Chapter 7

Kanto Safari Zone

28 Ananeosis, 20 Zenoheld / March 29, 20—

After breakfast, Kaiser and Volt were back in the reception area.

"Well, did ya think about whether ya wanna get a Pokémon, Volt?" Kaiser asked.

"Well, as you said, it would be to my advantage not to call undue attention to myself." Even though Boriates could easily take anything the Pokémon world can throw at me, it's best not to take my chances if no one in this world has heard about Bakugan. "So, how do I get a Pokémon?"

"Normally, ya'd get yer starter Pokémon when ya first become a Trainer at the age of ten," Kaiser began. "From then, ya'd go on a journey with yer Pokémon, meetin' other Pokémon as ya travel from town ta town.

"Ta capture a wild Pokémon, ya have yer Pokémon battle the wild Pokémon ta weaken it, then capture it with one of these." From a compartment in the reception desk, Kaiser pulled out one of the red-and-white balls Volt saw two days ago. "This is called a Poké Ball. It's used ta capture an' transport Pokémon. I'm willin' ta bet that it's the same idea behind havin' Bakugan shrink ta the size of marbles."

Actually, Bakugan shrink because they can't hold their true form outside of New Vestroia, Volt thought. But aloud, Volt only mumbled, "Yeah … something like that."

"However, in the Safari Zone, the rules are a little different," Kaiser said. From another compartment, he took out a wicker basket, which had a bunch of differently-colored Poké Balls—where a normal Poké Ball was red, these were green and had a little "S" on top of the button in the middle—as well as a plastic stick and a tin that had a picture of brown pellets on it.

"Here, ya try to get the wild Pokémon's attention with this bait instead of battlin' it, then toss one of these here Safari Balls," Kaiser continued.

"Unlike normal Poké Balls, which can be used indefinitely until they break or catch something, Safari Balls will automatically deactivate if it fails to catch a Pokémon. The Safari Zone is home to lotsa Pokémon species that ya can't find in the rest of Kanto, and we're tryin' to protect them from overcatchin'. Sorta like a Pokémon preserve's younger cousin, if ya will.

"Anyway, ya have a limit of 30 Safari Balls, so use 'em wisely. Remember: Once ya use a Safari Ball, it cannot be used again, whether ya manage ta catch a Pokémon in it or not.

"If'n yer interested in gettin' a Water Pokémon, I recommend ya use this little beauty." Kaiser extended the plastic stick into a fishing rod, then retracted it back to its smaller size.

"Since ya don't have any Pokémon, I reckon that it's a good thing ya landed here, the one place in Kanto where ya don't need a Pokémon ta catch a Pokémon!"

Before anyone could say anything further, however, there was a knock at the door.

After Kaiser unlocked the door and opened it, the person waiting on the other side entered the office. She was fair-skinned and had curly blond hair. She wore a red short-sleeved blouse and blue jeans, and on her head was a baseball cap, which had a red brim and was red on the sides and white across the front, crown, and back. Volt also noticed that she looked like an acrobat, as she had a lithe physique.

"Hi, Kaiser!" the woman said in a high-pitched, perky voice.

"Howdy, Maya," Kaiser replied before returning to the reception desk.

"You know her?" Volt asked Kaiser.

"Sure I do," Kaiser said, while the woman approached the desk to get her Safari Zone kit. "This here's Maya. She's a Trainer from Mahogany Town in Johto, an' she's been comin' here a few times over the past two weeks. She says that there's a rare Pokémon in these here parts that she's tryin' ta catch—an' by the way, no, it ain't Dratini—but with the frequency that she's been comin', I think that she's just here for the scenery, if'n ya know what I mean."

"Don't flatter yourself, Kaiser," Maya replied. "And who is this hunk of a man?" she said, eyeing Volt.

Kaiser answered, "That there's Bolt Luster—"

"It's 'Volt,'" Volt corrected.

