Title – Summerland's Rescue Duo!
Started – ?
Finished – ?
Characters – Solana/Hinata, Lunick/Kazuki
Genre – Romance/Adventure
Rating – K
Upfront Summary [the summary that shows up with all the other information before you click on to read the story] = After defeating the Go-Rock Squad, Cameron gives Solana some vacation time with Lunick in Summerland. All seemed well, but when Lunick goes missing and the temperature steeps, it's up to Solana to take up one last mission! Based off of a real mission.
A/N – As a request from Tigress-the-Thief (Sapphie54 on DA) who reviewed by story on DA/Deviant Art, I am uploading my first Pokémon fanfiction onto FFdotnet. :D
Here's the original:
http : / dramatictenjitard . deviantart . com/art/Summerland-Rescue-Duo-78375721
(There's the link, just remove the spaces)
Featuring my second favorite coupling in all of Poke-dom (first would be May/Haruka x Drew/Shuu), Solana/Hinata and Lunick/Kazuki (the people with the Plusle and Minun)!
Or, Solanick. XP I have no idea if they have a shipping name. If anybody knows what that is, please tell me.
As I told Sapphie-san, I have made some adjustments to this story. It is now LESS of a guide and more of an...experience, may I say. The one on DA isn't updated to my writing "skills", so reading THAT version will display some kind of difference when you read this one afterwards. :P
Just in case, here's a small key:
~(SceneChange/EndScene)~
"Dialogue"
Thoughts/Emphasis/Whispering/Non-English/Songlyrics
EMPHASIS/LOUD
Narration
'So-called'
Disclaimer = I do not own Pokémon or any official spin-offs with them. Satoshi Tajiri does. If I did, I'd throw a fit until Lunick finally premiers in the anime just like all the other playable Pokémon Rangers. -_-"
Update 12-4-10: Um, I fixed it up A LOT. Amazing how much I sucked! ^^; Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it NOW! XD
~~~(Summerland's Rescue Duo!_START)~~~
~(For Lunick)~
"A vacation?" questioned Lunick.
Spencer nodded. "Yes! Anyone would deserve it after what you went through." Lunick gave his best 'aw, shucks' look.
"Lunick, Cameron's prepared the perfect gift for someone in your shoes," Spencer paused. "He's arranged a vacation stay for you and Solana in Summerland."
Me and Solana? Solana and I? thought Lunick in surprise. Why would he send him with her? Of course, there's nothing wrong with Solana…It just sounds so…exclusive…
"For a change, Cameron's gift is just what the doctor ordered," he continued, snapping the ranger out of his thoughts. "I know it's for a private vacation-"
Private vacation!-?
"-but I'll authorize the use of the Dragonite Bus."
"O-oh! Thanks!" Lunick responded out of reflexive courtesy.
"I'll call Solana up now. Good luck!"
"Why? With what!" sputtered Lunick, having completely lost his senses.
"Vacation! Vacation!" hollered Murph, tending his Partner Pokémon, Slowpoke, who really didn't want to be bothered. "Ooh, it's a holiday getaway! It's a reward, Lunick! Don't worry about Ringtown; we'll take good care of it while you're gone."
The boy smiled, but he was still extremely iffy about the idea.
"That's right," added Spencer, "Murph knows what I'm talking about. Don't worry about us. Go on and have a good, relaxing time."
Unconsciously, Lunick made a face that screamed out his nervousness.
"Say hi to Cameron for me when you get there. That's all I ask."
He nodded. Yeah! Vacation was cool. Vacation was fun. What's more, he'd be with a very good friend of his. Simple as that!
A vacation in Summerland! Naps on the beach in the shade of trees…It's going to be great! the eager Pokémon Ranger told himself.
"Take care, now!" sounded Murph, and the boy quickly flew off to Summerland.
Minutes after, Ranger Lunick and his Partner Pokémon, Minun, arrived in front of Ranger Base. But something was off.
It's incredibly hot! he pointed out. Even for Summerland, this heat wave feels way abnormal. With the quick temperature change of air pressure against a zooming Dragonite to the blazing beach of Summerland, Lunick could feel his legs beginning to buckle. But he pushed away the will to do that and entered the base.
Lunick saw Cameron; he was wiping off sweat as usual.
"Good to see you, Lunick!" exploded the energetic ranger leader of Summerland. "Are you all fired up for your vacation with the beautiful Solana?"
"Um, yeah!" the boy began hesitantly, still feeling the heat in the air-conditioned room. "Quite literally actually…"
"Yes, the weather is BROILING!" agreed Cameron.
