Summer and Weldon left Fortree City, the former still suffering from lack of sleep. While walking on Route 120, Weldon inadvertently led her to the Ancient Tomb, where Trinity told him about her mission. Hamsetrin, however, attacked and revealed himself as the origin of Summer's nightmares. Within the dreamscape, the Hoennese encountered Craig Alaric again but was able to chase him off when she summoned the Legendary Beasts. After she woke up, Weldon accepted his role as a Legend Guardian, and they became more friendly with Trinity. The Trainers now decide to visit the Pokémon Ranger Festival her friend, Crys, mentioned. But they learn her life as a student Ranger is a little more complicated than they thought. Will Summer and Weldon be able to help Crys with her problem?

P.S.- Since this will be a preview to a future side story based on its video game counterparts, I would love any feedback! :)

Chapter 41- The Pokémon Rangers

From the Hoenn Safari Zone observation deck, Lightning and I watched Weldon look for wild Pokémon in the tall grass. Though the Raichu was focused on his hunt, my mind was elsewhere.

The approaching dangers the Beasts and Trin mentioned…they must be related. The Legendary Pokémon, Mt. Pyre… What do they have in common? And somehow…I feel there's another Pokémon involved in all this… I remember hearing about it in school and seeing it in the scrolls in Ecruteak City, but what was its name?

Lightning's laughter interrupted my musings. "Weldon got smacked in the head by a Wobbuffet!"

Seeing the end part of the spectacle made me chuckle a little, but I cautioned her, "You really shouldn't laugh you know, Lightning."

"Yeah…but isn't that Wobbuffet's charm?"

"Hey, don't try to turn the argument around!"

She smirked. "Looks like I got you out of your funk, Summer. Are you worrying about what Trin and the Legendary Beasts said?"

I rested my head on my right hand. "Yeah, you know how I am when it comes to things that could affect the world."

"Maybe you should talk about it with Weldon. I'm sure he's thinking the same thing, now that he accepted becoming a Guardian himself."

As I watched the Kantonian get chased by a wild Pinsir and Heracross, I replied, "I think he has more pressing matters at the moment."

"Should we help him, Summer?"

I shook my head. "The Safari Zone doesn't allow personal Pokémon, remember? Besides, once he gets out of the tall grass or when the steps timer ends, they should stop chasing him."

"If you say so," she remarked as a wild Dodrio joined the Weldon attack.

Fifteen minutes later…

"Owww…" a lying down Weldon moaned as Lightning and I tended to his scratches.

"What did you do to make the Pokémon chase you?" I asked as I put ointment on his arm.

"I don't know... Maybe I got too close or threw too many mud balls at them."

"Yeah, that'd do it. Anyway, it doesn't look like the wounds are severe, so we don't have to go to the Pokémon Center."

He sat up. "Thank Arceus for that. And…thanks for heading into the Safari Zone to help get me out. I thought coming here would remind me of home, but this was a worse experience. You went to the Kanto Safari Zone, right, Summer?"

"Oh, yeah. I didn't do much of the catching; all I remember were dentures and smoke ambushes."

Weldon was a little dumbfounded, but he didn't press further.

{May I have your attention, please. To the safari goers currently in the Safari Zone, please make your way back to base. We will put a pause on the individual timers for the time being. Thank you for your understanding.}

"I wonder what that's all about," I pondered aloud.

"Well, whatever it is, it wasn't my fault!" Weldon shouted.

After everyone returned to the air conditioned building, I noticed someone familiar walking into the closest area to the building with six other teenagers.

"Hey, that's Crys."

Lightning glued her face to the window. "Yeah, you're right. I wonder why she and those other people dressed like her are here."

{May I have your attention please. Thank you all safari goers for returning to base. We will now let our visiting Pokémon Rangers practice their catching skills for fifteen minutes and allow our Pokémon living in our six areas to calm down. Please feel free to watch the action from our observation deck. We will let you know when current and new safari goers can enter the Safari Zone. Thank you for your cooperation.}

"Oh, cool! We can see Crys in action again!" Lightning exclaimed.

