The Fall City Hospital was the largest healthcare institution in all of Fiore.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the young girl's hysteria increased and she was extremely uncooperative. Lunick, being the one who rescued her and the only one who was able to calm her down, had stayed with her, receiving medical care alongside or near her, so that she wouldn't freak out. The nurses even had to resort to medically sedating the girl even with Lunick there so that she could sleep and they could start following procedure to heal her. Lunick was also the only one who could translate for the girl, so the hospital staff decided to put him in a shared occupancy patient room with her, to lessen the girl's distress. The suite they were given was a little more deluxe than the general patient rooms. It had separate beds for both of them (of course!), separate TV's, one bathroom, a fridge, direct dialing, access to a terrace, and a two-way nurse call system. Lunick wasn't a stranger to being put in a luxury suite, and he did like it better than the general patient rooms which hosted various overwhelming scents of many cleansers and disinfectants, the nauseating scent of an overactive immune system wafting from the bedding, and questionable food smells lingering from the hospital cafeteria. But he still preferred going home and resting in his own bed. The night doctor would hear none of it, saying that he was very dehydrated and still needed oxygen for support in addition to reapplying the bandages on his arms and legs. And with that, he was admitted to the hospital for overnight observation.

Lunick seriously contemplated just signing a release waiver form and be on his merry way (that's something Solana would do), but he really wasn't up to debating with the doctor and he knew he really did need extra care. Plus, he also knew that he was needed to help moderate the girl, not to mention the fact that his Leader would be on his back if he didn't follow procedure and let the hospital do their job. It wasn't until Solana showed up with Plusle and Minun at two in the morning that his sullen demeanor vanished and he felt in high spirits again.

Solana did keep half her promise to Leilani – that she would stay up and talk with her in the night until one of them fell asleep. Well, Solana didn't fall asleep on the phone but she had Leilani convinced she had. As soon as she heard the Click! from the line being disconnected, Solana jumped out of bed and drove straight to the Fall City hospital. She had never put on her night clothes when she returned home and just changed into a baby blue T-Shirt and pink skinny jeans. She couldn't help it. There was no way she was going to go to sleep that night without, at the very least, visiting the hospital to check-in on Lunick. And she was so happy she did. Lunick really wasn't off that bad, only having the minor burns he sustained in the fire which were wrapped in bandages and nasal prongs in his nose to deliver supplemental oxygen for his respiratory help, (even though he felt like he could breathe fine on his own!).

After greeting her boyfriend with a warm kiss on the lips and asking how he was doing, Solana inquired about the girl he rescued, who also wore a nasal cannula to help her breathe as an alternative to the face mask as part of her oxygen therapy. Lunick explained that she was in need of more treatment than he was and that the reason he was there with her was because she had caused so much trouble being admitted that she had to be medically sedated to reduce her agitation and high anxiety, and so she would have calmed enough down so they could help her, even with Lunick reassuring her the entire time. After she was sedated, the girl was knocked out the entire time, much to the staff's relief. They were able to come in periodically throughout the night and early morning, checking her oxygen levels, changing her bandages, and getting her vitals before moving on to Lunick.

Lunick spent most of the early morning talking to Solana, with her lying back in the padded microfiber honeydew colored reclining chair (an extra amenity to the room), about how sorry he was about missing their special date, about how in hindsight, how reckless he had been, and about how he felt while he was rescuing the girl in the crumpling apartment building during the fire. Solana hushed him each time, agreeing with him that yes he was very reckless and could've easily gotten himself killed, but highlighting that them not having their date was trivial considering he did come out alive with minor injuries and did, in fact, save the girl everyone else was so afraid to because of the fire, and would rather remorsefully chalk her up as a an unfortunate casualty. When taking all that into account, there was absolutely nothing for Lunick to apologize for or be regretful about, especially since both of them knew that being a ranger was a high-risk occupation. How they were able to escape death so many times was an uncanny stroke of luck at best, if not a miracle.

It was about five o' clock in the morning now and Solana had already fallen asleep in the reclining chair, lightly snoring. Smiling at his sleeping beauty, Lunick felt the urge to stretch his legs. Lying in the hospital bed for such a long period of time left him feeling uncomfortable and restless.

Pulling the oxygen prongs out of his nose (because they were making his nose itch and he felt he could at least walk around a little bit without them), Lunick held onto the silver rolling stand which carried his IV drip of saline fluid, and slowly lifted his legs from the bed and stood to his feet, wincing from the pain of the weakened muscles in his thighs and legs.

Taking deep breaths, Lunick started slowly moving about the room, stopping occasionally to look at Solana sleeping in the chair covered in a hospital blanket with Plusle on her lap, watch Minun sleeping at the foot of his bed, and for a short while looking outside at the glow of dawn in the sky, still freckled with a few twinkling stars. His bladder soon told him it was time to go to the restroom, which was on the other side of the room.

When he was done and exited, he was startled when he heard a soft voice say something to him. After catching his breath, he saw that the girl he had rescued the previous night was awake and staring at him through the dimly lit room.