…
"So…where's Solana?"
"Huh? Oh, Spencer is calling her up to ask if she wants to go."
Why did I…come here early again?
"Hm? So if you don't know if she's coming or not, then why are you here?"
"Uhhhh, oh yeah! I have one last mission to take care of. I need to go to the Jungle Relic to investigate the underground volcano."
He sent him a woeful look. "You have to do it now? What about Solana?" questioned Cameron passionately.
"I'll just have to get done with this mission and get back to Ranger Base before she shows up, I guess," and that shot the leader down, though he felt a little bad. "Heh. It'd be great to see her again, but it'd be better to get this mission done and over with so I don't have to worry about anything when I'm with her," Lunick added to make the action sweeter.
"Ah, right.~ So you can focus on her…," Cameron slurred, prodding his bubble at a distance.
"…Right. Well, I'll be off then!"
"Be sure to keep contact with base!"
"Yeah, yeah…," and he walked out the automatic doors.
~(For Solana)~
"Solana, what's up?" greeted Spencer after said Rank 10 ranger released her last Pokémon back to its faraway habit. "It's been one huge mission after another since the whole Go-Rock Squad case. Aren't you a little tired?"
Solana didn't like to show weakness, but she was very much tired indeed. With a twinkle of gloom in her eyes, she nodded a yes.
"I bet you would be," Spencer agreed, laughing a bit. "Everyone would be tired after what you went through."
What is he talking about? The Go-Rock Squad was an arousing bunch, causing trouble to innocent Pokémon about Fiore. But that's exactly what Pokémon Rangers are supposed to do! The only extra credit she could allow herself was that she had worked outside of the city she'd been assigned to. The rest was on an account of duty.
"Solana," Spencer began, preparing to plagiarize himself, and grinned. "Cameron's prepared the perfect gift for someone in your shoes. He's arranged a vacation stay for you and Lunick in Summerland."
Me and Lunick!-? What? thought Solana in surprise. Why would Spencer specifically want Lunick with her? Of course, it's not like he has cooties or anything, but… Even though we were great friends since the beginning, I don't think we'd be good together vacationing…
"For a change, Cameron's gift is just what the doctor ordered," he continued, snapping the ranger out of her thoughts. "I know it's for a private vacation-"
Private vacation! she exclaimed to herself, turning red. You make it sound so suggestive, Leader!
"-but I'll authorize the use of the Dragonite Bus."
"O-oh! That's cool of you!" she replied sweetly out of habit.
"Lunick is already in Summerland, so you should meet up with him there."
"Vacation! Vacation!" hollered Murph, tending his Slowpoke who really REALLY didn't need any tending to. "Ooh, it's a holiday getaway! It's a reward, Solana! Don't worry about Ringtown; we'll take good care of it while you're gone."
The girl sighed in relief. There was nothing left to worry about then. The Pokémon would be fine. Murph was a completely capable ranger.
…Er…
"That's right," added Spencer, "Murph knows what I'm talking about. (Although he's plagiarizing himself without even knowing it.) Don't worry about us. Go on and have a good, relaxing time."
Solana was still somewhere else though, her face resembling more of a Spinda with each passing second.
"Say hi to Cameron for me when you get there. That's all I ask." When she finally came to, she nodded, and jumped onto the Dragonite 'vehicle'.
A vacation in Summerland! Naps on the beach in the shade of trees…It's going to be great! the eager Pokémon Ranger told herself, waving her capture styler in the air as if she were on a Rapidash.
Dragonite grunted.
"Take care, now!" sounded Murph, and she quickly flew off to Summerland.
Minutes after, Ranger Solana and her Partner Pokémon, Plusle, arrived in front of Ranger Base. She felt something churn in her stomach.
The temperature change was so extreme!
It's incredibly hot! she noticed. Even for Summerland, this kind of wave of heat is just too much! With the fast temperature change of air pressure against a pissed-off Dragonite to the flaming beach of Summerland, Solana could feel her clothes sticking to her skin. But she wiped her brow and entered the base regardless.
Solana saw Cameron; he was wiping off sweat…as usual. He walked up to her with a saddened look.
"Hey there, Solana…Of all the rotten times to invite you out on a vacation…"
Summerland's leader is sad? Something must be REALLY wrong, she thought with familiarity.
"What with this abnormal heat wave and all these earthquakes…So much for getting some rest and relaxation…"
Solana sighed. She knew a worry-free day with Lunick wasn't on the schedule of a Pokémon Ranger. She worked 24/7, like if she had a kid.