I noticed more people joining us. "Then we better get a good view before it gets too crowded."

We found a spot where we could see as much as the six areas as possible and settled in. A few minutes later, the Ranger trainees separated, catching whatever Pokémon they immediately saw. It was not only fast-paced action, it also seemed they were competing against each other to see who was able to capture the most.

Crys was ahead of her fellow students, though one person was able to keep up with her. He was about her age, with fair skin, medium spiky brown hair and brown eyes. His captures were just as fast as my pen pal's, but his style was more loose and not as circular. Eventually, he began to tire but forced himself to continue until the timer ended.

As the students headed back inside, the announcer said, {Thank you for your patience. We will now reopen the Safari Zone to current safari goers first, then to new goers. Current safari goers, please make your way to the registration desk to continue your steps timer. Thank you for visiting the Hoenn Safari Zone.}

After most of the crowd went back downstairs, I asked Weldon, "So, what did you think of that Ranger capture contest?"

He crossed his arms. "It's quite interesting. I can see why Crys is a top student. Though that brown spiky-haired guy was good too."

"Yeah, I noticed that too. Though, he seemed to be more unorthodox with his captures."

"Ah," a male elderly voice interrupted. "You two are quite observant for your age."

We turned around and saw an old man with medium length white hair, equally long eyebrows, a goatee, and a mustache. A lab coat covered his maroon suit, red tie, and yellow vest, and he gripped a wooden cane with a bronze cap.

"Oh, I apologize," he continued, his speech getting faster. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Professor Hastings, Chief of Technology at the Ranger Union in Almia and the one supervising these Ranger students while they're here in Hoenn. Who might you two be?"

"I'm Summer Scorcher, and this is my Pokémon, Lightning."

"And I'm Weldon Leland."

After we shook hands, Professor Hastings smiled at me. "Ah, so you're Crystal's pen pal from the Hoenn Region. It's nice to finally meet the person she's enjoys writing to."

I chuckled. "I feel the same; she's talked a lot about you too in our letters."

"Hah! All good things, I hope."

Weldon then asked, "Sorry to interrupt, Professor, but who was that teenager that almost beat Crys?"

The man stroked his mustache. "Ah… That would be Benjamin. He joined the Ranger School not long ago, but he's a quick learner. Benjamin has a strong rivalry with Crystal, so they tend to compete with each other quite frequently."

"Professor Hastings, are you here?" Crys came up the stairs. "Oh, Summer, Weldon! I didn't expect to see you so soon!"

"Hi Crys." I gave her a hug. "Weldon wanted to check out the Safari Zone. Though…his experience wasn't exactly the best."

She looked at Weldon's injuries and gasped. "I can't believe the Pokémon did that to you! I hope they're calmer after our training session."

"I'm sure they are, Crystal," the professor reassured. He looked at his pocket watch and said, "Oh, I must get going to my next appointment. It was a pleasure to meet you, Summer and Weldon. I hope you see you two at our Pokémon Ranger Festival tomorrow!"

But before I could say goodbye, he dashed down the stairs and out of sight.

"Wow, he's as hasty as his name," I remarked.

The student Ranger sighed. "Yeah, he tends to run off when something excites him. Anyway, did you two watch the training session?"

"We did. You're really good, Crys!"

She chuckled. "Thanks, I've been working really hard lately, so I'm happy my training's paying off."

"Oh, please. You relied on your genes, nothing more." Ben entered the observation deck, frowning at his fellow student.

Crys crossed her arms. "Seriously, Ben? Just because I'm directly related to Violet and Moe, doesn't mean I don't work as hard as anyone else!"

Violet and Moe? Oh yeah, Crys told me about them. They're her cousins, who are both siblings and Top Rangers.

Ignoring her, he turned his attention to me and Weldon. "Who're these two?"

I was about to answer when my coach cut me off. "We're friends with Crys."

Ben sneered. "Really? I didn't know you associated yourself with people who permanently use Pokémon."

