Chapter 3:
Browse Safari
Cianwood City has not changed much since my journey. Well, there was one major difference. Don't get me wrong, it's still a somewhat isolated old-fashioned town on an island separate from mainland Johto. But now there was a Gate inside a cave that begins the road to the Safari Zone. That's what I would be taking with Lyra today.
"Nervous Ellington?" Lyra asked.
"In an excited way" I replied. "Going to a part of Johto I've never been to, or one that has recently been developed." Pichu popped out my bag and started cheering.
"I think Pichu is excited as well!" Lyra said. "How's the Walker?"
"Great!" I said. I showed her the multiple Berries my Pokémon had brought back for me. "But I can find more if we keep walking. To the Safari Zone!"
We walked through the gate and on the other side of the cave, was Route 47. It was made up of three cliffs separated by two waterfalls, with bridges going across them. I saw the water crashing down onto the rocks below as water lightly blew into my face.
"This place is amazing!" Lyra shouted, her voice echoing back. "It looks like a screensaver!"
"Okay. We need to get to the Safari Zone by 7pm, which is when I cut the ribbon to open it. We don't have a minute to waste!" Lyra however was still amazed by the waterfall; it was as if it had used the move Captivate on her. "Come on Lyra. There's more to see."
We walked into a patch of grass and sure enough, I found a Pokémon, a common large brown Flying Type with a long beak.
Fearow
014
Normal/Flying Type
Beak Pokémon
Region of origin: Kanto
3'11" (1.2 m)
83.8 lbs (38 kg)
It cleverly uses its thin, long beak to pluck and eat small insects* that hide under the ground.
Spearow -Lv 20 Fearow
*Bug Type Pokémon are sometimes referred to as insects.
"I choose Ampharos!" I yelled, sending out my yellow Pokémon. "Use Power Gem!" Ampharos's head orb started glowing. It then fired some light rocks at Fearow, knocking it out. It was Super Effective, but there was also a massive level difference between ampharos and Fearow.
"Power Gem?" Lyra asked.
"Yep. It's a Rock Type move with no added benefits, but it does give Ampharos some coverage. It's the only Electric Type that can learn the move." Thinking about it, why? Ampharos is only weak to Ground Types, which resist Rock Type moves. Nevermind, it was still a good move to have. "Okay, let's continue. Where do we go?"
"Well we need to go up" Lyra said. "To do that, we need to go into the Cliff Cave." She pointed to a cave in the cliff face that we were right next to.
"Cliff Cave it is then" I announced. "Onwards and upwards!"
The inside Cliff Cave smelt of chalk and brine, which I liked. It gave a sensation of where we were; a cave in the middle of the cliff. Rocky walls, stalagmites, stalactites and water dripping from multiple locations. To think that places like this exist.
Suddenly, I encountered another Pokémon, a large crusty orange one with a large Pincer.
Kingler
167
Water Type
Pincer Pokémon
Region of origin: Kanto
4'03" (1.3 m)
132.3 lbs (60 kg)
Its pincers grow peculiarly large. If it lifts the pincers too fast, it loses its balance and staggers.
Krabby -Lv 28 Kingler
"Come on out again Ampharos!" I yelled. "Use Thunder!" Ampharos summoned a cloud. Then, a crack of lightning zapped Kingler, taking it out. If the wild ones go down this easily, then we could take our time.
"These Pokémon are rather easy for you" Lyra said. "If it's fine with you, I'm taking on the next one?"
"Go ahead!" I said. "I'd love to see what you use aside from Marill and Pichu."
"Okay then" Lyra replied. "I'm going to find something." She started running about, hoping to encounter something. Sure enough, she did. A small grey muscly Pokémon.
Machop
142
Fighting Type
Superpower Pokémon
Region of origin: Kanto
2'07" (0.8 m)
43 lbs (19.5 kg)
Always brimming with power, it passes time by lifting boulders. Doing so makes it even stronger.
"Let's see" Lyra said. "Go Umbreon!" she yelled, sending out a black Pokémon. It had golden rings dotted around its body.
Umbreon
189
Dark Type
Moonlight Pokémon
Region of origin: Johto
3'03" (1 m)
59.5 lbs (27 kg)
When agitated, this Pokémon protects itself by spraying poisonous sweat from its pores.
Eevee -Happiness at night-time Umbreon
"Lyra" I told her. "Umbreon isn't a good idea. Dark Types are weak to Fighting Types."
"Well, it gives me a challenge then! Umbreon, Take Down!" Umbreon charged into Machop, knocking it out in one.
"Well done!" I said, hi fiving Lyra.
Lyra then looked at Umbreon. "We had a bit of trouble evolving, so it missed out on quite a few moves unfortunately. I'm sure we'll find some Heart Scales to teach it some new moves though."
We walked up a ladder in the Cave and then out another entrance, giving us an amazing view of the ocean.
"Wow!" Lyra shouted.
"If we keep this up, we'll be at the Safari Zone in no time" I told Lyra. I know what I said earlier, but I am incredibly time conscious. "Come on, we can have a look later."
"No need to rush Edgar. We've been walking a long time."
"I mean yes but we don't have a second to spare" I said back, just as my stomach replied to me with a rumble. "Oh. Well, I suppose we can spare some lunch. Can't climb a cliff on an empty stomach!"
