- Haha! Come on, be nice, little one!

The brunet laughed as he soothed the Doduo on which was Keith, who was anything but confident.

- Have you ever ridden a Doduo, Scarlet?

- N-Nope! I had to travel all my journeys on foot, me!

- {Stop complaining, and for the love of Arceus keep your balance!}

Sapphire might be yelling at his partner, but he was lacking self-assurance too. He was perched on his shoulders, clinging to the red-haired teen with all his might.

The youngest smiled, clearly amused by the situation, but still decided to help his friend.

- Come now. Calm down, both of you. It senses your fear and it agitates them. Take a deep breath and relax. It's going to be fine, I promise.

He held out his hand to the other boy for support. Something that the latter accepted without complaining. The older one began to gently rub his thumb against the gloved hand, giving affection was allowing him to calm his nerves.

- You're feeling better?

-...Yeah, thank you.

The teal gaze softened greatly as he saw his friend regain a state of serenity. He didn't like to know that he felt ill-at-ease or in pain...

-...We should go, Sven is waiting for us.

- Good idea! But h-hum...Don't go too fast, please...!

Kellyn chuckled softly as he climbed onto the second Doduo.

- Promise, let's go!

And they rushed at high speed through the woods to join their superior at the Chroma Ruins. If at first the redhead was panicking and didn't know how to react, he quickly adapted to the new sensations. He even ended up taking pleasure in it and laughing heartily, like a child playing.

- So? What do you think?

- It's so different from walking! I feel like I'm one with the wind! Yahoo!!!

The creature carrying Keith accelerated in excitement, pushing them past the brunet and his mount. The youngest couldn't help but let a silly smile appear on his face....Oh? Where did that little pink heart come from...?

A soft chuckle was heard, causing the teen to turn towards the source of the noise. It came from Fischl, who was staring at him with a knowing gaze. This made the boy's face as red as his comrade's hair. He turned away from the bird, not out of denial, but rather out of resignation.

He had told his Partner that he was unsure of his feelings at the hospital? Wemm, now they were crystal clear! As soon as he realized that Keith was the one who had caught him at Union, his heart raced. He had thought he was going to explode with joy at that moment. Unfortunately, it also led to a bad thing: heartache.

And with Angel occupying such a special place in the heart of the oldest... It wasn't going to get better at all. Ah...Maybe that's why he had tried to tease him earlier. He was in denial as to whether or not she really existed. But given the other's reaction...Kellyn frantically shook his head.

- / No! Don't think about it! You have a mission to accomplish you dumbass! Focus!/

He huffed before asking the Normal-Type Pokemon to catch up with their comrades. Yes, there was more to it than a pathetic heartache after all.

The trip to Chroma Highlands took less time than expected, probably because the Doduos were overflowing with energy. The latters, moreover, stopped abruptly in front of the entrance.

- W-Woah! Calm, calm! Kell! Do you know what's happening to them?

- [ Danger...! Danger...!]

-....There seems to be a threat at Chroma Highlands. Their survival instinct is kicking in.

- Argh....It's not good at all. We better hurry and join Sven.

The two Rangers dismounted from their mounts before stroking their heads in thanks.

- Thank you my dears, take care, okay?

The birds cried happily before trotting away, leaving the foursome behind. The one with the blazing hair adjusted the position of his Styler while staring at the mountains. He seemed preoccupied.

-...Keith? Something is wrong?

The oldest jumped slightly before turning toward the brunet who was looking at him worriedly.

- O-Oh, it's nothing. I'm just a little nervous.

- It's true that this is our first mission as Top Ranger....

The one with teal eyes gave him a reassuring smile while delicately placing his hand on his.

- But don't worry. We'll succeed. Everything will be alright. Besides, I know you're an excellent Ranger. Have faith in your abilities, okay?

- (Oh sweet irony!~)

- / Excuse me?/

The older boy chuckled nervously before leaning toward his comrade and gently rubbing their foreheads together.

- Aw~ That's sweet of you, Kell. Thanks.

