Sonamu Square bustled with life on a sunny day, its cobblestone paths occupied by the pokémon strolling between wooden stalls and quaint shops. Near the square’s fountain, Pepper and Hazel were engaged in a conversation alongside the Viewer.

“After the success of their previous mission, Team Horizon is on a break at the order of Guildmaster Tundra, advising Pepper and Hazel to explore the town,” The Narrator unfolded the day’s story. “Let’s see what their plans are for today, shall we?”

“Hey, friend!” Pepper smiled at the Viewer. “Guildmaster Tundra told us to go around the town!”

Hazel nodded. “There’s a lot of places to check out, like the Kecleon Market, Liepard Bank, and the Unfezant Theater. I can’t decide where we should go first.”

“Where do you want to go, friend?” Pepper leaned closer to the Viewer.

Before a decision could be reached, a raindrop landed squarely on Pepper’s nose. He blinked in surprise and looked up, his expression mirroring the growing confusion on Hazel's face. Dark clouds rolled across the once-clear sky, releasing a steady drizzle that quickly escalated.

“Rain? How?” Pepper breathed out.

“We need to find shelter!” Hazel urged, pointing at the closest cover from the downpour.

The duo hurried to the nearest building, a produce store, as the rain intensified into a full-blown storm.

Once they entered the store and secured the door shut, Pepper and Hazel peered out the window, watching sheets of rain obscure the lively square. Pepper turned toward the Viewer, disappointment in his voice.

“Sorry, friend. Looks like our plans are on hold for now,” He said glumly. “We can always try another day, but why did it rain so suddenly?”

From the back of the store, the owner—a Maractus—appeared, brushing their hands on their apron as they joined Pepper and Hazel by the window. The store owner sighed at the sight of the unrelenting rain. “You can say that again, this wasn’t in the weather forecast according to the morning newspaper.”

“It wasn’t supposed to rain?” Hazel asked, perplexed.

The store owner crossed her arms. “It was supposed to be sunny all week with clear skies. Either the weather forecast in the newspaper was wrong, or this is all being caused by something unnatural.”

The words barely left the maractus’s mouth when the rain abruptly stopped. In its place, snowflakes began to drift down, blanketing the ground in an instant.

Pepper stared at the unnatural sight, his jaw dropping. “W-What the…?”

Hazel’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Snow?”

The store’s door rattled as a gust of icy wind pushed snowflakes through the crack beneath it. The sudden chill made the trio shiver.

“First rain, now snow?” The store owner chattered. “What’s next, a sandstorm?”

The snowstorm subsided, replaced by a whirling sandstorm. Sand swept through the square in violent swirls, battering the store’s windows. The Maractus stared at the chaos in silent awe of her words coming true.

“I… stand corrected,” She muttered to herself.

Moments later, the sandstorm vanished, giving way to harsh sunlight. The intense glare filled the store with an almost blinding light.

“What is going on?!” The store owner exasperated.

The cycle continued—rain, snow, sandstorms, and finally a blazing sun—all in rapid succession. Pepper stared at the shifting elements outside.

“It just keeps changing!” His voice rose over the cacophony of weather changes. “There’s no end!”

“We need to go talk to Guildmaster Tundra about this,” Hazel directed her attention to Pepper.

“Right!” He nodded. “He'll know what to do!”

“You’re with the Tundra Guild?” The store owner’s voice sounded relieved as she quickly grabbed leaf ponchos from a shelf and approached Pepper and Hazel. “Here, take these ponchos, they will help you get back to the guild.”

The store owner equipped the two with leaf ponchos, fastening them onto Pepper and Hazel with thin straw ropes.

“I hope the guild can find a way to end this soon. The longer this happens, the more it hurts everyone else, including my business!”

“Don’t worry,” Pepper said confidently, donning the poncho’s hood. “We’ll fix this weird weather! Thanks for the help!”

The two exit the store and make their way through the chaotic street to the Tundra Guild. Each section of the road seemed dominated by a different element, leaving the normally picturesque town in disarray. The once-sturdy red pine trees that lined the streets swayed violently under the erratic changes in the weather, their needles shaking free and scattering across the cobblestones. The sun fought to break free through dark clouds, creating sudden flashes of light that clashed with the stormy skies.

“This is the fastest way to the guild!” Pepper shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring winds.

