A/N: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's everybody! The last few months have not been kind to me at all! But I was able to get this next chapter finished before I'll be out for a while. Let me first start by emphasizing again that this story has an M Rating for graphic language and sexual content. The remembrance here for this chapter is for graphic language, namely the very and terribly degrading and offensive N-Word. I will preface this by saying, yes, I am black, of Caribbean-American of West Indian descent and so my usage of this word is of cultural significance but for this story, it will only and shall only be used by people who are black or of African or Caribbean ethnic background. When writing the N-Word, I will censor it with the "–" bar. I will underscore that I absolutely detest this word and it's usage, no matter what context, and the only reason I even am using the word in this chapter at all, even though it is very minimal and doesn't impact the story at all, is because of this particular new character's development. I have to give this disclaimer because of the atrociousness and disgustingness of this word, as I am sure you all know. This word will seldom ever be used, but because it is even mentioned in this chapter, I feel obligated to put this message here forewarning about it. If this offends you in anyway or I you feel it is too distracting, please let me know either PM or via review and I will do my best to accommodate while still remaining true to this character's development and vernacular which, if you didn't know by this hint of this word usage, is pretty grotesque.
Now with that unpleasantry out of the way, let's get on with the story shall we? (^w^)
"How's it looking, Hanna?" Lunick asked as the PR nurse checked over the baby Miltank.
The PR nurse named Hanna smiled generously as she petted the calf pokémon on the head.
"This little one is going to be A-Okay. Just a few cuts and scrapes. They'll heal within a day or so. She'll be ready to return to her habitat afterwards. Just keep her warm and safe."
"Thanks, Hanna. You're awesome."
The PR Nurse nodded as she packed up her medical supplies and exited the base.
Iyori giggled in delight as she playfully petted the baby pokémon. She cooed joyfully at her touch, rolling around and playing with Iyori's fingers, causing the young girl to squeal excitedly.
Lunick smiled and glanced at Solana, who shrugged her shoulders with a slight smile. Lunick turned back to Iyori and approached her.
"You know, Iyori, this Miltank is going to need someplace to stay for a bit before heading back home. What do you think about caring for her until then?"
Iyori stopped playing with the baby Miltank and her face instantly turned serious as she faced Lunick.
"Care for her?"
"Yes. You've seemed to have formed an attachment with one another."
"You misunderstand, Lunick-sama. I delight in this little one's presence, yes, but I have never taken care of a pokémon before."
"No, but I think it would be best if you were the one to care for her for a while, since you've already formed a bond and because she is so young. From the looks of it, she must've hatched only a few days ago. The first few days of a pokémon's life are critical. Since she's no longer under the care of her parent, she's going to need someone to take care of her until she's old to enough to be released back into the wild."
"And you truly believe I am the best one to do that? Lunick-sama, I have no experience with pokémon at all."
"That's not entirely true, Iyori. I've seen you help out a few of our PR nurses when clients come in with their injured pokémon."
"B-But that was only as an aide! You are talking about fully taking care of a pokémon! A baby pokémon at that!"
Lunick nodded.
"Iyori, do you think I would be asking you to do this if I didn't believe you could?"
"U-Um…I-I…I suppose not…"
"We don't have any rangers available to take care of her right now. If you're not able to take her in for a bit, I'll have to carry her to the Pokémon Sanctuary, which in itself is not a bad thing. She would get the care and monitoring she would need. But it would not be in the kind of intimate way her parent would care for her or a trainer would. The Sanctuary at the end of the day is a rehabilitation center and reserve. I'm asking you to do this because if you care for her, she wouldn't have to worry about the change in caretakers or a stringent routine schedule. And since you've already formed a bond, she trusts you not to hurt her and to keep her safe, as you did when we were out in the Lyra Forest."
Iyori hesitantly glanced between Lunick and the baby Miltank, who looked up at Iyori curiously.
"Um…Um…I…"
Lunick shook his head gently.
