Hey y'all, SpatialPhoenix here, out with a brand new story. I know I'm pumping out way too many stories, without updating the ones I already have, but I have a lot of ideas just begging to be written down.
This story is a Pokémon Ranger one, which I feel is really rare. Most Pokémon stories that aren't Mystery Dungeon just have trainers traveling the region to get all the badges and things like that.
To put it simply, this story diverges from that norm. The main character will have two Pokémon partners instead of one, but those two are the only ones he will actually own full time. The pairing is undecided, but this story is also a romantic comedy on the side, so expect catfights and the like.
I hope you all enjoy this story, which was partially inspired by The Celestial Sky Dragon's 'Pokémon: XY Legends of Kalos' story.
Now let's get started with Pokémon Ranger: Shifting Horizons!
Chapter 1 - The Opportunity Of A Lifetime
A dark-haired woman yawned gently as she got ready for bed. It had been a long, stressful day of acting and public speaking, and she, the Champion of the Kalos League was ready to hit the sack.
The sentiment was shared by her partner Pokémon, a Gardevoir, as it glided rather lazily towards her own perch next to Diantha's.
"It's been a long day, hasn't it, Artemis?", said Diantha, stretching her arms and collapsing on her mattress with a rather appalling lack of grace for someone of her status. Not that she cared. All that etiquette nonsense was for when she was out in public. Not in the confines of her home.
'Indeed, Lady Diantha.'
"I told you to stop calling me that, Arty.", she groaned.
'And I told you to stop calling me that.'
"You started it!", she cried half-heartedly.
'Irrelevant.'
The byplay between the two was put to a halt when her Holocaster began to ring.
She groaned.
The device became outlined by blue psychic energy, and floated over to her, courtesy of Artemis.
Diantha's defeated expression turned to one of interest when she noticed that the Holocaster in her lap wasn't her usual one; it was sleek and black in color, and its number was only registered by a few select people, like the gym leaders of the region and the champions of other regions. However, it was none of those people.
In fact, it was from one of the last people she would have expected to be called by, especially at this time.
'My Lady, what does the Ranger Union want at this hour?'
'I don't know, but they wouldn't have called unless it was important.'
'True.'
Fixing her hair and clothes, she accepted the call.
"Chairperson Erma, to what do I owe the pleasure?", Diantha said amicably to the holographic form of the elderly lady who was the founder and head of the Ranger Union, and a woman whom she respected heavily. Someone who created an organization that had changed the Pokémon world for the better in such a matter was a person to be respected.
The old woman smiled. "I apologize for calling at such a late time, my dear, but something unexpected has come up, and I've taken the liberty of informing all the Champions about it. As of right now, it is top secret."
This got Diantha's undivided attention. Something that was for Champion-ears only was undoubtedly important.
Before heading further, a clarification must be made. Champions were more than just someone who had defeated the Elite Four and the reigning Champion if there was one. They were the highest level of protection for their respective regions. While they did take challenges, they spent a lot of their time coordinating with the Ranger Union and the International Police and tackled threats to the region. Cynthia of the Sinnoh Region's victory against Team Galactic and Diantha's own defeat of Team Flare we're prime examples of this.
So in essence, this piece of information was something huge if someone like Chairperson Erma was personally alerting all the Champions.
[AN: The timeline of this story is after all of the games, except the player characters never existed with the exception of Red and Moon, and the Champions of the leagues were the ones who essentially took down whatever evil team was prevalent in their respective regions, and went through the events of the game, with the exception of capturing/befriending their region's Legendaries. The only games that took place normally (once again, minus Legendary capturing) are Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, which replace Sun and Moon, as well as Fire Red/Leaf Green. The finer points of the timeline will be explained and simplified in the future, but I just wanted to get this out there so people don't get confused. The Pokémon Ranger games have already come to pass as well, although they are rarely mentioned, since they occur in different regions. I must note that one other variation is in X and Y, which will be explained later. It should be fairly obvious to spot.]
"And what might this be?"
"The GS Ball has been successfully opened."
Diantha's eyes widened in shock, the Holocaster nearly slipping out of her suddenly limp fingers. Artemis, who felt the surprise emanating from her trainer through their empathy link, turned her head curiously in Diantha's direction.
"I-I beg your pardon?!"
Erma smiled rather mischievously, but in the elder lady's defense, it was somewhat justified, considering how significant this news was. Besides, the reactions of the people she had informed so far were priceless.
The GS Ball was something almost legendary in the scientific community. Professor Oak, the only regional professor to be informed immediately due to his history with it, had started dancing on the table with the Kanto regional starters in only his boxers. Erma Was glad she had recorded it. It would make perfect blackmail material later.
The Pokeball was probably the oldest one ever known, and was renowned by those who knew of its existence for being impenetrable and unopenable by any means. It had been drilled, blown up, frozen, burnt, even curb stomped by a particularly vicious Snorlax, but the damn thing refused to even get scratched. People had been trying to open it for almost a decade, and every attempt ended in failure.