Running down the street, Pepper and Hazel passed a Simisear and a Growlithe trudging through the rain, their drenched fur clinging to their sides.

Hazel winced. “The rain’s putting out the Fire-types… They look exhausted.”

A little further on, the rain abruptly changed to blazing sunlight. A Tympole, who had been happily splashing moments ago, now panting under the oppressive heat.

“It was raining just a second ago!” the Tympole wheezed. “Now it’s way too hot!”

Pepper’s fur bristled in frustration. “First, it was raining, and now the sun is too bright? This is too weird!”

As they pressed on, a sudden sandstorm engulfed them. Blinded by the swirling grains, a Timburr stumbled into a mailbox with a frustrated cry.

“Ugh! I can’t see a thing in this sand!”

Pepper and Hazel pushed forward, shielding their faces with their ponchos.

“This storm is throwing everyone off balance!” Hazel struggled to keep her footing.

Pepper gritted his teeth. “Hang in there! We're almost at the guild!”

Finally, the sandstorm ended, only to be replaced by thick, heavy snow. Pokémon stumbled through the streets, baffled by the unrelenting changes. A Leavanny shivered as snow piled on her leafy cloak.

“S-Snow? B-But w-what happened t-to all of th-that sand?” She stammered from the cold.

“This weather is completely out of control!” Pepper exclaimed. “We need to hurry before the whole town's buried under all this mess!”

Pepper and Hazel continued their way through the main street and reached closer for the tall Tundra Guild that loomed ahead, standing tall and strong through the storms. Once they were inside, they saw that the Guild’s lobby was more packed than usual, with citizens of Sonamu Town taking shelter from the storm.

“There’s so many pokémon here…” Pepper remarked, looking around in surprise.

Hazel pointed across the room. “And there’s Guildmaster Tundra!”

Tundra’s ears perked up at the sound of Hazel’s voice. He turned toward Team Horizon and greeted them with a serious expression.

“Team Horizon,” He began, “I wish we could have met under better circumstances. It’s a shame that your day off was interrupted by the storms outside, but we’ll need all the help we can get right now.”

Hazel straightened up, her tone equally serious. “We came back to the guild because we want to end this storm!”

Pepper nodded energetically. “Yeah! We were going to have fun with our friend before it showed up! We want to end it now!”

Luca, who had just finished setting up a mattress for another Pokémon, walked up beside Tundra.

“Finding a solution is going to be difficult, especially because we have no leads on where this started,” Luca stated, his voice steady.

From across the room, a voice interrupted.

“I may have a solution.”

Tundra, Luca, Pepper, and Hazel all turned toward the guild’s entrance, where Ranni the Gothitelle stood. She dematerialized a psychic umbrella as she approached the group.

“I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation,” Ranni’s tone was calm yet commanding. “But I have some resources that can help your guild end this storm.”

Pepper leaned over to Luca and whispered. “Who is she?”

Luca replied just as quietly. “Ranni is the one in charge of weather forecasting. If she’s here, it means the storm outside isn’t natural after all.”

“You are correct, Luca,” Ranni confirmed. “I have come to assist the Tundra Guild the best that I can.”

Tundra gave her an appreciative nod. “We are thankful for your assistance. Team Horizon here is more than willing to help you out!”

Ranni turned her attention to Hazel. “Assistant Guildmaster Luca has already introduced me. What are your names?”

Hazel smiled and gestured to her team. “He’s Pepper, I’m Hazel, and with our friend over here, we’re Team Horizon of the Tundra Guild!”

Ranni gave a slight bow. “I am pleased to meet you all. Let me guide you to my Weather Observatory. I have some resources that may help us find where this torrent of weather began.”

…

Pepper, Hazel, and Ranni finished their trek up the stairs to the highest point of Sonamu Town. At that moment, the weather in front of the observatory was blisteringly sunny.

Pepper panted, his tongue lolling out. “It just had to be this hot when we started going up the stairs.”

Hazel rolled her eyes. “Like snow would’ve been any better?”

“We have arrived,” Ranni announced, her voice calm as ever.

Ranni’s observatory stood at the peak. Its hexagonal base was made of sturdy bricks, while a glass dome glinted atop the structure. Large windows lined the walls, tightly shut to keep the storm’s effects outside.

Ranni's observatory has a hexagonal base and is made of bricks with a glass dome structure on the top. Large windows line the walls, tightly shut to keep the storm's effects outside.

