Ethan and Kitsu dove behind a large boulder just as several Sludge Bombs exploded against the stone.
BOOM! BOOM!
Purple sludge splattered across the rock, hissing as it ate into the surface.
Kitsu pressed her back against the boulder, breathing hard.
"They're all using Poison-types!"
Ethan nodded, already peeking around the edge.
"Yeah. Makes sense."
"Poison-types are easy for poachers to handle cheap to raise, good for capturing wild Pokémon, and their poison weakens targets without damaging them too much."
Another Sludge Bomb slammed into the rock.
KRAK!
A chunk of stone broke away.
Ethan didn't wait.
He leaned out and shouted,
"Marshtomp!"
"Water Gun—MAX OUTPUT!"
"MARSHHH!"
Marshtomp planted both feet and unleashed a massive torrent of water.
The blast roared across the clearing like a pressure hose, smashing through a wall of poison attacks and slamming into a Muk and Golbat at the front line.
The Muk was pushed backward several meters, while the Golbat lost control and crashed into a cage.
At the same time—
"Torrent!"
"Max output Energy Ball!"
Grotle's shell glowed bright green.
A large Energy Ball formed above its head, crackling with concentrated Grass-type energy before launching forward like a cannonball.
BOOOOM!
The explosion sent dirt and broken crates flying.
One poacher barely managed to shield himself.
"What the hell?!"
Ethan immediately threw another Poké Ball.
"Vesna, you're up!"
A flash of light—
The newly evolved Noivern burst into the air, wings spreading wide.
"NOOOI!"
Kitsu followed his lead.
"Ember, let's go!"
Her Flareon appeared beside the rock, flames already flickering along her fur.
The poachers finally got a clear look at the two trainers.
One of them pointed in disbelief.
"Those are kids!"
The leader's expression darkened.
"Doesn't matter!"
He released another Pokémon.
A Weezing floated upward, venting poisonous gas into the air.
"Use Smokescreen and cover the area!"
Black-purple gas began spreading across the clearing.
Ethan's purple Dragon Force eyes flared.
"I can still track them."
He looked up at Vesna.
"Air control!"
"Supersonic—wide area!"
Noivern opened its mouth and unleashed a piercing ultrasonic wave.
The poison cloud rippled violently, the soundwaves tearing holes through it and exposing the poachers' positions.
Kitsu grinned.
"Found you."
"Ember, Flame Wheel!"
Flareon became a spinning ring of fire and shot through the remaining poison mist, forcing one poacher to dive aside.
Meanwhile, Marshtomp charged straight through the shallow water created by its earlier attack.
"Mud Shot!"
Thick mud exploded from the ground, coating the poachers' boots and making escape nearly impossible.
The leader cursed.
"Spread out!"
But before they could move—
A crimson flash appeared above the battlefield.
Sabrina materialized in midair, psychic energy swirling around her like a storm.
Her eyes glowed bright red.
And for the first time since meeting her...
Ethan saw her genuinely angry.
The poachers looked up.
One of them whispered,
"...Oh no."
Sabrina raised a hand.
The cages holding the captured Ekans and Sandshrew were ripped off the truck and pulled safely behind the trainers.
Then she looked directly at the poacher leader.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"You have exactly one chance to surrender."
The leader took a step back.
Around him, every Poison-type Pokémon suddenly stiffened as invisible psychic pressure filled the entire clearing.
Ethan stared at Sabrina.
For a second, he almost forgot they were the same age.
The girl floating above the battlefield with crimson eyes and psychic energy twisting around her looked nothing like the quiet thirteen-year-old who read books in the Pokémon Center.
Then again...
Most Psychic trainers were terrifying in exactly the right ways.
Especially when they had a reason to be angry.
The poacher leader swallowed hard, but desperation won over fear.
"Weezing! Smokescreen, wide area!"
Weezing spun in place and released a massive cloud of black smoke. The poison mist spread across the entire clearing, swallowing the cages, the truck, and the poachers themselves.
"Run!" one of them shouted.
