Nothing was fine. It was very bad, even. As soon as he woke up, Kellyn was approached by Crawford who urgently gave him a mission of the utmost importance: go find Barlow. Because now, in addition to Pokemons, he too seemed to have disappeared! Or at the very least, his Styler was no longer emitting any signals and that greatly worried the Union.

So, the brunet and his partner now had to go to Boyleland to pick up their leader. For that, they had to take a boat leaving from Pueltown.

- Are you ready, sailors?

- "We're as ready as we'll ever be , captain!"

- Let's go, then! Boyleland, here we come!

The duo sat on the deck of the ship, enjoying the sea breeze. The young Ranger sighed as he fiddled with his bracelet, making it shine in the sunlight.

- / For Mew's sake....It's been getting worse and worse lately..../

Fischl, feeling the stressed state of her friend, rubbed against his hip, asking him for affection. Which he gave her without problems.

- (I know little Amethyst....I know. But we can't help it. All we can do is grit our teeth and keep going.)

- / Humhum....You're right./

Suddenly, their eyes were drawn to purple masses floating gently in the wind.

- (Oh! Drifloons!)

- / Wow..../

The voice of the captain then rose from the cabin:

- Well! You are lucky, sailor! It's very rare to see Drifloons migrating! It's said that seeing one during one of these brings great luck!

- / That much?/

- (Yup! Even for Pokemons, this is the case!)

- / Double woah...For once we're lucky./

- (Can't contradict you on this subject.)

- Hey! We are almost there! Prepare to disembark!

The brunet stared at his jewelry for a few seconds before "kissing" it. It had become his ritual before a dangerous mission.

- / Keith....Wish me good luck./

When they finally arrived on the island, they quickly understood the problem. The village was completely devoid of any Pokemon life, only humans remained, whether locals or tourists.

- ( Argh....I thought Crawford was exaggerating, but it doesn't seem to be the case....)

- / It's even worse than we imagined...Let's hurry!/

While questioning the villagers, Kellyn discovered that one of the children had witnessed a horrible sight. According to him, all the Pokemons have gone inside the cave, lined up like soldiers....It seemed way too familiar for his taste.

- / Are you thinking what I'm thinking?/

- (Criminal syndicate with goons being pea-brains?)

- / Yup. We are on the same page. Alright now...Let's go into that cave and get the Pokemons and Barlow back!/

Easier said than done since one of the adults blocked his way, telling him that he needed the elder's authorization in order to pass... Laudable intention, but annoying for the Ranger on mission.

So the duo had to go door to door to find the man, but when it was done...

- Grandfather! It's a Ranger! Not a criminal! Wear your glasses! And he is mute! Don't you hear the voice of his tablet?!

...Yup. The elder took him for a member of Team Dim Sun. And on top of that, there were a few...communication issues. Between the teenager who couldn't speak like he wanted to and the old man who had vision problems... They weren't out of the woods.

The teal-eyed one blessed the elder's granddaughter who "translated" everything he said while tearing a strip off her grandfather. Finally, the duo obtained the famous permission, on the condition of looking for the Mime Jr of the family, and could thus penetrate inside the volcano.

Immediately, they froze on the spot because of the ambient temperature.

- T-Too hot!

- (We're in a volcanic cave, so of course it's hot...! Argh!)

- Fishl! Are you okay? You can take it? Wanna wait outside?

- (Nah, it's fine. I can take it. Tss...Sometimes I curse my damn plumage....)

- I have water on me if you want.

- (Don't worry. Keep it for yourself. I'm less likely to die of hyperthermia than you, I'll remind you.)

-...Ouch.

- (But truthful.)

- Still, ouch.

The 2 friends thus began their exploration, trying to not fall into the lava or disturb the local Pokemons.

- By "local" Pokemons, they only meant the village's?

- (Most definitely, but from what I understood there were a lot of them from the start. I guess they can't take them all at once.)

- Logic. And then, those in contact with humans are easier to tame than their wild counterparts.

- (This is unfortunately true...)

They suddenly stopped when they saw a red object lying on the ground. Picking it up, they were horrified to see that it was Barlow's Styler.

- It's off... No wonder we lost the signal. But where...?

