what he was doing.

“Why didn’t Liko say anything to me?”

“She didn’t want to interrupt you. You should understand that much.”

Jin couldn’t argue with that. It was just like Liko—she’d probably wanted him to come but prioritized his focus. And it wasn’t like he’d even noticed the ship had landed. He shared the blame.

“…Well, alright. So? Are they doing okay?”

“Yeah, about that…”

According to Diana, Liko, Roy, Friede, and surprisingly even Orla had gone out together. Their destination was a Poké Ball factory completely unrelated to the Explorers, where a woman named Karna worked.

Orla had hit it off with Karna and was tinkering with the machines. Meanwhile, Liko and Roy were testing Poké Balls made at the factory. Friede, seeing no danger and nothing urgent to do, had returned to the ship and informed everyone—except Jin, who had remained shut in his room.

“…Doesn’t sound like there’s any issue.”

From what Jin could tell, there was nothing to worry about. Everyone seemed to be coming back eventually, so he saw no reason to check in.

“Well, sure—but come with me for a second.”

Diana beckoned him, and Jin followed her to the meeting room. From just outside, they could hear loud shouting.

“Friede’s the one!”

“No, it’s Murdock!”

“It’s obviously Mollie!”

The voices of Friede, Murdock, and Mollie rang out. Though the details were unclear, they appeared to be arguing—each blaming the others.

“…What’s going on?”

“Well, you see…”

According to Diana, the dispute began with Orla’s workload. Each of the three adults relied on her for different ship-related mechanical issues, and now they were arguing over who burdened her the most.

“Obviously, they’re all at fault…”

From the equipment to the fridge and elevator—any time something broke, everyone turned to Orla. Blaming a single person was nonsense.

If only I could help out…)

But sadly, Jin wasn’t very tech-savvy. He could force power into machines using Pokémon like Manectric, but repairing them was another matter.

“Well, that’s the situation. Friede was supposed to check on the others, but this could go on for a while. Could you go in his place?”

“…Got it. I’ll head out.”

Since he had nothing else to do—and his body ached from sitting—Jin agreed and left the ship.

“…That must be it.”

From the deck, he saw a building with a large smokestack, a giant Poké Ball symbol, and massive gears—clearly the Poké Ball factory. Its sheer uniqueness left no doubt.

“Guess I’ll walk.”

The factory wasn’t close, but it wasn’t far either. He could fly there on Salamence, but Jin decided to enjoy a casual walk through the forest. Ten minutes passed, and the factory grew larger in view. No wild Pokémon had appeared—unusually peaceful.

“…Hm?”

As he approached the entrance, he spotted Liko and her partner, Sprigatito. They hadn’t noticed him yet. In Liko’s hand was what looked like a Poké Ball.

“Look, Sprigatito! Isn’t this ball beautiful?”

“Sprii!”

“…………”

Jin instinctively pulled out his Rotom Phone and switched to camera mode. He didn’t know why—his gut just told him it would be worth it. Trusting his instincts, he began recording. Then Liko turned toward him and, holding the Poké Ball aloft, declared:

“Watch closely, wild Pokémon! I’m going to catch you! …Just kidding~”

“…………”

“…………”

Having spoken so dramatically, Liko finally realized Jin’s presence. Her face immediately turned bright red upon discovering she had not only been seen—but recorded.

“W-Wait! How long have you been there!?”

“Since ‘Look, Sprigatito,’ basically.”

“So the whole thing!?”

“Don’t sweat the details. So—what were you planning to catch? Come on, be specific.”

“You’re so mean! That’s just mean, Jin! And why are you even recording this!?”

“Just a feeling. Seemed like it’d turn out great—and it totally did. Gotta save it to the ‘Liko Folder’ now.”

“Delete it! Please delete it!? Wait—what do you mean, ‘Liko Folder’!?”

“A folder filled with your cutest moments, in photo and video form. This one’s going under… ‘Liko’s Dazzling Capture!’”

“Stooooop!!”

Liko lunged at Jin in a desperate attempt to snatch the phone—but she had no hope of winning in a physical struggle. The video was saved, mercilessly.

“Ughhhhhhhh…”

“…Liko, at this point you really should’ve learnedthat face doesn’t work on me. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Tearfully pouting with her cheeks flushed red, Liko glared at Jin—but that only made him want to tease her more.

"By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask—what’s that Poké Ball you’ve been holding?"