“Wow! What is this building?” Pepper gazed upwards at the unfamiliar building before his face contorted with confusion. “I’ve never… I… sorry, I can’t remember the rest…”

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

Harper held his paws in a ‘T’ shape as Eve placed a paw on her forehead in embarrassment. Celine noticed his signal and shouted “Cut” to the crew to halt filming.

“I was sensing that something was off…” Celine turned to Harper. “Zorro looked unsure when he was talking, was the dialogue not right?”

*Zorro forgot his lines, can we go back to scene six?*

“Ah, got it,” The director nodded as she turned her megaphone back on. “Alright, everyone! Back to scene six!”

The film crew began resetting the scene, adjusting the weather simulation machines, and returning the cameras and lighting to their original positions. The gothitelle playing as Ranni approached her trainer, who was engaged in a discussion with Vincent. Normally, when a cut occurred, the Pokémon portraying the side characters would turn to Harper for advice or instructions. However, at this moment, Zorro required more attention. He saw the Dark-type making his way to him, albeit at a slower pace than usual with his head sunken low.

“How did I forget that line?” Zorro muttered to himself. “I messed this entire scene up…”

“You were supposed to say ‘I’ve never seen something like this in Sonamu Town before,’” Eve recalled the dialogue. “We practiced this yesterday, how’d you forget?”

“I… I don’t know,” Zorro defended back as they walked towards Harper. “Sorry for messing that up, Mr. Harper…”

“Hey, don’t worry,” Harper tried to ease Zorro. “It’s just a small mistake, it’s nothing to worry about.”

“But I still made a mistake…”

“We’ve done reshoots like this before, what makes this any different?”

“But I forgot my lines! I never forgot them before an—”

Harper held his paw up, interrupting the poochyena’s self-depreciation. “Zorro, mistakes happen all the time and they can come from anyone on the set. No one’s going to judge you for forgetting one line.”

“I get that, but I shouldn’t have forgotten at all!”

Harper took a moment to recollect himself, to find the right thing to say to Zorro. If the poochyena wasn’t forgiving himself for a small mistake, Harper needed to give him some consolation.

“…Do you want to know the biggest mistake I made?”

“You made a mistake before?”

“Of course I did, no one’s perfect,” Harper responded. “In this case, it was entirely my fault for not relying on others.”

Zorro remained silent, eager to hear Harper’s advice. Eve sat beside him, also curious about what he was about to say.

“In ‘Full Metal Cop,’ there’s a part where I use Vacuum Wave in a battle and I was given some time before that scene to train for it. Even after training the move by myself, I could never figure out the move.”

“But you used it so well on me when we battled!” Zorro exclaimed, surprised. “How’d you learn it then?”

“I ran out of time to learn Vacuum Wave and I failed to use it when we filmed the battle. Brycen took me outside and taught it to me in an instant. It was something I had trouble with for days and he helped me in just a few minutes.”

“So what’s the lesson you’re trying to teach Zorro, kid?” Beartic joined the conversation.

“That it’s ok to make mistakes,” Harper answered. “My first attempt to learn a move solo failed miserably and I learned from it. Now I always train a new move with someone like Beartic or Brycen.”

“It’s really ok to make mistakes?” Zorro spoke softly.

Eve playfully poked Zorro on the shoulder. “It’s like when you got lost and found your way back. You said to me that you never wanted to be alone ever again.”

“I… I did, yeah…”

“It looks like you get it then,” Harper smiled, flipping through the script. “So do you want me to show you the dialogue again?”

“I don’t, I remember the rest!” Zorro perked up. “Thank you, Mr. Harper!”

As Zorro and Eve began talking with one another, Beartic gave Harper a single pat on the head as he gave an amused expression. “If Brycen were here, he’d be proud of what you said.”

Harper pushed Beartic’s paw off with a chuckle. “You know, speaking of Brycen, did he tell you why he had to leave in the morning? It wasn’t like he was in a rush, but I’ve never seen him so intent on leaving for somewhere before.”

“He didn’t tell you?” Beartic tilted his head. “Well, he’s visiting Floccesy Ranch right now and he said that he’d be back by the end of the day.”

“The ranch?” Harper recalled his brief stay. “Why?”

“It’s because he never got the chance to thank them for helping with your recovery after… whatever injured you.”

“Right…” Harper kept his face still as he looked down on his chest, lightly placing his paw on top.