Two voices then rose just above their heads. It was, we'll give you three guesses, henchmen.

- By Arceus! Last night was a real nightmare!

- Seriously, it took 8 of us to tie that damn Ranger! Pokemon Ranger, my ass! He's a Pokemon wrestler!

- /...Why am I not surprised?/

- (Haha! Finally someone who recognizes that!)

- / Fischl, this is the opinion of everyone in Vientown./

- Anyway. Everything ready for departure?

- Yeah! The Pokemons as well as this demon are being loaded as we speak! We just have to reach the secret port, and try not to miss the cargo ship!

- / Thank Arceus for their stupidity!/

- (Seriously, why are they talking about their plans out loud and what's more in broad daylight! Are they THAT confident?)

- / I think that must play a part. Anyway, ready to pluck them?/

- (Are you seriously asking?)

A heart attack, and several ass kickings later, the goons finally admitted defeat. They had nevertheless tried a clever tactic which was to block the passage to the Ranger. Because by the time he finds a Pokemon capable of destroying the rock, they would have warned the rest of the Team and... It's better not to think about it. Except of course it didn't work.

The brunet, although extremely tempted, also prevented his partner from throwing them into the lava. They didn't want to anger the local deity after all.

So...After all that, the duo entered the Hidden Harbor where they actually saw the Pokemons boarding a cargo ship like soldiers. The two were also witnesses to the group of poor minions who had to take care of boarding Barlow....Who was doing his damnedest to make their life Hell.

- / You know, I would almost feel sorry for them./

- (Keyword of the sentence: "Almost"?)

- / Exactly./

Suddenly, a man, most likely an Admin, firmly spoke up.

- Listen to me carefully! We cast off in 2 minutes! Make sure no intruders get inside, got it?

- Sir yes Sir!

- Well, now, everyone to your posts!

The brigade of what appeared to be sentries scattered across the room, beginning their rounds.

- / 2 minutes?! Oh no! Let's hurry!/

- (Don't rush into the pile without thinking! It will only get us spotted!)

- / I know! I'm dumb, but not that much!/

The infiltration seemed endless. The boy had to show off all his agility, speed and alertness in order to reach his target without attracting the attention of the guards. And Mew, how hard that was!

- / Go to the other side, you idiot! N-No not that way! Ugh!/

- (Focus! We're almost there!)

By some miracle, the duo managed to override the sentries, however...

- Ah! Intruder, intruder! What is a Ranger doing here?!

- / Drat! I didn't see him!/

Another minion was posted in front of the boat, but he didn't seem to be part of the group of guards. Before the man could even activate his Miniremo, an alarm sounded.

- This is your captain! We're leaving the dock! Everyone get to their post!

- / Aaaahhhh!!! NO!!!!/

Suddenly, the minion was violently pushed to the side by the Staravia which had given him a nasty wing blow.

- (Get out of my way! Kellyn! Over here, quick!)

The teen didn't need to be asked twice and passed the stunned guard, narrowly boarding the boat.

Secured inside, the brunet allowed himself to catch the breath he hadn't known he had been holding ever since.

- Ah....Ah....Sweet Arceus....I hope I get a raise after that! Or at least a good meal....

- (That would be nice...But, what are we talking about? We have a mission to accomplish!)

- Yeah... You're right! Come on Kellyn, get a grip!

Very quickly, the two noticed that the ship was filled to the brim with Pokemons just as terrified as each other.

- Poor sweethearts....Shh...Shh....It'll be fine, we'll get you out of here, I promise...Shh...

The creatures, sensing that the Ranger was not a danger to them, then came to snuggle close to him, seeking comfort. He cuddled them with tenderness, forgetting his mission for 5 minutes.

- (I will never forgive them...!)

- Me neither, Fischl... Me neither.

It is with regret that he separated from the frightened group, but he had to resume his mission.

- Don't worry. It's almost over. Hold on a little longer, okay?

The Pokemons nodded before going into a corner, in order to avoid disturbing the duo.

- ( Let's go?)

- Let's go.

They thus resumed the exploration of the cargo ship, later learning of the existence of a valve that it was important NOT to move, otherwise the ship would sink. Who was the genius that created it, seriously? Unfortunately, they were spotted by the henchmen who started chasing them.

