Chia: ….no Monsters Inc?
I'M GETTING TO IT! Just having trouble writing out the next few scenes and such. Patience.
Chia: Updates are slow.
Busy week and another one coming up. Hopefully the fans can wait a little longer during this era of slow updates. I'm doing my best to work on a story, a co-authoring story, this crossover stuff as well as other projects.
Chia: Read, review AND ENJOY!
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Another non-technical crossover, actually. It was based on yet another conversation I had with hitachiitwinsfan989. So I dedicate this chapter specifically for her. Also I'm borrowing her OC Seren again because she's awesome, I want to write about her and yes, Kellyn's coming back again.
Thanks and enjoy the story!
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"KEITH YOU FREAKING IDIOT!"
"Nya! Can't catch me!"
….I'm not even going to attempt to say that Almia's quiet or peaceful. You all know that it would be normally. But rangers, operators and mechanics are…er…full of personality. We have our main heroes; Kate and Keith. Working alongside them at the Union are top rangers Wendy and Sven. They were all friends with operator Rhythmi and researcher Issac. When Kate and Keith transferred from their old base, Vientown needed two rangers to keep up with Almia's action. Thus Kellyn and Seren were brought from Fiore. Add in two more rangers already stationed in Vientown; Luana and Crawford. That is our crew in Almia.
Now we join the girls who decided to have a 'girls day' to themselves. Though what they may say could be more effective than they thought…
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"Has anyone noticed the guys are being really annoying lately?"
All five girls were sitting outside of a café in Pueltown. They decided to get snacks and drinks while enjoying the nice day.
"Oh my gosh, it's not just me?" Luana gasped.
"And here I thought I was imagining things." Seren sighed, sipping her beverage.
"Maybe there's a full moon out or something." Wendy suggested. "Seriously, what the hell is with them?"
"All the guys are annoying? How?" Rhythmi asked, curious.
"You know energetic Keith can be. Recently, he's been even more hyper." Kate replied. "And that hyper energy brings out all the stupid qualities in him. Impatient, rash, over-competitive…"
"Like back in ranger school?" Rhythmi assumed.
"Exactly." Kate nodded.
"Meanwhile Kellyn's little quirk spiraled into obsession." Seren muttered. "He's so freaked out about his looks. If there's one thing wrong with his, and I quote, 'gloriously handsome face', Kellyn will rampage. Won't leave the bathroom till the problems fixed. He spends more time in there than I do."
Luana giggled. "Sounds like Crawford whenever he needs more fluff in his afro."
"What about you and him?" Seren asked her. "What's up with you two?"
"Well…" Luana hesitated. "It's the jokes. Don't get me wrong! I like guys who can make me laugh! But those jokes get to be too much sometimes. A little cheesy, used too often and such."
"One of those comedians." Wendy commented.
"I think Crawford's going through some sort of 'writers block' right now. Only with humor." Rhythmi said.
"Let's hope it doesn't last. I can't hear another repeat again!" Luana groaned, rubbing her temples.
"Wendy? Care to tell us what's wrong with Sven?" Kate spoke up.
Wendy leaned back in her chair. "He's been way too distracted lately."
"Sven? Distracted?" Rhythmi blinked.
"He doesn't seem like the type." Seren said.
"One would think so." Wendy sighed. "But he gets way too distracted. With girls."
"Ah so that's it."
"That explains it."
"Distracted? Pfft. Naturally Sven would be distracted that way."
"He's such a ladies man."
"He is!" Wendy said. "And I'm not bothered by it most of the time. But now he's excessively chasing after girls left and right. Going on dates, hitting on them, whatever. This is all the time. Even during quests! It would be nice to have a partner who sticks with me when we're on patrol!"
"Did you pull his ear?" Luana asked.
"Feels like every five minutes I have to drag that guy away from anything wearing a skirt." Wendy rolled her eyes. "After awhile, I give up and go off by myself."
"Seriously? Are we all having issues with our partners?" Kate bit into her cookie.
"Not Rhythmi. At least she has a guy who isn't a pain half the time." Seren said.
The blond girl stayed quiet. She sipped her smoothie, looking away from the others. All of the girls took notice to this almost immediately.
"Rhyth? Is everything alright with you and Issac?" Kate questioned.
