Solana's eyes fluttered opened as the sun's warm rays streamed through her Venetian blinds. This was the first time she had been able to get a good 9 hours straight of sleep since she had been in Fiore. Better yet, since she was a small child after Nate moved in with her and her mother Celine. The plushness of the spread wrapped her in a blanket of softness and safeness she had thought she'd never experience again. She clutched her soft warm sheets as she stretched.

"Plah Pla?"

Her eyes slit open to see her beloved Partner Pokémon standing on the bed beside her. She lifted her left hand and petted Plusle lovingly on the head, evoking a light squeal from the tiny mouse Pokémon.

"Good morning, Plusle. Did you sleep well?"

"Plah Plah!" She cried cheerily.

"That's good. I'm glad." Solana stretched once more before finally sitting up in the bed and wiping the sleep from her eyes. "I still can't believe all this is actually ours. All because of Lunick."

"Plah Plah! Plah!"

"To be honest, Plusle, I don't get him at all. He's the most perplexing person I think I've ever met. Every time I think I have him figured out, he goes and does something crazy like this. He's so weird. I mean, who goes and buys a house for their coworker? A coworker you've only known for three months, much less, and a house as freaking expensive as this one!"

"Plah Pla?"

"I mean, that's beyond reckless! What's his angle here? His endgame?"

"Pla Plah. Plah Pla Plah."

Solana shook her head. "I'm not saying he's plotting anything. It's just beyond weird. Nonsensical. Who in their right mind does things like this?"

"Pla Pla."

"I am grateful, Plusle. I'm just…feeling a bit uneasy, that's all."

"Plah Plah!" The electric small electric-type scurried up Solana's right shoulder. "Plah Plah! Plah Plah Pla! Plah!"

Solana sighed before scratching Plusle under her chin, earning another pleasant cry.

"I guess there's no point in fretting over it now. Come on, I promised Leilani we'd meet up in Summerland before heading back to Ringtown. Gotta get ready before it's too late."

"Plah Plah Pla!"

"So, Leilani. How long have you worked here as a ranger?"

"Me? I've worked here for almost a year," she said taking a sip of her iced tea with her legs crossed.

"Really? That long?"

"Mhmm. Most everyone from our class started about a year ago. Lunick's worked a little over a year and so has Percy. Murph has probably worked the longest of any of us, about three years. But he's still at about a Rank 3 position. He doesn't talk about it much and covers it up by making folks smile all the time, but I can tell he's really bummed about falling behind."

"Oh, I had no idea. That's so sad."

Leilani smiled weakly. "I'm sure he'll catch up. He's just not so great in the field, you know? Missions scare him. In time, though, I'm sure Murph will gain the confidence to rise to the same level as his classmates."

Solana picked up her glass of iced tea as well and swirled the ice cubes inside to further cool her drink. "So are you from Summerland yourself?"

"Uh huh. Born and raised. My family emigrated from the West Indies years ago before I was born. This is the only home I've ever known. But I couldn't be happier here. Working my dream job while still being able to bask in the warmth of the balmy sun while enjoying the ocean breeze that reminds me of my roots. It's an absolute blast here."

Solana smiled. "I'm glad you enjoy it so much. It must be a major plus not having to travel so far between work and home."

"Most rangers are stationed closest to where they live. There is crossover when we have to partner with others from other areas around the region or when the workload demands it, but for the most part, we're assigned to the base in the city we reside in."

"I see."

Leilani rested her glass down on the table. "You're not from Fiore, right? You came from some far away distant region?"

"Orre. I must say, it's nothing like anything I've seen here in Fiore. Don't get me wrong, I love my hometown. Agate Village is absolutely a wonderful place to live. But there really isn't a need for Rangers there. Our region is protected by two very powerful, respectable Pokemon Trainers."

Leilani's eyes stretched wide. "Wow! The safety of an entire region is in the hands of two Trainers? Talk about pressure. Has it been like that for years?"

"We actually had a pretty hard living before our first hero, Wes, surfaced. Crime was rampant. Criminal syndicates were running the underground, stealing people's beloved Pokémon and weaponizing them into fighting monsters."

"That's terrible!"

Solana placed down her glass. "Yeah. But this young Trainer Wes stepped up and took on every evil organization in the region. He shut down the underground with illegal fighting, disbanded the criminal syndicates, and saved our region from calamity. And the biggest kicker? He was only 16 when he accomplished all of that."

Leilani was in awe. "That's incredible!"

Solana nodded. "He's amazing. I heard he had a very traumatic upbringing. But he didn't let that define him or stop him from becoming the amazing hero Orre needed in her time of need. I've looked up to him for a long time. Him and Michael."

"Michael?"

"Our second hero. While Wes and his girlfriend Rui went on a well-deserved vacation five years after the Shadow Pokémon corruption, we realized the syndicates hadn't actually fully disbanded. There was an even greater threat and a bigger boss than we realized. The real ringleader was still plotting in hiding, even gaining enough power to capture and corrupt the legendary Pokémon Lugia."

"Are you serious?!"

