Kaiy dodged, shoulder rolling into the unforgiving cobblestone of Cherrygrove City. His friend, Talonflame, crashed into his previous spot, leaving a flaming crater and flying straight up again.

She used Flame Charge on me!

He mulled over his options while Marshal commanded villagers to leave the scene. Talonflame was readying another attack. Kaiy's hand shifted over his PokéBalls, lingering for a moment on the HeavyBall, but then moved behind a building.

He had never seen such an intense Flamethrower from her. As she flew over like a dragon, she scorched the road. Kaiy was baffled, catching a glimpse of her eyes as she flew off again.

"Something's wrong with her!" he shouted to Marshal over the chaos in the streets.

"Oh really!" Next, Marshal's RangerGear echoed loudly. "Get off the streets, find safety, hide. Rangers at work!" A small drone fired upward, a camera Kaiy knew was recording the event.

Talonflame shot down again, her Steel Wing-attack decapitating several lamp posts. The fully decorated metal beams fell like pruned branches.

"Talonflame, stop this!" The attempt to return her to her PokéBall failed again and again. Fire rained down. A huge Fire Spin crawled through the narrow street, shattering glass and bursting furniture into flames.

Reasoning has failed, counterattacking was not an option, and Marshal was on defence.

He took his RangerGear in hand, the familiar grip giving him confidence. With a simple flick of his wrist, the lasso came out. A blue frail line manifested from the device, designed to detain Pokémon and put the Ranger's will into it.

Talonflame launched an attack again, Extreme Speed. A whistling sound filled the perimeter as Kaiy slung the lasso when she came overhead. They both missed by a hair.

He had lost the element of surprise and he knew it. Talonflame flew away but kept her eye on her friend.

And here comes Brave Bird!

Talonflame spun around, stopped for a moment mid-air, then descended with neck-breaking speed. She turned white, speeding up constantly.

The blue line faded, and when the move connected, yellow hexagons around Kaiy saved him. The attack recoiled on Talonflame, making her crash, wings flapping helplessly as she rolled over the cobblestone. Everywhere Kaiy looked, there was collateral damage, fire, and destruction. The shield disappeared after a few seconds, and a smoky cartridge was ejected from the RangerGear. It felt hot on his wrist.

Shaking on his legs, the blue lasso reappeared. Talonflame tried to get up, Kaiy had to hurry. She was faster, got on her talons, and screeched loudly, then was struck by a Thunder Wave. Jolteon.

From the corner of his eye, Kaiy caught sight of Graisey, trembling but resolute

"Stay back, Graisey! Take cover!" shouted Kaiy as he lassoed his fallen companion.

"It's me, Talonflame, stand down!" he projected through the bond.

The line broke, and Kaiy was met with a Fire Blast. He spun around on his axis, avoiding the fire expertly. He tried again.

Enough!

A second line appeared—Marshal had joined in. But then both lines snapped.

"They don't work like that anymore!" Kaiy jumped over debris, getting closer to Talonflame, Jolteon in his wake. He saw the struggle in the flame bird's eye. Something was tipping her over. A final attempt. Kaiy put his lasso on her one more time.

There is no need for this, Talonflame. My friend.

He was so close now, he could pet her. Little specks of fire sprung from her feathers. Flame Body. The heat didn't hurt; the fire didn't burn his hand. And her eyes fell back to normal.

"Welcome back, Talonflame," she screeched with regret in her voice.

Kaiy hushed her. "Let's get you somewhere safe." The Premier Ball and Talonflame connected. It was over.

Graisey realized the fight was over and stood up from her hiding place, only now noticing it was a decorative café plate. Her hands trembled, and instinctively she brushed off dust from her pants. She found the Rangers next to each other, both appearing pale.

"Kaiy?" But he just lifted his hand, wait.

She saw people hiding in the rubble, kids too.

"It's ok now, you can come out." She helped the people up and was then surprised by blue flickering lights. Help had arrived.

From the police vehicle, several Houndour and a Houndoom sprang out. They wore police outfits, complete with a signaling lamp. The blue lights brightened up the night in an eerie fashion. They knew their task as they went from building to building, searching for people. Graisey couldn't believe the calamity Talonflame had caused in just a few minutes. How powerful was this Pokémon?

"Graisey, please join us," Kaiy beckoned. As if waking up, she sprinted towards the Rangers.

It was Marshal who took her by the shoulders and gave her a sincere look.

Is she examining me?

"Only if she wants to, Kaiy." And Marshal strode off in the settling dusk, meeting the police force for a full report.

Kaiy had a stern expression. His blond spikes were a mess, and he had some scratches, most likely from flying debris. Miraculously, his outfit was near spotless.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"When Talonflame unleashed mayhem, you ran into the street. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" Kaiy crossed his arms, his expression stern.

"I just... saw that you needed help."

"Wrong. I knew what I was doing. You, on the other hand, were reckless. You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

Graisey stood there motionless, searching for a response.

