Chapter 216: Props Carrying

Rather than letting Ash and his friends return the same way, Blaine gestured for them to follow him. He led them to an elevator, and together, they ascended back to the ground floor. The entrance and exit of the underground area turned out to be Blaine's private room.

As the elevator doors slid open, Misty blinked in surprise. "Wait… there was an elevator this whole time?"

She turned to Blaine, looking incredulous. "We walked all the way down those stairs, and there was an elevator we could've used?!"

"Hahaha!" Blaine let out a hearty laugh, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Interesting, isn't it?"

Misty, however, wasn't amused. She crossed her arms and muttered, "I just think it's a waste of money… Why not spend all that cash on improving the gym instead?"

But the moment she said that, she remembered the huge difference between the Cinnabar Gym and the Cerulean Gym, where she had trained. Compared to her gym, Cinnabar's facilities were far superior, and all she could do was sigh in envy.

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Blaine's Secret Collection

"Come on, have a seat," Blaine said, motioning for them to sit on the tatami mats.

Ash, Misty, and Brock settled down as Blaine walked over to a wall panel. He pressed something, and suddenly, the wall split open, revealing a hidden storage compartment!

Seeing yet another hidden mechanism, Ash and the others barely reacted this time. They had already seen too many surprises in this place.

However—

The moment they saw what was inside the hidden storage, their eyes widened in shock.

"No way…"

The entire wall was lined with hundreds of rare items!

Ash recognized some of them immediately. There were evolutionary stones like the Fire Stone, Sun Stone, and Moon Stone. He also spotted Everstones, which looked just like ordinary rocks, and a shimmering silver Soothe Bell hanging from a thread.

But there were also many mysterious objects Ash had never seen before.

A pink scale, a broken fang, a water droplet-shaped gemstone, and even a strange-looking spell tag were among them.

Brock abruptly stood up, his eyes wide in disbelief. "These are… battle props?!"

Blaine grinned proudly as he turned to them. "You're quite knowledgeable, Brock." He spread his arms. "These are my personal collection, gathered over a lifetime."

He gestured toward the evolution stones. "The evolution stones are common enough, but everything else here is a true treasure—rare items with incredible abilities."

Misty's jaw nearly dropped. "Wait… you mean all of these are battle-enhancing items?!"

At first, she had assumed the items were just ordinary trinkets, but now, after hearing Brock and Blaine's words, she finally understood—

Every single object in that storage had power.

---

The Mystery of Battle Props

In the Pokémon world, certain objects are affected by the natural energy of their environment, giving them special properties. These special items, often referred to as props, can be used to enhance Pokémon abilities.

Blaine pointed at the Fire Stone and explained, "Take this for example. Fire Stones were once just ordinary rocks, but over time, they absorbed Fire-type energy from volcanoes, altering their structure. Now, they can be used to evolve certain Pokémon."

Misty turned her gaze toward a blue gemstone, which resembled a drop of water.

"I know that one!" she exclaimed. "It's a Mystic Water! It boosts Water-type moves by 20%!"

Blaine nodded approvingly. "Exactly. The Mystic Water was originally just a droplet, but after absorbing Water-type energy over time, it transformed into this gemstone with incredible power."

"That means…" Brock glanced at the rest of the items, his mind racing. "All of these objects must have unique effects!"

Ash nodded in agreement. Professor Oak had once told him about the existence of battle props, and he had also seen similar items in Pokémon games.

However, what truly amazed him was the fact that Pokémon could carry these items—but not in the way one would expect.

---

How Pokémon Carry Items

In video games, Pokémon could simply "hold" items, but the real-world mechanics were slightly different.

"Professor Oak told me something interesting," Ash said, turning toward Misty and Brock. "Pokémon don't actually carry items like we do. Instead, the item's energy fuses with their body when they hold it."

Misty blinked. "Wait, so… they absorb the item?"

Blaine confirmed with a nod. "Exactly. When a Pokémon holds an item, its energy signature blends into the Pokémon's own aura. That's why items like the Leftovers slowly restore HP—because the energy constantly heals the Pokémon!"

Ash clenched his fist. "So that's why Pokémon can only carry one item at a time—their body can only handle one energy infusion at a time!"

Brock looked fascinated. "That explains why some Pokémon become so much stronger with the right items. A Choice Band, for example, boosts Attack significantly, but limits move selection. The Pokémon's body is literally forced into an offensive state because of the energy it absorbed!"

Misty shuddered. "That sounds… kind of scary."

Blaine laughed. "Well, it's not dangerous if done correctly. That's why Trainers carefully select items for their Pokémon—it can mean the difference between victory and defeat in battle!"

Ash looked at the wall of rare items and gritted his teeth in determination. "If I want to win the Pokémon League, I'll need to start using props strategically!"

Blaine smirked. "That's the right attitude. Choosing the right item for the right Pokémon can make an Elite-level Pokémon fight like a Champion!"

He reached into the storage and pulled out a small, blue gemstone. "Here, Ash. Take this."

Ash's eyes widened. "This is…?"

Blaine grinned. "A Mystic Water. Give it to your Squirtle—it'll power up its Water-type attacks significantly."

Ash gratefully accepted the item. "Thank you, Blaine! This will definitely help us in battle!"

Brock and Misty smiled as Ash held the Mystic Water tightly in his hand. With the right strategy and preparation, Ash was one step closer to becoming a Pokémon Master.

The road to victory continued…