Solana nodded. "It was unreal. The whole region was in unrest, trying desperately to locate Wes to bring him back to save us from devastation. But Michael, a young ten-year-old from a small suburban town, decided not to wait on Wes and was driven to stop Team Snagem and Cipher himself with his trusty Eevee at the time. Within a year, with a lot of hard and strenuous training, he ultimately hunted down the criminal mastermind and brought peace to our region once again, even managing to purify, befriend and capture the Lugia all by himself."

"Wow!"

Again Solana nodded.

"Now the two of them offset their duties. When one's away, out of town or unavailable, the other takes the mantle as Orre's protector. Get this, their starter Pokémon were also both Eevee, how insane is that?"

Leilani shook her head, her mouth agape. "That is unbelievable. You must have been so scared back then."

"I was. But it also motivated me to be more like them. The bond they had with their Pokémon far surpassed that of any Pokémon Trainer I've ever met, including my parents. The fact that they were able to care for violent, rabid corrupted Pokémon who had their hearts hardened and were able to purify them and bring them back to a state of calmness, befriend them, and make them feel safe in this world again – I was enthralled. I wanted to do what they did. I wanted to create a safe and flourishing world where wild Pokémon and people could live harmoniously without worry of being attacked or abused or killed. Idealistic, yeah, but Wes and Michael made me believe that was possible. And then I learned about Pokémon Rangers in other regions. I saw this interview with Spenser when I was seven and the way he talked about his job as an Area Leader, his duty to his students, community and region, and the genuine love he had doing what he did keeping the region's ecosystem balanced and safe – I was instantly hooked. I decided I wanted to be a Pokémon Ranger then and there and started helping out the citizens and Pokémon of my village a lot more, trying my best to foster and restore relationships that were maybe still tense. I'm not sure how much I accomplished as a child, but it felt good making the town elders and nearby Pokémon smile every day."

When Solana looked back at Leilani, she could see the brilliant light that shone all over he features, her round brown eyes glimmering in joy.

"Wow, Solana. It is such a pleasure hearing you talk with such conviction and joy in striving to be the amazing ranger you are. You haven't been here that long but your spirit is so in it. It's palpable – the passion you have and the enthusiasm you share in being able to do your part. We are so lucky to have someone like you on the team."

Solana's cheeks flushed. "Oh well…I mean, it's been a dream of mine for a while, yeah. But it's you guys that inspire me to want to do this. Risking your lives for the betterment of the Pokémon world, the dedication you have to keeping your community and region safe? That alone is enough to get my blood pumping. It's chivalrous work not many regions do anymore."

Leilani sighed. "I just check on the pH levels of the ocean. Ecological work and stuff. Haven't gotten many field missions because there hasn't been a need for it, since there are rangers above my rank who can do the job in less time. I am jealous of the amount of exploring you get to do so early in your career."

Solana reached across the table and rested her hand on top of Leilani's. "You'll get there. I'm sure of it. You've got mad skills. You're smart enough to know if the water is safe enough for the sea-dwelling Pokémon to survive. That's important. And I know, in time, Cameron will let you take on more field missions and you'll be able to venture out all over this magnificent region. You'll see."

Leilani smiled back and straightened up from her slouched position. "It's great to finally have a girlfriend I can confide in about these things. Percy would usually just tell me to suck it up or something. I know he means well but it still hurts. He's my partner, you know? But I guess not having a Partner Pokémon of my own makes me a bit of a liability."

"You don't need to have a Partner Pokémon to be a great ranger."

"No, but it doesn't hurt either. I just haven't found a Pokémon I share that special connection with."

"You will, Leil. You will."

Plusle hopped on the table and chirped. Smiling warmly, Leilani petted the little Pokémon between her ears.

"You're a real natural at this, Sole. You've got a gift."

"I appreciate that, but really I'm just working hard, doing my best. And you're right. It is great to have a girlfriend to talk to about things. You've made me feel so welcomed, I have to find some way to return the favor."

"Just keep being your amazing badass self. That's plenty to make my day."

Solana chuckled. "Okay. We do have to plan a day out. I promise I'll take you out on a mission with me one day."

"I'll hold you to that, girl."

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Solana's styler vibrated. She took it off the holder on her hip to see that she had received a text message.

From: Spenser

To: Solana

I have a new job for you. I need you in Fall City immediately. Please come as soon as you can.

"Gotta jet, Leilani. Leader's calling me to Fall City."

She sat back in her chair and crossed her arms nonchalantly. "Yeah, I figured you'd have to dip soon. It was great getting to know more about you and where you came from. Thanks for stopping by before your shift."

"Uh huh," Solana stood up from her chair as Plusle climbed up on her right shoulder. "And I promise. One day, we will go on a field mission together. I'm sure of it."

Leilani smiled weakly. "Thanks, girl. Now get your tail on over to Fall City to see what important stuff they've got lined up for yah."

Solana started for the door, then abruptly stopped just as the double doors slid open.

"Let's plan a night out. Just the two of us. You can show me more of the sights of Summerland and give me a better tour of the area."

Leilani's smile widened. "Bet."

Nodding and smiling as well, Solana exited the Summerland Ranger Base.

Solana docked at the Fall City harbor and hopped off the Lapras she was riding. She petted her sweetly on her forehead as a rotund man with ginger hair wearing a blue T-shirt and admiral blue shorts approached her. She immediately recognized him as Jonah, Lapras' owner.