The teen heated up with a slight redness but that didn't prevent him from returning the affection.

- I'm just being honest....We'd better go, let's not keep him waiting too long.

- Yeah. Let the mission begin!

The two Rangers nodded in sync before heading toward where the 7th Top Ranger was, their Partners close to them.

Immediately, they were greeted by a thick black fog.

- What the- Sapphire! Above all, do not move from my shoulders!

- { Already planned!}

- Fischl? Land please. I can't see you.

The brunet relaxed as the familiar weight of the Staravia weighed on his shoulder.

- (Don't worry, I'm here! But by Arceus, where does this thing come from?)

- It's not natural, that's for sure. Keith? Where are you- Aaaahhh!!

The teen jumped when he felt something grab his left wrist. By reflex, he tried to free himself thinking of an assailant. However...

- Kell! It's me, everything is fine!

- D-Don't scare me like that for Mew's sake!

Yup. It seems that the redhead had decided to grab his comrade so he won't lose him in the fog. He changed his grip, preferring to simply hold his friend's hand.

- Sorry. But I'd rather have you by my side than we each go in a different direction.

- Logic.

Kellyn internally thanked whoever had put the fog in place, because thanks to that, his best friend couldn't see him being peony red because of the contact.

- /...It's warm. Since when does he have such big hands...? Or it's mine that are tiny...?/

He didn't have time to think more that his friend started dragging him gently behind him. He accelerated just slightly in order to catch up to him and not find himself falling behind.

The two walked for a long time, guiding each other with the faces of the mountain. They had to quickly find the ruins or at least what was causing this damn fog.

-...Hey, Kell? Do you hear anything weird?

The one with teal eyes then listened carefully, thus perceiving faint sounds. Sounds like...Caws?

-...It seems to be Murkrows. Or at least...I think. I'm not 100% sure.

- (It would make sense with the fog. If I remember correctly, their species can produce it.)

- { So we would need Defog logically, right?}

- Most likely.

-...Hmm...You were talking about Defog? Or something like that, right?

- Ah! Are you starting to understand them a little better?

- More or less. Probably because you're with me.

...Keith. You smooth talker.

-...A-Anyway! L-Let's try to search around, shall we? Maybe there's a Skarmory around, who knows?

Thank Arceus for this fog, thank Arceus for this fog, thank Arceus for-

- Good idea! My Browser tells me that indeed, there should be some around here! Finding them in this fog though...

- We have to keep our eyes open! If it's the right term in our current situation... But hey, let's stay careful. If it's Murkrows who are responsible, there will most certainly be Team Dim Sun pulling the strings in the shadows. From what I know, these birds do not live in the area.

- You're probably right. Let's not waste any more time, and let's go!

The foursome therefore threw themselves at Chroma Highlands, desperately searching for a steel bird while avoiding Carnivines and other creatures. During their journey, Kellyn's presentiment proved to be true since they found a goon talking to herself, believing to have in front of her one of her comrades.

Luckily for them, she didn't notice them and continued her monologue, thereby indicating the position of a cave where they had locked up the local Skarmorys. The group therefore left her in peace, as a thanks for accidentally giving this info.

When they finally found the cave, it was barricaded with many planks that fell at their feet thanks to Fischl's blades of wind. From this rocky cavity came a whole clan of Skarmorys, who were, of course, furious.

- [Where are the fools who dared to imprison us?!]

- S-Skarmorys! I know you're angry, and looking for revenge, but this won't get you anywhere! We will take care of those who have hurt you, we promise!

- [And who are you supposed to be?]

- We are Rangers! We are not your enemies.

The brunet then cautiously stepped forward despite his friend's protests, and held out his hand toward the leader, showing that he was not hostile. After a few seconds, he felt a weight settle gently in the palm of his hand. He guessed without difficulty that it was the head of the leader of the Steel-Type Pokemons. Kellyn waited a moment before starting to pet the creature, careful not to hurt himself.

- [...You seem to be telling the truth, child. Very well. We're not going to go after those scoundrels. But, therefore, you must promise to take care of it yourself.]

