We stood rooted, motionless, until Lieutenant Graves began to move. She strode toward a clearer patch ahead, her Slowbro lumbering faithfully at her side, its blank stare cutting through the gloom.

  That snapped me out of it.

  I drew a deep breath, willing my racing pulse to calm. This was no longer a training field; this was the heart of Vermilion Forest. The trees loomed thicker here, while distant Pokémon calls, rustles, hoots, and sharp cries echoed through the undergrowth.

  I glanced at the others. Elena's hands were tight on her Poké Ball belt. Takashi scanned the shadows between the trees. Kaito's Meowth had already emerged, its fur bristling, tail puffed to double its size, ears twitching at every sound. Nobody was talking now.

  We fell into step behind her.

  Branches cracked under our boots. The smell of damp bark and moss filled the air. Somewhere in the tree line far off, something big moved. I felt Caesar's Poké Ball pulse against my belt, like he sensed it too.

  Lieutenant Graves finally stopped near a patch of exposed roots. She turned, her gaze slicing through us, each of us pinned under her scrutiny like she was sizing up our worth.

  "Why are you here?" Her voice cut the air, sharp and cold.

  Silence pressed down, thick and heavy.

  Then Takashi broke it, voice low: "Patrol duty, ma'am."

  She gave a single, curt nod. "Right. Rangers patrol. But do you even know why?"

  No one spoke. She didn't pause.

  "To keep balance. To hold wild Pokémon in their territories. To stop poachers cold. To keep civilians from dying out here." Her tone flattened, unyielding. "BUT, we are not just hikers with badges. We are soldiers who stand with Ace Trainers in the defence of Kanto. and fight her wars. This isn't a game. You mess up, people die."

  Elena shifted, then mumbled, "You mean Indigo… right?"

  Graves' eyes flicked to her, a flicker of disdain in the glance. "That's what I said."

  Elena stiffened slightly at the rebuke.

  Then her eyes moved to me.

  "Arata Ishida," she said. "I read your file. Bring out your dragon."

  My jaw tightened. I already didn't like her tone. But I swallowed it, unclipped the Caesar's Poké Ball, and threw it forward.

  Light burst out, and Caesar landed with a heavy thud, his armored scales glinting. He growled low, scanning the area, muscles coiled.

  Graves' eyes narrowed, a rare blink breaking her stare.

  "He's big…" Her voice dropped, almost a mutter.

  She stepped closer, locking eyes with Caesar, her face a mask of stone.

  She was baiting him.

  Caesar's snarl ripped through the air, claws gouging the dirt, shoulders hunching like he was ready to strike.

  My voice cut in, steady: "Hold."

  Caesar froze. His muscles stayed coiled, but he held back. His crimson eyes darted to me, and I met them, unblinking.

  Graves observed, then gave a single, sharp nod.

  "Well, well," she drawled, "good control for a beast like that. Most dragons would've bitten my arm off by now, color me impressed, kid."

  I kept my mouth shut.

  Graves turned away. "We move. Ishida, take point. The rest of you, release your Pokémon and stay alert."

  I exhaled and nodded. "Caesar, take point, we'll take it slow and keep focus."

  He rumbled and moved ahead, using the blunt side of his tusks and arms to push aside low branches and thick brush. I walked close behind him, hand near my Poké Ball belt.

  Behind us, I heard soft flashes of light.

  Elena's Flaaffy stepped out, wool crackling with static. Takashi's Beedrill hovered above, stingers out. Kaito's Meowth walked silently at his feet, tail low.

  We formed a staggered line.

  The forest swallowed us.

  The deeper we went, the more it felt like the forest was watching back. The trees here were ancient, trunks wider than cars, roots like walls. Moss covered everything. The air was cooler, heavier.

  Every now and then, we saw movement, eyes in the brush, shapes darting between shadows. A Pidgeotto perched high on a branch, watching silently.

  A pack of Rattata scattered from Caesar's steps. Once, far to the right, I saw the massive silhouette of a Pinsir watching from between trees. It didn't approach.