He chuckled gleefully.

"Well? Isn't my Lapras just the greatest?" He boasted.

"Oh. Well, she certainly is a mellow sweet Pokémon." She said as she patted her on her neck. "Makes traversing the Safra Sea easy, even pleasant."

"Hahaha! That's the kind of thing I love to hear about my ole gal!" He laughed, flashing a wide toothy smile. "Lapras seems to enjoy going for swims with you aboard, too. Seems like you two have really bonded."

"Yes, Sir."

"Please, call me, Jonah. Use her as often as you like and feel. I know she'll have the time of her life with you."

The Lapras cried cheerfully and softly.

"Thank you."

Solana patted the Transport Pokémon one more time before walking past Jonah and continuing down the platform on the harbor. She didn't get far before she ran into Spenser.

"L-Leader?" She stammered.

"Welcome back, Solana. I say you've gotten quite tanned since being in Summerland."

Solana blushed and covered her face, embarrassingly. "Oh, uh, well…it is quite hot there. My golden complexion I suppose does make it a bit easier for the UV radiation of the sun to produce melanin in my skin."

Spenser chuckled lightly. "I'm teasing, Solana. You look great."

"Oh, uh…T-Thank you, Leader."

"Cameron told me about that abduction of Percy's Politoed. It sounds like you came up huge. None of our Partner Pokémon have ever been kidnapped before."

"O-Oh, it was nothing really. I was just happy I could be of help and reunite the two of them."

Spenser nodded. "I'll have to get the details from you later when we have the time. I'd like to assign you your next job, so swing by the Fall City Base when you're ready to go."

"Yes, Leader. Of course. I'm actually on my way there right now."

"I'd offer to walk with you there, but I have to confer with the others at the base, so I'll wait for you there."

As Solana nodded again, Spenser walked ahead of Solana. She watched him go before walking herself.

"I wonder what this mission's about?" She pondered.

"Plah Plah?"

"It must be something big if he has to go over the details with Joel and the Professor and all, assuming that's whom he's referring to, but who else would be at the Fall City Base?"

"Plah Plah!" Plusle cheered excitedly as she pointed her tiny paw upward.

"Hm?" Solana looked to where she was pointing and saw a boy with Prussian blue air flying speedily towards them on the back of a Staraptor. A Minun was perched on his shoulder.

"Hey! Solana!" He called as the avian bird continued to dive at fast speeds.

Solana flinched. "Lunick? What're you doing? You've got to slow down!"

"Don't worry. I'm an avian pro. Watch this!"

He pulled his knees onto the flying predator's back before standing to his feet, riding the bird Pokémon like a surfboard.

"What are you doing?!" Solana shrieked.

Lunick then bent his knees slightly before somersaulting into the air just as the bird diverted upwards and glided horizontally.

"Waahhh!" Solana cried out as Lunick landed on top of her.

"Starll! Starrll!" The bird of prey Pokemon cried as it flapped its wings above.

Lunick achingly rubbed his head as he slowly sat up. "Bye-bye, friend! Thanks again for all your help!"

The Staraptor cried out once again before twirling around and continuing to fly straight.

"Lunick! Get off of me!" Solana cried, laid out flat on her stomach.

Lunick continued to rub his head as he stood up and extended his free hand towards her to help her up.

"Man, you make it look so easy? How do you do that?"

Solana took his hand and grunted as she stood up.

"Because it isn't some little parlor trick, Lunick! It's an acrobatic technique perfected from years of training as a gymnast!"

"So it's a stunt."

"No! Not at all!"

Lunick continued to rub his neck before finally cracking it as Minun scurried up to his shoulder.

"Okay, granted, I don't know much about aerobatics and gymnastics. What I do know is combat and Pokémon battling. That somersault thing you can do would be an awesome strategy when trying to execute an aerial attack. Just think about it –"

"You are so frustrating!" Solana wrung her hands. "Do you not understand how dangerous that was?"

Lunick shrugged. "We face dangerous stuff every day. It's not a big deal. Plus, it would be a great tactical move to use in the field when faced against an enemy."

Solana sighed irritatedly. "I don't have time to entertain your foolish foolhardy ideas. I have to meet Spenser at the Fall City Base."

"Mind some company?"

"I might actually."

Solana stopped walking as Plusle tapped her on her shoulder and she turned back to see Lunick standing there, his arms loosely crossed and his face scrunched up in an indiscernible expression. She realized she had hurt his feelings.

"Look Lunick, I'm sure you're a spankin' Ranger and all. And I know you've got a lot of ideas you want to try out. But trying to pull a move off like that, incorporating gymnastics exercises when you are hardly trained in any sport of that nature is just downright foolhardy. You can get hurt. And you can seriously hurt somebody else. It's not as easy as it may look. There's a lot of strength training and core work that needs to be honed and worked on constantly."

"I get it." He replied quietly.

"Besides, you don't need to do any of that stuff. You don't need to be like me. You're more amazing just the way you are, without all the extra fluff."

He smiled slightly before meeting his eyes with eyes.

"Well, I wasn't trying to be like you exactly. I was trying to show you an effective way to fuse your mad flexibility with fieldwork to optimize performance."