"Oh…Kon'nichiwa….Ohayō." He breathed out nervously. Oh…Hello…Good morning.

"Ohayō." She replied softly. Good morning.

Her voice was very faint, barely audible enough for Lunick to hear.

"Anata wa…Renjā Lunick ka? Pokémonrenjā, Lunick…ka?" she asked. You are…Ranger Lunick?…Pokémon Ranger, Lunick?

"Hai." Lunick nodded. Yes.

The girl blinked.

"Anata wa watashi o sukutta 1dearu…Watashi wa anata no kao o oboete iru." She said softly. You are the one who rescued me. I remember your face.

"Hai." Yes. Lunick answered. He started walking to the chair across from her bed. She appeared to be significantly calmer and it looked like she wanted to talk to him.

"Arigatō. Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita." Thank you. Thank you very much. She bowed her head to show her gratitude.

"Dōitashimashite." You're welcome. He carefully sat down in the chair.

She sat back up in her bed.

"You are very nice, Renjā Lunick."

Lunick was surprised to hear that.

"You can speak English?"

The girl nodded. "Nihonjin is my primary language, but I also speak and understand English."

"I see." Lunick stated. "So the reason you were speaking Japanese yesterday was because you were so scared and didn't know what was going on?"

Again, the girl nodded.

"It is difficult to control what one says when they are petrified."

"Well, you went through something pretty horrific."

The girl looked down for a moment before looking back up at Lunick.

"My name is Iyori."

"Nice to meet you, Iyori." Lunick answered.

She played with the sheet on her bed with her fingers.

"If you do not mind…Renjā Lunick…What exactly is a…Pokémonrenjā?"

"Not at all. And you can just call me Lunick," he replied cheerily. "A Pokémon Ranger is someone who fights to protect nature for both pokémon and mankind alike. We help keep our region safe by helping those in need, doing rescue missions, calming down agitated pokémon, and stopping destructive behaviors and phenomenons, or as with your case, stopping conflagration. We basically just protect pokémon and people to keep our world balanced and safe."

Iyori was a bit unsure.

"So…you are not like Keisatsu, are you? The police?"

Lunick shook his head.

"No. No. Our jobs are similar but we don't make arrests, although we can Mirandize. We have no legal authority when it comes to the judicial system but we do stop dangerous people and hold them for questioning until the police take them out of our hands. We technically don't have any legal authority even though we have authoritative positions. Our purpose and focus is to protect nature for the betterment of our world."

Iyori nodded her head slowly.

Lunick shifted in the chair. "Iyori, this may not be a good time to ask, but a few of our rangers and firefighters had a difficult time finding out the cause of the fire. They think it may have started in your room but they're not too sure."

Iyori became fearful again.

"My home was set ablaze."

"So, you're saying the cause was arson?"

Iyori grabbed her head and closed her eyes. "No! No! Bad man! He will kill me! Watashi o satsujin! Iya! Iya!" Murder me! No! No!

Lunick held out his hands.

"Okay, okay, Iyori. Please calm down. You're safe now, remember? I'm sorry for asking you about what happened so soon. I know what happened is something very difficult. I will not ask you again. I'm sorry. Gomen'nasai." I'm sorry.

Iyori uncovered her head and looked back at Lunick.

"I have no home. No home."

"Do not worry about that, Iyori. Right now, you just need to rest. It's just daybreak. It's still early. Just relax. Everything is going to be okay."

"How long must I stay here? I cannot stay here! He will find me!"

"No, he will not," Lunick reassured her as he stood up. "So long as I'm around, nobody is going to harm you. Remember what I said? You are safe with me. You are safe around pokémon rangers and you are safe in this hospital bed. Okay?"

Iyori slowly nodded her head.

"Thank you…Lunick."

Lunick nodded and then he made his way back to his bed. He may not have learned much about Iyori and the fire, but he was content that she was now comfortable.

As Lunick hobbled in his bed, he gazed at Solana. She was still sleeping but not snoring as loudly as she was before.

Smiling, Lunick continued to stare lovingly at his girlfriend until he too drifted off to sleep.


Later on that morning, Lunick was informed he could be discharged. Aside from the mild burns on his arms and legs, he was fine. His oxygen returned to a level of stability, though he was given a Voldyne incentive spirometer to take home to measure the volume of air inspired and expired by his lungs and to determine how much air he was able to move in and out of his lungs in a single breath. Lunick struggled to get the marker above the level he was supposed to for a while, but the doctor instructed him to keep practicing while he was at home and if he was still unable to exhale above the mark, then he would have to come back for them to check his lungs. He was given some discharge instructions and forms as well.

While Lunick filled out the discharge papers and was unhooked from the IV drip, oxygen tank and other needles, Solana left to get him a change of clothes from home (well…from her house). Iyori wasn't happy to hear that she would be staying in the hospital for a couple more days, maybe even a week or two because she was severely more dehydrated and injured than Lunick and still needed to rely on the nasal cannula to provide her with oxygen and help her with respiration. The entire time, Lunick kept advising her to remain calm and kept trying to reassure her that she would be safe in the hospital and that the hospital staff will take care of her.