She flushed red for no reason.
"But there's something else," began Cameron as he turned around in complete seriousness, a mood that she couldn't ignore. "It's got me worried even more." Concern in her expression, Solana looked up at the admin. "It's Lunick…"
"What happened to-"
"He went to the Jungle Relic to investigate the underground volcano. We've lost contact with him."
Her pulse leapt faster as Cameron confronted her again.
"Lunick'd been looking forward to meeting up with you right here in Summerland. He said he'd have to get done with his mission and get back to the Ranger Base before you showed up. Yup, he sure seemed eager to meet up with you again, but…" She knew what he was inquiring, no matter how small the hint, and wanted to whip a Charizard on him for suggesting such a thing. Now of all times!
Cameron was about to speak again, but was temporarily silenced by a sudden short earthquake, lasting only a few seconds.
"Yikes! It's shaking again!" shouted Percy, his Pokémon, Politoad, beside him sweating mucus.
"Oh, oh!" warned Leilani as Solana turned to her. "Make sure those light bulbs don't burst! Watch for fires!"
"That quake just now…Do you reckon it's the underground volcano again?"
The underground volcano of Entei? Possibly.
"Solana, sorry, but I'm going to have to pull rank here and be a heartless taskmaster. I hereby cancel your vacation leave!"
That was the initial idea…
"First, I need you to find Lunick, who's supposed to be at the Jungle Relic." Solana beamed with determination. "Second, I want you to team up with Lunick. Then, the both of you together should uncover what's causing all the trouble."
Even in times of crisis, Cameron, you still find ways to treat us like an item, Solana thought, barely humoring his idea.
"That, my friend, is the mission from this heartless taskmaster!"
…Heartless taskmaster? You are WAY too passionate, Leader…
"The job of a Pokémon Ranger is to help troubled Pokémon and humans alike. This mission will be cleared!" she promised aloud, and, instead of saluting, unsheathed her capture styler and flexed it about.
"I know I'm being heartless…"
Solana wanted to voice some kind of comment, but he had no need for it. It was Lunick who needed her now.
~(For the Mission)~
"Mai! Mai!" warned Minun as Lunick approached the cave by himself.
"Calm down, now. I'll be fine. Just wait outside. I need to check on this small lake in here, okay? The Poliwrath might sense you, you whiner," Lunick teased, trying to convince his Pokémon. Minun was hesitant, but it obeyed.
Entering the cave, Lunick turned to his left and saw 2 Poliwrath speaking loudly to each other in a Pokémon language. Their home, a small body of water, was set behind them.
He would have made note how much he loved Water-Pokémon and their adaptability and all those girly, mermaid reasons, but he couldn't help but notice a change in their behavior. "They seem to be aggravated," he whispered. Without warning, the Poliwrath jumped into the water with a splash. After that, a short sudden earthquake occurred shaking Lunick and sending him crashing down onto the floor. He got up without much trouble though. He seemed to be alright, but the thud behind him made his heart stop. Turning around he saw that he was sealed in by a huge rock breaking off from the ceiling due to the quake.
"No!" Lunick ran to the barrier and started pounding on it. His hands ached with each blow, but he kept pounding.
"Mai! Mai mai! Maai!" cried his Pokémon Partner, Minun.
"Minun!" he shouted back. "Can you hear me?"
"Mai!"
"See if you can break through!" Lunick backed away a bit and waited in baited breath for that boulder to explode into a million pieces, but all he saw was the flashing of light on the other side from Minun's Thunderbolt.
"No…," he whispered, disheartened.
"Mai! Mai!"
Lunick then tried to move the rock on his own, but it wouldn't even budge. He was only human. He tried just a little harder, implementing some kind of kicking motion, but the thing seemed to enjoy its time there in the exit/entrance of that cave. It was just too sturdy.
"Or maybe I'm just too weak…" Lunick reached for his styler and tried to contact Ranger Base. No dice. He let the device slip from his fingers until he heard it clink beside his shoes, sounding just like Murph's the way it did when he did.
"Mai!" cried Minun angrily, probably sensing his discouragement.
"You're right. There's still hope." He started pounding again. "Someone! Anyone! Help!"
"Help!"
"Cameron!"
"Spencer!..."
"Percy!..."
"Murph..."
"…Solana…"
But Lunick couldn't help but fall to his knees and shut his eyes tight with frustration.
"What am I thinking?" he shouted, slamming his fist again into the solid rock, getting addicted to the pain. "I'm in the Jungle Relic! It's forbidden for any ranger to enter here." He sighed and sat against the wall of that dark cave, leaning onto it.