"Of course, I'm not going to force you to do it, Iyori, especially if you are uncomfortable. I can take her to the Pokémon Sanctuary."
He started to walk towards the baby pokémon when Iyori held up her hands and stepped in front of him.
"W-Wait!" she stammered. "That is…if you believe I am capable and resourceful enough to care for this little one…I…I can try to give it a go?"
Lunick smiled softly.
"Of course, Iyori. I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't. I'll help you should you need anything. The first thing we gotta do is buy some bovine baby pokémon formula for her to eat. Since she doesn't have her mother to nurse from, she'll need the nutrients from the formula for a while before she can get solid foods."
Iyori nodded furiously. "Yes, I will go get my things from the back room and we can head to the store right away!"
She gingerly picked up the baby Miltank, who cooed in delight as she walked into the back storage room to get her purse and wallet.
Solana sautéed over to Lunick and snaked her arms up his chest and around his neck.
"You sly sly Zoroark. Trying to get Iyori to adopt that Miltank as her partner."
"Pokémon are known to reduce stress in people," he replied wrapping his arms around her waist and letting them drift a little further down, "Maybe having a pokémon of her own will calm her nerves and cause her to open up a little more. At the very least, it can be her therapy pokémon."
"I never knew my beau was such a manipulative trickster."
"Manipulative? Not so. I just guided her into making the right decision."
"Mhmm."
Iyori returned from the back room with her baby blue purse slung over her right shoulder.
"Okay. I am ready Lunick-sama."
Lunick glanced down at his watch. "We'll have just enough time to beat the lunch hour rush. Are you going back to the lab afterwards, Iyori?"
She shook her head gently. "The professor did say he wanted me to rest today. It would be disrespectful not to honor his wishes."
"Okay. Solana have you –"
"Already have the report written up for Spenser. He should be back from his lunchbreak soon. I'll hold down the fort until then."
"Great. Let's go, Iyori."
He gave her a quick peck on the check and started for the base's double doors.
"You want me to pick you up something on the way back?"
"No thanks. I'll just grab something from the pantry."
Nodding, Lunick and Iyori exited the base with their pokémon. As they exited, two other rangers walked inside.
"Yer posture is all wrong and wonky. How you 'spect to wrangle them pokes when yer form is all wrong?!"
"Ugh, enough! I don't need to be all prim and proper to make a capture."
Solana arched her eyebrow very slightly.
"Tara? Thomas? What's going on?"
The platinum blonde teenager sighed woefully.
"I'll tell you what's wrong! This rookie is more stubborn than a Bouffalant rearing up on Tauros for not moving out of his way. Hard-nosed as ever."
"Seriously? You have been on my case for months! Won't stop whining and yapping it me."
"You see what I mean, Solana? Disrespectful."
"Excuse me?"
"Thomas, Tara is mentoring you right now. If she tells you you need to do or work on something, then that's what you need to do."
"But she's being impractical! She's scrutinizing my ever action, judging my every movement. For months!"
Solana turned to Tara.
"Tara, you need to allow Thomas the space to make his own mistakes. He's not gonna improve if he thinks there's no chance for him to succeed."
"I ain't being hard on him. He's just so damn sensitive and won't listen."
"Excuse me?!"
"Tara, you know we don't talk bad about our own. Thomas, if there's something that's bothering you you need to tell Tara so you can work through it together.
He crossed his arms. "Why can't you be my mentor? I was hoping to be under someone who I at least was familiar with."
"I have too many missions. Tara has the availability in her schedule to help guide you. We're all on the same team here."
"Says you," he countered irritated.
Solana furrowed her brow.
Thomas gave an exasperated sigh.
"Let's just get this over with, Tara." He remarked as he walked back outside.
Tara shook her head disapprovingly. "See what I mean, Solana? The boy's so disrespectful. He ain't got a sliver of sense to him. And he supposed to be older than me, yet he's got no maturity in him."
"You just gotta be patient, Tara. Thomas has been through a lot."