It wasn’t that Harper knew what injured him, he knew what killed him.

He felt his breathing rise, taking in sharp inhales and staggered exhales. His arms briefly shuddered from adrenaline, subconsciously remembering the pain from the blast. Harper felt the hunks of metal piercing his flesh, the flames washing over his bo—

“…Kid?”

Beartic's voice snapped Harper back to reality as he caught himself from having another panic attack. His eyes darted around the set as he mentally observed everything around him to calm himself down. He took in the detail of the set, the cameras surrounding them, the lighting from the lamps high above. Eventually, Harper returned to normal, relieved that he didn't end up having another episode like the one in the cafeteria.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

“Damn it… I shouldn’t have brought your injury up, I need to watch what I say…” The polar bear muttered before giving a single pat on his head. “You feeling better?”

Harper nodded, taking one final deep breath in and out. “Yeah, I am. ”

He regained his focus, not wanting to delay today’s production, but Harper realized that Zorro and Eve witnessed everything. He thought they went back on set, but they were still here the entire time.

“Mr. Harper, are you ok?” Eve stared at him with worry all over her face, identical to Zorro’s. “You looked really scared…”

“I’m fine, really,” Harper tried to comfort the eevee and poochyena, but to no avail, they still looked concerned despite his efforts.

He turned to Beartic. “Should I tell them about my… my condition?”

“Well, since you’ve said it out loud, they know something’s going on now,” Beartic answered, looking at the two young pokémon, their ears perked up.

“I’ll… I’ll tell you two about it at some point,” Harper told Zorro and Eve before noticing Celine in the distance giving the thumbs up from her director’s chair. “It looks like they’re ready for a reshoot.”

“I won’t forget my lines ever again, Mr. Harper!” Zorro exclaimed, catching Harper off guard. “I don’t like seeing anyone sad!”

“Y-Yeah!” Eve followed along, wanting to join in the encouragement. “We’ll do even better!”

Before Harper could thank the two, they dashed back to the set, eager to continue filming. He and Beartic couldn’t help but be amused at the sight.

Not wanting to simmer any longer about his condition, Harper decided to change the subject to lighten up the mood. He remembered the meeting Beartic and Brycen had with the director to pick the remaining voice actors, and he was curious about how they were.

“I wanted to ask, how do the voice actors who’re playing us sound like? You listened to recordings of them, right?”

Beartic nodded. "The guy voicing me sounds more gruff, but he knew how to deliver his lines cheerfully. Your voice actor's voice is slightly lower pitched than yours. I guess Celine wanted a more mature-sounding Assistant Guildmaster."

Was his voice not deep enough? Enough time had passed since his change into a riolu where he adjusted to his new voice, but now that Beartic brought it up, he was self-conscious of his pitch again.

Harper cleared his throat. “Does my voice really sound that high?”

“You’re still young, kid,” Beartic lowered his voice as if he were teasing him. “You’ll eventually grow out of it.”

Harper playfully elbowed Beartic’s leg before looking back at the set. The sixth scene was playing out well so far, and Zorro looked more confident than ever.

“Wow! What is this building?” His character marveled at the observatory’s design. “I’ve never seen something like this in Sonamu Town before!”

Harper gave a thumbs up to Celine, who returned one back and waved a continuous circle to the camera crew, signaling them to continue rolling the film. As their characters transitioned into the next continuous scene, Harper began to reminisce about an observatory similar in design to the one he used to visit all the time.

In Los Angeles, there was no observatory like the Griffith Observatory when it came to how much it provided towards the history of filmography. With just one film from the 1950s, it turned the place into a cultural landmark for the city. Harper loved visiting the place not only for its relevance to his passion but that it also had one, if not the, best sights of LA ever. Looking over the city of stars, away from the infamous traffic and the less-than-favorable people, felt calming after a long day of filming.

He missed that feeling, he missed the view of the city he called home despite its failings.

Harper wished he could see it again one last time.

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

Brycen had alerted both the director and Mr. Stu Deeoh that he’d be spending the day outside, and the two of them were fine with his sudden decision. When asked why, he told them that he wanted to give his thanks to the Floccesy Ranch owners in person.

But that was only the first reason for leaving.

After his talk with Beartic, Brycen took the initiative to figure out why Harper's mental state was as unstable as it was. The riolu would be perfectly fine for a few days before his panic attack suddenly struck. His staggered breathing, trembling limbs, the fear in his eyes…

He wished to never witness it again.

