The cage doors were still open.
The grunts were still reaching.
Tepig struggled weakly in a man's grip, legs kicking uselessly. Oshawatt stood shaking in front of Grant, shell raised though its arms trembled. Sewaddle clung to Grant's collar, crying.
Nyra dragged herself upright, swaying.
The Plasma leader raised his hand.
"Take them."
The forest held its breath.
Then—
A sharp whistle sliced through the air.
Not a human whistle.
A Ranger call.
The sound echoed between the trees like a warning bell.
The Plasma grunts froze.
A second later, the bushes exploded outward.
"Unova Ranger Corps! Drop the cages and step away from the Pokémon!"
Green-clad figures burst from the forest on all sides. Their uniforms bore the crest of the Ranger Union, long coats snapping in the wind. Capture stylers glowed in their hands.
The Plasma leader spun. "Rangers?"
Too late.
A woman with silver hair vaulted over a fallen log, landing between Nyra and the grunt holding Tepig.
"Release it. Now."
The grunt hesitated.
Her styler ignited with light.
"Last warning."
He dropped Tepig and stumbled back.
Tepig collapsed on the ground.
Nyra lunged forward and caught him.
"It's okay," she whispered. "I've got you."
Grant barely had time to process what was happening before two Rangers skidded to his side.
One knelt beside Oshawatt. "Hang in there, little guy."
The other blocked a grunt who tried to grab Sewaddle again.
"Back off."
The forest erupted into chaos.
Plasma grunts shouted.
Rangers issued commands.
Poké Balls flashed.
"Watchog, cover retreat!"
"Lieperd, smokescreen!"
Dark mist flooded the clearing.
Grant coughed, eyes burning.
"Nyra!" he shouted.
"I'm here!" she called back.
A Ranger grabbed Grant's arm. "Stay behind us!"
Through the smoke, Grant saw the Plasma leader standing calmly, coat fluttering like a shadow.
He watched the Rangers move in.
Watched his plan collapse.
Then he smiled.
"Fall back," he said.
The grunts hesitated.
"Now."
A flash of red light.
Bisharp slashed the ground.
The earth split, throwing dirt and roots into the air.
The Rangers leapt back.
By the time the dust settled, Team Plasma was gone.
Only the cages remained.
And the Pokémon they had tried to steal.
The forest went quiet again.
But this time, it felt different.
Like the storm had passed.
Grant sank to his knees.
His whole body shook.
Oshawatt crawled into his arms and pressed its head against his chest.
Sewaddle wrapped itself around his neck.
Nyra knelt beside him, holding Tepig.
Her hands trembled.
The silver-haired Ranger approached, kneeling across from them.
"You two are lucky," she said gently. "If we'd arrived a minute later…"
Grant swallowed. "They were going to take them."
"They've been raiding routes all week," she said. "You're not the first trainers they've targeted."
Nyra clenched her jaw. "We tried to stop them."
The Ranger studied them. "Brave. But reckless."
Grant lowered his head. "We weren't strong enough."
"No," she said. "You weren't supposed to be."
She stood and gestured to the others. "Get the injured Pokémon ready for transport."
Two Rangers approached with medical kits.
One scanned Oshawatt. "Exhaustion and impact trauma. Needs a Center."
Another checked Sewaddle's silk wounds. "Minor injuries."
A third examined Tepig. "Burn overuse and blunt impact. He fought hard."
Nyra brushed Tepig's head. "He always does."
The silver-haired Ranger turned back to them. "We're escorting everyone to Wellspring. Team Plasma won't attack while Rangers are present."
Grant nodded numbly.
Nyra squeezed his hand.
He squeezed back.
The walk back felt longer than it should have.
Rangers surrounded them in a protective ring.
The forest looked the same.
But Grant felt different.
Every shadow felt heavier.
Every rustle sharper.
Sewaddle stayed curled against his neck the entire way.
Oshawatt refused to go back into its Poké Ball, clutching Grant's jacket instead.
Nyra carried Tepig, refusing to let a Ranger take him.
By the time Wellspring Town came into view, the sun had begun to sink.
The Pokémon Center lights glowed like a lighthouse.
Grant felt his knees weaken when he saw the doors.
Nurse Joy rushed out the moment she saw the Rangers.
"Oh my goodness—bring them in right away!"
They moved quickly.
