[attr="class","RANGER3"]

IT'S TOO LATE TO TAKE BACK ONE'S MISTAKE

Silas was an outstanding citizen, even in his youth. He excelled in academics, was charitable to others and tried to help his community when and where he could. Overall he was a welcomed presence, and when he was told he had a little sister on the way? Being the first and only child, he grew excited. But in the years to come, Silas ended up stressed more than he could have ever believed. His parents split, his father leaving their mother for another, younger woman. His mother tried to stay strong for her children, but had to work long and hard to make end's meet, and felt weighed down as a single mom. Meanwhile, Silas was stuck taking care of his little sister most of the time, having to babysit her. Even when she got old enough to speak well enough to hold a conversation. Silas loved her very much, but he began to stay inside more than he could go out, except when he had school. It bothered him greatly, but he never showed that to his little sister. Instead he blamed his absent father.
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One day Silas skipped his duty to go play outside with some friends. What could possibly go wrong, right? He told his sister to stay indoors, and that if she did he'd reward her when he got back. "I won't be gone for long" he said. "Watch some TV, or play with your cat". Then he walked out the door...a mistake Silas wishes he could change to this very day. His sister, an adventurous little soul, went wandering out into the wild without any supervision. She never got to see a pokemon in person, and Silas was always talking about them, so she wanted to go and see one. No harm no foul, right? She'd just go until she found one and then hurry home before Silas could get back.
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Pokemon were dangerous, and she was reluctant to acknowledge that. When Silas returned home, it was to see a pair of Rangers with grim looks on their faces talking to his mother. She was crying uncontrollably, and when she looked at Silas her sadness turned, and she screamed that the fault lied in him. The Rangers separated them, the male taking the mother into the house, and the female trying to calm the child as she told him what happened; that it wasn't truly his fault, and that it was their's for not finding her before the pokemon could harm her. It kept Silas' tears and sobs at bay for the moment, but when it really sank in that she was gone and it was him if anyone to blame? He didn't cope very easily.
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At first Silas' mother couldn't look at him. He withered in his room alone for weeks, and never came out until it was time to eat. His mother couldn't even look him in the eye. She'd just walk away and into her room. Sometimes he could hear her crying. The guilt was the worst part. He was only a kid himself now at the age of fourteen (14). This wasn't the kind of thing he should have to worry about, with a whole life ahead of him. But his negligence cost the life of his little sister. He knew she was innocent. All she wanted was to see a pokemon in-person for the first time.
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The worst part is that Silas remembers all the happy moments he and his little sister shared perfectly to this day. How their missing father wasn't even a problem in her eyes, as she got to spend most of her time with Silas, whom she adored and cared for greatly. When he thinks back on it, Silas starts to break down. He is still in a fragile state about it, and does his best not to dwell on these thoughts to prevent himself from looking weak. But sometimes he wants to be weak. Sometimes Silas gives into these thoughts, and people can usually tell. He doesn't seek pity, though. Silas feels he deserves this pain.
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In the last year Silas has become a Ranger Cadet. He's knowledgeable of pokemon and is high-spirited, knowing his way around the region thanks to having a photographic memory, and a lot of well-designed maps he's thoroughly studied, even before he decided to become a Ranger. He hopes he can ease the guilt on his conscience by working to help people who may end up in a situation like his sister; by doing some good. Though he dreadfully awaits the day he has to tell someone their loved one was killed by a feral pokemon. Either way, he presses on. At the very least, his mother has taken kindly to this occupation, and calls to check up on him and ask her son to visit. They've both forgiven one another, and simply go on with their lives knowing that his sister would want it this way.