- / Tss! It never ends!/

- (Kell! Look! A Mime Jr!)

Indeed, from where the brunet was, he could see a goon tormenting a poor Mime Jr...

A nasty fight later...

- Ouch, ouch, ouch! Help!! T-This Ranger is a second demon!!!

The man left crying, leaving the teenager to comfort the little Psychic-Type Pokemon.

- Eh, eh.... Everything is fine, little one. It's over...It's over...Shh...~

- [ N-Nice sir...?]

- (Very nice even. This is my partner, little guy. He'll get you out of here, you'll see!)

- [....Mime Jr trusts you.]

- Aw... It's an honor.

- [Mime Jr can help?]

- Oh, um....Do you know where a man named Barlow is? Ah, maybe here they call him "Demon" or something.

The little creature began to think while waddling slightly.

- [...Barlow...Demon....Oh! Tall gentleman in black, white and red!]

- Yes that's it! Do you have any idea where he's being held captive?

- [ Mime Jr believes...Near captain's quarters....Near generator...?]

- I see... Thank you very much, little one! You help us a lot!

Mime Jr let out a little cry of joy, before jumping out of Kellyn's arms. He started to walk away before stopping.

- [ Barlow Room...Darkness....No Light.]

- (They turned off the light?)

- Probably to demoralize him. Few people enjoy being in the dark or feel comfortable in it.

- (Oh...Thanks for the info little guy. Come on, go join the others and be careful!)

The Psychic-Type Pokemon greeted them before leaving for good this time.

- Ok....First, we have to find a way to bring the light back into the chief's cell...An Electabuzz, perhaps?

- (I think I saw one when they "boarded" the Pokemons... On the other hand, who knows where it is now!)

-....Mime Jr mentioned a generator, right?

- (Ah, maybe. Besides, it will kill two birds with one stone. Let's go find this generator!)

The Ranger nodded before setting off, defeating minions and destroying Gigaremos along the way. There was just one tiny problem...

- Ugh! I can't move as I want here! It's too narrow!

Yup. Because of the narrow corridors, he couldn't use his fighting style at 100%. And because of this, he took a lot more damage. Even Fischl found herself with extremely little room for maneuver despite her size.

- (Let's be extra careful...We clearly don't have the advantage here...)

- Yeah...And besides, my Styler is already damaged...Let's hope it can hold on a little longer.

Resuming their search, the duo finally found the Electabuzz running inside a kind of giant hamster wheel in the company of a Magmar. Fortunately, Kellyn managed to deactivate the machine allowing the two Pokemons to be free.

- [ HUMAN, YOU SAVED US! WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL... IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU?]

- Well... I could really use your help, Electabuzz. See, my leader is being held captive on this cargo ship, and the problem is, they've darkened the room. Do you think you can light it up?

- [ NO PROBLEM! SHOW ME THE WAY!]

- Thank you so much! Magmar? There is a group of Pokemons near the valve, and I would like you to join them and make sure they are safe. Can you do it?

- [ Sounds easy. That works!]

The teen sighed in relief as the duck left. He motioned for the remaining Pokemon to follow him, before searching for Barlow's cell. Luckily, it wasn't far away.

- Hey! Who is here?! Another one of the goons?! Or an admin this time?!

- / Fischl? Do you think you can.../

- (Leave it to me!) Staraaaaaa!

- What...? That cry...Kellyn? Fischl?

The brunet immediately leaned towards the electric creature, whispering in it's ear:

- It's your turn to shine, my dear...

- [ OK! WATCH OUT FOR YOUR EYES!!!] ELECTAAAAA!!!!!

Suddenly, the room lit up revealing the sausage-like silhouette of the head of the Vientown base as well as the rest of the decoration.

- / And there was light!/

The teal-eyed one gently scratched Electabuzz's head, showing his gratitude before letting them join it's comrades.

-....Oh damn. It dazzles. But thank you for turning the lights back on. It was quite depressing in the dark.

- "You'll thank me later! Now, we have to take care of this rope and the ship!"

- Oh yes it's true. I think Fischl should be able to cut it.

