Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

Chapter 8: klejenie

The next day came quickly for Fara. Dinner had been mostly a quiet affair and both she and the ranger had gone to sleep early. Pidgey had woken her at the crack of dawn. It was a new habit that Fara had unintentionally taught the little bird due to a few early starts. He was unusually persistent in this task and Fara had given up trying to convince the pokemon that sleeping in was allowed. After getting up she had found a note from Ranger McClain stating he would be out patrolling the area.

Looking up at her pokemon she couldn't help but grin. His possessive antics the previous evening had been hilarious. Even now he refused to stray far from her. He was currently roosting in a nearby tree while she picked from the surrounding berry bushes and trees. Her satchel was mostly full of Bluk Berries.

It was a dark purple fruit about the size of a plum that was popular with people into pokemon beauty. The fruit was rich in B Vitamins complexes and helped make pokemon skin and hair shiny and full. It was a fairly common berry but its popularity made sure it was always in demand. This part of the forest seemed to have a large population of the fruit and so Fara had been able to get a lot. She was optimistic about her haul and the funds it would produce.

Standing up she stretched her cramped muscles. The sun indicated it was after noon and she figured it was time to head back towards camp. She still had to wash and cut the berries before setting them out to dry.

As she made her way back to the camp site Pidgey flew above her. His flying form had improved since she began training him. There was now a hint of grace that had been missing before. He was almost finished with basic flying training. His brutal defense of her had proven his mastery of Peck as well. It amazed her how quickly pokemon could adapt and learn.

However the brief thought of the attack made her think of the other participant in the fight. Her hand brushed against the pokeball attached to the magnetic slot on her belt at the thought of Poocheyena. So far she hadn't released the pokemon from the ball.

Fara's hesitancy wasn't logical. She knew Pidgey could defend her but the memories of the violent event nauseated her. She really did not like to see pokemon battling. However, Fara also knew she wouldn't be able to make a decision about keeping Poocheyena until she met him face to face.

While thoughts twirled in her head Fara finally made it to camp. There was no sign of the cute Ranger. Sighing in disappointment Fara made her way to the tent and out her gear down. Grabbing a small water pail she lifted it towards Pidgey. "Go ahead get this filled with water Pidgey. I'll get lunch ready." Her friend cooed and grabbed the handle of the pail before heading off. Fara then set about rekindling the banked fire and setting up for lunch. While thinking earlier Fara had come up with a plan on how to approach Poocheyena.

Since the attack had been a result of fish scraps and taking into account the pups emaciated state Fara figured food would be a great way to negotiate. She quickly pulled out some dried meat, veggies and spices and began to put them in a small cook pot before setting it to the side. The young trainer then began to sift through her gear before pulling out a canister of dried milk, pokemon food and first aid kit. Just as she finished Pidgey returned with the water.

Taking it from him with a small smile she poured a portion into her cook pot before setting it to the side. Pidgey situated himself close by on the wood pile and watch as she took handfuls of berries and gently rinsed them off. As the water dirtied she would place the clean berries on a small plastic tarp and then had Pidgey get more water. Fara would also occasionally stop and stir the food she placed above the fire. The stew was slowly simmering and softening the dried goods. A few taste tests had her adding some salt and dried Miltank Milk to make it richer.

After she finished cleaning the berries Fara began to section them into quarters to help accelerate the drying process when it started. This process was time consuming due to her careful cutting. Sloppy work would diminish the value of the dried fruit, something that Fara refused to have happen. When she was almost done Fara was interrupted by her pokemon's warning coo. Looking up she spotted Ranger McClain approaching the campsite. Returning a welcoming wave of the hand she went back to work.

Fara heard the Ranger go to his tent before approaching the fire to sit down. He stayed quiet while she finished the last of the berries. Once done she looked back up to see the young man watching her. She broke the silence.

"You don't need to be so quiet."

He grinned and spoke. "I didn't want to interrupt. Mom always wanted silence while she was in the kitchen. I figured you'd talk to me when you were ready."

She returned his smile. "Don't worry about that with me. Mrs. Packard, the Group Home Director, liked to talk while we cooked. Anyways, how did your patrol go?"

"It went fine. It looks like this part of the forest has been relatively undisturbed by humans for a while. There's quite a population of Pikachu breeding up north."

Fara's smile deepened when the Ranger mentioned the electric pokemon. "Aw, I know that group. I ran into a young female on my way to this spot when I first entered the forest. She came right up to me while I was eating."

