Multi-Region Ranger recruitment ad
“Have you wanted to explore even after your journey? Are you willing to help pokemon in the wild? Can you track down poachers and thieves? Got a few Gym badges? If your answer is yes, sign up to the Rangers today and prove us right! For more information, inquire at the nearest recruitment center, ranger post or our brand new website!”
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Private of the Iron Hammer 1st Battalion Ron Roach
“Are you my starter?” Ron asked. In reply, the icy white basketball nodded its whole body up and down. “Do you want a name?”
It again replied with a bobble nod, curiosity flashing in its eyes.
The name came to his lips “Gastly, you are the Babayaga, the boogeyman. Where I'm from it is the thing that goes bump in the night.” Also, he's a badass movie character. But Ron didn't say the last part out loud.
Its eyes widened in shock, then a great big cheshire grin spread across its face. “G-G-G-G-b”
The ghost bubbled in what could only be happy acceptance and nudged him. It then floated to the ground and was consumed in a wave of red light, sucked back up into the dangerous ball. The pokeball had stopped pulsing with red light and sat on the ground shutting with a click.
Refusing to think about anything else until tomorrow, Ron turned in. It was an uneasy sleep and took quite a while to overcome him. The deep bass growls and far away roars did nothing for comfort inside a canvas tent. But not having a choice and some suspicions about where he was, allowed the brain to shut down.
Ron woke up groggy and confused, automatically tying his boots while grabbing his rifle and knife. Then got up and cooked a minor meal from a ration pack and camp cooker. The morning coffee got gears turning and he thought “Maybe Gast… Babayaga eats? I'll give him? Her? It? Some chocolate might help. All my old friends loved chocolate.” He released the gaseous basketball and offered it the treat. “This is for you,” he said, reaching the bar up to its face. “To the start of a long friendship I hope.” The Gastly, without hands to use, took a bite out of the held up bar and squealed in joy.
“G-G-GGG-b” it mumbled after chewing.
He had no idea what that meant but hoped it was positive.
Ron took the morning to carefully inventory everything in his pack and make a plan.
I first need to look for some form of civilization, I suspect SOMEHOW, something or someone transported me here. Yaga existing leads me to believe this is the pokemon world, whatever its called. I need to find humans and warn them about MACH 30. If this ball is the only bit that came through then maybe I can manage, but if more came through this world will be devoured, pokemon or not.
He spent the rest of the morning writing down everything that his child-self remembered about this world and its characters. The sun was high and hot but that didn't deter Ron in the slightest. He packed camp and continued further around the coast, looking for any sign of civilization.
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Pokerra
1 After Indigo formation
10:12am
Fiore Ranger Outpost
Ringtown
Fiore Ranger Lieutenant Johnn Bushwell
A fit, brunette man sat at his desk, working through the day's paperwork. It had been a day like any other, pokemon migration projections, construction site progress reports and many other small fires he had to manage. But Fiore was developing well. Three new settlements had been created in the past week which had put his teams on a tight schedule, working double shifts for the safety of the colonists. This was still an untamed wilderness and had to be treated as such. The wild pokemon, unused to ranger activity, were still very suspicious and aggressive. They had not yet had enough time to build trust with the local ‘Alpha’s’. Putting down a pen, he reviewed his first orders of reassignment.
League Ranger Training Corps HQ
Lieutenant Johnn Bushwell,
You have been reassigned from the Sinnoh ranger training to GRI.
GRI, the Global Ranger initiative, will set up outposts and infrastructure in the newly discovered Fiore region. This will in future become the global ranger HQ, where people from all known regions will come to be trained as a ranger. We have had a warning from Psycore that more rangers will be greatly needed in the future. You are in command of all rangers at this station and will set up training facilities to meet our goals of recruitment.
Protect and Serve,
Major Solana Everbring
LRTC
Johnn heard footsteps approaching his office, preemptively calling “Come in” before they could knock. One of his team leaders glided into the office, hunched shoulders in a pretend sulk.
“You could have at least pretended not to hear me” Sarah pouted.
She was a small but fit blonde woman that had years of prior experience and was a trusted friend.
“Na, you ain't as quiet as you think” He winked. A pause and then “Now tell me, what’s the issue?”
