<< - Big brother! Wake up!

Kellyn was pulled away from his sweet slumber by a high pitched voice. If at first, he had a doubt because of his half-consciousness, now he was 100% sure. His little sister came to wake him up.

- H-Hmm...Alyssa...? What's the big fuss...?

- Don't tell me you forgot? It's your first day as a Ranger today!

The little girl had her hands on her hips, trying to look stern....But, it looked more like a cute pout than anything.

- I know I know...! Come on, go to Mom...I get up.

The petite strawberry blonde smiled at him before running out of her brother's room, finally leaving him alone. He sighed softly before smiling.

-...She hasn't changed at all, has she?

The boy reluctantly got out of his warm bed to change. Once that was done and his hair was tamed as much as possible, he stared at the bracelet that had never left his wrist. He smiled sadly as he brought up the jewel to his face, just enough so that the amethyst barely brushed against his lips.

He then left to join the rest of his family waiting for him downstairs. The first to react was the woman of the house.

- Kellyn, honey? What are you doing up already? Didn't you tell me yesterday your meeting was at 10AM? It's only 8AM...Don't tell me Alyssa woke you up?

- No. Don't worry Mom.

He replied to the adult with the help of a big smile, hoping to not make people notice his fatigue and stress.

-...I believe you for this time. Still, promise me you won't ruin your health, okay?

- I promise!

The woman sighed in defeat and gently ruffled her son's hair, said son who let her do her thing without complaining. A strong male voice was then heard.

- If you ever need a break, don't hesitate to come back home. The door will always be open to you, son.

- Hmmm...Thanks Dad!

The father gently patted the boy's shoulder with a smile, showing he was proud of him. Suddenly, the mother intervened.

- Since everyone is up, let's have breakfast together, okay?

Her proposal brought out a cry of joy from the youngest of the siblings.

- Yeah!

And so the whole family gathered around the small table, helping themselves to the freshly prepared food. While everyone ate their fill, little Alyssa turned toward the brunet.

- Tell me, big brother?

- Hmm?

- What's that on your wrist? I've seen you with it since yesterday and you haven't even taken it off to sleep...

The teenager almost choked on his piece of brioche and coughed furiously, seeking air. Once he regained control of his breathing, he stared at the jewelry, a wistful look on his features.

-...It's a gift. From someone who means a lot to me.

- Ooohhhh....~ You're lucky!

The young boy only replied with a sad smile that didn't go unnoticed by their parents.

-....Take care of it then, sweetheart. Show yourself worthy of such a present, okay?

- It's planned, Mom.

The meal continued like this, in a good-natured atmosphere. When it ended, the mother of the family arranged for her oldest to not do his usual chores so that he could go directly to his new place of work.

The brunet therefore kissed his relatives goodbye, and went to join Vientown. Along the way, he passed a familiar face: light chestnut hair tied in 2 pigtails, a muscular figure but not too much, and cobalt pupils shining with determination...Yup. It was Kate.

- Kellyn! I found you!

She approached him, a big smile on her face. When she stopped beside him, she just gave a slight nod in greeting. She knew that her cousin was not comfortable enough with her for emotional physical contact, yet. The teen returned the greeting with a grateful look on his face.

- If you wonder what I'm doing here, I came to get you! It's a tradition to accompany the newcomers to the base on their first day.

The boy looked surprised, but still decided to believe her. What could go wrong, anyway? The young woman motioned him to follow her, and he complied, not without suspicion. Kate then taught him the basics of the job: how the official Stylers worked, how to use the Poke Assists... That kind of things.

When the two arrived at their workplace, the other Rangers were alrerady there to greet them.

- I'm back!!! And I brought Kellyn with me!

The chestnuthead exclaimed with such joy and excitement that one would have thought that SHE was the new recruit!

- We saw that Kate! But you could have let him sleep a little longer!

It was the Mechanic of the group, Elaine, who answered her, barely hiding her smile. A smile shared by all members of the base. The leader, Barlow, then approached the teenager who felt...Intimidated.

- Welcome to the Rangers, Kellyn. You must be quite stressed. I know, I've been there before. But, don't worry! You'll adapt quickly, and no one in this room bites. So don't put too much pressure on yourself, okay?

The brunet only nodded his head, showing that he understood.

- Glad to know we speak the same language! Crawford! Show him his room and give him his uniform. You will also take the opportunity to go and distribute the newspaper with him.

- Roger, boss! Come on kiddo, follow me.

The younger almost immediately clung to his superior's, memorizing every corner of the building. The afro-haired Ranger then showed him around the base, passing through the bathroom, the living room, the kitchen and of course the bedrooms.