Rhythmi nodded.
"He isn't irritating you, he is?" Seren asked.
"No…" Rhythmi mumbled.
"Come on. Talk to us." Wendy said.
"Yeah! We're your friends! You can tell us if something's wrong!" Luana chimed in.
Rhythmi hesitated. She glanced at everyone. Then she set her drink down and reclined into the chair.
"It's just that….well…" Rhythmi stammered. "I don't think Issac likes me anymore."
"What!" The girls exclaimed.
"Oh come on! You two were so close in ranger school! Partnered up for assignments, talked geek stuff over lunch, always having fun together…" Kate said.
"We used to be! Now I'm not so sure." Rhythmi shook her head.
"Is Issac being mean?" Wendy asked.
"That'd be pretty unusual for him. Issac's not the kind of guy." Seren noted.
"He isn't being mean to me." Rhythmi answered. "But Issac seems to be ignoring me. First, we stopped hanging out at lunch. I understood because the Union wants him working extra hard these next few weeks for projects."
"We are a little busy lately." Kate recalled.
"Then we stopped hanging out during our free time. And when we pass by in the hall, I'm lucky to get a simple 'hi' from him." Rhythmi continued. "A few times, I tried going to the lab and striking a conversation there while he works. No response at all. It feels tense and cold between us. I think Issac doesn't want to be friends with me anymore."
Each of the girls became silent. They reflected off of what each one of them said. Sips from their drink and nibbles from the sugary snacks. Minutes passed quietly.
"D…do you think we should trade partners?" Luana asked, nervously.
Another moment of silence.
"I think I'm agreeing with you on that." Seren replied.
"Yeah. Girls pair up with girls while the guys are left to their own devices." Wendy said.
"Wait! Let's not be too irrational on this!" Rhythmi stopped them.
"Rhythmi's right." Kate agreed. "Maybe this is just a phase or something."
"Give the guys some time. If they're still being jerkaholics…" Rhythmi started to say.
"Jerkaholics?"
"Love that word!"
"Yeah." Rhythmi sweatdropped. "If the guys are still acting the way they do, then we can put in requests to switch partners."
"What about you?" Luana asked.
"I guess I'll just have to accept Issac doesn't want to be friends anymore." Rhythmi shrugged.
The girls were unanimous with the decision. And with that, the conversation turned to something else more cheerful.
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What the girls didn't know was that they were being watched. There was a camera hiding in the nearby bushes, focused on their table and listening to the discussion. Clever camera design made it blend in and, with a controller, could hover in the air. The controller was in the Vientown base, where the guys were having their own guy day. But boys are known to be curious about girls and their mysterious ways. That curiosity made them want to test Issac's new camera machine to spy on their partners. And they had listened to that entire conversation.
"I can't believe they're talking about us like that!" Keith fumed.
"Didn't think they were so ticked at us." Sven folded his arms.
"My jokes are cheesy?" Crawford blinked, puzzled.
"Rhythmi thinks I don't like her?" Issac whispered in shock.
"Hey my looks are important!" Kellyn snapped. "You'd think a real girl would understand that!"
Most of the guys were furious. But after they watched the screen quietly, their expressions started to change. They all looked very hurt by what was said. And it was starting to make them think.
"I guess we haven't really been paying attention to our partners." Crawford said.
"We did hurt their feelings." Sven pointed out.
"Maybe I've been obsessing a little more than usual on my looks…" Kellyn admitted.
"And I haven't really taken the time to talk to my own best friend." Issac confessed.
"Ok so we screwed up." Keith sighed.
"Bad enough for the girls to think about switching partners." Kellyn said. "We can't let that happen!"
"Yeah! I like having Luana as a partner!" Crawford agreed.
"Wendy's the only partner I want." Sven tipped his hat.
"And Kate's perfect competition! I'm not letting that go without a fight!" Keith shook his head. "We're not going to let our partners split us up."
"You have a plan?" Issac asked.
"Naturally." Keith smirked.
"Dare we ask what sort of catastrophic idea you've got in mind?" Kellyn sweatdropped.
"The girls are mad because of our personalities and how we're acting, right? Well what if we act different?"
Cue the stares and lost expressions.