"That ain't no excuse to be rude and unpleasant."
"He's still trying to cope with the loss of Jara. Give him time."
Tara huffed. "I'm tryin' my best. Maybe Austin will have some ideas. I'll be seein' ya, Sole. We came here for a bite but I ain't fixin' to eat no more. Done lost my appetite with all dis folly."
The sun was bearing down heavily on the Jungle Relic. The semi-molten rock heated from the lava within the structure burned the soles of Leilani's feet through her super suit. It was dark. It was humid. It was hot. And it was quiet, only the sounds of the flowing lava and heated rock separating within the relic. Usually, the battle suits were excellent at keeps them ventilated throughout various extreme weather conditions. But all Leilani could feel was the intense heat from the core and it was making it difficult for her to think, for her to concentrate. She could feel her breathing getting shallow as sweat poured from her temples and forehead. The darkness didn't help either, the only visibility being aided by the glow of the molten rocks and lava flow. But she had to do her best to remain calm. This wasn't anything she hadn't experienced before. So why was she feeling so drained and nervous?
Her eyes widening, Leilani narrowly leapt out of the way of a sizzling neon green energy ball. Kneeling on the ground moments later, she crossed her arms as she was struck with a fist, the impact and charge creating a mist of energy between the two.
Hopping away Leilani formed her own ball of light neon orange energy and sent it flying at her opponent. The shadowy figure merely deflected the attack by backhanding it, unnerving Leilani as they slowly approached her. They again fired another green ball of energy. This time instead of dodging, Leilani morphed her hands into the shape of gel-padded gloves and attempted to block the attack by forming a protective safety bubble in front of her. But the energy ball dissipated her shield, the electricity shocking her, causing her to cry out. It was then that she was struck on her side with her opponent's foot and she was sent rolling on the heated floor, striking a boulder.
She cried out in pain as she grabbed her right side. Her opponent fast approaching her, Leilani mustered what little strength she had and caught them by the ankles with her feet, swinging them over her. But quick to catch on to her maneuver, they outstretched their arms and carried Leilani with them, slamming her to the ground and flipping to their feet to stick the landing.
Leilani continued to whimper as she dizzily stood to her feet, still grasping her injured side. As her foe approached her again, the gel-padded gloves Leilani morphed on her hands again did little to protect her from her opponent's hard, unyielding blows. With each punch and kick that she blocked, she felt shockwaves reverberating throughout her entire body. Her limbs shook with weariness as Leilani tried her best to hold her own, never managing to lay a blow to her foe and only being able to muster the strength to defend.
As her foe raised their charged fist to strike her once more, Leilani crossed her arms and took another defensive position. She was able to block the attack yet again but was sent back a considerable distance as she rolled and skidded backward on the ground. Leilani shrieked in pain.
"That's enough, Austin! That's enough! I'm calling it!" Murph shouted into the headset as he waved his hands wildly from the control room on the upper level. "Leilani's down! The simulation is over."
Slowly, the Jungle Relic began to fade. It almost seemed to waver as the molten rocks and lava surrounding them began to disappear. The crackling noises and echoing sounds slowly died down as silence took over. It was replaced by a sort of combination of a galley and work-space. Lights flashed on panels, monitors showed arcane data, and sleek units sat atop shiny storage bins.
Nodding, the younger ranger slowly approached Leilani, who was applying a lot of pressure to her right side.
"Gosh, 'Lani. I do apologize if I caused you an awful lot of pain. Am still gettin' used to dese suits an all. Not yet used to how much dey bolster my strength."
Before Austin could check her state, Murph rushed inside, still wearing the headset and cut in front on him. His Slowking followed as he knelt in front of Leilani.
"Oh goodness! Leilani, how're you feeling? You okay? Are you badly hurt?"
Leilani barely shook her head 'No' but her steadied and heavy breathing and her clutching her right side told Murph otherwise.