The way he said that…he must have a bad history with Trainers.

He looked around the area. "Anyway, I need to set up for the festival tomorrow. Must be nice to have free time on your hands."

After glaring at his fellow student, Ben left without saying another word.

Crys put her hands on her hips. "I'm sorry about Ben. He's… a little hostile towards me and Trainers in general."

"That's all right. I kind of sensed that based on the conversation."

She hid her disappointment with a smile. "I better get going too; unlike what Ben said, I'm helping to organize the layout of the booths for the festival. Where are you two staying tonight?"

"We're going to set up camp at the Safari Zone campgrounds, so we'll be close by."

"Nice! I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

We waved goodbye, and once she was gone, I turned to Weldon. "Thanks for responding to Ben, Weldon."

He huffed. "I could tell he was one of those people. But I wonder where that animosity came from. Did you feel anything different about him, Summer?"

I shook my head. "I felt the same vibe you did. I'm…worried about Crys. She tends to hide her true emotions behind her happy appearance."

He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I know you are, Summer. But there's nothing you can do unless she asks for your help."

Sighing, I replied, "You're right. Come on, let's get the camp set up and have an early night."

The next day…

We walked into the clearing where the Ranger festival was ongoing. There were a lot of booths either selling merchandise or food related to Pokémon Rangers or advertising the three regions where Pokémon Rangers are commonly found. It was quite lively, even though most Hoennese don't have much experience with this group of Rangers.

"Fiore, Almia, and Oblivia?" Weldon read several banners aloud. "I've never really learned about them in class."

I nodded. "Yeah, they're not really places where battling is common. Crys told me Poké Balls and Pokémon battles are banned in these regions to preserve the natural relationships between people and Pokémon. Because of this, the people usually rely on Pokémon Rangers to help solve their problems. Since there three regions are where these kinds of Rangers are present, they're also collectively known as the FAO Tri-Region."

"Oh, very interesting. I'd like to visit those regions in the future."

I replied, beaming, "I'm sure you'll like them. The weather is pretty similar to Hoenn."

He crossed his arms. "Well, at least now I know how to deal with humidity."

After I laughed, I noticed a familiar dark green-haired Ranger walking amongst the crowd. "Hey, that's-"

He recognized me as well and grinned. "Summer! Long time no see!"

We gave each other a side hug, and I noticed he was wearing the clothes worn by Hoenn Pokémon Rangers: a red cap and a weatherproof jacket covering a black shirt and weatherproof pants.

Then, I pointed to my coach. "This is my traveling companion, Weldon. Weldon, this is Forrest, one of Yuki's childhood friends."

The Kantonian nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Forrest."

"Likewise, Weldon," the Ranger responded, and they shook hands. "I watched a few of your battles, and I'm a big fan. I hope you come back from your hiatus."

"We'll see," he replied. "You don't have the same clothes as the Rangers from the FAO Tri-Region. Are you not from that area?"

He chuckled and revealed his official Ranger badge. "That's because I'm an official Pokémon Ranger Trainer servicing the Orange Islands. I'm here doing some external training in this region so I can be more of use outside my archipelago. Anyway, how did you hear about the festival?"

"My pen pal, Crys Reagan, invited me," I answered.

The Ranger stroked his chin. "Oh, yeah. I met her when I visited the Ranger School in Almia last year. She's a really nice person, and she definitely has the makings to become a great Ranger. Though, I was surprised to see Ben there as well."

This piqued my interest. "You know Ben too?"

We sat at a picnic table, and Forrest said, "Sure I do. In fact, he originally tried to apply as a Ranger in the Orange Islands but got expelled."

"Expelled?" Weldon inquired. "What for?"

Forrest rubbed the back of his head. "Well…I guess I can tell you if this stays between us. He's great with Pokémon, but he's always had trouble battling and forming bonds with people, very important requirements to become a Ranger Trainer."

We watched a Ranger demonstration from afar, where Crys and Ben were performing their captures.

