A large number of Voltorb were rolling throughout the Safari Zone's grasslands as Serena ran through them. When the Persian accidentally stepped on one while carrying her trainer across the trail, she had to put on a burst of speed to outrun the electric-type's DISCHARGE.

Something seemed off about these, though; to Shalin, every Voltorb she had ever known had a metallic sheen to it. This one was made out of... wood? Uninterested and having avoided a close call, she had the normal-type bound onward at a brisk pace. She hoped she would run into the advertised Fuecoco soon, and that the Skeledirge it became would survive surgery...

Even with Serena putting on a burst of speed, two of the Voltorb were still able to give chase. "Pedal to the metal, girl!" the cat's trainer cried, the resulting sprint breathtaking to watch... if there was anyone nearby to see it. The Persian's strides were so impressively long that Shalin could even catch a glimpse or two of the Persian's feet as she bounced around harshly in the saddle. She was grateful for the high quality that went into the Verdanturf tanner's merchandise.

Though they had sped by a horde of Phanpy, Shalin and Serena had at last lost the aggressive electric Pokémon chasing them. Hearing both their thumping hearts, she gently reined the Persian to a stop, letting them both rest after that close call. Voltorb explosions were no joke, after all!

It was taking an unusually long time for Serena to recover; perhaps she needed to train the Persian to pace herself better? After all, they had been separated for a long time. Maybe she had lost her form during the months they had been separated? She rest her hands near the base of the cat's neck and could still feel her pounding heartbeat. "Thanks, girl. You take a rest. Return!" She swapped the normal-type out for Caprice, her Kantonian Ninetales, and rode the fox around the bend, her eyes shifting among the Tirtouga on the beach and in the shallows. Not interested in them, she continued on.

As Shalin and her briskly-running Ninetales rounded the trail's corner into some taller grass, the golden fox tripped over something hidden within its green stalks. Shalin frantically tugged on Caprice's reins to help recover her balance, but it was too late. She slid off the Ninetales' back to avoid becoming a second crash victim.

Hearing a Pokémon cry, the Pokémon rider turned around to see a green-colored Applin crying, the fire-type's claws having taken a chunk out of it. Feeling bad for it, she bopped the young dragon-type with a Safari Ball, with the intent to take it to Lilycove's Pokémon Center alongside Serena. It was the least she could do for the poor wild, it was the least a Ranger could do!

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD SHINY G!PONYTA APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ANTICIPATION
[attr="class","wildtabox"]PSYCHIC	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]HEAL PULSE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]AGILITY	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]TAKE DOWN
[attr="class","wildtabox"]MORNING SUN	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","wildnote"] 3/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL!

Her good deed half-done, Shalin stowed the capture Pokémon's Ball before getting back on her Ninetales. As she turned away from the beach, she caught sight of an equine type of Pokémon she had never seen before, with the fluffiest mane she had seen a hooved Pokémon boast. The fire-type approached the Galarian Pokémon from behind in near-silence, unaware of Shalin's presence as it grazed. Once she was close, Shalin hopped off her Ninetales, the Ponyta's head swiveling back to catch a glimpse of the girl and golden fox. By the time it was able to react, it was too late. Shalin had taken a seat on the wild Ponyta's back!

The poor foal was frightened as it felt Shalin's fingers wrap rightly around the base of its neck. As with every other capture she made this way, she had palmed a Poké Ball in her right hand in case the Pokémon she was on overpowered her. This one, though, seemed easy at first; it was just fleet of foot. It rode a lot like Ponyta; was this white horse a Ponyta from a distant region? She whooped as the horned Pokémon put on a burst of AGILITY to attempt to dislodge its rider. She was far too used to sudden turns, and even enjoyed them. What the Ponyta did next she did not see coming.

Surrounding its body with a pink-purple glow, the Ponyta entered a PSYCHIC-fueled bucking frenzy, forcing Shalin off with the power of its mind. It was a good thing she had made the preparation she did, the Poké Ball in her hand dropping onto the psychic-type's back. Engulfed in its light, the trainer turned around to observe her unusual catch. She needed to be ready to get back on if it shattered the Safari Ball, after all.

[attr="class","wildtemp"]

[attr="class","wildbgsaf"]

[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD SHINY FUECOCO APPEARED!

[attr="class","wildshiny"]

[attr="class","wildpkmnbox"]

[attr="class","wildpkmn"]

[attr="class","wildtab"]

[attr="class","wildtabox"] MALE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] UNAWARE
[attr="class","wildtabox"]BITE	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]ROAR
[attr="class","wildtabox"]FLAMETHROWER	[attr="class","wildtabox2"]FIRE BLAST
[attr="class","wildtabox"]SLACK OFF	[attr="class","wildtabox2"] ---

[attr="class","wildtag"]Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","wildnote"] 2/4 WARDEN SAFARI BALLS REMAINING!

YOUR CAPTURE ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL!

Once Shalin was less shaken up after retrieving her new catch, Shalin climbed back atop Caprice, her Kantonian Ninetales, and took off at a leisurely canter. She loved the wind in her face, but there was no reason to go so fast after what she just did. Being on a bucking Pokémon was fun, but was it ever tiring!

The trail's end in sight, Shalin at last caught sight of what she came to the Safari Zone for: a Fuecoco. While Skeledirge wasn't her ideal Ghost-type Pokémon, she needed one for her synthesis. She set out a clump of Tamato Berries near the fire-types, knowing they were favorite foods of many fire Pokémon. As guilty as she felt luring the Fuecoco to what could be its death, she was resolved to see the creation of the Type: Null to the very end. She felt Pharika would have been disappointed. While the wild was indulging itself in its favorite snack, belching a gout of fire, Shalin reined Caprice to its other side and whacked it with s Safari Ball.