"I could try to dive through that underwater tunnel," Lunick reasoned, turning towards the body of water. "But Poliwrath are guarding it and I doubt I could hold my breath that long."
"I could try to capture them and use their water to soften the rock, and then have Minun use Thunderbolt again. But no ranger has successfully Target Cleared with the wrong type of area clear. And it requires a Physical kind of assault, not a Special. Fat chance it'll be broken by their attacks."
"Besides, I'd have to capture both of them at the same time."
"My styler is low on energy because of that Sceptile I had to battle in the other room."
"Minun can't navigate through the Relic Forest to go back to base and get help…"
He buried his face in his hands.
"I ruined Solana's vacation," he muttered suddenly and smiled wryly for thinking of such a trivial thing.
"I wonder if she was looking forward to seeing me again…" His smile began to falter as he recalled her face. The one he might never see again.
"I wish…I wish I could…"
~(For a Friend)~
Lunick…Be all right, Solana prayed as she sped past the woods as if she was assigned to Summerland's base and knew the jungle off the top of her head. After she captured a Slaking blocking the entrance (then released it as it didn't do anything helpful, really), she stepped into the underground inferno. She'd call for back-up after she had found Lunick; she refused to turn back now.
As she walked on that blazing pathway, she spotted a Numel up ahead and snuck past it. She could have captured it – easily! But if Lunick was kidnapped by some dangerous fellow, she wanted to give it her 110% and no less. She wouldn't send her stylus top out for just any Pokémon.
A pool of lava blocked the road she had intended to take so she had to turn left with a pout.
Left, left, left, but she noted a large lion slash dog-like Pokémon was missing from its plate. The Entei statue was missing? The fires of four colors glowed brightly along the walkway, but it led to nothing – only flat stone. She reminisced of the defeat of that crazed scientist, that old friend but now enemy of the Pokémon Rangers' Professor Hastings. The man thought he could control legendary Pokémon, those legendary 'dogs of war' with his Super Styler computer.
Solana snuck past another Numel, but her paranoia and flashbacks got the best of her this time as a Rhydon charged at her, sending her flying to the other side of the plateau. She recovered before it found her again though and quickly ran up the stairs to duck for cover.
Lunick and I wouldn't have been able to beat that mad scientist that day had it not been for our Partner Pokémon. I really couldn't have done it without him.
She ducked low to the ground to avoid Rhydon's naturally angry eyes as it circled around again, searching for her before it got tired and went elsewhere.
Then the ranger heard the cry of an all too familiar Minun.
"Mai! Maai!" it sounded, flailing its tiny arms beside a boulder where a cave should have been.
"…Minun?"
"Mai! Mai! Maiiiiii!" it cried, overjoyed to see her. "Mai Mai." It tapped on said boulder.
Looked like it wanted it cleared.
She nodded at the Minun and smiled at it warmly, patting its head softly. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right now." Minun was glowing in relief and Solana, knowing her friend was right behind a simple area target, became relieved as well.
The Rhydon that blew her away moments ago was now her target and she spared not a moment to garner its attention again. There, the battle ensued. The Rhydon, with only its anger desiring not to be captured, would surely lose; Solana, with all the reason in the world to succeed, would surely win. These facts allowed Solana to have her record-breaking 5 second capture.
Solana headed up the steps again and analyzed the fallen boulder, confirming that a blow from her newly captured Pokémon would be all she would need. She turned to the Rhydon and pointed at the boulder. Immediately, Rhydon began to spin the horn on its head and shattered the rock fall into tiny pieces. Then the Rhydon, like all Pokémon she captured by connecting her heart with them, was released automatically.
Dust shrouded everything, but only for a short moment. Slowly, Solana made out the silhouette emerging from the cave. Just like she had hoped, it was Lunick, and just like the Pokédex informed, Minun cheered in its partner's safety – and then hugged him severely.
"H-Hey, Minun. Sorry I worried you." The boy coughed and squinted at the completely visible figure in front of him. "Solana? You came to rescue me?" She would have smiled her biggest smile had she not been so surprised that he was so surprised. Of course she'd come after him! They were rangers, and they were friends.
"There was a tremor that caused a rock fall. I was trapped down there," Lunick began explaining.
"I…," he hesitated to admit his quick loss of hope; pathetic, he was sure, "…started thinking what might happen to me if no one came." He looked down, disappointed in himself. Lunick failed to see the look of disagreement and concern in Solana.
