Solana had officially been in Fiore six months. It had been three months since they last heard anything about the Go-Rock Squad. Even though she didn't want to, she was resigned to accept for the moment that that lost senior citizen may have been so eccentric because he was, in fact, scared and disoriented in a dark forbidding forest, even if he did have questionable morality and very clear anger issues. Never mind how well she did to put up with his ungrateful and abrasive attitude. She was still commended on an excellent escort mission and certified to Rank 7, allowing her to add one more friend Pokémon to her party on missions for a total of six and uncapping the next segment on the Partner Pokémon gauge, allowing Plusle to access more of her raw power. Solana never heard or saw that old man again after that night, which was fine by her.
She had spent her off-days hanging out with either Leilani or Lunick. And quite frankly, she enjoyed spending time with both of them. Leilani was an absolute blast to be around. Her laidback demeanor and sassy confident attitude was refreshing and something she was not used to seeing. She wasn't rude or disrespectful but she also wasn't afraid to speak what was on her mind. She was candid with grace and Solana appreciated that. Plus, she really needed a girlfriend to talk to.
Then there was Lunick. A real enigma he was. Every time she thought she had him figured out, he presented another side of him she didn't know existed. He was a goofball but was responsible. He was naive but had moments of wisdom. He gorged on fried foods almost daily but he was also a slammin' cook. He could be incredibly immature but also really mellowed and grown. It was jarring at times. How could one person have so many different sides to them? Sure, people are multifaceted, but they aren't usually contradictory. But there was just something about him that was really…endearing. Just the fact that he was unabashedly himself and didn't seem to care what judgments or perceived notions people may have about him was something difficult for Solana to fully comprehend. She envied that. She cared too much what others thought of her. She was a perfectionist about everything she did. Even Leilani, with her easygoing nature confessed to times of anxiety and worry of other's perceptions of her, most notably her partner Percy and her parents. But not Lunick. He was confident about who he was and his 'don't give a damn what you think of me, I'm gonna continue to groove to my own beat' energy was intoxicating and alluring even for her. She wished she could be as carefree as that.
Solana stayed playing with the straw in her iced coffee at one of the desks in the Ringtown lobby. She hadn't been assigned a mission for the day yet. Even though news had died down about the Go-Rock Squad, many rangers were still on alert trying to track them down. So long as they still had the Professor's blueprints for the Super Styler, they were a perceived threat, so many rangers across Fiore were still investigating – many rangers that weren't her. Despite reaching Rank 7, almost as high as Lunick's rank, she still was not added to the team of rangers on the Go-Rock Squad case. And Solana couldn't figure it. Did they still feel she was too inexperienced? Did they need her to have a partner? Was it because she was partly responsible for the Professor's research being stolen and this was some kind of disciplinary action being taken against her? Okay, the last one may have been her guilt getting the best of her but it felt like she was being punished in some way. Why wasn't she getting assigned any casework dealing with the Go-Rock Squad? She was the only Ranger to have personally dealt with them numerous times. Surely, she had shown she was capable have handling any missions involving them by now…Right?
As Solana continued her musings, Murph entered the lobby from the kitchenette carrying a plate with a small bowl of steamed rice and nattō and a cup of green tea. His Slopoke followed behind him.
"Good morning, Solana," he greeted cheerily.
"Good morning, Murph." She sighed, straightening her posture so not to appear so downcast.
"Is everything all right?" He asked, taking a seat across from her.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, you just looked like you were lost in thought or thinking really intensely about something."
"Was it that obvious?"
"Kinda, yeah. Though, I do see people more often coming through the base with varying degrees of worry etched in their features, so I've become really good at reading folk's emotions," he said as he picked up his chopsticks and started eating his breakfast.
"What do you mean?"
Murph swallowed what he had in his mouth before answering. "Well, I guess it's kinda like what Lunick said. As rangers, we gotta be able to deescalate situations and assure folks that everything is going to be okay and that they're safe and they're Pokémon's safe and they don't have to worry and all that. So if you're good at discerning what a client is feeling, you might be able to better connect with them and navigate through what to say to calm them down. I don't go out there in the field very much, because of my weak-heart and all – not literally! Figuratively speaking, you know? I get scared easily. So, I'm often times just here at the base – cracking joke to folks, trying to cheer them up, ease their nerves, let them know you and everyone else is doing everything they can on missions to make sure everything will be okay."
Solana smiled faintly. "That's really nice, Murph. That's a good thing that you do."
"Well, I mean, it's not as big and important as the work you guys do in the field but I try in any way I can to alleviate everyone's stress."
"And that's why it's important. We can't do that when we're away from the base. You being here reassuring everyone and giving them a sense of security and safety helps make everything run smoothly and does exactly what you said we are supposed to be doing as rangers. You are contributing in a major way."
Murph put his bent index finger to his chin in thought, still holding his chopsticks. "I guess I never thought of it that way. Thanks, Solana."
Solana nodded when her styler started vibrating. She took it off its holder and read the message.
To: Solana
From: Cameron
Hey, Solana. Thank you again for helping us recover Politoed all those months ago. If you're not on any important mission right now, can you come out to Summerland's Ranger Base? I've got something really special for you.
Solana's face lit up. "Finally, something!"
"You got assigned a mission?"
"No, not exactly. Cameron's just calling me to show me something in Summerland, but at least it's some activity."
