"How did things end up like this."

"It's cold, I'm hungry, my leg is killing me... And I'm afraid."

"I'm scared of what's out there. It's waiting. I can feel its stare tearing through the foliage; burning into my back every moment."

"It smells blood in the water."

"I'm sorry, guys. This is no longer just my mission log."

"It's shaping up to become the story of how I died."

It all began like any other normal day in Summerland. Everything seemed so clear, perfect really. But that is the normal day for our floating little town. Huts built onto docks with rope bridges bobbing over the ocean's gleaming surface. Its arching blue waves pushing against our little town.

Me? Well I was making my way downtown with the sun's blazing heat kissing against my warmed skin. I skipped over each board on the bridges and felt the swelling waves slosh over and into my ankles. The cool saltwater wrapping in bands and getting trapped by my socks. My heart was fluttering along when a strong gust of wind tried to topple me into the clear depths of water.

"Not today!" I laughed into the breeze. Not that day of all days. I tugged at the bill of my ruby patrol cap to secure it over my ponytail. At the current time, I couldn't help but to let my fingers wander up to the front, center panel of my hat, where I brushed a swirling blue ranger insignia. A grin began to burn into my cheeks as I found myself at the stationed Pokemon Ranger base.

It was drifting on a deck of its own. A great hexagonal building of white stone with a green stripe wrapping around it. My shoulders rolled back on instinct, this feeling turning inside my chest as if a cup was overflowing. I curled my toes in their shoes as I stared at my reflection in the glass doors.

Reflections can be quite useful.

Because of that reflective entrance, I was able to catch a swift blur of a red muffin top with a bright jacket like mine. However I was never a quick person. My body twisted, falling back in evasion but it was too late.

"Gotcha!" the male voice rang in my ear along with his childish giggles. His arm was wrapped around my neck and I just flailed and screeched as the ranger rubbed his fist into the top of my head, "noogie time!"

My Electrike partner pokemon snapped up from where he was at my heels and barked. However, he wasn't in any way trying to protect me. The lightning pokemon lunged toward an orange, twin-tailed weasle who followed at the back of my captor. From the corner of my vision, I watched as Electrike leapt around with Buizel joyously, their matching pearly fangs catching like sea foam in the Summerland sun.

I coughed at him, "Traitor!" yet I found a small war within myself in attempt to hide the laughter rumbling up, "Let me go, Keith!" my fingers pried at the taunt arm fruitlessly until the fiery-haired boy released me. We both found in that moment we were gasping for air between uproarious laughter. The former classmate of mine and spread both hands over his knees as he roared, and I was clutching my side in a fit of cackles.

"Come on, hair-dye, you're laughing too. Admit it, ya' love noogies." Keith's smirk rose just off to the left of his face, giving that devilish flare I remembered from Ranger School.

A million rebuttals buzzed in my mind, however the nickname of hair-dye overrides them all I pulled at my peacock blue ponytail just tied at the base of my skull, "You know I hate that nickname," between my words he muttered how it was true though, "but I'll let it slide this time since it's our one year anniversary of graduating Ranger School and being stationed here. No longer rookies as of today!"

Keith casually rested his head across the back of his arms, "exactly why it was the perfect time to attack you from behind and give you a noogie. Ya' know ya' gotta start working on those reflexes because one day it's really gonna bite you on the ass."

"I'll be fine, Mr. Top-Student-And-Saved-The-Town-bow-down," Yeah, I'd really have to work on coming up with snarky nicknames. The longwinded string of a title only earned me a twisted smirk of confusion, "not all of us can be prodigies like you and Kellyn. We take it one day at a time." With those words, I glanced down at the styler in my hands, its ruby covering shined and polished. I had spent hours the night before making sure it was in top condition. I spent hours every night.

Back in the Almia region, Keith and I attended the same ranger school. The Pokemon Ranger Academy. I was in the same class as he, Kellyn and Rhythmi. The golden trio. Most of the girls in our class were to become operators, however I was dead set to become a ranger. Still, never did I show up on Keith's radar for competition; no, the only person who ever did was Kellyn who transferred into our class later on in the year. It was quite the year with those two always going head-to-head. After graduation, we were all stationed to around the globe.

You should've seen Keith's expression when he heard he was going to be in Summerland. Away from his "rival". And when he knew the other person he was traveling there with was me, I got a nice and clear, "who's this chick?". I really didn't fall anywhere on his radar. But that was fine. I wasn't out to impress him.

However that is a completely different story. One I may never get to tell at this rate.

"very true, very true, but that can't stop ya' from trying to be better. Never can be as good as me but," he gave a casual wink to finish off where his words ended.

I could only roll my eyes as the base doors hissed open. A plump man staggered out with a head of coppery hair bushing around as he wiped sweat from his face with a towel. The minute his sleepy eyes landed on us, his steps slowed, "I was about to go out looking for you rookies! Late to your own party, fore shame." Our base leader, Cameron, downed in khaki shorts and a white stretching tank top. That was Summerland's ranger uniform. Keith and I stood out in our ruby vests and black shorts since we brought over clothing assigned in Almia. "Keith, your boyfriend's on skype waiting for-"

"He's not my boyfriend; he's my rival!" Keith couldn't squawk any louder while his face turned became an inferno. He also couldn't dash with any more celerity into the base, each step leaving a bit of smoke on the creaking dock. Cameron and I could just snicker at the ranger as we made our way, at a much slower pace, after him. Our pokemon partners close in tow.