The distance between Virbank City and the ranch was walkable, but because of his desire to find answers fast, he headed to a nearby Ranger Base by the Route 20 gate. He knew of their service to provide local transport for people traveling across routes if they didn’t have a pokémon for protection.

Brycen stepped through the sliding glass doors and into the base. The flooring was covered in artificial grass that was an overly bright green, clashing sharply with the metallic decor. Several staff members were busy at their computers behind the front desk, while the receptionist momentarily looked up from his screen to acknowledge Brycen's presence.

“Hello!” The receptionist greeted him with a smile. “How can I help you today?”

“I would like an escort to Floccesy Ranch by pokémon transportation,” Brycen requested. “Is there a Ranger available?”

“There is,” The man nodded as he spun himself around on his seat to the staff behind him before shouting. “We’ve got a request for a—”

“I heard!” A male voice echoed back. “I’ll be there right away!”

A moment later, a Paldean man outfitted in Ranger equipment showed up at the front. As soon as the Ranger realized who the request came from, he stood in awe.

“W-Wow, Brycen! It's really you!” The Ranger’s jaw dropped. “How come you’re here?”

“To make a request for a ride via a Ranger’s pokémon,” Brycen repeated. “I assume that you’re the Ranger who will be assisting me today.”

“I— Yeah! I’m more than willing to help!”

At that moment, several heads popped up from their desks, curious about the sudden noise. Gasps and excited whispers spread among the staff as they recognized who Brycen was.

“‘Brycen?’” The receptionist said his name in confusion as he turned to the Ranger. “Is he a big deal?”

“‘Is he a big deal?!’ Are you living under a crustle or something, Henry?! He's one of the biggest movie stars like… ever!” The Ranger waved his hands towards Brycen as if he were on display. “You’ve lived in Unova for years, how'd you not know that?”

“I’m not a movie guy…” Henry mumbled in his defense.

“He was also the Ice-type Gym Leader who fought against Team Plasma when they invaded the League! I mean c’mon, man!”

Brycen gave an audible cough with a balled-up fist, intentionally interrupting their feud. “So will we be heading out?”

The Ranger nodded. “Y-Yes, of course, I’m sorry about that. I do have to ask though, why don’t you have your pokémon?” He peeked over at Brycen’s kimono, noticing the lack of pokéballs on his person.

“My team is over in Icirrus City and my ace pokémon is currently busy in Pokéstar Studios.”

“I see, well, I can take you there myself!” The Ranger pointed a thumb to his chest before making his way around the front desk and splitting the crowd of people that surrounded them like the Arceun Sea to the front door. “Make way, everyone! I don’t think Brycen’s in the mood for selfies and autographs!”

Sounds of disappointment rang in the air as Brycen and the Ranger left the station. As they stepped onto the dirt path, the Ranger unclasped his pokéball and tossed it in the air, releasing a sawsbuck in front of them. The seasonal deer’s antlers were covered with evergreen leaves that emitted a smooth, fresh scent as the wind blew by.

“Out of all the pokémon we have in this station, she’s the fastest one of all—” The Ranger approached the sawsbuck and rubbed her cheek as she closed her eyes with contentment. “—And I’m proud to have her as my partner pokémon.

“I can see why,” Brycen gave a small smile at the bond he was witnessing in front of him. “She seems to be in great health, you've done a great job with taking care of her.”

"It's an honor to hear that from someone like yourself," The Ranger beamed with pride before hopping on the sawsbuck and patting the free spot behind him. "Hop on! We'll be at the ranch in no time!"

The Ranger wasn't boasting about the sawsbuck's speed; in just a few seconds, they reached speeds fast enough for the passing trees to become a blur.

“Are you used to riding around this fast?” Brycen spoke through the blowing winds.

“We can go faster if you'd like!” He shouted back before figuring out what Brycen was insinuating. “Do you want to go slower?”

“A more manageable pace would be appreciated.”

The sawsbuck decelerated to a brisk walk, much slower than before but much faster than Brycen's running speed.

“Sorry about that,” The Ranger apologized. “The clients I help usually want to get to their destination ASAP.”

“I’m not in a rush to get to Floccesy Ranch, but I would still like to get there quickly,” Brycen replied.

