A/N: So, like I said in the summary, this is a songfic. The song I used is called "I Found" by Amber Run. (Insert disclaimer? I dunno why I would need it though, obviously the only thing I own on this website are my ideas...) Anyway, the storyline in this is some random idea I've had for a stupidly long time. It's pretty dark compared to literally any pokemon story ever, so insert warning. Strong implications of death. The characters are from the ds game Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia. So, um... enjoy!
Kate glanced over at Keith, who was boasting about some incredible thing he did or another back in Fiore. Whatever it was, it was definitely true, as Keith was not a liar. He was grinning his ass off, and was animatedly gesticulating to emphasize one thing or another. He was excited, and happy, and a couple people had gathered around him, listening closely.
When he finished, the small crowd dispersed. He walked up to Kate, still smiling stupidly, and asked her if she was listening to his incredible exploits.
She just smiled and nodded.
Keith was yelling one thing or another, but Kate wasn't listening. He was probably saying some nonsense about one thing or the other, probably asking why she was doing this.
She just smiled and waved.
Time to go.
Kate squeezed her eyes shut, tightened all her muscles and regulated her breathing. She had to get through this, it didn't hurt, it didn't hurt, didn't hurt...
She couldn't cry, that would be weakness and she couldn't afford to show weakness, especially not after that. She thought desperately of Keith, of what he would say to her, (of his face when she left), of his smile.
She would do this for him. She was doing this as much for him as for everyone she cared about and all the world and herself because she had sacrificed so much and it was so pointless-
Not pointless, she would tell herself.
For him.
She would do this for him.
She raised her arm, and opened her eyes.
No hesitation. She couldn't afford any failures.
She couldn't afford to show any emotion.
She couldn't do it.
She could, for him.
Her clothing was permanently stained with blood. Her smile had disappeared with her friends and family and all those who she didn't dare contact lest she fail her facade. Her sword was in need of proper cleaning and sharpening. Dead bodies lay beneath her feet.
But in front of her was her goal, and she couldn't afford to lose sight of it.
So she grinned with a dark look in her eyes, and continued.
For him.
Kate stared at the buizel in front of her. It wasn't hesitation, so much as...
Keith's partner was a buizel.
She sliced the pokemon down.
It wasn't the same buizel.
They didn't look the same at all.
But Keith was in her mind all the same.
Keith wasn't there.
She was.
She continued.
Keith was in front of her. He had found her.
She was slipping.
No.
She couldn't afford to see him.
Continue.
She needed him, she wanted him, she missed him...
NO! No.
She wanted to laugh and go back and go back and-
No.
She was alone, like she planned, like she desired, like she needed to be.
She would save the world, she would save her friends...
She would save him.
Kate remembered when she realized she loved Keith. It was when the three had declared their dreams in front of the Ascension Stone.
It was too soon.
She couldn't let herself love.
She had to complete her mission.
She wasn't supposed to love.
So she buried it.
When she arrived at the Union, when she became a Top Ranger. Kate didn't notice right away, it had been too long, and she hadn't expected it at all...
But Keith was there, right in front of her.
And Kate couldn't help but wonder hopelessly why.
She needed someone to snap her out of it.
She needed to work.
She needed to do her job.
She needed to do her mission.
She couldn't love...
She couldn't get distracted, not now, not when she was so, so close, so very, very close to her goal.
She was so close to what she had been working towards for her whole life, she couldn't let herself give up because she wanted to be with him.
She couldn't be selfish, not yet.
She had to finish her work.
Keith was there, after Team Dim Sun disbanded. All the time, they were together. He claimed it was fun.
It was.
So very painful.
So hard.
But she kept it together. Kate wasn't lonely with Keith around, but he had to go.
She had to go.
And everything good turned into pain when she did.
When she saw him, it meant she was slipping.
When she didn't, it meant she was killing.
She was nearing the end.
Just a little bit farther.
For Keith.
She saw him.
She smiled.
She made her goal. She completed her mission.
She lost her everything.
But that was okay.
Because they were all alive.
He loved her.
But he couldn't.
She was gone.
Forever.
But Kate was still there, her body, her soul.
But the person Keith knew was gone,
Gone with the Evil she had vanquished.
For she had existed because of it.
He would save her.
Despite her toughness, she was weak.
She was alone.
Keith was alone.
They had all changed, into something he no longer recognized.
Keith wanted someone to tell him he was crazy.
He was not.
The world had changed.
Kate walked through the streets.
Keith ran through the streets.
They collided.
They stuttered.
They remembered.
No one else knew what had happened, they thought.
But they forgot Rhythmi.
She knew, as well, she said.
In this different world, Evil had never existed.
Time was wiped clean,
All had forgotten.
Except for three.
Kate smiled. Keith talked. Rhythmi laughed.
They each had a dream
And they were happy, and free.
And Kate loved.
And Keith loved.
And Rhythmi remembered all.
Yet they lived.
Onwards towards the future.