Chapter 95. Trouble with the Rangers

Words : 1619 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

"I was going to do as you said, but something seems suspicious to me. You've been tracking this woman long enough to know she was bathing, and yet you only came out of hiding when I showed up. I think you're working with this woman to make some money on the side," Alex said righteously as he dismounted Arcanine. "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me and undergo a psychic evaluation to prove your innocence," Alex said as he released the rest of his Pokémon. "Are you sure you want to do this?" the man asked as he and his partner smirked, releasing their own Pokémon—twelve in total, with five Elites all belonging to the older Ranger. The man-child had small Fairy-types, while the senior Ranger controlled Ground-types. "Yes, very much so," Alex said as he unholstered his guns, and pointed them at the Rangers. "You must work for the human supremacists if you have those. You'll have to be placed under arrest now," the man-child commented. "I guess we'll have to see," Alex said as he pointed both guns at Arcanine and Hydreigon and fired. Arcanine received a Beat Up x6, boosting his Attack to the max stack while maintaining his Speed at max from the earlier Agility. He was essentially ready to rampage—except his stamina was running low. Hydreigon received a Decorate, boosting her Attack and Special Attack. The senior Ranger's eyes widened when he detected the surge in stats. They were already starting to lose this battle before it even began. "Attack!" he shouted. He couldn't allow the enemy to continue building their advantage. Alex's Pokémon quickly got into formation, setting up their firing squad as Arcanine bolted forward with an Extreme Speed that knocked out Ribombee in a single hit. The opposing Rangers were slower in setting up their formation, costing them one Pokémon already. Arcanine darted into the forest to avoid being singled out early. Hydreigon let out a powerful Snarl, but it had no effect as the opposing side managed to complete a Protect-sharing formation. Meanwhile, Alex continued firing Decorate at all of his Pokémon, maxing them out as both formations held. The senior Ranger was beginning to have doubts. It was becoming clear they would lose the battle if it devolved into melee. They would have to hold on for as long as possible. "Shorten the formation and start boosting stats," the senior Ranger commanded. Alex wasn't about to let them regain the advantage. He swapped magazines to Feint and Phantom Force rounds and started firing at the enemy formation. Hydreigon repeated her Snarl and finally dealt real damage, lowering the Special Attack of those whose Protect had been shattered. "We can't win this—we need to escape," the senior Ranger said as he mounted Mudsdale, pulling the woman up with him. "What about me?" the man-child asked, staring incredulously at his senior. He didn't have a fast Pokémon. All of his were small and not quick enough to escape from Alex. The senior Ranger ignored him and tried to flee—only for a Crobat to swoop in from above the canopy and use Mean Look, locking them in place. It then used Quick Attack to return to Alex's side. "Tsk," the senior Ranger clicked his tongue in annoyance. It looked like he'd have to use his trump card after all. He released an Elite-ranked Tyranitar, who was clearly enraged at everything around it. It immediately unleashed an Earthquake that shook everything within a city-block radius. The formation on both sides was instantly broken—the Rangers' Pokémon fainted from the damage, while Alex's were merely thrown into disarray due to the unstable ground. "Knock them all out. Don't let the trainers escape," Alex commanded as he approached the Tyranitar, trying to use his affinity to calm it down as his Pokemon circled around. "Hey there, big guy. The sun's getting real low." "Roar!" Tyranitar bellowed and charged at Alex at full speed, murderous intent burning in its eyes. Alex sighed. "It was worth a shot." Just as Tyranitar was about to land a Crunch, Aegislash emerged from Alex's shadow and used King's Shield, completely negating the damage. 