Sage couldn't move. It was the end of the week and he couldn't deal with it. Scarlet would be on her way and he couldn't. The flashbacks of the file blurred his brain as he trembled in bed. This would be something he would need Lapis for. Sadly, he had a long way to go. He quickly grabbed his styler from its place on his nightstand and immediately texted Joel. Would he be able to help? We'll see.

Sage: "Joel."

Joel: "What?"

How could he act so serious about this? Then again, he wasn't sitting in the base with a cursed file.

Sage: "Scarlet is probably on her way to get the file."

Joel: "Praying she forgot isn't an option... is it?"

Sage had to admit, that sorta calmed her down. But she practically remembered when Cedar got his file.

Sage: "Sadly... I don't think that's an option. She pretty much remembered when Cedar got his file and how long it took him."

Joel: "I'm... on my way. Have your base cleared out by the time I get there."

Sage: "Got it."

Sage got up and softly walked over. Cedar noticed.

"You good?"

"Yeah..." He straightened up and looked over the others. "Listen up! I have some important business happening. I will send you guys a message when I'm ready for you guys to come back in. You are to be on patrol until then. We will discuss other things then. Understood?" They all nodded.

"Yes captain!" He nodded.

"Alright... dismissed!"

The group quickly went out. Cedar met his eye before following. Sage huffed lightly as he slid down the wall. He waited until the blonde base leader came in. He immediately went to his side and pulled him into a hug.

"Shh..." Sage cracked.

"It almost paralyzed me with it..." Joel gulped as Sage calmed down. "If she had come before..."

"Relax. I got you." Sage nodded as he wiped his face. The door opened as they finished and Scarlet and another female walked in. Thank Arceus he asked for assistance.

"Oh look what I find." Sage turned away as she frowned. "Are you being difficult?" Sage bit his lip as Joel glanced at him before speaking.

"What are you looking for?"

Idiot move? At least he didn't say the number. She frowned before sighed.

"I'm looking for the file 691347." Sage bit his lip at the number. It hurt to hear it.

"And why is it important?"

"Are you joining him in not giving it to me?" Sage almost broke his composure. She wasn't getting anything like this. The other female pulled Scarlet off to the side as Joel glanced at him.

"You good?" Sage looked down as he wiped his face.

"As good as I'm going to be for this situation." Joel patted his back as Scarlet's accomplice walked over. She seemed a little kinder than Scarlet. Scarlet turned away as she paused near them.

"Can I see where the file is?" Sage stayed quiet as he kept his back to her. "Is there a reason you won't give it to us?"

Wow... she hit the mark. It took Sage a noticeable amount of time to regain a steady stance. In fact, Joel had to answer it because he couldn't.

"Uh... that... would be because of how many people were affected by it." Sage cracked as he gripped the wall. Joel grabbed his arms and helped him sit down against the wall. "We locked that demonic file away so that it couldn't hurt anyone else. Yet it'll always hurt people one way or another..." The female paused as Sage rubbed his face.

"That thing would've been burned if we were allowed. But we were allowed to promise to never open it, or even mention it, so that no one was traumatized." Joel nodded slightly.

"When you guys started asking for it, Sage alerted me and we at least spread the word to a good portion of the group that is defending it. It's not an easy file to go for. As a matter of fact, that file has destroyed an entire base of rangers that are the most successful in Aloje."

The female didn't say anything as she made her way over. She pulled Sage into a hug and held him as he cracked again. Scarlet watched from afar as the duo calmed him down. The female pulled away and hummed.

"Then here's what we'll do. Me and Scarlet will go and mark it down as an unknown file. The Ranger Union will reach out and try to get the information about it. We can't prevent that. But you guys are cleared by the information runners." A soft smile crossed the greenette's face.

"Thank you... it puts things at ease with that knowledge." The female nodded as she turned to Scarlet, who had a relaxed smile.

"Let's go. We have paperwork to do." Scarlet scoffed.

"You have paperwork, Malov. I have a race to do." Malov frowned before the two girls raced out. Sage smiled faintly before Joel held out a hand and helped him up.

"Thanks Joel."

"No problem. That would've been a lot worse if I didn't come." Sage nodded as he rubbed his face.

"Well.... I have to finish calming myself down before I regather my rangers. Be careful out there." Joel nodded before leaving. Sage sighed with minor relief. While the Ranger Union would try again, at least the calamity was shut down again.

~!_!~

Sage avoided the questions of what had happened so that he didn't put himself back into the trauma. Lapis's letter did put him at ease.

"Dear Sage

Oh dear Arceus. We won't make it. We'll keep freezing every time.

Why Joel? The other two I can see, but really?

Uh... what can I say? What, can you name a better one?

Aqina Ranger? I heard about a group being up there, but is there really a group? I can check... but no guarantees.

Just don't die before I get up there. I want one piece, not 206.

~Lapis."

It took Sage a lot of energy to not lose his composure. The last couple of letters were more about his training. He had finally answered his last letter, probably trying to get over the fact that Joel was there. Cedar was beside him as he sighed.

"This kid..." Cedar paused.

"What?" He showed it.

"'I want one piece, not 206.' I'm not that destructive... right?" Cedar gulped.

"Only if the pokemon starts it." Sage lowered his head as Cedar giggled. "I'm kidding. The one destruction you cause if on yourself, but you plan ahead."

"I'm not sure if I should be reassured by that." Cedar smiled as he glanced over the letter.

"I am excited. What kind of kid is he?" Sage paused.

"Selfless. He pushes his needs away and puts everyone else in front. Very creative and helpful. He was born for this. I can't wait for him to join our ranks. We were pretty much the risky duo alongside another young boy back then. So that'll be fun." Cedar hummed.

"So... another person I'll have to watch?" Sage paused.

"Not as much. The most you'll be fighting him about would probably be restraining him and forcing needs. He can take care of himself if he isn't stubborn and acting like he is always low on supplies." Cedar hummed.

"I'll keep note of that." Sage sighed as he wrote the next letter.

"Dear Lapis,

Haha. Very funny. If you're not careful, I'll get Mistress Ibe to make you eat whatever meal you just missed.

I don't know how Joel got here. Wanna know what's worse? Me, him and Elita are all Base Leaders.

Dude! After I got the picture, I remembered when the jerks across the street did at least two assaults on the shelter. Really?

Yeah... the most I know is Scarlet, Luana and Malov. Nothing more than that and they are annoying.

206? I'm not that destructive. Why don't you worry about yourself and your 206? Because unlike you, I can at least recover.

Also... what took so long? So confused about Joel or what?

~Sage"

He put it in the envelope and sent it off.