Even people like Kurt, the Pokeball maker and the owner of the Pokeball Factory in Kalos were unable to make heads or tails of it. In the end, the project to open it was shelved as no breakthroughs were being made, and it was handed over to the Ranger Union for safekeeping, as it was a priceless artifact that had nearly been stolen in the past.
And now, the ball had somehow been opened, when people had given up on it. If that wasn't irony, then nothing was. Which was precisely why it was so shocking. It was theorized that the GS Ball contained an extremely powerful Pokémon, and that was why there were so many precautions implemented on it to make it unopenable. Now the world was about to see whether they were right or not.
"Pardon granted. As I've said, the GS Ball has been opened, and subsequently destroyed itself upon opening, after releasing the Pokémon stored inside."
"What was inside? And how in the name of Xerneas did you get it open?!", asked Diantha urgently, feeling impatient. She wanted answers, and she knew the old lady was intentionally telling her in the laziest speed possible to mess with her.
"We didn't get it open, that's what the biggest surprise is. It opened on its own."
"What?"
"You know I pay regular visits to the Ranger School in Almia, I presume?"
"I'm aware of it, yes. But what does that have to do with anything?", said Diantha.
"Patience, my dear. There was one student in particular I had and continue to have a vested interest in. The best in his class, by a long shot, and by far the most dedicated to his future career. I had taken him under my wing after he came to me and Professor Hastings to address an issue even we hadn't noticed. Since then, he has paid a few visits to the Ranger Union headquarters in Almia as I tutored him, and today, I showed him the GS Ball. And that's when the whole thing began."
"Madam Erma?", called a young voice, inquisitively.
The elderly woman turned away from the scientist she was speaking to, raising an eyebrow when she found the youth in question staring pretty hard at the GS Ball. His black bangs, changing color along their length and ending in bright red tips she still couldn't believe was natural, as always, seemed to accentuate his movements, unkempt as it was. She took a moment to study his amethyst eyes before acknowledging him.
"Yes, Atlas?", she asked.
"What's with this Pokeball?", he asked, pointing a thumb towards the rather haughty-looking GS Ball.
"That is the GS Ball, the oldest known Pokeball in existence. Before you ask, it's there because it has been deemed unopenable, and hence, is useless now. However, since it is a priceless relic in its own right, it was handed over to us for safekeeping."
Seeing him opening his mouth to ask a question, she forestalled him with a hand, fortunately not the one holding her walking stick, or he would have been struck.
"Yes, you can touch it; just put it back afterwards.", she said, grinning inwardly as a light blush rose on his cheeks, no doubt due to his behavior being predicted so easily. The snort of laughter from the man she was talking to probably didn't help.
He opened his mouth to speak again, but she beat him to it.
"Yes, you are that predictable."
His blush was fully pronounced now, along with the laughter of the man behind her. Erma smiled rather fondly as he turned back to the GS Ball, his face becoming all business as he inspected it from all angles.
"So the rumors of a School Ranger being apprenticed to you were true, Chairperson Erma?", asked the man after they finished the topic of discussion they had been on.
"He's quite unique, isn't he?", said Erma, not quite answering the man's question, as they both turned to Atlas, who was still working out how to best approach the GS Ball.
Moving by some unseen signal, he placed his hand on the GS Ball.
And that's when things began to move at a rapid pace.
The GS Ball, which had defied even a Drill Run from a Ryhorn, snapped open and in a flash of light, a Pokémon stood on the pedestal, a couple feet away from the now opened Pokeball which lay on the floor, forgotten.
It was a quadruped, frog-like creature. It had light blue skin, white hands, and a dark blue stripe from the center of its oval head to its nose. Its eyes, which had yellow sclera, black irises, and white pupils, protruded vertically from its head, probably due to their size. It seemed to be producing a large mane of bubbles from its chest and back and had two small bubbles on its nose. It had three fingers and two toes on its hands and feet.
For a moment, everything was still as Atlas and the newly revealed Froakie locked eyes with each other, ignoring all the other occupants in the room. Erma and the scientist were still in shock at the events that had just transpired, their expressions priceless.
Then Atlas slowly put a hand out towards the shy-looking Pokémon, without breaking eye contact. The Froakie, however, decided that the hand was dangerous and took a flying leap over his head.
To anyone else, it would have seemed like the Froakie had decided to hightail it and get the heck out of unfamiliar territory, and thus head for the door, but Atlas Eclipse wasn't anyone else. He whirled around, pressing a button on the device mounted on his right wrist, causing a small disc to pop up, sort of like an aiming sight on a gun. If one were to play close attention, they would have noticed the Student Ranger's violet eyes glow blue momentarily as he turned.
"Capture On!", he called, launching a top-like object from the device on his wrist. A glowing white, blade-like protrusion made of pure energy began to emanate from it as the top was launched.
As it landed on the floor, the Froakie landed, only a foot away from where it had touched down.
Atlas executed a series of slashing motions with his School Styler, for that is what the device on his wrist really was, that would have seemed meaningless to someone who did not know of the Capture Styler and its variants, but was in fact a method of controlling the Capture Disc, the spinning top on the floor of the lab.
The Capture disc moved quickly, compelled by the signals it was receiving from its counterpart, leaving a trail of white energy behind it. Before the Froakie could react, the Capture Disc had successfully circled it, reconnecting with the end of the white beam where the Disc had touched down, causing a complete circle of white energy.