"Oh, you're going to Summerland? Can you say hi to Leilani for me? We haven't seen each other in a while and I know she's been wanting to catch up."
"Yeah, of course. See you later, Murph," she waved as she and Plusle started for the base's double doors.
"Actually, Solana," Spenser called from his station behind the counter.
"L-Leader!" Solana had actually forgotten he was there, he was so quiet typing away at his computer.
Spenser stood up from behind his desktop. "This might actually be a good opportunity for you."
"Really?"
"Solana, since you've gone up in rank, I'm going to authorize use of the Dragonite Bus for you."
"O-Oh. Really?"
"I think you're ready. Come with me, Solana," he said as he started for the base's elevator.
"Y-Yes, Leader."
"Oh, that is so cool, Solana. You get to ride the Dragonite Bus already!" Murph exclaimed.
"Well, I mean, it has been six months, right?"
"Six months is extremely fast to reach Rank 7! There are 10 Ranks for freshman students. Ranger classes are Rookie, Advanced, Top, Ace, and Elite. You're like already at the Advanced level and you just started this year. That's insane! Nobody's ever climbed their ranks that high that fast. I've been a ranger three years and I'm still only at Rank 3. I guess that's where natural talent will get yah."
"Oh, Murph, stop it, please," Solana blushed sheepishly. She was embarrassed about the praise but she also wanted to stop to trail of self-deprecation she felt he was about to go without even realizing it.
"I'm serious. I don't think anyone's ranked up at the speed you have. Except maybe Lunick."
"Lunick?"
"Yeah. Boy, lemme tell you. He came here blazing like a forest fire and whirling like a tornado last year. He's an amazing ranger. Reached Rank 9 in less than a year."
"You don't say?" Solana crossed her arms. "So Lunick is both my partner and my rival."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Solana. I wasn't saying all that to make you feel bad or anything. You're amazing too. That was the whole point I was trying to make."
"You're fine, Murph. It's good info to know. Friendly competition never hurt anybody. I would love to reach Rank 10 before he does and see the look on his cheeky face. Mister thinks-he-knows-everything-about-me-but-he-doesn't."
"Solana," Spenser called from the elevator.
"Coming," she waved to Murph. "I'll see you later, okay, Murph?"
"Okay. Good luck on whatever it is you're going over there to see, Solana." He waved back before going back to munch on his breakfast.
Solana hurried in the elevator beside Spenser. He was such a towering figure. Even just standing beside him was nerve-wracking.
When the elevator doors parted and they stepped onto the highest floor, the room almost seemed even more expansive than the ground level. There was another though smaller wraparound C-shaped counter that stretched along the back of the room. A compact control panel with multiple channels was behind the counter and a large monitor mounted on the wall behind it, similar in setup to the one downstairs in the lobby, including the desktop computer on the right side of the counter as well. There was also a platform that seemed to look like some kind of launchpad in the center of the room as well as a shuttered retractable ceiling. In the center of the room was the pseudo-Legendary dragon/flying-type Dragonite.
As Solana walked onto the floor, she passed a pair of Rangers situated near the elevators. The magenta-haired female Ranger spoke first.
"You're that new girl, Solana, right? I don't think we've gotten the chance to meet one another yet."
"Yes, I'm Solana."
"I'm Lindsey. I'm Lunick's former partner. I had worked with him before you join the team."
"Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you."
"You must be hot stuff to be paired with Lunick. But here's some advice from an older Ranger. If your styler runs out of energy, it can't make captures anymore. That means you won't be able to do your job as a Ranger. To avoid the heartbreak of that sad situation, remember to save your record of your progress often. Charge your styler constantly. I hope you'll remember what I've said."
"Uh, yeah…Thanks, Lindsey," Solana tried to say graciously. She really did not appreciate the patronizing comments from her but as she didn't actually know her, she didn't want to assume she was ill-intentioned and belittling her as Aria did.
The ranger beside her then spoke up. "Rookie Ranger, I have a question for you. What do you do if your styler is about to run out of energy during a capture?"
"I can charge it with the help of an electric Pokémon," she asserted simply.
"Aha, you can. But what if you don't have one?"
"My Partner Pokémon is an electric type Pokémon."
"But that's not her field assist, right? So her electric attacks would not charge your styler, they would actually fry it. So if your styler's lower on energy and you have no Pokémon that can appropriately and safely recharge it, the answer is not to stick it out, but to run away. Assessing the situation and fleeing if necessary is a perfectly acceptable strategy. I would think Lunick or Leader would have taught you that already."
"I know, right?" Sided Lindsey.
Solana shook her head and continued walking ahead. Obviously, if the situation were dire enough, she would run away. But that's not what he asked. He didn't give any established conditions in which she would need to run away to preserve the styler and safely escape a threat. He only asked what she would do if it was low on energy, so charging it wasn't even an incorrect answer in her opinion. Even after half a year and moving up 3/4 of her ranks, she was still being looked down upon as a green rookie who didn't know anything and it seriously was getting old and irking her nearly to the max.
Solana joined Spenser on the platform where the Dragonite and another man with black hair wearing a headset, yellow shirt, and mint green joggers were standing.
"Solana, this is Doryu. He is Ringtown's Chief Operator who is also our Dragonite's Tamer. He understands the ways of dragon Pokémon in a very specialized and unique way, almost as deeply as Draconids being a descendant of the ancient tribe."