Don't say that…
"I felt so lost and discouraged…"
Lunick lifted his head up just in time to catch that expression. "Solana, thanks." He smiled sincerely. "Thanks for coming." She grinned in return along with a firm nod. "I'll be okay now."
A fierce growl cut through their tender moment further inside the volcano and they turned in that direction, hearts thumping. "What was that roar?" Lunick asked the girl. "It sounded like a quake." She sent him a mystified look. She had never heard a cry like that one.
They just stood there for a moment, trying to decide. Should they…investigate?
"Are those Poliwrath still in that cave you were trapped in?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go."
It seemed like they were.
The female ranger entered the cave, the other male not too far behind. When she approached the lake, the Poliwrath, as they always did, emerged from the water to defend their home and Solana and Lunick jumped back in reflex.
"Capture on!"
Solana approached the Pokémon, Lunick following suit cautiously. This was the challenge. To capture these tough, fully evolved and fully capable Pokémon defending their home both at the same time. Lunick had only been able to catch one when he came with Solana the first time he was there. But she was confident as usual, already with a plan up her sleeve. Plusle jumped into the fray and used Discharge before those Poliwrath even cried in attack. Those treacherous water assaults were cut short by the tiny electric mouse. Paralyzed effectively, Solana leisurely drew ten big circles around them and made them hers to control, and they left the cave without a moment's notice.
They had traveled the paths of the Jungle Relic equally as much when they had solved the Challenge of Rangers those weeks back. He knew that she liked to familiarize herself with all the places in Fiore and often requested days off from patrolling to visit other areas, so it didn't surprise Lunick when-
What happened to Entei?
"Lunick, quit getting distracted."
"B-B-But where did it go?"
She 'pokénapped' his Minun, and he promised to stop asking.
They stopped at the pool of lava Solana saw coming in. So, yes, it didn't surprise Lunick that she knew how to get around and knew exactly what kind of Target Area (and what intensity) something as foreign as a lava pool would require without even checking her styler.
"Poliwrath, cool down that lava!" As it was told, it fired a Hydro Pump attack at it until the lava pool was completely eliminated. She sang her thanks and the Poliwrath returned home. She proceeded forward and, still, advised Lunick not to catch the eyes of any Pokémon.
After all, the roar we heard…doesn't sound like your run of the mill Pokémon.
The couple entered the cave and spotted another Graveler, but it quickly hid itself as a rugged rock. Solana smiled. Why couldn't all Pokémon do that?
Then, just then, the last human being they'd expect to find in this infernal inferno place greeted them with a saucy voice.
"Hey, hey, sweethearts! Having a little date alongside this scenic magma pond?" It was a Go-Rock grunt with 2 Metang beside him.
And an annoying one at that, thought Lunick as the peon continued his monologue.
"I've been here dreaming about the return of the Go-Rock Squad." Both tensed at the thought of such a troublesome group ever returning to power. "I'm working my way up to the big capers from petty crimes - it's a start, right?"
The grunt paused, seeing as how the rangers weren't peeing their pants by now.
"You know who I am? I'm the Solo Go-Rock Squad!"
POSE!
The two chuckled at his grammatical error. A solo squad? Did he think that one through?
"…You snickered? You'll pay for that!" and he sent those Metang at the rangers. Poliwrath, Minun, Plusle, and even Lunick himself edged closer to Solana to brace themselves for battle.
The Metang hammered and charged at Solana's styler top, sending it feet above the ground almost into a pit of lava. Metang were not commonly found in her area, but she had captured them before. If she recalled, after a loop, the Metang would break free, let out a war cry, PAUSE, and then make a short-ranged frontal assault. That was her opening. So, she kept drawing circles around both of them and stopped before they could fire another head butt, all the while charging up her Plusle. After a couple rounds, Plusle was finally ready to shock those scraps of metal.
Plusle paralyzed them both and Solana spun circles around them. But even when there were enough rotations to get her feelings across to that peon's Pokémon, she spun them for a loop. She spun and spun and spun until the Metang were free from the shock and cried out in attack only to come to fruition too late.
Lunick realized she was charging up her Plusle again for a future battle. Smart.
The Metang floated away to their home as the false owner panicked in defeat with no Pokémon to defend himself.
"Huh? So Solo Go-Rock Squad is a silly name after all…" Solana and Lunick gave a toothy grin. "I mean, it would take more than one to make a squad. I guess it'd work for you two." And then they frowned, embarrassed at this comment. Who ELSE was going to suggest there was something going on between them, huh!
