Geosenge Town, Pokémon Center.
After Terrance registered for a temporary room, he headed over to the mission board.
This was a place where Trainers or merchants often posted missions. Anyone who thought themselves capable could take one up. Terrance, however, wasn't here to accept any missions. The rewards weren't tempting enough. Instead, as his eyes swept over the board, he mainly wanted to see if he could pick up any useful information.
"Searching for Soft Sand…"
Terrance paused at that mission and leaned closer to read the details. Apparently, an ancient underground ruin had recently been discovered outside of Geosenge Town. While there was nothing particularly valuable inside, and much of it had already collapsed and been destroyed, the ruin's sandy soil contained a special kind of sand - Soft Sand.
This sand was infused with powerful earth energy, making it a treasured item loved by many Ground-type Pokémon. Its function was similar to that of Mystic Water for Water-types, or Never-Melt Ice for Ice-types.
Currently, the underground ruin had already been contracted out, and excavation was still ongoing. There was an urgent need for Ground-type Pokémon and Pokémon capable of using Psychic-type moves to help in locating and collecting Soft Sand.
"Excuse me, sir…"
Just as Terrance was scanning the board for more information, a girl dressed in a brown mountaineering outfit walked over. "I'm a freelance guide here in Geosenge Town. You can call me Jessica. I know most of the goings-on in this area, would you like my help with anything?"
"A guide?" Terrance blinked, then quickly realized that this girl was a local looking to earn a few tips.
"Haha, Jessica, don't scam people again. Did you forget the last time you led two Trainers into the mountains and got lost?"
"Yeah, and what about when you sold someone a fake stone?"
Inside the Pokémon Center, two young men lounging on a sofa burst into laughter, mocking the girl named Jessica.
At their words, Jessica's face turned pale. She bit back the urge to argue, turned around, and left.
"What was that about…" Terrance shook his head slightly, then turned his attention back to the mission board, only to suddenly notice a mission that piqued his interest.
"Capture a Carbink capable of using psychic power in the northern mountains."
The mission description was very straightforward, and the reward wasn't bad either. Most Trainers would probably be tempted. But Terrance was less interested in the reward and more in discovering where exactly the Carbink colony resided.
The very reason he had come to Geosenge Town was because he had heard there was a Carbink colony nearby. For the team battle system he wanted to create, Carbink was an indispensable part of the system that he initially envisioned.
"The employer is… the owner of a shop which sells stone."
After reading the information on the employer, Terrance immediately left the Pokémon Center and made his way to the shop.
In Geosenge Town, the buildings are mostly shops selling special stones, evolutionary stones, or stone artworks. This place was truly a paradise of stones, surrounded by several mountains rich in ores. It was this unique environment that had shaped the distinctive character of Geosenge Town.
After a few turns, Terrance arrived at the shop. Compared to others, this one was tucked away in a more secluded spot. There were no stone samples displayed outside to attract customers, making one doubt whether the store could even sell anything at all.
"Excuse me."
As he pushed the door open, the sound of snoring immediately reached Terrance's ears. Inside, there was only one person, and he was slumped over a desk, fast asleep.
"Boss?" Terrance muttered, the corner of his mouth twitching, and called out again.
"Ah??" With a faint snort, the shopkeeper, who looked like an uncle, jerked awake. "Eh, welcome, are you here to buy something?"
"Boss, the mission at the Pokémon Center about capturing Carbink. It was issued by you, right?" Terrance asked.
"May I ask if you know where the Carbink colony can be found?"
"Mm…" The shopkeeper rubbed his eyes, only now getting a clear look at the visitor's face. "So that's it… I thought you were here to buy stones."
"Well…" Terrance scratched his head. "If I can find a Carbink colony, I wouldn't mind buying a few things to take back."
"Buy a stone first," the shopkeeper said.
"Alright then." Terrance nodded, and casually glanced around.
There were indeed plenty of evolutionary stones, but all of rather poor quality. Terrance didn't even feel the urge to collect them. As for treasures like Smooth Rock or Icy Rock, this shop had none at all.
"Hm… Float Stone."
It was hard for Terrance to find anything useful in this store, but luck was on his side. He spotted a Float Stone in an unremarkable corner.
"Oh, that thing? I didn't think anyone would be interested." The shopkeeper yawned. "Even though not many Trainers need that stone, I don't want to sell it cheap either, so it's been sitting here forever. Final offer, this much."
With that, the shopkeeper held up a few fingers.
"Done." Terrance agreed without hesitation. It was just a Float Stone. Whether a little cheap or expensive, it was well within his budget. After all, it was only meant to serve as food for Larvitar; there was no need to haggle.
"Straightforward man!" The shopkeeper laughed heartily and promptly pulled out a map from some hidden corner.
"Carbink are timid by nature. They usually live in dark caves to avoid attention. When it encounters an enemy, it escapes by digging a hole. Its habitat also changes frequently. These here….these are the places most likely to be their habitats. I spent a long time investigating to find this out."
Of course, Terrance was already aware of these habits of Carbink, which was precisely why he gathered information in advance to save some effort.
Satisfied with the trade, Terrance suddenly noticed a photograph in a frame on the man's desk and couldn't help showing a look of surprise.
"This is…"
The photo looked very old. It depicted a pink stone floating in midair. Time had weathered it so much its original appearance was unclear, yet Terrance had never seen such a miraculous stone that could float in the air.
"Alright, alright, the trade's done—" The shopkeeper glanced casually at Terrance, who was staring at the photo, but showed no intention of explaining.
"This stone in the photo… it resembles a kind of gem. Could it be a variant of a Fairy Gem?" Terrance asked.
"It's not some Fairy Gem," the shopkeeper replied.
"Mm, I don't know what this 'Fairy Gem' you mentioned is, but its name is called the Heart Diamond." Just then, as Terrance and the shopkeeper were talking, a woman's voice cut in. It was Jessica, the girl he had seen earlier in the Pokémon Center, who had claimed to be a guide.
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