Oshawatt was lifted onto a stretcher.
Sewaddle was carefully placed in a warm carrier.
Tepig was rushed inside.
Grant stood frozen in the doorway until Nyra grabbed his wrist and pulled him in.
"Come on."
They watched as the medical team worked.
Machines hummed.
Lights blinked.
Nurse Joy moved with calm precision.
Grant pressed his forehead against the glass.
"I should've protected them better."
Nyra leaned against him.
"You stood up for them," she said quietly. "That matters."
"It wasn't enough."
She turned to face him. "Grant, you threw yourself at armed criminals. You didn't run. You didn't abandon them."
His voice cracked. "They still almost lost everything."
Nyra reached for his hand.
He let her.
They stood there in silence.
Minutes passed.
Finally, Nurse Joy approached.
"They're stable," she said. "Exhausted, bruised, but they'll recover."
Grant exhaled shakily.
Nyra closed her eyes in relief.
"They're resting now," Joy continued. "You two should too."
Grant nodded. "Thank you."
Joy smiled. "You're good trainers."
When she left, Grant slumped into a chair.
Nyra sat beside him.
The adrenaline faded.
The fear lingered.
He stared at the floor. "I thought being a trainer meant Gyms. Badges. Battles."
She nodded. "Me too."
"But it's bigger than that," he said. "There are people who hurt Pokémon."
Nyra's jaw tightened. "And we're not strong enough to stop them yet."
The word hung between them.
Yet.
Grant looked at her. "I don't want to feel that helpless again."
She met his eyes. "Neither do I."
Silence settled.
Not awkward.
Heavy.
Grant spoke softly. "When they grabbed Tepig… I thought—"
She swallowed. "I know."
He squeezed her hand. "I was scared."
She squeezed back. "So was I."
Their shoulders touched.
Neither pulled away.
Outside, the town lamps flickered on.
Inside, two trainers sat with their fear and their resolve.
They were allowed to see their Pokémon later that night.
Oshawatt slept curled in a heated bed.
Sewaddle lay wrapped in soft fabric, tiny chest rising and falling.
Tepig snoozed with a bandage around his side.
Grant crouched beside Oshawatt.
"Hey, buddy," he whispered.
Oshawatt opened one eye.
"Osha…"
Grant smiled weakly. "You scared me."
Oshawatt reached out and held his finger.
Nyra knelt beside Tepig.
"You were incredible," she whispered.
Tepig snorted softly in its sleep.
Grant looked at Sewaddle.
"I promise," he said. "No one's taking you away."
Sewaddle chirped faintly.
They stepped back into the hallway.
Nyra leaned against the wall.
Grant mirrored her.
"We almost lost everything today," she said.
"But we didn't."
She nodded. "Because the Rangers showed up."
"And because we stood together."
She smiled slightly. "You're not bad for a small-town dreamer."
He laughed quietly. "You're not bad for a troublemaker."
She bumped his shoulder. "I prefer 'ambitious menace.'"
He smiled.
Then grew serious.
"I want to train harder," he said. "Smarter. I want to be able to protect them."
Nyra nodded. "Me too. I want to be strong enough that Team Plasma never looks at us as easy targets again."
He glanced at her. "Rivals train each other, right?"
She smirked. "Only if you can keep up."
He stood straighter. "I will."
She extended her hand.
He shook it.
Not like rivals.
Like partners.
Later, they sat on the Pokémon Center roof, legs dangling over the edge.
The stars had come out.
Wellspring shimmered below.
Grant leaned back on his elbows. "Do you think they'll come back?"
Nyra stared at the sky. "Team Plasma doesn't quit."
Grant sighed. "Then we won't either."
She glanced at him. "You're really serious about becoming Champion, aren't you?"
He nodded. "More than ever."
She smiled. "Good. Because I plan on beating you there."
He laughed. "We'll see."
She nudged him with her foot. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we train."
"Tomorrow?"
She grinned. "At dawn."
Grant groaned. "You're cruel."
"Rivalry is built on suffering."
He shook his head, smiling.
They sat in comfortable silence.
Two trainers.
Two dreamers.
A little bruised. A little shaken. But unbroken.
Somewhere beyond the forest, Team Plasma moved in the shadows.
But for tonight, Wellspring was safe.
And Grant and Nyra were ready to become stronger than fear