"We'll act completely different than how we usually do. Whether it's a small change or a complete 180." Keith explained. "For a short time, we'll become different people. Just long enough so the girls don't think about switching up partners. Once they're cool, we can ease back into our old selves again."
"Interesting idea." Issac commented. "But what if the girls don't like this new personality?"
"Yeah. They might get freaked out." Sven pointed out.
"That's the beauty part." Keith grinned. "If they do get freaked out, use that as an opportunity. Show them that it isn't ok to talk about us like that behind our backs. They'll never complain about us again!"
Crawford smiled. "I like this idea. Might just work."
"I'm with you on this." Sven said.
"Could be fun." Kellyn said.
"Why not? I like a good experiment." Issac joined in.
"Alright so it's settled. Starting first thing tomorrow morning, we'll each become different people. Keep in contact with each other for results and deciding how long we want this to go on." Keith instructed. "Ready?"
"Ready!"
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Another day came and went. The girls had a successful day out; lots of fun times after that serious discussion. Same with the guys. Though a little bit of time did get devoted to their personality switches. Stuff like brainstorming how to act or practicing their new personalities. The girls suspected nothing when everyone met up again. All of the guys tried to contain their excitement as they acted the same they always did for the rest of that day. When the sun came up the next morning, each guy would become completely different.
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"Hey. Hey Kate? Wake up."
"Mmmnnggg."
Kate groaned a little bit. Something, or rather someone, shook her shoulders. The brunette forced her eyes open. Light from the windows made it hard for her to see at first. But a silhouette that looked over her was starting to slowly become clear.
"Keith?"
"Morning." Keith greeted.
"You're up early?" Kate yawned.
"I disabled the alarm so you didn't have a rude awakening. Thought that this might be better." Keith said.
"Wow that's…nice." Kate sat up, stretching her arms. "How long do we have till morning briefing?"
"About forty minutes. Enough time for you to get ready. I'll go grab us some breakfast in the meantime." Keith told her. "Anything you want in particular?"
"Uh…I'll be fine with toast." Kate replied, starting to get out of bed.
"Orange juice or milk?" Keith asked.
"Orange juice, I guess." Kate shrugged.
"Cool." Keith smiled. "I'll be right back."
With that, the redhead left. Kate was left confused. Hold on a sec. Keith was up early without the help of an alarm clock? And in a good mood? He woke up Kate nicely rather than her having to shake up awake. Plus Keith gave Kate twice as long to get ready. He himself was ready to go and just went out to get breakfast for the both of them, something Keith never did.
"Weird." Kate muttered. "No hyper ball of energy? No sarcasm or smirks? Not even a challenge? What's gotten into him?"
Eh. The day is still young. Keith would probably snap and be himself again soon enough. Don't let your guard down yet. Kate quickly put on her ranger outfit, put her hair into its usual pigtails and started brushing her teeth. As shoes were being tied on, Keith came back into the room.
"Toast and orange juice for my partner." Keith set Kate's plate down on her nightstand.
"Thanks Keith." Kate replied.
"Any time." Keith sat down on his bed, grabbing his milk bottle. "So what's new with you?"
Wait, what?
"Um, what did you say?" Kate asked, a little surprised.
"I asked if anything was new." Keith responded as he took a sip of milk.
"You never ask me that." Kate said.
"I don't? Really?" Keith blinked.
Kate shook her head. Normally the redhead would be firing off his mouth at a hundred miles an hour. He'd talk about this or share his opinion on that. Maybe try to tick her off or spark competition.
"First time for everything." Keith shrugged. "Come on, tell me. What's going on?"
The pigtailed girl was left speechless at this. Keith looked to be genuinely interested in what Kate had to say. No bursts of energy or snide comments. Kate decided to test him further.
"My mother's pregnant again. I'll be having a new sibling soon." She told him.
"Really? Congrats! Boy or girl?" Keith asked.
"Still too early to tell." Kate replied. "But I think they want a boy since they already have me and my little sister."
"You have a little sister? Never told me about her." Keith said.
Kate went on through the conversation about her sister and the family. Keith ate breakfast while listening. It didn't look like he spaced out or tuned anything from his hears. No, Keith was actually listening to Kate. He may have asked a question or said something on occasion but he listened to her. Not a tiny bit of impatience or an attempt to change topics. For the first time ever, Keith was being calm.
