By the time I pushed open the front door, every muscle in my body felt like it was made of lead.

  I took off my boots, dropped my bag somewhere vaguely near the wall, and stepped into the hallway. The house was quiet, and warm, safe away from the chill sea breeze. I slid open the glass door to the backyard and released the Poké Balls.

  Light flared, then faded.

  Caesar stood tall, taller than me no,w with his armor-like scales catching the faint porch lights.

  He blinked once, slowly, then rumbled in greeting. Livia landed lightly beside him, wings fluttering, head tilting curiously.

  "Were home," I said, voice low.

  Caesar bumped his snout against my shoulder, carefully. Livia chirped once and nipped gently at my sleeve. I scratched them both behind the jaw and beak.

  "Go get some rest," I murmured. "We have a long day tomorrow."

  Caesar huffed, but walked further into the yard, with Livia flew behind him. I left them there and closed the door.

  Inside, I trudged into the living room and dropped onto the couch face-first. The cushions swallowed me. I let out a groan I didn't know I'd been holding.

  Footsteps padded down the stairs.

  "What, dying already?" Hailey's voice floated in, amused.

  I rolled my head to the side just enough to see her leaning against the railing, hair pulled into a low ponytail, a lazy smile on her face. "It's not that easy now, is it?"

  I groaned into the cushion. "Funny, you're a real comedian."

  She chuckled, a bright, mocking edge to it. "Oh, please. I'd crawl in here wrecked every night, While you poke fun at me."

  I cracked an eye open. "Not helping."

  She walked into the room, arms crossed. "Two weeks in and you already look like you've been hit by a Tauros stampede."

  "Feels like it."

  I closed my eyes again. My mind drifted, exhaustion pulling me under.

  Two weeks.

  Two weeks since the exam. Since Caesar evolved mid-battle and nearly caused a panic. Since I was handed the Badge.

  And since then no breaks.

  Every morning started with team tactics, planning together. Formation drills went on until my legs felt like they were on fire. We teamed up with Elena, Takashi, and Kaito, working with their Pokémon in group exercises.

  We practiced fake rescues and emergency drills, learning to move with other Rangers and their Pokémon without yelling. We set up strong defenses, figuring out how to pull back without causing a mess.

  It wasn't like a normal training routine. It hit me then that this was the military.

  Somewhere in that mess of sweat and bruises, we learned how to move like a unit instead of a bunch of kids with Pokémon.

  "Hey." Hailey's voice cut in, softer. "You smell like a Muk's armpit. Go shower. I'll make something to eat."

  I forced myself upright, bones protesting. "I have to eat your cooking?"

  "Don't push it," she said, but she was smiling.

  __________________________________________________________________________

  The shower was the right temperature, and Steam filled the glass. Dirt and sweat washed down the drain, and I felt human again.

  I threw on a clean shirt and shorts, padded downstairs, hair still damp.

  The dining table was set, nothing fancy. Just rice, grilled fish, a couple of side dishes. Hailey was already sitting, scrolling through her RangerNav.

  I dropped into the seat across from her.

  She looked up. "Eat up"

  I didn't argue. First bite in, I realized how hungry I actually was.

  After a minute, she asked, "Training's going alright?"

  "It's fine," I said between bites. "Nothing I didn't expect."

  She raised a brow. "That so?"

  I shrugged. "Hard. But manageable."

  She leaned back in her chair. "Good, Your almost finished with basics."

  I paused with my chopsticks mid-air. "Yeah. They assigned me."

  Her expression shifted. Subtle. Almost proud. "Your first patrol?"

  "Mm." I nodded. "With a senior Ranger. They're calling it a monitored deployment. We do a patrol route. Just standard observation and report."

  I swallowed the rice. "If I don't screw up, I get clearance and can accept low-risk patrol assignments on my own. Or with a partner. As long as I check in weekly. Vermilion HQ wants reports. We respond only to minor incidents in our area or take optional patrol shifts."

  Hailey nodded slowly. "Sounds about right."

  "I know."

  There was a pause.

  Then she smiled, small but real. "You'll do fine, Arata."

  I looked down at my bowl, suddenly embarrassed at how warm my chest felt. "Thanks, Hailey."