I crossed my arms. "If he's not good with people, how would becoming a Capture Ranger be any different?"

"I have an idea," Forrest replied as Ben successfully captured a Zigzagoon. "He can do missions that don't involve a lot of contact with people. There are quite a few cases like that in the FAO Tri-Region."

Still…being a Ranger means you want to create a strong link between Pokémon and people. If that's the case, why did Ben want to be a Ranger in the first place?

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by a sense of foreboding. I glanced around, trying to find its source. I looked at Weldon's face and could tell he felt the same thing. Then, out of nowhere, several large grey rock rhinoceros-like Pokémon, small light blue elephant-like Pokémon with red markings, and Geodude with glowing blue eyes stormed through the clearing, knocking tents and tables over. A few seconds after, several Wingull, Pelipper, and round blue rabbit-like Pokémon with long blue ears and white markings charged into the festival grounds, their eyes glowing red while they sprayed people and their Pokémon with Water Gun.

[Rhyhorn, the Spikes Pokémon. Once it starts running, it doesn't stop. Its tiny brain makes it so stupid that it can't remember why it started running in the first place.

Phanpy, the Little Nose Pokémon. Phanpy's big ears serve as broad fans. When it becomes hot, it flaps the ears busily to cool down. Even the young are very strong.

Azumarill, the Aqua Rabbit Pokémon and the evolved form of Marill. It lives in water virtually all day long. Its body color and pattern act as camouflage that makes it tough for enemies to spot in water.]

"What in Arceus?" The Orange Islands Ranger let out his Venusaur and Crobat and shouted, "Loren, Iolana, help me get everyone to safety!" After they nodded, he turned to us. "Summer, Weldon, help the student Rangers with whatever you can!"

"You got it! Come on, Weldon!"

We ran towards the now chaotic demonstration area. Crys and Ben were trying to guide people and catch the rogue Pokémon at the same time.

When my pen pal saw us, she shouted as she captured a Rhyhorn, "You two should get to safety, Summer!"

"Not when everyone's in danger! We came to help you, Crys!"

"Oh, please! It's not like you two can help us!" Ben argued.

"We need all the help we can, Ben! If only we had access to Poké Assists! Unless… Summer, Weldon, I need your Grass and Electric type Pokémon!"

Without hesitation, we let out Olive, Venusaur, and Electabuzz.

Ben questioned, "What are you thinking, Reagan?"

"Using our makeshift Poké Assists! Now," Crys continued, "attack the wild Pokémon!"

"Lightning, use Thunderbolt on the Water types! Olive, use Mega Drain on the Ground types!"

Weldon followed up with, "Venusaur, support Olive with Vine Whip and Sludge Bomb! Electabuzz, use Ice Punch, Shock Wave, and Brick Break to support everyone!"

Our Pokémon leapt at the attackers, stopping them with the variety of attacks before they could hurt anyone else.

Seeing the wild Pokémon were now weakened, the student Rangers were able to catch all the ones around us and calm them down. Their eyes and expressions returned to normal, and the Pokémon Crys captured happily nuzzled her.

"Aw, thanks. I'm glad you're all okay too!"

Ben, now seeing the situation has been resolved, frowned at his fellow student and clutched his left arm. I felt the same anger and jealousy as yesterday, but I could now sense some admiration mixed in.

Forrest and Professor Hastings ran over.

"My goodness!" the professor exclaimed, almost tripping over his cane. "Is everyone all right?"

Crys wiped her brow. "Yeah, we are now, thanks to everyone here. What about the rest of the crowd?"

"Everyone was evacuated safely; no major injuries to report," Forrest informed.

Despite the good news, Professor Hastings sadly surveyed the damaged fairgrounds. "This festival was supposed to represent everything the FAO Tri-Region and its Rangers stand for. I'm afraid I'll have to cancel the rest of the festival…"

"But you can't, Professor!" she protested. "I'm sure we can fix everything in time for the final demonstration!"

