A/N: I do sincerely apologize for updating this chapter half a year later. I experienced something very very traumatic and have not been keeping well, unfortunately. But I am trying to get back into a routine of updating these. Hopefully, I can update these more regularly moving forward. I apologize again for the very long wait.
Solana and Plusle entered the Ringtown Ranger Base. Spenser was standing in front of his desk in the lobby looking over some documents in a Manila folder.
"Good evening, Solana. Did you have a nice outing with Lunick?"
"I did, Leader."
"Good. I have a mission I want you to take. There've been reports of a senior citizen wandering lost deep inside the Lyra Forest. I want you to locate him and escort him back home safely."
"Yes, Leader."
"Remember it's late and dark out so I want you to use extreme caution."
"Yes, Leader."
"All right. You're dismissed."
Solana gave a quick formal bow, bending about 30 degrees to bid him respect respectful farewell and good night, knowing she this would probably be her last mission for the night. She then turned around and exiting the Ringtown Ranger Base with Plusle. In the time she had walked back to the base the day had transitioned from early evening to night and the sky was now a Maastricht blue compared to the violet hue it was earlier due to the airglow. The small mixture of blues and greens decorating the sky near the stars was actually breathtaking to look at, but Solana unfortunately didn't have the time to stargaze. At this hour, navigating the forest was going to be even more disorienting and confusing than it already was during daylight. This was probably even more challenging and dangerous for an elderly person, so Solana knew she had to find the senior quickly.
She made her way through the entrance of the Lyra Forest and was surprised to see Lunick waiting near it.
"You look confused," he remarked with a wide smile spread across his face.
"Because I am." She replied plainly. As they talked, Plusle and Minun ran to each other to greet one another, waving their tiny arms enthusiastically and chattering excitedly. "I thought you had to report to Summerland for a mission?"
"I do, but I don't have to be there right away. I've got some time to spare so I decided to wait around for you. Heard you were looking for a wayward wanderer."
"An old man got lost somewhere in this forest. I'm supposed to locate him and escort him safely out of the forest back to town."
"Want some company? I don't mind."
Solana shrugged. "Sure. I'd love to actually work with my partner finally. But the fact that you're putting off a mission of your own I find quite irresponsible," she said as they started walking together.
Lunick waved her off. "It's not urgent. And it'll take me some time to get there anyway. You keep bringing up the fact that we haven't worked together yet on a mission, so let's start taking some small steps to change that."
"But your mission?"
"I told you, it's not urgent. We are given some leeway with missions if we're high enough on our rank, even though we're still students. We use our discretion when taking on cases. You'll learn that as you continue to work, move up your ranks and become more advanced."
"Riiiight. Sure," Solana sighed.
"So, you're headed to the deepest part of Lyra Forest, huh?" Lunick inquired.
"I don't quite know. I don't exactly know where this man is, so locating him is going to be hard enough, even moreso now that it's nighttime."
"Well, we better get moving before it gets any darker." He said as they continued to walk further in the forest. "It's been a while since we took a walk like this together."
"I don't think we've taken any long walks together since that night you showed me the house. Which, by the way…" Solana trailed off as she stopped walking and turned fully to face Lunick. "I really cannot thank you enough for it."
Lunick shrugged casually. "Don't mention it. It was really nothing."
"You keep saying that but that's not true. That house costs a lot of money and you paid off the first three months with no hesitation for a person and partner you hardly see or really know."
"I know you well enough to know you needed a place of your own. Sure, I didn't need to buy you the house but I wanted to. I wanted to gift it to you. You don't need to keep thanking me for it or feel bad about it. It was my own decision to give it to you and surprise you with it. Besides, it's rude not to accept a gift."
"A gift as colossal as this?" Solana nearly shrieked. "I don't know."
"Why is it so hard for you to accept?"
"It's just so grand. No one's ever done anything like that at all for me. Not ever."
"Then I'd say you're well overdue."
Solana paused. What were these flutters she was feeling in her heart and stomach?
Before she had chance to respond, a middle-aged man wearing a brown overcoat and top hat approached the two of them.
"Excuse me, young people. By the way you are dressed, I deduce you are Pokémon Rangers, correct?"
"Yes, we are," replied Lunick. "What can we do for you?"
"Oh good. I apologize for the interruption but have you seen a little girl with two Jigglypuff? She's my daughter."
"I can't say we have. Is something wrong? Is she missing?"
"I don't think she's lost or in trouble but I'd like to find her."
Lunick pondered for a moment. "A girl with two Jigglypuff…I'm sorry. We haven't run into her on our way from Ringtown."
"Okay. That's fine then. I'm supposed to meet her but I suppose I'm too early anyway."
"About how old is she?"
"About eight years old. If you happen to come across my daughter, can you tell her that her daddy's waiting for her? Her name is Asuka."
"Asuka. Got it. Will do. We're going deeper in the forest so we'll most likely see her soon. Of course, if you are worried, I can get in touch with the Ringtown Ranger Base and have a team deployed to look for her."
"Oh no, no. That won't be necessary. You don't need to do that. She's probably playing hide-and-seek with the Jigglypuff."
"Okay. We'll keep our eyes peeled for her."
"Thank you, young man."
Nodding, Solana and Lunick continued walking north until they came across a path that lead westward. Lunick pointed to it.
"This path leads to the deepest part of Lyra Forest. It's nicknamed the Labyrinth Grove because it's so confusing in there. It's very easy to get displaced and lost and the Pokémon here are usually more aggressive and territorial."
"That's not nightmare fuel at least," Solana remarked sarcastically.