  She took a sip of tea. "Just remember. A Ranger's job isn't glory. It's being there when no one else is."

  "I know," I repeated quietly

  She looked at me for a moment longer, then sighed dramatically. "Also, don't die on your first day.

  I snorted. "I'll try not to."

  "Good." She stretched her arms above her head. "Finish up and get some sleep. And if you snore on the couch again, I'm dumping a bucket of water on you."

  "Duly Noted," I said dryly.

  Next Morning – Vermilion Ranger HQ

  The fluorescent lights in the briefing room buzzed quietly overhead, casting a pale glow over everything. The walls were white, spotless. A large digital map of Kanto covered one wall, dotted with patrol routes, blinking hazard markers, and weather patterns.

  The air smelled faintly of coffee.

  I stood beside Elena, Takashi, and Kaito, each of us in our freshly issued Ranger jackets. Mine still felt stiff around the shoulders. A long table stretched in front of us, papers, tablets, and a steaming cup of coffee were scattered across it

  Captain Marcus stood at the front, tapping on a Ranger-issued tablet as he spoke. His voice was steady, no-nonsense.

  "That'll be the end of your basic integration phase," he said. "You've completed team tactics, survival evaluation, emergency response drills, and controlled field exercises. You did well. Better than most batches, actually."

  Elena straightened with quiet pride. Takashi let out a slow breath. Kaito gave a small grin.

  Marcus continued, "Starting today, you'll be assigned an active Ranger to shadow them on live patrol routes. No simulations. This is real work, with real consequences. You'll observe, assist, and follow orders. Nothing more. Understood?"

  "Yes, sir," we said in unison.

  He glanced back down at his tablet. His brows furrowed a little, something between sympathy and amusement. "As for assigned Ranger…" He cleared his throat. "Arata, Elena, Takashi, Kaito, you're being placed under Lieutenant Dahlia Graves."

  He didn't even try to hide the slight wince at this point

  Marcus opened his mouth to say something...

  The door slammed open.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "RANGERS - ATTENTION!"

  The voice cracked through the air like a gunshot. Instinct kicked in before thought. We snapped into attention, backs straight, heels clicking.

  An older woman stood in the doorway, late fifties, maybe early sixties. Short steel-grey hair, sharp eyes like she could see straight through you, deep scars tracing the side of her jaw down to her collar. Her uniform was worn but spotless. Medals lined her chest. she marched into the room.

  Beside me, I heard Takashi swallow. Elena stood rigid. Even Marcus straightened slightly.

  She swept her gaze over us like we were recruits on day one.

  "So. These are the new 'Junior Rangers' I've been handed." Her tone was flat, unimpressed. "You think just because you passed a few tests and survived some drills, you're Rangers now?"

  No one answered. I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears.

  She stepped forward, boots heavy against the floor.

  "You're not Rangers. Not yet. You're kids with uniforms. And out there... " she jabbed a finger toward the map on the wall, "...out there is where I find out if you break… or if you bite back."

  She let that hang.

  "Name's Lieutenant Graves. Call me 'Ma'am' or 'Lieutenant.' Anything else and I'll have you jogging laps around Route 6 until your legs fall off. Understood?"

  "Yes, ma'am!" we echoed.

  She gave a short, sharp nod. "Good."

  Then she turned to Captain Marcus. "Briefing's mine now."

  He gave a tired smile. "All yours, Lieutenant."

  Graves faced us again. "You've got fifteen minutes. Gear up. Full field kits. Poké Balls secured. Meet me at the side entrance by the motor pool, and If you're late, don't bother showing up at all."

  She turned on her heel and strode out the door without waiting for a response.

  The door clicked shut behind her.

  For a moment, no one moved.

  Then I realized I hadn't breathed for about ten seconds.

  I exhaled slowly.

  Takashi whispered, "We're definitely dead."

  Kaito muttered, "I knew I should've become a breeder."

  Elena elbowed him.

  I just swallowed, pulse still loud in my ears.

  Marcus sighed, looking more sympathetic than before. "Well… you heard her. Fifteen minutes. Don't keep Lieutenant Graves waiting."

