50 power stone?!
Bro my chapter stockpile :(
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Zen lay on the damp forest ground, staring at the sky through the gaps in the towering trees. His chest still rose and fell in deep, steady breaths as he calmed himself after the battle.
Beside him, Kakuna and Red sat close, exhausted.
They had won.
But as his breathing slowed, his eyes drifted toward the metal cage full of Pokémon.
Some were weak and barely moving. Others were pressed against the bars, staring at him with fear and desperation.
Zen clenched his fists.
He couldn't just leave them trapped.
Ignoring the soreness in his limbs, he pushed himself up and staggered toward the unconscious Rocket grunts. His fingers rifled through their pockets until—
Clink.
A small silver key.
Without hesitation, he rushed to the cage, inserted the key, and turned it. The lock clicked open, and the door creaked wide.
For a moment, the Pokémon inside hesitated.
Then, all at once, they bolted.
A flurry of feathers, fur, and scales burst from the cage, disappearing into the shadows of the Viridian Forest.
Zen let out a breath.
"You're free now," he murmured.
And then—
Footsteps.
He turned sharply, his body tense—
Until he saw a familiar figure stepping into the clearing.
Ray stood there, his grizzled face set in a deep frown as he took in the sight before him
Unconscious Team Rocket grunts.A cage, its door swinging open Zen, standing there, dirty and look exhausted
Ray let out a long whistle.
"Kid…" he muttered, shaking his head. "What the hell did you get yourself into?"
Zen wiped sweat from his forehead. "Trouble," he answered simply.
Ray walked forward, inspecting the unconscious criminals. He nudged one of them with his boot, ensuring they were out cold.
Then he turned back to Zen, his arms crossing over his chest.
"You know," Ray said, "when I saw that emergency flare, my first thought was you failed the test."
Zen's stomach sank.
"But now…" Ray gestured toward the grunts. "I find this."
Zen said nothing. He didn't know if he should feel relieved or not.
Ray sighed.
"Well, kid, you sure made my job easier." He pulled out his radio communicator and pressed a button.
"This is Ranger Ray. I need immediate police support in the Viridian Forest. We've got a Team Rocket operation shut down and three suspects in custody."
A crackle of static, then—
"Copy that, Ranger Ray. Dispatching officers now."
Ray clipped the communicator back onto his belt and turned to Zen.
"You did good, kid," Ray said, his usual gruffness softening slightly. "But your test is over."
Zen stiffened. "So… I failed?"
Ray gave him a look. "Hell no," he scoffed. "You passed."
Zen blinked. "I—what?"
Ray smirked. "You already live in this forest for a weeks... beat down some rocket grunt, and as for the test? I just want to test if you really want to be ranger or just some brat who just playing around wasting my time. If that's not the makings of a Ranger Apprentice, I don't know what is."
Zen felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Ray clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Go back to Viridian City and wait for me at the Ranger Headquarters. I'll handle things here."
Zen nodded and turned to Kakuna and Red. "Let's go."
The two Pokémon followed as he made his way back toward the city.
By the time Zen reached Viridian City, his legs felt like lead.
The moment he stepped through the doors of the Pokémon Center, he was met with the familiar scent of disinfectant and the soft humming of machines.
A woman in a white and pink uniform immediately noticed him.
"Oh my!" Nurse Joy hurried over, her kind eyes filled with concern. "You look exhausted. Were you out in the forest all night?"
Zen nodded. "I need a check-up for my Pokémon." He gently placed Kakuna and Red on the counter.
Nurse Joy took one look at them. "oh hi kakuna long time no see"
Kakuna nodded happily as respons
Nurse Joy leaned in, admiring Kakuna's deep purple shell. "no matter how much time i look at you, its never get boring"
Then her gaze shifted to Red.
"…And this Pokémon…" she murmured, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "I've never seen this species before."
Zen blinked. "Wait, really?"
She glanced up. "This isn't a native Kanto Pokémon."
Zen scratched his head. "Huh… No wonder I didn't recognize it."
Nurse Joy turned to her computer and began typing.
A few seconds later, the screen displayed a picture of a red, round-bodied bug Pokémon with six legs and big black eyes.
A name appeared beneath it.
Ledyba - Johto
Type: Bug/Flying
Zen stared at the screen.
"So… you're a Ledyba."
Red—or rather, Ledyba—buzzed excitedly, seeming to like the name.
Nurse Joy smiled. "Ledyba aren't from Kanto. They usually live in Johto. It's rare to see one here."
Zen looked down at his tiny flying companion. "Guess that makes you special, huh?"
Ledyba chirped happily, fluttering its wings.
After getting Kakuna and Ledyba fully healed, Zen thanked Nurse Joy and stepped outside.
The streets of Viridian City were peaceful, the cool night air refreshing against his skin.
But Zen barely noticed.
He had survived whole week in the vidirian forest. He had caught a new Pokémon. He had fought Team Rocket.
And now—
He was officially a Ranger Apprentice.
A grin spread across his face.
This was only the beginning as zen walk toward Vidirian Ranger Building.
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KAKUNA LV 9 (POISON/BUG)
LEDYBA LV 7 (BUG/FLYING)