Chapter 48: Difficult Choice

After several attempts at teleporting randomly throughout the area, Gladion finally located a Ranger Outpost nestled in the forest. The wooden structure, marked with the official Pokemon Ranger emblem, stood in the middle of wilderness.

They were responsible for maintaining the peace in the forest among different Pokemon tribes, trainers and apprehending criminals.

Inside, he found two younger rangers and a grizzled veteran whose scarred Arcanine lay vigilantly by his side. The moment Gladion mentioned the bandits, the atmosphere in the room shifted dramatically.

"The Poison Fang Gang," the veteran ranger, who introduced himself as Marcus, growled. "Been hunting those bastards for months. They've killed six new trainers last year alone."

Two rangers, Sarah and Ken, immediately called out their Pidgeots. "Can you take us to them?" Sarah asked, already checking her gear.

Gladion nodded. "My Machoke is keeping them contained with my Milotic and Pupitar."

"Smart kid," Ken commented. "Most trainers your age would've tried to be heroes by trying to find their victims and helping them but they would have gotten themselves killed instead."

As they flew to the location, Gladion explained how he'd handled the situation. The rangers exchanged impressed looks at the mention of his Psychic powers and the strength of his Pokemon.

Upon arriving, they found Guy standing guard, the bandits securely restrained. Sarah whistled at the scene of the battle - frozen Ekans, unconscious Crobats, and splintered trees telling the story.

"These aren't just regular trainer Pokemon," Marcus observed, studying Mystique's precise Ice Beam effects. "You've trained them well."

As they processed the criminals, Ken turned to Gladion with a stern expression. "Now, about you traveling through these dangerous areas alone..."

Gladion's heart sank. "Please don't call my parents."

"It's protocol for trainers under twelve-"

"My dad will cry for days!" Gladion protested. "Like, actual tears. Lots of them. He might flood Moonwood Town. Do you want that on your conscience? Think of the environmental impact!"

Sarah tried to hide her smile. "We still should-"

"And my mom?" Gladion continued desperately. "She's a fire-type specialist. Her name is Erza Vortex. Do you know what happens when she get worried? Things burn. Important things. Like forests. And paperwork. Especially ranger paperwork."

The rangers sweat dropped at that name. Clearly knowing who Erza was.

Ken was now openly chuckling. "Kid, you're-"

"Plus," Gladion added with his best innocent expression, "I did help catch dangerous criminals. That's got to count for something, right? Professional courtesy between law enforcement and concerned citizens?"

Marcus, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "Let the boy be. He's earned some trust." His expression turned serious. "But we need to talk, kid. Privately."

They walked a short distance from the others, Marcus's Arcanine following silently.

"You handled yourself well today," Marcus began, his voice grave. "But you need to understand something. These weren't some common thieves. These were killers. Next time, you might not have the luxury of taking prisoners."

Gladion's stomach churned. "You mean..."

"I mean sometimes you have to choose between their life or yours. Or worse, between them and your Pokemon." Marcus's hand unconsciously touched a faded scar on his neck. "The law recognizes a trainer's right to lethal force against recognized threats. It's not pretty, but it's reality."

"But... I'm ten," Gladion whispered, his past-life sensibilities screaming at the wrongness of this conversation. Why would a army officer ask a 10 year kid to kill someone?

"You're a Pokemon trainer," Marcus corrected firmly. "The moment you got your license, you became an adult in the eyes of the law. You could've waited until you were older, but you chose this path. The world won't coddle you because of your age."

Gladion thought of his Pokemon, of the family he'd built. The idea of someone trying to hurt them made his blood run cold, but actually taking a life...

"I... I don't think I could," he admitted.

Marcus's expression softened slightly. "Nobody wants to, kid. But ask yourself this - what if it was your sister or brother? What if some criminal had her or him at knifepoint, and the only way to save them was to order your Machoke to use lethal force? What would you choose then?"

The question hit Gladion like a Hyperbeam. Images flashed through his mind - Gwen in danger, his Pokemon threatened, his family at risk. The blood he'd found in the forest could have belonged to someone's brother, someone's child...