Jin’s attention was fixed on the Poké Ball Liko had been carrying for a while now. Function-wise, it didn’t seem any different from a standard Poké Ball, but the delicate, intricate decorations etched onto its surface were clearly the work of a master craftsman—something no ordinary artisan could replicate. Just looking at it had a soothing effect; it might even work as an interior decor piece.

“…It was made by Karna, the woman who runs this factory.”

“I see…”

Jin, as a Trainer, had some basic knowledge of Poké Balls. But he had never seen one like this. His interest in the artisan who made it was clearly growing.

“Maybe I’ll go say hello…”

“But Karna and Orla are working inside right now.”

“I see… I wouldn’t want to interrupt. For now, let’s just take a peek at what they’re doing.”

They had shown up uninvited, and if people kept barging in one after another, it would only cause trouble. Still curious about the Poké Ball factory, Jin decided to observe from the outside first.

Inside, Orla and a bespectacled woman—presumably Karna—were chatting happily. Though their fields were different, the two seemed to have a strong professional chemistry.

“Hey, Orla… why don’t you work here with me?”

“Huh?”

“Your technical skills and my decorative designs—if we combined our strengths, I think we could make some truly amazing Poké Balls!”

Karna rattled off ideas for new Poké Ball concepts, and Orla, clearly intrigued, occasionally added her own thoughts as their brainstorming gained momentum.

“W-What should we do!? Orla might leave the ship!?”

Watching from outside, Liko looked visibly panicked. But her concern wasn’t misplaced. The Rising Volt Tacklers were a small elite crew, each with exceptional skills in their domain. But when it came to maintaining and adjusting the ship’s machinery, Orla was irreplaceable.

If it were Murdock the chef or Mollie the medic, someone like Jin or another crew member could cover for them to some degree. But there was no replacing Orla. Her role as the mechanic was that critical.

“…Should we cling to her legs and beg her not to abandon us? ‘Don’t leave meeee~’ and all that?”

“Jin! Be serious!”

“Still… if Orla decides that’s what she wants, we have to respect that.”

“I-I know, but still…”

“Let’s just watch a bit longer. Orla’s a grown woman. She’ll think it through and make her decision.”

They continued watching. Eventually, the two women returned to their respective tasks—Karna checked and boxed the finished Poké Balls while Orla picked up her toolbox and walked outside, running into Jin and Liko.

“Huh? Jin? What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Diana asked me to check up on things.”

“I see. Karna and I still have some things to do, so make yourself comfortable.”

Orla headed toward an external control box. She opened the panel and began inspecting the wiring inside before diving into her work. To the untrained eye, her task was incomprehensible—but it was clearly intricate.

“…She looks like she’s really enjoying herself.”

“She probably is. Back on the ship, everyone’s always asking her for help. It’s probably refreshing to mess around with machines freely for once.”

“…Yeah…”

Jin had a point. Everyone on the ship relied on Orla for mechanical issues. Liko couldn’t say for sure that kind of life wasn’t stressful.

“Hm? Liko, is something wrong?”

Perhaps noticing the gloom on Liko’s face, Orla paused her work and approached.

“Hmm… I’ve got it! Jin bullied you, didn’t he?”

“I… I won’t say you’re wrong…”

Liko tried to deny it, but the image of her embarrassing moment being filmed flashed in her mind. Depending on your perspective, yeah—it could be considered bullying.

“Jin… I won’t meddle in your relationship, but if you ever make Liko cry, I will come for you.”

“…I’ll do my best to avoid that.”

“No, wait—that’s not what I meant! Orla, are you happy? Like, every day?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I am.”

Orla answered clearly and without hesitation. She was constantly being asked for help, sure—but it didn’t seem like she felt stressed or resentful the way Liko had imagined.

“I see… So why did you join Friede on this journey in the first place?”

The Rising Volt Tacklers had begun when Friede met Captain Pikachu. But the reason they were able to travel by airship was largely thanks to Orla, who had modified an old ship—originally owned by Ludlow—into what it was now. Liko had heard from Friede that Orla, his childhood friend, had helped make it all possible. But she had never heard why Orla had decided to leave her old job and join the crew.

“Huh? I haven’t told you that before?”

“You haven’t…”

…Friede and Orla are kind of alike.)

Both were the type to leave out important details when talking. Maybe it was just one of those things you’d only notice between childhood friends.