"There's usually a ranger here to warn people about it. You know Danny? But the Go-Rock Squad mission has left us short-staffed. Considering that going north leads you to the Krokka Tunnel, it's likely the old man you are looking for got lost in the deeper part of the forest because there was no one stationed here to warn him."
"Jiggly!" cried a voice.
Solana and Lunick saw an inflated Jigglypuff floating in front of them going westward.
"Didn't that father from earlier say his daughter had two Jigglypuff?" Pondered Lunick. "That could be one of her Pokémon. She could be lost in the Labyrinth Grove. Come on, we have to go search through it now."
Solana followed Lunick down the path. They were quickly surrounded by the forestland. As they ventured further, they combed through parts of the forest where the grass was over six feet tall.
"What is this?" Solana questioned. "Why is this grass as tall as like cornstalks?"
"I mean, I guess you could say that. This part of the forest is pretty similar to wheatgrass. The fields can grow anywhere between 3 to 10 feet tall at least."
"At least?! This is downright dangerous! Why is no one taking care of this?"
"Well, I mean, we try to do some maintenance work, but keep in mind that this part of the Lyra Forest is called the Labyrinth Grove for a reason. We don't mess with the wildlife here. Most of the more territorial Pokémon reside here. It's not our place to cut down their homes. Then we get into the issue of deforestation."
"I'm not saying to cut down all the trees. I'm just saying some organization might be better in helping people navigate their way out of this place if they do get lost."
"We do have signs. But then they just get covered in the overgrowth, so it's become kinda futile. No one should be venturing this way in the first place."
"That's why it needs to be blocked off, not under constant supervision."
"We can't block it off. It can disrupt the wildlife."
"Oh my gosh."
"You've been to the Olive Jungle. This is kinda the same thing."
"Except it isn't. A jungle you expect to find a lot of plant overgrowth and territorial Pokémon. There's a level of danger etched in the name alone. A regular civilian is not just going to venture into one unlike a forest which experienced campers and explorers and hikers are more keen to travel through. Not to mention the forest itself leads into one of the major traffic arteries in connecting to the Krokka Tunnel, and therefore, Fall City. Something needs to be done here."
As if to punctuate her point, a stray branch smacked Solana across the face as she parted the tall grass in front of her. She cried out as her hands flew to her face and covered her nose.
Lunick walked beside her and pulled her out of the bunchgrass onto the path in front of them with Plusle and Minun hopping out behind him. He held her wrists gently and lowered her hands. Her nose was a bright pink color and just a bit of blood was starting to trail from her left nostril.
Lunick placed his hand under her chin to inspect the injury to her face more thoroughly.
"Lunick?" Solana uttered nervously.
He let go of her chin before reaching into the yellow medical pack snapped around his waist and pulling out a small piece of gauze. He dabbed at the small bit of blood above her upper lip with the gaze pad before gesturing for her to hold it in place, which she did.
"I'm not saying you don't have valid points, Solana. Just that that's not a decision we can make on our own. We'd have to talk with the major, the governor of the region for sure, the Union would have to get everything approved. There are a lot of legalities with doing something like that."
"Puff Puff!"
"Jiggly."
They both turned to look further up the path to see a floating Jigglypuff. Lunick motioned ahead and they followed it to a small clearing where a little girl with light brown hair, a pink shirt and magenta skirt was squatting on the ground crying.
"It's a little girl," Solana voiced.
"Could be the one we're supposed to be keeping an eye out for. She's crying all the way out here all by herself. No good. We gotta get her back to the main part of the forest."
They walked up to her. Lunick knelt down on one knee to meet her on eye level.
"Hello there. May I ask what's wrong?"
She timidly looked up from her arms, her brown eyes full of tears.
"Sniffle…Are you a Pokémon Ranger?"
"Yes, I am. Can you tell me why you are crying? Or how you ended up all the way out here?"
She started squealing again. "I was playing with my Jigglypuff while I waited for Daddy. One of them flew away. I chased it…And…Waaah…My Jigglypuff ran away into the dark part of the forest!"
Lunick nodded. "Are you Asuka?"
She nodded her head vigorously.
"Your daddy sent us to find you."
She continued to cry. "I had two Jigglypuff but now I only have one. My daddy's not here, and it's dark and scary in the forest!…sniff."
Lunick went to sit down beside her. "It's okay, it's okay. Your daddy is waiting for you. As for your missing Jigglypuff, my friend here is gonna help you find it so I can take you back to meet with your daddy."
He looked up at Solana and nodded at her.
Solana nodded back understanding. "Yes, don't worry, sweetie. We'll find your missing Pokémon."
"You promise?" She squeaked.
"On my honor," Lunick answered. "I'll sit here with you and keep you safe while my friend, Solana, here, goes to look for your Jigglypuff, okay? Let's play some games while we wait for her to come back."
Asuka nodded. "Okay."
Lunick looked back up at Solana. "The path continues to the left. There are a myriad of twists and turns in this part of the forest, so I can't tell you where to search next, just where to go from here."
"It's okay. I'll figure it out, somehow, one way or another."
"Keep a lookout for the signposts. They'll help you find your way back."
Solana smiled weakly and nodded. She removed the gauze pad she was holding at her nose and rolled it up, placing it in her pants pocket before aboutfacing and heading westward with Plusle scurrying up to her right shoulder moments afterward.
"Okay." Lunick turned his attention back to Asuka. "My friend is gonna find it for you, so you don't have to worry and cry anymore, okay? Let me introduce you to my other buddy here, Minun, while I pull paper out of my pack so we can make some really cool stuff."
"Mai Mai!"
