Sherry peered down at the forest below, reinforced goggles shielding her eyes from the cold wind. The harness was tight, digging into her legs, but the regulations stated to do so for Ranger and Pokémon safety. This was her longest Mission yet, ranging all the way to the mountains, with dispensation to camp as necessary.

  Three days into her patrol and she already had several pages of notes and documentation for Command to review. Beautifly and Dustox were abundant in the area, nearly half a month earlier than some of their most extreme cases. Her handwritten records and verbal analysis of the event covered nearly a page and tens of minutes.

  The Ranger's Guide was lax when it came to proper documentation of anomalies, a note that she added to the many already sent to the Union for correction.

  Returning her focus to the area below, Sherry chided herself for the inattention. Other Rangers often spoke about the difficulty in maintaining focus over such a long period of time away from civilization. The Guide and other manuals were dedicated to training Rangers for such events, but the best training was experience.

  Merely another sign that it was time for their patrol to come to an end.

  "Star!" her partner Pokémon cried.

  The Staraptor's screech pierced the skies, punctuating Sherry's thoughts about the end of their mission. While she knew it was time to head back to base, part of her was going to miss the brief return to isolation that she experienced.

  She smiled at her partner's cry, the old bird likely recognizing her falling mood. While not one of her original team from her Journey days, Sherry found the Staraptor to be an excellent companion.

  "You tell 'em, Staraptor," she called out.

  The bird Pokémon was prone to flights of fancy, and she often found herself supporting them despite recommendations not to. Reaching underneath his feathery mane, she scratched the skin beneath.

  The other Rangers liked to talk about how he was headstrong and a difficult partner to be paired with, yet the two of them simply clicked in a way she had not felt since her Journey.

  When Staraptor twitched his head, she removed her hand and settled it back onto the harness. The leather straps were bending his feathers and she knew that they would be spending several hours straightening his coat. His species was well known for their prideful appearance, and while the Pokémon enjoyed the roaming patrols, he loathed how the flying harness disrupted his feathers.

  From below, the chilling howls of the Houndoom and their pups filled the air as they woke. The rough bellows were picked up by others, indicating that they were beginning to hunt.

  "Tor," her partner chirped lightly. Staraptor was already responding, moving away from the hunting grounds.

  "Odd," she said aloud, "It's rather early for the Houndoom to be hunting."

  Sherry frowned as she looked down at the forest. The unusual time of the hunt was only another indication of something strange about the wilds. There was no single, major event, simply a small series of oddities. It would be something for her to point out to Command, though the Rangers were already overwhelmed by the events of the last full moon.

  If it were not for some of the more traditional families and the Ace Trainers that they were able to call in, then things could have turned out far worse.

  Ghosts swarming the city, some playing harmless pranks while many more were cruel and outright predatory. Dark Types were likewise riled up, fighting each other and any that crossed their path. Even one of the station's was targeted, forcing Staraptor to defend the building and its residents, destroying several walls in the process.

  While the locals merely regarded it as merely part of the monthly Lunar Festival, Sherry knew better.

  A quiet report, handed down by the Commander and originating from the Gym Leader himself, said as much. There were no details, at least not any available to a Ranger of her rank, only a word to everyone to be on guard.

  Of course, the report was made nearly two months ago, but that meant little to the Canalave's Gym Leader. Byron's Pokémon were well known and it was not uncommon for Psychic Types to have premonitions of current or future events.

  For all that, Sherry could only do as she was instructed. She kept a close eye on the city and its surroundings, her reports becoming far more detailed. She believed it was one of the reasons that she was assigned this mission in the first place, as her attention to regulation had not gone unnoticed by others.

  Though 'aggravating' and 'overwhelming' were not how she would have described it.

  Regardless, she noted her fellow Ranger's sensitive and agitated mental states.

  As Staraptor circled back around to the hunting perimeter, their strident howls picked up. The canine's fervent urging for them to leave elicited another frown from her. And, judging by his cocked head, Staraptor as well.

  "Raptor!" her partner shrieked.

  If it were not for her earplugs, Sherry was sure that she would have been deafened by the bird's returning call. The bird flew in a tight circle several times, purposefully aggravating the Houndoom pack below.