"Sorry, 'Volt Luster'—an' this is actually his first time here in the Safari Zone." Kaiser brought a finger to his chin. "Wait a second! Since you've been here so often, Maya, why don't ya help him out? He needs a good Pokémon to travel with."

"Since when did I become a tour guide?" Maya pouted.

"Since when did I become a babysitter?" Kaiser retorted. "Listen here: Volt here done survived a plane crash, only ta have some thieves steal his belongings an' Pokémon while he was out! So now he's on his own, tryin' ta get back on his feet. An' don't let them muscles fool ya; he's petrified at the thought of havin' ta travel anywhere without no Pokémon, especially in an unfamiliar region. I sure ain't gonna be holdin' his hand; I got a Safari Zone ta run!"

"Oh, you poor thing!" replied Maya, who immediately rushed to Volt's side. "How … nice of Kaiser to help you get back on your feet!" Maya glared at Kaiser at the word "nice." Sliding a finger across Volt's chest, she continued, "Alright; I'll help you get a nice, strong Pokémon to accompany you on your way home." Heading for the door, she said, "C'mon, let's go!"

"You go ahead, Maya," said Kaiser. "I have some last-minute advice for Volt here."

"OK," said Maya. "See you outside, Volt!" With that, she left the office.

After Maya left, Volt approached Kaiser's desk.

"Now don't you be tryin' to tell Maya about you bein' no alien, y'hear me?" Kaiser hissed, pistol drawn. "Not everyone believes in that kinda stuff. So if she asks, yer from the Unova region. Ya were on an airplane—that's a type of Earthling flyin' machine, if'n ya didn't know—on yer way ta Johto fer vacation. It crashed, and ya blacked out. When ya came to, ya found that all yer Pokémon an' valuables were stolen. Ya eventually found yer way here, an' now yer tryin' to get back on yer feet. Didja get that?"

"I'm from … 'Unova,' and fell into some hard times. Got it," Volt confirmed.

"Good," Kaiser said, holstering the pistol. "Now get outta here; ya got a Pokémon to catch."

When Volt left, he found Maya waiting near the door. She asked, "What took you so long, Volt?"

"Uh … Kaiser was just giving me some last-minute advice on catching Pokémon here," Volt replied. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

As they approached the Safari Zone gates, Maya commented, "Did something happen to the fence? Some of these planks look…rough-cut."

Volt gave an awkward chuckle. "Yeah. I wonder how that happened."

After wandering the Safari Zone for a few minutes, Volt asked, "So, Maya, Kaiser said that you were here to look for a rare Pokémon. Which Pokémon are you looking for, exactly?"

"Let me show you," she answered. From her blouse's breast pocket, she pulled out a deck of cards. On each card was a picture of a different Pokémon.

"This one." Maya pulled out one of the cards from the deck and showed it to Volt. On the card was a picture of a pink ovoid creature with stubby arms, hair-like outgrowths coming from the sides of its head, stubby feet, and a belly pouch that had a white egg in it. Beneath the picture was a caption: "Chansey, the Egg Pokémon."

"And this … 'Chansey' lives in the Safari Zone?" asked Volt.

"That's why I'm here," replied Maya. "And what about you? What Pokémon are you trying to catch?"

"You already heard the story from Kaiser; I'm basically starting from scratch here. My plane crashed as I was headed to Johto on vacation. This is my first time out of Unova, so I'm not really familiar with the Pokémon here in Kanto. I really have no idea what's around here," Volt replied.

"Is that so? Well, there are quite a few strong Pokémon around here that I'm sure will make good companions for you on your journey." A patch of rustling grass caught Maya's eye. "Well, what do you know? That might be one right now!"

Team Rocket Headquarters

Giovanni had a hard-to-read expression on his face. However, it was clear enough to Cassidy and Butch that their boss was not pleased.

"I just got the report from Dr. Namba. You mean to tell me that even though I practically gave you an entire day to search for this 'Volt Luster,' we have absolutely no information on him?" Giovanni demanded. "With all the data that Team Rocket has access to, how could you come up with absolutely nothing?"

"I dunno, Boss, but that's the truth," Butch replied warily.

