Okay, so it's second call for any role-play website people. I am actually amazed at my own skills, seeing as I've pretty much already finished all the boards. You can even start making characters! For some reason, the URL is being messed up, so to get there just take pokemonrangerss and put a (dot) proboards and (dot) com on the end. That should get you there.

Anyway, as far as my fanfiction goes, today's chappie was one of the funnest things I've ever written in my life. I have one of my new OC characters in here which I hope to have in my rp site as well- Danielle. Also, Jack Walker makes an appearance in this chapter and he, Spenser, and Joel have some very interesting exchanges. So let the fun begin!

Solana

"Solana, let's go or I'm leaving without you," Spenser yelled at me.

I had stayed overnight and Spense and I were leaving this morning to go to this supposed "big meeting". I guess everything was going to be explained. By everything, I mean all this shady business that was going on. There seemed to be something more to this situation than just a rogue Darkrai making a random appearance.

Anyway, only the leaders of each Ranger base and Top Rangers were going. Apparently almost-leaders were invited as well. "I'm coming, Spense," I yelled back, grabbing my shoes and hopping toward the stairs as I put them on. We were talking the Dragonite Bus, seeing as we didn't want to put too much stress on Spenser's Fearow. It had apparently already carried both of us yesterday, although I was unconscious and didn't realize it. Cameron's Dragonite Bus had been overloaded by all the people having to be different places.

However, there was no bantering for Spenser and I at the moment. We had already had our major blow-out last night. Spenser had sent Melody and Lunick out of the kitchen and we had at each other. Although I'm not sure what good sending them out was because I'm sure all of Ringtown could hear us yelling. When it gets to be that loud, there's not much point.

We had both said things that we regret and the fight had blown up to much more than what it really was, which usually happens between two people who know each other as well as we do. So, we weren't talking much now.

"SOLANA!"

"I'm right here, you lunatic," I retorted as I came up the stairs, "You need to chill out."

Spenser muttered something inaudible. I decided to take the high road and ignore it. It was time to find out what the heck was going on.

Joel

Lucy and I traveled to the Ranger Union together for this meeting, but as soon as we got there I put as much distance between us as possible. It wasn't that I didn't like Lucy. No, it was definitely not that. It was that a certain person that kept her company a lot scared the living daylights outta me. Unfortunately, there's only so many places you can hide in the lobby of the Ranger Union. However, in the last three or so years, I'd become pretty adept at finding a good spot.

"Hey, Joel," Lucy popped her head around the pillar I was hiding behind, "So, are you having fun yet?"

"Um, yeah, it's great," I nodded, trying to find some way to get rid of her without actually telling her I wanted to get rid of her.

"Cause it looks like you're hiding right now."

"Hiding?" I replied indignantly, trying to save face after having my hiding spot found, "I am not. I was just… I don't know, but I wasn't hiding."

"You're standing behind a pillar in the corner of the room," Lucy stated plainly and I winced. Okay, so bluffing wasn't my strongest suit. "He doesn't bite, you know?"

His Luxray does, I thought sourly, however, I made sure that thought did not leave my mouth. "What?" I answered, feigning ignorance, "I definitely don't know what you're talking about. I'm a grown man and I am not scared of anything. Especially a certain hat-wearing Top Ranger." I peered around the pillar cautiously and then pulled back quickly, shooting a nervous look at Lucy. "I think he saw me."

"It won't help you in he finds us hiding out in a corner of a room," Lucy pointed out, "I mean, then he might think, well, you know, that there's something, well, going on between us." I was pleased to see that she blushed faintly. "I mean, I wouldn't want him to get the wrong impression. Cause, you know, there isn't. Anything going on. Between us."

I nodded emphatically. "No, of course not. Definitely not. We can agree on that."

"Right," Lucy replied, realizing the conversation had suddenly turned awkward, "I'm gonna go back before I give away your hiding spot, but don't freak yourself out too much." She was about to leave, but stuck her head back around the pillar, looking at me critically.

"By the way, Joel, you are the biggest wimp I have ever met in my life."

I glared back at her. "Just tell Spenser where I am if you see him."

She made a face at me while walking away. "Spineless wimp."

I settled back into my corner. A few seconds later, Spenser showed up.

"Jeez, Spense, you scared the crap outta me," I started, not expecting him to come so soon after I had talked to Lucy.

"Sven's too busy talking with Wendy, Mushroom-haired Genius, and Ms. Bubbly Blonde to waste his time scouring the Union halls for you," Spenser answered cynically, leaning against the wall. He was in a bad mood. I could tell. And the only thing that I could think of that would've put him in this bad mood was Solana. I peered around the pillar. Yup, there she was happily chatting with Elita and Cameron. I looked back at Spenser.

"Is this about Solana?" I watched his critically.

He avoided my eyes. Bingo. I just hit the Jackpot.

"What did you do now, Spenser?" I asked with a sigh.

"Nothing!" Spenser retorted, "I didn't do anything. I mean, she told Lunick about the leader test and then while we were fighting about it, Melody heard and now I'm starting to think all of Ringtown knows that Solana says I'm an idiot with a brain the size of a walnut." He took a breath after this long tirade. "And that's totally not true."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's debatable."

I think he would've hit me had Jack Walker not chosen that exact moment to poke his head around the column, grinning wickedly. "Hey, Spense, Joel, you two aren't fighting on a day like this, are you?"

"Jackie?" Spenser said incredulously, "You're actually here? I thought you usually just blew off these shindigs."