The circle collapsed inward upon itself, its diameter decreasing rapidly, until it enveloped the Froakie in pure white light, which remained for a second before fading, leaving the Pokémon looking apparently no different than before.
The Capture Disc flew back through the air, joining with its slot in Atlas' School Styler, and the scope-like disc closed over it.
"Capture Complete!", he said, rather pleased with his capture.
With a warm smile, he extended a hand towards the Ralts, and this time, the Pokémon hopped onto his arm and perched on his shoulder, a small smile on its face.
"Sorry about that, Madam Erma.", he said sheepishly, scratching his ear. "At least you still have the GS-"
As if on cue, the oldest Pokeball known to man exploded in a small burst of flame, leaving only ashes behind. The Froakie snickered, bringing its small arms over its mouth.
"Um... Oops?"
"We took the Froakie from Atlas after the incident, much to both their chagrin. We've done extensive tests on the Pokémon, and found out a couple things."
Artemis, who had been listening the whole time, glided by her partner's side.
'That was a bad idea. Young Pokémon, once they have imprinted on those they choose as their partner, will not take kindly to being seperated from their bonded companion. Especially one exposed to friendship on the levels that the Styler can convey.'
Diantha relayed her Pokémon's message to Erma, and the founder of the Ranger Union snorted.
"We learned that the hard way. That Froakie in particular was extremely adamant about that. It keat jumping away from us in search of Atlas multiple times, before we got an Espeon to calm it down. The results show that it is actually not very different from a normal Froakie at all, except for the fact that it has neither the Torrent or Protean Abilities. It also knows Power-Up Punch and Toxic Spikes along with its normal moves. That's all we have, because it refuses to undergo further testing and we aren't about to force it to. That's the opposite of what the Ranger Union stands for."
"I thought Froakies could only have one of those two Abilities, as a water type starter Pokémon. How can this one be different? While I don't know if any other Abilities that the Froakie line has displayed, I do know that Power-Up Punch and Toxic Spikes can be obtained through breeding.", said Diantha helpfully. After all, Froakies were from her region, and were famous as one of the regional starters. It would be shameful if she didn't know a lot about it.
"We don't understand it either, but it's possible that it's Ability may only be a precursor for a more powerful ability it will gain down the line. Oh, and the Froakie is male, and Hastings thinks this Pokémon was stored away in the GS Ball because it has a powerful Ability, maybe one that was lost a long time ago."
"Hmm... you may be right about that. I must say, though, that Mr. Eclipse seems incredibly talented, being able to perform a capture so seamlessly in a situation like that."
"That he is!", cackled Erma. "A real prodigy. And not just academics too; he's also quite gifted in extracurricular activities as well. Does the name 'William Shakespeare' ring any bells?"
Diantha's eyebrows shot into her hairline in surprise, before a broad grin split her face.
"He wrote The Hoppip?"
At the name of her favorite novel, Artemis perked up and held up her own copy of the fantasy bestseller that had taken the world by storm after its release about a year ago. People were calling it the father of Neo-Fantasy Literature.
'Must. Get. Autograph.'
"Yep, really shocked me when his teacher came to me to find a good publisher for him. And I was even more surprised to find out that the book was amazing. A true masterpiece if I ever saw one. Although it's sequel is supposed to be even better, if what he tells me is any indication."
"Sequel?", she asked, surprised.
'I'm placing pre-orders for both of us, my Lady.'
'Thanks.'
"Oh yes, Atlas has finished writing almost five new books. He wants to release them after he graduates."
"I see.", said Diantha, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She couldn't wait to read them, but Atlas' literary prowess wasn't the reason behind this call.
"How do you plan to resolve this situation?"
"Well", said Erma, her expression becoming serious. "I do have an idea, but it'll have to supplement another that I've been working on for quite some time now. And to implement them, I will need your cooperation along with Professor Sycamore's. This was partially something he asked me himself, after all. Think of it as knocking out multiple Starlies with a single Rock Throw. The matter was already finalized by the Union before the incident, so I might have to bend the rules for Atlas in order for things to move forward. Of course, Graduation is tomorrow, so we must finalize the details as quick as possible. I hate to impose like this, but I feel that this project might make the world a better place, starting with Kalos. I will send you his file right now."
A few seconds later, Diantha received the file and pulled it up alongside Erma's hologram. She read the first few lines, and her eyes, not for the first time that day, widened in shock.
"Chairperson Erma, did your interest in this boy stem from the fact that he is a Faller?"
Atlas woke up with a smile on his face.
'Today's the day.'
The day he finally graduated from the Ranger School.
He sprung out of bed, hastily fixing his hair and brushing his teeth as he tried to get a move on as fast as he could. There was no time to waste; he had been practically dreaming of this day for so long it was almost impossible to contain the euphoria he felt.