"Oh, Spenser, there's really no need for all that. I am simply a man who loves dragon-type Pokémon," he turned to face Solana. "It is nice to formally meet you, Solana. I've heard many good things about you. And I've also heard the good news from Spenser that you've advanced enough to ride Dragonite as a means to traverse the region now. Is that so?"
"That is what I have been told, yes."
"Splendid. Good going."
"So I can use it to get to Summerland?"
"But, of course. Hop right on and hang on!…Is what I'd like to tell you. But things are never as simple as that. You've been a Ranger for a while now, Solana. You should know how we operate by now. You can ride Dragonite only if and when Dragone accepts you as a genuine Ranger and comrade. And how exactly do you get Dragonite to accept you?"
"Through capture," Solana answered easily, mindful not the release the sigh she felt coming up her throat.
"Right. Capture it and get your feelings of friendship across to Dragonite."
"Solana," Spenser began. "Do you remember what you wrote in your seven letters to me when you were applying to become a ranger?"
"Um…Not entirely, Leader. I did write a lot."
Spenser reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and held it out in front of his face and Solana gasped nervously.
"This is what you wrote in one of them:
Pokémon aren't just tools. Pokémon aren't just vehicles. They are sentient beings just as humans are. They have emotions. They have memories. They can experience pain. They can experience love. Yes, Pokémon have fantastic power, but they are also fantastic creatures. And just like humans, they deserve and need to be protected. People and Pokémon can share their feelings and benefit together from it. It's not a one-way street. We can coexist harmoniously. And we can thrive simultaneously. By sharing our abilities, even people can fly and Pokémon can be made happier. Anything is possible when love and friendship is shared between beings.
"I read that section of your letter over and over. I've highlighted it and memorized it," he said as he carefully refolded the letter and placed it back in his right jacket pocket.
Solana was stunned. He face flushed pink with warmth as she was overwhelmed with embarrassment. She was too flustered to feel honored by Spenser's praises.
"Well, Solana?"
"Huh?" She blinked, trying to slow down her racing thoughts and bring herself back to reality.
"Here's your chance to once again prove those lofty words to be sincere. Let's go outside for your match against Dragonite."
"O-Okay."
As Solana stepped off the platform, the platform separated and opened up into vents, and overhead shutters receded, opening the ceiling completely. The Dragonite flapped its wings and shot out of the upper floor, causing a strong gust of wind to blow back into the room as the ceilings quickly closed back once it exited and the vents of the platform closed shut once more.
"Whoa," Solana uttered as the swirling winds died down. One flap of its wings was enough to create such a strong blast of wind.
"It isn't a pseudo-legendary for nothing," Spenser said plainly, noticing her awestruck expression. "Shall we, Solana?"
"Y-Yes, Leader."
She followed him back down the elevator and outside to the front of the base onto the grassy field where Doryu and the Dragonite were already waiting for them. With an affirming nod from Spenser, she walked onto the field in front of the Dragonite with Plusle and Doryu joined Spenser on the side.
"All right, Solana, you all ready now?" Asked Doryu.
"Yes, sir."
"Put all your feelings of friendship into this capture, Solana," Spenser advised as Doryu signaled for the match the commence.
Immediately, the Dragonite sprung into the air and flapped its wings, creating three powerful tornados of wind that encircled Solana. She covered her face with her arms as the powerful gusts pushed her in all directions on the field, with Plusle digging all four of her paws into the ground as much as she could to secure herself as well. Straining the see through the forceful winds, Solana could make out the Dragonite zipping through the sky in a yellow blur, continuing to release powerful gusts from its wings, unrelenting in its attacks.
This was just another test. She knew she wasn't in any actual danger, but they definitely weren't holding back in evaluating her readiness.
If she was going to capture this Dragonite, she was going to need to get through the mighty windstorm it was causing with its wings and maneuver around the cyclones on the field, which were increasing in number every time it stopped zooming around to release the tornadoes.
That was noteworthy. It released the spiraling winds in sets of three and paused to do so every so often. When it wasn't unleashing its wind attacks, it was speedily and erratically flying about. It didn't make any sense to try to capture it while it was rapidly zigzagging through the sky. Plusle's electric attacks would only be normal effective, but it may give her enough of a window to stun it for enough time to make a capture before the effects wore off. But she would have to move fast.
First things first, before she could think of paralyzing it, she had to contend with the powerful winds. Her visibility was no good and she was rendered practically immobile so long as she was trapped within the rotating winds. If she was going to stand any chance of winning this, she was going to have to take control of this battle. And she already had an idea how.
"Plusle, hold onto me!"
"Plah Pla!" The little electric Pokémon cried as she hopped onto Solana's leg and scurried up to her right shoulder, digging her nails into her uniform and gripping onto her tightly.
Exhaling slowly, Solana bent down into a 4-point start crouching position, resting her left knee on the ground on level with her front right foot. But she still
felt immobilized by the strong winds.
"It's no good. I can't run through this!"
Plusle glanced about the field. Her eyes hardened slightly as looked back to her Ranger and pointed to the side.
"Plah Plah! Pla Plah Plah!"
Solana nodded her ahead. "Okay. Go for it, girl!"
"Plah!"
Plusle hopped onto the field and as soon as her paws touched the ground, she began running at fast speeds across the field, disappearing and reappearing until she was moving at a high enough velocity that a white trail of energy was streaked her. Blue and yellow sparks of electricity flickered off her cheeks as she neared Solana.