Giovanni glared at the two agents. "So Kanto has nothing?"

"Nothing," replied Cassidy.

"Johto?"

"Nada," replied Butch.

"Hoenn?"

"No Pokémon-League database that we have access to has any mention of a 'Volt Luster,'" replied Cassidy.

"Maybe 'Volt' is a pseudonym. Did you try matching his picture?" Giovanni countered.

"Yes, sir," Butch answered. "Pokémon League, police records, even missing-persons reports. Still coming up empty. It's as if he just popped up out of nowhere."

"And what about the technology? Was Dr. Namba able to identify it?" Giovanni asked.

"Sorry, Boss. Dr. Namba says that he needs more data."

"Hmm… Then we'll have to find some way to get the data that he needs."

Kanto Safari Zone

After Maya let the Pokémon (a Rattata) get away, the duo continued to explore the Safari Zone. Before long, they ran across another Pokémon in a wide-open part of the Zone.

Volt's heartbeat started to race as he recognized the Pokémon as one that he had run across two days ago: a bovine creature with three silver studs on its forehead, a dark-brown mane, and three tails.

Maya rummaged through her deck of cards until she found the one with a picture of the Pokémon on it.

"'Tauros, the Wild Bull Pokémon,'" she read. "It says here that Tauros is not satisfied unless it is rampaging at all times. Tauros are apparently rowdy Pokémon with a lot of stamina, and they're always looking for an opponent. That looks like the perfect Pokémon for you, Volt!"

Volt glared at Maya—who seemed not to have noticed—at the thought of being paired with such a mindless creature. Nonetheless, Volt asked, while fiddling with one of the Safari Balls, "So, how do these Safari Balls work?"

"Just like any other Poké Ball: you throw it!" Maya explained.

"Like this?" Volt asked, throwing a Safari Ball at the Tauros. Upon impact, the ball opened up, and the Tauros turned into a mass of red plasma, which got sucked into the ball. The ball then closed, landed on the ground, and started shaking from side to side. He approached the shaking Ball curiously.

"I wouldn't get too close to that if I were you!" Maya warned.

But her warning came too late. The ball popped open, and as Volt retreated, the Tauros emerged from the ball. Upon spotting the man who tried to capture it, the Tauros started pawing the earth.

"Uh-oh. Back away very slowly," said Maya.

"Easy there, big fella," said Volt, backing away with his hands up. "No need for hostilities."

While backing up, Volt stumbled upon a rock and fell onto his backside. At the sudden movement, the Tauros began whipping itself with its tails.

"RUN!" yelled Maya.

Volt scrambled onto his feet, unhappy at the thought of being chased once again by one of the denizens of the Kanto Safari Zone. He immediately began to run away, Maya a few steps ahead. The Tauros, however, was three yards away and seemed to be steadily closing the gap.

"How fast can a Tauros run?" Volt asked.

"A heck of a lot faster than two humans! Boulder ahead!"

The pair avoided a three-foot-tall boulder that was right in front of them—Maya vaulted over, while Volt ran around it—and kept running. The Tauros, unable to stop in time, head-butted the boulder. It shook itself, trotted around the boulder, and then resumed its full-speed pursuit of Volt and Maya. Volt looked over his shoulder and noticed that the gap between them had grown to six yards.

"Well, if we can't outrun it, why are we running?" Volt asked. "Don't you have a Pokémon to fight it with?"

"Did you forget the rules already?" Maya replied. "You can't use your Pokémon in the Safari Zone! And Kaiser makes sure of it, too: you have to give him your Pokémon and Poké Balls before he gives you your Safari Balls."

So that's no help, Volt thought. And I doubt that I can summon Boriates in time.

Volt noticed something in front of him. Wait a sec, what's that?

"Maya, is that another Tauros in front of us?" Volt asked, pointing to a mass of fur that they were running towards.

"I think it is," Maya replied.

"Then I have an idea. Run towards that Tauros!"

"You want us to run towards a Tauros?!"

