Desolate Lands - Unknown Location.

Steam rose through cracks in the ground. The air boiled with intensity. Craggy hills with parched dirt dotted the landscape. Only the strongest of Fire Types could live in the surroundings.

Different Regions dotted the world. Humans had taken control of different areas and the Pokemon surrounding them. They made it livable for the average person.

Anywhere that wasn’t Human-controlled, was called the Desolate Lands.

Each region had a name, but not all of them were known. That was due to the Desolate lands. Despite the name, they were teaming with life, and especially Pokemon.

Dangerous Pokemon inhabited the areas, claiming them as their own.

Amidst the dilapidated terrain stood an anomaly. A middle aged man strolled through. He gave off a rugged vibe, and it was clear he had not shaved in days.

Tufts of hair dotted his chin. The hair atop his head danced. It was only held back by a green bandana across his forehead. The vest he wore matched the color of the cloth. The outfit rounded out with black camo pants.

He was equipped with a tactical belt that held an object fit specifically to his palm. Connected to the device was an unassuming disk.

He was a Pokemon Ranger.

“Well done Aggron.”

Beside him stood his partner Pokemon.

Aggron towered over the Ranger and was easily twice as wide. She stood on her hind legs. The large lizard’s body was covered in metal plates. Her dark slate body contrasted with a gray metallic sheen.

The helmet on her head sprouted two spikes, creating a monstrous look. Despite that, she stuck out her fist in her partner's direction.

The pair of fists met. One large, and one small.

“Boom!” He called out while Aggron let out a guttural cry.

Their ritual was complete.

“Time to call the stiffs.” He sighed in Aggrons direction.

The Ranger brought his right wrist to his face. A Hollow Castor wrapped around it. He then pressed a button. The watch started to glow.

“Call Ranger H.Q.” He spoke aloud.

A few beeps later and the line connected. A holographic figure of a woman appeared over the watch.

“Where have you Been, Ranger Stuart!” she screamed through the receiver.

Before he could answer, the woman continued.

“We have been calling you for Hours!” She emphasized the end of the sentence.

In mock horror, Ranger Stuart used one hand to cover his ear and the other to increase the distance between it and his head.

“Your too loud Sweet Cheeks” Replied the Ranger.

“Sweet Cheeks? Sweet Cheeks! For the love of…! I will have you written up for…”

Ranger Stuart covered the receiver and glanced at Aggron.

“Too much?” he asked her.

Aggron simply shook her head.

Stuart then removed his hand from the mic.

“... even listening?” the woman asked.

“Yes darling, I’m listening. I was just calling in to report that the Camperumpt incident has been taken care of.”

He gave his best business-like smile.

“If that’s all, baby, I’ll see you at my next check-in.” Ranger Stuart's finger descended upon the disconnect button.

Seeing this, the woman spoke quickly.

“Code UI5” She spoke quickly.

His hand stopped before the switch. His eyebrow rose.

“A dangerous mission? Why didn’t you just say so, Angel?”

The woman fumed. She decided it was futile to talk to him any more. She put on her most professional superior-face.

“Ranger Stuart, you are hereby assigned to investigate a small abandoned mining town called Buoy. Decades ago there was an incident involving the town and it was abandoned. Three hours ago we received a signal from its Pokemon Center, signifying one or more persons in the area. Initial danger level is Five Stars.”

Stuart took in the information. After processing, he spoke.

“So, you think, what? Smuggling? Some hideout?” Then he paused “Is this about Team Plasma?” Stuart Questioned.

“The only thing we know is that someone walked into that Pokemon Center. We urge caution.”

Stuart thumbed his chin.

“So why wasn’t the Pokemon Center decommissioned?”

“Classified” She shot back.

“And why was this…” Stuart then tapped a side button and opened up the mission log, “Buoy town abandoned? I’ve never heard of it.”

“Also Classified.”

Stuart gave her a questioning look.

“Do I have a high enough clearance level to know where I’m supposed to go?” He joked.

“The information has been uploaded to your Styler, if you even cared to read lower in the log.”

The woman had obviously seen Stuart check the mission log but feigned ignorance.

Before Stuart could make any more wise cracks, the line disconnected.

“Well Aggron, Looks like we got ourselves some overtime!”

Stuart pulled up his Map. Using Buoy and his location, a route was charted.

“I’m at least three days away. Am I really the closest 6 Star Ranger?”

“Auh” Aggron replied.

Stuart chuckled.

Hand in hand, the duo set off for Buoy Town.

“Hey Aggron, what was her name again?”

***

Plateau outside Buoy

Lilith was free and clear. She scrambled across the uneven plateau. Small aftershocks shook the ground. Trees sprouted here and there, but little cover was around other than the tall grass. She hid behind the nearest tree.

Lilith collapsed onto the ground exhausted. The physical fatigue was there, but what clouded her mind was the mental exhaustion. Lilith had talked to no one in days.

Survival became the only thing on her mind. Running and hiding were the only things Lilith thought about, she couldn’t even afford to think about anything else. Lilith was tired of running. Tired of hiding.

‘I need a Pokemon.’

In the Pokemon games, the player needed a Pokeball to capture a Pokemon. Lilith assumed she would need to do the same. The problem was she had no idea where to find one after not finding one previously. Different lines of thinking clouded her mind. An obvious solution evaded her.

It felt like everything was out to kill her.

“Smack” Lilith’s hand met her forehead.

That wasn’t true. A small handful of Pokemon she had met were friendly, Allies even. Could she somehow befriend a wild Pokemon and have it help her. It, her Pokemon, and she, its Trainer?

Her mind went back to the Impidimp. It had helped her collect food. Pansage had comforted her at her lowest point. The Lillipup pack were friendly to an obnoxious degree.

The blinders practically floated off her head. Lilith had been looking at everything with tunnel vision. Anything that moved was her enemy, and that was proven to not be true. Frighteningly so.

‘How could I miss it?’

Lilith had to re-evaluate how she saw the world.

‘While caution is warranted, I need to be more open with the Pokemon I encounter.’

Lilith thought back to all the Pokemon that she could ask for help.

Pansage’s base stats were average at best, and so was Impidimp’s. They both were more intelligent than almost all of the other Pokemon she encountered. The wild Stoutland was the obvious exception. Her base stats were many steps above the other two. Raising a Lillipup might be a good idea.

Pansage needed a leaf stone for evolution, and Impidimp Evolved around level 30. Both would be an investment in the long run, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

At this point she would accept any Starter Pokemon.