It had been two years since he had washed up on the beach not far from the School, with his memories on the fritz, his clothing nearly destroyed as if he had gone through a thunderstorm. The only things he could remember were his name, a few glimpses of a family he wasn't entirely sure he had, and lots and lots of hours of anime. He was dimly aware that he was from an area cut off from the rest of the Pokémon world, because he had been extremely fascinated when he laid his eyes on his first one, a Pikachu that he had spied hanging out around the Ranger School, and the sight hadn't restored any memories.
Of course, a couple had been restored over the time he had been in Almia, and now he knew that he was from another world entirely, one where Pokémon were nothing more than a fantasy, and people led rather dull lives, almost completely engrossed in a smartphone or tablet all the time.
He remembered being one of those people, part of a middle class family in a town called Irvine. He had always wanted to be more, and had spent lots of time wishing and fantasising that he could be a part of something like that.
Then one night there was a flash of purple as he was falling asleep, and that wish had become reality. He couldn't say he completely remembered who he used to be, but a couple months after he had come to Almia, he decided that he didn't care. Whoever he was before he had washed up on the beach didn't matter because there was no way he could ever be that person again, even if he somehow found a way back to his home world.
He didn't tell anyone after he remembered more about his origins, because he felt it wasn't important. He couldn't remember enough to pass it off as more than just a dream, and to be honest, he didn't want the attention that would inevitably come as a result of him technically being an alien.
Instead, he fully accepted that he had no one but himself and any friends that he might make from that point onwards, and moved on with his life.
Of course, he still kept a few reminders of his old life; his book, The Hoppip, was one of them. That had originally started out as a personal joke and a possible source of income, because he had felt bad about basically leeching off of the Ranger Union, who were providing him with a monthly stipend and a place to live. It was passed off as a scholarship, as he had almost immediately began to attend the Ranger School, but it still irked him a lot; he simply felt helpless living like that.
And so Atlas had published The Hoppip, a Pokémon-themed rip-off of J.R.R Tolkein's famous book that he had written himself based on what he had learned in Almia about Pokémon, hoping that at least he could make a meager amount of cash to support himself until he Graduated and became a fully-fledged Ranger.
Instead, he had become an international celebrity and a millionaire almost overnight. The only reason he wasn't swarmed by the Literature Paparazzi was because he had written under a pseudonym, William Shakespeare, one of the few famous authors he could remember from his home world. He knew it was corny, but you had to work with what you had.
To think that he made a pseudonym in the first place so that people didn't downright laugh in his face for how trashy the book was.
After that, he had gotten busy converting the Lord of the Rings trilogy into a Pokémon version, and finished only a few months ago. He planned to release them separately, considering they were actually larger than the source material because of all the Pokémon and battles he had added to it.
Atlas had written a couple new books, such as The Jirachi Code, and A Midsummer Night's Dream, but he was waiting to release those.
Why?
Because being an author was great and all, but there was a reason why he was attending the Ranger School.
After discovering the awesomeness of Pokémon, Atlas had conducted extensive research and had been fascinated by how closely they had been integrated into every day life. At first, he wanted to be a pure Pokémon trainer and challenge one of the leagues, but after he saw a Ranger stop a group of Pokémon Poachers, Atlas realized that a whole bunch of evil came alongside all the good that Pokémon brought. There would always be those that wanted to hurt others and hoard things for themselves, and that wasn't going to change so easily.
Pokémon Rangers, as he had come to know, were basically a mix between park rangers and the FBI. While trainers usually fought for themselves, a Ranger was someone who would utilize the power of Pokémon for the betterment of society as a whole, something that wouldn't happen just by curb-stomping a couple of trainers and collecting shiny badges.
In short, it was everything he had ever wanted to be.
Atlas threw himself seriously into his studies, and compared to his classmates, who had seen and grown up around Pokémon all their lives, every topic was interesting and filled him with an unquenchable thirst for more knowledge.
And that's why, although he started two years after everyone else, he was the best student in the class.
Of course, such a thing came with a price; he didn't have many friends. His excitement about everything to do with Pokémon and his dedication to his training simply couldn't be matched by any of the other students there, and naturally, they became jealous of it. Few were downright mean, but most just gave him the cold shoulder.
Not that he cared. He was training to become a hero, not deal with his immature classmates (read: angsty teenagers).
And today was the day his goal would finally be achieved.
He threw on his Victini T-shirt, donned his black cargo pants, and grabbed his School Styler, placing it firmly above the fingerless glove on his right wrist.
They were instructed not to bring anything, so Atlas decided to leave his bag behind. He bolted from his dormitory, hastily locking the door behind him, and ran in the direction of the main building of the Ranger School, eager to reach one step closer to his dream.
Ms. April smiled as she studied the forms of her graduating class, eight forms that were twitching with excitement.
In her opinion, the students in this batch had a lot of potential, and thankfully, were easy to manage. Although she had to admit to herself that after Crawford, everyone seemed like good little children.
The graduation ceremony went off without a hitch, and now the stude- Rangers, were waiting for any further instructions from their new superiors before they went out into the world.
Thankfully, after that incident with the two Tangrowths a few years ago, security around the Ranger School has been upped, so there wasn't much excitement save the usual drama when the students received their graduation certificates.