"Shoot!" Kate glanced at the clock. "We've got briefing in two minutes!"
"We'll clean up the plates later. Let's get going." Keith said, setting everything down on the nightstand.
"Gah. Sorry I kept us. Talked too much." Kate apologized.
"Nah it was pretty interesting."
"Interesting?"
…who was this guy and what did he do with the real Keith?
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Today's patrol was supposed to be in the Chroma Valley. Wendy didn't envy Keith or Kate, who had to scope out Hia Valley. Supposed to be pretty darn cold. But then again, who knew what Chroma Valley had going on? One time Wendy almost got caught in an avalanche. Would've been crushed if Sven didn't save her.
"Though with his girl obsessed attitude…" Wendy thought. "I'll have to look out for myself now."
"Hey Wendy!"
Wendy exited the front doors of the Union. Sven stood a few feet away with two staraptors.
"You captured those already?" Wendy asked, surprised by this.
"Yep. One for you, one for me." Sven replied. "Your staraptor sprained its wing the other day so I thought we better give it more rest."
He knew about Feather's sprained wing? Wendy hadn't mentioned it at all. Sven had been to wrapped up to even notice anything amiss. So how did he…?
"Thanks." Wendy said.
Sven grinned. "Of course, partner."
Both rangers got onto their staraptors and started taking off to the valley. Sven had been acting unusual since they woke up. He let her use the bathroom first, got breakfast for them both and acted really…nice. The cowboy ranger talked to Wendy even more the usual, which hadn't happened since before the girl chasing. There was also that smile. Made Wendy cautious but it relaxed her at the same time.
Reaching the Chroma Valley took little time. Sven quickly hopped off his staraptor and….helped Wendy? Wendy was startled to see that Sven was helping her get off. He took her hand, making sure she didn't trip or fall. Sven sent the staraptors away as Wendy was left baffled.
"So it looks like our first quest is over on the rocks up there." Sven pointed to the high mountain top. "Better get going!"
Wendy nodded, following. Sven was leading the way with confidence and cheerfulness. He even began talking to her. Wow. This was…weird. Sven was acting out of character. What's with him all of a sudden?
"Hiya rangers!"
Nearby, playing with a pikachu, was a girl. A blonde girl with a black tank top, jean shorts and skinny build. Could pass off as a model. Wendy suppressed a sigh, knowing that in a minute, she'd be abandoned for this bimbo.
"Morning." Sven greeted casually.
"Careful! I heard someone say there's been some really weak rocks on the pathway! Could crash down and hit your heads!" The girl warned.
"We'll keep that in mind, thank you." Sven said. "Let's get going, Wendy."
Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was that? No ogling? No flirting, asking for phone numbers or offers on a date? Not even a glance back?
"Hey Sven? You seem off." Wendy noticed. "Are you alright?"
"Feeling great!" Sven answered, taking a deep breath of fresh air. "Why do you ask?"
Wendy shrugged. "No reason."
They made it to the base of the mountain. Sven helped Wendy climb up to the pathway before leading the pair once more. Wendy was quiet. She tried to figure out what the hell was wrong with her partner. He didn't appear sick. No fever or any indication. And if Sven messed with her, Wendy would know. Always had those 'tells' that gave it away.
Sven was acting like a gentleman. Very unusual for him. Even more so since he didn't look at other girls. Another hiker, an orange haired girl, smiled at him but Sven ignored her completely. What was going on here? Some weird parallel dimension? Brain damage? New medication of some sort? This was getting way too freaky…
Crumble…
Huh?
BOOM!
The ground below Wendy suddenly caved in without warning. Rocks started falling to the ground. And Wendy shrieked as she fell victim to gravity.
"WENDY!"
A hand flew out and grabbed her wrist. One powerful tug sent Wendy flying forward, crashing into the chest of her partner. Sven wrapped his arms around Wendy and pinned her to the rock walls as minor tremor shook the entire cliff. Rocks were starting to fall all over the place but the cowboy shielded her from any stray debris that could hit.
It was a few minutes before the quaking subsided. Sven carefully loosened his grip on Wendy, letting her go. The path way behind the two had collapsed completely. Most of the mountain had been ravaged. Luckily, the pokemon weren't hurt (merely startled) and no one had been directly under the rockslides. That hiker girl from earlier managed to escape without a scratch.