Solana then transitioned into a set position, raising her hips slightly higher than her shoulders, creating a 90 degree angle bend at the front of her knees and 120 at the rear, and aligning her head and neck with her spine as she readied herself to sprint.
Plusle bowed her head just before she touched Solana, headbutting her at her waist. As soon as she made contact, Solana was propelled forward, the momentum of Plusle's Quick Attack allowing her to preload her muscles and channel the force generated from it to make her first strides. In a normal sprint, she would have five to ten seconds to build power, but because of Dragonite's forceful winds, she had to combat that speed and utilize her strength much more tactfully to compensate for having reduced time to gain that power. With the boost from Plusle's Quick Attack, Solana sprinted straight for one of Dragonite's tornadoes and dove into the vortex.
She somersaulted as she entered but rolled onto her belly having been disoriented from the force of the gusty winds. She moaned as she lifted her head.
"You okay, Plusle?" She asked her Partner Pokémon.
"Plah Plah!"
As Solana looked around, she saw the winds sailing all around her. Feeling a little more relaxed that she had made it into the eye of the storm, she sighed in relief. One obstacle down. Now that she was in the calmest part of the storm where there was no wind to blow her back or obscure her vision, she could focus on coming up with a strategy to capture the Dragonite.
Dragonite eyed the tornado he just saw the human child and the much smaller Pokémon dive into as he zipped through the sky. He saw the currents of the spinning winds suddenly change directions. He hovered above swirling vortex and prepared to unleash another Hurricane.
Before he could unleash the powerful rotating gusts, many bolts of blue electricity struck Dragonite and he cried out in pain.
"Now!" Solana vaulted to the side and released her capture disc, looping it around the momentarily paralyzed Dragonite. Her plan worked. By utilizing Plusle's speed once more to counteract the windstorm, she was able to not only change the flow of the vortex they were in but draw the other spiraling winds towards her as well, effectively creating high crosswinds that would redirect the currents to flow perpendicular to the direction Plusle was traveling. She only needed to wait for Dragonite to stop and position itself where the successive return strokes displaced from the wind, which resulted in the broadened and magnified ribbon lightning. She would only have a short window to make her capture. It wasn't until she saw the Dragonite enveloped in a globe of yellow energy and felt the various strong winds finally dying down around her that she allowed herself to exhale an exhausted sigh of relief and collapsed on her knees to the ground. She barely heard her styler register Dragonite's information as her Area Leader, the base's Chief Operator, and Plusle joined her where she was kneeling.
"That capture was quite the show," said Doryu as Dragonite flew down beside them.
"I don't believe I've ever quite seen anything like that," added Spenser. "Quite unorthodox but not necessarily wrong. Very impressive, Solana. You continue to surprise me everyday."
"Thank you, Leader," Solana breathed.
"It sort of reminded me of your capture style, Spenser," commented Doryu.
"Did it now? How so?"
"Unconventional but efficient."
"I think you have me confused with my student, Lunick, there."
"The boy does emulate you though, Spenser, does he not?"
"I'd have to disagree. He admires me, sure, but Lunick has a flow and style that is all his own. But back to you, Solana, perhaps we should be asking Dragonite here how it felt you did."
Doryu patted Dragonite on its neck. "What do you think, Dragonite? Do you accept Solana as a genuine Ranger and comrade?"
Dragonite stepped over to Solana. He cried cheerily as he raised his arms above his head before picking up Solana and enveloping in a nearly bone-crushing hug.
"It seems to me Solana's feelings got across to Dragonite just fine," Doryu smiled.
"That's…fantastic…" Solana squeaked just before Dragonite released her and placed her back on the ground. She wobbled for a bit before regaining her composure.
"Congratulations, Solana. You can now ride Dragonite anytime you need to for missions," commended Spenser. "Whether it's traveling between bases or to a specific site for missions, you can use Dragonite to travel there. Of course, there are still places that may be better to traverse on foot. But if you need to get there quickly, such as in rescue missions, or need to save time, Dragonite can fly you there quickly."
"Yes, Leader. Understood," Solana said as she mounted herself on Dragonite's back. Plusle hopped in front of her, nestling herself between the bottom of his neck and Solana's lap.
"Say hi to Cameron for me when you get to Summerland. I know how excited he is to show you what he's discovered."
"You know what he's going to show me, Leader?"
Spenser's smiled widened slightly, "Oh, well, you'll see when you get there. Far be it from me to ruin the surprise."
"Okay, then," Solana petted Dragonite gently on his neck. "Okay, Dragonite. Let's ride."
Crying out, Dragonite flapped his wings and instantly shot into the air.
Solana shrieked as she held on tightly to Dragonite's neck. It wasn't until Plusle patted her on her wrist that she reopened her eyes and took into the sights before her.
For the first time, she was getting an aerial view of the region. And it was absolutely breathtaking! Viewing the landscape from that perspective highlighted features that you couldn't see from the ground. The incredible detail at an unimaginable scale of the forest, the city, the sea – it was all so invigorating. She could only imagine how beautiful the region looked from that vantage point at night –the glows of the city lights creating interwoven streams and clusters of luminousity, the cool tones of night decorating the sky, seeing see the exact point where the sun kissed the earth – it all just made her spirit sing.