Without turning away from her, he said, "Austin, we're done for today. You can go back to Summerland. Right now I gotta assess Leilani's injuries and make sure she doesn't need any medical attention."
"Oh, dear me, have I botched this up?"
"This is only a simulation to test to efficiency and effectiveness of the super suits. There's no need too go all out since you're facing a comrade and in a controlled area. Just exercise some more restraint next time, okay? Slowking and I will take it from here."
"Okay, mate. I'm mighty sorry again, Leilani," and with that awkward exchange, Austin left the simulation field.
Murph removed his headset and rested it on the ground beside him. He exhaled nervously.
"U-Um, Leilani? I need t-to see h-how serious your wound is, so I'm gonna have to undue your supersuit. Are you wearing anything underneath?"
Still taking deep breaths because of the immense pain she was in, Leilani merely shook her head, but she did finally open her eyes.
Murph exhaled slowly. "O-Okay. Please excuse me and any places my hands may inadvertently touch."
"Murph…I'm fine…Really…I just need a moment…" Leilani breathed.
"Not with the way you are intaking like that. I have to do my part and make sure it isn't anything serious."
Unzipping the suit from the front, Murph was careful not to accidently let his large hands run across her chest as he led the zipper down to her waist. He delicately slid the right-half of the form-fitting material to the side to see…
"Murph…" Leilani nervously began.
Murph's mouth dropped slightly as he saw the large purple, black-rimmed globular discolored portion of damaged skin that covered half of Leilani's side and extended forward out to a little bit of her abdomen over her ribcage.
"Murph –"
"That…Austin couldn't have just caused that," Murph finally gushed out, "It's already in a healing and shedding stage."
"Murph –"
"Where did you get that? How did you get that?"
Leilani found herself struggling for words as she looked her former crush squarely in his eyes. His face was so serious. His features were straight. There wasn't any joviality in his demeanor at all. Murph almost never held any expression that didn't at least contain a hint of cheeriness. He was serious, which was just as jarring as seeing Lunick dead-serious. Leilani could feel the tears welling slightly in her eyes as she found herself lost for words.
"Was it on a mission? Did it happen on a mission?" he asked.
Slowly, Leilani nodded her head before she could stop herself.
"Was Percy with you?"
She shook her head 'No'.
"Why didn't you get it treated?"
"I thought I could take care of it myself."
Murph motioned to his Slowking to come closer. He approached Leilani and placed his paws gingerly on Leilani's side. Waves of light pink energy with light pink sparkles wafted over her.
"Austin's kick could have done a lot more serious damage and further exacerbated this wound. Maybe we should get you an X-Ray."
"No!" She clasped her hands over Murph's. "Please. I'm fine, Murph really."
Murph stared into her eyes for a while, evaluating.
"I've…never seen you like this before?…You're usually so self-assured. So confident. You look nervous…Frightened even."
Leilani's eyes softened very slightly as she tried to steel her nerves.
"I'm just tired and shaken. I've had some sleep deprivation and insomnia going on recently and it's been hell on my nerves." That at least she wasn't lying about.
Murph's expression softened as well. "That makes sense."
"Slowking." His Partner Pokémon said as he lifted his paws above and away from Leilani.
"Does it feel any better?"
"Yes, thank you, Murph," she replied cheerily.
Murph smiled back warmly, before immediately blushing red as his uniform and turning away once he realized one of Leilani's "girls" were exposed out of her suit.
"Um, u-um…S-so…w-we ss-should probably get you back home s-so y-you can rest…B-But u-um… L-Leilani?"
He pointed very slightly to her chest. Without looking down Leilani smiled knowingly and closed her eyes.
"You are such a gentleman, thank you," she said as she zipped up her suit and covered herself.
"A-Are you decent?"
"Yes."
Tentatively opening his eyes and seeing that she was in fact completely covered, Murph breathed a sigh of relief and held his arm out for her to hold on to him.
"For now, I'll go ahead and type up my findings on today's run and send them to the Professor. I'll let Cameron know what happened so he can send you home."