  They knew to stay away from us. Or maybe from Caesar.

  But the further we walked, the more I noticed the shift in what kinds of Pokémon were around, less harmless stuff. More predators. Stronger ones too. That meant we were far from the safe routes.

  I kept thinking about what she'd said, soldiers. It sounded dramatic, especially with her likely hardened by the Unification War, but staring out at this place… maybe she had a point.

  I flashed back to the flood years ago. The Ursaring is roaring in the cave. The chaos erupting, the screams, cutting through the air. How everyone just stood there, helpless, waiting for it to end.

  I pushed the thought away and focused on Caesar's back.

  "Stop," Graves called from behind.

  We halted.

  She walked past us, scanning the area. Ahead was a natural clearing, a break in the trees, circular, maybe fifteen meters wide. Thick grass, a small boulder in the center with sunlight barely filtering through the canopy.

  "We rest here," she said. "Keep your Pokémon out and stay sharp."

  Graves stepped off a ways, distancing herself from the group,

  Caesar stopped at the edge of the clearing, looking around before lowering himself slightly, still alert.

  I stepped up beside him.

  Elena slumped against a tree, her Flaaffy tucking in close. Takashi settled on a fallen log, his Beedrill hovering above like a quiet lookout. Kaito dropped onto the grass, his Meowth sprawling across his lap with a possessive stretch.

  I didn't sit immediately. I scanned the trees, listening. Nothing close. Just distant sounds, bird Pokémon calls, wind in branches, leaves rustling.

  Then I sat on the ground beside Caesar. His scales were still warm from the morning sun. He glanced at me and let out a soft grunt.

  I reached out, rested a hand against his shoulder. "You good?"

  He snorted like, obviously.

  I smirked a little. "Yeah. Me too."

  Takashi leaned back with a sigh. "She's going to kill us."

  Elena hugged her knees. "Do you think she's actually serious about fighting a war?"

  Kaito just stared at the sky through gaps in the leaves. "I think she was"

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  I stayed quiet. Because yeah.... same thought.

  We rested there until Graves walked back into the clearing, boots crunching on the grass. "Break's over."

  We all stood quickly. Even our Pokémon straightened up.

  She pointed toward the rising slope of trees and rock in the distance. "We have ten hours until sunset. We're patrolling the base of the Vermilion mountain range and circling back before dark."

  Takashi hesitated. "Ma'am… that's a long route. What if we don't make it back in time?"

  She didn't blink. "Then you set up camp." She looked at each of us, eyes sharp.

  "Rangers don't cry about daylight." Then she turned. "Move."

  And just like that, we were walking again.

  The hours after that blurred into steady marching and rough terrain.

  No talking unless she asks something.

  Caesar cleared the front, head low, tusks pushing aside branches. Flaaffy stayed near Elena, occasionally sending sparks when something rustled too close. Beedrill stayed above us like a silent drone. Meowth walked beside Kaito, occasionally climbing boulders to scout.

  She pushed us relentlessly, yet taught us her hard-earned lessons.

  "Check the tree lines, low glances miss Ariados webs."

  "Uphill, look for kicked-up dirt, signs of something heavy passing through."

  "If your Pokémon keep sniffing the air, stop dead."

  We kept moving forward.

  The light started to shift from afternoon to early evening.

  Shadows stretched longer. The trees got thinner as we reached higher elevations.

  The air smelled different, less moss, more stone and salt.

  We were close to the ocean.

  That's when it hit me, this place looked familiar.

  Jagged rocks. Bent trees from old winds.

  A narrow trail carved by water run-off. The same path we took during the tsunami years ago. When the sea swallowed everything.

  When Caesar was still an Axew, and we barely made it out.

  My chest tightened. I blinked the memory away, focused forward.

  Elena's voice broke the silence. "Do you think she'll actually clear us? As rangers, I mean."

  Takashi glanced back at her. "My dad said if you get this far, they have to. Might be remedial training. But they won't fail us outright."

  Kaito snorted. "They could if they wanted to."

