Chapter 56: Pokémon Ranger
The human figure landed from the air, planting its feet firmly on the ground.
This was a young man with short brown hair, wearing a red jacket and black shorts. On his right wrist, he wore a wrist-guard-like device. A line of light extended from the front of the device, connecting to the "spinning top" that had been thrown out.
On the young man's shoulder perched a blue and white Pokémon that looked like a small squirrel.
Looking at the familiar attire and device, as well as the Pokémon perched on his shoulder, Rio blurted out in surprise, "A Pokémon Ranger? And is that... a Pachirisu?"
Pachirisu, known as the "White Devil," was currently raising its small fists excitedly, shouting, "(Pokémon Language) Souichi, you can do it!"
The young man called "Souichi" extended his right hand, staring intently at the colossal beast before him—the Snorlax Leader—and shouted, "(Human Language) Capture Disc, deploy!"
The spinning-top-like Capture Disc traced a C-shaped trajectory on the ground, then, under Souichi's control, began to draw circles of light around the Snorlax Leader.
"Roar—"
The Snorlax Leader naturally wouldn't just stand there foolishly to be trapped. It extended its fan-sized palm and swatted away the Capture Disc drawing circles on the ground, breaking the light circle. At the same time, it fixed its crimson eyes on the human before it and charged towards Souichi with large strides.
"(Human Language) Skarmory!"
Souichi called out to Skarmory.
Skarmory, which had been circling in the air, swooped down, allowing Souichi to grab its feet. With its powerful wings, it brought Souichi back into the air.
In the air, Souichi used the Capture Styler to retrieve the Capture Disc.
"(Human Language) Skarmory, lend me your power!"
"Caw—"
As if in agreement, a crisp bird cry rang out again. A cyan light shone from Skarmory's body, and this light then swirled and merged into the center of the Capture Styler, causing the entire styler to also be coated in a faint cyan glow.
"(Human Language) Go!"
Souichi, holding onto Skarmory's leg with his left hand, flicked his right wrist. The spinning top housed at the front of the Capture Styler once again flew towards the Snorlax Leader. Only this time, the arc it traced in the air carried wisps of cyan light, and a faint breeze suddenly rose.
"(Pokémon Language) The same move won't work no matter how many times you try!"
The Snorlax Leader roared, opening its hands, intending to swat the Capture Disc away again as before.
However, the Capture Disc, as if having predicted the Snorlax Leader's actions in advance, suddenly made a sharp turn, nimbly dodging the Snorlax Leader's swat, and landed not far away to resume drawing light circles.
The light circles enveloped the Snorlax Leader layer by layer. At the same time, a tornado, starting weak and growing stronger, rose from the center of the circles, winding around the Snorlax Leader and preventing it from moving easily.
"Roar, roar, roar..."
The Snorlax Leader was furious, but its angry roars gradually weakened under the stacking layers of light circles. Its originally berserk demeanor also gradually became serene.
"Snorlax is... slowly regaining its sanity?"
Rio keenly noticed that the red light in the Snorlax Leader's eyes was gradually receding, and his inner surprise grew even stronger. It should be known that, apart from Rio restoring the Pidgeot Leader with the power of the bell, this was the first time he had seen another power that could restore a "berserk" Pokémon's sanity.
"Pokémon Ranger... what a magical profession."
Unlike the Pokémon Trainers commonly seen everywhere in the Pokémon games of his previous life, Pokémon Rangers had only appeared in a few spin-off works. And unlike ordinary Pokémon Trainers, Pokémon Rangers emphasized the harmonious coexistence of humans, Pokémon, and nature. They would not capture Pokémon but instead used the tool known as the Capture Styler to communicate with Pokémon and borrow their power. After the borrowing ended, they would return the Pokémon to nature. It was a rare profession whose purpose was to protect Pokémon and the natural ecosystem.
And the Snorlax Leader's sanity was clearly awakened by the Pokémon Ranger's heart-to-heart communication, which was why it went from desperately resisting at the beginning to gradually becoming docile and tame.
Having completed its task, Skarmory continued to circle in the air for a while, then let out a cry and flew back in the direction it came from.
However, the Pidgeot Leader, still in a "berserk" state, was unwilling to give up its attack just like that. It flipped over in mid-air, its wings imbued with steel energy, and charged towards the group of Pokémon again.
The cannon barrels protruding from the Blastoise Boss's shell aimed at the rapidly approaching Pidgeot Leader. Just as it was on high alert, preparing to receive the [Steel Wing] attack, a sharp cry came from behind the group of Pokémon: "(Human Language) Arcanine, [Flamethrower]!"
Of course, since it was in human language, only Rio, who was wearing the language translator, could clearly hear what was shouted. The other Pokémon only heard a gibberish cry, after which a fierce flame shot over their heads, directly hitting the Pidgeot Leader's steel-like wings.
"Hiss, hiss," no matter how hard the steel, it cannot avoid being melted by fierce fire. When the Steel-type [Steel Wing] met the Fire-type [Flamethrower], the result was that the Pidgeot Leader's wings were directly scorched black, and with a miserable cry, it fell to the ground.
"This familiar feeling..."
Rio watched as the Pidgeot Leader once again (Hmm? Why 'once again'?) crashed to the ground, a feeling of déjà vu washing over him.
"Awoof!"
A valiant and handsome large dog leaped out, carrying on its back a human female with long blue hair, dressed in a police uniform.
At the same time, familiar shouts sounded from far to near.
"Rio! And everyone! Are you all okay?"
Rio squinted into the distance and saw several police motorcycles "putt, putt, putting" their way over. Sitting in the sidecar of the lead motorcycle was an excited Takuma, waving constantly. Beside him sat a golden Magikarp, holding onto the sidecar's edge with its fins.
Since Takuma was shouting in translated Pokémon language, many Pokémon understood him.
"Takuma!"
Many Pokémon who were familiar with Takuma also shouted excitedly.
"Kai!"
The blue Psyduck, soaking in the river, saw its good friend, the Shiny Magikarp, at a glance and also swam forward excitedly to greet it.
"This is truly... unexpected help," Rio thought.
Pokémon Ranger Souichi and his partner Pokémon, and the Pokémon world's police officer, Officer Jenny, with her signature Pokémon, Arcanine.
It wasn't over. Following the several police motorcycles were numerous Pokémon Rangers dressed in attire similar to Souichi's, flying in on Pidgeot or Fearow.
"These bird Pokémon, are they the ones from Sky Nest... The Pokémon Rangers have tamed them all..."
While Rio was still thinking, Takuma, who had already reached him, slapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Rio! I'm not late, am I?"
"No, on the contrary, you guys came at just the right time," Rio smiled, pointed at the large group of reinforcements, and asked in a low voice, "When did you find such a group of humans to help?"
Takuma grinned. "Didn't I find out from the surveillance that my parents were suspected to have been captured by unknown persons? So, before I left that day, I called Nurse Joy and asked her to help contact the police. As a result, besides Officer Jenny, my parents' good friend, Brother Souichi, also came to help with his companions."
"But how did you find this place?"
"There's a positioning device in your armor! When I saw your position hadn't moved for a long time, I figured you might be in trouble, so I immediately contacted Sister Jenny and Brother Souichi, and then led them over to help you. Also, on the way, we encountered the Shiny Magikarp and the Squirtle being chased by a large flock of Pidgeotto, so we rescued them and came over together."
Rio gave Takuma a deep look. Such mature thinking and clever adaptability, appearing in a 10-year-old child, made him exclaim inwardly, the 10-year-old kids of the Federation... bah, the Pokémon world, are all "monsters."