- / Do you feel capable of it?/

- (Is that really a question? Of course I can! Leave it to the professional, little Amethyst!)

The bird positioned herself in front of the adult, calculating her blow before releasing a blade of wind. It was strong enough to tear the rope apart, but not strong enough to reach Barlow.

- (Here you go!~)

- / You are awesome Fischl!/

- (Oh stop, you're going to make me blush...!)

- Thank you very much Fischl. Even if I admit that I wish you two didn't have to see me like that.

- "It doesn't matter. Ah, by the way! Your Styler!"

The teenager delicately placed the precious device in his boss' palm, who immediately lit it before being bombarded with emails and receiving a Voicemail from Crawford. The latter was relieved to learn that his colleagues were safe and sound, and wished them good luck. The adult sighed and turned to his cadet who was scratching the neck of his Staravia.

-...You know, at least this mission has taught me one thing. I still have a long way to go. I couldn't protect these Pokemons and even my Partner. I made everyone worry...But it also means that I can improve myself to prevent this from happening again. Let this be a lesson to you too, will you?

- "Of course. But, don't blame yourself too much...You did everything in your power to accomplish your mission. And I can tell that they fear you! They call you "Demon" now! "

The oldest burst out laughing, to the point of crying.

- Oh by Arceus! I traumatized them that much!? Bouahaha!!!

- "Yup! Honestly, I believe that if they had the choice between confronting you and jumping into the sea, they would take the second option without hesitation!"

- Haha...! You know how to cheer people up. But thanks. I really needed it.

The brunet only grinned, showing that he was happy to help. The adult then resumed his seriousness.

- That's all well and good, but how do we stop this thing? We need to reach the engine room...

- "I think we are not far from it. I know from a reliable source that the captain's quarters are near your ex-cell. And they are not part of the rooms that we have already visited..."

- So, behind this door you think? It's true that they locked it as soon as they placed me here...Ok! Let's go! Step back Kellyn!

The teen didn't need to be asked twice and moved quickly out of the way, holding his feathered beast in his arms.

- Target....Clear!!!!!

As soon as Barlow finished his sentence, he charged at top speed at the door, taking it with him. And given the noise, it seems that he tore off another one along the way. The youngest remained motionless, his gaze shining with admiration.

-...Wow....So cool....

- ( Mew almighty! Remind me never to anger him!)

- Duly noted.

- What the...? Kellyn! Come here!

The pair left to join the Vientown base's leader, being cautious as to not step on the fragments of the doors. Once inside the famous room, Kellyn felt... Uncomfortable.

- Look at this....I bet these are our captain's quarters. But...*cough* *cough*! What is this smell? Hairspray?

The bird turned toward her partner who was scanning the room, looking lost.

- (Kell? Are you okay?)

- /...Familiar./

- ( Eh?)

- / It all looks very familiar to me....But I can't tell why./

- (...I see.)

- Kellyn? Can you hear me?

The adult's voice startled the young Ranger.

- "A-Ah sorry! I was thinking."

- Don't worry about it. It was just to warn you that we better move before the backup arrives.

- "Roger!"

The trio then resumed their exploration, reaching the deck with more or less difficulty.

- Here we are... There will be no turning back once we have crossed this door. Are you ready?

The brunet took a deep breath before nodding his head in the direction of his superior. He was on alert, just like Fischl who shook herself gently in order to remain so.

- Ok, then...Let's go!

No sooner said than done, because as soon as Barlow finished his line a man came out of the engine room. He was blond and had a weird sense of fashion...Wait a second.

- /...It's Kincaid! Spray Man!/

- ( Excuse me?)

- / The teacher who taught the class next door when I was at the Ranger School! The students called him "Spray Man" or "Gel Man"!/

- (Ah, tell me everything!)

-...Oh. So here are our distinguished guests...I'm not surprised to see you here. Although I would have liked not to see you at all. Especially you Kellyn.

- You know him?

- "He was a teacher at the Ranger School. His name is Kincaid."

- Ah, so you remember me? I am flattered. I want you to know that I also remember you very well, dirty little nosy parker. Keith and you spent your time running in the hallways or getting involved in what doesn't concern you!

