After leaving the ice-covered Navel Island, the climate gradually began to warm. Following the guidance of their map, Ash and his friends arrived at the Seven Grapefruit Islands, a place renowned for producing delicious, oversized pomelos that resembled giant grapefruits.
A faint citrus scent drifted through the air above the islands, making everyone feel refreshed. As soon as they stepped ashore, they were greeted by vast grapefruit orchards. Golden fruits hung heavy from the branches, looking incredibly plump and inviting.
However, they soon spotted a young girl wearing a bandana and overalls, sighing in distress as she looked at a destroyed orchard fence.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Misty asked with concern as she stepped forward.
The girl looked up, her face clouded with worry. "You must be trainers from out of town. I'm Ruby, and I'm in charge of looking after this orchard. Recently, a giant Pokémon came out of nowhere. It keeps breaking our fences and stealing our grapefruit. No matter what we do, we can't drive it away!"
Right then, a slight tremor shook the ground, accompanied by a heavy, rhythmic huffing sound.
Everyone followed the noise to the depths of the orchard. There, they saw a massive creature with its back turned to them, sitting in the middle of a pile of fruit. It was frantically stuffing grapefruit into its mouth with both hands. It was a Snorlax!
"That's it! Snorlax!" Ruby pointed at it, her voice a mix of anger and helplessness.
Ash's eyes immediately lit up when he saw the Snorlax. He was all too familiar with this particular Pokémon!
In the original story, while this Snorlax was enormous and looked clumsy, it actually possessed agility and strength that defied its size. It was especially skilled in various fighting techniquesa truly "flexible big guy" with immense potential. It had rendered great service in many of Ash's most critical battles.
He absolutely could not miss out on such a powerful partner!
"We have to stop it!" Ruby said anxiously. "If it keeps eating like this, the entire year's harvest will be gone!"
The group tried to drive it away. Pikachu even used a weak electric shock as a warningAsh didn't want to hurt itbut Snorlax ignored them completely, as if the grapefruit in front of it were the only thing left in the world. With a single sweep of its massive hand, it knocked down a huge cluster of fruit and swallowed them almost without chewing. Its appetite was staggering.
Soon, the grapefruit in this orchard were almost entirely wiped out.
Snorlax patted its still-unsatisfied belly and stood up, swaying slightly. It scanned its surroundings and locked its gaze on another island across the waterthe Second Island of the Seven Grapefruit Islands.
Then, to everyone's utter disbelief, the massive Snorlax dove into the sea with a "plop." Using an exceptionally standard and efficient butterfly strokeone that completely contradicted its body typeit swung its limbs with coordinated power, kicking up massive sprays of water as it swam toward the Second Island at a surprisingly fast pace.
"It... it can do the butterfly stroke?!" Misty rubbed her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"And it swims so well!" Tracey was equally stunned.
Watching Snorlax's smooth and powerful swimming style only deepened Ash's resolve to catch it. This wasn't just a powerful combatant; it was a limitless treasure!
"It's going to the Second Island! The grapefruit orchards there are even bigger!" Ruby's anxiety spiked.
"Don't worry, Ruby," Ash said calmly as a plan quickly formed in his mind. "I have a way to stop it once and for all."
He looked at Misty and Tracey with a mysterious smile. "We just need the help of a certain 'singer' and everyone's cooperation."
Misty and Tracey exchanged confused looks, but Ash didn't explain further. Instead, he closed his eyes and allowed his Aura to spread outward like invisible ripples across the surroundings. A moment later, he opened his eyes and looked toward a large rock nearby.
"Come out, Jigglypuff. I know you've been following us," Ash said to the rock.
After a brief silence, the round, pink Jigglypuff emerged from behind the rock, clutching its signature microphone with a somewhat bashful expression.
"Poli~"
It turned out that ever since they parted ways on Shell Island, this Jigglypuff had taken a particular liking to Asha listener who could appreciate its singing without falling asleep. It had been quietly tailing the group ever since.