Solana continued down the clearing back into a more narrower natural path, where in addition to the tall grass in certain areas that were unavoidable, she now had the added stress of encountering the territorial Pokémon she had been told about. And my God, were they aggressive! She had barely stepped out of the tall grass when she was attacked by a wild Ivysaur and Cyndaquil. While she did manage to catch them, if for no other reason than to save herself from their continuous onslaught of attacks, she had already begun to wear herself out.
As she continued northward she eventually happened upon a Jigglypuff resting near a sweet gum tree. She tried to sneak her way towards it but the brush at her feet obscured some of the fallen trees branches and she had made the unfortunate mistake of stepping on one. The Jiggypuff now awoken, bloated its body like a large balloon and floated itself away.
But Solana wasted no time closing the distance and was able to make a swift capture. Now, finding her way back was the next challenge. It proved to be less difficult than she thought because as Lunick had said, there were many signposts marked at various parts of the places she had trekked thus far. But she still had to deal with fighting her way back through many a feisty territorial Pokémon.
As she walked back into the small clearing, she saw Lunick and Asuka sitting cross-legged folding origami with washi paper. Asuka had eight partly crooked but decent-looking Skarmory origami while Lunick had many species of Pokémon scattered about his area - Pikachu, Butterfree, Ponyta, Rhyhorn, Hippopotas, Pyroar - so many variants of Pokemon. And the speed in which he was folding the paper and making the creases before undoing and refolding to create newer layers was a spectacle to watch.
Shaking herself out of her mesmerized trance, Solana walked up to them. She pressed the release button on her styler to release the Jigglypuff from her command and it floated over to Asuka.
The little girl looked up from the paper Skarmory she was struggling to make to see the floating pink puffball and squealed in delight. She quickly stood to her feet and enveloped it in a hug.
"It's my Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff! My Jigglypuff!" She cried excitedly as she hopped up and down.
Lunick stood to his feet and brushed the grass off his pants. "I told you my partner would bring it back to you safe and sound. Great job, Ranger!" He praised, giving Solana a thumbs up.
She looked up at Solana. "Thank you, Ranger girl!"
"Oh, no problem at all. I'm happy to help," she replied, cheerfully.
"How's about we gather all your paper Skarmory and I can take you and your Jigglypuff to go see your daddy? Would you like that, little lady?"
Asuka nodded. "I want my Daddy."
Lunick turned back to face Solana. "I'm gonna carry her back. You okay to continue this mission on your own?"
"Yeah, I'm good, thanks. And by the way, you just happen to carry origami paper with you on the regular?"
"But of course. You never know when you'll have the urge to craft art by folding paper into complicated patterns. Always good to keep your mind engaged," he grinned, tapping his right temple as he winked at her.
Solana chuckled lightly. "You are so silly, Lunick."
"I am what I is," he announced proudly as he pointed to himself.
"You guys help people, right?" Asuka asked as she collected her paper Skarmory from the ground.
"Yeah, that's our job," Lunick answered, switching from his goofy playfulness to calming caregiver role instantaneously. "Helping folks like you and your daddy everyday."
"I saw a lost old man wandering in the dark part of the forest earlier." She stood back up and pointed in the direction Solana came from. "He went that way. He was mumbling and talking to himself. Then he saw us and yelled at my Jigglypuff, 'Get out of the way!' Then my Jigglypuff got scared and floated away. That's why I chased it and we got separated. Then the mean old man laughed and went that way. I don't like that lost old man."
"Sometimes when adults are frustrated and disoriented, they can take their anger out on others," Lunick responded. "But that doesn't make what he did right. He should not have yelled at you or your Jigglypuff. But it is still our job to find him and guide him safely out of here like I am you."
"Will you make him a nice old man?"
"Well, we can start by helping him get back home safely." He looked back at Solana once more. "You better go after him before he wanders deeper into the forest. I'd love to stay and help but after getting her reunited with her dad, I have to get rolling to Summerland for my mission."
Solana shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I got this."
Lunick smiled. "I'm sure you do. Just be careful venturing further. The deeper you go in this labyrinth, the darker it will get. You may have to conjure up some of those strategies you've developed."
"How do you know I have any strategies?"
"I just figured after studying for so long you've had come up with some plans on how to get through this by now."
"Well, this is my first time scoping out this area."
"True, but that just goes to show your awesomeness if you've already got a plan made then, wouldn't it?" He asked cheekily.
Solana tried to hide her smile but couldn't. Lunick was both complimenting her and teasing her at the same time.
She tried her best to act casual by crossing her arms across her chest. "Yeah, well, if you know anything about me by now, corndog boy, you should know I am a tactician with many contingency plans. Far as I'm concerned this mission's already completed."
Lunick's smile got even wider. "Let's try to look good on both our missions, then."
He raised his right hand for a high-five. Her smiling widening a bit as well, Solana uncrossed her arms and lifted hers as well and happily obliged him.
Nodding and flashing her his toothy smile, Lunick turned around and put his hand assuredly on Auska's back.
"Let's go, Asuka. Your daddy's waiting for you."
"Yes, Mr. Lunick, Sir."
Solana watched them go. Lunick glanced back at her one more time before he and Asuka with her Jigglypuff and Minun were out of her sight.
Sighing, Solana turned back around to go west. "Let's go, Plusle."
"Plah Plah!"
Solana continued heading west, once again finding herself having to fend against the more territorial Pokémon. On her way she passed through an area that had a small wooden shrine with a signpost that read, "Let us give thanks to the spirit and life that fills the forest."
"This looks a lot like the Ilex Forest Shrine in the Jotho region. I wonder if this one is inspired by it." Solana wondered as she looked upon the small structure. "I certainly don't think Fiore is as traditional as Johto in a religious sense, but that doesn't mean some of the folks here don't practice some of those beliefs. It could be a symbol of good luck to ward off evil spirits or it could be another shrine to honor Celebi." She continued gazing upon the shrine. "It is remarkable though. I'll have to make a mental note to ask Lunick more about it later."