"Well, I'd say that was very ineffective in getting any job done."

Lunick walked up beside her. "Say what you will. I'm not gonna stop trying to come up with tactics we can use in the field."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Still slightly smiling, Lunick started to walk ahead of her.

Solana spoke up, "Actually, Lunick. I think I could use the company."

He stopped and turned to face her. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I am still new here. And navigating around the city can be confusing for someone who's as unfamiliar as me."

He walked back to her side, extending his arm, making a loop at his waist.

"Shall we walk together then?"

Shaking her head slightly, Solana looped her arm in between his.

"Sure."

As Solana and Lunick entered the Fall City Ranger Base, she was awaited by Spenser, Joel, and Professor Hastings.

"Welcome back, Solana." Greeted Spenser. "Lunick, good to see you too. The three of us were discussing how to deal with the Go-Rock Squad. After showing up in Summerland, they've gone back into hiding."

"Cowards," Lunick muttered.

Professor Hastings spoke, "What worries me are the stylers that the Go-Rock Squad were using. According to Cameron's report, they sound similar to my stolen Super Styler."

"How can you be so sure?" Asked Solana.

"Well, one it can easily capture any Pokémon without the expertise of a Ranger. One of the purposes of the Super Styler was to make it easier for novice students to use who are just learning the very basics of being a ranger, before even hitting the field. Two, it enables the use of Pokémon abilities over and over. The intent was to capitalize on the strength and resiliency of Pokémon in the instance of major crimes such as break-ins, robberies and blazing fires so that the Pokémon can keep tracking and working without losing time or being overburdened. It appears the Go-Rock Squad has been using this feature extensively, even for criminal deeds. There's another thing: the Super Styler is encrypted with Ranger Union data unlocked with a specialized code I designed myself. In gathering the broken pieces of the destroyed stylers used by the Go-Rock Squad's lowly grunts, we were able to not only recreate the design of my one-of-a-kind signature but were able to deduce that the data contained within these copies were an exact match to the ones created by the Union itself. While there appear to be minor changes, those stylers are undoubtedly based on my Super Styler."

"Oh dear," uttered Solana.

"Worse, there's something of an even bigger concern," Professor Hastings continued.

Joel's face crumpled in dissatisfaction. "Professor…Is this what worries you? The Super Styler – which isn't fully developed – could harm the Pokémon that are forced to use their abilities?"

Solana and Lunick both gasped.

Spenser interjected. "Professor, do you remember what Cameron wrote in his report? When Solana captured the Pokémon under the control of the Go-Rock Squad, they were automatically released. That could possibly mean their styler hasn't been perfected yet."

Professor Hastings started pulling on his beard, an act he often did while in thought.

"That's correct, Spenser. That reasoning is sound. It appears that the Go-Rock Squad cannot fully control the Pokémon they've captured with their stylers yet. Which is precisely why we must move quickly. When a Pokémon under their control is captured by a ranger, it appears to return to its natural state. Regain its senses back."

"The sense of justice in the hearts of Rangers must have an effect on such Pokémon." Said Lunick.

Professor Hastings nodded. "We must do something before the Go-Rock Squad perfect their stylers. In other words, we don't have the time to waste chatting here!"

Professor Hastings started for the base's double doors and exited, heading straight for his lab.

"Professor, you're as impatient as always." Muttered Joel.

"Every moment spent trying to figure out what to do next is another moment the Go-Rock Squad spends enslaving and torturing Pokémon. We have to stop them!" Cried Lunick.

"We will, Lunick," assured Spenser.

Joel stood up. "For the time being, Spenser and I will concentrate on gathering more intelligence."

"And, Solana," said Spenser. "There is a new job I want you to handle."

"Yes, Sir," she said at attention.

"Solana, do you remember the Krokka Tunnel? It's the one you escorted the Professor through."

"Yes, Sir."

"The tunnel is a vital traffic corridor that joins Ringtown and Fall City. However, it's been blocked off by rockfalls. Citizens on either side of the tunnel are up in arms over this. I'd like for you to clear the rockfalls that are blocking the Krokka Tunnel. That is your newest mission."

"Yes, Leader. I understand."

"This mission will be difficult for any student to handle alone, so I've asked a Fall City Ranger to assist you."

"But what about Lunick?" Asked Solana. "Wouldn't he be a more effective support? I mean we are partners. And he's right here already."

"I have a different task for Lunick. Yours is to venture into the Krokka Tunnel and clear the rockfalls."

"No disrespect, Leader, you assigned Lunick as my partner, and it feels like we very seldom get partnered together for missions at all."

"Solana, you are really growing into your own as a Ranger. You are very skillful and have proved yourself in the short time you have been here in Fiore. But you and Lunick are still on far too different levels. He's more of a mentor to you now and yes, in time, you will be partnered together on missions. But for now, it is best that you learn to work with different rangers with different skill sets as you orient yourself to the region. Understood?"

"Yes, Leader. My apologies."

"No need to apologize, Solana. I can understand the confusion. It is my intention for you and Lunick to be a full-fledged team and longtime partners. You're just at two different levels and ranks at the moment. The more your advance up your ranks, the closer you will get to working missions with Lunick."