One step past the sliding doors and my skin was kissed from all sides by a nipping air conditioning that I reveled in. Tables were lined up with punch and ships set for our snacking pleasure. Across the wall was a cloth banner with hand-painted words screaming, "

My shoulders shuttered just a bit as I slid my gaze up to the giant computer screen lighting up the back wall. There the ducktail-haired Kellyn pushed for screen-time, shouldering a fluffy blonde into the back, "yeah, well I put the entire Vein Forest forest fire out, single-handedly!" his voice scratched across the stereos, blue eyes glittering as he focused on Keith's location.

Keith's back was as straight as a post with an unalterable grin pulled from ear to ear, "Hah! That's laughably simple. Just last week, I- saved two little girls who swam out too far into Sharpedo territory. Do ya' know how violent a whole pack of those are, Kelly?"

The ego competition carried on for only a few more moments before the forgotten blonde shoved her way to the camera, curls flying everywhere as her face lit up, "Kanoa? Kanoa Hayate is that you?"

I gave a wave from where I was positioned, just beside two other Summerland rangers. "Hey Rhythmi. Long time no see!"

"Oh my gosh, I can barely recognize you! Look at that tan you're starting to get. And you dyed your hair! Recently too, right? It looks really cute on you," the operator couldn't help but gush as she began fishing for something under her blouse. Quickly, she swept out a yellow jewel necklace, "Look at this! One of the rangers gave this to me, he is such a sweetie! Do you have anyone you're interested in right now, Kanoa?"

Ah, the Sharpedo waters of girl-talk. Even the closest of friends must dance to this tune.

I gave the most polite expression I could, "Nah, I'm not really that interested in anyone at the moment. But good for you, Rhythmi! To give you such a prize really means he thinks highly of you." I could feel the honey in my words begin to coat my throat.

"Ugh, can you two girls save your chitter for another day? I was talking to Kellyn." Keith's eyes narrowed towards me and the stars aligned at that moment. I gave a glance to Rhythmi on the screen who had the same wicked smirk plastered to her lips.

I widened my eyes to be as deerling-like as possible, "Oh, I do very much apologize sir. I, a lowely girl such as myself, should never interrupt such a manly-man as you while he is speaking to his crush."

There was a unanimous echo of rangers coughing in the middle taking a swig of punch.

Before either Keith or Kellyn could retort, Rhythmi picked up the slack as she began to tear up, "how could us girls be such fools that we are born to be. I shall make my departure, along with Kanoa so you two may continue with your proclamations of love."

"Oh dear Rhythmi, do you recall when the two were pining after one another back at school? The sexual tension was just sometimes too much in the classroom."

My partner in crime had a great feral expession curl up her lips before she declared, "do you remember, oh sweet Kanoa, the fear test we put Kellyn through? And made Keith his buddy."

"How could I forget?" Immediately I lowered my voice into a very-obvious fake male level. I swam over and yanked Keith over. From the moment I felt his skin, I knew he'd been burning up for a solid minute before but I couldn't stop myself anymore, "Eeep, Kellyn, I'm scared! There's something in the shadows, please hold me in your arms!"

On the other side of the world, Rhythmi latched on Kellyn who was turning into a tomato, making an attempt to roll of screen. Her voice melted into a princely tone as she said, "Don't worry, Keithy, I will always be here to protect you!"

"It didn't happen that way!" both boys shrilled, "We're rivals, not boyfriends!"

the entire room fell silent. I tipped my head over, my bangs covering a single eye, and innocently asked, "who said anything about boyfriends? We were just saying who you two loved one another. Are you two... dating by any chance?" At that moment, as the base could only keep its eyes fixed on the tomato twins, I whispered into Keith's ear, "never cross Rhythmi or I again."

My fingers slipped off from Keith's wrists as if they became water. The fiery ranger felt the shackles fall and bolted towards the elevator, smashing the button to go up just not fast enough until he could hide from what had just happened. Something similar must have happened with Rhythmi and Kellyn because by the time my eyes met the polished screen, Rhthmi was alone.

"Think we went too far?" I inquired.

She gave a lazy shrug, eyes still trailing passed the camera, "maybe a little. But it was good for them. They need to come out eventually. It's not like w,e are going to bully them about it."

I gave a slightly guilty bite at my lip, "isn't that what we were just doing?"

"Nah, we're teasing them. If they actually admitted they liked one another, I'd be hella supportive. Like, fight me if anyone calls Kellyn a faggot again." The two of us fell silent after that, remembering the first two weeks Kellyn transferred to our school and declared he had a long distance boyfriend. It was a rough time and they ended up breaking up, but that didn't stop the ignorant kids at our school. Rhythmi and Keith though had his back at the time. Me?