Solana's styler started vibrating. She took it off its holder on her hip and looked at the message inscribed across the screen.
From: Spenser
To: Solana
I just received additional information about the missing senior citizen. He appears to have become lost as a result of being chased around by wild Weepinbell in the Labyrinth Grove. The Weepinbell there try to envelop intruders in their mouths and spit them up outside their territories.
Keep that in mind on your mission, Solana.
"Great. More hostile Pokémon. Ones that may eat me this time instead of trying to simply rip me to shreds."
"Pla Plah? Plah Pla Plah?"
"No. Of course not. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up to become a ranger. We got a mission to do and I'll never turn away a citizen in need."
"Plah Plah!"
As Solana continued west, dodging the aggressive Pokémon along we way, she eventually happened upon a sign that read, "Beware of mischievous Weepinbell. If you get close too close it will swallow you up and send to a ways back."
"If there's even a signpost made about them, they must be a serious threat. Okay. Stay close to me, Plusle."
"Plah Pla!"
As Solana traversed further into the grove, in addition to the 6 feet tall grass, she had to contend with hordes of aggressive territorial Pokémon. It felt like she was bobbing and weaving and dodging at every angle. From the Spinarak dropping from the trees to the Ivysaur trying to strike her down with their Vine Whip and Petal Dance, it was all Solana could do to not get damaged by their bombarded attacks. She didn't even have enough time to give Plusle an order to put more distance between them, she just had to keep dodging and avoiding.
But she could only keep that up for so long. While running away from three Ivysaur who were surprisingly and terrifyingly fast for the species, Solana found herself heading straight for a Weepinbell. She cried out and tried to jerk to the side but was too late on her heels as the Weepinbell engulfed her in its mouth and launched her airborne with its Spit Up attack.
Ten minutes had passed before Plusle found her and Solana was covered in the grass/poison type's saliva. She knew this Pokémon's mouth contained strong acids but she wasn't entirely sure of the long term effects of being covered in it. Surely her organic skin would melt if it made contact with the plant poison. She didn't know if it was an alkanoid or anything about the line's plant toxicity. She only knew it could be a corrosive chemical. Her skin was burning but not terribly so and there wasn't a strong sulfuric smell that she could detect.
Her best bet was just to spray herself down with Antidotes for Plusle's protection as well as the Pokémon around her and treat it later when she got back home or to the base. Her uniform, thankfully, covered most of her body, so her main concern would be the upper half of her fingers, since her work gloves were partially fingerless, forearms, face and hair. She didn't have anything to wipe the saliva off so all she could do was spray herself down for her Pokémon's protection.
Solana grunted in frustration as she tried to find her way back to where she was before she was swallowed by the Weepinbell. The gooey sticky saliva slithered down her body and mixed with her own sweat. While the uniform may have protected her, it was still covered in the acidic spit, which meant anything that touched her would stick to her as well. So blades of grass, leaves and soil had found their way all over her uniform and body, giving her the most disgusting feeling on top of the revulsion of being covered in spit.
She found herself crouching and crawling on the ground, trying her best to not draw attention to herself. But hiding was futile against Pokémon whose hearing and senses were more apt and keen than hers and she found herself once again trying to dodge and run away from them. Plusle was also on alert and acted as Solana's little defender as she neutralized every Pokémon that dared to near them with her Thunderbolt and Thunder wave. Even if the paralysis was not very effective and only lasted a few seconds, it gave them enough time to put some distance between them and so every moment they were not being attacked mattered.
Solana sprinted deeper into the forest's labyrinth, going through many twists and turns of the many winding paths. As she neared a small cliff, she skidded to a stop, heaving over on her knees, out of breath from running.
"Oh my God, these Pokémon are relentless!" She breathed. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going. I have no sense of where I am at all. How am I even supposed to get back?"
"Plah Plah!" Plusle cried, pointing ahead and down the cliff in front of them.
Solana followed where her partner Pokémon was indicating. She saw an older man, perhaps in his sixties, wearing a purple dress suit that looked more like a civil war uniform with golden epaulettes mounted on his shoulders and white loafers. He was pacing about, wringing his hands in the air.
"I know we aren't supposed to judge our clients, but something about the way he is dressed is making me so uncomfortable." Solana uttered as she observed him. "Why is he dressed like that? It's so militant, not to mention extremely outdated. He looks like he's dressed to go to war in the 1800s. It gives such an authoritative presence that is really unnerving."
"Plah Pla Pla."
"I mean, he might be the old man I'm supposed to be looking for. He's clearly frustrated the way he's moving about, and no civilian should be anywhere this far deep in the forest. Even if he isn't the senior I'm supposed to find, I can't very well leave him out here, can I? No matter how much he creeps me out."
"Plah Plah Pla?"
Solana sighed. "It doesn't matter. I might as well. Besides, there's nowhere else to go from here but down there, unless we wanna backtrack and face those Pokémon again."
Begrudgingly, Solana carefully scaled her way down the cliff. After she landed on the ground, she tried to approach the older gentleman who was pacing about frantically.
"...Grumble...I come to this infernal place...The legendary Pokémon...Mutter...All Hastings's fault...Grumble...Get their comeuppance...just watch me...Mutter..."
"Excuse me? Sir?" She called out.
The older man flinched and glared at Solana bitterly.
"Ugwah! You startled me! You should know better than to sneak up on someone like that!"
Solana smiled nervously. "My apologies, sir. My name is Solana. I'm here to escort you out of the forest."