- I promise. They won't hurt you anymore. I swear on my own life.

- [ Alright. Is that all?]

- Oh, could you remove all that fog, please? We can't see anything, to be honest....

- [ This is a very easy task. Although I wonder where it comes from...]

- Most likely from a group of Murkrows. Those who locked you up didn't want you to get rid of it. Which led to your...Situation.

- [....Humans are very vicious creatures. Everyone! You heard him! Disperse this fog! Hurry up!]

- [Sir, yes, Sir!]

The leader of the group suddenly straightened up when he gave his order, causing the younger Ranger to abruptly step back. He felt the rest of the Skarmorys flying off in all directions in order to accomplish their mission, confusing him with his surroundings. Suddenly, he was pulled back, and slammed against a warm surface.

He didn't have time to register what was happening to him that strong winds rose. As a result, he didn't ask himself any more questions and closed his eyes hastily while curling up. The winds stirred for a long moment before they died down, leaving the foursome to come to their senses.

The first thing Kellyn saw when he opened his eyes was Keith's chest.

- /....AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!/

Kellyn.exe has stopped working. Please retry later.

By Mew! The brunet was sure he was as red as his friend's hair! Why were they in this position in the first place?! Ah yes, because the group of Skarmorys was getting rid of the fog. It's true.

The redhead slightly unfolded from his position, thus breaking the cocoon of protection he formed around the younger one.

- Are you okay? You're not hurt?

- No, I'm fine, thank you Scarlet. / So Keith protected me? That's sweet of him...Stop fantasizing, you idiot./

The 12th Top Ranger gave him a relieved smile while gently running his hand through his friend's tousled hair.

- Thank Arceus! I was scared for a moment.

- Don't worry, I'm fine. Just a little shaken. And it seems that our Partners are also in this case.

Sure enough, the two Pokemons had been hiding behind the teenagers, clinging to each other. Or more exactly, Fischl covered Sapphire with her wings, thereby protecting him from the wind. It was cute.

- And I was wondering why he hadn't clung to me, that one. But they seem to be in good shape at least. And for Mew's sake, it's nice to be able to properly see again!

The teal-eyed one retrieved his feathered beast while observing his surroundings. Chroma Highlands, without that pesky fog, was majestic, and while still spooky, it still had a mystical aura. Too bad this place is the target of Team Dim Sun, Kellyn would have appreciated a longer trip.

- Oh, look Kell! I believe the ruins must be up there! I'll go check it out, I'll be right back!

And he went away, the Buizel behind him, thus leaving our duo behind. The brunet sighed softly.

- (He makes it hard for you, huh?)

- You can't imagine how much...! Sweet Mew, sometimes I feel like he does it on purpose, but I know he's not....

The teenager hugged the Staravia close to him, allowing himself to hide his face in the soft plumage.

-...I feel like a schoolgirl in front of her crush, like in one of those sappy movies that Kate told me about...Pathetic. Good Arceus, how pathetic!

- ( Hey! You're not "pathetic", like you say! You're in love, that's completely different! You can't control your feelings for Keith, and you shouldn't be ashamed of them. It's normal.)

-...But I shouldn't.

The bird arched an eyebrow.

- ( Why is that?)

- He already has Angel. His heart beats for her. Taking that love away from her to make it mine would be selfish, wouldn't it?

The Pokemon froze for a moment before trying to retaliate, but the boy didn't give her time to do so.

- A part of me hates her with all my might. While the other tries to reason with it. Why hate someone you don't even know? It's not his fault. You said it, I can't control my feelings for Keith...And it's the same for him. He doesn't control those he has for Angel.

He laughed nervously, but that only made his condition worse....Since when was he crying?

- I...I have no right to force him to accept my feelings. Especially if he already has some for another person. Person that I hate without knowing anything about her. Damn, I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know I exist...! I know she exists because of Anna, but that's still an accident...I wasn't supposed to know that. It's even worse...!