  She lightly sighed with relief when he swerved away from the fire breathing Pokémon. Even if they were too far to be attacked, there was still plenty that the canines could do that would make her, and other Rangers, lives difficult.

  Or worse.

  Besides, the smoke and gas from the demonic fire was starting to filter through her scarf and make her choke.

  As such, when Staraptor suddenly dropped in the sky, she nearly screamed.

  Fortunately, her straps held strong, keeping her from sliding out of the harness. Gripping tight to the straps, she kept her body loose as Staraptor regained control of himself with a squawk of alarm. If that was not enough to alert her, then his raised crest feathers did.

  Something spooked the veteran Pokémon Ranger, badly enough that he wanted her alert Command.

  Sherry tapped out a quick acknowledgement on the bird's back, using a simple system known by all Rangers. After doing so, she carefully released one hand to grab at her Capture Styler. The device was strapped to her side, with only a few buttons to press. It connected to her earpiece and goggles, connecting the three for easier communication.

  Touching one of the buttons, she called Canalave Command. Protocol dictated an alert for every encounter, or possible encounter, that a Ranger was involved.

  Through the earpiece, Sherry heard the Ranger on duty respond along with translucent captions appearing on her heads-up display.

  {CC: Canalave Command. Report. Over.} The voice was professional and even, though difficult to hear over the moving air. The words were short and terse, a necessity when speed and limited distraction was of the essence.

  {Staraptor, possible hostile. Over.} Unable to be heard clearly, Sherry subvocalized her response. As a result, the message was short and, without more information, unspecific.

  {CC: Confirm Hostile. Over.} This time a sense of worry could be heard in the other Ranger's voice, a sign that they were either new or there was a reason to be worried.

  Sherry's mind flashed back to the Gym Leader's report.

  {CC: Negative. Over.} Sherry sent back, annoyed at herself for the lack of specifics. As someone who often worked the Command call room, she knew full well the aggravation that came with empty responses.

  Sherry was distracted from whatever Command responded with as Staraptor smoothed his feathers and harshly flapped his wings with another screech. The bird angled his body, forcing her to respond in kind. She could not help but notice that they were quickly pointing towards the active Houndoom hunt and Koda Grove beyond.

  More importantly, she recognized the specific cry he used.

  Quickly, she communicated back with Command.

  {Staraptor engaging. Hostile Unknown. Over and Out.}

  Message sent, Sherry double checked her straps and laid low against her partner's feathered body. She tapped low on his feathery mane, signaling her readiness and hurriedly grabbed the handholds. She could feel her knuckles ache as she tightened her fists.

  The bird performed a tight spin, wind gathering beneath his wings. It tugged at her body as well, encouraging her to fall into its embrace. Sherry refused and left her stomach behind as Staraptor suddenly lanced forwards. A powerful Tailwind fueled their flight, allowing them to cross kilometers in mere moments.

  Air screamed past, and Sherry forced herself closer to the Pokémon's body. They were reaching speeds that could break a limb and tear her free, harness or not.

  Sherry wondered at what had her partner so spooked. While the bird enjoyed long flights in an open sky, it was not often that he pushed his body so. Despite the attitude of a freshly evolved Pokémon, they both knew he was nearing retirement age for his kind.

  Forced to follow along, Sherry felt it when her partner started to quickly circle the area. The rough movement was jerking her body around, with the tight circles causing black to creep in at the edge of her vision. She bared her teeth against the pain and forced herself to remain conscious, tensing her legs to keep the blood from pooling.

  Turning her head, she searched for whatever galvanized Staraptor to such a state. Smoke obscured her vision, but the Union issued goggles were able to pick out heat signatures. The fire still proved to be a hindrance, but she was able to quickly pick out several fast moving shapes below.

  One led the others, the smaller forms burning hotter and narrowing their lead.

  "Staraptor," Sherry shouted for her partner's attention. Ripping an arm free of the straps, she fought against the strong wind to point it forward of his wing. "There! Right wing!" she added in case the bird could not see her outstretched arm.

  She saw his head twitch in response. Sherry felt, more than heard, Staraptor chirp. The bird had far better eyes than her, and now that he knew where to look he could likely see the target.