She watched the teal ocean waves crash against the coast of Summerland's vast island, the white froth dazzling in the sunlight. She was so enamored she hadn't even realized she was in Summerland until Dragonite descended in front of Summerland's Ranger Base where Percy and Leilani were outside waiting for her on the boardwalk. She was saddened her ride was already over but she really wasn't there to sightsee anyway, though she made a mental note to make that a definite to-do when she had the time.
As soon as her feet touch the wood, she felt herself enveloped in a tight embrace as Leilani rushed over to her.
"You're back! It's so good to see you, girl!"
"It's great to see you too, Leil," Solana breathed.
"Goodness, Leilani, you're gonna crush the girl," remarked Percy.
Ignoring him, Leilani stepped back from her girlfriend a bit, still holding her lightly by the shoulders. "I've missed you."
"You saw me like two days ago."
"And in the intervening day, I missed you."
"Plah Plah!" Plusle cried as she hopped from Dragonite's back into Leilani's arms.
"And you too, little Plusle, you sweet little dear,"
She cooed as she petted the electric mouse's belly.
"Plah Plah!"
Dragonite gave a cheerful cry before flapping his wings and taking off into the sky, heading back towards the Ringtown Ranger Base.
"I see you're taking the Dragonite Bus now," commented Percy as he watched it fly away.
"Yeah, I've finally been cleared to ride it for travel."
"Good on you. You've really come a long way. What brings you to Summerland?"
"Your Leader called me. Said he had something he wanted to show me."
Percy's eyes stretched slightly. "Oh, yeah, that's right! I'll go fetch him. Just sit tight," he said before walking into the Ranger base with his Politoed.
That was when Solana noticed Leilani shaking her head almost knowingly.
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, nothing," Leilani replied innocently.
Before Solana could press her more, Cameron exited the Summerland Ranger Base.
"Solana! Welcome, welcome!"
"Hello, Leader."
"Yes. It occurred to me that we never quite thanked you for your rescue of Percy's Politoed a few months back when those Go-Rock Squad fellows were skulking around."
"But you all did. Numerous times, in fact."
"With our words. But here in Summerland, we are a gift-giving, acts of service kind of community. That's how we show our gratitude and appreciation. So there's something I want you to have. I have it here inside when you are ready."
He walked back inside the base. As Solana started to follow behind him, she could see Leilani once again shaking her head and doing her best to stifle a laugh.
"What is up, Leil?"
"It's nothing, really. It's just…Our Leader has an odd compulsion to give weird gifts that no one wants. He doesn't mean any harm by it, which actually makes it worse."
"Don't you think you're being a little harsh here? I mean, a gift is a gift, right? You just said he's well-intentioned by it. He's not obligated to get me anything, quite frankly, but he's choosing to."
"Poor, Solana," Leilani continued to shake her head. "Still naive, green, and unwise to the ways of Cameron Wake. It's not your fault. How it must feel to be that innocent once again."
"Leilani."
"You'll see what I mean when you go inside," She perked up, patting her girlfriend on the back as Plusle hopped back over onto her ranger's shoulder.
They entered the Ranger Base together and Solana's eyes immediately landed on the big, clunky, rusty piece of metal lying in the middle of the base's lobby.
"Ain't she a beaut?" Cameron boasted as he walked over to the hunking piece of hemisphere. "I found it in the Safra Sea. You can have it. It's a gift from me to you."
"Um…Wow, Leader Cameron, gee…I…have no idea what to say…" Solana uttered uncertainly. "What exactly is it? If you don't mind me asking?"
"I can answer that," said a man dressed in blue scrubs. "My name is Arnold. I am a mechanic that works here at the base. I helped Cameron lug that thing in here. It appears to be an underwater vehicle. A submersible. From the wear and rot on it, it appears to have been made a good number of years ago. Judging by its design and the construction, I would say it was what was known as an Aquamole, a submersible used primarily for deep sea diving. But the way it is now…It's nothing but a big pile of junk as anyone with eyes can clearly see."
"Now, hold on!" Cameron interjected. "Junk? You dare call this marvelous piece of work junk? I object to that!"
"Cameron, please, sir. You must listen to reason. This submersible is obsolete and no good to anyone now. How do you expect Solana to even make use of it? It's preposterous. Now if I had the right parts, I might possibly be able to fix it, but as it stands, that is just a fanciful thought."
"Hubugah! You have no appreciation of beauty! Look at it! It's a fabulous piece of art! I feel dreamy at the sight of it! Junk?! No, no, no, Arnold! It is not junk!"
Solana felt nervous. This whole scene was just awkward and unpleasant. She didn't want to touch the smelly disgusting rusted metal much less accept it as a gift. How would she even carry it? Why would she even carry it? She could hear Leilani giggling beside her and could see Percy shaking his head next to his Area Leader. Arnold and Leilani were both right. It was junk and nobody would want this.
"What's going on in here?"
Solana turned around to see that Lunick and Minun had entered the Summerland Ranger Base.
"Lunick?"
"Oh, hi, Solana. I didn't know you were over here. Ranking up steadily?"
"Don't you worry about my progress. I'll pass you soon enough."
"That's the spirit. It's great to be ambitious. Just remember what happens when you fly too close to the sun," he said cheekily.
"Excuse you."
"Oh, you're excused," he replied quickly, stepping up beside her to her left. "But seriously, what's going on in here?"
"Don't…don't ask."