"Really, Murph, I'm feeling much better now with Slowking's Heal Pulse. I'm okay to do another mission." She said as she stood beside him, still holding on.
"Best to play it safe and report back tomorrow. You were further injured on the job."
Leilani's smile widened. "I think Lunick is rubbing off on you. You're beginning to sound a lot more like him."
Murph chuckled lightly. "Aren't we all?"
Anya paced anxiously back and forth in the alleyway between 4th and 7th street of Fall City.
Just then, a sleek and glossy black Lincoln Navigator pulled into the alleyway. Recognizing the SUV, Anya hastily ran over to the passenger's side door. She nervously shifted and bounced up and down while the driver graciously took their time coming out. Opening the driver's side door, out stepped a broad-shoulder man dressed in a brown wool blend suit and black velvet loafers with embroidery. His olive hair was slicked down and covered delicately with his hemp fedora surmounted on top his head.
As he closed the car door, he sautéed around to the passenger's side where Anya waited as he took out a pack out cigarettes from his breast pocket and a lighter from his pants pocket.
He extended the pack to her, wherein she visibly shook her head 'No' to decline. Shrugging, he then pulled out the straggling cigarette with his mouth, shut the pack and put it back up it his breast pocket, then proceeded to light it. Anya waited until he took his first couple of draws and addressed her before speaking up.
"Whatcha doin' askin' to meet at these late hours, Anya? The Missus and I was just about to settle in for a rousing game of strip chess, if you catch my drift."
"I need your help, Vard. Please. I need to get my daughter back."
He looked incredulously as if he didn't believe her.
"You must be jostling my balls here? You pulled me away from my wife to ask me some dumbass favor about your illegitimate kid?"
"Vard, please –"
"Don't please me. I could be enjoying my wife right now but instead I'm here hearing you complain about your past problems you have yet to rectify. You're behind in your payment, you know that?"
"Yes, I do."
"And you have the nerve to ask me favors? Again?"
"Yes, Sir."
The intimidating figure took a long draw of his cigarette once more before slowly blowing out the smoke.
"You don't even want the runt. Why are you going through all this trouble of getting me involved in your damned personal life, eh? With this punk-ass ranger no less."
"Freddie has to pay for making me suffer so much. He thinks he knows everything. He thinks he's so smart! I want to show him anything can go wrong at any time!"
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you still had feelings for the n–a."
Anya shook her head resolutely. "No, not anymore. I want him to feel the same pain that I do."
He flicked his cigarette. "You know, I already did you a mighty big favor trying to execute him. I don't usually take my pistol off lest I'm about to shoot a trifling backstabbing piece of shit. Now you want me to go out of my way even more? For you, bitch?"
"Vard, please. I'm begging you," Anya pleaded.
He approached her and grabbed her by her jaw, "You know you're gonna have to put in a lot more work."
"Of course." She breathed.
"I'm expecting more money coming in as well. In addition to what you already owe."
"Most definitely. I promise you."
"Good," he lowered his hand and grasped her firmly on her bottom, "Now get your ass inside. We can talk about exactly what I should do to break homeboy's spirit."
A/N: There it is. As you can see, Vard will be a force in this story for Freddie's arc. Should I use the N-Word in future chapters, I will censor it with the "–" bar. Again, if this offends you in anyway or I you feel it is too distracting, please let me know either PM or via review and I will do my best to accommodate while still remaining true to this character's (Vard's) development and vernacular which, if you didn't know by this hint of this word usage, is pretty grotesque.
Chapter is short, I know. Writer's block is terrible with PTSD and Major Depression but I am doing my best to work it through.
In the meantime, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukah, and Happy Holidays as well as a very prosperous and advantageous New Year for us all!
I did have another Christmas Rangershipping story planned set in the future with Solana and Lunick and their kids but I never got around to composing it. Maybe I will sometime in the future.
Please do not forget to review! Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
XyKPfan