Atlas, as Valedictorian, had given a frankly beautiful speech about his time in the School and what he hoped to accomplish in his time as a Ranger. His classmates, who were usually keeping their distance from the purple-eyed boy, had actually applauded him after he was done, his words having inspired them greatly.
[AN: Skipped the Speech and the Graduation because I highly doubt anyone would really want it.]
Speaking of Atlas, Ms. April could honestly say that she was sad to see him go.
She knew his story; he had washed up on the shores of Almia a few years ago, and had been offered a full scholarship and a place to live, which the boy had taken full advantage of, quickly rising to become the best in his class.
He had great potential, and brought an energy that just seemed to be missing whenever he wasn't around. His presence just seemed to make everything so interesting. She wasn't the only one who thought so, as Janice had been in tears at the thought of Atlas being all grown up and ready begin his career. Even her Bidoof had cried.
But that's just the way things were. Students were like children; they grew up and eventually took flight, carving out their own paths, whatever they may be. She had no doubt that her students would all do great things in their lives, but it was still hard to let them go.
Well, Ms. April supposed she had stalled enough. It was time to dismiss them.
"I'd just like to say that it's been an honor teaching you all, and I hope that you help people and Pokémon alike as fully fledged Rangers. The journey ahead might be hard, but as our resident Valedictorian so nicely put it, 'easy is no fun anyway'."
There was a round of laughter, accompanied by the subject of her comment trying to melt into his seat.
"If you always believe in yourself and your friends, never give up, and keep moving forward, there will be no challenge that you can't overcome. You are all dismissed. Please report tomorrow at the Ranger Base in town at 8:00 in the morning. Thank you for your time and goodbye. It's my hope to see you all again, leading successful and happy lives."
Nakibi Beach was always a pleasant place. Atlas loved to watch the waves roll onto the beach in the sunset. It was almost surreal. The Beach wasn't too far from Vientown, which was the closest semblance of civilization to the Ranger School. He had been in and around the town for the better part of two years, so he knew his way around like a local.
The tide was low, which was not that unusual, since the tides were influenced by Pokémon almost as much as the moon's gravitational effect. It was here that the newly graduated Pokémon Ranger was deep in thought, fiddling absently with his School Styler. He still hadn't received his official Capture Styler yet, as those were given out when the postings of the graduates were announced.
Atlas didn't know what to feel. Hopeful, he finally decided. This was the start of his own big journey. It was hard to believe that he was actually a member of the law-enforcement unit, or at least one of the law enforcement units.
He was only fourteen, for crying out loud. He was supposed to be deciding which high school he wanted to go to, not stopping criminals! He supposed that only applied in the world he had come from. Most kids his age in this world were setting out on their own adventures, either as a trainer or something else.
Well, Atlas supposed he wasn't that much ahead of everyone else. He didn't have a partner Pokémon yet, or any Pokémon in general. Sure, he had interacted with a few, but there weren't that many Pokémon in and around the general area. There was that Froakie from yesterday, which he was sure he felt a connection with, but Atlas doubted he would get that Pokémon; it belonged to the Ranger Union, along with that artifact he accidentally destroyed. Which was another thing. He didn't even remember doing anything; he just felt an odd compulsion to touch it, and then that happened. At least he managed to pull off a perfect capture in a real situation, although Atlas felt that the only reason he succeeded was because the Pokémon seemed to be as confused as he was.
And that reminded him of something else he needed to look into. When the Froakie had jumped, he had somehow known where it was going to land. As if he could read its movements or maybe it's intentions. He was lucky no one else noticed, because he wanted to investigate this on his own. Atlas remembered feeling a disturbance of some sort, and on reflex, he had turned towards the spot where the Pokémon had landed.
Was it possible he had some sort of power? Some sort of side effect from crossing the barrier between worlds? Atlas had read about a few people who had special powers, like a man who could naturally speak to Pokémon, so his theory wasn't as far-fetched as it would have been on Earth.
He supposed he would just have to roll with it and try to find out more about this in his own time. He wasn't just a kid anymore. He was practically an adult, with a very important job as well. That came first, at least until he could rack up some experience.
With that new resolution implanted firmly in his mind, he stood up and walked off back in the direction of Vientown.
Not noticing the silver feather landing gently on the spot he had been sitting on previously, as a large Pokémon passed over the beach. Or the glowing eyes curiously watching him walk away from the lengthening shadows, before their owner grabbed the feather and returned to wherever it came from.
Atlas fidgeted nervously as the last of the graduates made their way out from the Vientown Ranger Base, heading towards whatever town they were posted at. Those who were posted within the town itself where whisked away by one of their commanding officers to be shown around the base more extensively.
The whole time he was standing there, outwardly calm, but internally freaking out. That nervousness increased with every single person he saw walking through the door, all smiles, as they received their official Capture Stylers. A few shot him odd or confused looks as they walked out, seeing as he had been virtually ignored the whole time. Madam Erma was present, announcing the posting of each new Ranger and wishing them a productive career after handing them their Styler.
Now it was only him, Erma, and a muscular, heavy-set man he recognized as Barlow, the Ranger who ran the Vientown Ranger Base. The man looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh, and even the Chairperson's lips were curving upwards faintly. Finally, when the door closed behind him, he broke out into laughter.