When Solana returned, she helped Lunick dress himself (after he put on his undergarments) and had the rest of his things packed in outpatient bags.

"Okay, Baby. You're all set and ready to go," Solana said happily. "I just have to go get the wheelchair from outside and then we'll get you outta here."

Lunick put his hand to his forehead.

"Thanks, Babe, but really…Do I have to use the wheelchair? I can walk."

"No, sir. Hospital policy." She said plainly. "You're not stable enough to walk on your own without support."

"But I'm just gonna be using it until we get to your car? Then, I'll be walking on my own…or with your support. Besides, I should be walking on my own to strengthen my muscles anyway."

"Well, until you get inside the car, you will be using the wheelchair," Solana said firmly, "Now you know how I felt having to use it after my blood transfusion."

"You're forgetting I had to use it after the Shadow Pokémon mission, but that was totally different. You needed to use the wheelchair and the crutches then because you were so weak afterwards, you could barely walk. I'm fine."

"Uh huh," Solana replied, unmoved as she gathered his bags, "I'm gonna go put this in the car and then I'll be back with your wheelchair. Kay? Love you, sweetie."

"Love you too…I'd love you more if you forgo the wheelchair, though?" he still pressed.

"Not gonna happen," she said as she walked out the room with Plusle.

Lunick crossed his arms and pouted like a child who didn't get their way.

"Your girlfriend is very sweet." Iyori said from her bed. The curtain that separated the two of them was pulled back so they could see each other just fine. "Very nurturing and motherly. She cares for you a lot, I can tell."

Lunick sighed peacefully.

"Yeah, she's amazing. I'm lucky to have her. She's very meticulous about a lot of things, whether it be in her favor or works against her but she always does her best. That's one of the things I admire about her."

Iyori smiled. "Aww, you two sound like you're so deeply in love. That must be nice."

Lunick chuckled.

"Yeah, we're both crazy about each other. You never felt that way about anyone?"

Iyori grew quiet.

"I did…once…But, uh…it did not work out well for me."

"Sorry to hear that."

She shook her head. "Don't be. I am not so bothered by it anymore. Not like before anyway. I am more concerned about where I will stay. I have no home. And that bad man will find me."

Lunick could see she was getting worked up again.

"You are safe here, Iyori. The hospital is one of the safest places you can be."

"No! There are ways the outside can get in and do damage. I must get out of here. I must find safety somewhere. He will kill me!"

"No, no, no, no. Iyori, please. Take some deep breaths. You are safe. No one is going to hurt you. The doctors and nurses will take care of you. You will be fine."

Solana reentered the room with Plusle on her shoulder, pushing one of the hospital wheelchairs to Lunick. A nurse followed in behind her to get Iyori's vitals.

"You ready?" Solana asked.

"Yeah," Lunick replied as he scooted over from the bed into the wheelchair. Minun hopped in his lap.

Solana started pushing Lunick to leave.

"No! No!" Iyori cried as she flailed her arms, preventing the nurse from taking her pulse. "Please, do not leave me here! Please! Onegaishimasu!" Please!

"Please, Miss, you must keep still!" the nurse ordered.

"Renjā Lunick! Please do not go! I am not safe here! Watashi o abadonnaide kudasai!" Please do not abandon me!

Both Solana and Lunick looked worriedly at Iyori

"Iyori," Lunick began, "Remember what I said? You are safe here. Anata ga koko ni anzendesu. No one is going to hurt you. The hospital is here to help you. Tasukete. Everything will be okay. I promise." …You are safe here…Help…

"Miss, please keep still!" the nurse pleaded.

"You said I was safe so long as you're here! You leave, I no longer safe! Please do not go, I beg you! Onegaishimasu!" Please!

Lunick shook his head, very concerned.

"Iyori you are safe here. You will be safe here. Just as safe as when I was here. Everything will be okay. Please calm down, Iyori. Watashi no tame ni ochitsuite kudasai. Everything will be okay." …Please calm down for me…

"Lunick, I don't know what to do," Solana whispered to him. She was just as worried about the girl as he was.

"Just go, 'Lana. She'll be fine. I've already talked to her. She's just scared because of memories of the fire. Go on."

"Renjā Lunick! Renjā Lunick!"

"You are safe. The hospital staff is going to help you. Trust me, Iyori, you are safe," Lunick continued as Solana uncomfortably wheeled him outside the room. A few more nurses entered the room and shut the door behind them, Iyori's cries now muffled.

"I feel so bad for her," Solana said sadly. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so." Lunick answered as she continued to wheel him down the hospital corridor and through the entrance. Her green Prius was parked in front of the hospital.

"She seems really attached to you, Lunick," Solana said as she helped him in the passenger seat of her car.

"She's just been through a lot…She'll be okay…She doesn't seem to trust many people but she trusts me…Most likely because I was the one who rescued her...But she will be fine. I'm sure of it..."