I sat with all my Pokémon to eat some nice sandwiches. "Try these" Lyra said, getting out some round food.
"What are they?" I asked.
"They are called Poffins. You see, I use to live in a far off region called Sinnoh where Poffins are popular. I like to feed them to my friends!"
"I know about that place" I said. "Many evolutions of Johto Pokémon reside there. Can I evolve any of mine?"
"Yeah!" she said. "Like Togetic. It can evolved into Togekiss!"
Togetic was currently in the Walker. How do I evolve it?
"With a Shiny Stone. None are found in Johto. Maybe in Kanto?"
That would be our next step then.
We continued to admire the sea when Lyra spotted a boat sailing in the distance. I got out some binoculars to see a giant white boat with two yellow funnels. "It's the S.S. Aqua!" I shouted. "That's the boat that took me to Kanto when that was the next step of my journey. It must be going to Olivine City, then to Vermillion."
Lyra snatched the binoculars off me. "It's awfully far." I took the binoculars off her and turned them round which allowed her to see the boat zoomed in. "Oh, that's why you could see it. Is that how we will go to Kanto?"
"We'll take the Magnet Train" I told her. "It's a lot faster. You just need a Magnet Pass."
"I have one!" she said. "Okay, tomorrow, off to Kanto!"
After lunch, we continued up the cliff when we saw a couple. They spotted us. I knew what this meant.
"Here on a honeymoon I suppose?" I asked.
"We're on a honeymoon to battle!" both Newlyweds replied.
"So be it!" Battle time!"
"Go Onix!" Duff shouted, sending out the giant Rock Type.
Onix
034
Rock/Ground Type
Rock Snake Pokémon
Region of origin: Kanto
28'10" (8.8 m)
463 lbs (210 kg)
It twists and squirms through the ground. The thunderous roar of its tunnelling echoes a long way.
"You're up Cloyster!" announced Eda, sending out a Pokémon in a giant shell.
Cloyster
172
Water/Ice Type
Bivalve Pokémon
Region of origin: Kanto
4'11" (1.5 m)
292.1 lbs (132.5 kg)
Once it slams its shell shut, it is impossible to open, even by those with superior strength.
Shellder -Water Stone Cloyster
"Suicune, Golem! You're up!" I said, sending out those two. "Suicune, Hydro Pump!" Suicune shot a blast of water at Onix, who dodged.
"Onix, Stone Edge!" Onix summoned multiple sharp stones and fired them at Suicune. It didn't do that much, even with it being a Critical Hit.
"Cloyster, use Brine!" Cloyster shot salty water at Golem who did take Super Effective damage, but the level difference was too high to make any sort of impact.
"Golem, Dynamic Punch!" Golem punched Cloyster very hard. Cloyster wasn't knocked out in one but it did become confused from the attack.
"Now Suicune, use another Hydro Pump!" One blast of water and Onix was down.
"Cloyster, use Ice Beam!" Cloyster shot a cold beam, but it came back to Cloyster and it hit it, knocking it out.
"Oh yeah!" I announced.
"Looks like we will have to train more dear" said Eda to her husband.
"Have a lovely life!" I said as me and Lyra went off.
"Look!" I told Lyra as we approached Route 48. "We're almost there!" Route 48 wasn't really a Route, more like a field with some grass. At the end of the "Route" was a big sign over the exit that said SAFARI ZONE. "We have no time to waste!" I said.
"Okay Elon!" Lyra said, racing after me.
The sun was starting to set when we got to the Safari Zone. We had been having so much fun we lost track of time. There were many stalls selling food including the Hoenn popular Pokéblock and jelly filled donuts.
"With one hour to spare" I said. "I need to get ready for the ceremony. Lyra, you can enjoy yourself can't you?"
"Sure!" she chirped. Pichu jumped out of the bag and joined her. "Of course Pichu. You have fun to!"
"Ah" said the Safari Warden, a middle aged man in a safari outfit. "Welcome Mr Schneider, and I'm going presume that is your little sister."
"No, I'm an only child" I replied. "This is Lyra, my best friends' cousin. She is tagging alongside me for a bit."
"Nice to meet you!" Lyra said, her mouth full of the food from the stalls. I was concerned about whether she could pay for any of it.
"Well okay then. Ethan, come with me. We need to get ready to cut the ribbon."
Pichu jumped onto Lyra's shoulder.
"Now what a curious thing" he said. "This Pichu has a spiky ear. Is it rare?"
"It's the only one I know of" I replied. "Okay Lyra, enjoy yourself!"
As the sun went down, it was time to cut the ribbon. I was given a giant pair of scissors which I used to cut the ribbon with. "I officially declare Johto's Safari Zone…open!"
There were many pictures taken, just as two news reporters came on. "Keep it rolling Ty!" the reporter said as she started asking me things. "My name is Gabby of HBC news and I am here to ask Johto's Champion Ethan Schneider some questions about the Safari Zone."
After the interview questions where I just mentioned different types of emotions, I had a talk with Lyra about what to do next, which we of course had already decided. We were going to head to Kanto.
"I've been to Kanto my fair few time" she said. "I come to Johto a lot so when I need to go over to Kanto, I just use it. This will be fun!"
It's a big world out there. I've been to three regions, but what will be my 4th one?