I just watched. They weren't any of my business. Don't get involved in their drama.

I didn't think I deserved to be a ranger a little bit after that.

But I digress,

"Hey, a mission just came up here in Almia, I gotta check out." Rhythmi's emerald eyes diverted to a small pager though not without one final glance, "I hope we can talk more again, Kanoa. You're pretty funny." In a moment after, the line cut out, a thin white strip shrinking in half a second on the computer.

The party continued after that, but no matter how much coercing, Keith refused to come down from the second floor. Cameron reported the Cyndaquil-haired ranger to be on his stylus, making a long distance phone call while curled up with the Base's Dragonite. He was laughing so everyone guessed he'd be fine.

I was lingering near the entrance, Elektrike sitting on my head proudly after spending ten minutes trying to scramble up. I sipped at my banana-strawberry smoothie and chatted up an old woman who I assisted one of the first weeks I had come to Summerland when it all began.

Our base doors hissed open and falling in with the tropical heat were two hikers. My eyes instantly turned to analysis mode as I broke down each piece about the couple. Yes, couple, each had a silver wedding band on their bone-thin ring fingers, encrusted with dirt but it was obvious they put much effort into holding onto these rings. After whatever they went through.

The wife had her husband slung over her broad shoulders, heaving in the air conditioning as sweat tore down her face. Her brown eyes were sunken as she still made one step after another. Her torn-shoes were covered in mud. No, not just her shoes. Mud crawled up to cake her knees, as if she had gotten trapped in it. As she walked she began to speak, voice shivering with an intense determination, "he needs medical attention now."

Two rangers flocked over, to unburden the struggling woman. My eyes rolled to the man. He had a long shirt on, covered in tears. Not the action of a pokemon however; it was obvious that branches snagged into the fabric and ripped it apart. However you would need a great deal of force, possibly as if he falling or was running at a high speed. From the sheer amount of cuts across his skin in their horizontal patterns, most probably running. However none grave enough to be the reason he couldn't walk himself.

Then I caught it. My gaze fell down to his ankle. Two large pieces of bark were ducktaped around his ankle which still managed to twist in a ghastly sort of way that could make an Ursaring's stomach turn. Looking back up, some blood was running down his forehead, dark hair clotted up in a wad close to his right temple.

Swallowing as much air as could fill my lungs, I looked away and towards the red-head who staggered in with her husband. I took careful strides to her, noticing her falling-apart ponytail and how grease was another layer like saran wrap on her skin. A few cuts sliced her skin but she didn't seem to notice as she could only keep her attention pointed to her husband, worry etched into the wrinkles just at her eyes.

From my sidepack, I slowly pulled out some antibacterial cream and bandages and gave them as a peace offering. "Hello, my name is Kanoa. What happened to you and your husband?" I asserted.

She gave a tired stare to what sat in my hands before picking them up tepidly. "Name's Riley O'Connor. My husband over there's Kevyn O'Connor, we came over from Sinnoh for vacation." that's how she started to spin her tale. The tale that would soon become mine. "Look, we're experienced hikers. We thought we would take a more rigorous hike in the Olive Jungle just North of here, visit the ruins in the heart. We spent weeks preparing and watched others online do the same hike; it was far from dangerous on what we saw.

"But there's a creature out in that Jungle right now. Long green body, glowing eyes like some sort of demon. It was ravaging any area it could, quicker than sound as it slashed trees and spit beams of light so hot things would catch fire. Nearly took out a nest of Mankey if a Primeape didn't smash the falling cliff side to bits. For us... It started with a falling tree, thing didn't know we existed as it diced the thing to pieces as if to shoot more ammo at us. Kevyn and I couldn't help but to scream, things dropping all around us and all. And that's when I peeked through my arms I held up as cover. That's when I saw it, and it saw me.

"Sceptile. Golden eyes glinting with this hatred as it locked on to us. I grabbed my husband as quick as I could and dragged us through the jungle. 'Course Kevyn was always the faster between the two of us so he began to zoom past me and then," carefully she turned around, eyes wincing as she revealed what I failed to notice when I first entered. "The monster moved like the wind itself and got me right here. My husband heard me scream and he turned around too quickly, his ankle caught on a log and snapped. His weight crashed over and took a real number on his skull. I carried him back after that for almost two days stuck out there."

My stomach squeezed, my throat felt too tight and my head spun. I had to move, whipping out some disinfectant and spraying down the gnarly gash that tore through her flesh. Skin and muscle tore away as dirt and crusted puss filled at the edges, wrapping down her left shoulder blade. Bits of dried blood stuck to where her shirt tore open, threads stringing out and fraying at the ends. The woman hissed, but dared on protest as I called over one of the five paramedics who had sauntered in during her story.

The workers rushed around, already beginning to prep her and her husband to move. The sounds came in and I realized there was a sound of a chopper on the roof. "They are being dispatched to the Fall City Hospital?" as the words came out of my mouth, it was more of a confirmation than a question. The paramedic to her left, guiding Riley towards the elevator, gave a faint nod before the two victims disappeared.

After that, our party was undeniably over.