- Your room is right here! Mine is to your right, and the opposite one is Kate's. So, yeah. We are neighbors! Oh, and pay no mind to the strange noises during the night. Most of the time, it's just one of us who isn't sleepy and has decided to piss everyone off.

- /....Okay?/

- Well, your uniform is in your room. I'll let you change, and we'll meet at the front door?

The brunet nodded without hesitation, entering his new home with apprehension. It was small, and simple, but also welcoming. Or at least for the boy. A bed, a wardrobe and a desk, that's all. But that was more than enough for the teenager who would create his nest the same evening. On the sheets was the famous red, white and black Rangers' uniform, neatly folded.

Kellyn delicately picked up the outfit, studying it for a moment. A card then fell from the pile of clothes, forcing him to catch it in mid-air.

-...." A second copy is in your closet. While you wear one, put the other in the washing machine, and so on. And don't worry about the bill! The one thing we have the budget for is hygiene! Kate"...

The one with the teal pupils slightly giggled before rolling his eyes with a smile.

- Roger, Kate.

He put the note away before changing, feeling that he had already wasted way too much time. He took a few minutes to completely adjust to his new outfit, but he already found it very comfortable. He could move freely without being oppressed by the clothes, so he liked it a lot.

He readjusted his bracelet, which hung proudly on his wrist, as well as his pendant before finally leaving the room. He passed in front of his colleagues who complimented him, becoming crimson red at the same time, and went to join his superior who was patiently waiting for him.

- Oh? I'm guessing that everyone complimented you, right kiddo?

The brunet smiled, somewhat uncomfortable, looking for a way to have better communication than his face and hands.

- You don't need to answer. I understood during the Outdoor Class that you had trouble talking to others. It's not a problem. It can be learnt.

The youngest's shoulders visibly relaxed, making the older Ranger smile. He then passed the youngest a pile of newspapers which he carefully hugged.

- Come on, first mission as a Ranger! We must distribute the "Vien Tributes" to all the people of Vientown and Chicole Village! Do you think you can do it?

Kellyn nodded fervently, performing a kind of clumsy military salute. The other laughed at this image.

- I take that as a yes! Come on, we don't have all day!

And so began his first mission, in joy and good atmosphere. For more than half an hour the brunet ran everywhere distributing the newspaper to whoever wanted it. He also went home during this period, showing at the same time his uniform to his family who complimented him graciously.

The last house to be delivered was the one of the wood carver. But strangely, nobody was home.The boy then turned to Crawford, not really knowing what to do.

- He's still outside, huh? Don't worry. It is not uncommon for him to be absent when the newspaper is delivered. During these cases, he's most likely at Nabiki Beach. So...you know what we have to do!

The brunet nodded and headed for the beach not without a feeling of emptiness in his chest. This place reminded him of a very painful memory....

- /....She probably continued her life, no...? Raah....Why do you keep hoping, you fool?/

The salty smell of the sea soon filled his lungs, indicating that he and the afro-haired Ranger had arrived at their destination.

- So~ Where is our old man today?

As the two searched for the sculptor, a small figure sitting on the beach caught Kellyn's eye. He concentrated on identifying what it was, and when he did... He dropped his load completely, and whispered quietly, almost inaudibly:

-....Starly?

The creature jumped, as if it just had heard him, and quickly turned toward him. The two stared at each other for a moment before the bird started flying towards the brunet.

- (....Kellyn? Is that you?)

-...Yeah. It's me, Starly...!

Starly's ebony eyes suddenly lit up, as she happily circled around the Ranger. Ranger who was in filled with euphoria.

- (It's you! You kept your promise! You came back!)

- And you waited...!

- (What did you think? I wasn't going to break our promise!)

The boy gave a silent laugh as he cuddled the creature who had settled into his arms. He bent slightly to create a cocoon around them, trying to keep the bird close to him.

- I'm so happy to see you again Starly...So happy...

- ( Me too, Kellyn! I've been waiting for so long...I was afraid that you wouldn't come back...! But, you're here now. And I have no intention to let you go again! I WILL stay with you!)

The teen felt a big smile appear on his lips as he gently rubbed his face against Starly's soft plumage. The creature cooed with happiness.

- Kellyn? What's going on kiddo?

Crawford, who was scouting, retraced his steps when he realized that the new recruit was no longer following him. He immediately took notice of the presence of the Pokémon.

- Oh! Isn't that the Starly you captured a few months ago?

Kellyn nodded slowly, never taking his gaze away from the bird. The older of the two looked tender and nostalgic. It reminded him of his own encounter with Budew...

- Haha....Hey, Kellyn? Do you remember what I told you last time, about Partner Pokemon?

The brunet cradled Starly close to his chest and took a step back, his eyes screaming, "If you try to take her from me again, you're dead! Your body will never be found.". Which made the older man burst out laughing.