“Guess now’s a good time to tell you…”

Orla used to work at a shipyard in Hoenn—Jin’s homeland. The job was fun and fulfilling, and her coworkers were great. Everything was going smoothly… and yet, she kept wondering:

“Was this really what I wanted to do most in life? What do I truly want?”

Then one day, fate stepped in—Friede contacted her. He asked her to help him turn a normal ship into a flying one. An outrageous request.

“Can you do it?”

That one question from Friede lit a fire in her heart.

“I didn’t know if I could pull it off. But I realized—there’s only one way to find out. So yeah, Friede’s words sparked it… but I think deep down, I’d been wanting to challenge myself. And when I finished modifying the ship, I understood—what I really wanted to do.”

“What you really wanted…?”

“That is…”

“WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!?”

Just as Orla was about to answer Liko’s question, a scream echoed from deep within the forest. The three of them turned in alarm to see Roy and Fuecoco running toward them—with a Pokémon chasing after them.

“Is that… Weezing?”

It looked like a pair of Koffing fused together, but unlike the purple Kanto version, this one was gray, with a smokestack-like protrusion on its head resembling a top hat.

“That’s a regional form… fascinating.”

This is not the time for observations! We have to help them!”

“But look—Roy should be able to handle one of those on his own, right?”

Indeed, that Galarian Weezing, for a wild Pokémon, was fairly strong—but nothing Roy and Fuecoco couldn’t handle. Jin couldn’t see why they were running away.

“It’s not just one!”

As Roy shouted, more and more Galarian Weezing emerged from the forest, forming a full-on swarm charging toward the factory.

“Wow, that’s… quite the mass outbreak.”

“W-What do we do!?”

Each individual Weezing might not be a big deal—but in those numbers, even Jin had to admit it was going to be a hassle.

“What’s all the noise—WHAA!?”

Hearing the commotion, Karna emerged from the factory—but her only Pokémon was the Fire-type Magby. Not exactly the kind of backup they needed right now.

“Roy… what did you do?”

“W-Well, I was testing out one of the Poké Balls Karna gave me, and I kinda… accidentally hit a Weezing with it… I managed to drive the first one off, but then…”

“So it came back with its whole swarm…”

From the looks of it, after that initial battle, the Galarian Weezing had gotten pretty riled up. At this point, trying to calm them down peacefully would be nearly impossible.

No choice… looks like I’ve got to deal with this myself.)

It was a hassle, sure—but with things having escalated this far, Jin had no option but to act. The issue was how to go about it. He could easily send out his Pokémon and defeat them all, but doing so recklessly could harm the local ecosystem. A more careful approach was needed.

…Let’s test it out.)

“Everyone, get back!”

With just seconds to spare before the swarm of Galarian Weezing reached them, Jin formulated a quick plan and sprang into action. He pulled two Poké Balls from his pocket and threw them into the air.

“Jukka!”

“Booodaah!”

Sceptile and Salamence emerged, instantly sizing up the situation and shifting into battle-ready stances.

“Not yet… hold.”

Jin pocketed the Poké Balls, then pulled six small vials from the shoulder bag on his back, slipping them between the fingers of both hands. Once the enemy was within range, he hurled the vials toward the incoming swarm.

“Sceptile! Use Bullet Seed! Target the vials!”

Sceptile fired six Bullet Seed shots from its mouth, precisely striking each vial. They shattered midair, releasing a cloud of bluish-purple powder that billowed out.

“Salamence! Tailwind!”

Jin commanded Salamence next. It flapped its mighty wings, stirring up a Tailwind that carried the powder into the approaching Weezing horde.

“Wee… Weeeezing… zzz…”

The Weezing that had been in front—its head still bearing a lump from earlier—was the first to fall asleep and collapsed on the spot. One after another, the rest of the swarm followed, succumbing to the powder and falling into a deep slumber.

“W-What was that just now…?”

“That was my ‘Homemade Ultra-Potent Sleep Powder.’ Though technically, what I used was a modified version I made from the recipe Tepen gave me. Seems like it worked better than expected.”

He had used six of the ten vials he had made earlier on the ship—partly as a field test. The results were excellent. Jin had been slightly nervous, since this was his first time creating it, but it held up just as well as Teppen’s original.

Yep. This stuff’s definitely useful…)

It was a tool that required careful use, yes—but in the right conditions, the effect was undeniable. Used as Jin had, organizations concerned with public safety could even employ it to pacify rampaging Pokémon—or people. If handled responsibly, it could become a valuable asset for many.