“Of course,” The Ranger nodded as he patted the side of the sawsbuck, maintaining their pace.

“I don't think I've gotten your name earlier,” Brycen remarked. “The same goes for your sawsbuck as well.”

“My name’s Anton and her name is Viva,” He answered as Viva turned her head to Brycen with a small nod. “We’ve been stationed around the Southwestern area of Unova for a few years now.”

“You must know this part of the region well then.”

“I sure do, especially around Floccesy Ranch. Do you mind if I ask why you're visiting there?” Anton asked. “It’s a bit strange to see a former Gym Leader visit such a place.”

“It’s because the couple there helped a pokémon of mine recover from an injury and I wanted to give my thanks despite the delay,” Brycen answered.

“There’s only one pokémon that I know they’ve helped before…” Anton murmured to himself before his eyes widened a moment later. “Wait, was that riolu ‘Harper?’”

“Yes, it was,” Brycen hid his surprise. “How did you know?”

“I was actually the Ranger that Reed and Meadow called to find the supposed wild Fire-type that injured him,” Anton took his stylus out and scrolled down the screen filled with requests and landed on one of them, showing it to Brycen. “Since there were no traces of fire damage on the flora and fauna anywhere around Route 20, I had to call the case cold.”

The Ranger’s answer disappointed Brycen slightly. He coincidentally bumped into someone directly involved with solving the mystery behind Harper and even Anton failed to find a clue. Yet, despite all that, it didn’t deter him from wanting to figure this out for himself.

“I still intend to visit the couple to thank them, but I also want to look around for myself. If it truly is a dead end, I would like to see for myself.”

“Then… Is it ok if I come with? Maybe we’ll find something if we’re together.”

“Yes, I would appreciate the assistance.”

As Anton reached out to the Ranger Base to inform them of his delayed return via stylus communication, Brycen took in the scenery surrounding them. The towering trees, green grass, and vibrant flowers created a pleasing backdrop, a refreshing change from the back lots of Pokéstar Studios. He began to wonder how everyone was faring back home while he was outside. Brycen felt at ease, knowing that Beartic would keep the twins and their pokémon on track alongside Harper in his absence.

Hearing a click in front, Anton closed his stylus and holstered it on his hip. “You know, my daughter is a fan of ‘Full Metal Cop.’ She forces Viva and I to watch it with her almost every night,” Anton said, with Viva huffing along with a smirk. “She's especially a huge fan of the Sneasel Ninja, so much so that she wants a sneasel herself. I’d surprise her with one if I knew where to catch one…”

“They are abundant in numbers in the Giant Chasm,” Brycen recalled when he caught Weavile when she was just a sneasel. “Be careful if you decide to go, sneasels are usually wary of strangers.”

“Really?” Anton smiled, intrigued. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Amidst the throngs of media and paparazzi that Brycen often encountered, it was refreshing to see children and their parents enjoying movies for the stories and the connections with pokémon that they showed, rather than solely for the actors and actresses who starred in them. Brycen had never been keen on handing out autographs since many recipients would quickly sell them online soon after. This time was different, as he wanted to give one to a young fan, and not the usual sleazy autograph trader.

“What's your daughter’s name?”

“Amelia. The name came from her mother since I have no naming sense. She's also the one who named Viva for me,” Anton turned his body around to face Brycen. “Wait, why do you ask?”

“Do you have a pen and paper?”

“I do—” Anton reached into his pockets and took out a pen and a notepad before handing it over. “—But why do you need it?”

Brycen flipped the notepad to an empty page and scribbled his signature and a small quip in character to Mecha Cop.

“Give this to Amelia when you return home,” He handed the notepad and pen back.

“‘Hello, Amelia, there is no other hero like the Sneasel Ninja to the World Police, We continue to fight for justice!’” Anton read the writing aloud with a grin. “Thanks, Brycen, she’s gonna love this.”

Brycen simply hummed in response, glad that he made someone’s day.

Anton carefully pocketed his notepad, not wanting to ruin the gift. “You know, speaking of movies, I couldn't help but notice how you said that your ace was busy at Pokéstar Studios, what are they cooking up now?”

“ …That is confidential.”

“So… The rumors are true then?”

“What rumors?”

“My coworkers—not including Henry—were talking about how they saw photos of Professor Juniper’s assistant in Pokéstar Studios. The rumors that have been spreading around online are talking as if the Unovan Research Team is making something.”