"Look at you - all friendly and all. It makes me jealous!" Solana scowled at the nimrod, 'hmph'ed, and walked up a flight of stairs. Lunick, a little scared of her now and more than irritated at the 'solo squad', followed her.
She saw a Manectric and ruthlessly captured it; Lunick didn't know how but she did. She had it restore energy to her styler and let it run away afterwards.
"Solana…"
"…Yes?..."
"Please calm down."
"…Okay."
Solana and company walked further, only to find a dead end. Once Solana spotted a Rhydon at the end of the corridor, she grabbed the other ranger by the wrist, turned on her heel, and dragged him the other way, determined not to meet eyes with it. She released him and they leapt down the stairs together and approached the other stairwell beside the grunt.
He just wouldn't let up, would he?
He stood there and blew wolf whistles as they passed by, and no one could blame them for the heat rising to their faces.
The group climbed the stairs and spotted dozens of flashing craters. They weren't active like the other times she had visited the Jungle Relic, but the roar of that Pokémon they were following, and that Go-Rock-whatever they happened upon…she wouldn't take any chances. After meandering past all of the craters, Lunick found a stairs heading downward.
After getting to the next floor, the first thing they saw was an Electrike, but when it saw her, it immediately fled. Making a U-turn, the rangers spotted a Magmar. They sweat bullets trying to avoid it but it was a failed attempt; the walkway was quite narrow. The battle wasn't too hard though. Solana, as experienced as she was, was able to spin circles around the Magmar even as it blew its Flamethrower. Lunick found her line length just amazing sometimes…She was ama…
Continuing on, she turned left and saw a saving machine, but she had no intention of taking a break now and went up the flight of stairs beside it.
Is that a Houndoom? IS THAT A HOUNDOOM!
"Lunick."
"Yeah?"
"LET'S GO."
The Houndoom barked.
"Right!"
At the top of those stairs – gosh, they were climbing a lot of stairs today - she saw a couple of Slugma; they were easy to get around, although, she cursed at herself for absentmindedly stepping in their lava tracks. Further ahead was a Magcargo; it was as easy to pass as the Slugma. ("Ow!" "See who's stepping in magma droppings now.~" "Shut up!")
She had hopes that this cave at the back of this room would lead her to the cause of the roar. They all heard a sound, and Solana's face brightened…
…Oh. It was a different cry.
And a different Pokémon than she was expecting.
And-
"Hey, is that Pokémon, like, Growlithe-the-sequel?"
"Huh?" Lunick pointed.
"Haven't you caught it before?"
"…"
Solana flashed Lunick a cute look. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to actually say it, maybe enjoying that face, maybe waiting for her to say something other than what he expected with that face, ahem…
"May I?"
"Go ahead." But he would have let her have it even if she didn't ask.
As she approached the huge Pokémon, Lunick took the time to think a little and to absentmindedly scratch Minun behind the ears. Even an Arcanine is no match for Solana, he chuckled brightly to himself.
After the Fire-Pokémon's data was uploaded onto her Browser, she smiled the smile that always put him in a spot, headed out of the cave, passed the Magcargo and its pre-forms, and jogged down the stairs. Turning right, she saw a hidden Graveler and a frantic Manectric, to which she avoided to climb up the next set of stairs.
…She evaded the eyes of a couple of Charmander and turned right…
Then…
…She saw yet another Rhydon. She never really liked Pokémon that attacked her. Koffing were understandable because they couldn't help their spewing of gasses, but she never understood why Pokémon like Rhydon charged at humans.
The Rock/Ground-type Pokémon was a bit more difficult to avoid, and in the process of evasion, "Solana!" her foot slipped and she fell into a hole in the corner. Lunick dove in after her.
"Are you okay?"
She shifted her legs to cover the scratch on her ankle. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." When the ranger removed his figure from the girl and helped her up, they heard a rumble. They followed the sound to a manmade door and saw it fling open by unknown means.
Lunick left Solana's side for a moment, feeling moved by a sense of nostalgia. He wandered the corners of the plateau they were on until Minun pointed out that just a jump down south was a Camerupt he had tried to capture once.
"…Lunick…"
"Coming!" He stood by her side watching the door, the strange door that had opened. Maybe…for them.
It was then that Lunick sensed something, a poor soul, howling beyond the corridor.
Solana steadily confronted the opened doorway. Who knew what lay ahead? She paused for a moment and looked back at her partner ranger, and Lunick saw something incredible that day.