  "Sir," we said, and hurried out

  We practically spilled into the hallway, boots thudding against the polished floor as the briefing room door shut behind us. None of us spoke for a moment.

  We were told to meet her outside the eastern side entrance. Fifteen minutes.

  My hands moved instinctively to my uniform as we advanced. I straightened the jacket, smoothing the collar until it lay flat. The Ranger insignia gleamed clean and crisp, then I tightened the leather straps of my field knife, secured at my right thigh. On my belt, two Poké Balls rested in perfect alignment, while behind them and clipped to my lower back, hung a compact field pack.

  We passed through wide corridors, busy with admin officers, nurses, and the occasional Ranger coming off duty. The morning light spilled through glass panels to our left, reflecting on polished tiles.. Kaito kept muttering under his breath. Takashi walked ahead, already fixing his jacket buttons like his life depended on it.

  We reached the side entrance.

  The steel doors slid open with a hiss. Outside was a concrete staging area beside the motor pool, patrol jeeps, bike racks, and small supply crates. And standing dead center, arms behind her back, was Lieutenant Graves.

  No one dared breathe too loudly.

  When she spoke, it wasn't loud. But it cut through the air like a blade.

  "This is my final year as an active Ranger," she said. "After forty-five years of service, the League wants me to retire, sit behind a desk, write manuals." Her mouth twisted. "Before I do, they assigned me you four."

  Nobody moved. I kept my gaze forward, jaw tight.

  "I'll be honest, quality has been dropping since the war ended." Her voice stayed calm, but each word held weight. "Too many soft hands. Too many who think wearing this jacket makes them heroes. I don't train heroes. I train Rangers."

  I felt the cold morning air slip into my lungs. My fingers curled slightly at my side.

  She continued, "If you thought today was a city patrol, a stroll through the market and back before lunch, forget it." She took a step forward. "Rangers are not glorified tour guides. We guard what is beyond the roads. The wild. The places maps stop describing."

  Kaito swallowed loudly beside me.

  "We won't be taking the approved northern route. We're heading into the true forest, deep into Vermillion perimeter. No roads. No signals. No backup, unless one of us bleeds out enough to justify it."

  Elena's breath hitched. I kept my face still, but my mind flashed, the flood from years back, rain drowning Vermilion streets, the Ursaring cave, its roar vibrating in my bones.

  I remembered standing frozen, mud up to my knees, thinking I might die.

  But… I wasn't that kid anymore. I'd trained. I had my Pokémon, I wasn't helpless anymore.

  Still, caution, like a quiet hand on my shoulder, reminded me: this world doesn't care.

  Lieutenant Graves looked at each of us in turn. Then, without warning, she unclipped a Pokéball from her belt and tossed it.

  "Slowbro, take field."

  The pink, yawning creature materialized beside her in a gentle shimmer of light. Those half-lidded eyes stared lazily forward, tail encased in that spiraled Shellder. But the psychic pressure rolling off it was anything but lazy.

  "Formation," Graves said simply.

  We moved automatically, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of her, backs straight.

  Then "Teleport."

  I barely had time to blink.

  Slowbro's eyes glowed pale blue.

  And then the world grabbed me.

  Not physically, more like gravity twisted sideways.

  A force pressed against my skin, my ribs, even behind my eyes. The air around us rippled, like heat over asphalt, bending light in waves. My stomach lurched as if the ground disappeared. Colors smeared together, the concrete, the sky, all dragged into a spiraling tunnel of blue and white.

  The sound was distant and close all at once, like hearing the ocean from underwater.

  For a heartbeat, I couldn't breathe.

  My hand tightened instinctively over Caesar's Pokéball.

  Then light.

  A step.

  Cold air hit my face. Damp. Heavy with pine, moss, earth. My boots crunched on dirt, not concrete.

  I exhaled sharply.

  We were standing in a forest. Not the outskirts. This was deeper, the trees older, wider, towering above us like silent towers. The canopy swallowed most of the sun. Mist clung low between roots. Somewhere distant, a Pokémon screeched.

  Lieutenant Graves didn't even glance at us.

  She simply said, "Move out."