Chapter 9- Safari Zone Catastrophe, pt 2

(FYI- The words in blue is Felicia commanding.)

Jessie, James and Meouth walked through another field, sighing, complaining, and bored to death.

" Nothing. This place is deserted!" James complained. Suddenly…

" BramBRAMleeeeerrr!!!!!"

The three turned their heads, and saw the large, ferocious looking creature staring back at them. It was no bigger than Meouth, but it stood on all fours, with jagged black teeth it beared with anger. It had black eyes and two large tusks sticking out from a fleshy spot under its jaw. Its white flesh ended in a 3 foot tail with a sickle like blade on the end. James eyes lit up.

" A Brambler! I’m going to catch it!"

" James I don’t think…." Jessie began.

" I’m going to capture it, and use it to catch Pikachu…" he said. But in a flash, the Brambler attacked, thrashing its blades in every direction. Using agility it ran around them, thrashing about.

" Aaaaah!" Jessie screamed, clinging to James. It chopped off the end of her hair, the cuff of James’ shirt, and three of Meouth’s whiskers, and stood before them, moving its tail like a lasso.

"Run!!!!" Meouth yelled. They took off, the Brambler in full pursuit. They could hear it’s tail lash about as they ran through a grove of trees, and in no more than a moment, James grasp his side and fell face-first onto the ground.

" James??" Jessie said frantically. " Alright, that’s it! Go, Ekans!"

" Arrrrbok!"

" What???"

***

Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Tanka continued to wander down a dirt path, looking in every direction for any type of Pokemon. A bolt of lightning and roar of thunder cascaded through the sky, and Misty shrieked, tripping over Tanka and landing flat on her face. Ash and Pikachu stooped to help her up.

" Looks like were gonna get stormed on." Ash said.

" I hate thunder…." Misty whispered.

" Tanka Tanka!" The turtle announced. They turned their heads, and saw the tiny white puppy staring at them from the grass. Ash flipped open his Pokedex.

‘ Razar. An ice-dog crystinate Pokemon. Born with white fur, Razar’s shade deepens to dark teal as its ice powers intensify.’

" Aww, it’s a puppy!" Misty chirped.

" I’m going to catch it!"

" Uhhh…Ash what is THAT???"

Looking past the puppy, they could see the larger, intensely angry gray animal behind it. Dexter spoke up.

‘ Falcor. The evolved form of Razar. In the wild, this winged ice Pokemon has little to no temperament and will attack without warning. Especially ferocious when protecting its young, it is a challenge and an asset to any trainer.’

" Fallllccoorrrrr!" It said in a husky voice, bearing its teeth and allowing the saliva to drip to the ground. Ash’s eyes widened.

" I think running would be a very good thing right about now." He said.

" I couldn’t agree with you more." Misty said. The Falcor charged them swiftly, and they bolted as fast as they could, the Falcor perusing a short distance then returning to its puppy. Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Tanka ran on for dear life, not realizing they weren’t being chased. As they ran past (yet another) field, several sets of eyes, the largest in the front, glowed in the brush, and heard the commands of their master…

" That is your target."

" Kankri, kankan." The largest chirped.

" No, only injure them. Separate them and track them down individually."

" Kankrrrriiii"

Lightning spilt the sky, and when thunder echoed through the darkness of the sky, the group of serpents slithered out of hiding and slowly began tracking Ash….

***

" James, James are you alright???" Jessie shook her partner, whom she had propped up against a tree. He slowly came to, moaning and gripping his side. Removing his hand, he could see the bloodstained bandage tied around him.

" What happened? Where are we?"

" The Brambler landed a heavy cut on you! You should be more careful, you dimwit!!" Smack

" Hey Jessie, ease up on him. We have enough injuries here as it is!" Brock said. He had been on edge even since they he had reached the East Gate rest house, which had turned into a makeshift emergency room. All the animals were running amuck, lashing out and attacking the trainers looking to capture them. Ever since the howling winds of the storm began he had tried his hardest to find Felicia, taking hard responsibility for her ‘disappearance’. Thinking she might have come to their rondevus point he headed for it, and had stumbled upon Team Rocket along the way. Now he was trapped, the house filling with brutally injured people, and the perimeter of the ground surrounded by vicious animals. He could only hope his friends were all right….

***

A huge bolt of lightning came to ground inches from Misty, the force ripping her off her feet. Instead of the animals now, Ash, Misty, Pikachu and Tanka had a real reason to run. As if the storm was out for them, they ran in every direction, barley staying together. Ash stopped to help Misty, and could see the terror in her eyes. The blue lightning spit the dark sky again, and the forceful wind whipped against them. Ash zipped up his coat and pulled his hat backwards.