"Yes, Leader."

"The Fall City Ranger should be on site already. I'm counting on you, Solana. Lunick, please remain here so that I can give you your next assignment."

"Yes, Leader." He answered as he observed a dejected Solana. He elbowed her lightly. "Hey, we'll have our time together. Don't sweat it. Just keep being a badass out there, you'll see my handsome face with you in no time."

"Har har," Solana mocked lightly.

Lunick elbowed her again lightly and she shrugged him off playfully before heading towards the base's double doors. Plusle and Minun waved bye to each other from atop their respective rangers' shoulders as Solana exited the Fall City Base.

Solana entered the Krokka Tunnel. There was a slight chill in the air as she entered.

"This place is giving off such another vibe than it was when I came through here with the Professor. It's majorly unsettling."

"Plah Plah," her Partner Pokémon agreed.

As Solana ventured further inside, she came across a path that was obscured by two seismic boulders. A blonde female ranger with spiraling twintails wearing a long-sleeved purple and white jacket and long white pants was standing behind them.

"Aria?" Solana questioned as she approached her.

A Hariyama was busy Focus Palming one of the massive boulders blocking the path.

Aria turned slightly and eyed her Junior Ranger.

"Oh great. They sent a novice like you out here to help clear all this debris, Shanika?"

"The name's Solana! Solana!" She replied irritatedly.

"Whatever," Aria shrugged just as the Hariyama landed one final blow against the large rock, decimating it to pieces. It then bowed to Aria before slowly walking away. "Bye-Bye! Thank you, Hariyama!"

She turned her attention back to Solana, scowling with crossed arms. "So, I guess you're the Ringtown Ranger they said would join me later. How disappointing. I was hoping it would be Lunick. We have so much in common and our skills as Rangers are paramount."

"Lunick is on another mission," Solana said as she walked up closer to her.

Aria uncrossed her arms. "You know, this doesn't look like a job that would take the both of us."

"Spenser himself said no ranger should accomplish this alone. A partner is needed for completion."

"And you've got one. That little rodent thing on your shoulder."

"PlahPlah!?" Plusle hissed.

Solana petted her on the head. "Don't you dare refer to my Plusle as a rodent!"

"Plah!"

Again Aria shrugged. "Nevertheless, a partner is a partner. I've already done this much, so you can take care of the rest yourself, can't you?"

Solana huffed angrily. "Just what is your deal? You haven't been pleasant with me the entire time I've been a Ranger. We're on the same team here. We're fighting for the same thing. Our objective is the same."

"I beg to differ," she muttered as she walked past her. "There are only three rockfalls left to clear. You can handle that much, can't you, rookie?"

"If you don't –"

"I'm very busy with that Go-Rock Squad case, so I'll leave you to it," she smirked flicking her hair.

"But we were given this mission together!" Solana shouted as Aria exited the Krokka Tunnel. After she was gone, Solana gave a loud frustrated sigh. "That girl is unbelievable!"

"Plah Plah!"

"How she became certified to become a ranger at all I have to know."

"Plah!"

"Come on, Plusle. Aria said there were three more to clear, which also means she intentionally ignored them and left the traffic arteries blocked." She sighed. "Let's just get these cleared and report back to Spenser as soon as we can. Once we prove our merit by clearing these on our own, he's bound to give us more missions dealing directly with the Go-Rock Squad."

"PlahPla!" Her partner cheered.

As Solana ventured further into the Krokka Tunnel, she captured many friend Pokemon to help make her journey easier, including a Diglett, Poliwhirl, a Graveler. As she entered one of the deepest parts of the cave, she came across a quartet of siblings she did not wish to see. The same three guys and a girl from the Olive Jungle – the Go-Rock Quads.

"Oh, please don't –" Solana began.

But it was too late. When they noticed Solana, they all turned and struck a pose.

"Pokemon a go-go!" They chanted in unison.

"Even if you're in a hurry, stop in your tracks!" said Garret, the teen in the white coat and pants. He pulled out a bass from behind him and started to play.

"Open your ears to our melodic attacks!" said Tiffany. She then pulled out a violin and started playing.

"The rhythm of rage pounds the ground!" Cried Clyde, the boy in the pink shirt and jeans. He too pulled out an instrument, an ashiko, and started to play.

"Let the melody of ambition rise to the skies!" Howled Billy the eldest sibling. He strummed his flamed star-stapes guitar with vigor.

"If you don't know us, we'll cure your ignorance! Billy! Garret! Clyde! And Tiffany! The Go-Rock Squad's hot prospect band of key-shaker-and-taker celebrities! A name once heard and never forgotten! The Go-Rock Quads!"

Together they all played their instruments at once before ending their performance.

Billy snapped his fingers wearing a wide toothy grin.

"We nailed our performance this time, right?"

"A bit early on the guitar solo but I'd say solid," Clyde remarked with crossed arms and closed eyes.

Billy cut his eyes at his younger brother before turning his attention to Solana. "Anyways…Nice to see you again, sweetness. We came running back once we heard the Union Rangers were active in the Krokka Tunnel."

"Funny how you could know that when I only showed up after reports of rockfalls clogging up the major traffic ways came flooding in." Solana said smartly as she and Plusle took a battle-ready stance.