"Trust me!"

The two continued their run, the enraged Tauros still in hot pursuit and closing fast. They were soon ten yards from the sleeping Tauros…

eight yards…

six yards…

four yards…

When they were one yard away from the sleeping Tauros, Volt said, "Split up!"

Volt went right, and Maya went left, both going around the sleeping Tauros. Just as before, the pursuing Tauros couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting the sleeping Tauros's side.

The sleeping Tauros awakened and turned to face whatever was rude enough to disturb its slumber. Upon seeing another Tauros, the once-sleeping Tauros issued a loud bellow.

"Looks like our pursuer found a new opponent," Volt said as the two proceeded to put as much distance as possible between them and the two now-scuffling Tauros.

Huffing and puffing in her exhaustion, Maya reprimanded, "Next … time … try to … calm … the Pokémon … down before chucking a Safari Ball at it!" Maya and Volt were now catching their breath behind a pair of trees a good distance away from the two battling Tauros.

After Volt and Maya finished catching their breath, Maya heard a nearby patch of foliage start to rustle.

"What's that over there?" Maya asked.

"Where?" Volt replied.

"Behind that bush over there." Approaching the bush, Maya saw a flash of color. "Volt, pass me that tin of Pokémon food, will you?" Maya asked, further approaching the bush.

"This?" Volt replied, holding up the tin from Maya's basket.

"Yes, that!" replied Maya. "Hurry up, already!"

Volt tossed the tin to Maya, who easily caught it.

Maya opened the tin and shook a few pellets of Pokémon food into her hand. "Come on out," she said to the Pokémon behind the bush. "I won't hurt you. I've got some nice food for you."

A purple Pokémon with a long horn peeked out from behind the bush. Its long, almost rabbit-like ears twitched, and Volt was sure he saw spikes running down its back.

"That's right, big guy," Maya coaxed. "No tricks, just food." Maya dropped the pellets on the ground and stepped back, returning to Volt's side.

The mysterious Pokémon walked out in front of them, sniffed the food, and began eating.

"All right, the Nidorino accepted my bait!" she said. "Nidorino are quick to attack anyone they see as hostile, plus their horn secretes a powerful venom.

"I already have a Nidorino, though. Do you want this one?"

"Uh … let's leave that Pokémon alone for now," said Volt.

After a few more minutes of searching, Volt and Maya ran across another Pokémon. It was a quadrupedal creature with a horn over its snout and bony plates all over its body.

"What's that Pokémon?" Volt asked.

Maya shuffled through her cards. "That's a Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokémon. According to this card, it has bones that are a thousand times harder than a human's."

"Is that so?" asked Volt. "Sounds like it can stand up to a lot of punishment."

"Of course it can; it is a Rock-type, after all."

"Rock-type"? Better ask the old man later what she's talking about, Volt thought.

"Sounds like my kind of Pokémon," Volt said aloud.

Copying what he saw Maya do with the Nidorino, Volt approached the Rhyhorn, Pokémon food in hand.

"Hey, Rhyhorn. Want some food?"

The Rhyhorn approached Volt warily.

"No need to worry, Rhyhorn. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Meanwhile, Maya saw a flash of pink out of the corner of her eye. Taking her basket, she went to investigate.

Putting a trail of Pokémon food in front of him, Volt slowly backed up. The Rhyhorn followed the trail of food.

I think I'm getting the hang of this, Volt thought.

But just as he was about to capture the Rhyhorn, a high-pitched squeal of delight rent the air, sending the Pokémon running.

"No! Don't run!" Volt cried out, but to no avail.

No choice, then. "Poké Ball, go!" Volt said, throwing a Safari Ball at the retreating Pokémon. Volt's throw, however, missed its mark.

Turning behind him, Volt saw the source of the ear-splitting shriek that scared his quarry away: Maya, bounding towards him, Safari Ball in hand.

"Volt, I got it! I got it! After all this time searching, I finally got my hands on a Chansey!" Maya exulted. "Look!"