  Once more, her stomach was left behind as the large bird tucked in his wings and dove. She could feel the wind gather around them as they neared the trees. In a flick of motion, Staraptor snapped out his wings, halting their rapid fall with a strained cry.

  The Tailwind blew past, transforming into a Whirlwind that blew away the surrounding branches and smoke.

  They quickly dropped further, following the wind, and Sherry hurried to release herself. The harness was meant to allow for such a quick action, allowing her to slip free and fall the rest of the dozen or so feet to the ground. As an added benefit, the fall allowed her time to take in the scene.

  A kid with some kind of hand-made pack was pressed up against a tree. He looked to be carrying something heavy in his hands, though she could not make it out in time. There was a Beautifly bobbing around him, squealing in fear.

  Sherry landed with a grunt, absorbing the shock with her knees. In the same motion, she ripped free her Capture Styler and threw her other arm just in time for several Houndour to leap out to surround them.

  Staraptor landed in front of her, wings close to his body and head lifted up to peer down at the younger Pokémon.

  The Houndoom were no longer bellowing their rage and the forest was silent except for the crackling of the flames. The unevolved canines were snarling, leaking a weak smog that would have left her choking if it were not for the scarf shielding her mouth.

  Tensing her arm, she was prepared to launch the Capture Disc from her styler. The device would help soothe the wild Pokémon and keep them from attacking.

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  However, before she could, Staraptor interrupted her. The large bird flickered a wing out, blocking her arm, just in time for three Houndoom to burst out of the undergrowth in quick succession.

  Sherry cursed her lapse in focus. Had she been paying attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed the larger heat signatures closing in. Instead, she was consumed by the Pokémon in front of her.

  If it were not for her partner's quick thinking, she would have left herself vulnerable to the Houndoom. Seeing her attempt to capture their packmates would have enraged the Dark Types even further. Subduing an entire pack against their will was far beyond her capabilities.

  Grimacing at the situation, Sherry was quickly thinking through her options when a shriek from Staraptor interrupted her. She could not see her partner's face, but the large bird's feathers ruffled as he took time to tuck his wing back in.

  The Houndoom loomed behind their younger packmates, encouraging each other as they inched forward. However, at Staraptor's screech they stopped. The older Pokémon growled and stepped forward of the Houndour, recognizing that the younger canines would be of little help should a fight break out. Their species was highly protective of each other, entire packs rallying in defense of a single pup.

  Sherry narrowed her eyes in sudden suspicion. There was little reason for a Trainer to be this far off-Route, and she did not recall any recent authorizations. And surrounded by Dark-Types, it was not like she could radio in to check, or even update Command.

  If the kid tried taking one of their pups, then there was little chance any of them were going to escape unscathed.

  The Houndoom spread out, trying to circle out her and Staraptor. However, her partner was having none of it.

  The large bird snapped his break with a crack of noise.

  "Tor," he chirped harshly.

  "Hou, hou," One of the Houndoom stepped forward and snarled at her Ranger partner.

  Sherry noted that it was female, and fought to keep herself from tensing. While males could be more aggressive at the onset, a matriarch would fight to the death in defense of one her pups.

  The Houndour yipped and whined with the pack leader before they were silenced by one of the other Houndoom.

  The sudden approach and growls of the wild Pokémon must have alarmed the young man as he started to move around. Gesturing with her arm, she hoped he understood what she was trying to communicate. The pack was clearly agitated and could attack at the slightest provocation.

  Sherry watched Staraptor and the Houndoom closely, which was why she caught her partner twitch his head to look at the Houndour. She followed suit, inspecting the younger Pokémon closer.

  At a first glance, they appeared healthy, with dark fur and gray, ivory shielding their backs and skulls. The fur on their undersides was a healthy orange, with plenty of fat and muscle on their bones. Their bodies and the dark smoke they emitted seemed to absorb the light around them as the hounds huddled together.

  She frowned at their actions. The Houndour should have been more confident, almost arrogantly so, in the presence of their pack elders. Looking closer, Sherry noticed that one of the young Pokémon was crouched behind its packmates.

  The hounds were shielding it with their bodies, she realized.

  From what Sherry could see of the small Pokémon, its fur was lighter than others, instead of the healthy black it should have been. Similarly, the protective ivory was scratched and marred. Unlike its packmates, the Houndour was visibly weaker, panting and hanging its head low to the ground.