Atlas stared at him, confused while Erma made a tsking motion with her hand.
"Now, now, Barlow, patience is a virtue, you know. You would certainly do well to gain some more."
At this he quited down, pouting, but crossed his arms. "So you say... Anyways, the kid's waited long enough. The package has arrived from the Union, so it's up to you to do the honors. The transportation required has also been arranged; Wendy is on standby to take him there when you're done."
Erma sighed, before chucking good naturedly and walking towards a room in the back, beckoning for Atlas to follow. The confused child complied, and they began walking into an unusually long corridor.
"I'm sorry for putting you through that, my dear, but this assignment is as of right now top secret, at least until it has been fully set up. It was you who brought this problem to our attention, so we felt that it was only fitting that you be the one to see it through. Of course, the incident with the GS Ball yesterday forced us to make a couple of modifications, but nothing has changed significantly. To put it simply, you are the first member of Project N.O.M.A.D, a program where a Ranger, instead of being stationed in a certain area, travels throughout their respective regions, taking missions and fighting crime on the go. When you came to us all those months ago about the fact that Rangers were often unable to respond in time to a threat because the crime would be taking place outside of the area they were stationed in, we got thinking. In regions like Almia, Oblivia, and Fiore, where the Ranger Unions are prominent, this wasn't such a problem because the regions were small enough anyway, and we had a base or an active Ranger stationed in every town. However, in the bigger regions like Sinnoh, Hoenn, or the like, which have only one or two Ranger bases on account of Pokémon trainers such as the Champions handling everything, this was a serious problem. It was even more serious due to the fact that kids younger than you would try to take on criminals simply because they had a Pokémon. Even though the trainer mortality rate was steadily increasing as a result of this, the Union still wasn't allowed to set up bases in the bigger regions, as the International Police claimed that Rangers weren't necessary in those situations, as there were dozens of capable Pokémon trainers, and that they could handle it. We had no problems with this, as we often work together with the IP in order to tackle some high-ranking criminals. So for a while, the Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion were tasked with looking after their regions, assisted by the IP. For a while, it worked. Unfortunately, it wasn't for long."
"What happened?", asked Atlas, who had been quiet that whole time, as they continued walking. On a side note, he was beginning to wonder how long the corridor went. It seemed like the door was right in front of them, but the darkened hallway seemed to go on forever.
"Unova happened.", replied Erma, her tone turning grim. "Team Plasma's first attempt at grasping power was catastrophic enough. They literally built a freaking castle right on top of the Pokémon League and nobody noticed until it rose from the ground! That incident alone was a massive screw-up for the so-called capable trainers and the IP, considering the castle was built entirely by stolen Pokémon right underneath their noses. Alder, the former Champion, stepped down in shame after that. But what came next was worse."
Atlas instinctively knew what the older woman was talking about. It had been all over the news a few months after he had washed up on Almia.
"Opleucid City."
"Exactly. Ghetsis, the one who manipulated Plasma's whole scheme, made a comeback, using the Legendary Pokémon Kyurem's power to freeze the whole city and cause massive destruction, all to get a single item from the Gym Leader. Hundreds of people died, and the city still hasn't been fully rebuilt from what was left of it. Kyurem's ice did not go easily."
"Team Plasma managed to capture a Legendary Pokémon?!"
"Yes, they did. And that proved that the Gym leaders aren't vigilant enough for the jobs being placed on them. They all have their own lives outside the gym that they focus on more, and thus neglect the responsibilities they have. However, the Ranger Union, along with the International Police, was founded for that purpose. That is why, only last year, we were able to set up a base in one of the major cities in each region. Goldenrod in Johto, Jubilife in Sinnoh, Viridian in Kanto, Nimbasa in Unova, Petalburg in Hoenn, Akala Island in Aloka and last, but not least, Lumiose in Kalos. However, we still weren't allowed to set up more bases because of the money-grabbing idiots that are concerned that we may somehow reduce their incomes by inspiring people to become Rangers instead of trainers. And that brought us back to the original problem; the Rangers couldn't respond to threats outside their range. Which is why Project N.O.M.A.D became a necessity. And you are our first selected member, to be stationed in the Kalos region."
"I thank you humbly for the honor, Madam Erma, but why Kalos? I thought all Ranger Programs in the big regions started in Kanto."
"Because it coincides with a second assignment that you are being saddled with, and because crime rates in Kalos are currently at an all time high, so you are required there. Okay, Barlow, you can turn off the treadmill now."
"Treadmill?", asked Atlas curiously, before looking down and noticing that he had in fact been walking down a massive treadmill the whole time. The door was only a couple meters away the whole time. They had been walking in place.
"Sorry, my dear, but I found it much simpler to explain the backstory behind missions when walking, so I had a hidden treadmill installed on the floors of each Ranger Base. Now let's go and introduce you to your partners."
Atlas, barely resisting the urge to facepalm, sighed silently and followed his boss. Just what kind of people had he ended up working for?