"But I wanna know?"
"You really don't."
"Okay," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Leader Cameron, I came across an ancient building deep in the jungle while I was on my mission. I don't recall ever seeing it before. Then again, I'd never ventured that far into the jungle to see it."
"Was it up a steep cliff where you had to climb up a bunch of vines with a bunch of territorial Gligar trying to attack you and make you fall and passed a bunch of ancient tablets and monuments?" inquired Solana, causing her partner to raise a questioning eyebrow at her.
"You've…been?"
"I've been."
"That's the Jungle Relic," Cameron finally answered. "It's usually unsanctioned to civilians. There's a legend about it named the Four Challenges. Rangers in Fiore over the years have gone there to see how they do in those challenges. It's sort of a rite of passage for some students."
"I've never heard of this before," said Lunick.
"Well, really, typically the senior students are the ones who take on the Jungle Relic's challenges. You all aren't yet at the class level where this would be covered. But if you're itching to give it a go, I won't stop you. Just be careful. Under no circumstances are you to complete the fourth and final challenge. A great calamity will befall the land if you do, according to legend."
"Well, that's not ominous at all," Solana muttered sarcastically.
"When they were younger, Spenser and Joel took the on the challenges to see how they measured up."
"Really? How'd they do?" Asked Lunick.
"Oh, Spenser won, no question. He mopped the floor with Joel. He was a force of nature even back then."
Lunick smiled broadly. "That's my Leader."
"You didn't partake in the challenge, Leader?" Asked Leilani.
"Me? Oh, heavens, no! I make a point of not going anywhere that's even remotely creepy. Besides, between Spenser and Joel, I doubt I would've even stood a chance. But if you've got the time, you kids might fancy going for a visit. If not even to take the challenges, to learn a bit about its history."
"Whaddayah say, Solana? Wanna go test our skills?"
"Sure. I have plenty of time to show you up."
"Oh, just like the ancient kings of legend, that hubris of yours will be your downfall. But if you want this smoke, I will bring it."
"That's fine by me because I'm about to unleash a torrential downpour on your fire."
"Oh, that competitive energy between you two is almost romantic," Leilani teased, which was enough to lower both their guards.
"Romantic?" Questioned Lunick.
"Leil, what are you on about?" Solana asked, clearly perplexed.
"Oh, don't mind me. Please, keep the heat going. I'm enjoying watching your theatrics."
Cameron cleared his throat. "If you're going to tackle the challenges of the Jungle Relic, I'd better tell you how to get inside. You both already know where the entrance is. Inside is an ancient stone statue. There will be a hidden switch on the statue, unlocked by entering a very specific code in a very specific way. Once you've decoded the key, a set of stairs will be expose that lead down to the Jungle Relic. Be careful in there. Just remember don't clear all the challenges. Call it quits if you manage to clear three and then just come back. Just obey that rule and you'll be fine."
"Understood, Leader! We're off!" Lunick saluted with two fingers before about-facing and exiting the base. Solana rolled her eyes before joining him and their Partner Pokémon followed behind them.
"I wonder what challenges we're going to be up against?" Lunick asked eagerly, clenching his fists in excitement as they walked through the Olive Jungle.
"Well, it's a challenge for Pokémon Rangers. So no doubt it's going to involve using our stylers to make some sort of capture."
"Yeah, no duh, captain obvious," Lunick responded, a little less enthused and energized.
"You know, you don't have to be so rude all the time."
"Well, you don't have to be so methodical all the time. Not everything is a test."
"We are literally going to take on trials. They are literally called the Four Challenges."
"You know what I mean. You don't have to be so serious all the time. Yeah, we're doing missions and rescues and all, but we're also heavily involved with nature and the environment and so many Pokémon. Like loosen up some, will you? Have some fun."
"I am having fun. When you are not heckling me."
Lunick sighed irritably. "You are so uptight and overcontrolled, it's ridiculous."
"I am not!"
A loud, harsh, and hoarse sound vibrated through the area, causing the two bickering rangers to momentarily lose focus as they tried to steady their balance from the slight tremor caused by the grating sound.
"What the heck was that?" Asked Solana as she regained her footing.
"Most likely that slumbering Snorlax on the road past the bridge."
"I hope people aren't stuck trying to get around it," Said Solana. "I was trying to move it a while ago but some entitled explorer stopped me."
"Plah Plah?"
"Mai?" The two electric mice Pokémon scurried to the the entrance of the bridge, looking ahead to where the large sleeping bear-like Pokémon lay.
"If someone files a complaint about it, we can maybe see about doing something about the Snorlax. But we otherwise shouldn't disturb it," Lunick retorted. "We're supposed to keep things maintained in their natural state for the most part. Unless there's an issue, we shouldn't disturb the environment."
"But the Snorlax is blocking a major travel route here. Isn't that considered an environmental disturbance that should be addressed?" Solana argued.
Nodding to each other, Plusle and Minun started running towards the slumbering Pokémon.
"The Snorlax isn't threatening anyone. It isn't disturbing the peace of any traveler, citizen, or Pokémon that inhabit here. We haven't gotten any complaints or requests so far. So no, this wouldn't be considered an environmental issue or disturbance. It is at most an inconvenience, which is not a criteria for us to get involved."
"I guess that makes sense," Solana started looking around their surrounding area. "Hey, where are Plusle and Minun?"