As Solana started the car and reversed out of the parking spot, Lunick continued to stare out his window to the Fall City Hospital until it was no longer in his line of sight.


It was a slightly painful ride back to Solana's house. Even though Lunick had reassured Solana that Iyori would be fine at the hospital on her own, there was this nickeling doubt that kept tickling the back of his mind that she wouldn't be. Lunick had dealt with surviving fire victims before and helped them find counseling as was part of a ranger's repertoire. But Iyori was particularly paranoid and he wasn't sure if leaving her at the hospital by herself was the best idea on second thought. He phoned the base on their way back to ask if someone could babysit her for a little while until she was more settled in the hospital.

After driving back to her house, Solana still had to support Lunick to walk inside. She would have taken him back to his house, but it still felt more natural to take him to hers because he spent most of his time there anyway when they weren't working. Lunick didn't appear to have any objections and she figured he would much rather stay over by her as he recuperated than rest in his bed by himself.

Solana struggled to open the front door to her house as she held onto Lunick while at the same time carrying his outpatient bags. Lunick still claimed that he could walk by himself but Solana still felt the need to help him. At the very least, he suggested that if she was going to help him inside, then she should leave his bags and carry them in separately. But Solana wanted to make only one trip from her car to inside her home. She was stubborn but Lunick didn't mind since she gave him an excuse to be close to her but he still hated to watch her struggle.

"O…Kay…We're here," Solana exhaled as her front door swung opened. Plusle and Minun ran ahead of them inside while Solana helped Lunick over to her couch.

"You got it? You got it?"

"I'm fine, Solana. Thank you," Lunick replied as he laid back on the loveseat sofa.

Solana again exhaled loudly as she dropped his bags on the floor, breathing heavily.

"Look at you. All out of breath and everything. I told you I could walk by myself."

"Nonsense. I wanted to help you," Solana insisted as she tried to catch her breath.

Lunick chuckled. She looked so humorous bent over on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

"You find this funny?"

"Kinda. Yeah," Lunick laughed. "I'm like twenty pounds heavier than you. I don't know how you expected to help me walk all the way over here."

"Well, you can carry me anywhere. So I thought, why not?"

"I can carry you anywhere because I'm physically stronger than you. Told you my workout was more intense."

Solana waved her hand as her breathing started to return to normal.

"Whatever. You're probably hungry, right? I don't think you ate when you were at the hospital."

Lunick immediately sobered up.

"You're uh…You're going to cook?" he asked, timidly.

Solana crossed her arms.

"What's that supposed to mean? I can cook."

"Are you sure? The last time you attempted to do something by yourself, you nearly burned down the base."

Solana slapped him lightly upside his head.

"I did not."

"Yes, you did. Had I not arrived there in time the whole place would've come down just like that apartment building. Everyone would have had to be temporarily reassigned to another base until it was fixed."

Solana continued to glare at him.

"You're so mean. I'm not a terrible cook."

"I didn't say you were. Just that you have to be supervised when going near electric appliances."

Solana narrowed her eyes slightly at him before walking out of the room to go to her kitchen.

"I wasn't going to cook you something. I was gonna make you a sandwich and heat you up some ramen. The whole Jewish Penicillin thing you were talking about."

"Whatever gave you the impression I was Jewish?" Lunick asked as he kicked off his shoes. Minun ran in the room with a pokébiscuit in his mouth. He hopped up beside Lunick on the sofa and started nibbling on the treat, holding it in his tiny paws.

"You told me you were," she called back.

"No I didn't."

"You told me your mother was."

Lunick scrunched up his face in confusion and thought for a moment. Then he remembered.

"Oh. You mean when I told you that she was finding herself?"

"Uhhhhhh…Yes?…"

Lunick laid back down on the sofa, causing Minun to fall down on the floor. He glared at his ranger.

"Mai Mai!"

"Sorry, pal." Lunick apologized.

Rubbing his cheek, Minun went back to snacking on his treat.

"Oh. Yeah, she converted to Judaism back then when she had her breakdown but she's not anymore. She's Christian now. Like my Dad."

"I thought you said she had a midlife crisis or something?"

"Solana, how could she have had a midlife crisis if she wasn't even midlife yet? She had a nervous breakdown."

"Well, that's what you told me."

"Did I say that?"

"Yes."

"Well, I meant nervous breakdown."

Solana reentered the room carrying a tray with a bowl of ramen noodles and a cheese sandwich sliced diagonally for Lunick. Plusle followed behind her also carrying a pokébiscuit in her mouth. She joined Minun on the floor and began eating her treat.

"That sounds really stressful." Solana commented as she held the bowl out to Lunick.

Lunick looked down at it questionably for a moment, then looked back up at Solana with raised eyebrows.

Solana rolled her eyes.

"It was prepackaged, Lunick. I didn't make this. I just heated it up."

Smiling, Lunick happily took the tray from her and began eating.