The smoke became so thick that even the outlines of the trees disappeared.
Kitsu coughed and covered her mouth.
"I can't see anything!"
Ethan narrowed his glowing purple eyes, trying to track their movements through Dragon Force.
"Three of them are moving left—"
Before he could finish—
RUMBLE.
A deep roll of thunder echoed overhead.
Then rain began to fall.
Not a drizzle.
A sudden, heavy downpour.
Water crashed through the smoke, soaking the clearing in seconds. At the same time, a powerful gust of wind tore through the trees.
The black cloud was ripped apart.
And a voice called out through the rain.
"Not so fast."
Everyone turned.
Standing at the edge of the clearing was Franklin, his coat whipping in the wind.
Beside him stood another man wearing the green-and-brown uniform of the Pokémon Rangers.
A capture styler rested at his waist, glowing faintly.
Several Pokémon stood around him, ready for action:
* Pelipper, still flapping overhead after summoning the rain.
* Fearow, circling the clearing to cut off escape routes.
* Lanturn, illuminating the soaked battlefield with a bright blue glow.
The Ranger stepped forward and held up his badge.
His voice was sharp and formal.
"By the authority of the Pokémon Ranger Union and the regional League agreement, all of you are under arrest for illegal capture, trafficking, and abuse of protected wild Pokémon."
One poacher tried to bolt toward the trees.
"Fearow."
The Ranger didn't even raise his voice.
Fearow dove instantly, landing in front of the fleeing man and forcing him back into the clearing.
Another poacher reached for a Poké Ball—
Franklin's Pidgeotto appeared in a blur and knocked it out of his hand with Steel Wing.
The ball skidded across the wet ground.
The poacher leader looked around desperately.
Rain.
Mud.
A flying-type overhead.
A Ranger blocking the exit.
Franklin on one side.
Sabrina floating above them with enough psychic pressure to make their Pokémon tremble.
And two very angry teenagers standing in front of the freed cages.
He slowly raised his hands.
"...We surrender."
The tension broke immediately.
Kitsu let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Ember sat down with a huff, while Torrent relaxed his vines.
Ethan recalled Vesna and looked toward the captured Ekans and Sandshrew, who were already being calmed by the Ranger's Pokémon.
The Ranger gave Ethan and Kitsu an approving nod.
"You two did well."
Franklin crossed his arms and added dryly,
"You also should have called for help sooner."
Ethan scratched the back of his head.
"...We were working on that."
Kitsu pointed at Sabrina.
"She handled the communication."
Sabrina descended lightly to the ground, her eyes returning to their normal color.
"I sensed the cages," she said simply.
Franklin looked around at the destroyed clearing—the mud, frozen roots, scorch marks, shattered crates, and unconscious Poison-types.
He sighed.
"...Why does every battle involving this group end with property damage?"
From the road, Bugsy's voice shouted back,
"To be fair, this one was already illegal property!"
Franklin paused.
"...That's actually a fair point."
Even the Ranger looked like he was trying not to laugh.
Ethan looked toward the edge of the clearing as he saw the others finally arrive.
Bugsy was the first to reach them, slightly out of breath.
"Sorry we're late."
Falkner gave a helpless shrug.
"Sabrina teleporting made it hard to keep up."
Erika walked straight over to Ethan, checking him over for injuries.
"After Sabrina disappeared, we knew something was wrong."
"We came as fast as we could."
Lyra nodded quickly.
"Yeah, the moment she teleported, everyone panicked."
Whitney pointed at the destroyed clearing.
"...And apparently we missed the fun part."
The Ranger stepped between them, holding up a small recording device.
"Alright, kids, I need everyone to move back a little."
He activated the device, and it gave a soft beep.
"I'll be taking official statements."
The poachers were questioned first while League officers secured the truck and confiscated the cages.
After that, the Ranger approached Ethan and Kitsu.
"Names?"
"Ethan Harmonia."
"Kitsu Harmonia."
He listened carefully as they explained how they found the injured Ekans, followed the trail, discovered the poachers, and engaged them to stop the captured Pokémon from being moved.
