Hiya guys! Sorry for later update (especially to the regular readers who are used to constant updates). Between the shift at part-time work and my best friend sleeping over, it's been chaotic! *sweatdrop*
I'm happy for the new readers and seeing you regulars! I'd hug you all if I could! Hugging a screen isn't the same…
Read, review and enjoy!
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"Capture complete."
Keith stood proud, having just captured a pichu for the test. He felt he did well for his first time using a styler. Being a ranger would be pretty darn cool.
"Well done."
An older man with gray hair and glasses clapped from the sidelines. He came up to the redhaired kid.
"Though this test was only for show. Whether you passed or not, you'd be admitted into school regardless." The man said.
"Thanks, Captain Lamont." Keith told him.
"Ah, ah, ah." The man stopped him. "While you're here, you refer to me as Principal Lamont. You're a student now."
"Right." Keith sheepishly replied. "It's going to get hard to adjust to that."
"You'll get used to it." Lamont told him. "Shall we walk?"
Keith followed Lamont out of the gym and into the courtyard of the ranger school. Had to admit. It was a great school. Calm atmosphere that radiated the feel to learn and pokemon running about happily. The sort of place that nurtured students and their dreams before releasing them into the vast world to pursue said dreams.
"So have you looked over your assignment?" Lamont asked.
"Sort of. In between studying for here and getting ready, I was only able to read part of the file." Keith answered.
"Alright. How much do you know?" Lamont quizzed.
"Her nickname is Kate and last name is Dayton, though I forgot the real first and middle name. She's 16, two months younger than I am actually. Um…brown hair, prefers to be wrapped in pigtails. Blue eyes. Light skin." Keith recounted, trying to remember. "Let's see…her dream is to become a ranger, hence why she's here."
"Not bad. But…do you know why you're protecting her?" Lamont questioned.
Keith nodded before saying it in a low tone.
"And the…incident? Eleven years ago?" Lamont stared at him with a serious look.
"….yeah." Keith sighed. "I know."
"You have to be careful, Keith. This assignment is a dangerous one and Gabriel was very hesitant to put you on this case, even if it was ordered by Our Lady." Lamont warned. "We can't have any screw-ups. Lives are at severe risk if Kate's is. You have a big responsibility."
"Don't worry, you can count on me. I haven't failed an assignment yet and I won't fail this one." Keith smirked, confidently.
"Very good." Lamont relaxed. "Now shall we go meet your teacher?"
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"HIDE ME!"
Kate dashed behind the window curtains in the upstairs lobby. Rhythmi, from her spot on the chair, stared at her in shock before the look dissolved to annoyance.
"What did you do now?" Rhythmi groaned.
"Kincaid. Silly-string. Hairspray." Kate relayed quickly. "He wants to kill me!"
On cue, footsteps stormed up the stairs. Kate peeked through a tiny hole in the curtains. Kincaid was steaming mad…and covered in blue silly-string. Hard to take him serious looking like that. He was standing furiously over Rhythmi, who acted like this was nothing unusual. She set aside her book aside to look up at the teacher.
"Where. Is. SHE?" Kincaid growled.
"She?" Rhythmi blinked. "If you're talking about Ms. April, I heard she was discussing something with Lamont. Something about a new student?"
New student? Why was Kate always the last to know these things? Oh well. Deal with imminent threat now, worry about the news later.
"I meant Kate." Kincaid hissed. "I know you know!"
"Hey Rhythmi!" Issac came running up the stairs. "We've got a new stu….Mr. Kincaid sir? What's wrong with your hair?"
"ISSAC! Do you know where the delinquent is?" Kincaid questioned.
Issac blinked once. Twice. Looked over at Rhythmi in confusion.
"He means Kate." Rhythmi sighed. "And neither of us have seen her."
"Well she is in a lot of trouble!" Kincaid angrily stomped back downstairs.
Kate counted five seconds. Ten seconds. Safe. She exited from the curtains, much to the surprise of the genius Issac.
"Thanks for the cover." Kate said.
"Anytime." Rhythmi grinned. "He did deserve it."
"Ok…" Issac sweatdropped. "We've got a new student!"
"Really?" Kate asked. "Who?"
"I didn't hear much except they'll be in Ms. April's class with you and Rhythmi." Issac replied.
It'd make sense. There was an extra desk in the classroom. And since it was next to her, Kate figured she'd be meeting this new kid soon enough. Or…maybe sooner. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They sounded Ms. April's plus a second.
"And up here is the dorms!" Ms. April was heard saying. "The blue door is boys, where you'll stay, and the other is for girls."