"I made the sandwich, though."

"That's fine. Who can screw up a sandwich?" he said as he took a big bite.

"Ak! Lunick!"

"I'm just messing with you," he replied cheerily. "And yeah, it was a very stressful period for my family."

"What happened?" Solana asked as she sat down in a chair across from the sofa.

Lunick took another bite of his sandwich before swallowing, taking his time to answer.

"Uh…Well…We were under witness protection at the time."

Solana gasped. "What? Why?"

Lunick was a little hesitant to answer.

"Um…Well…We were threatened."

"By who?" Solana asked. At this point she was clearly concerned.

"Uh…Well…By some people my Dad used to associate with."

Solana shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

Lunick played with his ramen for a little bit before answering.

"You've met my Dad, right?"

"Yeah. Lots of times. He seems like he's exactly like you personality wise."

"Yeah…Well…My Dad…Uh…He wasn't always like that."

"I still don't understand what you mean?"

Lunick sighed heavily.

"Before my Dad met my Mom, he used to be…bad…"

"Bad?"

"Like gang member bad…Like, violent gang member bad."

"Like the Go-Rock Squad?"

"Um…No…Worse."

"Worse than the Go-Rock Squad?"

"The Go-Rock Squad was never really a threat, Solana. You ever heard of the Yakuza?"

Solana nodded. "Yeah. Of course."

Lunick hesitated before answering.

"Well…That's the gang violence I'm talking about. My Dad used to be a part of the Namahage branch or the Duskull Diamonds at the time. I don't know what they're called now."

Solana didn't know what to say.

"Your dad used to be a part of one of the most violent organized crime syndicates?"

Lunick nodded slowly.

"He used to be. But when he met my Mom he changed…much to the group's displeasure. I don't need to tell you that no one gets out of that gang alive. They have very strict codes. And when they found out why, well…Let's just say my parents became closely aware of their notorious nefarious streak."

Solana opened her mouth to say something but looked away and went quiet again.

"He's not a part of the yakuza anymore but my parents did come under fire for it. They were on the run for quite some time before I was born. And even afterwards, I saw for myself just how violent they were."

Solana meekly looked back up.

"…Is…Is this the same Lou we're talking about?"

That hit a nerve with Lunick.

"What? You don't believe people can change?"

"That's not what I said. But I know evil when I see it."

"My Dad's not evil!" Lunick replied, defensively. "He's not like that anymore!"

"But he used to be a part of one of the most hardcore villainous groups in the world."

"Are you judging him now?"

"You know me better than that, Lunick," Solana answered seriously. "This just doesn't make any sense to me."

Plusle and Minun had finished their treats but they were now worriedly looking at their two agitated humans. When did the mood get so taut?

"What part of 'he changed when he met my Mom' do you not understand?"

"Lunick, people do not just change from wickedly evil to good-natured overnight."

"Yes they do!"

"Lunick, stop getting defensive. I'm just trying to understand."

Lunick continued to stare angrily at her. Plusle and Minun's ears perked down in discomfort.

"This is why I never told anybody. Unless you've been through what my parents have, you will never be able to empathize with them. I've seen how menacing this group is firsthand. I've experienced it. My Dad did everything within his power to protect us. He never even wanted to be a part of the gang in the first place. He was never like the gang. He did what he had to to survive. And when he met my Mom, that just gave him enough gumption to leave the gang, knowing how brutal they are. I don't know what else to say to get you to understand."

Solana shook her head. She could see how emotional Lunick was getting over this and didn't want to press him anymore.

"You don't have to say anything else, Lunick. It doesn't matter. I don't know that Lou from the past anyway. I know the grounded, silly, peaceful Lou. The Lou who I see you in. I'm not judging him. But you have to admit this is a lot for me to take in."

Lunick looked away briefly.

"It is a lot. That's why I don't talk about it."

"Is that how you know Japanese?"

Lunick nodded.

"The syndicates had a secret language system that all members had to learn and speak. My Dad had to use it when he was around them. Japanese was the prominent native language code then. They had a lot of meetings when he was in the gang before I was born. One day when I was small, I found an old document in my parent's attic. When I showed it to my dad, he wouldn't tell me about it at first. But after years of pestering him, he finally admitted to me it was a coterie script containing a message to other yakuza organizations about transnational blackmail among the syndicates and that a turf war had been initiated. My Dad was a fugitive among the gang so we were always in danger. I asked my Dad to teach me the language so I could be something like a sentry or a lookout. But he wouldn't let me. Said it was too dangerous and that the dealings with the gang were his responsibility alone to shoulder. But I wouldn't give up. I kept pressing him to teach me, telling him I could help keep us safe. Then my Dad showed me his Irezumi."

"Irezumi?" Solana asked.

"Expensive, painful, and permanent tattoos gang members are required to wear as testament of their allegiance to the gang. The ink is inserted underneath the skin with nonelectrical handmade tools with sharpened bamboo or steel needles."

Solana cringed.