"That was close." Sven sighed. "Wendy? Are you alright?"
"I-I think so." Wendy responded, unsure.
Sven looked her over. No scratches, bruises or injuries. Looks like she was fine. The cowboy seemed relieved at this.
"Good. We'll head up since the path appears stable. Then we can handle the quest, find a way back down and get people to stay away from the valley temporarily. I think all the rocks and soil are too loose from the recent rainstorm." Sven told her.
"Ok. Sounds good." Wendy nodded.
"Watch your step." Sven held onto her hand. "The area around this part looks tricky."
Sven guided Wendy through the rocks and crumbled paths. But after they got through that, he still didn't let go of her hand. Strange thing was, Wendy liked that. It comforted her. Almost as much as when Sven protected her from the chaos earlier. Maybe Sven was acting super weird….
"But that might not be such a bad thing." Wendy thought.
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"Ok this is really weird."
Luana's thoughts raced a mile a minute. That one thought reigned above them all. She had been walking with Crawford on patrol all morning and he hasn't been himself. No jokes, puns, one-liners, slapstick…no comedy whatsoever. Actually, he had been quiet. Too quiet. He'd respond to questions or suggest the next quest. Even at breakfast, Luana tried to joke with him about milk and miltanks but he didn't even grin.
"Maybe he's mad at me. I must've done something to make him angry at me." Luana pondered. "Otherwise, why else would he act this way? Crawford hasn't gone a whole day without being funny. It's not like him. Even if he was upset, he'd crack a joke or two."
Pause. She stopped to rub her head as her skin trembled. Another round of nausea. All this heavy thinking made Luana upset and now her body was feeling the effects.
"Do I have a fever?" Luana wondered. "Aw man! I think way too much. Now my brains overheated!"
Her stomach wasn't feeling good. If it wasn't trying to make Luana throw up, then it started cramping up. Drove the poor girl crazy. But she looked at Crawford, who walked ahead of her. Focused expression that looked over the quests on the styler. Luana knew she couldn't afford to slip up. Crawford was probably furious at her for something and things could get worse if Luana did one more thing wrong. She had to keep quiet. Pretend that nothing was off. As if she was her ol' cheerful self.
"So where's our next quest?" Luana chipperly asked.
"Nabiki beach. We have to check the entrance to Marine Cave since its high tide." Crawford answered in a cold tone.
Still serious. Luana fought down another round of stomach pains as the fever started making her dizzy.
"Great! Let's go!" Luana sang.
No reply. Crawford instead kept walking. Luana, feeling down, followed right behind. If only she could ask what was making him so mad. Why did he seem upset? What bothered him? But that could make things worse. And Luana would look like a total jerk for not knowing. Then again, she'd be a jerk for not asking what's wrong. What kind of friend would she be?
Luana mentally moaned. This was way too hard! Like a stupid brain teaser! Too much to think about when her body was acting up. Walking was challenging; footsteps stumbled clumsily. Face felt like a stove. Had to be cherri berry red at this point.
They reached the beach soon enough. Crawford went on ahead to scope out the cave. Luana hung by the stairwell, leaning against the wall weakly. Her sight was affected by the dizziness now. Which way was left? And which was up? Soooo confusing!
Crawford looked back but did a double take. His eyes changed. Hard to see into what emotion but they certainly changed from the seriousness before.
"Luana? Are you alright?" Crawford asked.
"I…I think so…" Luana shivered, suddenly getting chills.
The stomach felt as though it had been punched. And that punch echoed throughout her body. Something forced itself through Luana's throat and spilled out the mouth. Luana was throwing up uncontrollably. The stomach tried to empty out all that it ate and then some. It was nearly impossible to breathe.
"Luana!"
Though the stomach was cleaned out, the girl felt worse than before. A foul stench reached Luana's nose. Her eyes squinted open to see the putrid mess of throw-up and blood on the once golden sand. Luana trembled, terrified. Her legs gave way. The poor girl fell backwards, growing very faint.
"LUANA!"
Footsteps. Luana vaguely felt another presence before it scooped her up into warm arms. Crawford hovered over her. Panic was written across his face. It was the last thing Luana saw before the fever swept across her unconsciousness, dragging her down into the dark.