Lunick also started looking about at her mention of them, noticing that they weren't at their feet or anywhere near them. The two of them continued to survey the area when they heard their cries across the bridge. Walking forward, they saw their Partner Pokémon jumping and bouncing up and down on the sleeping Snorlax's belly. They were crying out loudly as they flopped and hopped all around, the rotund Snorlax's gut jiggling and making the most interesting and unusual squishy gurgling sounds as they bounced.
"Plusle?!" Solana cried.
"What are you guys doing?!" Followed Lunick as they both ran to the scene.
Plusle and Minun continued to hop up and down, crying cheerily as they bounced around Snorlax's belly.
"Stop that!" Cried Lunick. "Get off that Snorlax right now!"
Plusle and Minun stopped jumping around. They stopped giggling and stared at Lunick slightly bashfully, their ears dropping as they hopped off of Snorlax and onto the ground in front of them.
"You know you're not supposed to do that, Minun! And, Plusle, you too!"
Solana stared at him as he continued to accost the Pokémon.
"Jumping on Snorlax may seem like fun, and yes, it's belly jiggles and makes a funny sound but it isn't a musical instrument or a trampoline. Don't fool around like that. You two are Partner Pokémon. You work to preserve and protect just like we Rangers do. You know better."
Plusle and Minun cried sadly. Their ears still dropping, they walked over to Lunick's feet and started gently patting his ankles.
"Plah Plah Pla…"
"Mai Mai…"
Lunick raised an eyebrow at them. They then rested their foreheads on his shins.
"MaiMai Mai…"
"Plaaaah…"
Lunick furrowed his brow. He then looked back up at the sleeping Snorlax before it started to click in his head.
"You guys weren't just messing around having fun on Snorlax's belly, were you? You heard Solana and I talking about Snorlax and the path it was blocking and thought people might be upset and cause trouble for us at the base if it didn't move. Is that it?"
Both Pokémon perked up slightly, their ears raising a bit.
"Plah Plah!"
"Mai!"
Lunick knelt down to try to get as close to meeting them on eye level as possible. "You two were trying to help us do our jobs. I jumped the gun on that and made an assumption and I'm sorry. I was wrong for that. But you also have to consider Snorlax's feelings, too. It's not just about appeasing the residents. We gotta think about how our actions will affect the Pokémon here as well. Do you understand?"
Both Cheering Pokémon nodded.
"Plah PlahPla!"
"MaiMai!"
"Do you forgive me for getting angry with you?"
Both Plusle and Minun hopped and Lunick's shoulders and started and started affectionately rubbing their cheeks against his.
"Mai Maaaai!"
"Pla Plaaah!"
Lunick petted them both on the tops of their heads between their ears.
"If Solana or I are ever in any real trouble, I'm counting on you two to be able to bail us out. Okay? Can you promise that?"
They both cried cheerily, hopping from Lunick's shoulders back onto the ground in front of them and hopping enthusiastically in front of him.
"Fantastic," He stood back to his feet. "All right gang, let's move out to the Jungle Relic."
As they started their walk again, Solana continued to steal glances at Lunick. That was the first time she had ever seen him get really heated about anything, and with Pokémon no less. Lunick practically never got upset. As she got to know him more and more, he'd shown himself to be more of a carefree goofball than anything else. It was almost a little jarring. He was pretty levelheaded most of the time and the only other time she could recall him getting even remotely upset was in her early days on the team when he expressed his frustration with her hyper fixation on being called a rookie. But even then, he was more annoyed than angry. It was a side of him she hadn't seen before and she was curious about what triggered it.
"Hey, Lunick?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you really get all upset because you thought Plusle and Minun weren't considering Snorlax's feelings?"
Lunick glanced at her slightly quizzically, as if he didn't understand why she would ask such a question. "Of course. When most people think of Snorlax, all they see is a gluttonous, lazy, slothful Pokémon that gets violent if it's disturbed. They don't consider the facts staring them right there in their faces, such as that Snorlax has to eat copious amounts of food to sustain itself. It's freaking huge! There's a threshold calorie intake it needs to function on a daily basis just like any other creature. And, of course, it's going to be angry if you wake it up. Snorlax is in a state of quasi-hibernation from the moment it evolves. There are a myriad of reasons Pokémon hibernate and it's unique to each line and species. Yeah, a lot of it is energy conservation, but Pokémon also metabolize energy differently than humans. They have abilities, they use powerful energy-based moves. Of course, some of them need to preserve energy more often than others. But do most people consider that? No! Why? Because Snorlax is not as cute or visually appealing as some other Pokémon. Classic Hunchback of Notre Dame syndrome. 'You don't fit into society's definition of normal, and so therefore, because I cannot relate, the only emotions I can feel for you are either pity or contempt.' Like, screw that nonsense! Never be normal! Sorry, but your slight inconvenience of having to find another travel route does not supersede Snorlax's natural right to sleep where it needs to. You're the one encroaching on its habitat. File a grievance if you have an issue."
Solana watched him quietly for a few more fleeting moments before smiling softly to herself. Lunick was a jaunty goober but he was clearly passionate and serious when it came to his work as a ranger and Pokémon he was tasked with protecting.
Catching her quiet stare, Lunick sighed. "I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away there."
Solana shook her head. "No, I asked remember? You're fine. There's nothing wrong with having zeal. You take your work as a ranger very seriously. That's fantastic. Shows you really care for the people and Pokémon you're sworn to protect. That's a side of you I really like to see."
