After leaving the crystal-glowing Sunburst Island, Ash and his group continued sailing aboard Lapras.
However, the sea is ever unpredictable. An abnormal stretch of ocean suddenly appeared ahead, and a powerful whirlpool instantly swallowed Lapras along with Ash and the others!
After a dizzying spin, Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Lapras were washed ashore onto an unfamiliar island. The three of them staggered to their feet, shaking off their wet hair as they looked around.
"Where are we?" Misty asked, staring at the dense forest surrounding them.
"Lapras, are you okay?" Ash asked with concern, patting Lapras gently. Lapras gave a soft cry, indicating it was fine.
At that moment, the nearby bushes rustled, and a Pokémon stepped out. The three of them widened their eyes in shock.
It was a pink Rhydon!
"A pink Rhydon?!" Tracey exclaimed, quickly pulling out his Pokédex, which showed the normal gray version.
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head curiously.
Soon after, they spotted pink Pidgey, pink Rattata… it seemed that every Pokémon on this island was pink!
"What is going on here?" Even Ash found it hard to believe. His Aura confirmed that these Pokémon were perfectly normal in terms of life energy, only their coloration had changed.
They followed a path and soon encountered the island's Officer Jenny.
After hearing their description, Officer Jenny smiled and explained, "Welcome to Pinkan Island. The reason the Pokémon here are pink is because they've been eating the island's special Pinkan Berries for a long time. These berries contain unique pigments that change their coloration without harming their health. It makes them very unique and eye-catching."
"So it's a diet-based color change." Tracey suddenly understood and immediately took out his sketchbook to record this rare ecological phenomenon.
However, the peace did not last long.
Team Rocket's trio, who had been secretly following Ash, also stumbled onto Pinkan Island. The moment they saw the pink Pokémon everywhere, their eyes turned into symbols of money.
"Pink Pokémon! So rare, nya!"
"They'll sell for a huge price!"
"What are we waiting for? Catch them all!"
Team Rocket pulled out nets and machines, beginning to capture the pink Pokémon en masse, throwing the island into chaos.
"Stop right there, Team Rocket!" Ash shouted sternly. "You can't take them!"
"I won't let you succeed!" Ash threw a Poké Ball. "Go, Aerodactyl!"
"Go, Staryu!" "Go, Marill!"
Under the combined attacks of the three Pokémon, Team Rocket was blasted off yet again.
"Why can't we even catch pink Pokémon?!"
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
After saying goodbye to Pinkan Island and Officer Jenny, Ash and the others set off once more.
During their journey, a high-speed boat sped past them, splashing water that nearly soaked Pikachu.
"Hey! Slow down!" Misty shouted in annoyance.
Ash noticed that the people on the boat were carrying various archaeological tools and were heading directly toward a distant island.
"An archaeological team? What are they going to that island for?"
Driven by curiosity, Ash had Lapras follow them. Upon arriving at an island called Kabuto Island, they overheard the archaeologists' conversation.
It turned out that the team believed the island contained a large number of ancient Kabuto fossils buried underground, and they planned to carry out a large-scale excavation.
Ash's heart sank.
He clearly remembered that this so-called "island" was actually formed by countless dormant Kabuto piled together. Once disturbed and revived, the entire island would sink!
As the archaeological team advanced deeper into the island, Ash keenly noticed that "accidents" kept occurring, fallen trees suddenly blocking their path, or small, inconspicuous traps interfering with their equipment.
Through his Aura, he could sense an old man moving in secret, filled with sorrow and urgency. Ash knew that this must be the old man, Umberto, the guardian of the legend. He chose to remain silent, even secretly using his Aura to remove some potentially dangerous obstacles, hoping these "warnings" would make the team retreat.
However, the archaeological team was determined to uncover the fossils. When they prepared to bring in heavy machinery to begin excavation, Ash could no longer stand by.
"Please stop! You must not excavate!" Ash stepped forward, blocking their path.
"Kid, don't get in the way! This could be a major archaeological discovery!" the lead researcher snapped impatiently.
"This island isn't a normal island at all! It's made up of countless sleeping Kabuto! If you dig them up and cause them to awaken, the entire island will sink!" Ash shouted, then turned toward the forest. "Mr. Umberto, please come out and tell them the truth!"
A simply dressed, weathered old man slowly emerged from the forest. He looked at Ash in surprise before speaking in a heavy tone, recounting the ancient legend to the team.
This was the Island of Slumber. The island was Kabuto, and Kabuto was the island. Disturb the sleepers, and when the red moon appears, the island will sink.
The archaeological team was doubtful, but Ash's determination and the old man's words made them hesitate for the moment.
But at that moment, unwilling to stay out of things, Team Rocket appeared again. Hoping to steal the "fossils" in the chaos, they mishandled their equipment and slammed it hard into the ground.
Boom!
The ground trembled violently, as if something had been awakened.
Then, before everyone's horrified eyes, the island began to collapse. One by one, living Kabuto emerged from the soil and rock. In the sky, the moon indeed turned an ominous shade of red, just as the legend had foretold.
"The legend… it's real!" the archaeologists cried in terror.
"Quick! Everyone follow me! Head to the high ground in the forest!" Umberto commanded calmly despite the crisis.
Everyone rushed toward the elevated area in the forest.
As the seawater rose rapidly and the island sank, Umberto shouted again, "Quick! Cut bamboo and make rafts! This is our only way to survive!"
At the brink of life and death, everyone sprang into action, including the once-stubborn archaeologists. Ash's Pokémon also helped cut and carry the bamboo.
Under Umberto's guidance, several simple yet sturdy bamboo rafts were quickly built.
As they launched the rafts into the water and climbed aboard, the high ground they had been standing on was swallowed by the sea.
Looking back, Kabuto Island had completely disappeared beneath the ocean, leaving behind only scattered reefs and countless Kabuto swimming in the water.
Having survived the disaster, the archaeologists were filled with shame. One by one, they bowed deeply to Umberto.
"We're sorry, Mr. Umberto! We were blinded by the idea of discovery and failed to respect the ancient legend and the balance of nature. We nearly caused everyone's deaths…"
Umberto waved his hand and gazed at the now calm sea, letting out a quiet sigh.
"I hope this lesson teaches you that some things are far more important than so-called discoveries."
Watching this scene, Ash felt a deep sense of reflection.
He and his companions boarded Lapras once more, following the drifting rafts as they set sail toward their next destination.
The journey through the Orange Archipelago was filled with unexpected wonders and profound lessons.
...
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