He eyed Solana up and down. "Hm...I see. You're the Ringtown Ranger I called for. It took you long enough to get here. Of course. I suppose I expect far too much of a Union Ranger."
"O…Kay," Solana uttered, unsure of how to respond.
He narrowed his eyes and leaned over Solana, looking at her intently. Solana's face scrunched up in disgusted confusion.
"Um, sir?"
"Let me get a closer look at your face...Hah! A mere child! The Union sent a pipsqueak for me! Classic, I say! Classic!" He laughed maniacally as he straightened back up, before he started pulling at his collar. "Ah, but, child, this is no fault of yours. For it is I, Gordor, who lost his bearings in this forest and called for help. Now, return me the courtesy of telling me your name."
Solana tried her best to hide her discontent as she forced a small smile on her face. "It's Solana, sir."
His left eyebrow rose slightly. "...I see. Solana, is it? Very well. Now, guide me out of this forest."
"Yes, sir." Solana started to walk ahead of him when he caught a whiff of her and covered his nose and mouth dramatically.
"Dear, Lord! What a God-awful odor that is emitting from you!"
"Oh, my apologies, sir. I was attacked by some of the Pokémon inhabiting this part of the forest. It's left me more than a bit disheveled."
"Well, aren't you going to do something about that pungent noisomeness? Or am I burdened to inhale that infernal stench the entire journey back?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but my priority is to get you out of here safely. I can attend to myself after I have completed my mission in returning you safely home."
Gordor straightened back up and recomposed himself, removing his hand from his face. "I see. Carry on then, I suppose."
Though appalled by his brash and forward behavior, Solana continued going forward. She quickly caught a Quilava that was roaming the area, seeming to slightly impress Gordor.
"Hm. Not too shabby. From what I understand, that device – Styler, was it? – is not something that just anyone can use. For a capture to succeed, the Ranger using the Styler must have "the spirit of justice," was it?"
"You know a bit about Pokémon Rangers, I see. Yes, the capturing devices we use are called stylers and they transmit our feelings of friendship and justice to the Pokémon we are capturing."
He smirked. "But – Solana, was it? – what exactly is "the spirit of justice"? Or, indeed, what is justice? Who is to say what is considered justice now will be the justice of tomorrow?"
Solana's forehead creased. "Well…"
"...Snicker...Perhaps that was too difficult for a child like you to grasp."
Solana's forehead creased even more. "Actually, Mr. Gordor, sir, justice is defined by moral rightfulness and lawfulness, so, in that sense, we are communicating to the Pokémon that our goals and what we are striving to achieve are well-meaning and for everyone's betterment."
"But who is to say what is truly just? Morality itself is a flawed concept as by that very definition, any action can be explained away as righteous or virtuous if one truly believes they are acting out for what they see is greater. Take account how our society deals with and defines crime. A man shooting another to defend his family is frowned upon, or even to avenge a loved ones death, but should an individual in power do the same, say a police officer, they are defended to the highest degree and held as pillars, simply because they bear a different title. Or if the region decides to execute the avenger. Now, does that seem truly just to you?"
Solana's forehead creased even more. "Well, I believe there is a difference between vigilantism and self-defense, just as there is a difference between police brutality or abusing one's own power because the system is in their favor, and shooting to apprehend a criminal or stop one from committing further acts of violence. I'm not gonna get into the politics of corporal punishment, but there are nuances and every situation is unique. I believe there is at least a baseline ethics we follow as humans that are present in every society. It's not as simple as the law defining what is just. Just because it's a law doesn't make it just. And just because someone believes their actions are justified, doesn't make them right either. But I think it all just comes down to compassion for our fellow human and Pokémon."
Gordor smiled broadly. "You are quite intelligent for a child, I must say."
"Um…Thank you?" Solana said questioningly as they came upon a large log that was blocking their path. A Murkrow was perched on top of it, pruning its feathers. When it noticed them, it spread its wings and started waving at them tauntingly.
Gordon raised an eyebrow. "That Murkrow...does it dare to mock me for losing my bearings in the forest?"
The Murkrow crowed mockingly as it continued to flap its wings.
A guttural growl rose from Gordor's throat and his face turned red as he walked tensely toward the dark bird Pokémon. Solana almost swore she saw steam rising from the older man's ears.
"Grrr...You Murkrow! How dare you heckle me! I won't take your insolence!"
He started aggressively stomping at the log with his right foot, startling both Solana and the Murkrow.
"What are you doing?!" Solana cried.
"You, you, you...Useless! Contrary! Meaningless! Crass! Bombastic! Buffoon of a Murkrow!"
Now nervous, the small dark/flying type shakily flew away.
"It appears that "crass" got to that insolent bird," He said as he haughtily brushed the nonexistent dirt from his uniform jacket.
"You could have hurt that Murkrow. Or yourself for that matter."
"Oh, please. The blasted thing is fine. That whole exchange has given me heartburn. Get me out of this confounded forest immediately!"
Shaking her head, Solana had the Quilava she captured earlier assist her in safely burning the log into wood ash that at the very least, opened up the pathway and disposed of it safely, while at the most, it would be safely used as a fertilizer to provide plant nutrients at forest.
Gordor was once again impressed. "Hoh! Many rangers I have see would merely just move that log out of the way or if they decide the burn it, not tender the surrounding area properly to allow the surrounding fauna to benefit from its burning, and they would, in fact, decay as a result of improper disposal and charring. Impressive. Perhaps your talents are somewhat wasted escorting this old man!"