"Really? They must not run into many people then. I know a lot of trainers try to capture them given half a chance. They are quite popular." He sounded puzzled.

"You didn't happen to capture her did you? It'd help my report if I could a closer look at her."

Fara shook her head in the negative before speaking. "I wasn't looking for a new pokemon at the time. Plus Pidgey still hadn't had any solid training by them time we met her. I didn't want to start a fight I knew we'd lose."

Ranger McClain looked at her thoughtfully before speaking. "You're pretty smart for a newbie. Most new trainers would have tried anyway."

He looked up north before looking back at the young trainer. "You wouldn't happen to be interested in trying to capture a Pikachu now would you? That pack isn't huge right now but I am going to tell HQ that they are growing in numbers. We'll probably have to send out some leads to trainers. A few captured will keep the population in control."

Fara thought about it for a moment. "I don't know. I still need to see if I'm going to keep Poocheyena. I'm not sure if I'm capable of handling three pokemon right now. The berry sales are going to help but I'm still trying to figure out what kind of career I want."

The Ranger interrupted her. "You're not a battler?"

Fara shook her head. "No, I don't like to battle and I'm not really interested in Contests either."

He hummed quietly. "Well why don't you think about it? I'm not trying to be pushy but you seem to be a good kid and if a Pikachu already approached you then chances are that you have the right disposition for one."

Fara frowned at him. "What do you mean? Pikachu only came up because of the trail mix I dropped. She was probably just hungry."

The older teen chuckled and shook his head at her. "That's what you think. Pikachu are notoriously finicky with humans. I've learned that, like most pokemon, they can sense people's true character. Chances are that Pikachu got a good vibe from you and was willing to assuage her curiosity. If she hadn't liked what she saw then she would have never approached you, hungry or not."

His eyes seem to grow a little more distant. "There was once a guy I knew when I first started training. He worked great with most pokemon but, for some reason, could never get along with electric pokemon. He liked them of course but every time he tried to find a Pikachu he failed. He spent weeks here looking and never found one."

The Ranger looked at her. "The fact that you were able to find the pack is a good sign too. They probably know exactly where you are and when you get close. Pikachu are smart little things if a bit mischievous. You didn't happen to notice the tracks over there did you?"

He nodded his head towards the other end of the camp site where a large Maple tree stood.

"It looks like at least one of them has been keeping an eye on you since you arrived. I found some berry pits at the trees base with teeth marks similar to Pikachu."

Fara felt stunned. She looked up at Pidgey. "You didn't see a Pikachu here did you?"

Pidgey shook his head in the negative before staring at the spot the Ranger had indicated. When he looked back at her he looked as disturbed as Fara felt. She looked at Ranger McClain and spoke.

"How come Pidgey didn't notice anything? He's been keeping a good eye out."

The teen smiled at her gently. "I'm sure Pidgey has been keeping a close eye out but he's still young. The fact that Poocheyena got so close the other day should have told you he still has a lot to learn about tracking."

Fara frowned to her lap. He was right. Poocheyena had gotten within feet of her and Pidgey without detection. Only dumb luck had allowed Fara to be aware of his proximity. A little Pikachu twenty feet away would have probably had no trouble.

Ranger McClain stood up before sitting closer and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't feel so down. Even experienced trainers find themselves caught unaware of pokemon like you were. Being able to handle yourself when situations like happened the other day are the true test of a trainer. You handled the situation pretty well from what the Professor told me. The fact that you and Pidgey are safe and relatively unharmed is the most important thing."

Fara smiled back the Ranger. "Thank you." She felt better at hearing that.

"No problem. Now I see something that smells wonderful cooking. Is there any chance that I can eat with you?" Fara heard his stomach growl and couldn't help but giggle at the flush that crept up on his face.

"No problem. I made enough for the both of us. Do you like Tauros stew Ranger McClain?"

The Ranger grimaced. "I love it, but can you do me a favor and call me Roan? When you call me Ranger McClain I start looking for my father."

Again she giggled but nodded anyway. "Sure will."

Turning towards the food she checked on it. It was close to done now so she grabbed her bowl from the temporary kitchen area she had set up. Roan had gone back to his tent and returned with his own utensils and bowl.

She pulled the food off the fire and placed it onto a flat rock and then filled her and Roan's bowls. The young Ranger was quick to devour the small meal. Seeing as there were leftovers he refilled his bowl. Fara followed suit after finishing the first serving. It had been a busy morning and the food hit the right spot.