"He said he never wanted me to live that life. Be trapped in a serious situation that I could not control or understand. He agreed to teach me the language, but made it clear that I was not to get mixed up in the gang like he was. But I still utilized the knowledge as best as I could. Whenever I thought the gang was near, I'd tell my Mom and we'd hide until they passed by. One time they found us and I used the secret language code to convince the gang members I was one of its founding member's descendants. I studied and deciphered all of my Dad's old cryptographs from the gang and learned as much as I could about the yakuza and its history to protect my family and keep us safe. My Dad found out what I was doing, though. And the whole thing was pretty hard on my Mom."

"Is that what caused your mom's nervous breakdown?"

Lunick again nodded.

"She never really quite got over that. She's stable now but back then, the only way my mother knew how to cope was to constantly change religions, searching for some kind of direction. She literally lost her mind from the stress. My Dad's the only one who's been able to help her. And it was this whole experience that made my parents the way they are. That's why I wanted to become a ranger. I wanted to protect them. I wanted to protect anyone from having to experience anything like that. No one should have to be subject to that kind of violence…Any violence."

Solana looked at her boyfriend sorrowfully for a moment, before wiping away his one tear and cupping his face with her right hand.

"Hey…"

Lunick placed his hand over hers and kissed it. Solana smiled softly at him as she tried to cheer him up.

"I'm sorry for blowing up at you earlier." Lunick apologized.

"It's okay. I get it."

Lunick looked back down at her hand before looking back up in her eyes.

"Can I…uh…Can I have a hug…please?" he asked, diffidently.

Solana nodded. Standing up, she picked up his tray and moved it to the side of the sofa before climbing up on his lap and wrapping her arms around him for a comforting hug.

Lunick hugged her tightly.

Plusle and Minun perked up slightly and exhaled in relief at seeing the tension being replaced by the display of affection.

"I, uh…I never told anyone my parents' past."

Solana pulled back and kissed her boyfriend lightly on his forehead.

"I know. You said so already. At least you got it out. That's what matters."

"And you won't tell anyone?"

Solana shook her head.

"No one needs to know. If anyone finds out, it will be by your mouth. Not mine's."

Lunick nodded and hugged her again.

"I'm, uh…not used to feeling this…vulnerable…Can we just stay like this for a while?"

Pulling away from Lunick briefly, Solana took the sofa's two cushions and placed them on its right armrest. She then turned around and pulled Lunick down with her to lie down across the sofa. Lunick nestled himself in her left shoulder and continued to hold her around her waist as they snuggled up close.

"I'm so happy you brought me here." Lunick said as he closed his eyes.

Solana closed her eyes too.

"Mhm. I told you I'd take care of you. Leader gave us a few days off so you could rest. I intend to stay here with you until you return, however long that will take."

"Badical." He said softly.

Smiling happily to each other and deciding to give their humans some privacy, Plusle and Minun ran out the room and went to Solana's back porch, leaving their rangers cuddling on the couch until they both fell in deep slumber.


Freddie hastily ran about his house, trying desperately to get ready for work. He knew he would regret letting Anya spend the night there. He always regretted it. Every time she'd manipulate his feelings and emotions, playing him for a sucker as she tricked him into doing what he knew he shouldn't. It served him right for inviting her back into his house. Every time she left he'd say he'd never do it again, and every time she came back he always did! No matter how many times Freddie tried to cut Anya out of his life, she always resurfaced, raising hell and making his life all that more strenuous.

Freddie sifted through his wallet, trying to look for any spare change Anya may have missed. One dime and two pennies fell out when he turned it over and shook it.

'Damn it! Getting help my ass!' Freddie cursed.

Just then, Freddie noticed the light smoke pooling in from his kitchen.

"Oh shit!" Freddie exclaimed as he dropped his wallet and ran out of the living room and into his kitchen.

He pulled the burning frying pan off of the electric burner and tossed it into the sink, turning the faucet on immediately afterwards. The Leidenfrost effect took place as an insulating vapor layer of water rose from the hot frying pan.

"Damn it!" Freddie cursed again. "What else can go wrong today?"

"Daddy!"

Freddie turned around and saw his daughter standing in the doorframe that connected the living room to the kitchen. She was wearing a pink footsie pajama that had baby Fennekin on it and was holding a Teddiursa doll in her hands.

"Niema, honey –"

"You said a bad word!"

"What?"

"You said a bad word!" the little girl scolded. "You said –"

"I know what I said, honey," Freddie cut in, "You're right. It was a bad word. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it."

"But why'd you say it, Daddy?"

Freddie turned off the faucet in the sink.

"I was angry, baby."

"Why was you angry, Daddy? Did you not sleep well?"

"No, baby. I didn't." Freddie said as he turned the ceiling fan on in the kitchen to clear out the smoke.

"Why it so foggy in here, Daddy?"

"I burned breakfast." Freddie answered as he took his black uniform shirt off of one of the kitchen chairs and put his arms in the sleeves. He then started buttoning his shirt.

"What we havin'?"

