Smoke ran into his eyes and made it water, the heat was next to unbearable, his arms burned from lactic acid, and he was probably delirious from dehydration. But finally, at the end of a six hour hike, or rather a mountain climb, he was at the final stretch of the top of the mountain.

Mount Pyre, the dreaded practical.

Rangers were not just simply made, they were often born. It wasn't enough that you were skilled in battle, but you had to know enough about Pokemon to be able to handle every situation at hand. Extensive training in battling, healing, environments, faunas, and to be able to respond and give your life for the betterment of the pokemon world. It was not an easy task, to have to handle such dangerous beasts on an every day basis required only the best of trainers, and so, the exams were also stringent. Out of all those who take the exam, it was not likely that more than a handful every year were selected.

And it was just so fortunate that Callan had made it to the finals.

Just one more hurdle. He lurched over the top of the mountain and sprawlied ont the ground, for but a brief moment, as every muscle in his body burned like fire, but he forced himself up, pulling a flask of lukewarm water and spilling it into his throat to recover.

He was wearing a cadet's set of training gear, but after this, he'd be able to wear the orange and dark navy of Hoenn's rangers, even if it would be later in his life, he could say he finally made something of a trainer in himself, that it wasn't just all potential that was wasted.

Callan rose to his feet, his knees shaking, as he looked towards his final challenge. "Lars," He spoke, with a tired smile. The familiar face was a welcome one, but he could tell that he was about to get his shit kicked in the inevitable Pokémon battle. "I guess this is the final exam then."

Laurence Anderson