"Well, I don't know what rangers you have come across we but this is pretty standard procedure. If there is any log or wood too big to move out of the way, proper protocol is for us to safely combust it through wood burning and turn it into wood ash. If we were not in a forest where the plant life could absorb its nutrients, then we would just collect it for composting, pottery, soapmaking, bioleaching, or in few instances for food preparation, though the latter is heavily moderated by Kalos."
"Of course, of course. You are quite knowledgeable for one so young."
"I don't think my age has anything to do with the amount of knowledge I can process, sir."
"Perhaps."
They continued walking northeast where they came across many more territorial aggressive Pokémon such as a horde of Beedrill Solana had to have Plusle defend themselves from by paralyzing the entire swarm. As they crossed an open field of Cyndaquil and entered a forked path, they found the same Murkrow from before. It taunted them again, spreading its wings wide as it cried before diving into the a sea of trees whose leafy branches were intertwined together.
"Is that the heckling Murkrow? Being called a buffoon must have stung!" Gordor gloated.
'I think you're the one with the hurt feelings right now,' Solana thought to herself.
Not seeing a clear difference in the paths, Solana decided to take the uppermost one. As they continued forward, after ten minutes of walking they came to another forked path that looked identical to the one they had just taken.
"Did we not pass this path earlier?" Gordor wondered aloud.
Solana observed her surroundings. The path was indeed forked like the one they had seen prior and there was a signpost there just like before as well. But she couldn't be a hundred percent certain either. The Labyrinth Grove was confusing and discombobulating. They could be going in a new direction or they could be going in circles. There wasn't a clear indication of either.
"Well, this part of the forest doesn't have any real landmarks or distinctions like the main part closer to town or that leads to the Krokka Tunnel. That's kind of why travel here is dangerous and why're there's someone always posted at the entrance to warn passerby not to come this way –"
"Solana, was it?" Gordor asked questioningly. "Surely, you're not suggesting that you've lost your way?"
"O-Of course not, sir!" She stammered. "It's just…I'm not as familiar with part of the forest so…it's taking me some time to figure out how to navigate a way out of it."
Gordor's brow furrowed as his eyes hardened. "Aren't you Rangers trained in this sort of thing? Do something useful!"
"Yes, sir. Rest assured. I will get you out of here safely. I promise."
Gordor crossed his arms and grumbled. "It figures. What did I expect when the Union has sent a child to aid me."
"Plah Plah!"
Plusle scurried up to Solana's left shoulder and gave her human a reassuring pat on the head.
"Thanks, Plusle."
"Plah!"
Solana took a breath and exhaled as she tried to calm and recenter herself. There had to be some order to this. If going up really did lead her back to where she came, then going down would surely lead her to a new pathway.
She glanced at Gordor and gestured for him to follow her.
"This way, sir."
He continued to grumble but he did as he was told. This time Solana, Gordor and Plusle took the lower path. As they walked further, they found many Nincada burrowing in the ground, creating many holes they had to avoid as they came across another forked path. Though an inconvenience, Solana took note that it was different. The signpost that was also in their initial path and the previous path was also not present here, which meant that her theory had to be correct. Using this reasoning, it was long shot, but Solana took the approach that the path itself was a looping cross section. By taking the same path in the same direction, you would find yourself back at where you began. But if you took the path that was diagonal, it intersected the loop and ultimately formed a new path of its own.
Applying this hypothesis, given they just took a southeast path, the intersecting new path to take would be northeast now, the upper path that had previously looped them back, only now it should advance them forward.
Avoiding the digging Nincada, Solana lead them through this path. They came across another forked path, again identical in layout except this one had a flock of Swellow flying about and nesting in the trees. Again, no signpost, and no Nincada from the prior path. They were moving in a different path. She didn't know if they were moving in the direction out of the forest or not, but at the very least, they were not moving in a continuous loop.
So now, Solana had her strategy. She understood at least this part of this maze of the forest. She guided them through the southeast path. This time after some progression, they didn't come across another forked path but a heavily smogged area with a sweet gum tree in the center. At the base of the tree was the Murkrow they had encountered before. It heckled them once more, spreading it's wings and taunting them, before encircling the tree and then flying to its nest above.
Gordor sneered. "That wretched Murkrow again? It bears a grudge badly. Though I detest it so, I must admit, that's impressive. But what is this dark haze? Why does it cling so? Get me out of this dank misery of a forest!"
"That is what I am trying to do, sir." Solana said, trying her best to hide the frustration she was feeling.
"Well, you aren't doing a very good job! We have been traveling for how long? And I am still lost wandering aimlessly in here with that blasted creature ridiculing me every chance it gets!" He stormed over to the tree and started stomping at its base.
"Wait, sir, please stop! There is not need to agitate that Pokémon! You're going to provoke it!"
"Wretched thing! It is loathed by many! It brings misfortune to all who see it at night! For all I know this thing is the reason I am lost in this infernal forest!"
With one final stomp, the Murkrow flew out of the tree and landed south of the glade. It flapped its wings and released a thick, black smoke from them, creating an even heavier, dense smog to fill the area.
"What the…? It dares impede us!" Gordor coughed.
'You provoked it, you idiot! What did you expect?!
"It's using its Haze." Solana commented.
Gordor turned his attention to Solana. "Well? What are you waiting for? There's your cue! Capture that irksome creature already!"
Solana gritted her teeth. She did not like this old man's attitude one bit. But she had no choice. As much as she didn't like him, he was a client and a civilian whom she was tasked with rescuing. All the Murkrow was doing was defending its territory, really. But for the moment, she would have to at the very least calm it down to clear the smoke so they could see to find their way out.
