Leaving the shimmering Sunburst Island behind, Ash and his group continued their voyage on Lapras. However, fate was unpredictable. A patch of abnormal sea appeared ahead, and a powerful whirlpool suddenly swallowed them whole!
After a dizzying spin, Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Lapras were washed up on the shore of an unfamiliar island. The three of them scrambled up, shaking the water from their hair, and began to survey their surroundings.
"Where are we?" Misty asked, looking at the dense forest surrounding them.
"Lapras, are you okay?" Ash patted Lapras concernedly. Lapras let out a gentle call, indicating it was fine.
Just then, the nearby bushes rustled, and a Pokémon stepped out. The trio's eyes widenedit was a bright pink Rhyhorn!
"A pink Rhyhorn?!" Tracey pulled out his Pokédex in shock, but the entry showed the Pokémon as its usual grey color.
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head in confusion.
Next, they saw pink Pidgey, pink Rattata... it seemed every Pokémon on the island was pink!
"What is going on?" Even Ash found it hard to believe. His Aura told him these Pokémon were healthy; only their color had changed.
Following a small path, they encountered the island's Officer Jenny. After hearing their story, she smiled and explained, "Welcome to Pinkan Island. The Pokémon here are pink because they eat the local specialty: Pinkan Berries. These fruits are rich in a specific pigment that changes their body color over time, but it's completely harmless. It just makes them very unique and eye-catching."
"I see, it's a dietary change," Tracey realized, immediately pulling out his sketchbook to record this rare ecological phenomenon.
However, the peace was soon shattered.
Team Rocket had also ended up on Pinkan Island by mistake. Seeing the island full of pink Pokémon, their eyes practically turned into dollar signs.
"Pink Pokémon! They're so rare, meow!"
"They'll definitely sell for a fortune!"
"What are we waiting for? Grab them all!"
Team Rocket brought out a massive array of nets and machines, chasing the pink Pokémon and causing chaos across the island.
"Stop right there, Team Rocket!" Ash shouted sternly. "You can't just take them!"
"It's those meddling brats again!" Jessie snapped, frustrated.
"I won't let you get away with this!" Ash threw a Poké Ball. "Aerodactyl, I choose you!"
"Go, Staryu!" "Go, Marill!"
Under the combined assault of the three Pokémon, Team Rocket was sent "blasting off again" for the umpteenth time.
"Why can't we even catch a pink Pokémon!" "This feels terrible!"
After saying goodbye to Pinkan Island and Officer Jenny, Ash and his friends set out once more.
During their voyage, a high-speed motorboat raced past them, its wake nearly splashing Pikachu.
"Hey! Slow down!" Misty yelled indignantly.
Ash noticed the people on the boat were carrying various archaeological tools and heading directly toward a distant island. "An archaeological team? What are they doing over there?"
Driven by curiosity, Ash had Lapras follow them. Upon arriving at the island, known as Fukuhara Island No. 4, they overheard the team's conversation. It turned out the archaeologists believed the island sat atop a massive deposit of ancient Kabuto fossils and intended to start a large-scale excavation.
Ash's heart sank. He remembered clearly that this "island" wasn't actually an islandit was composed of countless sleeping Kabuto! If they were disturbed and revived, the entire island would sink!
As the team moved inland, Ash noticed a string of "accidents"trees falling across the path or small traps breaking their tools. His Aura sensed a man filled with sadness and anxiety lurking in the shadows.
He knew it had to be Old Man Umberto, the protector of the legend. Ash remained silent, even using his Aura to subtly move obstacles that might actually hurt someone, hoping the "warnings" would convince the team to leave.
However, the archaeological team was stubborn. When they prepared to use heavy machinery to start digging, Ash couldn't stand by anymore.
"Wait! You can't dig here!" Ash stepped out, blocking their path.
"Don't interfere, kid! This could be a major discovery!" the lead doctor said impatiently.
"This isn't a normal island! It's made of thousands of sleeping Kabuto! If you dig them up and they wake up, the whole island will sink!" Ash shouted, looking toward the woods. "Mr. Umberto, please, come out and tell them the truth!"
An old man in simple clothes, his face weathered by time, walked out of the forest. He looked at Ash with surprise before solemnly addressing the team. He spoke of the ancient prophecy: "The island is the sleeper, the island is the Kabuto, and the Kabuto are the island. Disturb the sleepers, the red moon appears, and the island shall vanish into the sea."
The team was skeptical, but Ash's determination and Umberto's grave tone made them hesitate.
But then, Team Rocket appeared again! Trying to steal the "fossils" in the confusion, they mishandled their machine and slammed it into the ground with a massive impact.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as if something massive had been jolted awake.
Then, before everyone's horrified eyes, the island began to break apart. Living Kabuto began to crawl out from the soil and rocks by the thousands! High above, the moon began to glow with an ominous, blood-red light, exactly as the legend predicted.
"The legend... it was true!" the archaeologists cried out in terror.
"Quick! Everyone follow me! Head for the high ground in the forest!" Umberto commanded calmly, taking charge of the chaos.
The group scrambled toward the highest point of the woods. Seeing the sea level rising and the island rapidly disintegrating, Umberto shouted, "Quick! Cut down the bamboo and build rafts! It's our only way out!"
In this life-or-death moment, everyone worked together. Even the stubborn archaeologists joined in, aided by Ash's Pokémon, who helped fell and carry the bamboo.
Under Umberto's guidance, several simple but sturdy rafts were completed just in time. As they pushed the rafts into the water and climbed aboard, the high ground they had just stood upon was swallowed by the waves. Looking back, Fukuhara Island No. 4 had completely vanished, leaving only scattered reefs and a sea teeming with swimming Kabuto.
Having survived the ordeal, the archaeologists were consumed by shame. They bowed deeply to Umberto. "We are so sorry, Mr. Umberto! We were blinded by the prospect of a 'discovery' and failed to respect the legends and the balance of nature! We almost got everyone killed..."
Umberto waved them off, sighing as he watched the now-calm sea. "I only hope this lesson teaches you that some things are far more important than a 'discovery'."
Ash watched the scene, feeling moved. He and his friends sat on Lapras, following the rafts as they sailed toward their next destination.
The journey through the Orange Islands was full of unexpected wonders and profound lessons.
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