Chapter 52 Mess of Safari Zone
Ash, his family, and Alice are on their way to Sailport Town when they notice a Safari Zone nearby. Gina recalls, "Didn't Rodney say he was going to the Safari Zone?"
"Yeah," Ash replies. "Let's go check it out."
As they approach, they see people running out in terror. Among them is Rodney, who notices Ash and the others. "You made it, guys."
"Rodney, what's going on?" Ash asks, concerned.
"That's the Safari Zone. You can find Pokémon there that you can't find anywhere else, but the problem is the Yayak are going on a rampage," Rodney explains.
"Yayak? Why?" Red asks, his brow furrowed.
"I don't know," Rodney says, shaking his head. "It's a terrible mess…"
Determined to help, Ash decides to enter the Safari Zone. The staff is hesitant to let them in at first, but with Red and Delia's permission, they manage to get inside.
Ash and Alice gasp at the sight before them—a couple of Yayak are running wild, breaking trees and destroying ponds. "Wow, it's a mess... Has anyone managed to capture them?" Ash asks.
The staff member shakes his head. "No, they refuse to be captured, and we don't know why… As soon as they see trainers, they immediately attack."
Ash considers the situation, then says, "I see. Can you give me those Safari Balls?"
The staff nods, handing him 30 Safari Balls. Ash calls out, "Hey, Yayak!"
One of the Yayak hears Ash's voice, its eyes widening in recognition. It quickly turns to the other Yayak. "It's Ash!"
"No way!" "Seriously?" The rampaging Yayak suddenly stop and charge toward Ash. He gulps as all the Yayak rush toward him.
"Ash!" Alice cries. "Watch out!" Rodney yells.
But Ash remains calm, drawing his sword, which forms a protective barrier around him. The Yayak, instead of attacking, surround Ash and begin nuzzling him affectionately. "Stop it, I know you miss me, but please stop…" Ash says, trying to manage the overwhelming attention.
Alice, Rodney, and the staff stare in disbelief, their jaws dropping. "What just happened?" Alice asks, stunned.
"He calmed all 30 Yayak down?" Rodney asks, incredulous. "How did he do that?"
Gina smiles knowingly. "Well, the Yayak were his Pokémon that got reincarnated."
"Wait, you mean… all 30 of them?" Alice asks, still in shock. "Are you serious?"
"Well, they were once Tauros, and they liked to show affection by stomping Ash, after all," Delia sighs.
"Tauros... I've heard they run in herds in the wild. The herd member with the longest, thickest, and most scarred horns is said to be the leader," Rodney says. "But to think Ash had a herd of 30... wow…"
After calming the Yayak, Ash turns to the staff and asks, "They're calm now. Is it possible for me to take care of all 30 of them?"
The staff, still in a state of shock, replies, "Um... sure…"
Ash then captures all 30 Yayak with the Safari Balls and teleports them to Sevestar Island.
Yayak: The Yak Pokemon: Normal and Water Type. Yayak avoids any humans that approach them, hiding back into their herd. A Yayak seperated from their herd becomes agitated at all times.
Alice, tears in her eyes, hugs Ash tightly. "Ash, why on earth did you capture 30 Tauros back then? I thought I was going to lose you…"
"Don't worry. You won't. As for the reason, let's just say that back in the Kanto Region, I wanted to capture different Pokémon in the Safari Zone, but whenever I threw a Safari Ball, the Tauros would run past and get sucked inside," Ash explains with a sheepish smile.
Rodney laughs, shaking his head. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."
Red asks, "So how many Pokémon that have been revived aren't in your team yet?"
Ash thinks for a moment before answering, "There's Snorlax, Bayleef, Quilava, Noctowl, Donphan, Glalie, Pignite, Leavanny, Krookodile, and Hawlucha. So that makes 10 left."
Alice, still holding onto Ash, says, "You're going to find them pretty soon."
"I know," Ash says, smiling. "And I can't wait to meet them again."
As the mess in the Safari Zone is finally cleared, people begin to enter again, their initial fear replaced with excitement. Ash turns to Rodney and asks, "Rodney, what about you?"
"Don't worry, I already have a new partner," Rodney replies with a confident smile. "Right now, I'm heading to Rassic City. I've heard that you can get a rare Pokémon if you beat a famous Pokémon Trainer there…"
"Let me guess, Lizzy?" Ash asks, raising an eyebrow.
Rodney looks surprised. "You know her?"
"Apparently, she's Rick's sister," Alice explains, and Rodney immediately groans at the mention of Rick's name. "I just hope she isn't like Rick."