A comfortable silence settled over the camp site. Roan had polished the leftovers and helped with clean up. Pidgey sat imperiously on the wood staring the Ranger down; Fara sighed at the antics but took heart at the Rangers grin when he met her pokemon's gaze. Happy he wasn't taking the rude behavior to heart Fara turned to start Pidgey and Poocheyena's meal.

Pidgey was given a portion of his flying type food. She felt it best to have him eat first. Pidgey was usually in a better mood after eating and probably would fuss less when she brought out the canine. Looking to Ranger who sat near the fire she decided to tell him about her plans while Pidgey ate.

"Roan?"

"Yes Fara." He looked at her.

"I'm going to bring out Poocheyena after Pidgey finishes eating. I need to check his bandages and feed him."

Roan sat up a little straighter and looked at her intently. "I'll give you a hand; best to be cautious."

Sighing in relief Fara nodded before going back to the food prep for Poocheyena. She once again made a mixture of curative berries and Miltank milk. However, instead of fish scraps she mixed a portion of standard pokemon food. The food softened slightly at the moisture. Once done she saw Pidgey finished and put his bowl to the side for cleaning.

He was eyeing Poocheyena's food with displeasure. Shaking her head at him she spoke.

"Don't look at me that way. I need to check on Poocheyena and we need to get to know him. He might become a permanent member of our little group."

Her pokemon puffed up at that statement. "You only have a problem with him because he ate your fish piece the other day."

Pidgey glared but stopped puffing himself up. Seeing as that was probably the best acceptance she would get at this point she reached for the pokeball at her belt and pressed the button to enlarge and open it. A flash of red filled her vision before the small form of Poocheyena formed in front of her.

He was awake and tense with his ears caulked towards her direction. Meeting his gaze she gestured towards the food bowl.

"I have some lunch for you. After you eat I want to take a look at your injuries. Is that ok with you?"

For a minute the canine just stared at her. She didn't blink at all. For a canine pokemon like Poocheyena blinking or looking away would be seen as a sign of weakness. After the minute the pup looked over towards Pidgey and Roan.

Fara spoke. "They won't bother you. Ranger McClain will just help me check on you when you finish eating. Pidgey knows better then to attack."

She said this part sweetly to her little bird and received a short nod of agreement. The Ranger chuckled at her tone by quieted when she looked at him.

Fara turned her attention back to Poocheyena "Go ahead and eat. We'll leave you be."

Poocheyena nodded slightly before lying down to eat. He kept his body facing her and the others but after a hesitant taste began eating in gusto. Obviously hungry, he finished the small meal within minutes and licked the bowl clean. He looked back at Fara and wagged his tail slightly with a whine.

Fara approached him and sat close. She reached and hand out and let the pup sniff it. He gently licked it after and she reached further to stroke his head.

"You liked that didn't you sweetie? You must have been hungry." Poocheyena's tail wagged harder and he scooted closer to lay his head on her lap. She continued to stroke his head and looked towards Roan. He smiled at her and spoke.

"Well it look like he likes you more than you thought huh?"

Fara smiled" Yeah your right. He seems so much smaller now. He really was just hungry huh?"

"He probably was. From what I could see when I looked around there wasn't any sign of others. Normally these guys are pretty dependent on their pack until they get older. He's probably had a hard time of it." The Ranger looked at the pokemon.

"I'm not sure how he got out here. There haven't been any registered captures of other Poocheyena or Mightyena in the area and with no signs of a pack I doubt he was born out here. The only thing I can think of is him being abandoned."

Fara frowned at Roan. "Do you really think that's the case?"

He nodded. "The fact that he's so friendly with you is a good indication. Yes, he's young but a wild Poocheyena, even one his age, would be more wary. The fact he let you help him when he was injured in the attack made me a bit suspicious as well. He's too trusting."

Fara looked back to the pup. He had relaxed and now lay on his side. One hind leg would twitch when she scratched behind an ear. Roan was right. He was acting like the Growlith pups at the home. He acted tough but now that he knew she wasn't going to hurt him, he was putty. She stifled a coo that threatened to escape her. He was adorable and her canine loving heart was melting.

Sighing she looked up to Pidgey. He looked more relaxed but was pointedly avoiding her gaze. "You know what I'm going to say Pidgey, don't you."

He glared and turned his back to her. "Come on hon, just look at him. He's all alone and just a baby."