  Sherry returned her eyes to the pack leader standing proudly before them. If Houndour were obsessive in protecting their packmates, then their more evolved form was outright aggressive.

  Still, there was little chance that the child was responsible for the Pokémon's condition. Which made their hunt all the more confusing. While they were off-Route, it was not as if they were in the true Wilds. Pokémon were aware of the Rangers and knew better than to pursue humans or Trainers to such a degree.

  She was pulled out of her thoughts when Staraptor chirped.

  "Rap," her partner clacked out, raising himself up to look down upon the other Pokémon.

  "Und. Oom," the Houndoom leader growled, with an eye towards the other hounds. The Pokémon retreated, the evolved Pokémon shielding the pups as they backed away to a more comfortable distance.

  Staraptor dismissed the hounds with a flick of his crest and glared down the canine for another moment. With another clack of his beak, the large bird arrogantly dismissed the other Pokémon and turned around. He strutted past her towards the child.

  Sherry wanted to follow her partner, but knew that it would be a mistake. The hound's Dark Type nature and wild upbringing would encourage her to take advantage if none were watching. Unable to see what he was doing, Sherry saw something fly by as the bird blew it forward on a gust of wind.

  A small flower drifted to the Houndoom's paws before it was carefully snatched up with her jaws. Sherry managed to catch a glimpse of bright pink petals before the canine hid the flower. The Pokémon growled lightly, and slowly backed away.

  The rest of the pack were the first to go, quickly disappearing into the surrounding undergrowth. Just before the matriarch disappeared, Staraptor stopped her with a shriek.

  "Raptor," the bird cried out.

  Sherry jumped in surprise, shocked as the Houndoom who tensed with narrowed eyes.

  "Tor, star," her partner snapped. To her ears, the large bird sounded . . . admonishing?

  The female Houndoom stared Staraptor down before turning her red eyes on Sherry. She met the Pokémon's gaze evenly, showing neither fear nor aggression. The hound growled in assent before quickly backing away and disappearing into the forest.

  As soon as the Pokémon was out of eyesight, Sherry spun around. She was ready to begin berating the Trainer for rousing the fury of a wild Houndoom pack, not to mention interrogate him about why he was so far off-Route without authorization.

  Her words stuck in her throat, however, as her eyes landed on the young man.

  Dark ash, likely still hot from Houndour mouths, covered nearly every centimeter of the boy. What little she could make out beneath the ash appeared to be severely burned. The mound in his arms was resolved to be a shell vaguely reminiscent of a Turtwig, though one covered in ash and bare of soil.

  What was truly worried her, though, was his eyes.

  They were shadowed and dull, unseeing of the world around him. As she moved towards him, he did not follow her actions as a normal person would.

  Sherry was momentarily distracted as her goggles flashed, indicating a restored connection and waiting message from Command. The Dark-Type Energy interfered with the instruments signals, not to the point of damage thankfully, and with their departure she could now contact the base.

  Ignoring the message for now, Sherry stepped up to the teenager.

  The Beautifly fluttering behind him squealed loudly, trying to impose herself between them. Staraptor intervened with a soft cry, jumping forward to clack to the butterfly Pokémon. Focusing on the Trainer, Sherry tried to speak soothingly to him. Fortunately for her, such interactions were covered by the Ranger Guide, with additional manuals for first-aid in the field.

  "Remain calm," she gently ordered. "Everything is going to be okay, sir. Can you tell me what happened?" she asked.

  As she suspected, the Trainer remained oblivious to her words, not reacting in the slightest.

  "Sir, I can take this from you. Is it your partner?" she said, reaching for the shell grasped to his chest. Her goal was to simply offer soft words in an effort to keep him delving further into shock.

  When Sherry touched the turtle shell, one that she suspected was an unhealthy Turtwig, the boy reacted.

  He did not lash out, merely curled tighter around the shell Pokémon and held onto the withdrawn turtle protectively. Likewise, the Beautifly squealed loudly and tried to rush Sherry. Only Staraptor's intervention kept the large butterfly from assaulting her.

  "Ok, ok," she said, immediately removing her hands. "If you want to hold onto your Pokémon, that is fine."

