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After bidding farewell to the Kangaskhan herd, Ash and his companions resumed their journey. Though parting was bittersweet, life and adventure had to continue.
Perhaps their next reunion would be far in the future, but this anticipation for meeting again drove both people and Pokemon forward on their respective paths.
Having left the nature reserve, the group entered a distinctly different area. As most trainers knew, Pokemon couldn't be freely captured in protected zones.
But their next destination was markedly different from what they'd experienced before. The region they now approached was known as the Safari Zone.
Unlike nature reserves, which protected specific groups and rare Pokemon from being captured or battled against under any circumstances, the Safari Zone operated under different principles. Though it shared one rule with reserves—Pokemon couldn't be caught through excessive force—trainers were actually encouraged to catch Pokemon here.
While Pokemon and humans generally coexisted harmoniously, with most people dedicated to protecting Pokemon, environmental issues sometimes arose in certain locations, such as the place where they encountered the Diglett colony.
Though humans could certainly cause environmental problems, the same applied to Pokemon. When certain species became too numerous, their feeding habits and lifestyle could damage the ecological balance.
For instance, if Snorlax were highly social creatures forming groups of fifteen to twenty individuals, and multiple such groups inhabited an area, few environments could sustain them.
Nature reserves protected Safari Pokemon, but excessive Safari Pokemon populations could disrupt ecological equilibrium. The Safari Zone was designed to address this by encouraging trainers to catch Pokemon within regulated guidelines.
"So this is the Safari Zone?" Misty's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I wonder if there are any rare Water-type Pokemon here! Just thinking about it makes me thrilled!"
Though technically wilderness, the area contained several substantial buildings nestled among the trees.
"There must be all kinds of Pokemon here. Let's check it out!" Ash replied with enthusiasm. He led his friends toward one of the buildings and knocked on the door.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"Who's making such a racket this early in the morning?" The door swung open suddenly, and a figure emerged whose demeanor immediately suggested visitors should approach with caution.
"Oh..." Misty startled when she saw the man. He appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, dressed like a frontier ranger. Most notably, he wore two intimidating black revolvers holstered at his waist.
"Is this the Safari Zone?" Ash asked.
"Indeed it is. What do you want?" The man eyed the three of them warily but answered nonetheless.
"We're traveling trainers looking to catch Pokemon in this area," Ash replied straightforwardly.
"Then come inside with me." The man studied them briefly before turning and walking into the building. Misty whispered anxiously to Ash:
"Ash, that ranger has guns! Are you sure it's safe to follow him?"
"It'll be fine. Come on!" Ash waved off her concern and led the way inside. From the exterior, the structure appeared to be a modest wooden cabin, but the interior was surprisingly comfortable and well-equipped with communications technology, including telephones and radio transmitters.
"Three of you, right? Come here and register," the man instructed, walking behind a counter.
After they approached and paid the entrance fee, the ranger presented them with three cases containing fishing rods and special green Poke Balls.
"These are Safari Balls, specifically designed for use in Safari Zones," he explained.
"Listen carefully," the ranger continued sternly. "You may only use the Poke Balls and fishing rods provided within the Safari Zone. You are prohibited from using force when catching Pokemon. The limit is thirty captures per person. You must return once you've used all your Safari Balls."
His expression hardened as he added, "If you violate these rules, you'll answer to my Thunderbolt!"
Misty blinked in confusion. "Thunderbolt?"
CLICK!
Noticing Misty's puzzled look, the ranger unholstered his revolvers, disengaged the safety, and pointed them toward the group. Misty and Brock froze in alarm.
"Pika!"
Seeing the guns aimed at Ash, Pikachu immediately adopted a defensive stance on Ash's shoulder. Electricity crackled from the red pouches on his cheeks as he prepared to protect his trainer.
The ranger observed Pikachu's reaction and paused thoughtfully. He glanced at Ash, whose expression remained calm despite the threat. The boy showed no fear whatsoever. The ranger realized he was simply trying to deter trainers with malicious intentions.
Seeing Pikachu's protective nature, he concluded this trainer wasn't a troublemaker and holstered his weapons.
"At any rate, just remember—don't break the rules of the Safari Zone," he said, his tone noticeably softer as he put away his guns.
"Y-yes... we understand!" Brock and Misty stammered in response. As they spoke, Misty's gaze drifted to a framed photograph on the wall.
"Wait, is that... a Dratini? How adorable!" she exclaimed, noticing the picture.
The photo showed a much younger version of the ranger standing before them. His hair, now streaked with gray, had been darker then, and his face lacked the lines that now creased it. Beside him in the photo was a sleek, serpentine Pokemon—unmistakably a Dratini.
"Really? Are there Dratini in this Safari Zone?" Brock peered at the photo in surprise. Dratini were incredibly rare Pokemon, often described as legendary creatures that few trainers ever encountered. Though they knew the Safari Zone contained some rare species, finding Dratini here would be extraordinary.
"What Dratini? There are no Dratini here! Give me that!" The ranger strode forward and snatched the photo frame from the wall. He glared at them fiercely, his hand instinctively moving toward his holster.
"Let's go, guys," Ash said, unfazed by the ranger's reaction. "Sir, if you don't want people to know about something, you shouldn't display it so prominently."
Without waiting for a response, Ash guided his startled friends toward the exit, ready to begin their exploration of the Safari Zone.