"So how will you be spending your weekends, Skye?" Amy asked as we changed out of our Ranger uniforms in our bunk and dressed up in our civilian clothes. For the ladies, dresses and skirts are not allowed in camp. The only approved civilian attire when in camp is shirt and jeans. It's the same for everyone, no exceptions.

Not like I mind. I always preferred wearing jeans or shorts anyway. Never been much of a girly girl.

It's finally Friday night and we get to book out. We will book in on Sunday night before 2200h and then the rehearsals will start again on Monday. It's now about a month before National Day. Time sure flies.

"With my brothers, I guess. Mum's death anniversary is this Saturday so we will be paying her a visit. Maybe catch up a little with what is going on with our lives before I book into camp again."

I took the red cap I kept within my metal cabinet in my bunk and using the standing mirror hung on the inner side of my cabinet's door, carefully adjusted the red cap on my head and pushed my ponytail through the hole at the back of the cap. I only wear this cap when I am in civilian attire. In camp, I wear the usual orange Ranger cap as part of our standard uniform attire.

"You always wear that cap. It's kinda old. You sure you don't want to replace it?"

"It's the only thing Dad left me before he disappeared." I replied as I slung my bag over my shoulders, locked my cabinet, and looked in Amy's direction. She's done as well, so I gestured towards the door of our bunk with my head.

"Book out?"

"Anytime, ma'am!"

The both of us walked out of our bunk and locked the door behind us before walking to the Duty Officer Office where we have to register ourselves whenever we book in or out. Once we went in, we were surprised to see a familiar face at the Duty Officer's desk.

"Jacky? You are the Duty Officer for today?"

"Sadly." Jacky replied with an exaggerated sigh. "There goes my Friday book out."

"At least you didn't get Saturday duty. Those are usually the worst." Amy said with a laugh as she patted his back to encourage him. "Only a few hours of nights out on Friday night before booking back in, and then on duty for the entire Saturday until Sunday morning! And then back to book in at night!"

"Please don't remind me." Jacky shuddered. "I almost really got Saturday duty. Missed it by a hair's breadth this time."

"So, can we book out now, Duty Officer?" I said teasingly and Jacky rolled his eyes.

"Rub it into my face some more, why don't you?" Jacky grumbled before taking out a handheld scanner that is linked into the Duty Officer's computer. "IDs out, girls."

The both of us happily showed Jacky the barcode at the back of our Ranger IDs. With a quick scan of the barcode using the scanner, we have already registered ourselves as booked out.

"Bye Jacky! See you on Sunday night!" Amy waved to Jacky on our behalf as we walked out of the office, which he returned in kind. We continued to walk until we were out of the camp gates of the Indigo Plateau Ranger Camp. We both released our pidgeots and got on their backs, ready for the long trip home.

"See you, Skye!"

Amy took off with a wave of her hand which I returned. Amy stays at Goldenrod, which isn't far from Violet but if she wants to make a direct trip home using the shortest route possible then this is where we part. I took off on Crown's back soon after and released my team out as we leisurely flew across the skies, enjoying the winds brushing past our faces.

We reached back home at Violet soon enough. I do not need to recall my team back into their pokeballs because we have an aviary and they can simply rest there. I entered through the front door which I had stared at a lot when I was a child waiting for Dad to come home. Surprisingly, Falkner is already home.

"Welcome back." Falkner greeted me with a smile from where he was sipping on some coffee on the couch and watching the news. "Had dinner?"

"I already ate. You?" I asked in return which he nodded.

"Sis! You're back!" Ciel exclaimed the moment he walked out of the room and spotted me. His wimpod scuttled behind him.

"Yup. I'm home. How's school?"

"First in class." Ciel flashed me a smug grin as he put his hands on his hips. "Come on, praise me."

"Brat."

"We'll need to wake up early tomorrow to visit Mum, so don't stay up too late." Falkner reminded us as he got up from the couch with a yawn. "I'll be turning in early. Night."

"Night." I replied and watched as my older brother went back to his room. I turned back to Ciel.

"He looks a lot more busy than usual."