Ash knelt down and gave Jigglypuff a "sincere" smile. "Jigglypuff, how would you like to perform your song in front of a very special listener? I know a big guy who will definitely be 'enchanted' by your voice and sleep very soundly."
Jigglypuff's eyes sparkled instantly!
"Poli poli!" It nodded vigorously, looking extremely excited. Finally, another chance to showcase its perfect voice!
"Great! Then let's set up a special stage!" Ash stood up and began assigning tasks. "Ruby, please take us to the Second Island and find an open area that Snorlax is bound to pass through."
"Misty, Tracey, we need to collect some flowers and pretty leaves to decorate the stage for Jigglypuff."
"Pikachu, Togepi, you guys help out too!"
Though they didn't fully understand Ash's specific plan, seeing his confidence inspired everyone to jump into action.
Ruby immediately found a small boat and ferried them to the Second Island. Once they landed, they found a clearing right at the entrance to the grapefruit orchard. Together, they used the flowers and lush leaves to create a simple, circular "stage." Jigglypuff stood in the center, microphone in hand, ready and raring to go.
Ash then turned to the others. "When Snorlax arrives and Jigglypuff starts singing, everyone must stay close to me. No matter what you hear, don't leave my side."
Though puzzled, they all nodded in agreement.
With everything prepared, the group hid behind a nearby thicket and waited quietly. Before long, the familiar tremors returned. As expected, Snorlax had followed the scent of the grapefruit, swum ashore, and was wobbling toward the orchard.
Just as it was about to step into the clearing and see the "decorated" area, Ash nodded to Jigglypuff.
Jigglypuff took a deep breath and raised its microphone. Its ethereal, melodic voice instantly echoed through the clearing!
"Poli poli poli polili~~"
The song seemed to possess magic, piercing through the air. Snorlax, who had been charging toward the orchard, suddenly froze. Its massive head wobbled, and its eyelids began to droop uncontrollably. It tried to lift its feet, but its body swayed from side to side like it was drunk. Jigglypuff's hypnotic song was super effective against the perpetually drowsy Snorlax!
At that same moment, Ash whispered under his breath, "Magnetic Heart Barrier!"
A soft, blue-green light curtain expanded, enveloping him, Misty, Tracey, Ruby, Pikachu, and Togepi. The sleep-inducing waves hit the barrier and were completely blocked. Inside the barrier, everyone could hear the beautiful melody, but they didn't feel the slightest bit of drowsiness.
They watched clearly as the Snorlax in the center of the clearing struggled more and more against the repetitive, monotonous rhythm. Finally, its mountain-like body swayed one last time before it crashed onto its back with a deafening "boom," letting out a thunderous snore as it fell into a deep sleep.
"It worked!" Ruby gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.
"Jigglypuff's voice really is incredible!" Misty praised.
Jigglypuff was very satisfied to see its only "listener" so deeply entranced by its song, and even more pleased that no other listeners had fallen asleep midway. It bowed to the sleeping Snorlax, tucked its microphone into its arms, and skipped away contentedly to continue its journey in search of new audiences.
Ash retracted the barrier and walked over to the snoring Snorlax, pulling out an empty Poké Ball.
"Good job, everyone," he said with a smile. He lightly tapped the Poké Ball against Snorlax's round belly.
The Poké Ball opened, converting the sleeping Snorlax into red light and pulling it inside. The ball didn't even shake once; the capture was a total success!
"Awesome! I caught Snorlax!" Ash picked up the Poké Ball, his heart filled with joy. He knew he had just added a powerful ace to his team.
Ruby looked at the captured Snorlax and finally let out a sigh of relief. She looked at Ash with gratitude. "Thank you so much, Ash! You saved our grapefruit orchard!"
"You're welcome, Ruby," Ash replied with a smile. "This was a partner I really wanted, too."
Having resolved the crisis on the Seven Grapefruit Islands and successfully catching a powerful Snorlax, another brilliant stroke was added to Ash's journey. The Orange League seemed to be one step closer.
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