"But on the bright side," Kaiy relaxed a bit, a faint smile appearing, "you stepped in when everyone else backed away." Graisey hadn’t even realized that. Now that she thought about it, she noticed how deserted the street had become.

“That kind of attitude—that unflinching will to help—that is what makes a Ranger.” Then he opened his hand, revealing a silvery pin with the Ranger symbol encrusted upon it.

"And you said no? Why?"

Back at the farm, Kaiy and Graisey were welcomed in again by Grandma and Grandpa. They were already eating a hearty meal.

"I’m not a Pokémon Ranger, Grandma. I’m barely a Trainer. And even so, I don't want to be running into danger every time it presents itself."

"I respect that," Kaiy said, mid-slurp. "The life of a Ranger is not always a walk in the park."

"You Rangers do travel a lot," Grandpa added.

Kaiy finished his plate, then took some bread from the bowl.

"I have my mission, Graisey, but Marshal clearly said I needed a partner. How about we give this story a little spin?"

Graisey was intrigued. "Go on," she said, almost singing.

"Well, I need to lay low. The group we are following likely knows the Rangers are involved as they hand-delivered the tracker to the office." Graisey nodded, following his train of thought.

"What if I disguise myself as a trainer and travel with you? This way, I can investigate and you keep on your goal."

"Interesting proposal, but I think there is not a lot in it for me, except for possible danger." This time Kaiy nodded; he knew he had some sort of magnetism toward crazy situations.

"Teach me," Graisey spoke with resolve. "Teach me how to be a great trainer along the way."

Kaiy laughed, stood up, and turned for a second.

"I like this girl."

"Me too, Grandma, me too," the Ranger said, coming closer to Graisey and holding out his hand. "Partners?"

Graisey stood up, took the same pose as him, and shook his hand. "Partners."

They were both packing in their separate rooms. Both doors were open so they could talk. The old farmhouse was alive with the sounds of the evening: the singing of the Bulbasaurs in the barn, the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze, and the occasional call of a Noctowl from the nearby forest.

“So, partner, where are we going first?” Graisey asked, putting away some Fresh PokéBalls she got from Grandpa. Alongside them, she packed Potions and, of course, dry socks. A stray Bulbasaur wandered into her room, curiously sniffing at her belongings before trotting out.

“Violet City. We need to meet up with a Researcher who is acquainted with the Rangers. He still teaches at the Pokémon School, so that's our first stop,” Kaiy replied. His pack was lighter, containing a RangerTent and a supply of rations for both their Pokémon and themselves.

“Why do we need a Researcher?” Graisey asked, adjusting her pack.

“Marshal's orders. He has to examine Talonflame,” Kaiy said, standing in the doorframe, leaning against it. His Jolteon lay at his feet, ears perked up and eyes alert.

“But she was already examined by the response team in Cherrygrove. Why again?” Graisey posed a good question. Talonflame had been cleared and could remain on duty.

“Follow-up. Maybe some scans that the response team were unable to do. But not only for me. Violet City has an exciting gym challenge for you!” Kaiy added, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Graisey held an UltraBall under the lightbulb, polishing a spot with her sleeve. “A gym challenge…”

I couldn’t even defeat a Caterpie. A gym challenge seems like a stretch, for now

“You are going to train me in, well, being a Trainer?” Graisey asked, snapping the UltraBall with her beloved starter Pokémon onto her belt, which had room for five more friends to come.

“My end of the bargain, partner! We have quite the road ahead of us because we have to make it to Goldenrod City. The sprawling metropolis in western Johto. Have you ever been there?” Kaiy asked, fiddling with his RangerGear.

“No, but my dad has been! For a Daycare Center collaboration, they are friends now.” Graisey smiled. She missed her parents but was expecting their call later today.

“Well, I think you’d like it. It’s a big city after all, with loads of interesting places to see. Including our HQ! I want to show you around. And we have to track the hooded figure that delivered Talonflame's tracker. It's our only lead,” Kaiy explained.

“If that is our only lead, why aren't we in Goldenrod now? And what are you doing?” Graisey asked, noticing Kaiy tinkering with his RangerGear.

“First of all, we need to lay low, and that includes taking our time. Secondly, we are not the only ones on this case and this is not the only case the Rangers are working on. At HQ, they are looking for every bit of intel they can get, and that takes time too. And lastly, I’m fixing a shield cartridge. I used it in Cherrygrove to block Talonflame's Brave Bird,” Kaiy said, showing her the device.

“Graisey, it’s your mom on the phone!” Grandma yelled down from the stairs. The Trainer blushed and ran past her Ranger friend excitedly. Jolteon followed her, its fur crackling with static as it brushed against the doorframe.

As Graisey ran down the hallway, the warm, homey atmosphere of the farmhouse enveloped her. The wooden floor creaked under her feet, and the smell of fruity tea wafted from the kitchen. She felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the journey ahead, and now she had to tell her worrisome mom about it.