'Upper Elite-rank. Clearly wild… but also enraged? Something's wrong with this Pokémon,' Alex assessed as Tyranitar traded blows with Aegislash. Tyranitar repeatedly used Dark-type moves while Aegislash countered with Sacred Sword, dealing tremendous damage. But it wasn't enough—Aegislash hadn't received any of Alex's earlier Decorate shots, unlike the rest of the team. Sensing that Aegislash was losing, Alex shot him with Coaching and Heal Pulse to slowly turn the tide. After a few more exchanges, Tyranitar finally fainted. Alex quickly regrouped with his team and was surprised to find they had already won. Tyranitar's earlier Earthquake had knocked out the enemy Pokémon whose shields had been broken by Alex's Feint and Phantom Force rounds. The opposing team lost completely when Dusknoir kept breaking their Protects one by one with Phantom Force while they were surrounded. With the battle over, Alex gave his usual command. "Clean up," he told his Pokémon. "Rotom, contact the Psychic Gym in Saffron City to book a psychic evaluation for suspected corrupt Rangers. Send them the video of the entire encounter—start with the campsite, then skip to the ambush on the woman," Alex ordered. Alex might have exercised his rights as a corrupt cop, but the pair were ultimately quite suspicious. Why had they just watched the woman bathe? Why was the senior Ranger allowing his junior to act like a fool and ignore his taunting behavior? And why was the Tyranitar enraged? Alex reasoned they were trying to provoke him. They couldn't break any laws directly—not with the recording device in his front pocket—but if they could get him to start the fight, they'd have an excuse to retaliate and deal with him however they pleased. He wasn't certain, but the whole situation reeked of a setup. So, Alex played it safe. He recalled all their Pokémon, including the Dragalge left fainted at the bottom of the river belonging to the woman, tied up the trainers, and began making his way back to the city on Hydreigon. Halfway through the flight, they were intercepted by a trainer riding a Noivern. "Halt! You are under arrest for the illegal capture of a Senior Ranger. Lock your Pokémon and submit, or you will be forcibly detained with a heavier sentence," the rider declared, a scowl on his face. Alex glanced at his phone and noted the gym's response: a simple "Sure." "I'm under orders from the Psychic Gym in Saffron City to bring these individuals in," Alex replied, his tone cold despite the obvious nonsense he was spewing. "And I've received no communication from the Rangers. I'll have to detain you for impersonating a Ranger." The rider looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. "That won't be necessary," came an aged voice. A Champion-ranked Salamence hovered beside the Noivern, its rider calm and imposing. Alex hadn't even noticed its arrival. One moment it wasn't there—the next, it simply was. He was floored by the Champion's aura, his thoughts scattering, but he still tried to hold his ground. "I—" he began, before a message popped up on his device: a direct transmission from the Rangers' general communications line, officially requesting that he cease and desist. It wasn't like Alex had a real chance of escaping at this point, but he had his pride—and was still trying to rack up brownie points with the League by following protocols. "Understood, sir," he said, landing and releasing the captives from Hydreigon. It was a shame, but Alex knew when he was in over his head. Fighting Rangers was one thing. Dying on this hill? That was another. "Bullying juniors now, are we?" a familiar voice said from behind Alex. He felt the psychic vibrations of an incoming Teleport just before it arrived, and was greeted by the pleasant sight of Sabrina, with her Alakazam standing behind her. Sabrina didn't like how the situation had escalated following the Rangers' response, so she pinpointed Alex's location and teleported over. The two Rangers landed nearby, and the rider of the Salamence dismounted, stepping forward. "Just trying to rescue a bunch of juniors. I think you can understand, Gym Leader Sabrina," said the muscular and grey-haired man. "Gavin, we both know due process is required when such suspicions arise. And you have no authority over me when it comes to spontaneous psychic evaluations," Sabrina replied calmly. "Of course. But if I may suggest—why not read this young man's memories before doubting my Rangers?" Sabrina turned to Alex, who simply nodded. She had already read his memories once before. Letting her take another look wouldn't hurt. "I accept the psychic evaluation," Alex said confidently. Sabrina stepped forward and placed her hand on his head—reaching up now, as he stood taller than her. A flood of memories rushed through her mind, tracing Alex's journey from their first encounter to the present day. She was genuinely impressed by how far he'd come in just five years. He had built up a hefty bounty list, amassing enough wealth to support an elite training lifestyle for his Pokémon. She also reconfirmed his exceptional affinity for Dark-types. As before, he offered full access to his thoughts—save for that ever-present blotch of darkness, still sealed and unreadable. A mystery for another time. ----- Support me on Patreon patreon/babywrath

Chapter 95. Trouble with the Rangers

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