…Maybe I should suggest Tepen market it.)

If it got officially adopted, depending on the contract, Jin could earn a decent reward—and a regular customer base. That income would go a long way in supporting his future travels as an adventurer.

I’ve got a few contacts among the Hoenn Officer Jennys… I could start trialing it through them. And if it works, I might even earn a decent broker’s fee… but first things first.)

It was an excellent business opportunity for Jin, Tepen, and law enforcement alike—but before they could get ahead of themselves, there was a more pressing matter: what to do with the peacefully snoring Weezing lying all around them.

“Jin, what should we do about the Weezing?”

“…Good question. Let’s ask Friede.”

Jin didn’t know much about Galarian Pokémon, especially regional forms like this one. But Friede, being a Pokémon Professor, might have the knowledge and ideas they needed. Jin called him on his Rotom Phone.

“By the way… you’re Karna, right?”

Putting his phone away, Jin turned to Karna, who was still stunned near the factory entrance.

“Y-Yes, that’s me…”

“Do you sell Poké Balls here?”

“Huh? Well, I do, technically… Are you looking to buy?”

“Of course. If possible, I’d like to purchase a range—practical ones like Heavy Balls, or maybe something with unusual effects. Do you have anything like that?”

“Leave it to me! I’ve got all sorts of recommended Balls! Oh—but do you have enough money?”

“No worries. I’m carrying some funds—and I’ve just come across a promising new business opportunity.”

Until Friede arrived, Jin and Karna returned to the factory, where he browsed the different kinds of Poké Balls with visible excitement and picked out several to purchase.

Jin… he’s buying all the weird stuff again…)

Following the sketchy medicine he bought from Tepen, Jin now seemed drawn to Karna’s reproductions of Hisuian Poké Balls—unusual, eccentric items by any standard. Watching him, Liko was reminded of what Diana had once told her when Jin went on a shopping spree:

“…Maybe you should be the one managing his wallet, Liko.”

Back then, Liko thought that was an exaggeration—but seeing this now, she was starting to seriously consider it.

---

Later, Friede arrived at the factory after getting Jin’s call and resolved the situation. Using his knowledge as a Pokémon Professor, he came up with a plan that utilized the Galarian Weezing’s natural behaviors. By maximizing the output of the factory’s machines and blasting smoke from the smokestacks, he fed the awakened Weezing the emissions—calming them down and restoring peace.

“My dream, huh…?”

Orla ultimately declined Karna’s offer and returned to the ship. Jin and Liko took the opportunity to ask her the question she hadn’t answered earlier.

“It’s this: doing things I’ve never done before. It’s tough, but exciting—new experiences, stuff I’ve never tried… I felt like I could do all that if I stayed on this ship. Isn’t it the same for you, Liko?”

“Ah…”

Liko thought back over the journey so far, recalling the many firsts and unexpected events. She realized that, deep down, she might feel the same way.

“…You’re right.”

“Knew it.”

Rotom Rotom! Rotom Rotom!

Just then, a message came through Orla’s Rotom Phone via the Rising Volt Tacklers’ app.

“Orla! The propeller’s acting weird! We need you!”

“The air circulation system’s busted or something…”

“Again? Oh boy…”

Another crisis. Just as Orla was about to respond, the engine room doors flew open and Murdock, Mollie, and Roy came running in.

“It’s bad! The stove won’t light—I can’t prep dinner like this!”

“The observatory door won’t open!”

“Sorry! I threw a Poké Ball and made another hole in the wall!”

“Fix iiiiiiiiit!”

They all seemed aware they were overburdening her—but none of them had learned their lesson. As always, Orla smiled wryly and accepted every request with a resigned shrug.

“Okay, okay—I get it! I’m going, I’m going. Just wait your turn!”

“If it’s just a hole in the wall, I can handle that,” Jin offered.

“Huh? Jin, you can do that?”

“Of course. I’m actually pretty handy with carpentry.”

Back during his travels in Hoenn, Jin had learned how to build Secret Bases. That experience meant patching up a hole in the wall would be no problem.

“I-I’ll help too!” Liko added.

“Ahaha… Thanks, you two! Jin, I’ll leave the wall to you. Liko, come with me.”

“Okay!”

“Got it.”

And so, one by one, Orla and the others fixed everything on the ship. Through that, Jin and the rest were once again reminded just how irreplaceable Orla truly was aboard their floating home.

//END