Kellyn sobbed harder while trying to stay silent. Which was no easy task. Fischl rubbed her head against the young Ranger's soaked cheek, hoping to console him.

- (Little Amethyst....)

- You know, even if she didn't exist; even if Keith had no feelings for her... He would have to like boys. And he would have to love a fool like me...! That's way too many "would", right? Sorry, but I'm not taking a bet that I'm sure to lose.

He paused for a moment, gasping for breath.

-....All I can do is wait and hope these pointless feelings go away.

The bird straightened up, shocked, while staring at her partner imploringly.

- (Kellyn! Don't say that!)

- What do you want me to do?! Gazing lovingly at him, knowing fully well that he will never return my feelings?! By Mew, I wish I had never had THAT discussion if I had known that love hurted so much...!

The brunet cried his eyes out, completely terrifying his partner who was trying by all means to comfort him.

- ( Oh, Kellyn...Shh...It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay....Shh...Calm down...I'm sure it's just a huge misunderstanding...! )

The teenager hiccupped in laughter, appreciating the Staravia's efforts. He then cursed the fact that he was such a crybaby...That was pathetic.

- Kell! I was right, the ruins are up there! You're coming- Y-You're crying...?! What happened?!

The redhead, who was returning from his mini-investigation, saw directly in his field of vision the image of his comrade shedding a lot of tears. So he rushed towards him, although the death glare that Fischl gave him paralyzed him on the spot, allowing Kellyn to dry his tears a little abruptly.

- Kell...what's wrong?

-...N-Nothing...! Just allergies!

The older frowned, his gaze screaming "Seriously? Do you take me for an idiot?". He gently but firmly grabbed his friend's shoulders, forcing him to look at him, straight in the eye.

- Kellyn. I'm dumb, but not that dumb. I know you don't have any allergies that make you react like that. So tell me...What's got you in this state? Is this something I did? Can I arrange this? Tell me, please....!

The tone was almost...Pleading, and that made the teal-eyed one feel even more guilty as he attempted an awkward smile.

-...It's nothing. I'm just a crybaby who can't control his stress.

- E-Excuse me?

- I...*sigh*...I tend to cry when I feel anxious or stressed. I-I guess this first mission impacts me more than I thought, haha...!

Crimson pupils hardened, clearly unconvinced.

-...Are you sure?

- Yeah! Don't worry, it'll get better with time...!

Keith stared at him for a long moment, searching for the truth in the teal eyes. Truth that was far beyond his reach. The 12th Top Ranger thought for a moment, wondering if he should push his comrade a little more, but he finally sighed deeply, indicating that he was letting go. For now.

-...I trust you this time. But if it ever happens again, don't expect me to let you go off the hook. Mission, or not.

Kellyn easily guessed that his friend was serious. Very serious. And it oddly warmed his heart. He then felt two hands rest against his cheeks in a gentle gesture. He blushed suddenly but didn't move, letting the redhead do what he wanted. The latter was drying the rest of his tears, but unlike him who had been very rough with his body, his friend was gentle with him. As if he was afraid of hurting him.

...It was nice.

-...You're gonna be ok?

- Humhum...~ It's okay, don't worry. And sorry that you saw me like that....

The other shook his head slightly.

- It's not your fault, you had nothing to do with it. Just...If you ever feel like..."That"...Tell me, okay?

- I promise.

The older one then took his hand, squeezing it in a protective embrace while giving him a big bright smile.

- So let's quickly join Sven! Considering how long we're making him wait, I think we'll be entitled to a mention "Latecomers" in the report!

The brunet chuckled, regaining his smile and a certain good mood. This pleased his comrade who dragged him into the ruins, this time actually starting the mission.

Throughout their exploration, the foursome remained together, avoiding separation, because the ruins were very, VERY labyrinthine, to the point that it made some of them dizzy. Moreover, they were all able to witness each other's combat tactics.