Brycen remained silent, hiding his frustration that paparazzi had yet again managed to spread rumors. It was a vicious cycle that he’d never be able to end, but that was how it was in the entertainment industry.

"I'll take your silence as a yes," Anton acknowledged. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, not even my coworkers who love gossiping about this kind of thing."

“Thank you, Anton.”

Brycen made out the entrance to Floccesy Ranch in the distance. As they entered through the gate, he heard resounding barks from far away that gradually grew louder as he saw two herdiers eagerly run towards them.

“Hey Winston! Hi Willow!” Anton pet the top of their heads as they leaned up on their front paws on Viva as support. “Do the two of you mind if you can tell Reed that we’re here?”

The two barked again in unison as one dashed to the ranch’s farmhouse and the other into the barn. A few seconds later, a man in green overalls and a red bandanna emerged from the front porch.

“Oh! Hello, Anton!” Reed called out with a wave as Winston led him to the actor and Ranger. “It’s great to see you again!”

Anton stuck his hand out and firmly shook the farmer’s hand “It’s great to see you as well, but I’m here to look at your request again.”

“The one for the dangerous Fire-type? There hasn’t been anything new about it ever since my wife and I made that request. Did you figure something out?”

“No, but there’s someone that made me want to look again,” Anton waved over at Brycen.

“Brycen?” Reed gasped in disbelief. “Wow, it’s really you!”

“Thank you for treating Harper back when he was injured,” Brycen shook Reed’s hand. “I’m sorry for not giving my gratitude earlier, I have been meaning to do so for some time.”

“All we did was help a pokémon in need,” Reed humbly replied as he loosened his grip. “Imagine our surprise when we saw the little riolu with our herdiers, all covered in injuries.”

“Harper wished to send his greetings and well wishes to you and Meadow.”

Reed hummed and nodded. “So Harper is his name… Did you come up with that? Can’t help but say it's unique for a pokémon.”

“I didn’t, he remembered his name.”

“Sounds like he’s recovering his memories like how his body did.”

“Sadly, I can’t say the same for his mental state.”

By the barn, Meadow walked out of its doors alongside Willow, now aware of the group that congregated outside.

“Anton! It’s nice to see you!” Meadow greeted the Ranger, later seeing the actor next to him. “And Brycen as well? It's an honor to see you here on our ranch!”

“He wanted to thank us for helping with the riolu’s injuries,” Reed explained to his wife before turning back to Brycen, his expression now serious. “You mentioned something about his mental state… Is something the matter?”

“Ever since his recovery, Harper had been experiencing panic attacks of worrying quality. He hasn't shown signs of recovering his memories and has only remembered his name. I intend to find whatever caused his injury and mental trauma.”

“Mental trauma?” Meadow repeated. “Oh dear…”

“After Brycen explained everything to me, I wanted to help in his search,” Anton continued. “Do you mind if Winston and Willow could take us to where they found Harper again?”

“They'll be more than willing to help,” Reed answered as the herdiers barked in agreement, already making their way to the fence bordering the forest.

“Shall we?” Anton hopped on Viva and lent a hand to Brycen.

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

The foliage around them became more abundant as they traveled deeper into the forest by Route 20. Without the guidance of Winston and Willow, navigating around here would have been a much more debilitating task.

Though a far contrast to the Pinwheel Forest when comparing the density of Bug-types in the vicinity, it still reminded Brycen of his time as a trainer. He fondly remembered his journey from the end of Castelia’s Skyarrow Bridge to Nacrene City for his sixth badge. While his pokémon team was more than capable enough to sweep the native pokémon and the nearby trainers that got in their way, the time spent inside the forest nearly drained their resources.

Despite the reasoning as to why he was outside, Brycen still enjoyed his brief time away from Pokéstar Studios. Beartic was right in that a break was a favorable thing to do.

“The herdiers stopped moving,” Anton alerted as Viva halted. “We’re here.”

After hopping off of the sawsbuck’s back, Brycen took the time to observe the scenery. The area acted like a safe haven from the labyrinthian amount of trees surrounding them. There was a small, clear pond and a small clearing around the place.

“Was this where you two found Harper?” Brycen asked Winston and Willow, who nodded soon after.

"This is the same spot they led me to when I was tasked with finishing their request," Anton confirmed, pointing to a nearby tree. "That's the exact spot where they found your riolu."