They entered into the room, and were rewarded with the sight of Professor Hastings, the premier scientist of the Ranger Union, being chased around by an angry Froakie. The moment they stepped in, however, the Pokémon turned to look, and the moment he saw Atlas the little blue frog forgot all about his prey and leaped joyfully onto the boy's shoulder. Atlas smiled and patted the Froakie's head.
"I missed you too, little guy."
"Kie!", replied the Pokémon.
Hastings, who had calmed down, cleared his throat, still looking a little flustered, and brought out a briefcase and put it on the table. Sending the silent command, Atlas, with the Froakie on his shoulder, sat across from his two commanding officers. When he sat down, his companion jumped down from his shoulder onto the table and began poking the briefcase suspiciously.
"As you probably know, your mission, Ranger Atlas Eclipse, as the first member of the N.O.M.A.D Project, is to patrol the Kalos region, taking any circuit necessary. You will be transported there, to a rather nice house you now own, and will be given a week of holidays before you are required to begin your mission. Further orders will be given to you on the last day of your leave. I personally suggest you spend that time getting to know your new neighbors, and your two partner Pokémon."
"Yes Sir! But aren't Rangers only allowed to have one partner Pokémon?", asked Atlas, looking at the Froakie as if the little frog had the answers. The Pokémon shrugged.
Erma coughed into her hand.
"You see, we originally had you up for another assignment alongside this one, and that Pokémon was to be your partner. However, with the incident yesterday, we've decided to make an exception as the Froakie you released really likes you. It seems you've formed a stronger bond with it through the capture than we've even thought possible. That is why you will be the only Ranger to have two permanent Pokémon, a special case. And on that note, it's time for you to capture the Froakie."
The elderly woman fished into her pocket and pulled out a standard, red and white Pokéball. She handed it over to him, and Atlas looked over at the Froakie, which was looking right back at him.
"Fro?", asked the Pokémon inquisitively.
Atlas smiled nervously and slowly moved the Pokéball towards the blue frog. "Well, do you want to help me on my journey, Froakie? We'll be helping a lot of people, and hopefully together, we can make the world a better place. For people and Pokémon."
The little blue frog studied him with a rather approving gaze, before nodding and punching the button on the Pokéball with a happy cry.
The device opened slightly, and a red beam of light enveloped the Pokémon, and disappeared back into the Pokéball. The device shook slightly on the table, but after a few seconds, it stopped moving, and with a click and a slight gleam, the newly minted Pokémon Ranger had acquired his first partner.
Atlas picked up the Pokéball, and pressed the button on it, releasing the Froakie in a beam of white light. The Pokémon blinked before jumping onto Atlas' shoulder and settling there.
"Kie! Fro-kie!", the little frog called.
"That kind of capture is very rare, young man.", said Professor Hastings, studying the Ranger before him with renewed interest. "Few Pokémon ever go into the service of a human so willingly. That Froakie must really like you."
"That's because he knows we'll do great things together! Isn't that right, Susanoo?"
"Fro?"
"That's the name I want to give you. It literally means 'He with the ability to help by all means' or 'The Tempestuos God of Valor'."
Kie!", said the newly dubbed Susanoo excitedly. He was feeling better than ever. First, he found the trainer he had been looking for and now he got an awesome name!
Meanwhile, Atlas was internally glad that no one knew about Naruto, as the anime was native to his home world. Still was a pretty awesome name though. Maybe he could teach Susanoo to use that technique somehow? Food for thought, that was certain.
"And now for the second assignment.", said Erma, interrupting their moment. "What do you know about Mega Evolution?"
"Mega Evolution is a special type of Pokémon evolution officially discovered in Kalos, but thought to be present in other regions as well, since ancient times. In Mega Evolution, a Pokémon temporarily enters a new form, sometimes gaining additional or new typings and Abilities. To initiate Mega Evolution, three things are required; a Key Stone, held by the trainer, a Mega Stone, held by the Pokémon, and a strong bond between the two. The origin of Mega Evolution is still unknown, and in all honesty, not much truly is known. This is because its discovery was fairly recent, and the means to study it have only just been properly developed.", recited Atlas from memory.
He honestly thought it was pretty cool. A Pokémon being able to breach the limits of its power through the power of friendship (and a few fancy rocks). But several things about the subject were confusing; how exactly were Mega Stones formed? How come only some Pokémon had Mega Evolutions, but others didn't? There was no pattern of any kind among the known Mega Evolutions, so there was currently no way the answer to any of these questions.
"Correct by every means. And that brings us to your secondary assignment. An old friend of mine, Professor Sycamore, studies Mega Evolution. He has not made any major breakthroughs yet, but recently, with the help of the Lumiose Rangers, acquired a Key Stone and Mega Stone pair, the latter corresponding to a certain Pokémon. While he was originally going to raise the Pokémon corresponding to those stones himself, he felt like it wasn't fair to basically raise a Pokémon as a glorified lab rat. And so he asked me to give it to one of my upcoming Rangers as a partner, as the Union was partially responsible for the discovery of this new Mega Stone in the first place."
Atlas took in a sharp breath as the full import of her words hit him.
"Y-you want m-me to raise this Pokémon?", he asked nervously. He had every idea as to how much of an honor he was being given, and Atlas really didn't feel like he had done anything to earn that kind of merit. This was the kind of privilege a Top Ranger was given.