Pidgey flicked a glance to the puppy. Poocheyena looked back with a dog grin. "See he likes you and we don't want to leave him on his own do we?"

The little bird stood stubborn but soon started to sag. Sensing weakness Fara continued. "Plus think of the help he could be in making sure I'm safe. He can help you with guard duties." The Poocheyena's tail began to thump the ground hard.

Pidgey looked at the canine for a long moment before cooing in a defeated way. Fara grinned. "I knew you would see it my way. How about it Poocheyena want to stay with me and Pidgey?"

The pup yipped and stood up before tackling Fara. Startled she fell to the ground and soon found herself mauled with dog kisses. Laughing at the puppy's excitement Fara let him continue for a minute before trying to push him off. After struggling for a moment she suddenly felt his weight lift off her.

She looked up to see Poocheyena in the Ranger's grip. The startled expression on the pups face was priceless. Obviously he hadn't expected to be picked up.

"Now, now little guy. You need to be more careful with pouncing on little girls like your master here." Ranger Roan smiled down at the scowl that bloomed on Fara's face.

"Don't call me little!"

Roan busted out laughing while Poocheyena's ears flattened at the loud noise. However the little canine settled and looked down towards his new trainer. Fara couldn't help melting at the happy expression on its face. Something told her that picking this pokemon had been the right decision. Reaching up to Roan she took his hand and got up. Taking Poocheyena out of his arms she cuddled the canine close. His soft fur tickled her throat as he reached to lick her chin. Yes, taking in Poocheyena was meant to be.

Three days later Fara was in the process of adding more cut berries to the drying area. Today's haul had included a variety of status cure berries like the Pecha and Kebia Berry. Both were popular poison cures. Kebia berries were less potent then the total cure-all Pechas but were valuable.

However, the area only held a few trees so she had less of these berries for sale. On the other hand her personal stores were going to be stocked to the brim. Roan had explained to her that taking and drying some of these valuable fruits for personal use was okay. He said that the ratio for personal use had recently updated to four berries per tree/bush in the last month.

Standing up Fara looked back to the fire pit. Roan was on his lap top writing. The Ranger had proven to be a valuable aid. Day to day he helped with the normal activities such as foraging, water gathering, and cooking. In addition he had proven to be a wonderful teacher for her. He had explained how best to report her findings with the berry gathering in a neat and concise manner. Seeing as Rangers routinely overviewed reports like these he felt it prudent to share his knowledge.

He said that trainers often failed to provide accurate information on locations and habitats. In addition they rarely provided information on the local pokemon species and their locations. Pokemon proximity and environment usually told Rangers more about the health of the environment.

For example, he had told Fara the lack of Pecha Berries was due to a disease that effected the bug population in Viridian about three years previously. Large portions of the Beedrill and Butterfree line had died in the epidemic before an airborne vaccine had been released into the forest by the League.

Without the pokemon to pollinate as many fruit trees as before there had been a drop in the berries bushes. The unique physiology of the Beedrill line in particular was necessary. Pecha Berry bushes needed to be exposed to the venom that was naturally exuded by the Weedle and Kakuna. Without it the bushes didn't have the necessary nutrients needed to create the Pecha Berries.

He further explained the results that the drop in bug pokemon had happened to the eco system. Without as many bug pokemon, the Pidgey and Spearow line had been forced to over hunt populations of the Raticate line. This had further devastated the berry growth because the dropping of these pokemon often held seeds from other bushes. These rodents helped spread growth but without them the natural cycle had been stymied.

Roan told her the growth of the Pikachu population was a left over result from the drop of the Raticate line. Pikachu now had fewer competitors and were breeding at higher rate. That there were fewer Pidgey and Spearow in the forest didn't help the issue.

The fact that there were so many Bug pokemon now was due to a concentrated effort by Rangers and Breeders. They had relocated or released Beedrill and Butterfree into the Forest. A temporary ban on pokemon catching for a year had allowed the pokemon to situate themselves and begin repopulating the forest.

Fara had been surprised to learn that her former boss John had also been part of the effort. He had released several dozen Pidgey into the forest last year to help restore the natural predator/prey balance. Fortunately Bug and Rodent Pokemon were prevalent breeders so the time it took to restore their populations had been minimal.

Roan's worry about the high Pikachu population would be soon resolved. The League was going to hold a minor pokemon capture competition for Pikachu later in the summer. With that the stress on territory for the Raticate line would diminish and allow a more natural balance of pokemon. Still, the Ranger asked her about capturing a Pikachu herself on a daily basis.