- Don't worry! This is not bad news! I just wanted to help you officialize your Partner link with your new friend.

The two friends looked at each other in disbelief before staring back at Crawford, their pupils shining with hope. The latter made the boy take his Styler in hand and showed him the procedure to follow in order to register the Pokemon as a Partner, and voila!

- Aaaaannnddd there you go! It's done! You are officially Partners now!

The bird squealed in delight while circling around it's new friend. Said friend was practically jumping up and down because of his excitement and happiness. The adult sighed, but he had a delighted smile on his lips.

-...You two, go back to the base. I'm taking care of our sculptor friend. You have a lot to say to each other. Besides, we were pretty much done with this mission anyway.

Kellyn bowed to thank his superior before returning to Vientown, closely followed by an elated Starly. Once inside, the two were greeted by Kate and Barlow, who were waiting for them.

- Kellyn! You're back, already! You're much faster than me! - Oh! Could she be the one who I'm thinking of?~

The brunet just gave her a big smile, which confirmed her theory and reassured her, for once.

- I see that you have already found your Partner! I congratulate you, both as a leader, but also as a comrade. I have a feeling that you are going to accomplish great things together!

For the first time since arriving at the base, Kellyn felt good. As if he was complete.

...Although that was a huge lie.

He and his new friend retreated to their room, enjoying some privacy so they could get to know each other better.

- This is our home, Starly! I know, it's small compared to Vientown Forest, but at least you won't get soaked here! Normally.

- (It is indeed different from the lush nature of the woods, but the change itself is not a bad thing. I like this room.)

- Glad you like it! And don't worry, I'm going to start building our nest.

- (Oh? I didn't think humans were making nests, too!)

The brunet looked embarrassed and somewhat shy.

-...They don't. It's just that...I learned to communicate with the help of Pokemons....So I took some of your habits. Including nest's building.

The bird gently landed on the shoulder of the boy who was busy preparing different layers of fabrics and plaids on the bed. He was grateful to his cousin who had been kind enough to collect his belongings from his house, including his famous bags filled with "nesting material" as he liked to call them.

Quickly, a mass formed, allowing the two friends to adjust according to their tastes. A pillow here, a blanket there...

And so their new bed, just as big as the original, was created.

- What do you think?

- (It...It looks so warm. And cozy....)

- Why not test it, then?

The boy kicked off his shoes as well as his jacket, leaving his shoulders uncovered, before entering his small safety zone. He made himself comfortable and invited his partner to do the same. She leaned against a pillow that was right next to the Ranger's face.

- So?

- (...I confirm. It's warm and really comfortable...I've never had such a nest before!)

The brunet chuckled softly as he stroked the Pokemon's two-toned head.

- I'm glad to hear you say that.

They remained like that, in a comforting silence before Kellyn decided to break it.

-....We have to find you a name.

- ( Pardon?)

- A name. H-Hum...It's just that Starly is your species' name, but not yours. I...I just wanted you to have one of your own.

The bird had a moment of reflection before exclaiming, a smile in her voice:

- (I had never thought of it from this angle. Indeed, I would like to have my own name. Do you have an idea?)

The teenager stared at Starly's eyes, as if analyzing her soul, then smiled.

- How about....Fischl?

- (Fischl? Hum...Fischl. Fischl, Fischl, Fischl....I really like it! Where does it come from?)

- From an old legend belonging to a distant region. It's said that long ago reigned a princess who could control storms and thunder. Affectionate but also able to sway her enemies in the wind with grace and determination, Fischl. This was the name of the "Princess of Storms".

- (Oh~ I see. But...Are you sure I can have such a name?)

The brunet felt his expression soften as he heard the doubt in the Pokemon's voice. He then approached her, and pressed his face against her's.

- You know, when I look into your eyes, I see a protective and fierce soul. Sometimes calm like a breeze, sometimes powerful and devastating like a hurricane. An untamable heart not hesitating to jump into battle to protect those in need. That's the type of person I see in you. A being named Fischl, the "Queen of Heaven".

The creature blinked, stunned by it's partner's words. She let a lone tear run down her plumage before giggling.

- (...I didn't know you could talk like that, Kellyn.)

The boy scratched his cheek, an embarrassed look on his face, but he continued to smile.

- (But...I'm still going to trust you. I like this name, and I don't care what others say about it! I'll wear it with pride! I'm Fischl, your Partner! )

Kellyn laughed innocently, amused by Starly's enthusiasm- No, Fischl.

And that's how the story of our two friends began.

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..........It's only the first chapter of Part II, and I don't know what to say anymore!....Don't worry, the "No context Shenanigans" should return in the next chapter!....I think.