"Your Pokemon are strong enough to kill," Marcus continued. "They choose not to because you haven't asked them to. But they would, to protect you or each other. That's the bond between Pokemon and trainer."

Gladion looked at Guy, who had been watching them intently. The Machoke's usually exuberant demeanor was replaced by a solemn understanding. Even in his past life, Gladion had known Pokemon were capable of lethal force - the Pokedex entries often hinted at darker aspects of their nature.

"I'm not saying become a killer," Marcus clarified. "I'm saying be prepared to do whatever it takes to protect what matters. This world isn't always kind, especially to Pokemon trainers. The strong prey on the weak, and not everyone believes in fair fights."

"How... how do you deal with it?" Gladion asked quietly.

Marcus patted his Arcanine. "You remember why you're fighting. You protect those who can't protect themselves. And you never, ever take life lightly." He fixed Gladion with a stern look. "But you also don't hesitate when there's no other choice."

As they walked back to the others, Gladion's mind was churning. His past-life memories of Pokemon as a cheerful adventure clashed with this harsh reality. Yet, hadn't he already known this world was different? The bandits had been ready to kill him - would he have felt the same hesitation if one of his Pokemon had been forced to use lethal force to save him?

"Stick to the main routes for now," Marcus advised as they prepared to leave. "But keep training. Keep getting stronger. Because sometimes, strength isn't about winning battles - it's about being strong enough to protect what matters."

Gladion nodded, understanding both the warning and the wisdom. As he left the area with his Pokemon, he knew he had more to think about than just gym badges and league championships.

This world had shown him another of its harsh truths, and while he hoped he'd never have to make such difficult choices, he couldn't ignore the reality of what being a Pokemon trainer truly meant.

"One more thing before you go," Ranger Sarah said which made Gladion turn back as he saw her flipping through some papers.

Her eyes widened slightly as she cross-referenced something on her tablet screen. "These bandits you helped apprehend... they had quite substantial bounties on their heads."

"Bounties?" Gladion asked surprised

"Yes. The Ranger Station offers rewards for helping capture particularly dangerous criminals." She began typing on her keyboard. "Would you mind providing your Trainer ID? We'll need it to process the payment."

Gladion pulled out his ID card.

"Let's see..." Sarah input his information, the soft clicking of keys filling the office. "The total bounty for the group comes to 250,000 Pokedollars. As the primary trainer responsible for their capture, the full amount will be transferred to your account."

Gladion blinked, trying to maintain his usual stoic expression despite his surprise. That was... a considerable sum.

"The transfer should process within the next 24 hours," Sarah continued, writing something on a paper and signing it with a flourish. "Here's your documentation. You would get the amount transferred to your bank account registered to your Trainer Id. And Gladion?" She looked up at him with a genuine smile. "Thank you for your help today. The Kanto region is safer because of trainers like you."

"Thank you," he said simply, tucking the document into his jacket pocket. As he left the Ranger Station, the setting sun painted the sky in shades of orange and pink. It had been an unexpectedly profitable day, but more importantly, those criminals wouldn't be threatening any more trainers or Pokémon.

As soon as Gladion's footsteps faded, Sarah slumped in her chair. "Kid's got some serious skill. Did you see how his Machoke moved? That's not just raw power—that's practiced coordination."

Ken nodded, organizing the incident reports. "To think he took down those bandits like they were fresh-out-of-school rookies."

"Question is," Sarah interjected, his weathered face creasing with concern, "do we tell his mother?" clearly scared by the infamous Fire Witch of Kanto.

Ken winced. "We promised him we wouldn't. He was quite insistent about it."

"Ha!" Marcus's laugh echoed through the forest. "You want to risk Erza finding out her son was in danger and we kept quiet? That woman would roast us alive." He shuddered. "I still remember the incident in Vermillion City. No one touches what she considers hers."

Ken reached for the communication device. "Better to face her wrath now than later. At least this way we can tell her he handled it beautifully."

"Like mother, like son," Marcus muttered.

"Though thank Arceus, he did not inherit her habit of setting everything on fire when annoyed. One Erza is enough for all regions combined."

---Author Notes-------

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter.

Y'all can read 12 extra chapters on my pat*reon.

https://pat reon.com/mrmime24

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