If the Kellyn-Fischl duo was very focused on agility and speed, making their fights look like real dances, the Keith-Sapphire one was more...Wild. The redhead clearly didn't have the flexibility of his comrade,and only made simple, powerful, but regular movements. He was therefore extremely tough, allowing him to use more power in his captures.

The Buizel, meanwhile, despite his appearance, was as good as everyone. Even if he didn't possess the power of an evolved Pokemon, he remained a threat with his more or less vicious tactics. Clearly, it was a real orderly chaos.

The oldest was amazed by the style of the 11th Top Ranger, and couldn't help but showering him with compliments. It was safe that the poor teen was just a blushing wreck for the longest part of the trip.

Finally, they ended up reaching the bottom of the ruins, after getting lost twice...

- Finally...!...! Kell, look! Do you think it's Sven?

- "There's only one way to find out, isn't it?"

The group then cautiously moved towards the adult, ready to fight just in case. The man sensed their presence and turned toward them, raising his right arm, revealing a Fine Styler. Upon seeing the boys' uniforms, his posture relaxed as he stroked the Luxray at his side.

- You're the ones sent by the Union, aren't you? Keith and Kellyn, I presume?

- That's right! I'm Keith, and this is Kellyn. So I assume that you're Sven?

- Bingo, kid. No time to explain, come here.

The young Rangers approached their superior who was looking over his shoulder, seeming to be watching something.

- What's going on here, anyway? We met some Team Dim Sun henchmen outside...Is there some of them here too?

- And more than you think Sunshine Boy. I can't handle them on my own, that's why I asked for backup. But, even now I have my doubts... Not because of your abilities, of course, but you seem exhausted to me. I don't think you can last a long battle. Then I could be wrong.

Hey, looks like the 7th Top Ranger liked to give nicknames. But that didn't bother the redhead who was even happy with his.

- It's true that we're a little tired, but... We should be able to hold on.

- "It's still suicide! From what I'm seeing, there are far too many of them. We can't take the risk that one of them sound the alarm."

- Yeah... You're right. We have to find another way.

While the Rangers were thinking of a way to get rid of the minions without it ending up in a kamikaze attack, Sapphire was looking somewhere else.

- (Oi, still there?)

- {...I think I have an idea.}

- (Ah? Can you shed some light on it for us?)

- {Do you remember the foul smell from earlier?}

- (Of course! Even that Kellyn was starting to get sick because of it, poor thing!)

- { I think it's from a Skuntank....See where I'm coming from?}

A sadistic smile appeared on the creatures' faces.

- (Oh~ We're going to have a lot of fun...~)

Keith turned toward his Partner and frowned suspiciously.

- What are you two planning?

- "I think they're talking about a Skuntank?"

- *whistle*...~ Some people have good ideas! It would be perfect to scare them off.

- "I think I'll regret it but...What's a Skuntank?"

- It's okay to have questions, Moonlight Boy. Skuntank is a Poison-Type Pokemon known for it's pestilential smell that would scare away anyone in its vicinity.

Kellyn then turned toward his comrade, his eyes questioning.

- "Do you think that...?"

- Yup. It was definitely a Skuntank.

- "Are we going to get it?"

Crimson pupils filled with worry.

- You're sure? It seemed to make you sick though...

- "I'll be fine, I can take it."

- Ok... Well, Sir, we'll be back!

- Be careful! And please, call me "Sven"!

The trio chuckled at their idiocy before the group of young Rangers left to retrieve the Poison-Type Pokemon.

- (And you. If you feel sick, stay back. There's no way we'll let you pass out because of that!)

- / Yes, Mom./

A quarter of an hour later, they came back, the Beast following them, very happy. Luckily for them, she had decided to leave them their oxygen... It wasn't going to last.

- You're back! And in one piece it seems. Congratulations to you.

The two teenagers blushed in embarrassment, but felt happy.

- Haha, thank you Sven! Hey Kell?

Keith turned toward the teal-eyed one, a knowing look in his crimson eyes.

- Showtime?

The younger one smiled.

- "Showtime."