It was fear in this ranger's eyes. Fear that was usually hidden by duty and determination. He saw it in Solana's glistening irises.
The sight made him turn away in his own fear. If Solana, the ranger who saved them all, who had a nearly complete Browser, and with the bravest heart…was scared…then so should he!
"Lunick…"
He turned to face her and spoke before she could continue.
"Solana…Your vacation's ruined."
The fear in her expression disappeared and was replaced with playfulness - and something else he couldn't name.
"I'm sorry." She shook her head at him and walked into the unknown, and Lunick, as always, was right behind her.
Side by side and Plusle to Minun they came across-
"You're kidding me!" shouted Lunick in shock. "Groudon?" The creature before them roared to life as the rangers looked at each other in astonishment. "It's awesome! I never thought I'd get to see the legendary Groudon up close!"
Solana smiled. At least it made you happy. She hadn't heard the excitement in his voice in too long a while.
"But there's something wrong." Her smile disappeared. "It seems to be in pain! Maybe we can help…"
"We're Pokémon Rangers! Of course we can!"
"Solana, do you think you can capture it?" She nodded to herself, pulling up her gloves tightly, already thinking of the slot in her Browser this Pokémon would fill. She paused a bit before the creature, before she finally approached it.
RAWR!
CRASH
Groudon's power…! Solana thought, breaking out in cold sweat as she urged her machine to recover from the blow. It blasted my stylus top away so quickly! She sent it out again only for it to fly past Plusle's ear (it promptly fainted) and imbedded itself into the chamber's wall. What kind of attack was that!-? A Hyper Beam? No, a Solarbeam. It was the hugest Solarbeam she had ever seen. My styler's low on energy. I knew I should've caught that other Manectric, she thought regretfully as she bit the bottom of her lip. Looking into her arsenal of Pokémon, she decided to give her second Poliwrath a go. It was difficult and heart-pounding, and she hated using Water-type Assists because she couldn't blow the stupid bubble, but the legendary Groudon was eventually caught. She plopped onto the floor as her Browser updated itself.
"Wow! That was awesome!" sounded her fellow ranger, Lunick. "You were so cool, Solana!"
Her face flushed in his flattery while Lunick turned to the side, a bit pink thinking about her flushing.
"…Huh?" he started, noticing marks on the newly caught Pokémon. "…What are these wounds?"
He drew closer to it without hesitation and ran his hand on the creature's massive nape. What are you…!-? Solana thought with her mouth agape. Why are you touching such a dangerous Pokémon!
"Hey, check it out! There are four gouges on its neck!"
"Was it…?"
He nodded. "Only one thing could have inflicted a wound like that on Groudon. It must have been another legendary Pokémon - Kyogre! I'm sure that's what it fought. It just has to be that Kyogre you captured in the sea, Solana."
Her gaze weakened on the beast. She noticed its heavy breathing, the fluttering of its rocky eyelids, and the absence of its ferocity she saw in pique combat.
"After its battle, Groudon must have come here to tend to its wounds." He looked at it with a sweet sort of pity, the same creature that could destroy the world in only a matter of minutes. "It must have thrashed around in agony and set off the underground volcano. The poor Groudon…"
Still, she couldn't help but smile at his somewhat naïve way of treating Pokémon. Not like animals that could tear his head off in a millisecond, but as a living being, as capable as a human, as smart as Prof. Hastings even. "It's okay now, big guy. Go back to where you came from." He backed away, and without the capturer's command, the Groudon leapt away to its home far, far away.
Her…connection was too weak with the Pokémon anyway. That was probably the reason why, right?
After the legendary creature left them, the rangers turned to each other out of breath.
"Solana," Lunick being the first to speak, "I guess we're done. We should head back." She nodded her yes. "Maybe we can enjoy the trip home…"
He wanted to say something else, she noted as his eyes floated away from hers. And the fieriest Pokémon of all just left the premises. Shouldn't it be cooler, not even MORE hot?
"Like a vacation?" Surprise was evident on her complexion as his eyes finally met hers. It took a while, but she relaxed enough to give him a small, sincere giggle like the girl she was. Not a ranger, but a girl. And with that, they headed home.
~(For Love)~
"So you're saying you were trapped by a rock fall?" asked Cameron when the couple returned to base. "Boy, am I glad to see you two again. Some vacation I invited you on, huh? Talk about the worst possible timing…"
"Cameron, don't be silly!" comforted Lunick. "We owe you a big thanks!" Solana glanced back at him, wondering how being trapped in a cave was so delightful.