"I do.", said Erma firmly, sensing his discomfort. "Ranger Atlas Eclipse, you have been selected as the first Ranger to possess a Key Stone, and by extension, the power of Mega Evolution, and will be given a Pokémon to raise as your other partner. This isn't really a mission, more like a scientific endeavor, but the statement still stands. In this case are the Pokémon in question, his corresponding Mega Stone, and your new Styler. Of course, you cannot access the power of Mega Evolution unless the Pokémon is fully evolved, but when you do, we only ask that you use Mega Evolution to help you on your missions when they require it. This is not up for discussion. I know you're nervous, but all of us at the Ranger Union feel only you can put this opportunity to the best use out of everyone else."
Atlas saluted them, and Susanoo the Froakie copied his trainer's movement from his perch on Atlas' shoulder.
"I thank you and the Union greatly for this honor, Madam Erma, Professor Hastings. I will not let you down."
"I know. Hastings, do you mind doing the honors?"
The white-haired Professor nodded, opening the briefcase. Inside was a Pokéball, a Mega Stone that was green, with the symbolic Mega Evolution swirl that was present on all Mega Stones being black and red in color. The third was a Capture Styler that was, strangely enough, not a wristwatch model like Atlas' School Styler. In fact, it was more like the Fine Styler, like a gauntlet, which roughly seemed to be big enough to extend from Atlas' elbow to his wrist.
"This is the Mega Styler. Quite similar to the Fine Styler or the Vatonage Styler in design, this Styler is unique as it is also the mount for your Key Stone. It has a few special features right now, like letting you be able to use Poké-Assists a little more easily than other models. It also has a Holocaster built into it for easy communication, as well as the Ranger Browser, which has been fully updated, and a private database as well as a communications channel for receiving missions and instructions. No expense was spared on this model, as it is nearly indestructible, being able to take a Giga Impact from a Dragonite head-on."
Professor hastings pressed a small, hidden pressure plate near the finger area, causing the back compartment of the Styler to slide back, revealing a rainbow-colored stone, emblazoned with a black, warped double helix, firmly implanted in the device.
"That's amazing!", said Atlas excitedly, looking at the Styler in amazement. Susanoo jumped down from his shoulder and studied the device intently, before giving a thumbs up in approval.
Then he realized something.
"Professor, this whole time, you haven't told me what Pokémon this Mega Stone is for."
Both of them blinked and looked at each other, before Erma smiled and responded.
"Why, it's -"
Serena turned with a groan as she felt something sharp like her face.
"Not now...", the teenager mumbled, turning over.
The aggressor poking her didn't let up, and with a particularly powerful Peck, the Fletchling knocked her off her bed.
"Serena!", called a voice from downstairs.
"Coming Mom!", she called, lazily getting up and glaring at the Fletchling, which looked at her placidly. The little devil.
After a few minutes, she brushed her teeth and came down to the kitchen in her pajamas, where she found her mother making breakfast.
"What's going on?", Serena mumbled, yawning.
"We've got a new neighbor!"
"What?", asked Serena, now wide awake. For as long as she had known, the House next to theirs had been somewhat abandoned, with no one buying it or living in it, although it was a nice place. And a good piece of real estate.
"Yep, I haven't seen who exactly it is, but the movers came in late last night, and one of them told me that whoever owned the place was already there. Why don't you and Shauna go over and say hi?"
"Sure thing, mom.", said Serena, somewhat disinterested. Of course her mother would put her up to something like this. She knew Shauna would be excited at the prospect of new neighbors, but in her opinion, Serena felt like she had better things to do. Like prepare for her Pokémon journey, which was going to begin soon. She heard from her friends Tierno and Trevor that the Professor was making some finishing touches to their Pokédexes before he would send them their Pokémon to start their adventures.
She didn't want to interrupt her peaceful morning, to go visit someone she would probably never look at again. After all, it wasn't as if her new neighbor was someone her own age she could actually befriend. Her mother would have said something if that was true.
She had no idea how wrong she was, or just how much this new neighbor of hers would impact her life.
And that's a wrap! I know this chapter moved a little fast, but I want to get this show on the road. The chapters from now on may move a little differently, so hang tight. I'm sure you all can guess what I have in mind for Susanoo the Froakie, whose name I loved personally, so that's one thing to look forward to, I guess. And Mega Evolution makes its way into the Ranger Union!
The Pokémon acting as Atlas' secondary partner has already been decided, just not revealing it to make a few finishing touches. Although I'm sure you guys can figure it out based on the description of said Pokémon's Mega Stone. It is an existing one, after all.
On a side note, Lugia is apparently molting, while Atlas has a shadowy stalker. Eventful, isn't it?
And I am proud to introduce the Mega Styler! It was a neat touch, in my opinion.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please Review or Message me if you have anything to add or commend. Your support and opinions is what drives me, of course, so feel free to add anything you want, except flames. Things such as pairings, whether you want me to remove Atlas' Pokémon restrictions, and the like are all in the hands of you, the readers, so let me know what you want!
SpatialPhoenix, over and out.