"Yeah, ain't it funny how things like that work," Billy chuckled lightly. "We get here and what do we find but our old friend from the Summerland jungle clearing up the huge rocks for us. Is that like a side job or something?"

"Wrong again. I haven't even begun to clear any of the rockfalls. Only one ranger has surveyed the area and she is a Fall City Ranger who's cleared but one area at the very end of the cave."

"Ooo! Hahaha! Testy! I like her!" Billy smirked once more with a wide smile.

"Amp it down a little, big bro. Your hormones are showing," remarked Tiffany.

Garrett interjected. "Somewhere in this cavern sleeps a Legendary Pokémon…Have you heard such a rumor?"

"Can't say I have." Answered Solana, still on edge.

"Well, wouldn't you agree that it is the most exhilarating and exciting of tales?" Garrett's eyes sparkled.

"Well, that's the purpose of fairytales, isn't it?"

Garrett's eyes immediately steeled against Solana.

"Excuse you?"

Tiffany held her second eldest brother's arm. "Don't let her get you down, bro. You keep dreaming. We'll find that Legendary Beast and claim it for ourselves."

Garrett's smile returned. "We would be magnificent. Of course, mere rangers would never be able to gain mastery over any Legendary Pokémon."

"And you can?" Solana ask incredulously, nearly offended.

"You Rangers should stick to what you can do, such as play hide-and-seek with some Politoed in the jungle."

Solana crossed her arms. "Oh, you mean the one you losers tried and failed to capture and control."

"Hey! Those were our sucky grunts! Not us!" Tiffany hissed!

"Don't let her get to you, sis," Clyde hushed in a calm voice. "She's trying to get under your skin.

Tiffany sighed heavily and also crossed her arms. "Ah! You're so right."

"Perhaps cleaning up rocks in this tunnel is a befitting job for a rookie ranger like you."

Clyde winced. "Ouch! Harsh diss! Big Bro Garrett, you can sure put people down with the politest of words."

"Just what part of that was polite?!" Solana spat back.

Clyde snickered. "Better yet. Your words are absolutely spot on the money. When it comes to controlling Pokémon, the Go-Rock Squad has it all over the Rangers now. After all, we've got our new Stylers and everything!"

"Those same stylers that failed to capture Percy's Politoed and every other Pokémon in the Olive Jungle," Solana retorted.

"Man, you are snippy," Billy smiled.

Garrett continued. "We got an update. Well overdue if you ask me. We can catch Pokémon galore with them and rake in the dough by making them do exactly what we want."

It was Tiffany's turn to speak. "Though they have been modified, they still aren't quite ready yet. Still prototypes. What we're doing is partly testing, too. Ranger, you can look forward to facing us when we can utilize the real thing. Haha! That'll be all you'll get to hear from us this time. Bye-bye!"

And with that, all four siblings of the Go-Rock Quads headed westward. Solana tried to follow behind them, but lost them in the twists and turns of the caves, stumbling over many wriggly Bellsprout along the way as well.

As she continued west, she ran into a grunt with three Geodude and huffed irritably.

"I'm looking for a Legendary Pokémon," he said. "Don't mess with me!"

He ordered the three rock-type Pokémon to attack Solana and she made quick work of catching them with her styler without breaking a sweat. They dispersed moments later as Plusle cheered.

"Don't get all serious all me…" he muttered.

"How about you get the heck out of my way before I do away with you too," Solana threatened as she walked past him and continued on her way, causing the grunt to sweatdrop.

As Solana continued south and then west, she ran into another grunt controlling three Sunbull, who seemed surprised to see her.

"A Ranger? What do you think you're doing here? Attack!"

All three fairy dog Pokémon charged at Solana and as with the Geodude, she made quick work capturing and releasing them back into the wild.

"No, no, I'm not upset. I'd be impressed if you actually managed to get me upset." He gushed nervously.

Solana stood to her knees from her crouching position. "I haven't the time for you grunts' shenanigans," she uttered as a loose strand of hair hung to the right side of her face.

"Huh?"

"Please, stay out of my way so I can do my freakin' job!" She said a bit more harshly as she continued north.

The grunt sneered, "What's her problem?"

As Solana continued northward, she came across an open cavern that contained streams on either side as well as was filled with echo-locating Zubst and anxious Poliwhirl. She ignored them and continued walking to the internal cavern near the end, where she found three Hariyama inside. They all aggressively charged at her. Using her gymnastics skills, she flipped, twisted, vaulted, and somersaulted away to dodge all of their attacks. She then used the aid of all her friend Pokémon and fired Plusle's Thunder wave five times before she was able to successfully capture all three bulky fighting-types.

Solana wiped at the sweat on her forehead as she eyed the circle on her styler indicating her successful captures.

"My goodness! How the heck did Aria capture just one of you without the assistance of a Partner Pokémon, that is assuming she has the aid of a friend Pokémon? Maybe I don't give that girl enough credit."

"Plah PlahPla!"

Again, Solana sighed. "Anyway, Aria was using a Hariyama to clear the large rockfall at the end of the Krokka Tunnel near Fall City. That must mean they must meet the Field Assist necessary to clear debris. Considering she said there were three rockfalls left to clear, three Hariyama should be just enough to finish our missions and report back to base."