The blond man clicked his tongue in irritation while running a hand through his hair.

- Nevermind. I don't care, I reached my goal....By the way, you want to know where our Miniremos came from and why I was in your stupid school working as a teacher? Well, everything came from a genius. The type who only appears every 100 years...I came to recruit him, and he created the Miniremo. It's as simple as that.

If the teenager was horrified by this revelation, the adult at his side was seething with rage.

- You dared to use the Ranger School like that?!

- All means are good to succeed.

- Asshole...!

The ship's captain laughed at the top of his lungs, further enraging Barlow.

- Think about what you want, Ranger! It's too late anyway. Minions! Take care of them!

He snapped his fingers, revealing a whole horde of goons each holding a Miniremo.

- Kellyn! Take care of the small fry! I take care of Kincaid!

- "Leave it to me!"

The head of the Vientown base went to confront the captain and his Drapion who was, of course, under his control. Kellyn then turned toward his opponents and gulped.

- / There are so many of them...! But don't panic! You can do it!/

He drew his Styler and got into combat position, along with his Partner, while the minions summoned Pokemons after Pokemons.

The fight was long and tiring. The brunet was jumping, running, turning and catching endlessly. Fortunately, the young Staravia chewed up a good part of the work thanks to her blades of wind. Once all the creatures were captured and the machines destroyed, the goons, out of shame, threw themselves into the sea.

- (That was the last one- Watch out!!!)

The teal-eyed one turned around just in time to see his leader tossed like a rag to the side.

- / Chief!/

- Argh....My Styler....It doesn't work anymore...Sorry Kellyn...

The teen turned toward his new opponent who chuckled morbidly. The Drapion, although slightly tired, seemed to be ready for a second round.

- / Ready my dearl?/

- (As if we had a choice....Yes, I am.)

- "Kincaid. I am your new opponent!"

- Then, try if you dare! Drapion! Destroy him!

The creature let out a battle cry, before charging at the Ranger who directly dodged it's attack. The battle unfolded with great intensity. Between Kellyn who jumped and ran in all directions and Fischl who attacked relentlessly just like the Poison-Type Pokemon, it was a total mess. Almost like an organized chaos.

- [ DESTROY.....]

- /...?...! Fischl! Watch out!/

The brunet grabbed his friend and rolled over, protecting her from the attack....

- (Thanks Kell!....Kell?)

- / O-Ouch.../

...Except the Ranger hadn't escaped unscathed. Because yes, he had used his body as a meat shield and as a result, his right arm had taken the full force of the attack. A nasty wound had opened up and was dripping with blood and purple liquid...Poison.

- (K-Kell! Kellyn! Y-Your arm!)

- / I'm fine! I can take it!/

- (No! You are poisoned!)

- / And we're in the middle of a fight! We are almost there! I can finish the capture! I just need you to get his attention again!/

- (....Argh!)

The bird flew away again, carrying out her partner's instructions as the latter finished his capture with great difficulty. Drapion took advantage of the fact that the Staravia was concerned about the boy's condition to spit a cloud of poison in her face. Which unfortunately weakened her considerably. Except that she decided not to let go and helped Kellyn to end this fight.

- I see that I underestimated you. All right, let's move on to plan B. This is your captain! I order you to remove the valve and abandon the ship! Go on your own and swim!

- WHAT?!!!

As Barlow, who was alongside his cadet to contain his wound, tried to attack Kincaid, he flew away on a Gliscor's back leaving the trio alone.

- Shit! This is not good! Not good at all! The boat is sinking! We must berth and fast!

The adult carried the brunet and the bird to the control room, not wanting to leave them on the deck, injured as they were.

- Tss! The nearest port is Pueltown but at this rate, we won't get there! First, contact the Union. My Styler is out of service and Kellyn's is far too damaged to perform Voicemail....We'll have to use the radio. If only we could slow down the arrival of water during this time..!

The oldest turned abruptly when he heard a noise, and he saw with horror that Kellyn was about to go out with his Partner.

- Kellyn! What are you doing?! Stay here! You're going-

The look the teenager gave him froze him on the spot. Although clouded with pain and fatigue, it was filled with steely determination, making the pupils even more intense than usual. The young Ranger took advantage of this moment to rush towards the hold, Fischl following him closely despite her condition.