When they finished, the Ranger nodded with clear approval.
"You two did exceptionally well."
Ethan grinned.
"Thanks."
The Ranger clipped the recorder back onto his belt.
"You know..."
He looked between the twins.
"Ranger Academy is currently recruiting."
"We could use people with instincts like yours."
Ethan blinked, then laughed.
"Thanks, but I want to become a Pokémon Trainer."
The Ranger chuckled.
"Fair enough."
Then he looked at Kitsu.
She had gone unusually quiet.
"...Ranger, huh?"
Ethan noticed immediately.
"Kitsu?"
She looked up.
"I'll think about it."
Ethan stared at her.
"Wait."
"You're actually considering becoming a Ranger?"
Kitsu shrugged, but she didn't look embarrassed.
"I'm not sure yet."
"I still like being a Trainer."
She glanced toward the freed Ekans, including Manda, who was curled around her shoulders.
"But I also like protecting Pokémon."
The Ranger smiled.
"Those two things aren't mutually exclusive."
"Some Rangers were Trainers first."
"And some Trainers spend their entire careers doing Ranger work without the badge."
Kitsu looked thoughtful.
"'A Trainer who protects Pokémon...'"
Ethan crossed his arms with a grin.
"So basically, you're thinking about turning your hobby into a career."
Kitsu rolled her eyes.
"Shut up."
Whitney laughed.
"I can actually see it."
"You're already the type who jumps into danger before thinking."
"Hey!"
"That was one time!"
Everyone looked at her.
Kitsu groaned.
"...Okay, maybe a few times."
Even Sabrina allowed a small smile.
The Ranger reached into his coat and handed Kitsu a small card.
"If you decide you're interested, the address is on the back."
"No pressure."
Kitsu accepted it and slipped it into her pocket.
"...Thanks."
As the League officers began transporting the arrested poachers away, Ethan glanced at his sister.
"'Ranger Academy...'"
He hadn't expected that answer.
And judging by the look on Kitsu's face...
Neither had she.
Kitsu looked down at the Ekans resting around her shoulders.
Manda lifted her head, tongue flicking as she watched her trainer.
Kitsu slowly crouched and set the Poké Ball on the ground in front of them.
Her voice was gentle.
"So, Manda..."
She took a small breath.
"Do you want to stay with me..."
She nudged the Poké Ball slightly closer.
"...or leave?"
The clearing became quiet.
Even the wild Ekans watching from the grass seemed to understand that this was important.
Ethan stayed silent.
The Ranger stayed silent.
No one tried to influence the decision.
Manda stared at the Poké Ball.
Then she looked toward the wild Ekans gathered near the rocks.
One of them gave a soft hiss, almost like a farewell.
Manda slowly slid off Kitsu's shoulders and moved toward the Poké Ball.
Kitsu kept her hands in her lap, resisting the urge to reach out.
Manda circled the ball once.
Twice.
Then she stopped.
For a moment, Ethan thought she was going to touch the button and return herself.
Instead—
She turned around and slithered back to Kitsu.
Kitsu's eyes widened slightly.
Manda climbed into her lap, coiling there comfortably before resting her head against Kitsu's arm.
"...Ekans."
It was the calmest sound she'd made since being caught.
Kitsu let out a breath that sounded suspiciously emotional.
"...You're staying?"
Manda gave a small nod-like motion and tightened her coil just a little.
Whitney smiled immediately.
"Okay, that's adorable."
Bugsy folded his arms with a proud grin.
"Told you she just needed to feel safe."
Erika looked toward the wild Ekans.
"They're letting her go."
The wild Ekans watched quietly from the grass.
There was no aggression in their posture anymore.
Just acceptance.
Kitsu gently stroked Manda's head.
"Then I'll take care of you properly."
Manda closed her eyes for the first time since leaving the Poké Ball.
Ethan smiled softly.
"'She chose Kitsu herself.'"
And in a world where many Pokémon were caught through battles and force...
That choice meant far more than a successful capture ever could.
To be continue
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