"We were going to have French toast and scrambled eggs, but seeing as I burned the pan, I suppose we can have porridge."

Niema skewed up her face in disgust.

"Yuck, Daddy!"

"Porridge is very good for you, Niema."

"It nasty! Porridge nasty! Don't want no porridge!"

"Well, I don't have time to make anything else. I'm already running late for work and I have to stop by the bank before I go. Go on and pick out the clothes you want to wear today while I heat it up."

Niema firmly shook her head.

"No! Please, Daddy! Don't want porridge!"

"Niema –"

"You wouldn't feed porridge to da guess you had las' night?"

That caught Freddie off guard.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You had a guess las' night, Daddy. You got da footonie out."

'Damn it! I forgot to put it up!"

"I know'se you'se only take out da footonie when someone's ova. Who stayed ova, Daddy? Was it a frien'?"

Freddie grimaced as he walked over to the fridge.

"It was someone I know."

"Was it Uncle Lunick?"

"No."

"Was it Uncle Chris?"

"No."

"Was it –"

"No one from work, Niema." Freddie answered as he pulled out a blue container with a white lid from the fridge.

"Do I know dis person?"

"You sure are asking a lot of questions?" Freddie said as he rested the packaged cornmeal on the kitchen counter before walking into the living room to pick up the futon.

Niema followed him.

"You said we not allowed to have strange persons in our house. You said we always let each oda know if we got's a guest, so we know who it is and if dey are safe."

"I know, baby." Freddie said as he lifted up the padded mattress and quilts and walked down the hall to his laundry room. He really ought to burn them but not with Niema watching. He threw them on top his washing machine before walking back out of the room and back into his living room where Niema was. "It was a last minute decision. No one was supposed to stay here other than you or me."

Freddie walked back into the kitchen with his daughter on his heels.

"So, why you let someone stay, Daddy?"

"They needed help." Freddie said as he picked up his Wintown ranger uniform jacket from the same chair he picked up his shirt from. There were red stripes on either side of the white jacket.

"What kinda help?"

"They needed a place to stay."

"Were dey homeless?"

Freddie paused as he put his arms in the jacket's sleeves.

"…Yes…They were."

"So you let a homeless person stay here, Daddy? Dat's awfully nice of you."

"…Yeah…" Freddie murmured to himself.

"But ain't dat against da rules your boss lady say? Miss 'Lita? Can't you'se get in trouble for dat?"

"Niema –"

"I won't tell, of course. Dat's a willy nice ting ta do, it is. Can we let a homeless pokémon stay here tonight?"

Freddie chuckled at hearing that.

"No, baby."

"Please, Daddy?"

"No. It's not safe to let wild pokémon sleepover."

"But you letta homeless person stay and –"

"Niema!"

Niema went quiet at the sound of her father's raised voice.

Seeing that he startled her, Freddie walked over to his daughter and knelled down to meet her on eye level.

"Look, baby. I'm running kind of late for work. I don't have time to drive you all the way down to the Pokémon Breeder Center today. How would you like to come with me to work?"

Niema's eyes lit up.

"You mean it, Daddy! I gets to go on missions wit yah?"

"Well, I don't know about going out on missions, but you can stay at the base and play with Silent Chris for the day. He's stationed at the base today so he'll be available to do anything for you. I might even be able to get him to get you breakfast so you won't have to eat porridge."

Niema squealed in delight.

"Yayyy! I get to play wit Uncle Chris! We can go riding on da Dragonite Bus, and we can watch Pocket Monsters and play dolls an –"

"But you gotta hurry up and get ready. Go on upstairs and pick out your clothes and wait for me in the bathroom. I'll be up in a minute to give you a bath."

"Yayyy! All day adventures wit Uncle Chris! And no nasty porridge! Dis is gonna be so much fun!" Niema yelled as she sprinted up the stairs to her bedroom.

Freddie shook his head as he stood back up to his feet.

'Sorry Chris. I owe you one.'

Seeing his wallet on the floor, Freddie sighed. He picked it up and put it in his pack. He made a mental note to get his checkbook from his dresser in his bedroom. He was definitely going to have to go to the bank today.

Taking out his styler, Freddie called the Wintown Ranger Base.

Riiiiing! Riiiiing! Riiii –

"Wintown Ranger Base. This is Shauna. How may I help you today?"

"Hey, Shauna. I'm gonna be late coming in today. I got caught up in a situation at home and there are some things I have to take care of before I come in. You think you can let Leader know for me, please?"

"Sure. How late are you going to be?"

"Maybe an hour. Hour and a half. I still have to get Niema ready and I have to go run an errand before I come in."

"Okay, I'll let her know. But please don't dawdle. We have a meeting at 9:00 and you need to be present then."

"I will. Thank you. Oh, and uh…Tell Chris I need a favor?"

"Come on, Freddie. You know he's got desk work today. He's already bummed about not being able to assist Leader."

"Please, Shauna. I really need some help today."

"…(sigh)…Alright, Freddie. I'll talk to him. But don't make this a habit. This is not a daycare center. We need the workspace for other things."