  Carefully and slowly, Sherry moved her hands to his back and tried to guide him into laying down.

  "Sir, please lay down, and I will be able to better assist you. Everything is going to be fine," she repeated.

  The teenager was not resistant to her efforts, but neither was he helpful. After some physical urging, she managed to ease him onto his back. The heavy shell unbalanced and nearly sent him tumbling forcing her to catch him before he fell.

  Quickly, she assessed the Trainer's condition. Despite the urgency, she moved steadily. The manuals and lessons emphasized the importance of a calm mind while administering first aid.

  His pulse was low, worryingly so after what must have been an exhausting and terrifying chase. Inspecting his wounds garnered as much response as her words did, leaving her unsure as to the severity of his wounds. Rudimentary leathers covered his chest and forearms, protecting his vital organs from the worst of the flames.

  At the very least, the young Trainer was suffering from second- and third-degree burns. Houndour flame did not burn as hot or long as Houndoom fire, leaving recovery possible.

  If he was treated soon.

  Once Sherry was sure that the teenager was not at risk of death, she checked the message from Command. As she suspected, it was simply a request for an update. Pressing the call button on her Styler, she replaced it with a diagnostic cuff. While she waited for the operator to answer, she wrapped it around the boy's healthiest limb. It automatically connected to her Styler and goggles, recording the Trainer's vitals.

  They flashed an ominous red that left her jaw clenching.

  "Canalave Command. Report. Over."

  The operator's voice was bored and flat, Sherry noted even as she started to speak over him. Like before, the word appeared in the heads-up display built into her goggles but were easily ignored.

  As soon as Sherry heard the click indicating that her call was picked up, she began to speak, not waiting for the other Ranger to finish. As she did so, she stood up and pulled out a special Poké Ball.

  "Emergency, emergency, emergency," she chanted quickly and clearly. "This is Ranger Sherry, with an injured Trainer. He is unresponsive and suffering moderate to severe Houndour burns across his body. With him is one Turtwig, withdrawn and unresponsive, and a Beautifly lightly burned.

  "Emergency, emergency, emergency," Sherry started again. "I repeat: This is Ranger Sherry, with one injured Trainer. He is unresponsive and suffering Houndour burns. One Turtwig, withdrawn and unresponsive. One Beautifly, lightly wounded."

  Through the earpiece, Sherry could hear scrambling on the other end as the operator processed her words. The other Ranger cursed as clattering sounded out, and Sherry mentally noted the lack of professionalism for the report she was going to have to file later.

  As she spoke, Sherry pointed the black and red Poké Ball away from her. It was decorated with the simplified image of harness, the red beam resolving into a sturdy stretcher crossed with straps.

  The Beautifly trilled in surprise, bobbing in surprise from Sherry's actions. Staraptor cooed, trying to soothe the upset Pokémon.

  Leaping into action, she heard the call operator finally begin to respond as she prepared the stretcher for transport. It was folded up, a requirement for storage within the capsule. Being constructed from ethically sourced Pokémon materials, it was still aggravating to properly store according to regulation.

  "Emergency acknowledged. One Trainer, unresponsive and burned. One Turtwig, withdrawn. One Beautifly." the other Ranger unsteadily answered. His voice was reedy and unsure, bringing a small frown to Sherry's mouth. "Prepare for Teleport!" he practically shouted, panic creeping in.

  "Negative!" Sherry snapped. She was forced to pause in her actions as she forcefully explained herself. "Subject is suffering Houndour burns and is contaminated with Dark-Type Energy."

  Sherry took a breath before continuing. Her next words were the real reason she deemed an emergency Teleport non-viable. However, the words would be a black mark against the Trainer, even if she was proven wrong.

  "Additionally, subject is exhibiting characteristics of possession by a Ghost-Type."

  At her words, silence fell on the other line. It was shortly broken by another voice, one that she recognized.

  "Sherry, are you sure?" the watch captain asked. "You can't take this back if you're wrong."

  Sherry internally flinched at the rough sound of her superior's voice. That he was on the line told her more than she wanted to know. While the other Ranger was likely in-training, supervisors were not the ones who trained them. That duty was left to other low-ranking Area Rangers.

  No, Ranger Richard was likely monitoring her.