"C'mon, Spense," Jackie shrugged, shaking his head, "Don't hurt me like that. I would never blow meetings off."

"Yeah," I rolled my eyes sarcastically, "You're just always 'busy'."

"What's up with him?" Jackie asked, jabbing his thumb toward me.

"You know, Sven's around," Spenser replied, suddenly seeming much better now that prospect of teasing me had come around, "It's a stressful time."

"Ah," Jackie nodded mockingly, "Hence the hiding in the corner of the room."

"I don't hide," I answered, a bit in frustration, "I just sort of, I don't know, conceal myself. There's a big difference."

"Now that's a debate for another time," Jackie pointed out, still grinning wickedly, "The hiding vs. concealing. Cause the two words are really so different."

I glared at him. Why, oh why, did I ever decide that he and Spenser were my best friends? Where had I even gotten that idea from?

Luckily, Spenser changed the topic at that moment and our talk turned toward more serious issues. "Hey, Jackie, you know anything about what's going on?"

"I just got back from a mission," Jackie replied, shrugging, "So I know even less than you."

Spenser looked at him reproachfully. "Jack Walker, I know you better than that. You have sources. Now let's go, what do you know?"

He grinned in reply. "C'mon, Spense, Erma made me promise not to say anything yet. I did, however, hear about the Darkrai you and Solana took down." He waggled his eyebrows at me. "How's that going anyway?"

"Ah, you might not want to go there," I warned him, crossing my arms, "He and Solana are currently in a fight."

"C'mon, Spenser," Jackie shook his head in disappointment, "I mean, really. You and Joel drive me crazy with the amount of times you fight with your girlfriends. I mean, with Joel and Lucy it's always something. I thought you and Solana were doing okay."

"First of all, Lucy's not my girlfriend. Second of all, Jackie, how about that whole people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones thing?" I asked him, "I'm pretty sure Danielle is furious at you."

Jackie shrugged yet again. "Please. She's not angry. We had a little misunderstanding, but she's over it now. We are perfectly happy."

As if on cue, the red-headed leader of Pueltown, who was also Jackie's current (and let me stress, current) girlfriend, joined the party. And let me say, she didn't look happy. When it came to Jack Walker, she rarely looked happy.

"Jack Walker, I have been looking all over creation for you because you and I are going to talk about this," she grabbed his ear and twisted it, which happened to be Jackie's weak spot.

"Ouch, jeez, Danielle, I was busy… with, stuff, you know," Jackie retorted as he winced, "Top Ranger stuff. Ow!"

"That's crap," she answered furiously, "The other Top Rangers aren't gone nearly as much as you are. And besides, you promised!"

"I'll get you a really nice present to make up for it," Jackie offered, but that just made her angrier.

"My birthday was a week ago and you still haven't gotten me anything?" She asked incredulously, "That really shows how much you care. I mean, besides the fact that you've been dodging my calls."

"Okay, look, I-"

"Oh, wait, I forgot who I was talking to," Danielle replied scornfully, finally letting go of his ear, "You missed my last birthday too. And Valentine's Day. And our anniversary. And pretty much every day that mattered. You'd better find a really good excuse and fast or we are done." She turned and stalked off, leaving Jackie to nurse his twisted ear.

"Yeah, she's definitely over it," I nodded. Jackie sent me a scathing look.

"At least I have a girlfriend," he shot back. This probably would've resulted in a whole other argument except for the fact that Chairperson Erma was now calling for people to come upstairs to the situation room. Everyone must have arrived. I did a quick room check as Spenser, Jackie, and I came out from the corner. Solana, Cameron, and Elita had been joined by a furious Danielle. Sven, Wendy, Isaac, and Rhythmi were still a group, but Lucy was also talking with them now. Kate and Barlow were grouped with Michael, Grace, and Rena, the three area leaders of Haruba Village, Shiver Camp, and Boyleland respectively. It looked like everyone we were going to get was here.

Except Keith, another Top Ranger. I didn't know the guy well enough, but I knew he should be here. I shrugged. Maybe Erma would address that. He must just be on a mission. It must be a pretty important mission though if he was missing this semi-mandatory Union meeting for it.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Spenser said as everyone started to move toward the stairs to the sit room.

"Dude, you shouldn't," Jackie replied and we both glared at him.

"Okay, just because you dated a few people within the Union and have some connection doesn't mean you can use them against us," I said indignantly.

Jackie grinned. "You gonna stop me, boss?"

I realized he was right and there was nothing I could do about it. "If you dated more, maybe you'd have more connection," Jackie advised me as we went up the stairs.

"If you dated less, maybe you'd have a lot less things thrown at you in public," Spenser muttered under his breath. I grinned. Spenser had a point. Unfortunately, Jackie had a long history of break-ups and make-ups within the Union. Jackie had so far avoided most of this drama only because he was gone so often. And he had learned to be good at hiding, same as me.

Jackie didn't hear Spenser retort or chose to ignore it. Either way, he didn't say anything. We followed the group to the situation room. The lights were cut and the only light came from the underfoot monitor, which was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life. I wanted my own sit room for Fall City.

Chairperson Erma and Isaac joined Professor Hastings as the rest of us grouped around, ready to hear what was going on. Isaac stepped slightly in front and cleared his throat. Why he would be telling us what was going on, I don't know. Did all this have something to do with something that he had researched? The hubbub died down and he got ready to speak.

"Um, we're going to have to deal with a problem here."