Kellyn crouched down next to the creature and scratched behind her ears while giving his instructions in a low voice. The latter had a sadistic smile and went to join the group of henchmen, waddling. The brunet then found himself pulled by his friend against the wall, and made them squat. Understanding the message, he covered his mouth and nose while keeping Fischl close to him.

The group barely had time to get ready, that cries were heard. The minions were screaming and running around, desperate to escape the stench.

- (Haha! Good riddance!)

- /...I still pity them a little.../

- (Your heart will end up losing you one day, you know that?)

- / Sorry.../

Moments later, there was no one left except for the Skuntank who happily greeted the group before leaving.

- *whistle* That's what I call efficiency!...You're okay kids?

The two teenagers were coughing like hell because they had held their breath in addition to covering their faces.

- *cough* It's okay! *cough*

- "Give us 2 minutes to catch our breath!"

Sven chuckled while lightly patting the backs of his cadets to soothe their pain. They quickly put themselves together, reassuring the 7th Top Ranger.

- What do we do now Sven?

- We go to explore the bottom of the ruins. There should be a large Shadow Crystal somewhere.

- "Shadow Crystal?"

- Yeah. Do you see all these stones around us? Well, these are the same fragments found in the Gigaremos. Although those down here are much clearer. While waiting for you, I took the opportunity to spy on our criminal syndicate. It seems that they only use the Dark Shards for their machines.

Keith lightly tapped his cheek with his finger in thought.

- So the clear ones are useless to them....

- Bingo. And going back to the Shadow Crystal, according to my research, it has the same characteristics as the fragments already unearthed, except that it is much, MUCH bigger.

Teal pupils widened in horror.

- "Oh no!"

- It seems that you have already understood Moonlight Boy.

The brunet pictured the image in his head: how many Gigaremos and Miniremos could be powered with such a large crystal?! The redhead also understood the gravity of the situation, even to the point of shivering on the spot. Their Partners weren't comfortable either.

Between Fischl who was waddling from one talon to another on the youngest's shoulder and Sapphire who was circling around the legs of the one with crimson eyes... They understood very quickly that they were anxious. Even Luxray was scratching the ground, as if to appease his nerves.

- "That why we're going to check if it's still present?"

- Bingo. Although, to be honest, I don't expect good news.

- It would unfortunately be logical if they have already taken everything else.

The raven-haired man patted them gently on the head as if to congratulate them. The two teenagers felt like children in front of their parents: embarrassed, but also happy and safe.

- At least you have good heads on your shoulders! Alright, now let's get over with these ruins, shall we?

- Roger/"Roger"!

The group then ventured deeper inside the cave, looking for the famous crystal, until they came across a Spiritomb.

- Wow! What's that?!

- "A Spiritomb! I didn't expect to see one around here! They are so rare!"

- (You will have time to be amazed later, little Amethyst! It's preparing to attack us!)

- /O-Oops, sorry!/

The brunet activated his Styler as Fischl took off from her perch, ready to fight. He heard a commotion near him, making him turn around. He saw Keith get into a fighting stance as well, Sapphire growling at the same time. The two teenagers stared at each other before nodding in sync.

Then the capture began. The Ghost-Type creature was giving them a lot of trouble with it's strategy of disappearing and reappearing in a loop. But luckily for them, they had Sapphire, who was basically the strategist for the group. If there was anyone who knew about vicious tactics, it was him!

- { Fi? Can you try to send that stone flying?}

The Staravia complied without hesitation, sending the creature flying, which found itself stunned, allowing the boys to use their Capture Disks without risking taking damage.

So, yes, even if Spiritomb was formidable, it had a close-knit foursome in front of them, whose members trusted each other.

The capture ended with perfect synchronization from the 2 Rangers, who were out of breath. The youngest even collapsed on his knees, having no more strength in his legs. He then felt his feathered beast land near him.

- (Oh my! You did more than usual today! Aw~ Someone wants to impress his crush, hmm?~)

The brunet internally thanked Mew that his cheeks were already flushed from fatigue.