"I know. Thank you, Shauna. You're a lifesaver. I owe you."

"Don't you always?"

"Tell Chris I'll pay him for the trouble."

"You know he won't accept it. But fine. Just don't tarry, okay?"

"I won't. Thanks again, Shauna."

"Mhmm. See you then."

"See you."

Disconnecting the call, Freddie walked back into the kitchen. He picked up the container he had taken out earlier and put it back in the fridge. As he closed the door, he saw that a white piece of paper had fallen down from the kitchen counter.

Curious as to what it was, Freddie walked over to it and picked it up.

Sorry, Freddie-Bear. I hurts real bad. Will pay back.

Balling up the note in his hand, Freddie felt his anger rising yet again.

No more. Not again. Freddie decided then and there that no matter what, he would never let that woman back into his house ever again.

"Daddy! Come on! I got's my clothes!" he heard Niema call from upstairs.

"I'm coming."

Taking off the ceiling fan, Freddie headed out of the kitchen. He tossed the crumpled piece of paper into the garbage can before making his way upstairs to his daughter.

For Niema's sake, it could not happen again. He would make sure of that.


A dark figure entered a towering, office building-like structure. Locking the door behind them, the figure then proceeded down the long walkway. Walking down all the way to the back of the establishment, the figure came upon a steel door with a panel beside it.

Taking off their black gloves, they placed their hand on the green screen. A red laser scanned the handprint before making a light beep! sound and glowing blue. The steel door in front rumbled as it slid to the side.

Putting back on the glove, the person stepped inside, the steel door shutting closed once they entered.

There was a long narrow hallway behind the door which led to another steel door.

Reaching into their belt pack, the person took out a traveling size of aerosol spray and sprayed it in the air. Condensates of the released liquid particles created scattered light that ionized into green laser beams. Putting the spray back into their belt pack and using several gymnastics skills and moves, the person was able to maneuver around the beams and safely make their way to the end of the hall.

The effect from the spray wore off and the beams appeared to dissipate as the figure took out a keycard and slid it through a magnetic card reader lock. The door at the end of the hall drew up into the ceiling, allowing entry for the person. The door slowly shut behind them as they entered an elevator that was in the back of this vacant room. Pushing a hidden button in the elevator, another panel folded down. Typing in several numbers before recording their handprint again, the individual rode all the way up to the top floor.

There was another figure sitting in a rolling chair at the far end of the room.

"You're back."

"Yes, I am," said the person. "It was difficult to get away at first but you know I revel in a challenge, my Lady. Especially if it means I get to toy with those pesky rangers."

The other person smirked.

"Yes. They can be…troublesome…"

"No need to worry, my Lady. They are no match for me and my supreme intelligence, only rivaled by you, of course. "

"Well, let's see just how high your intelligence ranks. Have you got the information for me?"

"Yes." They held up a manila folder. "Everything you need to know about them is in here."

"Excellent. Bring it here."

Walking up to the woman, the person handed her the stuffed folder. She quickly skimmed through it.

"Is this all you were able to snatch?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Those rangers have really amped up their security since that incident. But, no worries. Everything you need to know for your plan is right in there."

"For your sake, I hope so." She replied sharply. "Are you ready for your next recon?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

The woman's right eye twitched.

"What did you just call me?"

"Uh…uh…I said I am, Milady. I said I am." The person gushed out nervously.

"Humph." The woman said as she looked back down at her files. "I need you to go to Kanto to pick up something for me. Well, some things for me. But let's start small so not to attract too much attention. On the Southeast coast of the region is Cinnabar Island. Go there first. There's an old abandoned mansion there with something I need. Journals. Multiple journals actually, but one in particular I need. In the lowest part of the mansion a green journal is secured, with information about the then discovery of a new species of Pokémon. They are written by a deceased famous scientist named Dr. Fuji. He recorded his last project in those entries…Get them. Bring me all of those journals, the one in the basement in particular. Then, I want you to apprehend the great great grandson of that researcher who worked on those journals. You think you can handle that?"

"Not a problem, Milady."

"Good." Reaching on her desk, the woman pulled out a red folder and tossed it to her admin. "In there is everything you need to know about the structure of the mansion. It's decrepit and abandoned so I don't expect there to be too much security, but you can never be too sure with these people. Be vigilant."

"All shall be done, Ma…Your Highness. I'll be back in two shakes of a Furret's tail."

"Don't be too hasty. You've infiltrated quite nicely here. Play the cards for a little while longer before leaving on your mission. I don't want those rangers on our trail. Milk it some more before making your departure. Porygon will transport you to the Silph Co. building afterwards. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. You shall leave my presence now."

Bowing their head, the individual turned around and entered the elevator, heading back downstairs.

The woman smiled menacingly as she swirled back around in her chair, flipping through the files her subordinate gave her.

"It's only a matter of time now. When I'm through, they will all realize what I'm trying to accomplish. They will finally see my sovereign vision."