"I admire your enthusiasm, Crystal, but we need to fix the tents, which will require more expertise than what we currently have."

The Orange Islands Ranger chuckled. "Then it's good I'm here; I know a thing or two about fixing things."

"There are quite a few things that need repair beyond your means, Forrest."

"It's no problem with my Pokémon. Don't worry, Professor. We'll have everything done in a few hours."

The old man laughed. "Well then, I appreciate your offer. Any other volunteers?"

"I can do it after I help Summer and Ben," Weldon said.

"Excellent! In that case, the Trainers can accompany my Rangers to return the captured Pokémon to their homes."

I nodded. "That's fine with me."

After they left, Ben muttered, "How're we gonna know where these Pokémon came from?"

"I can figure it out," I replied.

"How are-?"

Crys interrupted him. "Just watch, Ben."

I turned to the largest Rhyhorn and Pelipper and said, "Can you tell me where you live?"

"The grassy areas by that building," the Ground type answered as he pointed to the Safari Zone.

"And we're from the lake near the forests," the Water type replied.

"I see. Thanks for telling me. Don't worry, we'll get you all back to your homes."

After they cheered, I informed the student Rangers what I found out.

"Then we should split up," Crys suggested. "I can take Route 120 if you're okay with that, Ben."

He grew suspicious. "Why're you taking the longer trip? Are you trying to get more merits or something?"

She put on a big smile. "You may have hid it from Professor Hastings, but I could tell you got hurt during those captures. You need to get it checked out as soon as you can, otherwise, you won't be able to use your arm."

Ben looked away, but I could make out a smirk. "Whatever, I'm gonna bring the Ground types back to the Safari Zone."

"I'll go with you," Weldon offered.

The male student Ranger didn't say anything, but he didn't seem to object.

Crys nodded. "Great. See you later. Come on, Summer."

We walked west, then north. Once the Water types saw their lake home, they jumped in and waved goodbye to us.

As we headed back, I saw my friend wince. "Crys, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

I looked at her left ankle, which she wasn't putting pressure on it. "You need to rest your ankle. Otherwise you won't be able to walk."

She laughed. "You sound like someone I know."

"It takes one to know one," I replied, returning the gesture.

I guided her to a long slab of rock. While we rested, the student Ranger created a makeshift brace with leaves and sticks. Lightning then helped tighten the brace with Grass Knot.

I was about to get up when my pen pal said, "There's no need to rush, Summer. I'm sure everyone else will be able to get the festival up and running again."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you more one-on-one."

Sitting back down, I asked, "Sure, what do you want to talk about?'

"What's your opinion of Ben?"

"That's a little out of the blue." When she didn't object, I pondered her question. "I can tell he doesn't like you that much. And based on what Professor Hastings and Forrest said, he doesn't seem to like working with other people."

Crys sighed. "I see. That's what I experienced with him too. I feel like he's hiding the real reason why he won't really interact with others. But he can use a Capture Styler successfully, and that's all that matters in our line of work."

"That's true." If only I can figure out his past… But I doubt he'll let me get close to him.

"Oh, yeah! I remembered you telling me in your letters that you got a necklace and became a…Legend Guardian, right?"

"Yeah, I did!"

"That's so cool! I'd love to know more about it!"

"Sure. I know you like long stories, so I hope you have the time."

Thirty minutes later…

We returned to the festival grounds, with Lightning and I supporting Crys. When the guys returned, she put pressure back on her injured foot.

"Sorry we took so long," she apologized.

"No problem, Crys," Forrest reassured. "We just finished up here too."

We looked at the fixed booths and the return of the bustling crowds.

My pen pal beamed. "Wow, it looks like what it was before the incident. Thanks for helping, everyone!"

We all nodded, except for Ben. He grimaced as he adjusted the tight sling around his injured arm.

"Yes, I second Crystal's notion." Professor Hastings briskly walked to us. "You all did an amazing job, both Rangers and Trainers. Feel free to try all the food and buy all the merchandise you want, my treat!"