Brycen knelt down where Anton pointed, touching the ground in search of clues.

“Viva and I looked around the vicinity the last time I was here and we didn't find a single clue. The herdiers couldn't trace any scent around either.”

“And that's when you called the case to be cold,” Brycen concluded, with Anton nodding in confirmation.

“I was wondering if we circled around the area again, maybe Viva and I would find something with you around.”

Anton's words slipped through Brycen's head as he stared deeply into the waters nearby. Inside the pond, he made out a dull, blackened square at the bottom. With a quick glance, it blended with the rocks and dirt underwater, but a close inspection revealed it to be an unnatural addition.

“…Have you searched the pond?”

“No, we haven’t. Do you see something inside?”

“I’m going to grab it,” Brycen began taking off his kimono and outer apparel, throwing it to Anton for him to catch.

“He— Ooph!” Anton’s grunt was muffled by Brycen’s clothing. “You're really gonna dive in there? You might get a cold!”

“Anton, are you forgetting who I am?” Brycen remarked before taking a deep breath and diving headfirst into the water, much to the initial shock of the Ranger, his pokémon, and the two herdiers.

The water was indeed cold like Anton predicted, but to Brycen, he could tolerate it much more than what he used to train with. Long-term exposure to Ice TE gave him a much higher tolerance for low temperatures than the average person. It wasn't enough to call it invulnerability, as he was still affected by the frigidity of Beartic's ice, but Brycen knew he still had it in him to climb Twist Mountain with minimal warmth.

As Brycen descended into the cold water, he spotted a peculiar shape resting at the bottom. He reached for the odd object, its rough surface intriguing against his fingertips. He kicked hard and propelled himself upward, breaking the surface with a gasp before stepping out of the water, soaking wet.

“That was quick!” Anton draped Brycen’s kimono around him like a beach towel. “I saw you grab something, what is it?”

Brycen's hand emerged from the opening of his kimono, fingers wrapped around the charred, soaked remnants of what once appeared to be leather. Initially a rich brown, the material had been devastated by a Fire-type move and then left submerged for a lengthy period, changing its color into a dark green and gray, reminiscent of mold.

“A… piece of leather?” Anton picked it up with pinched fingers, shaking off the excess moisture. “Definitely not something you naturally find in a forest. It being underwater must be why Winston and Willow couldn't find it, they'd have found it by scent in an instant.”

“It seems to be the remains of a wallet. There’s a pocket on the side,” Brycen pointed out.

The Ranger pulled out a single plastic card from the pocket, its text and photo melted beyond recognition. The figure in the photo lacked any defining features to clue anything in due to the scorch marks. The only detail Brycen could make out was one word, and even then it was almost unpronounceable.

“Ca… f… nia?” Anton read aloud, straining his eyes on the misshapen piece of plastic. “Do you have any idea what that is, Brycen?”

“Not a clue,” He frowned. “Is there anything else inside?”

Anton flipped the wallet upside down with a hand underneath, ready to catch whatever fell. After some shaking, nothing fell out.

“Nope, that's it.”

“So this is the only clue we have…”

“At least we're off to a good start though,” Anton tried to cheer him up. “I didn't find a lead like this when I was here.”

“While this does give an answer, it only raises more questions.”

“Like what?”

“A wild Fire-type pokémon didn’t injure Harper, but a trained one. I believe that he was targeted by someone with ill intent, something man-made like this wallet wouldn't be around if he was attacked by a wild pokémon.”

“So who’s wallet is this then?” Anton pointed at the piece of leather with his hand, perplexed. “Is it Harper’s trainer?”

“That’s what raises the questions,” Brycen responded. “This might be a missing persons case.”

“I’ll look around the missing persons database back at Ranger Base, but I think we should head back to Floccesy Ranch, you're still soaking wet.”

“I hope that I won't intrude when I ask for a small shower.”

“Herd! Herire!” Winston rapidly shook his head.

“Seems like they know that Reed and Meadow will be fine with it,” Anton chuckled.

“Then let us hurry,” Brycen accepted. “And thank you for the help today.”

“Just doing my job as a local Ranger. If you ever need me again, you know where to go!”

As the herdiers led them all back to the ranch, Brycen took another look at the damaged wallet. Whatever connection it had to Harper, it would surely cause a reaction once shown to him. Hopefully, this brought some answers to the table.

It needed to.