She snapped to attention. “We have had disturbing reports of loud roaring and increased pokemon activity near Lyra forest. The other side of the river was observed during a grave shift. Something has got those boys all spooked. Also herds of curious Girafarig have been encroaching on our colonists, stealing berries from the storage sheds during the night.”
He sighed, already exhausted from the busy month. “We will need an early warning system and cameras set up to monitor the river, that area is unexplored and only lightly scouted out by patrols. Regarding the Girafarig herd, you will have to get a psychic specialist out to talk to their Alpha. We can’t have wild pokemon relying on us for food.”
“Sir.” She said, relaxing her posture, then proceeded to turn and smoothly walk out of his office.
Before Sarah passed the doors, he called out with an innocent smile. “Nice try, but you’ll never catch me lacking.”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
She didn't reply, only cackled and hid a smirk.
Johnn looked out his office window and muttered. “This ain’t getting easier is it?”
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Ron looked up from the animal track he was following, Babayaga silently bobbing alongside him.
“Is it just me or have the birds stopped singing?” He asked the Gastly.
It drew up gas in a shrug as he looked around. He had been traveling for just under a week but this hasn't happened before. Everything had gone silent, no normal forest background noise, no distant roaring or the buzzing of insects. It was like the forest was holding its breath for something. A low hum built up slow enough he almost didn't notice. It sounded like an old TV that only dogs and kids could hear. The pitch went higher and higher, invading his mind, making him drop to one knee. Sweat dripped off his forehead and his breathing hard, in an effort to stay conscious, but a loud panicked shout cut through the squealing hum.
“OH FUCK, RUN GUYS RUN!”
Ron noticed Yaga had moved in front of him, a protective snarl on its… his face.
That shout sounded human to him and he refused to let anyone else die on his watch.
Ron acted on pure instinct, bolting off the track and into the bush, dropping his pack and heading straight towards the shout.
After a minute of scrambling across roots and around trunks he laid eyes on what looked like a slightly smaller giraffe. Its neck was not as tall and the back half of its fur was black instead of the normal orangey yellow. It also had a mean looking bulbous tail with a face and sharp teeth. What he now realised was a Girafarig, was tearing into humans in a strange green uniform, dissimilar to his own.
“GIRA, FARIG” the pokemon raged, as a strange pink energy coalesced into its two antlers.
Ron had seen many things, but nothing prepared him for what the animals of this world could do. Twin beams of energy shot out and ripped apart one of the humans. Blood and bits scattered the forest floor while the other three humans shouted, grit their teeth in rage and palmed something on their belts. A familiar red flash, then pokemon were released.
Before anything else could happen, the giraffe stopped charging another attack and locked eyes with Ron.
“Another human to prevent our growth? Fine, more food for the herd.” It snarled into his mind.
He Reeled, surprised with the realization that it could talk.
The three others, noticed from the corner of his eye, were tensing in preparation for another charge build up. Their pokemon stock-still, waiting for an opening.
However, while this happened, a pure white gaseous ball hovered Infront of him. “G-G-BBB-GG” Yaga screamed.
The Girafarig glanced Yaga’s way then couldn’t look away. Yaga's lips curled down in a sneer, the gas surrounding him vibrating.
A tense pause rang out, as the humans waited for something to happen.
A reaction from the Girafarig spiked the tension as its whole body shuddered, then bleated out a mournful cry. It turned without looking back, and ran away, further into the forest.
In Ron's mind the Girafarig sobbed. "Battered one, I am sorry. Sorry, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY. Sorry, so sorry...."
He watched it retreat, dread dawning on his face. It knows something. Was it Babayaga? What happened between them?
One of the humans, still looking tense and on guard, slowly approached Ron.
“Thank you stranger. Your Gastly? He might have just saved our lives.” He clenched a fist at that.
Ron turned to face the redhead. “I just heard the hum and shout, and wanted to help how I could. What was that by the way?”
“That was an Alpha, I’m surprised your Gastly managed to scare it off.” The man's eyes fell.
“Our team's psychic specialist tried to negotiate with the Girafrig herd leader, who was pissed about being asked not to take our food. Like you saw, it did not go well at all. We weren't expecting it to become so aggressive.”
“I see…” Ron replied, trying to think.
“I can help bury your friend, and I’m sorry for your loss.” He said sincerely.
All three of them gazed at the ground, along with their pokemon, all visibly shaking in anger and grief. Then they looked between each other, an unspoken conversation being had.