"I hope so too," Rodney says, clearly not looking forward to another encounter with someone like Rick. With that, they bid each other farewell, each heading off on their own path.
Now that the mess is cleared, Ash and Alice purchase 30 Safari Balls and eagerly head back into the Safari Zone, ready to find new Pokémon.
"So, what should we find?" Alice asks as they scan the surroundings, their eyes wide with anticipation.
"Well, I want to find more new Pokémon," Ash replies, his excitement palpable. As they explore, they suddenly spot a lion-like Pokémon smashing rocks with a powerful move. Ash and Alice quickly duck behind some boulders to watch.
"That's a Leonite," Alice whispers, recognizing the Pokémon's distinctive features.
"Maybe it can be my first capture here," Ash says, carefully tossing a Safari Ball. The Leonite is sucked inside, but moments later, the ball bursts open, and the Pokémon emerges, clearly unimpressed.
"Oops, it got out," Ash says, a bit sheepishly.
Leonite, now aware of their presence, uses its claw to shatter the rocks they're hiding behind. Alice glances at Ash, concerned. "Ash, what should we do?"
Without hesitation, Ash steps out from hiding and approaches the lion Pokémon, his expression calm and confident. "Do you want to join us? I really like the way you use Diamond Claw," he says, his tone respectful.
Leonite narrows its eyes, sizing Ash up. "And who are you to ask me to join your team?" the Pokémon demands, its voice deep and commanding.
Ash meets Leonite's gaze without flinching. "Then let me introduce myself. I'm Ash Ketchum."
At the mention of his name, Leonite's stern expression softens, and it bows slightly. "I've heard of you. You're the Prince of Sevestar. It's an honor to meet you."
Ash nods, a smile on his face. "So, how about it? Would you join my team?"
Leonite considers for a moment before agreeing. "But only if you promise me a battle with one of your Pokémon after we leave the Safari Zone."
"Deal," Ash replies, and with that, he captures Leonite.
Leonite: The Adamantine Pokémon. Rock Type. Leonite are kings of the Safari Zone, lying atop rock outcroppings across the sanctuary. Their manes and claws are as hard as diamonds, enough to slice through rocks.
Ash and Alice continue their exploration of the Safari Zone and eventually make their way to a serene lake. As they approach, they spot several birds gracefully dancing on the water's edge. "Wow, that Flapinko is beautiful," Alice remarks, her eyes fixed on the elegant Pokémon.
"Yeah, but which one should I choose?" Ash wonders aloud. As the birds begin to take flight, Ash quickly tosses three Safari Balls. Two miss their targets, but one successfully hits a flying Flapinko, securing the capture.
Flapinko: The Glamor Pokémon. Normal and Flying Type. Flapinko are glamorous Pokémon who like to show off and put on an act whenever the opportunity arises. Their pink feathers are often used on performers' outfits.
"So those were the materials of the Performers' outfits… that's good to know," Ash says, picking up a stray pink feather from the ground.
"You're right," Alice agrees as they continue to walk through the Safari Zone. Suddenly, Alice's face pales as she spots something ahead. "Ash, mud incoming!"
But it's too late—Ash is splattered with mud, his entire body covered. "Yuck… I need to take a bath now… Who did this?"
They soon see several rolling elephants rushing by, their large bodies kicking up mud as they go. One of the elephants, however, stops in its tracks, staring at Ash with wide eyes. "Dad?"
"Dad?" Alice repeats in surprise. "Did it just call you Dad?"
Ash, recognizing the Pokémon, smiles. "Donphan, right?" The elephant Pokémon rushes forward and hugs Ash, pressing him deeper into the mud. "I can't believe I found you as well."
"I remember… Donphan attack by rolling their bodies into a circle and charging their enemies," Alice says, observing Ash now completely covered in mud. "Ash, you're a mess…"
"Sorry," Ash says, laughing despite his appearance. "Alice, this was my Donphan. I raised it from an egg back in Johto."
"Really? You found another one of your missing Pokémon," Alice says, smiling brightly.
Ash then uses a Safari Ball to capture the Donphan, who willingly goes inside.
Rollie: The Elephant Pokémon. Ground Type. Rollie love to roll around in the mud and throw mud balls at unsuspecting Pokémon passing by. Their trunks allow them to spray out water like a hose.
After sending Rollie back out, the Pokémon sprays Ash's back with water, washing away the mud.
"I guess you're clean again," Alice says with a relieved smile. "That's great since I really couldn't stand you being that muddy."