So far she was still undecided. Her new Poocheyena was a pleasant addition but he needed a lot of attention. His species required more attention when they were younger. Fara had also been unpleasantly surprised by her pokemon's lack of potty training. According to Roan he was probably only two months old which meant even with training his bladder control was going to be weak until he was at least four months old.

In addition, he had little focus at this age and a constant need to be in physical contact with her. Training was slow going and she had cleaned more than one mess caused by his inquisitive nature. It was frustrating for the young trainer. Even with her prior experience with Growlith Fara was quickly realizing that the pup was completely dependent on her. Fara didn't have the other Group Home children around to occupy the pups time.

The contrast in him and Pidgey's learning development was drastically different. Pidgey's line matured more quickly then Poocheyena's and their focus was greater as well. Pidgey had moved on from basic flight training to building his speed and agility in preparation of learning Quick Attack. Poocheyena was still trying to understand down, sit, and stay.

Sighing Fara made her way to the pit. Poocheyena, ever the shadow, followed closely at her heels. She figured it was time to work on her reports for Oak and the Supply shop. Her paperwork now included a detailed map and a log of coordinates for the Berry Bushes and pokemon. She was now focusing on her written report. Grabbing everything she needed from the tent she sat on a log and began writing while Poocheyena laid at her feet. Roan continued his own work in silence.

Fortunately, with all the notes she kept, Fara was able to finish the preliminary report within an hour. The ranger was done with his work as well and had headed out to the river to fish.

Instead of starting dinner she sat by the fire thinking. She was stroking her avian friend; he had sat next to her after his hunt. So far she had been in Viridian for a little over two weeks and the progress on her berry hunt had been going very well. By her estimate she should have about ten pounds of dried berries for market. She wouldn't have as many high value ones but she should be able to make a tidy profit.

What she really wondered was what to do next. The work she was doing was great but monotonous. She knew the smart thing to do would be to continue on this vein until the season was up. Though it was only early spring fall and winter would come quickly. The money would hold her over during the harder times of the year. Her thoughts were interrupted by her camp companion.

"Fara, could we talk a bit?"

She turned her focus onto the returning Ranger. His expression was pensive as he set the killed fish aside before sitting.

"I wanted to let you know that I'll be leaving tomorrow evening."

Fara gaped slightly. She had assumed his patrol would take longer.

"I got a call from HQ. They said the reports of Viridian were up to date and they needed me to head towards Celadon. I'm being put on furlough for the next two months."

Fara frowned. "What's furlough?"

"It's basically vacation. I stay on duty for three month periods and then get a two month hiatus. Rangers don't really have a 9-5 kind of job."

"Oh, well that's good right? You'll get to see your family and girlfriend again." Fara smiled but a small part of her was disappointed her time with the attractive man would be over. He was a really good person and had taught her a lot.

Roan walked over and ruffled her hair with a smile. "Don't worry tiny one. I'm going to give you my personal contact info. I want you to call me a couple times a month to let me know how you're doing."

Fara shoved his had away with a scowl. "I'm not tiny."

Roan's eyebrow rose slightly. "I beg to differ. My brothers Persian is bigger than you. I still don't know how you're able to lift your gear so easy.

"Well unlike you, I don't have expansion space equipment. I have to do everything the old fashioned way. There's no way I could afford the top grade equipment most trainers get.

Fara was speaking about the specialized expansion bag gear. Similar to a pokeball, it could hold more provisions than a normal bag. The gear also had the added feature of making the loads an eighth of the regular weight which was a big positive. One of her goals was to save up for the gear. A low priced bag would come to about 5000 poke dollars. Heedless to say, this was a distant dream.

Roan smirked before speaking again. "Well I want to know if you've decided on grabbing a Pikachu yet. I think you would do a great job and the little guys are a great deterrent for some of the more unsavory people out there."

Groaning Fara glared at the man. "I don't know. Poocheyena still needs a lot of work and Pidgey needs my attention too. Plus I don't know how to train an electric pokemon. I never took the specialization courses for them."

'That's easily fixed and you know it Fara. Professor Oak is always willing to give advice and there are public libraries where you look up the information you need. Just come with me to the Pikachu territory tomorrow morning and meet them. I've spent some time with them and they're pretty friendly. If you don't end up being compatible with one then I'll let this go."

She frowned but ended up nodding her head in agreement. Despite what the Ranger though she doubted there was a Pikachu that wanted to travel with her.