"Yeah, he is." Ciel said with a shrug. "He looks a lot more stressed out recently too. He did tell me something weird though."

"Which is?"

"Stay home during National Day. Under no circumstances would I go out."

"Why?" I asked with a frown. It's not like Falkner to tell us something like that as though he is ordering us around.

"Beats me, but he sounded deadly serious so I agreed." Ciel sighed before looking back at me. "You will be at Indigo Plateau that day, right?"

"Well, I have to be. I'm part of the parade."

"Big bro won't be around too, so it's just me at home alone then." Ciel groaned and wilted. "Boooooriiiingg."

"If you really have nothing to do you can always volunteer to do the chores in the house."

Ciel's attitude did an immediate one hundred and eighty degree change.

"It's weird. Suddenly it's not boring to be alone at home any longer."

"You ass."


Visiting Mum's grave isn't that much of a solemn affair. At least, not anymore. We just go there with a bouquet of flowers, clean it up a little. Talk to her for a bit about what is currently going on with our lives to assure her that we are doing well.

We are doing well. Falkner is a Gym Leader just like Dad. I am now in the 1st Ranger Regiment. Ciel is top in his class, like usual. This way, Mum would not need to worry about us if she could see us now. We can take care of ourselves.

We do have the rest of the afternoon free after that, so Ciel proposed that we go see a movie since it has been a long time since all three of us had been to the cinema together. Naturally, Falkner and I agreed. We let Ciel choose the tickets since neither Falkner nor I had any idea what movies are screening right now and we also would not know what movies to watch. So, Ciel went to get the tickets using Falkner's credit card and we simply waited for him to come back as we waited outside.

Seeing that we are finally alone, I spoke up.

"You have not been acting yourself ever since last night. Spill it. What's up?"

Falkner simply sighed.

"You will be there at Indigo Plateau during National Day, right?"

"Yes. I thought that much was obvious?" I replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I cannot reveal or say anything, Skye. All I can say is that to be mission ready on that day. Be prepared for anything and be careful."

"Mission ready?" I asked in a whisper, making sure to keep my voice low so as not to draw any attention to ourselves. My brother is a public figure, so trying to walk around without him having to wave to people every five minutes is kinda hard. I don't need to draw even more attention to ourselves.

"Yes. Mission ready." My brother emphasised. "That's really all I can say, Skye. I'm already breaking the rules by telling you to be mission ready on that day. I cannot reveal anything else. Something big will happen that day."

"On National Day." I said in part disbelief, part shock. It's not that I don't trust my older brother but to think that something so big will happen on that important day is a shocking thing in itself. Not only that, he cannot tell me anything that he thinks or knows that will happen that day.

Just what is so important or so big that he cannot tell me a single thing?

"Just be careful, Skye. Promise me this." Falkner looked at me, his eyes dead serious. I know that he is not kidding the moment I saw the look in his eyes. He's genuinely worried.

"Alright. I will be careful. Promise." I promised. "Is there really nothing you can tell me beyond mission ready?"

Falkner looked away and I know not to press on any further. This is why I hate it when my family has Gym Leaders. It's always like this. Secrets after secrets.

"It's fine. I understand. I will be careful that day." I broke the silence as I leaned my back against the wall beside him. "Ciel told me that you instructed him to stay at home that day, so whatever will happen will or might implicate Violet City too. Must be something really big, huh?"

"It is." Falkner admitted. "I'm sorry. It's not like I want to hide it from you two but…"

"I said it's fine. I understand." I replied, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice because I know how hard this is for my older brother as well, even if I don't like this one single bit. "I will be careful. You be careful too."

"I got it."

Ciel interrupted the conversation when he returned with three tickets in hand. I scowled when I saw the type of popcorn he bought.

"Salted popcorns?" I said in disgust. "Ew."

"Salted popcorn is the good shit." Ciel defended his choice with righteousness. "Besides, I was the one who went to get the tickets and the popcorn. I get to choose."

"It's not even your money you are using. And sweet popcorn is the real deal."

