Speed of Weakness

New Kid?

Sage yawned as he woke up. After yesterday's talk with the Chairperson, he didn't know what to expect. He knew he had three things to do.

One was to send a message back to Lapis. He was going to get at least one thing achieved by mostly his own hand.

Two was to get food. He had skipped lunch and fell asleep before dinner. So he needed food or else he wasn't going to make it out the door.

Three was he had to set up patrol. He decided against going himself until he could handle himself.

That wasn't going to be the order they happened, but oh well.

He sighed as he got up and headed to where the others were. He grabbed some oatmeal and sat down next to the medic. His stomach growled as he frowned.

"Yeah yeah yeah... getting food now. Hold on." The medic giggled.

"Should've eaten yesterday."

"I know..." He sighed. "But I skipped lunch thanks to the fire and I slept through dinner. So this... is an award." She smiled as he looked at the rangers. "Alright guy, gather around over here."

"Yeah, since your captain can't figure out eating times." Sage groaned.

"Aren't you happy I slept? I always argue that I don't need it. Can't you be happy?"

"Nope. Not until I can safely leave you alone." He sighed as he turned to the group.

"Alright, older members are to take a younger member each and go out onto patrol. And try to avoid the Fall City group. I don't want them to pull anything Joel might've assigned them to go against me." They nodded as they went out. He sighed as he finished his food. "I better write that letter to Lapis. He'll be happy to hear the plan." The medic nodded.

"Do you want help?" He shook his head.

"No... I'm going to make this a personal mission of mine. I'm going to get this success." She smiled as she nodded.

"Then I'll leave you to it. Just don't do anything too dangerous." He nodded as he pulled out a paper and started writing.

"Dear Lapis.

Sorry for the minor delay of a reply. I was looking into your request.

With the looks of it, the best way for you to enter the Rangers is through another way, private training and proving your abilities. If you are still willing, I will send you what you're going to need to start your training.

As for memory... your name does ring a bell. Sadly I can't remember who you are. I hope that if we do meet I will truly remember you.

So reply as soon as you can and I hope you take this opportunity. Us here in the rangers would be glad to have you in our ranks.

Have a great day.

~Sage."

He closed it up and went out to put in the mail.

~!_!~

He was talking to the operator about the potential new kid when someone walked in.

"Excuse me...?" Sage turned and paused at the sight of the person.

It was a brown haired male with matching brown eyes that wore a ranger school uniform. He had a bag on his back and a small box in his arms. He was shaking, probably because he was about to talk to a base leader.

Sage turned around to him and smiled lightly.

"Yes?" The male gulped as he straightened up.

"My name's Cedar. I was... uh... put into this base... are you the base leader?" Sage nodded.

"Yep. My name's Sage. Welcome aboard, Cedar." Cedar smiled as the operator stood up.

"Here, let me get you settled down." Cedar nodded as he followed. Sage smiled before slipping out. If he had known he was going to be doing this, he would've gotten himself ready a whole lot earlier than before.

~!_!~

The timing was perfect. Cedar had settled down and got his styler before they started bonding a little bit. Then Larry, who had been asked to help him make the rookie mission, raced in and alerted them that his pokemon had run off. Sage, with pure slyness around the alerted Cedar's concern, told him that it ought to be his first mission. Cedar panicked a little, but agreed.

Sage didn't think he would be so calm about it. Despite the extreme pressure Larry put on the poor kid, he easily solved the problem. He first captured two pokemon before a third, Larry's actual pokemon appeared. Not even skipping a beat, he then caught it and brought it back to Larry. Sage congratulated him on the mission.

"Not bad. Most of the rangers here get lost after they grab the first two and get turned down." Cedar paused.

"What does that mean?" A giggle followed as the medic went over and grabbed Sage's sleeve.

"That is the normal rookie mission. Sage always asks for Larry to let his Tallow escape and then have a panic attack that alerts the base. Rookies only. Meaning you passed." Cedar smiled at that before the medic sat Sage down.

"Hey!"

"I already see you messing with your bandages!"

"This is why Joel is wrong about us dating! Let me go! I don't need to be babied about this!"

"Then stop touching your bandages!"

"There's an itch! Unless you want to change from just a simple medic, let me itch it!"

"No! That's it! We're going back and I'm refixing you up!"

"Oh come on!" Cedar blinked as he followed the arguing duo back to the base.

~!_!~

"Can't I have one day without you screaming up my tree!?"

"Nope! I was assigned to take care of you."

"Joel bribed you into keeping an eye on me after the jungle incident because I was always getting hurt. Now I can take care of myself! Leave me alone!"

"Unless the union sends someone to watch you, no!"

Cedar stared at the fight. Was this why he was put here? Not because he would be with one of the best rangers in the Ranger Union, but because of this? He turned to his box as they went another round. He opened it to his magic kit.

"So that's what you meant... Chairperson..." He smiled. "I will."