Pokémon Rangers: The Viral Catalyst (WiP)

Chapter 1: A Stormy Start

It started to rain. The route between New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City, known for its many trees, offered ample shelter, but a hooded figure chose to climb a tree instead. Reaching a sturdy branch, he took out binoculars from his backpack. Rain clattered on his hands as he scanned the area. Finally, he found his mark: a small van driving up to Palm Hills. It was an odd destination. Kaiy, a bold Pokémon Ranger, had started following the van's owners after hearing a rumor at the Pokémon Market. The rumor suggested the van's occupants were involved in suspicious activities, something the locals found concerning given the recent influx of young trainers to Cherrygrove City.
Kaiy sat in the soaking rain for several minutes. The van stood motionless next to a grand mansion. He needed to get closer. He took a Pokéball from his belt and called for help. Shade, his Decidueye, appeared next to him, shivering from the rain and pulling his hood up.
"Shade, look over there," Kaiy said, handing over the binoculars. Shade scanned the area but shook his head after a few silent seconds. Despite the rain and the cold, Kaiy remained focused, his eyes narrowing as he tried to devise a plan.
"We need to get closer without attracting attention. Ideas?" Kaiy asked. Shade pointed towards the road leading to Palm Hills, indicating it would take an hour to walk there, maybe more now that dusk had started.
"Mhhhh," Kaiy mulled over the option. "Let's keep that as a backup plan." He put the binoculars back, noting the red rear lights of the van in the distance.
"Listen, inside the van are three people. The driver is a slender woman, blond. Then there's a man with a handlebar mustache, and lastly, a figure I couldn't make out." Shade made a questioning sound and gesture. "I only noticed there was a third person when the van drove past me, leaving Cherrygrove."
They both sat silently again, watching the motionless red lights. Kaiy was about to outline a plan when they heard an unfamiliar sound. Shade turned his head towards the road beneath them. A girl's cry echoed through the rain. The pair looked at each other, deciding their next move. Suddenly, the van began to drive away, and the girl's cry grew louder. Kaiy had to think fast. He took a Premier Ball from his belt.
"Talonflame, do you see that white van in the town?" She nodded in agreement. From his RangerGear, he took a silvery, hexagonal disk. Activating it in stealth mode with two clicks, he attached it to Talonflame's talon. "Follow the van. Shade, find the source of the cries." Talonflame took off, and Shade glided down soundlessly. Kaiy cautiously descended the tree, following Shade.

The road was slippery, and the approaching darkness made it hard to navigate, but Kaiy saw Shade landing near a streetlamp. The cry was clear now. Kaiy sprinted, ignoring the discomfort of his wet boots. When he arrived, he saw a Pokémon Trainer and her alarming reason: her Cyndaquil lay disturbingly still. Without hesitation, he took out another Pokéball, and Jolteon sprang out.
"Jolteon, take this Pokémon to the Cherrygrove City PokéCenter now. I'll call you in." Kaiy fixed a harness from his backpack while explaining the mission. Jolteon, familiar with the contraption, ran off as soon as Shade lifted the Cyndaquil into the pouch.
"Do not stop!" Kaiy recalled Shade into his Pokéball again. The girl, crying and in shock, looked at him. Kaiy lifted a finger, signaling her to hold her questions.
"This is Ranger six-o-four. I got a fainted Cyndaquil on the way. The Trainer is in my care, female, approximately 14 years old, and appears to be alone." Thunder boomed in the dark clouds above. "I will make my way to you with her within the hour."
"Understood, Ranger six-o-four," a voice responded through the RangerGear.
"Nurse," Kaiy said, while walking away from the Trainer, and out of earshot he said: "It doesn't look good."

"Fifteen," the girl said when Kaiy helped her from the ground.
Kaiy looked at her. "I'm 15 years old. Who are you?"
"My name is Kaiy. I'm a Pokémon Ranger tasked with the protection of Pokémon and their environment. I just called in an emergency situation, which is a class 2 intervention. Your Pokémon's well-being was my first priority. My apologies if this was a little intense, but there was urgency. Come, follow me."
The girl picked up her soaking wet pack and set out with Kaiy to Cherrygrove City. Kaiy noticed her sulking, distracted walk.
"Cyndaquil will get the best care. I made the call to have him delivered by my partner, Jolteon. When a Pokémon is unresponsive like that, we have to handle it quickly. I have medicine, but not something that could be of any help." Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Is he going to be okay?" she asked. Kaiy wanted to console her but had no idea if Cyndaquil would be fine. He saw the Pokémons droopy snout and the faint smoke from his flame spots. A familiar sight.
"We'd best hurry, eeeh..."
"Graisey," the girl said. "My name is Graisey."