(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Keith slowly woke up, feeling oh so comfortable within the blankets. He was so relaxed that for a minute, he forgot he was a buizel. Still the same furry paws as before. Keith wasn't dreaming. He really did transform into a pokemon. His friends were taken and he was in some sort of spirit world with the strangest beings.

"Mmmmnnnngg…"

The buizel was pulled closer in the blankets, causing him to blush. Oh yeah. Kate ended up hugging him sometime during the night. Such a sweetheart. She really was brave. To go through all those challenges and hardships like Kate did? Took a whole lot of courage. Keith admired her for it.

There came the soft sound of a wooden door panel sliding open. Keith froze, wondering who or what it was. There were footsteps that carefully navigated around Lin and the other sleeping girls. The buizel waited for something to happen as the figure stood over him. A hand was placing on Kate's head; the girl groggily opened her eyes.

"Meet me at the bridge. I'll take you to your friends."

Haku? Was that Haku? It took a moment for Kate to wake up. When she did, she sat straight up and scanned the room. Keith saw that no one was there. But he knew Haku had been there. The guy was shady. Seemed like a total backstabber, judging on the previous night before. Though if he was going to take them to Wendy and Sven, maybe they should give him another chance. Just one more.

Kate seemed to have the same idea. She tossed the pink work shirt over her blue tank top, what with her regular clothes disposed as of last night (probably another worker). They silently left the dorm rooms and started to make their way through the stillness of the once bustling bathhouse. Kate remembered the way pretty well, with Keith only needing to give a few pointers as he walked beside her.

Made it to the boiler room, which was cooler and not as loud as when Keith first came in there. Kamaji snored away at his post. Kate looked around but seemed genuinely confused.

"What's up?" Keith asked in a low voice.

"My shoes are gone." Kate replied.

The noise seemed to wake up the soot sprites. Some of them left their holes, carrying Kate's shoes. They rested them just at the edge of their floor for her. Kate smiled and thanked them, quickly slipping the shoes over her feet. They both dashed to the backdoor with the soot sprites squeaking. Must've considered Kate their friend. Keith and Kate waved to them before slipping out through the door.

Climbing up the wooden stairs was definitely longer than sliding down them. But this time, Keith wasn't scared of the height. Kate wasn't either. Looked like her confidence was starting to make a comeback. It was great seeing her look a little more cheerful. They climbed the stairs together, went through the gardens and slipped through the secret door.

The bathhouse entrance was refreshingly mute. And at first glance, Keith saw no spirits around. That was when he spotted someone on the bridge. A weird spirit who had a black, see-through body that almost appeared to have no arms or legs. Its face, Keith couldn't tell, was either a mask or frozen into a creepy smile. Kate noticed it; she seemed a bit surprised. But she handled this well. She walked past it on the bridge, gave a polite bow and then hurried off.

"Nice job." Keith grinned.

"Thanks." Kate said.

Huh? Hey…where'd the spirit go? It was right on the bridge and then, poof! Gone. Was Keith seeing things? No it couldn't be. He and Keith saw it. It had been right there on the…

"So you made it."

Behind them was Haku. He looked a lot friendlier this time. With a slight smile and a gentler expression. A lot better than the stone cold attitude and matching face from the night before.

"Follow me." Haku motioned.

Kate and Keith did so. They went into a flower garden of sorts. Unusual flowers; ones the buizel had never seen before back home. Then again, it was another world. Haku led them into a small passage between two shrubs filled with pink & yellow lily-like flowers.

"We don't have much time." Haku warned. "If you're found here, you'll be turned into a pokemon yourself, Kate. And they wouldn't hesitate to capture Keith too."

"Where are we…?" Keith was about to ask.

They made it out of the flowers and started going down a hill. Down below were stables, ones that seemed to be for pokemon.

"You must never come here without me. Understand?" Haku asked.

"Yeah." Keith and Kate nodded.