Along the way, they came across a number of minions and panicked Pokemons fleeing towards the deck. Until they came across a Machoke, completely lost. The brunet drew what was left of his Styler and captured the creature, not without difficulty.

-...I...Ugh....I need....*pant*...You girl....! Only you can....Put...*pant*...That valve back in place...! *cough*!!!

Due to the violent effort he had just provided combined with Drapion's poison, the teenager coughed out blood. But, he didn't do anything about it and continued to beg the Fighting-Type Pokemon who trembled at the terrible state of the Ranger.

-...Don't...Don't worry about us....*pant*...We're fine...*pant*...We have to...Save...Everyone...!

- [....Where is this valve?]

The teal-eyed one couldn't help but smile at Machoke's response before beginning to guide her through the cargo ship. She even began to carry him on her back in order to 1, go faster and 2, to allow the duo to rest.

The trip seemed endless. The water rose at high speed, thereby moving all the containers on board. This hardly deflated the Pokemon which continued to advance under the encouragement of Kellyn. When they finally reached the valve, time accelerated. The creature gently set down her load before heading for the valve. She grabbed it and lifted it without any problem.

- Aim for the hole...! *cough*!

No sooner said than done, Machoke threw the piece of metal with all her might, sealing the leak almost instantly.

-

Meanwhile, Barlow was struggling to steer the ship. One of the Pokemon standing next to him suddenly called out to him.

- What's going on?...Oh! We don't take on water as quickly as before! Kellyn really did it! Alright, now we have to berth! But where...?

- Maku! Makuku!

- Did you find something my friend?... But it's perfect! Well done partner! Everyone! Hang on! It' gonna shake!

And he turned the wheel sharply, unsettling everyone on the ship.

-

It was a very peaceful day at the Ranger School, the flowers were blooming, the birds were chirping....And a huge earthquake was felt.

When Miss April and Principal Lamont arrived there, they could only see the damage. There, on the cliff where the Pledge Stone stood, was now a huge cargo ship embedded in said cliff!

- What is that?! What is a boat doing here?!

- Oh by Arceus...! Are these Pokemons that I see?

- You are right, Mr. Lamont.

Crawford, along with the rest of the Vientown base had just arrived on the scene.

- This cargo ship belongs to Team Dim Sun. Barlow and Kellyn discovered it, and it carries a lot of Pokemons from Boyleland. However the captain, after being defeated, decided to sink the ship and all it's passengers. So please excuse this emergency docking.

- I understand... Oh what a misery! Why must humans sink so low...?

- That, we would like to know too, Sir.

The group looked up, in the direction of the voice. It was Barlow.

- Chief! You are safe!

- Thanks for your concern Crawford, but I'm afraid we have an emergency.

- Chief...! Where's Kellyn...?

Kate's voice rose, worried sick. The adult bit his lips and lowered his head.

- Well... You better see it for yourself.

He pointed toward the huge hole where the Pokemons were coming out. The chestnuthead was about to rush inside when suddenly, a silhouette came out of the boat. This one being Machoke holding a deathly pale and unconscious Kellyn in her arms. His right arm hung down as blood flowed from his infected wound. Strangely, the amethyst on his bracelet shone with new radiance. Fischl was in the same pitiable state as the boy, except that she had collapsed on her stomach.

The one with cobalt eyes screamed in terror before joining her cousin and her partner.

- Kellyn! Kellyn! Dear Mew what happened?!

- A fight against a Drapion as well as the sinking boat.

The girl's face crumbled as she imagined the horror.

- For the love of Mew....! We must take him to the hospital as soon as possible!

- I have already warned the emergency services, unfortunately all we can do is wait.

- Thank you Luana....

The teenager smiled at her friend before turning toward the unconscious boy, her eyes filled with tears.

- Everything's going to be fine...You're not going to die, I promise....》

End Part II, Vientown Ranger

To be continued....

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

As the child's pain flows freely, the darkness consume the world

Light vanishing leaving only a starless sky behind

However, despair will not prevail

Fragments of hope still remain, inside children's hearts

Their bond will guide us all