Solana tried many times to make a capture without relying on Plusle's electric attacks to paralyze or weaken it, but the Murkrow was swift and aggravated. It kept unleashing whirlwinds sometimes four at a time and constantly flapping its wings and using Haze to obscure her vision. Not only that, but four Spinark had found themselves on the field as well, getting in the way of her capture line loops and damaging her capture discs, and in turn, the styler in some capacity as well.
Reluctantly, she had Plusle help her with her capture, capturing and the Spinark first to get them out the way and then focusing on the Murkrow. But even with Plusle's help, the Murkrow was resilient. It shook off Plusle's attacks with speed and continued to unleash its Haze. So Solana had to time her capture accordingly. As soon as she had Plusle Thunder wave it just as it finished releasing its attack, she released her capture disc and was able to finally successfully capture the Murkrow.
The Murkrow fluttered to the ground weakly. Solana quickly walked over to it and took a Paralyze Heal and two Super Potions from her pack and started treating its injuries. As she worked on the Murkrow, the black smoke lifted from the glade, and the air was once again clear and crisp.
"That dark haze lifted upon your capturing that Murkrow..." Gordor observed as he looked towards the sky. "Was it creating that haze?"
"Murkrow! Murkrow!" It chirped cheerily, having been fully restored to heath.
"Feeling better?" Solana smiled at it.
Gordor glowered. "But it annoys me to no end to be toyed by such a wretch... Enough! Release that vile thing!"
Solana shot him an annoyed glance when she caught herself and sighed. She pressed the release button on her styler and a light aura outlined the four Spinark and Murkrow before disintegrating into tiny flickers. The four Spinark crawled away and the Murkrow flew off.
"How much of my time must you waste? Get me out of this forest once and for all!"
"Yes, sir," Solana said softly, trying her best to hide the irritation in her voice.
Looking south to where the Murkrow had landed before, it wasn't an actual path, but rather a small opening between bushes. With nowhere else to go, Solana indicated for them to go there.
"This way, sir."
Gordor turned up his nose. "You would have me crawl through brush like a mangy Pokémon? Come out smelling and looking like you?"
"Sir, please, just follow me. You don't need to crawl. You can walk."
Solana didn't wait for him to respond. She just went ahead and walked to where she said she was going to go. After about fifteen minutes of parting her way through the branches, she stumbled slightly into a clear area with low grass. Looking around she saw the small wooden shrine with the signpost she had remembered observing when she first entered the Labyrinth Grove. Solana's eyes sparkled and she smiled broadly. She did it! She actually managed to find her way out of this tangling enigma of forestry!
Her celebratory joy lasted but a moment when her eyes landed on an individual dressed in a red-striped white tracksuit. When he noticed her, he instantly seemed to get nervous. He looked about the area anxiously before hurrying away.
"Hey!" Solana irritatedly called.
"Hm, that was the Go-Rock Squad..." Solana heard Gordor say as he stepped out from behind her and brushed the leaves from his jacket. "I've heard they are roundly reviled and ridiculed as wrongdoers. However, how much of that reputation is fair or warranted?"
"Excuse me?" Solana questioned.
"Perhaps they are merely and grossly misunderstood? Why, they may be more useful than some worthless Ranger who can barely manage the simple task of a guide."
Gordor started laughing uncontrollably similarly to when first observed when she first saw him.
Solana could not tell if this man was being facetious or if he was just deranged.
Gordor started glancing about the area. "Ah, I see where we are. I can manage on my own from here. I should say that you were successful, for what it's worth. I enjoyed our time together, you Union Ranger. Fufufu... Fufufu... Fwahahahaha!"
He continued to laugh as he started walking away.
Solana blinked a few times, staring at him in quiet confusion before she realized she hadn't actually completed her mission. "Um, sir, wait. I'm supposed to escort you home."
"There is no need," he waved her off without looking back. "I am capable of making my way back to where I need to be. You may inform your superiors as such."
Solana continued to stare at him confused but she was not going to argue with him. If she was being honest with herself, this was one of her more unpleasant missions and she was actually completely exhausted by the end of it and in desperate need of a hot shower. Not to mention she had no idea how what time it was because she had been lost wandering the forest all night. It could have already been the next day for all she knew.
She closed her eyes and exhaled out loud sigh of relief that it was finally over.
"Was that old gentleman the one requested on the mission?" She heard a voice say close by.
"Murph?" She questioned as she saw her colleague walking slowly in her direction.
"Oh, hi, Solana." He greeted. "That's the senior you had to rescue from your mission?"
"Yeah, he is."
"Golly. He sure came across all high and mighty. That's some laugh for a man his age."
"Murph, what are you doing out here this late?"
"Oh, I just finished my mission too!" He said cheerily. "It sure was worthwhile doing it. Do you wanna hear about it?"
"Um, sure." She smiled weakly.
"It was so great! It was a big mission too! I don't usually get to do anything important, but this one was. I went with Aria into caves and other places to get on the trail of the Go-Rock Squad."
"Oh…really? That's…something."
'I really do not need to hear about Aria right now, Murph.'
"You know how Aria can be really moody? That really made the mission much harder."
'Oh, I bet. You don't need to tell me that. I know.'
"Anyway, I got to stand watch and make sure nobody disturbed Aria while we were on our very important mission. Isn't that awesome?"
"Wait. You mean to tell me, you went on a mission with Aria to investigate the Go-Rock Squad together, and she just had you stand outside the entire time while she went in and did all the sleuthing?"
"Yeah!" He said enthusiastically.
If Solana wasn't so tired, she would had such a sad sympathetic look on her face for Murph.
"But, you know, it's okay and all. I'm not much of a field ranger. That's why this was such a big deal, you know? I'm usually just at the base doing inventory and stuff or entertaining clients while everyone else is out on missions. So, to me, this was still, like really awesome!"