The group turned to look at the stairs. There were the teacher and the new kid. A guy. Had a slight tan to his light skin. Seemed to be the same height as Kate, possibly one inch taller. Ruby-red hair that was spiky all over the place; matched his green eyes. He was….cute. Really cute.
"Students! Meet Keith Dazzle, your new classmate." Ms. April introduced. "Keith, this is Kate, Rhythmi and Issac."
"Yo!" Keith greeted.
"Nice to meet you." Issac said.
"Great to have another classmate!" Rhythmi commented.
"So how long did it take for you to capture the pichu?" Kate asked.
"Ten pokedollars say it was a lot quicker than you." Keith smirked.
Wise guy, eh? Kate was not going to let him get away with that.
"And I bet your height is even shorter than that." Kate joked.
That seemed to tick him off. Sensitive subject much? But as long as the dude was mad….
"Care to settle this outside?" Keith growled.
"Ready when you are." Kate whipped out her styler.
Before anyone could object, the two students were dashing down the stairs. Kate was planning on a bidoof capture challenge. Show new guy who was top dog around school. He would not put down Kate's ranger skills like that, even if its his first day. They were almost to the double doors…
"WHAT IN ARCEUS NAME DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"
Damn. Busted by idiot brigade. Kate slowly turned around to see Mr. Kincaid coming right at her. While some silly string got out of his hair, most of it still made his blond hair a light blue. Keith seemed surprised; whether it was the hair or being yelled at, Kate wasn't entirely sure.
"Uh…hey Kincaid!" Kate gulped. "What's going on?"
"Oh I think you know perfectly well, little miss hairspray ruin-er!" Kincaid responded, irritated. "Not only that but I catch you running in the halls again! And influencing a new student no less!"
He whipped out the little book of pink detention slips. Kate sighed and waited for him to just write out the slip so she could leave.
"Young man, since you are new here, I shall enlighten you with the dangers of hall-running." Kincaid said.
"Dammit…" Kate muttered, face-palming.
And so the teacher launched into a monotonous speech about the history of hall-running and the many accidents that hall running 'supposedly' caused. On and on about what to do to prevent hall-running and why it was important. Why couldn't Kate just stick scissors in her ears instead? Would've been a lot less painful.
"How long does this last?" Keith sweatdropped as the teacher yammered on.
"Trust me. He can go on for hours if you let him." Kate whispered.
Kate didn't pay attention to a single word (as usual). Kincaid eventually finished, shoving the detention slip into her hands. When he left, Kate promptly tore the paper up and tossed the remains in the nearby garbage. Kincaid would be down in his basement for hours, never even noticing that Kate wasn't in detention. What was the point?
"My head hurts …" Keith groaned.
"If you keep running in the halls around Kincaid, you'll get used to hearing it." Kate sighed. "Since the lecture sucked all that energy from us, how about we settle the score later? Truce?"
"Truce." Keith grinned."So you're Kate."
"Yep. Best ranger in school!" Kate confidently said as they started walking outside.
"We'll see about that." Keith chuckled. "Hey where are we going?"
"Ascension Square! It's where school events are held but I like hanging out down there. I figured Ms. April hadn't shown you that place yet." Kate replied.
"She hadn't but I'm in." Keith told her.
Through the courtyard and down the steps to the Ascension Square. Most of the students preferred the courtyard or indoors for hanging out so Kate was always alone down there. Well…ok Rhythmi and Issac were with her too. It was a great place to enjoy the sea breeze and watch the ocean waves gently come to shore.
"This place is really cool." Keith said, looking around.
"Yeah it's great." Kate agreed.
"You…you wanna be friends?" Keith asked.
Where did that come from? But something about him struck a chord with Kate. Seemed fun, humorous and energetic. Great competition. As Ranger Spencer once said, it was competition that drove him to be the great ranger he was. Though Kate somehow detected there was a piece of mystery in him; an enigma. She could relate. There was a secret Kate was keeping from everyone in the world. Something she didn't want anyone else to know. Being friends with Keith might make things a little more interesting around school…
"Sure!" Kate high-fived him. "We'll make a great team!"
"Yeah! Best ranger of all time with you as the sidekick."
"WHAT! No way! You'll be lucky to be half as good as me!"
"Ha!"
"That does it! Let's settle this with a bidoof capture challenge!"
"You're on, flat chest!"
"Shorty!"
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And so begins an epic friendship and…er…rivalry! You can expect things to get weirder from here on out with these two.
Next update will be a lot sooner! Keep a sharp eye out!