- /...Shut up Fischl..../

The bird chuckled, her gaze knowing. While rolling his eyes, the one with teal pupils noticed that the Spiritomb was slowly approaching him, somewhat timidly. Oh.

- / Aw...Do you want a hug? Ok, come here big boy./

Kellyn then stretched out his arms in a mute invitation which the creature accepted without hesitation. Suddenly, the teenager found himself with a weight on his knees, the Pokemon having settled against the Ranger's chest, who gently closed the embrace.

The feeling was strange since most of the Pokemon's body was made of some kind of smoke, but that didn't stop the boy from enjoying the moment.

- Looks like it likes you, huh Kell?

The teen looked up just in time to see Keith sitting across from him, his face just as red as his, his Buizel playing dead on his shoulder. He held out his hand before letting it hang, as if waiting for permission from the Ghost-Type to grant him, which it did.

- Wow....~

The two Rangers had stars in their eyes, like children discovering their presents under the Christmas' tree. They therefore jumped slightly when they heard their superior applaud them, a proud smile on his lips.

- I'm impressed kids! You achieved such a performance without getting mixed up, and by working together! It's already complicated enough to completely synchronize with your own Partner...So with another duo with a different fighting style...! I'm really amazed!

The ravenhead's compliments warmed the 2 youngests' hearts, who began to smile like idiots. Sven knelt beside them and ruffled their hair.

- Although there are still things to improve, like your posture Keith. Try to be a little more flexible, it will prevent you from injuring yourself unnecessarily. And you, Kellyn, I completely understand that you want to protect your partner to the point of taking the damages for her. But remember to protect yourself too. That way you won't worry her and you'll be more efficient, ok?

The teenagers nodded, listening intently to the man's advice. He smiled at them.

- Other than that, you did a great job. Look at Spiritomb's smile! It's rare to see a Pokemon smile so much after a capture. Please know that I'm proud of you, but don't rest on your laurels, okay?

- Roger/"Roger"!

The adult chuckled before turning toward the Pokemon who clearly didn't want to move from it's spot.

- Sorry little guy, but you're gonna have to let them go. It's getting late, and they're exhausted. Although there is one who has already given up, it seems.

He glanced at the orange otter, which was struggling to wrap itself around its partner's neck, most likely looking for a good position to sleep.

The Ghost-Type stared at Sven for a moment before teleporting a little further away, allowing Kellyn to regain his freedom.

- Thank you Spiritomb. Good luck to you, and stay out of trouble, okay?

The teenagers said goodbye to the creature who awkwardly waved back before walking away, leaving the group alone.

- Well, I know you can't take it anymore, but hold on a moment, ok? The mission is almost over.

The foursome, or rather the trio, nodded before standing up to follow the ravenhead toward the bottom of the cave. There, they found some kind of build altar in the wall, in which there was also a huge hole.

- Tss! That's what I thought... We're too late.

- B-By Mew...! This crystal is that huge?!

The vision of horror that the brunet had earlier came back more powerful than ever.

- "But how could they have moved it? A crystal of this size cannot go unnoticed!"

- Either they broke it on the spot, or they used a helicopter... In both cases, it's not good.

The redhead looked around, uncertain.

- Something's wrong, Sunshine Boy?

-...Shouldn't be a guardian here? Or was it Spiritomb?

- No, you're right. Although I'm pretty sure that our friend isn't. I'm thinking more of Darkrai. It's a Pokemon that appreciates the dark after all. But...Where did he go? I would be surprised if he surrendered without a fight...

The adult began to think, leaving his cadets to their own scenarios. And it wasn't glorious at all.

-...Anyway, our crystal and it's guardian are still missing. Let's try to go through this fissure, to see where it leads us. Maybe we'll find something.

The group therefore continued to move, passing behind the altar and then rising to the surface thanks to a rusty ladder lying there. Then, they found themselves outside near a kind of shed located on an elevation in Chroma Highlands.

- That? Where are we? Chroma Highlands? Kell, do you recognize this place?

- "We probably passed by without seeing it because of the fog."

- Ah maybe.