  Takashi shrugged. "Yeah. If we mess up badly."

  I didn't say anything. Caesar kept walking ahead, steady as always.

  Then he froze.

  No warning. Just stopped mid-step, head up, nostrils flaring.

  My heart kicked. "Caesar?"

  He didn't react to my voice. He just stared into the trees to our right. Tense and Silent.

  Graves noticed. "Everyone, quiet."

  We stopped, and the Pokémon stiffened.

  Graves stepped forward beside me. Her eyes were sharp now, no annoyance, or exhaustion. Just focus.

  She spoke low. "What is it?"

  I crouched slightly, placing a hand on Caesar's side. His muscles were tight. He slowly turned his head toward a thicker cluster of trees off the trail.

  "He smells something," I murmured.

  Graves didn't hesitate. "Lead."

  Caesar edged forward, one step, then another, slower this time. His breathing stayed steady, ears tilted ahead. Meowth, pacing beside Kaito, mirrored him, nose low, tail flicking as it sniffed the air, both tracking in sync. I stayed close behind, the others closing in tight.

  The forest around us dimmed as clouds began to roll in. Branches creaked overhead. The wind shifted and carried a metallic scent.

  We stepped past a fallen tree.

  That's when I saw it.

  Dark stains on the ground.

  Blood. Still damp. A lot of it.

  Kaito whispered, "Holy.. "

  "Quiet," Graves snapped, voice low but sharp.

  We moved closer.

  The blood streaked between the roots, vanishing into thicker brush. Something had been hauled away or dragged itself.

  Elena's voice cracked. "Is it human?"

  Graves knelt, her fingers hovering over the dirt, not daring to touch.

  I let out a shaky breath, but it did nothing to ease the knot in my gut.

  She rose, her gaze sweeping us. "Stay alert. Something strong took a hit here, or something stronger dealt it."

  Caesar rumbled low, his eyes narrowing to slits.

  He moved ahead, tracking the scent.

  More blood. Snapped branches. Deep claw gashes raking the bark. We trailed behind, the ground growing rougher, trees scarred and uprooted, a trail of devastation carved through the forest.

  The sun had nearly vanished, sky darkening to a deep blue, orange fading along the horizon. The sea wind bit harder, cold, and cutting.

  No one spoke.

  I stayed close, every nerve buzzing. Caesar's tail flicked. His tusks twitched. Something was ahead.

  Behind me, Takashi muttered, "Why are we even out here…"

  He's right. Graves was a hardass, no question. But this? This was raw Ranger work, beyond patrols, beyond a test. We weren't ready for this.

  Caesar halted and locked up. His frame stiffened, head dipping, breath slow and deliberate. Claws dug into the earth.

  "Hold position," Lieutenant Graves ordered, her voice low, steady, no room for debate.

  We obeyed. Even Kaito stayed silent.

  Graves edged forward, brushing past Caesar, eyes scanning the ground. I followed her stare.

  At first, it was just dirt. Rocks. Then the red hit me, dark, clotted in spots, smeared across roots and moss. Not just a trickle. A wide spray, like something had thrashed or been torn apart.

  "Slowbro, get ready with Protect," Graves said, her tone hardening.

  We pushed through the last of the brush. The trees opened into a small clearing, and the scene slammed into us.

  A body lay sprawled against a shattered stump, mangled beyond recognition.

  Limbs twisted at sick angles, flesh shredded, blood pooling black under the dim light. Ragged strips of clothing clung to what was left, one arm dangling, a shattered Poké Ball still clutched in a torn hand.

  The face was a mask of gore, eyes gone, jaw unhinged. The air reeked of iron and rot.

  Takashi gagged, doubling over to vomit into the dirt. My stomach churned, bile rising as the stench hit.

  Then Caesar's bond surged through me, steady, a jolt of strength anchoring me. I gripped his side, breathing hard.

  Graves' face turned to stone, eyes cold as steel. "Slowbro, teleport the kids out now."

  Slowbro shook its head, a slow, deliberate motion, signaling it couldn't.

  Shit