"But I feel so cold after that water…" Ash shivers, trying to shake off the chill. Just then, a giraffe-like Pokémon with a fiery mane approaches, sensing Ash's discomfort. The Pokémon gently leans in, its warmth radiating through the air, helping Ash to warm up.
Ash looks at the Pokémon gratefully. "Why did you help me?"
"You saved the Safari Zone from those crazy Yayak," the Girafire replies. "And I can show you my thanks by doing this."
Ash smiles and, appreciating the gesture, captures Girafire, who is happy to join the team.
Girafire: The Giraffe Pokémon. Fire Type. Girafire's long neck allows it to reach the leaves of tall trees in the sanctuary. The healthier the Pokémon is, the more fiercely its mane burns.
"Thanks a lot," Ash says, recalling Girafire once his clothes are dry. As they continue walking, they spot some Pokémon running by. "Those are Zebrite."
"Zebrite, huh?" Ash says, intrigued. They start chasing the Pokémon, but Zebrite is incredibly fast. After a sprint, Ash and Alice find themselves panting when Zebrite finally stops and looks back at them. The Pokémon then lies down, its gaze friendly.
"Are you giving us a ride?" Ash asks.
The Zebrite nods, and both Ash and Alice climb onto its back. Zebrite takes off at a rapid pace, bringing them to a nearby pond. There, they notice some hippo-like Pokémon lounging in the water. Ash tosses a Safari Ball, but to his and Alice's surprise, one of the hippo Pokémon catches the ball in its mouth.
"It ate it?" Alice gasps, eyes wide. But then, the Pokémon turns into red light and is drawn into the Safari Ball, signaling a successful capture.
Hippond: The Hippo Pokémon. Water and Ground Type. Hippond wrestle with each other in mud pools, their color providing a natural camouflage from larger predators that hunt them.
Just then, they hear a sound that causes Zebrite to tremble with fear. Ash and Alice quickly scan the area and soon spot a cheetah-like Pokémon appearing in front of them.
"What the…" Ash begins, but his words trail off as the Pokémon licks its mouth, clearly signaling its hunger. Zebrite shivers in fear, and Ash realizes he needs to act fast.
"Don't worry," Ash says reassuringly as he takes out a Pokéball. "But the rules say we can't use our own Pokémon…" Alice warns, concern in her voice.
"Our own Pokémon, not the ones from this Safari. Leonite!" Ash calls, sending out the Pokémon he captured earlier. Cheetric, the cheetah-like Pokémon, is surprised to see Leonite stepping in to protect Zebrite.
"You'll have to get past me if you want to eat him," Leonite threatens, its tone firm.
Cheetric pauses, then admits, "Alright, I'm sorry, but I'm hungry."
Ash, understanding the situation, pulls out some bait from his bag. "Here, I've got some food. You can have this." Cheetric eagerly accepts the offering, eating happily. After satisfying its hunger, both Cheetric and Zebrite decide to join Ash's team.
Zebrite: The Herd Pokémon. Psychic Type. Known for their keen psychic senses, Zebrite telepathically communicate with other members of their herd to work as a single entity.
Cheetric: The Cheetah Pokémon. Electric and Dark Type. Cheetric are among the fastest Pokémon in the world. They have been recorded breaking the sound barrier when pursuing their prey.
"And that was our last ball," Ash says, looking at the now-empty container. "We should head back to the entrance."
Alice nods in agreement, and they make their way to the entrance. Once there, the staff helps them transfer all seven Pokémon into regular Pokéballs. With their new Pokémon safely secured, Ash and Alice go to find Delia and the others.
This is a Safari Zone Chapter, I hope you like it. And Ash also gets all 30 Tauros back, very funny, huh? And now Ash only has 9 more Pokemon that he needs to find.
New Pokemon: Yayak x30 (Tauros), Leonite, Flapinko, Rollie (Donphan), Girafire, Hippond, Zebrite, Cheetric
Wild Plains:
Land: Rollie:25% (LV:30~40), Girafire:25% (LV:30~40), Yayak:20% (LV:30~40), Zebrite:20% (LV:30~40), Cheetric:5% (LV:30~40), Leonite:5% (LV:30~40)
Headbutt: Lunape:60% (LV:30~40), Casspring:30% (LV:30~40), Terraz:9% (LV:30~40), Teravolt:1% (LV:32~40)
Surfing: Hippond:60% (LV:30~40), Flapinko:30% (LV:30~40), Yayak:10% (LV:30~40)
Old Rod: Shrimpet:70% (LV:5~15), Sharko:30% (LV:5~15)
Good Rod: Sharko:60% (LV:30~35), Shrimpet:20% (LV:30~35), Platyplat:20% (LV:30~35)