"Plah Plah!"

"Let's go."

Solana exited the internal cavern back into the wider chamber she had initially entered and headed south. She continued until she came upon the other entrance of the Krokka Tunnel near the Ringtown entrance, where she found the first rockfall.

"Finally," she breathed. She turned to the Hariyama in the lead. "All right, Hariyama. Do your thing."

"Hariy!" It cried as it charged up two Focus Punches and smashed the large encompassing boulder into bite-sized pieces, mildly shaking the cavern.

"Thank you so very much, Hariyama," Solana said tiredly. "Your efforts are appreciated. You can go back home now."

The burly fighting-type Pokémon bowed to her before slowly stomping back in the direction they came.

"All right," Solana exhaled. "One down, two to go."

"Plah PlahPla?"

"I'm fine, Plusle. I'm just seeing why Leader said this is at minimum a two-person job. This is a hella of a lot to trek and travel, not to mention a lot of energy to clear the pathways and stuff."

"Pla Plah?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Let's keep moving."

They continued right of the path they just unblocked only to find yet another grunt with a Crawdunt and Krabby under his control.

"Oh, come on!" Solana shouted.

The grunt turned to her with crossed arms.

"The Legendary Pokémon hasn't shown up, it's dark, I'm hungry…I'm taking it out on you!" He shouted as he ordered the controlled Pokémon to attack.

Solana hadn't the patience. She quickly released her capture discs and rapidly looped them around the two Pokémon at fast speeds with her stylus, capturing and releasing them in under five seconds.

"I pick a fight and I get creamed? Does this qualify as pathetic?" The grunt wondered aloud.

Solana's breathing was heavy. "Get outta my way!"

"Yes, ma'am!" He yelped as he sprinted off ahead of her to the side.

"Plah Plah" Plusle asked, worried about the mental strain this mission was putting on her Ranger.

"Let's move!" Solana said as she pressed forward.

Solana and her team of Pokémon continued east and then entered a door to the door north where they ran into yet another of the Go-Rock Squad's grunts controlling three Zubat.

"I thought it was a Pokémon. But nope, it's a person. Even better, a Ranger. You're perfect for trying out these Pokémon I caught with my new-type Styler!"

"If you attack me, it will be the worse decision of your life," Solana growled.

"Sorry, kid, but I don't exactly have a choice here. I must act for my comrades. Go my Zubat! Subdue her!"

The Zubat haphazardly flew towards Solana.

"Comrades?! What a laugh! You dolts don't know the meaning of the word!" Solana screamed as she snapped out her styler.

She whirled her stylus and made fast capture of all three Zubat and they were all instantly released from the grunt's control.

Solana glared at him.

"Um…Was the exit this way?"

"Keep moving before I do something I regret."

"T-Thank you, bye-bye!" He stammered before sprinting away from a disgruntled Solana.

She said nothing as she placed her styler back on its holder and continued the path she was going eastward, where she found two rockfalls blocking a large path.

"These must be the last two," she surmised. "They're huge. All right, Hariyama. I need your assistance once again. You both know what to do, don't you?"

"Hariy!"

"Hariyama."

"All right then. Please, help me clear these massive boulders with your mighty strength."

Both fighting-types cried out as their massive hands glowed white. They began pummeling the large boulders and punching them with specific and precise strikes and thrusts of their hands and punches. After some time, the grandiose boulders crumbled to the cave's ground into smaller rocks and pebbles. A bunch of Spinark scattered from underneath them.

Solana sighed in relief just as a text message rang in from her styler.

From: Spenser.

To: Solana

I got word from a civilian that the Go-Rock Squad is active in the Krokka Tunnel. I will get there as soon as possible to assist you and Aria. Once you've cleared the rockfalls, let's meet at the Dugtrio statue near the Ringtown-side exit.

Solana chuckled dryly.

"Yes, because Princess Aria did so much to help me on this massive mission, her efforts must be recognized. Of course. Wouldn't want to chance her breaking a precious nail of hers or God forbid, breaking a sweat having to deal with mediocre criminals. No, her hair must be perfectly quaffed at all times, for if not, that will be the real disaster. Not the safety of the Pokémon and the citizens. Aria's splendidly perfect hair!"

"Plah Plah! Plah Pla Pla! Plah!"

"I'm fine, Plusle," Solana exhaled. "Let's meet Spenser by the Dugtrio statue.

Solana tiredly made her way through the many twists and turns of the cave, finding herself lost many times and even finding herself on an outer ledge finding a fisherman who found himself getting bored at how "ridiculously easy" catching fish Pokémon had become, given that they were all Magikarp that had sprung out of the lake below. He even joked he'd try to avoid catching them to see if it would be easier. They were probably jumping out of the water because it was probably freezing, is what Solana thought. It was particularly cold on that ledge compared to the rest of Ringtown.

When she finally had found the Dugtrio statue, she was not pleased to run into Tiffany again, the youngest of the Go-Rock Quad siblings.

"Oh, I have so had it!" The girl griped. "There is no Legendary Pokémon to be found! My big brothers all left without me, too…And our grunts can't seem to deal with the likes of you! It's time I put things right! Get ready for my headline act! Camerupt, come!"