Lunick smiled faintly back at her. "Really?…I could say the same thing about you too, you know."
"I'm nothing special."
"You're exceptional. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise, not even me."
Solana glanced back at him.
"I may not fully relate to your serious Type A personality, but there's no doubt in my mind about the raw talent you have and your skillfulness as a Ranger. You've climbed your ranks exceedingly fast for a reason. It's not just because you have potential. It's because you're incredible, Solana…I know you still have your doubts and your insecurities. That's gonna take time to overcome. But believe me when I say, you are an amazing Pokémon Ranger. You're a great girl with a good heart. That's how you bonded with Plusle so quickly, that's how you've advanced so fast. I'm not just hyping you up when I say you're a badass. You're phenomenal, 'Lana. By a clear shot."
Solana's cheeks started to flush red as blood flowed rapidly to her face. Her skin felt so hot, she thought it would melt right off her face. She quickly turned away from Lunick and shielded her face with her right hand as she fanned herself with the other.
"T-Thank you, Lunick. T-That means a lot. To have such high praise coming from someone like you."
"Someone like me?"
"Well, yeah. You're Spenser's protégé. I don't know if anyone had the hands-on experience that you have had being mentored by him and all," she replied still averting her eyes from him as she continued to try to calm herself down.
Lunick put his hand to his chin in thought. "Well, I guess so. But I think I just lucked out in that regard. Most of my seniors were busy mentoring juniors of their own at the time and Murph as you know isn't too keen on going out into the field. Spenser made the time to take me under his wing and show me the ropes."
"Well…I'd say he did a mighty fine job because you are quite the remarkable Ranger yourself," she said as she finally turned back around to face him.
Lunick lowered his hands, placing them both on his hips as her took a proud pose. "I am extraordinary, aren't I?"
"Unbelievable, all right," Solana rolled her eyes as she resumed walking.
"Why do I feel like that was a backhanded compliment?" Lunick responded as he ran up beside her.
"Well then, that's your interpretation."
"It isn't if that was your intention."
They continued bantering that way until they made their way back up the cliffside to where the ancient temple was located. When they entered inside, they found an ancient stone statue with many complicated inscriptions and designs carved into it.
"I can't believe as many times as I've ventured into the Olive Jungle, I've never found this place,"
Lunick uttered as they sauntered inside.
"Well, Cameron did say this part of the jungle is usually blocked off. I wonder why it wasn't this time," Solana added as she inspected the ancient stone tablet.
"This temple has to be thousands of years old. This is ancient history! We're actually walking on an archaeological site!"
"Not an archaeological site, Lunick. Cameron literally said rangers who reached a certain age were granted permission to do these trials. It may be an exant ancient temple, but much of the information from the time period it was built would have been lost from all the challenges that were taking place since Pokémon Rangers were established in Fiore until now."
"Psshh! You know what I mean! Memories of the past are preserved here. However little there is, there's still an archeological record. It contains a vault of historical information."
"It wouldn't be a vault anymore."
Lunick grasped his head in frustration. "Why do you always have to be so technical? I was just saying it would be fun to explore an ancient relic. In fact, that's probably how it got its name. Nevermind. Cameron said there's a hidden switch somewhere, right? That we have to enter a very specific code in a very specific way?"
Lunick walked up beside Solana, also observing the ancient stature and the many grooves in it.
He followed the swirling grooves with his eyes to the left side of the tablet where a small part of the otherwise smooth and perfectly cut stone seemed to be protruding. As he studied it, Solana was inspecting the other side of the stone where she saw a similar shaped peculiarly sticking out from the stone. They both placed their index fingers on the marble that was sticking out, both pieces depressing into the stone at their touch. Curious, Lunick moved his marble piece downward in a straight line, then to the right half that length, then back to where he drew the straight line, then upward along the same line before moving right slightly and coming stroking downward to the left. Solana mirrored him almost exactly but except instead of stoking to the right at the end, she made a 90 degree angle.
As they finished, the grooves in the statue glowed multicolored, flashing between a brilliant blue, green, purple, and red as the the ground trembled and the stone tablet separated, startling Solana, Lunick, Plusle, and Minun. When the stone table reached as far as it could go, the shaking stopped and an entryway was revealed behind the stone tablet just as Cameron had said.
"Whoa…" Lunick uttered.
"Well, that isn't ominous at all," Solana muttered.
"Oh no, not at all. Especially given that we just wrote the kanji for four, which is superstitiously seen as unlucky because one of its pronunciations also sounds like the word for death, and we were expressly warned to not complete the fourth challenge because a great calamity would befall the land if we ever did. Nope, none of that is concerning or foreboding in the least," Lunick gushed before glancing at Solana, taking note of her wide Deerling in headlights expression before bursting out laughing and patting her playfully in the back. "Oh, come on, Solana. Superstitions aren't real. We'll be fine. We know what to look out for. All we gotta do is follow Cameron's directions. We got this. Nothing to worry about."
He walked ahead with Minun through the dimly lit archway.
"Plah Plah?" Plusle cried worriedly as she tapped her Ranger lightly on her ankle.
"Right…Nothing to worry about…" Solana breathed nervously as she tentatively stepped inside the dark entryway to join Lunick, now uncertain if it was such a wise idea to take on these challenges after all.