"That's great, Murph. I'm glad you at least enjoyed yourself," Solana yawned.
Murph frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm droning on and on and you've been out here all night on a mission of your own. Are you tired?"
"Maybe a little."
"Want me to walk you back home?"
"Are you sure that's okay?"
"Of course! Us rangers gotta look out for one another, you know? Plus, we're friends. And I know Lunick would want me to. With him bunking at Summerland overnight tonight, the least I can do is make sure his partner gets back home safely."
Solana smiled softly. "Thanks, Murph."
"Whoa, you got swallowed by a Weepinbell?! That's crazy!"
"It was one of the grossest, most unpleasant experiences I have ever been through in my life,"
Solana groaned as she pulled back the cotton bed sheet on her bed and sat down, wrapping her hair as she held the receiver to ear with her shoulder angled upwards holding it in place.
"You got any burns?"
"Nothing too serious, thankfully."
"You were lucky. The acid in that Pokémon's mouth is extremely corrosive."
"I know. This uniform is actually more protective than I realized. I'm so thankful for the leggings, especially." After pinning her hair, she tied a hair wrap around her head and then slipped underneath the sheets. Plusle hopped on top afterwards, snuggling up close to Solana and she in turn, petted her partner on the head. "Of course, it probably wasn't nearly as unpleasant as the erratic, borderline maniacal old man I was trapped with majority of the night."
"I mean, dealing with the elderly can be a toss up. Sometimes they can be jolly, kind, cookie-giving, joke-cracking sweethearts. And other times, they can be grouchy, grumpy, cynical buttholes."
"This man was definitely the latter and then some. Not only that, he has some serious anger issues. Especially towards Pokémon."
"Wait, he was violent with Pokémon?"
"Extremely! He's an instigator. He had like this untold grudge against Pokémon and he also just gets so angry so quickly. And he's also just a major jerk. He also seems to have some questionable ideologies and moral ambiguity. He was even trying to defend the Go-Rock Squad, phrasing it as if they were a bunch of misunderstood delinquents. Can you believe that?"
"That is a bit weird. I don't think the public knows about the Go-Rock Squad, yet. To my knowledge at least, the Union's been keeping it under wraps and none of the Area Leaders nor the Professor have talked about making any statements to the public about it. Nothing in the media seems to indicate word has gotten out about them."
"So you agree that he's shady?"
"Just because it's not widespread, doesn't mean it's not possible for a few folks to know something. The Go-Rock Squad, as incompetent as they seem, aren't inconspicuous. They wear noticeable easily identifiable uniforms. They cause actual disturbances that disrupt daily living for people. We haven't heard anything yet, but it's still possible for a few people to know something about them."
"Even if that's the case, how do you explain him siding with them? Or supporting whatever it is they're doing? You should have heard him try to redefine what constitutes as justice. He's crazy!"
"But he hasn't committed any crimes or anything, so, like, it's not really our place to question someone's personal beliefs."
"Lunick, I'm telling you, this man is giving off some major bad vibes."
"Solana, I get he may be a little eccentric –"
"Try unhinged."
"Whatever he is, whatever his views, if they're not a threat to Pokémon, to the citizens, or to this region, it's not really our concern. Let him go about his business. You did your job, you completed your mission. There's no need to think about him or dwell on your experience with him any longer."
Solana sighed. "I guess so. What about your mission?"
"No dice. By the time I got Asuka back to her father, I got caught up in another sidequest, then sidetracked to the point where my mission had to be tacked on for first thing tomorrow morning."
"I guess that kind of thing happens."
"It does but we try not to let it happen very often. And it usually doesn't, but today it couldn't be helped. It is what it is though. Anyway, it's super late and we both gotta get up bright and early tomorrow. I know you're wrecked so I'm gonna let you go."
"Oh, ouch. Gee, thanks there, Lunick."
"Hey, you're the one who went on about how much you reeked after that mission and how drained you are."
"I am…Drained, by the way. Not the reekage thing."
"Yeah, okay."
Solana smiled softly. "And Lunick?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for your help today. You know, I really could not have completed that mission without your help. Your forewarning about the Labyrinth Grove and what to lookout for. It really helped get me through when I was really stressed. You know, I just kept thinking about you and what you said and your voice…Thanks so much for that."
"…Of course, Solana. I'll always be here for you. I'll always have your back, no matter what. You don't ever have to worry about that. Ever."
Solana's smile widened ever so slightly as she felt a warm feeling inside her.
"Have a good night, Solana. Sweet dreams."
"Good night, Lunick."
Even after the click! of the line disconnecting, Solana held the phone to her chest for a moment longer, just letting herself think on the soothing sound of Lunick's voice and the comfort it provided her before she finally put the cordless phone back on it's receiver.
She slowly laid back down and rested her head on her pillows. As she pulled the sheet back over her, her eyes gazed upon the luminous full moon shining in through her window. She smiled once more and closed her eyes as she thought of one Prussian blue-haired boy who more and more was gaining more of her affection.
A/N: Hopefully, the updates will come more regularly. Thank you so much for being so patient with me and bearing with me. Along with We've Come This Far, and finishing up the honeymoon Rangershipping Oneshot, Vaca for Two, I will also be resuming working on my Pokémon Colosseum origin story, The Story of a True Hero, which I haven't updated in 14 years! (~_~') I am so ashamed! My God! But I will get back to it in the coming weeks/months (~_~').
Anyway, next updates should be coming more regularly now. Thank you so very much again for your support on my stories. They mean so very very much and I cherish all of you guys so much!
Always Do Everything With Love
XyKPfan