" Come on, we have to keep going!" he shouted, the rain smacking him in the face.

" I…I can’t run anymore!!" She yelled back.

" Pik…pikachuuuuu!!!!" Pikachu shouted.

Ash turned his head, his eye barley catching the glistening eyes of the hunting animals in the shrouded grasses. His eyes narrowed, a determination for their survival growing in his chest. He leaned over to Misty.

" There are more of them now. Dozens. We have to keep going or we won’t make it off this island!" he whispered. Misty turned her head and saw them. A whole battalion of lizards, licking their fangs in anticipation of the young flesh they could possible savor. Her fear grew worse as she grabbed his arm tightly.

"How are we going to get away?" She hissed.

" Run. As fast as you possible can, we can’t fight them!"

" Alright…" She said, breathing heavily.

" On the count of three…"

" Get ready, my warriors"

" One..."

* Deep throated sounds of the KanKeree ready to pounce*

" Two…"

" Kri!!!!"

" THREE!!!!"

Ash, Misty and Pikachu bolted, with Tanka bringing up the rear, as the huge animals leapt from the grasses in full assault. They were incredibly fast, a single lizard’s tongue flicking near the back of Misty’s leg. They hammered through a grove of trees, and ran towards a dirt road bordering the field. Suddenly, another lizard jumped out from his grassy hiding place, and leapt onto Ash, digging his claws into his shoulders, thrusting all his weight onto him, causing him to stagger and fall. Misty spun around to see a troop of KanKeree surrounding Ash, who had regained his footing, ripping at his clothes and cutting his skin. Their long necks and heads lashed about like snakes, their claws cutting deep into their target.

Ash struggled, pulling the muzzles off of him like vines, thrashing about yet not landing a blow. With out thinking, Misty tried the futile task of assisting him. As did Pikachu. But the infinite number of rampaging animals simply supplied attackers for them as well. It was when a KanKeree tackled Misty did the savior reveal himself.

" Tanka… TANNNNKKAAA…!!!" Wham!! The tiny tortoise rammed the sharp protruding horn on its skull deep into the flank of the lizard on top of Misty. It flipped over onto its side and howled in pain as the determined little tortoise bashed it again and again. The lizard lay lifeless as he turned himself around and charged the Pokemon fighting Pikachu. Misty saw nothing but the pride of komodo dragons with their heads lowered, the standing Ash nowhere to be seen. Her heart sank.

" Tanka, over here!" She yelled, running towards where Ash once struggled. She kicked the lizards hard, digging the toe of her sneaker into their soft, fleshy chests as Tanka pulled back, ran forward and leapt into the air, spinning its jagged shell in a move similar to double-edge. Pikachu finished their assault with Thunder, sending most of the nightmarish animals back into the dark confines of the wood. Only the evolved Kankri and two smaller lizards remained hidden in the grass. Misty knelt down by Ash, who was curled up in a ball lying on the ground, with his hands over his head. His clothes were slashed and most of his midsection exposed, and blood oozed from a few spots on his body. He trembled as the rain hit their party, the thunder once again raged through the sky. Misty shook him.

" Ash, c’mon Ash get up!"

Ash stopped his shaking, and opened one eye.

" Are they gone?" He said, his voice shaking.

" All accept a few. They’re in the grass thinking we don’t see them. Forget them, are YOU alright?"

He sat up, and upon feeling Misty’s supporting hand on his half-bare back, turned and looked at her.

" Yeah...I’m…I’m alright. Just a little shaken up."

" You’re gonna need some new clothes.." She joked. He looked down at his slashed clothing, and practically shrieked.

" What?"

" My badges!!!!! I keep them in my coat!"

" Oh. Well, here’s one." She said, handing him the pin on a mauled piece of his once-blue jacket. He counted them frantically.
" Boulder…. Cascade…Thunder…Rainbow…Soul…I’m missing Sabrina’s badge!!"

" You mean the green one? The…Marsh badge?"

" Yeah!"

" You’re sitting on it."

" Oh." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he replaced the green badge from underneath his backside. Misty helped him up. He grasped his side for a moment, then looked at the blood on his hand. Ash was about to say something when the rustling movement of the lizards caught his ear.

" If we live through this, remind me to thank you."

***

How will our heroes get back to the mainland? How will they escape the rampaging Pokemon? And is the dragon soon to make an appearance? Find out, in chapter 10, Safari Zone Catastrophe pt3!!