The Club Broke

As Mingyou examined the Strange Ball, he grew more convinced there really was a Pokémon inside, though he could not explain where that strange feeling came from.

He tried pressing the button that opened the Poké Ball, but nothing happened. It seemed broken.

"Could the Strange Ball really be broken, trapping it inside? It's possible..."

Mingyou remembered seeing a news story about a Pokémon trapped by a faulty Poké Ball. In the end, someone had smashed the ball open with a hammer, rescuing the Sprigatito inside.

If that was what had happened here, the Pokémon inside the Strange Ball could be in serious danger!

At that thought, he called out, "Grandma, could I borrow a hammer from the shop?"

"Of course. What do you need it for?"

"To smash this Strange Ball open. There might be a Pokémon trapped inside!"

Grandma Momozawa paused, then could not help laughing. She waved a hand. "I told you, it's a fake. It's solid all the way through... But you're a kind young man. The hammer's over there. Go ahead, and mind your fingers."

"Thank you."

Mingyou hurried to a shelf nearby and picked up a hammer. He set the Strange Ball on the floor, held it steady, and brought the hammer down hard!

Bang!

The impact numbed his hand, but it left no mark on the Strange Ball. Instead, the hammer had taken a dent.

"You've got to be kidding..."

He stared at the smooth Strange Ball, at a loss...

The earliest Poké Balls had been made from Berries called Apricorns. They required exceptional craftsmanship and broke easily. Leave one sitting too long, and bugs might even bore through it.

Modern Poké Balls had built on that design, switching to capsules for greater strength and durability. They no longer used Apricorns.

Just technology, no shady tricks...

Still, Poké Balls were easy to break. Bring over a Snorlax, and it could stomp on them like firecrackers.

Yet a hammer could not even scratch this Strange Ball. Had he not hit it hard enough? Did it need a blast of Hyper Beam?

Mingyou put the hammer back, stood up with the Strange Ball, and took out his Rotom Phone to search by image. After scrolling for ages, he still found nothing like it.

A direct search only brought up Odd Incense and Technical Machines for Ominous Wind...

"I even found news about the successful development of the Master Ball, but nothing on Strange Balls. So where did this one come from?"

He lowered his phone and returned to the counter, still curious. "Grandma, could you sell me this Strange Ball?"

"It's just a toy I picked up, and Vulpix doesn't want it. If you want it, young man, you can have it."

"I'd feel bad taking it for free... Let me pay what a regular Poké Ball costs."

"It's only ten bucks. Suit yourself."

"Thanks."

After paying for the Strange Ball and the rest of his purchases, Mingyou picked up several large plastic bags and prepared to head back.

He still thought there was a Pokémon inside. He wanted to take it home and see whether Ogerpon could open it by sheer force...

A little while later, he returned to the Manor by Flying Taxi. The fare for a round trip was so expensive every time that he was tempted to get a monthly pass.

"If only I had a Pokémon I could ride, like a Cyclizar. Getting into town would be so much easier."

Mingyou began considering catching a Cyclizar when he returned to the Paldea Region at the end of summer and bringing it here. Cyclizar were everyday transportation for Trainers there, and easy to catch.

He passed through the Orchard and soon reached the Villa. He had been gone only half an hour, yet there was no sign of anyone inside, neither Ogerpon nor Munchlax.

"Where did they all go?"

He put the groceries in the kitchen, then went outside and circled the Villa. Finally, he heard something in a patch of woods not far from the backyard.

When he went over, he found Swinub, Munchlax, and the others taking Ogerpon mushroom picking. They seemed to be having a wonderful time.

Mingyou could not help smiling at the sight. He walked over and called, "So this is where you've been playing. Can I join you?"

"Wumu~"

Ogerpon's face lit up when she saw Mingyou. She ran over carrying the Berries and mushrooms she had just found.

"Wumu~"

"Have you been playing with them?"

"Mumu~"

"Haha, I'm glad you're having fun."

Mingyou reached out and patted her head.

Munchlax came running over on its short legs too. It held out a mushroom it had found, with a red cap, white stem, and little white spots. Its blank expression seemed to say it could bring back tasty food as well.

"What's this? A Soothe Bell Mushroom?"

Mingyou took the mushroom. He did not recognize it, but information appeared in his mind...

[Death Cap (B+): Red cap, white stem. Highly poisonous. Eating it may cause hallucinations in mild cases and death in severe ones. Poison-type Pokémon can use it to store toxins, but never let a Two-Legger eat it.]

"You're trying to get rid of me, aren't you..."

Mingyou nearly smacked Munchlax on the head. But it had meant well. How could Munchlax know whether the mushroom was poisonous? Once it digested it, it was all the same.

He tossed the poisonous mushroom to Weepinbell, then looked at Munchlax and Ogerpon. "If you're not Poison-type, don't eat poisonous mushrooms. Give me a little time, and I'll grow some safe ones for you."

"Muncha~"

"Wumu~"

"Later, let me sort through the Berries and mushrooms you two picked. I'll throw out anything that's bad for you."

That reminded him of something else. "Oh, could you help me break open this Strange Ball? There might be a Pokémon trapped inside. If it can't get out, it could be in danger."

With everyone gathered, Mingyou took out the Strange Ball and placed it on the ground. Its beautiful colors immediately drew them all over for a closer look.

"Muncha~"

Munchlax volunteered. Smashing a ball would be as easy as cracking a walnut!

It swung a fist down with all its might. The force of the blow drove straight into the Strange Ball, even depressing the ground beneath it slightly.

"Nice strength. That should—"

Before Mingyou could finish, Munchlax clutched its hand and rolled around on the ground in pain. The Strange Ball had sunk halfway into the dirt, but even after taking that blow, it was completely unharmed.

"What..."

"Weep!"

Weepinbell offered to try. It sprayed Acid from its mouth, but the purple liquid slid off the smooth surface and dissolved the dirt on either side. The ball remained untouched.

When that failed, Nuzleaf raised both hands, gripped the green leaf on its head, and launched a Razor Leaf like Seven's Ice Axe.

But the sharp leaf shattered the instant it struck the Strange Ball...

Everyone was stunned. Even Applin opened its mouth and tried biting the ball, to no avail.

"Is this thing seriously that tough?"

Mingyou could not help grumbling.

"Wumu!"

Since no one else could do it, it was Ogerpon's turn. She stepped forward and suddenly pulled a green, thorn-wrapped Spiked Club from beneath her Ginkgo Leaf-shaped cloak!

"Where did that come from? Your Mask's hidden in there too, right? Is that a cloak with another dimension inside?"

Curious, Mingyou crouched and tried to lift Ogerpon's cloak to see what was underneath.

But the moment he caught its edge, Ogerpon clutched it tight, like a little girl whose skirt had been lifted. A faint blush spread across her face.

"Sorry..."

"Wumu~"

Ogerpon did not seem to mind. She gripped her Ivy Cudgel and swung it down at the Strange Ball with such speed and force that it whistled through the air.

The Ivy Cudgel struck the Strange Ball hard, with far more power than Munchlax's punch.

But as everyone watched expectantly, there was a sharp crack. One of the spikes on the Ivy Cudgel snapped off, while the Strange Ball remained intact...

"Wumu!"

Her club was broken...