-...Al...Tru....Oil.....Oh, that's the old building of Altru Inc! Maybe...

The raven-haired man who was reading the sign suddenly rushed inside, followed closely by the younger ones. The interior was in poor condition as if it had been abandoned for years! Oh wait....

The group separated, each duo going their separate ways.

- / By Mew! Altru Inc really started here?/

- (It seems so. After all, everything has to start somewhere, right?)

The brunet as well as the Staravia were rummaging in a corner where there was a desk, on which was placed some kind of burnt diary. The teenager took it delicately and began to carefully leaf through it. Unfortunately, he couldn't fully understand it due to the damage caused by a fire.

- / Argh...It's useless, I can't do it./

- (It took a hit, so don't feel guilty about it, ok?)

- / Humhum...~/

- Kell? Did you find something?

The one with teal eyes walked toward the redhead who had called out to him, the diary in hand.

- A diary? It looks more burnt than anything...

Their conversation caught the attention of Sven who joined them before gently taking the book.

-....There are a lot of burned parts, but I can decipher words like "Darkness", "Energy", "Crystal"...Yeah, I think we got something!

The group jumped when a noise was heard. Instinctively, they all got into a combat stance, ready to fight. It was then that a teenager with green hair came out of the bathroom dressed in the uniform of the Dim Sun.

- What- Ponte? Is that you?

- Keith? Kellyn? Oh, it's you!

Sure enough, the "minion" in front of them was Ponte, the marshmallow boy.

- You know him?

- Oh, of course! It's Ponte, one of our former classmates back in Ranger School! But what are you doing dressed like that? You do know what organization this uniform belongs to, don't you?

- Oh that? Ah yes, it's true that I was part of it... But I quit after only one day. I couldn't understand their values.

- What do you mean by that, Marshmallow Boy?

- "A bright future for Almia!" is their slogan. But, their methods are a bit...Extreme. Honestly, I don't understand them. And upon seeing them do it, I was disgusted, and I preferred to resign immediately. You know me, I'm the marshmallow boy.

- Indeed... But it's weird... I have the impression to have already heard this slogan somewhere, didn't you Kell?

- "Probably, but I don't remember where."

The only adult in the room thought as the teenagers chatted among themselves.

-...Tell me, what were you and your former colleagues doing here?

- Oh, we came to dig in the ruins with the help of Pokemons. We found some kind of huge rock so black I think it was coal or obsidian. We extracted this thing and the superiors embarked it in a helicopter, as well as with a container in which we heard bestial cries. I don't know where they went though...

- I see. Thank you very much for your cooperation Marshmallow Boy. I appreciate your honesty.

- O-Oh, uh, you're welcome?

The green-haired teenager then went into a corner, looking for his dinner. The Ranger's group then took this opportunity to regroup outside.

- It's even worse than I thought. In addition to the crystal, they also took the guardian. What a pain!

- Mmh...Do you think they're going to break it into small pieces?

- Maybe, or maybe not. That's the question. Unfortunately, we will not know more by staying here. We must bring this diary back to the Union to let our dear scientists examine it. I'll stop by the Union to drop it off before I go helicopter hunting. You two go home and rest. You really deserve it. Oh, and before I forget, Mission accomplished!

The teenagers gave each other a high five while smiling. Finally it was over! The raven-haired man ruffled their hair one last time before leaving, Luxray at his side.

- Well...~ I guess we have to go home now, right?

- Yeah, it's late and Platina is waiting for us!

- That's right, let's go then!

And so the foursome began their trip, though a little slower due to fatigue. Oh, by Arceus, they had so much to tell Rhythmi!

--------------------------

Kellyn: *visibly upset and crying* It's just allergies! D-Don't worry!

Keith: Yeah, and I'm straight. So, tell me what's wrong!

-----------------------

Keith: *showering Kellyn with compliments*

Sven: Hum...I suggest that you restrain yourself Sunshine Boy. Moonlight Boy is having a crisis right now.

Kellyn: *a babbling blushing mess*