Especially with how damaged his hands got, Solana thought, looking downward at his still-red palms. She couldn't imagine the things running through his mind then when he was trapped in that cave with zero communication, his Partner Pokémon unable to help him, wild Pokémon lurking in the corner, and not even enough styler charge to defend himself.
"We got treated to an outing in an exotic location that won't ever be in any travel guidebook! We enjoyed one hot, exciting vacation, I swear!"
She should have been there sooner.
To make it more convincing, he quickly added, "We also got to meet Groudon."
She promised to be at his side sooner.
Searching for more excuses, "And we met this Solo Go-Rock Squad…Wahahaha!" His laughing was accompanied with a red face and a giggling Solana. "Thinking about that guy cracks me up!"
To be at his side always.
"Yeah, I envy you for seeing Groudon," Cameron sighed. "But that Solo Go-Rock Squad thing…"
Solana chuckled.
"I don't know what that's about."
Then she burst out laughing.
"But anyways, thanks to you two, Summerland's back to normal. So you've cleared that hot and exciting mission!" Cameron quoted from Lunick.
Hearing that, they both flexed their stylers in the traditional commemoration as their Partner Pokémon cheered.
Cameron's sudden expression though broke through the celebration. "You know," he began, "I just said that Summerland's back to normal. But what's going on?" Cue the questioning faces. "It's still abnormally hot. What's causing this heat wave?"
The two glanced at each other, still a bit red, their eyes doing the talking.
'He's right. It's still hot. How weird.'
"…Oh, I get it now!" They looked at him with nervousness. He was going to say something along those lines, wasn't he.
"This heat…It's coming from this smiling couple right here!" Assuming they still didn't get it, he continued further. "Did that vacation under intense heat inflame your passions?"
!-!-!
"Oo-la-la! Ahahaha!" laughed Cameron, enjoying the faces of the couple and the red blush that was spreading to their ears, "Sorry, sorry! I'm just joking!" he followed up, wiping away tears of laughter…or just more sweat.
Both of them, secretly wanting to know the other's opinion on the accusation, turned to each other at the same time. But to their misfortune and Cameron's amusement, their eyes met in such a heart-pounding way, that their brains short-circuited, and they had to turn away, sweating bullets like Cameron could never do. Plusle and Minun however could disagree and cheered at how the mock vacation brought them even closer.
And it was on missions like that did the ranger wish that they could tell the other. That they could tell the other how an excited grin would appear on their faces whenever the other was near. How the ranger admired how they handled Pokémon in their own way. How the other wished that their partners were right to cheer in their embarrassment.
~(Interlude)~
I've been a Pokémon Ranger for a long time now.
So much has happened since I met Solana.
I thought he was just a friendly guy…at first.
But her personality, once I learned of her…is amazing. She's amazing.
Even if you say that we're only rangers of the same city, doing our jobs by helping each other…
…She's still a person with a kind heart and clear dreams.
He's a really, really great person.
And I know I shouldn't think about it, but…
…I wonder how…
…she feels about me?
…he feels about me?
~~~(Summerland's Rescue Duo!_END)~~~
A/N - Explaining the interlude: The italics are Solana's thoughts; the bolded are Lunick's. When I wrote this, I had planned for there to be many more one-shots about their experiences together. A WHOLE SERIES OF MESSING AROUND WITH POKÉMON AND GETTING HIT WITH RHYDON/HERACROSS/SCIZOR/ETC! XD Living together at the base, trying to fill up their Browser, and maybe even my own version of how I played the game. The game itself was so interesting. I didn't want to AU the thing into some high school drama (but believe me, high school dramas are ABSOLUTELY fun to write so don't consider me bashing. :O). Anyway, the interlude is simply what I'll put at the end of a Pokémon Ranger one-shot to say, "It isn't over." :D Like in Karaoke!
So, are you having fun? XP
If you are and want me to write another, just review requesting that. :D
~TMRomance
Update 12-4-10 I've just updated the format and made the story EVEN BETTER. At least I think so. XD Tell me what you guys think. I'm really happy with how I rewrote it. Made it more flowing, more towards real life actions and speaking without taking away the essence of 'game' and trying my best to keep the characters and their quotes. I read the Pokémon Ranger manga, but, really, I don't want to bother. I like the personalities I molded from what I thought of them. ^^ OH! MOST IMPORTANTLY! I might actually start writing Pokémon Ranger adventures about these two. SERIOUSLY! You guys don't know how much I enjoyed myself~ Welp, anyway, don't just fave or alert me or the story! Tell me what you guys think of it! :D Later!