"Eh, big bro is fine with salted popcorn. Ain't that right, big bro?"

"I'm fine with both." Falkner said with a shrug. "Never really thought of it as such a big deal."

"Next time, sweet popcorn." I insisted. "Salted ones are disgusting."

"Oi, don't insult my salted popcorn!"

"Can we just go into the cinema?" Falkner cut in with a sigh.

"Nuh uh. Not until I sort this brat out."

"Like you can, hag."

"Oh, hag? This is it, you little rascal. I'm giving you the count of three before-"

"Alright, enough is enough." Falkner dragged us both by the back of our shirts towards the ticket taker. "Both sweet and salted are equally good. End of story."

"Big bro! This is not finished until we decide which is better! Sweet or salted! And obviously salted is better! Come on, big bro! Back me up here!"

"Please leave me out of this argument."

"See? Sweet ones are better."

"Salted!"

"Sweet!"

"Salted!"

"Sweet!"

"Say anything else and the popcorn is all mine." Falkner threatened, which promptly shut both of us up. I may have preferred sweet to salted but popcorn is still popcorn. I wouldn't say no to them.

"So…" Ciel carefully asked as he inched closer towards Falkner. "If you really have to choose… it's salted, right?"

"It has to be sweet." I insist. "Falkner likes sweet stuff."

"I actually never pegged you to be the type to like sweet popcorn, sis." Ciel commented. "I hardly see you eat sweets at all."

"Yeah, I don't, but I still like to eat sweet popcorn. Problem?" I challenged Ciel while trying to keep my past memories from resurfacing in my mind.

I didn't get to spend much time with Dad, but the few times he brought me to the cinemas he always bought sweet popcorn because he likes them. I disliked the taste initially and preferred salted, but ended up liking sweet over salted as time passed. After he left I always got sweet instead of salted.

I just never told Ciel, who was too young to remember a thing about Dad.

We continued to bicker as we entered the theatre. Ciel sits in the center because he has the popcorn. It is easier for Falkner and I to munch on them if he's in the center.

"So, what are we watching?" I asked curiously as I grabbed myself a handful of popcorn. The screen is currently playing all the advertisements and movie trailers so we have nothing to do but to munch on popcorn for now.

"Horror."

"Wait, what?!" I hissed at my younger brother the moment he said that. I absolutely hate watching horror movies!

"You chose the movie the other time." Ciel argued. "It's my turn this time and you know how much I love horror movies. This one has a pretty high rating too. The reviews were pretty good as well."

"Oh fuck me." I groaned as I covered my face with my palms. "I should have known that you would definitely choose to watch a horror movie. Why did I let you choose which movie to watch?"

"If it's any consolation I can let you choose the popcorn the next time." Ciel offered.

"I have a feeling Skye will be screaming the loudest during the entire movie." Falkner said with a smirk.

"You guys are freaking sadists." I accused before curling up in my seat. "Why horror? Why?"

"If you think about it, horror movies are only half as scary if you remove the music and sound effects." Falkner commented. "Just try to ignore that and you will do just fine."

"Yeah, I want to see you try ignoring sound effects in a theatre."

"Actually, on second thought, big bro? Can you switch seats with me?"

"Why?"

"I don't want sis to keep screaming into my ear for the next two hours. I will go deaf."

"You brought it upon yourself. Deal with it."

"Big bro!"

"No sweet popcorn, horror movie. I hate the both of you."

"Aw, love you too, sis."

"Brat."


Name: Skye Bale, 16, Female

Affiliated Unit: Indigo Ranger Force, Johto Region, 1st Ranger Regiment

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Code Name: Zephyr

Pokemon Team:

1. Pidgeot (Crown), male

2. Gliscor (Glide), male

3. Skarmory (Dia), female

4. Crobat (Beats), male

5. Jumpluff (Cotton), female

6. Dragonite (Tino), female

7. Noivern (Echo), male

8. Emolga, (Emi), female

9. Hawlucha (Hawk), male

10. Sigilyph (Cosmo), female

11. Aerodactyl (Aria), female

12. Masquerain (Heli), male