#noibatposting

To explain why I've been missing for so long, I was busy preparing myself and my team for a... final exam, of sorts.

Because of the nature of the exam, I'm not allowed to share too many details, but it's supposedly common knowledge that team members each face a member of the school as the final... I suppose "grand finale" is the right term? They're graded based on how they individually do at the end of their dungeons and "bosses," as those in the human world would call them. If half or more of the team is able to survive, they pass and get to rank up. If not... I hope you can predict what happens there.

As for my team? After reaching the end of our five dungeons (I'm admittedly surprised I've made it that far on my own, but I had no doubts about the others), we were greeted by... the strongest Rangers there. The others were, at least.

Stephanie and David had issues with Tempest and... well, David's mother, respectively. Meanwhile, Wave and Lucas seemed to do well against Claude and another Ranger that I hadn't met before. I hear that she's a species referred to as Mimikyu...? Nonetheless, despite my previous worries regarding Wave, I figured that he'd do well, and I expected nothing less of my lover. I still owe him a whole bunch of cuddles for doing so well...

Because there's five of us, that meant that I was the tiebreaker for whether or not we pass. I... am the bridge.

I stepped through the other end, and... an Aggron was on the other side. I had recently picked up type matchups from my classes, and my heart sank to my rear end when I saw him. Despite that, I chose to swallow my worries (As well as an Apicot berry in hopes of not having holes poked in my wings... again...), and moved forward. I knew that he trained under Claude, so I had to keep my guard up. And, even with everything in mind...

I had completed his challenge.

With as much joy as a Noibat can muster in this condition, I'd like to introduce this team as not just an official Rescue Team, but one that has reached the Bronze rank.

Chris was making his way around Aurorus, attempting to use his low weight and Flying typing to his advantage to do so quickly. He's been trying to deliver a letter from a mysterious Meganium to a Houndoom for quite some time now, and he's not going to let her down.

...However, he won't have to wait much longer.

As he considered taking to the skies again to ger an aerial view of the situation one more time, he saw a Pokemon turning a corner around into what looks like an alleyway. He looked at a notebook he made from his anonymous friend's notes of Houndoom's species, and the shape of what he saw seemed to fit the description perfectly.

"HEY!" Chris shouted, way louder than he expected he would. Was that aid really this much of a crutch? So much for being discreet... "I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!"

He heard a set of footsteps cease, and then silence. Suddenly, he heard the Houndoom break into a sprint.

I was taking a bit of a break in the cafe that Jayden works at, as he lets me do this from time to time.

...And I was approached by a strange Meganium in a trench coat.

After denying my request of her to introduce herself, she mentions that she has a slight idea of just who I am, although she's still unfamiliar with my species.

She then gave me a letter of some sort, asking me to deliver it to someone that's all the way in... Aurorus. Hm.

She mentioned that it would be a Houndoom in an outfit not too dissimilar from her own. "If they have their suspicions, ask them to 'show their wings.'" were her exact words, and she withheld any further information from me when I inquired.

What's in it?

...A note talking about a "team leader". Forgot Rescue Teams had those... Who should it be?

M-Maybe it should be Wave? He's always been super strong, and he has the heart of a true Ranger!

[Chris and David cringed at the suggestion.] ...He's also... Well... Crazy.

I HEARD THAT! I CAN HANDLE MYSELF JUST FINE, THANK YOU!

That being said... I don't think Stephanie would be a great choice either. She's kinda always on the move, isn't she?

So you won't say she's crazy, but you'll say I am?! She's more of a lunatic than I could ever hope for!

I was about to get to that.

HEY-!

He's right and we all know that. What about you, David? You look like you know what you're doing. I'd be lying if I said you weren't the reason we survived our first encounter with Yveltal...

Sure, but you're the one that decided that he had awful vibes to begin with.

Me and Lucas were the only ones that knew who he was back then!

And you chose to tell us about him immediately after.

And I didn't want any of you following me after the fact. If you all had gotten hurt, it would've been my fault. And some of you DID get hurt.

Not by Yveltal, we didn't. Wave wanted to be a daretina and try using a move he hasn't learned yet to break his fall, and ended up breaking his nose instead. And... I'm... kind of a special case.

...You... [Wave turned his back to Chris, blushing a bit.] ...I guess you would be a good leader. But I'm still stronger, alright?!

[Chris laughed awkwardly.] He-he... right...

I think you would do really good as a leader, Chris!

So... it's decided?

[Chris continued looking through the box, and he found two blue stones, no bigger than his nose leaf, alongside another note.] Hey, there's some other things in here too...

"To further your path to becoming professional Rescue Rangers, we've given two Link Stones to your team as a gift. One shall remain with the leader of the team, although the other can be given to whoever the leader decides on.

These are very powerful items. You must be very careful, ensuring not to use these items in quick succession with each other, lest you suffer unspeakable consequences.

Best of regards, Claude Samurott and Hanson Blaziken of the Rangers' Guild."

[Chris held one of the stones in his wing. For a brief moment, it flashed red, before becoming a calming forest green. It appeared that only he caught the bizarre change.] ...I guess we get to keep these until we graduate? [Chris took the other stone and tossed it to Stephanie, who caught it with one of her vines. Unlike Chris's, it remained the same blue it was when it were initially revealed.] If we're going to be using these often, we should try finding something to wear them on.

...I...

They're not... No...

They're my f-friends, and... They're not... c-cicrus freaks... r-ight?

I... I can't... You're just...

“How are you and the others today?”

I... I think I've seen this before.

...As a matter of fact, I know I've seen someone that looks exactly like this. It appears that they managed to escape my field of vision a number of times prior to this note.

Father. We've finally found our culprit.

...

...Aside from this mess, I can say that we've been doing relatively well. It has been taking quite the effort to keep up with everything that's been happening, but it should be fine. Still a bit on edge about Yveltal's next move, but he hasn't attacked again yet...