Opening the Safari Ball, Maya sent out a Chansey.

"Can you believe it? I actually caught. A. Chansey! They say that Chansey bring good luck, and now I got one!"

Volt had a scowl on his face. "For your sake, I sure hope that luck is contagious!"

Looking at Volt's face, Maya quickly figured out that her partner did not share in her exuberance. "Did … something happen?"

Volt and Maya returned to Kaiser's house as the sun was beginning to set.

"You two done took long enough out there!" Kaiser said when he heard the front door open. "So, how'd ya do in the Safari Zone?"

"Your friend here can be such a slave-driver!" Maya complained.

It was then that Kaiser noticed that both of them were exhausted and bedraggled. "What happened to y'all?"

While the two returned their Safari Zone kits to Kaiser, Maya explained, "Well, I finally got myself a Chansey! But old sourpuss over here was trying to catch a Rhyhorn at the same time, and when I cheered that I finally got the Pokémon that I was looking for, his Rhyhorn got away. So what does he do? He snatches my Poké Ball and says that he won't give it back to me until I help him get that Rhyhorn! Needless to say, we almost got killed trying to get that thing. Rhyhorn just blasted through everything in its way, so its trail was easy to spot. But was it easy to follow? No! It was almost as if the entire Safari Zone was conspiring to get in the way of us following it! I swear, if I ever, ever have to dodge another Twineedle attack—ever!—I'm gonna scream! Argh!"

Laughing, Kaiser said, "Well, it looks like y'all've got a pretty productive day behind ya!

"Sun's settin', though. Wanna stay here, Maya? I got a room fer ya to stay in."

"No thanks, Kaiser. I already have a room at the Fuchsia City Pokémon Center," Maya replied. Turning to Volt, Maya said, "Besides, Rhyhorn aside, it was fun being with you today. I hope we meet again. Now I believe you have something of mine, Volt."

Volt returned Maya's Safari Ball.

"Thanks!" Maya said once she received her Pokémon back. "See you later!" Maya then gave Volt a peck on the cheek, then headed towards the door and out of the office.

"Bye, Maya," Volt replied towards the woman's retreating form.

After Maya left, Kaiser said, "So now ya got a Pokémon. Congrats."

"Thanks," said Volt. "You've been a big help."

"After what ya've done, it's the least I can do. Now get yerself cleaned up an' get some rest, 'cause tomorrow's time for ya to get outta here! I ain't runnin' no bed-an'-breakfast!"

"OK. Just one question."

"Shoot."

"Maya said that Rhyhorn is a 'Rock-type.' What does that mean?"

Kaiser slapped himself on the forehead. "Oh, right! Good thing ya asked, 'cause I done totally forgot that we brought that up yesterday. And believe you me, ya can't be wanderin' around these here parts knowin' nothin' about Pokémon types. Pull up a chair an' listen good, 'cause ya've got a lot of learnin' ta do. Actually, ya might need this as well." Kaiser took a notepad and pen from the reception desk. "I assume that yer able to write, right? Or are you Vestal-folk so advanced that y'all have outgrown the use of a pen and paper?"

Volt didn't know whether Kaiser was being curious or condescending. Deciding not to take offense, Volt simply answered, "I know how to write."

"All right. Now listen up. Like I mentioned earlier, there are seventeen Pokémon types. I heard talk that someone out there may have discovered an eighteenth, but I'll stick with what I know fer sure an' say seventeen.

"Now, a Pokémon's type determines what kinda attacks it's strong or weak to. For example, since ya asked about the Rock type …"

A/N: This fic is set way before Generation VI, hence Kaiser's remark about the number of Pokémon types. I'll explain further about this fic's setting in next chapter's A/N.

Also, regarding the description of the Safari Balls, Safari Balls are camouflage-colored in the games. In the anime, they're exactly as I described: green with an "S" over the button.

Credit goes to Bulbapedia for its excellent Pokémon descriptions, as well as for being a good source of Pokédex entries. Chansey's description in particular benefited from a trip to Bulbapedia.