"Are you sure, Professor Hastings?" Crys asked. "We don't want to bankrupt the Ranger Union bank account."

He laughed. "Always worrying about us, aren't you? All right then. 5,000 Pokédollars max for everyone." He handed each of us the money, then ran off to find the other student Rangers.

With our prize money in hand, Crys led us to all of the booths featuring things she thought we'd like. As I enjoyed some Moomoo Milk ice cream with berries from the Almia Region, I noticed Ben was quiet. He looked around, as if he was thinking about buying something, but he kept glancing at Crys once in a while.

I bit my lip, debating whether or not I should talk to him, but he noticed.

"I know what you're thinking, Summer."

Startled, I replied, "How do you know my name?"

He sighed. "Professor Hastings can be a loud talker sometimes. I heard you and Weldon introduce yourselves before I came up to the observation deck."

"I see. Then since you responded to me, why do you hate Crys?"

Ben stared at the energetic girl talking to Weldon. "I…don't actually hate her. I'm just…jealous of her, that's all."

"Jealous? Why?"

He paused, then said, "She's…everything a Ranger should be: friendly, polite, optimistic, good with people and Pokémon… While I…I can't stand people who hurt Pokémon or use them to destroy nature. Like…" He bit his tongue. "I don't know why I'm saying all these things to a stranger."

I smiled. "You don't have to say anything else if it makes you uncomfortable."

Ben tilted his head. "You're not going to pry into my personal affairs?"

"Uhh…unless you want me to."

He chuckled. "Thanks…"

Seeing Crys pointing to a booth selling Dragonite, Fearow, and Dodrio plushies that have a red scarf with the Pokémon Ranger Union logo, we ended our conversation on a calm note.

A few hours later…

"Thanks for coming, Summer," Crys said as she hugged me.

"Of course! It was great, even with that weird incident."

"Well, at least we were able to overcome it. Come visit the FAO Tri-Region sometime, okay?"

"Sure. I'll let you know if I come. Take care, and get some rest for your ankle."

My pen pal beamed. "I will, Summer. Bye!"

We waved goodbye, and she headed back to the festival grounds.

I turned to Weldon. "When you returned the Ground types back to the Safari Zone, did the workers say anything?"

Weldon stroked his chin. "Yeah. They said a strange red light surrounded the Pokémon, and their eyes glowed red. Then, the Ground types became hostile and charged through the Safari Zone fence. The workers added that never happened to those Pokémon before."

"Interesting. Then, you felt it too, right? A foreboding feeling?"

He touched his cufflinks and nodded. "Is this an effect of these accessories?"

"Yeah… It's helpful to know something bad is coming, but I can never tell where it's from."

The Kantonian looked at an island with a large mountain. "What's that place over there?"

My heart stopped. "Th-That's…Mt. Pyre…" First the warning, now Pokémon nearby being controlled…and the legend about that place… This can't be a coincidence.

Weldon held my hand. "Come on, Summer. We…have to go there eventually."

I clutched it. "All right. Let's head over there now."

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Confusion, Hypnosis, Air Slash, Heat Wave

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Olive (Grovyle, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Fury Cutter, Double Team, Mega Drain, Quick Attack

Weldon's Pokémon:

Venusaur (male): Serious Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Solarbeam, Body Slam, Sludge Bomb, Vine Whip; in rotation- Razor Leaf, Earthquake

Fearow (male): Adamant Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Heat Wave, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace; in rotation- Drill Peck

Golem (male): Bold Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Rock Slide, Earthquake, Rollout, Double Edge

Gyarados (male): Sassy Nature, Intimidate Ability, moves: Surf, Ice Fang, Payback, Waterfall

Arcanine (male): Naughty Nature, Flash Fire Ability, moves: Hyper Beam, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast

Electabuzz (male): Rash Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunder, Ice Punch, Brick Break, Shock Wave; in rotation- Mega Kick, Thunder Punch

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of Professor Hastings and Ben?

What did you think of the Ranger festival?

Why did the wild Pokémon lose control of their senses?