Within one of the stables were pokemon pens, each a mile long and suited for different kinds of pokemon. The pokemon inside slept away, oblivious to the world. Haku waved his hand to the pen closest to the door. There was a starly and a shinx dozing off in it. Kate took one step. Two. Then a charge at the pen.

"Wendy! Sven!" She called out. "Are you alright?"

Keith joined her. "Wake up you guys! It's us! Kate and Keith!"

No response. They were still sleeping.

"Wendy?"

"Sven?"

Nothing. Didn't seem to hear them.

"They're under a sleep powder move. It's effects won't wear off for another hour at least." Haku informed them, coming over to the pen. "Even then, they won't respond."

"What do you mean?" Keith asked.

"Your friends are under a spell. They don't remember their lives as humans. Never will unless they transform back." Haku answered.

They don't remember? Wendy….Sven….were they trapped inside pokemon bodies and minds not their own? What would happen to them if they stayed in this place too long? And to think Keith could've been in the same boat had he not escaped and found Kate.

"Look hard." Haku said. "It's up to you to remember what they look like. Down to the last detail."

Both friends stared down at the shinx and starly, who used to be awesome top ranger humans. They were in there. Somewhere. Keith vowed he would bring Wendy and Sven back. They'd all find their way out of this world and back into their own.

Haku let them look for a long time. "We have to go. Before anyone catches us here."

With one last glance, Keith and Kate made their way out of the stables. The group walked through the flower gardens. Haku seemed to remember something, suddenly pulling something out and handing it to Kate.

"Here are your clothes." He said.

"I…I thought they were thrown away…" Kate gasped, surprised.

"You'll need them to get home. Make sure to hide them somewhere safe when you can." Haku told her.

"Wouldn't want to lose your ranger uniform, would you Kate?" Keith said.

"…Kate…" Kate frowned. "That's my name, isn't it?"

"You forgot?" Keith was surprised.

"I…I…" Kate's mouth quivered, unsure what to make of this.

"That's how Yubaba controls you." Haku explained. "She steals your name and it gives her power. Thankfully, you had Keith here to remind you so you're not under her control completely. But while you're here, remember to call yourself Pika."

"I can't believe I nearly forgot it…" Kate whispered.

"If you completely forget it, you'll never find your way home." Haku looked towards the sky with deep thought. "I've tried everything to remember mine…"

"You don't know your own name?" Keith asked.

"No but…somehow I remember you two." Haku said, a slight smile on his face.

He pulled something from his pocket. Unwrapping the leaves, Keith saw it was two rice dumplings of sorts. Haku gave them both.

"Eat up. It has a spell that'll help gain your strength. You're going to need it." Haku advised.

Keith, feeling hungry, accepted the food and chowed down. Wow this was good! If there was one upside to being in this world, had to be the food. And Keith was almost certain that spell was starting to take effect. He was feeling a lot better. Kate finished hers quickly as well, already looking better as well. Haku guided them through the gate of the gardens, near the bridge.

"I've got to get going. But I'll be back soon to help you two." Haku told them. "In the meantime, work hard and stay out of trouble."

"Thanks Haku." Keith responded.

"Thanks for being our friend." Kate gave a respectful bow.

Clothes in hand, Kate jogged to the bridge with Keith right beside her. Better get back to Lin before she woke up. Didn't want to be late on the first day of work. The two got across the bridge, pausing to look at Haku. Only…he wasn't there. Instead, flying into the sky, was a rayquaza. Albeit somewhat shorter in length and the patterns were in silver and lavender.

"Haku's a dragon!" Keith exclaimed.

"No way…" Kate gasped.

They both watched him fly high in the air, until he disappeared within the clouds in the distance. Then the two best friends made their way back towards the little door that led into the gardens. But what neither of them saw was that they were being followed…

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

Eh? What do you think? Black rayquaza's pretty sweet right? Aside from shiny eevee, its my favorite shiny pokemon. Thought that this would suit the story well too. Plus it was the only dragon type pokemon that fit the body shape like the movie's Haku dragon form. Well, next chapter, if you can handle it, shall come right up!