  Despite her nerves, Sherry kept her voice steady and controlled.

  "Affirmative, sir. Subject appears conscious but eyes are shadowed and he is unresponsive to most stimuli."

  The words brought her back to the present and she quickly double checked the stretcher. The straps were splayed out, ready to be wrapped around the Trainer and hold him tight. It would aggravate his wounds, but there was no other choice. He needed treatment that could only be found in a hospital, and not out in the field.

  "Understood, Ranger." the captain said authoritatively. "Bring him in and I'll ensure the hospital is ready for you."

  "Yes, sir." she said. Leaving the line open, she turned her attention to the anxious Beautifly with her partner. Pulling out a Safari Ball, she spoke to the Pokémon.

  "I need to transport your Trainer for medical attention. This," Sherry held out the half-camouflaged ball. The Ranger's Insignia for Sinnoh, a crossed sphere flanked by two crescents and upheld by a triangle base, was stickered onto the sphere. "Is a Safari Ball. It will temporarily capture you, lasting hours at the most," she explained.

  The Beautifly considered the ball, shying away from her. While Sherry was pressed by the urgency of the situation, attempting a forceful capture would only serve to delay them further.

  "Sta," Staraptor chirped, his beak clacking lightly.

  "Beau?" the butterfly trilled back.

  "Tor," With his response, Staraptor made eye contact with her and ruffled his wing feathers.

  Taking the large bird's hint, Sherry clicked the Safari Ball and captured the Beautifly.

  "Only until we can get him to the hospital," she murmured to the ball before tucking it away. She quickly pulled out another, holding it out to capture the withdrawn Turtwig. To her relief, the capture was successful, proving that the Pokémon was still alive.

  The boy jerked as the turtle disappeared, moaning and scrabbling at the air.

  Snatching up the stretcher, Sherry hurried to place it by his side.

  "Don't worry, sir," she told him, lightly holding his hands to gently move them to his stomach. "You're Pokémon are alright, there is nothing to be worried about."

  Her words did nothing to calm the boy. Instead, they only seemed to cause him more alarm, as he started to struggle against her.

  "Sir, please stay calm. I am going to move you to a stretcher and strap you in." Sherry waited a moment for her words to register, only for the boy continued to weakly flail.

  Grabbing his body as gently as she could, she overpowered him as she slid him onto the stretcher. He whimpered lightly, his head turning blindly.

  "Everything is going to be ok. My partner and I are going to fly you to a hospital for emergency medical attention." Sherry explained.

  As she talked, Sherry quickly strapped him onto the stretcher. The reinforced cloth straps dug into his wounds, forcing his arms to his side. The Trainer tried to move but was completely unable to.

  Once she was sure that he would not slide free did Sherry grab the metal fiber lines attached to the stretcher.

  Staraptor was waiting for her and hopped forward. He spread his wings, revealing the leather harness surrounding his torso.

  "I'm sorry to put this on you, Staraptor," she told the bird as she clipped the lines in place. "But we are going to have to move fast. I'm not sure how much longer he can hold on."

  "Rap, tor," The predatory bird huffed, ruffling his feathers and flicking his head crest.

  "I know you can handle it," she told him as she double- and triple-checked the various straps and lines. "Which is why I'm trusting this to you."

  "Star," her partner cried, spreading his wings and hopping as though eager to get into the air.

  "Alright, we're good to go," she said, leaping onto the bird's back and securing herself.

  "Ranger Sherry to Canalave Command, come in. Over." she said loudly. The call was still ongoing, with the operators only waiting for her.

  "We're listening, Sherry," Richard answered quickly.

  While the response did not abide by regulation, she was forced to set it aside for later.

  "Staraptor and I are ready to Fly." she told him. "Red Priority MedEvac to Canalave Hospital by air."

  With her words, Staraptor flapped his wings and gathered the wind around him. He easily lifted into the air, long accustomed to the weight of another upon his back. It was only when he grasped the stretcher in his talons and lifted the additional burden that the bird had to strain. Still, that only lasted until he was above the trees and could bring more of his power to bear.

  "We hear you loud and clear, Ranger," he acknowledged. "May Legends speed your flight."

  With only a few beats of the predator's wings, they were speeding through the air with the words of Ranger Command lingering in her ears.