The redhead turned to him again, sticking out a hand. “The names Warden, and these two are Marty and Calir.” They each nodded in turn. “Poor circumstances to be meeting a fellow ranger. Ranger…?”
“Roach,” Ron replied. Grasping the man’s hand. “Just… Roach.”
Calir, the tall raven haired woman, raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
I think it's time to start fresh here. But revealing that I'm not a ranger might be a bad idea at present. I don't really want to be lost in this forest much longer and now that I've found people, I want to warn and help them. From what little I've seen so far it might be as dangerous as Earth, but who knows, maybe I can at least make a difference. The next goal is to find out if MACH 30 ever made it here. These rangers might be able to help, or at least get the pokemon league to take action.
Relief and exhaustion flashed across Warden's face as he replied. “Well Roach, I think that yes, we would appreciate your help.” He then glanced at his pokemon team, who were still staring at the ground. “You guys, don't help. I want to do it with my own hands.” Their postures dropped from tense readiness to slow sadness.
The next few hours were silent as the group spent the time digging, one member always scanning the surroundings. Once they finished up he noticed Yaga, wearing a solemn frown, float near the memorial. He patted Yaga gently on the head then left the ghost type to its thoughts.
They had started the trek back through the forest, Warden offered to guide Roach back to the ranger outpost called Ringtown, to which Roach readily agreed. One of Marty’s Pidgey, a small sparrow-like bird pokemon took off, carrying a quick paper report of what had happened. Roach noticed that not one of them had a radio. He guessed if they had magical beasts that could fly, maybe it wasn't essential. But it sure would have helped in the last encounter. He should look into it at a later time, maybe that technology could help this world greatly.
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Pokerra
1 AIF
7:55pm
Mossdeep City
Mossdeep Space Center
Professor Oak
The former champion of Kanto and now Professor in all things pokemon, had travelled a long way from his lab and ranch on the mainland of Kanto. He sat in a chair, hand supporting his chin. An astronaut was giving a brief about what he had seen and all significant players had been warned about it.
He glanced around, marveling at the number of people that showed up.
Even Steven Stone and Lance are here, let alone their elite four, this is an extremely unusual gathering. Oh, but I should be paying attention.
Oak refocused on the current lecture.
“--e were doing maintenance on the satellite. Its purpose is to detect and analyze incoming asteroids so we can choose to intercept if threatening Pokerra as a whole. Normally the smaller ones burn up upon entry to the atmosphere, but this one doesn't look likely to. Our tools could not recognise its material nor find a reason for its appearance. According to the readouts, assigned name: Object 42 had not existed until it appeared one light minute from our planet. The projected speed calculations say that impact will occur within six months. Variable to change, exactly five months and twenty four days.”
The astronaut, Bruce, paused. Letting the gathered individuals absorb this information.
Agatha, Elite four member of Indigo and ancient master of ghosts spoke up. “Young one, to what risks does this ‘Object 42’ represent? I see no reason for panic. And as you previously mentioned, the impact will occur on a landmass we know only the name of. Why make my old bones travel so far from Lavender town?”
A slight spine tingling chill swept the room.
Bruce, Oak knew, had done lectures for countless people in powerful positions and knew how to handle himself in their presence. But Agatha’s cold and questioning glare was something else entirely. It also didn't help that countless red eyes stared out from her shadow.
He replied, stuttering slightly. “T-the r-reason is because Tandor, the impact region, is very close to Fiore. And Fiore, like you all know, is the home to a significant number of rangers-in-training.” Bruce paused, gathering himself.
“But the main reason, and why you are all gathered here is because of Dialga.”
Almost everyone in the meeting room sat up in surprise, including Oak himself. He noticed both Lance and Steven to be deep in thought.
“Our resident psychic Gym leaders, Tate and Liza” Bruce continued. “Have projected an extreme outcome. Dialga has lost almost all of its power doing something we haven't a clue about. However, they detected a massive psychic force that gathered and vanished within Fiore itself. The only information they could detect through such a mass of power was one clue. The energy was similar to a move called teleport, one huge teleport.”
The Gym leaders themselves, also at this meeting, shrunk back from the wide eyes and slack jaws of most present.
Both Oak and Agatha sighed out loud.
END OF CHAPTER 2