Tiffany whipped out her violin and began playing her solo of their Go-Rock Quad theme song and immediately the quadrupedal Eruption Pokémon appeared beside her.

For a moment, Solana was confused.

"You can control it with your violin? What is the styler in your instrument now?" She asked, tiredly.

Tiffany smirked. "Heh. You sound surprised to see my Camerupt come along when I started playing my violin? This is no ordinary musical instrument. It's an instrument-type Styler that our boss made for the Go-Rock Quads!"

"That's what I figured," Solana said flatly. "I'm fatigued, not stupid. I was just temporarily confused. But it all made sense once it started to pierce through the fog of my weariness."

Tiffany stomped her foot.

"Oh, you big know-it-all! Well, unlike your Styler, it doesn't need anything like a "sense of justice" to do its thing. It can control Pokémon through musical tension, groove and stuff like that."

"Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work if you ask me."

"Well, nobody asked you! Maybe I served up too much of that important information. But it doesn't matter because I'm going to destroy you in battle anyway right now!"

"Give it your best shot, Princess," Solana retorted.

"Go, Camerupt! Scorch that Ranger!"

The Camerupt cried out loud as it stomped towards Solana.

Solana hadn't the energy to use her gymnastics skills to dodge any of its volcanic attacks, so she had to rely on Plusle's electric attacks to neutralize them while she attempted her capture. Since Camerupt was part ground-type, there was no way she could paralyze it, but she didn't need to. She just needed to distract it enough that she could successfully loop her discs around it without damaging her styler, which after ten minutes, she was able to do. It was instantly released back into the wild once Solana's capture nullified Tiffany's control over it.

"Ow…" Tiffany whined. "You…You're pretty good…Why don't you join us?" She asked extending her overly long-sleeved left arm.

"Never," Solana replied evenly.

Just then, a grunt came rushing toward Tiffany.

"There's trouble! Real bad trouble!"

"Worse than this?" Tiffany asked.

"Spenser, that expert Ranger Area Leader from Ringtown showed up in a dashing manner and wiped us out in no time flat!"

"Ack! You lot…You got beaten by this ranger first, then you got wiped by another ranger? By Spenser himself? I doubt we'd win on our third try, so let's beat a hasty retreat. Bye-bye, Ranger! Till we meet again!"

And with that, Tiffany and the lowly grunt ran past Solana to the exit behind her. She was too tired to cry out or give chase.

Solana quickly dropped to her knees, breathing heavily.

"Plah Plah!" Plusle cried as she hopped from her shoulder to the ground in front of her.

They could hear Spenser's footfalls running from the east. In no time she felt the strength of his adult right hand on her shoulders.

"Solana, are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine, Leader. I'm just a bit tired."

"More like exhausted. Where's Aria?"

"Her Highness couldn't be bothered to help me at all on this mission. I had to deal with the rockfalls, disturbed Pokémon, and the Go-Rock Squad all on my own."

Spenser frowned. "I will have Joel personally deal with her. You were supposed to tackle this as a team together."

"Aria didn't think so."

"Never you mind that. She will be dealt with accordingly." He gently helped her back to her feet. "It appears the Go-Rock Squad has fled the area. Nothing else can be done about them for now. Right now, let's get you back to the base for some much-needed rest and get some fluids in you."

"They were searching for some Legendary Pokémon they were claiming was inhabited here."

"I've lived in Fiore a long time and have never heard or received reports of any Legendary creature residing in the Krokka Tunnel. What would have them believe such a thing?"

"They're lunatics, that's what," Solana breathed.

"Anyways, you've more than cleared this mission, Solana. Let's head back to Ringtown."

As Spenser and Solana exited the cave, they were met by Lunick outside. His face was initially cheery but immediately morphed into one of concern when he saw how worn out Solana was.

"Solana? Oh God, what happened to you?"

"She took on a major mission all by herself and fought off the Go-Rock Squad on her own as well. She's not injured but she's definitely worn herself out."

"It's nothing. I'm fine, Lunick."

"The hell you're fine," he said as he quickly ran up to her, putting his left arm under both of hers behind her back to help her balance and placing the other on her stomach to keep her from falling over. "I got her, Leader."

"Are you sure, Lunick?"

"I'm sure. Let me help her back, please. She's my partner, after all."

Spenser nodded knowingly.

"Okay, then." He said as he loosened his hold on Solana and let her go as he straightened up.

Unable to sustain her weight any longer, Solana let herself fall against Lunick's right side, and he immediately caught her and wrapped her tighter around him with his arm and pulled her closer to his chest. Plusle hopped on Lunick's left shoulder as Minun rested on his right.

Solana's cheeks flushed slightly as she barely lifted her head as she looked at him with half lids.

"Lunick…" she uttered breathlessly.

"Don't worry, Solana. I got you," he said seriously as he held her close. "We'll be at the base soon and you can rest. I'm not gonna let you go. I promise."

Solana continued to blush faintly before letting her head fall back down on his chest. She wouldn't admit it aloud to him, but the warmth of his body heat emanating from his chest and the strength of his toning muscles she felt in his arms and hands wrapped around her made her feel all kinds of warm and comforted.