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"Good morning Rhythmi. You look lovely today."
Rhythmi jumped a little in her operators chair. She wheeled the chair around to face the speaker.
"I-Issac?"
Indeed it was him. The blond genius was smiling, in a good mood. And he was talking to Rhythmi. For the first time in a long time, Issac was paying attention to her.
"How are you doing today? Work going alright?" Issac asked.
"A little slow but otherwise fine." Rhythmi replied. "H-how's the research coming?"
Issac shrugged. "I could use some time away from the lab. Can't be cooped up inside all day long without turning into a mad scientist. So I packed a lunch and secured the rest of the day off. Managed to get you the rest of the day off too so you can join me."
"M-me?" Rhythmi squeaked.
"Sure. I was thinking a nice picnic in Altru Park would be nice. Would you like to come with me?" Issac offered.
Rhythmi blushed. Linda squealed from her seat, looking excited but a little jealous. Other operators seemed to notice this and had similar reactions.
"Uh…I-I would love to!" Rhythmi stammered.
Issac took Rhythmi's hand, helping her up. He held onto that hand and carried a basket in his other hand. The genius started to guide the suddenly shy operator through the Union as they went on their way to Altru Park. He struck up a conversation with Rhythmi but oddly…nothing about science. Issac discussed topics that weren't anything about math, inventions or such.
Suddenly paying attention to her? No studying in the lab all day? Being away from said lab and inventions? Normal talks? Even going outside? This was completely different than Issac's usual behavior. Plus Issac was normally shy and awkward. When he asked Rhythmi for lunch, there was a smooth confidence in that tone. And it made Rhythmis knees feel like jelly.
What a beautiful day. The sun was shining, perfect weather to be outside and Altru Park was peaceful. Some kids over by the play set or teens hanging by the concert stage. A few adults strolled by. Great place to be. Issac chose a corner spot in the park, by the trees and flowers. Enough space to sit down and relax.
Issac pulled out drinks for them both. Rhythmi was stunned to see that Issac packed her favorite; pink lemonade. Even more to see her favorite sandwich as well. Wow did he really know her!
"Did I do well?" Issac asked.
"This is amazing!" Rhythmi said as she bit into her sandwich. "I didn't think you knew what I liked!"
"Of course I do. I know a lot of things about you." Issac said, sipping some iced tea.
"Really?"
"Sure." Issac smiled. "You love Go-Rock band but when you listen to nature CDs when you want to relax. Your favorite color is green though pink is a close second. I know you were born and raised in the Sevii Islands. You became an operator because of your ranger brother, Jack. The pokemon you're most scared of is ariados but the pokemon you adore is skitty. Also you are the most intelligent woman in the Union whose operator skills are top notch and you've got a heart bigger than Almia."
Rhythmi stared at him in disbelief.
"Shall I go on?" Issac asked.
"H-how do you…?" Rhythmi tried to question.
"I'm your best friend, Rhythmi. I want to know everything about you. And I want to be there for you when you need it." Issac told her.
"Issac…" Rhythmi whispered, touched.
"Well, well, well. Lookie what we've got here."
Lunch was interrupted as three goons suddenly came over. They looked like football players minus the gear. Beefy, overweight, punks with bad haircuts and ugly faces. Made Rhythmi shiver just looking at them.
"Two little kiddies and a picky-nik basket." The leader sneered.
"We gots our lunch!" One of the goons commented.
Without warning, a big hand swiped the basket. The basket was crushed but the items were left unharmed. At least until the group started messily chowing down on them. Damn. A nice picnic Issac planned and it was ruined. Poor guy was just trying to be sweet. Now? Stupid bullies had to ruin everything. Felt like daycare playground all over again.
"Hey lookit da pretty girl!" Another goon remarked.
The boys laughed. It made Rhythmi freeze. Her insides squeezed as she grew nervous.
"We'll show her a fun time." The leader sneered.
"Yeah! Yeah!" The 'sidekicks' chanted.
The groups leader reached for Rhythmis arm and tried to yank her up.
BAM!
Someone punched the leader's arm, causing Rhythmi to be dropped. That same someone stepped in front of Rhythmi in a protective stance.
"Issac!" Rhythmi exclaimed.
His face was focused, glaring at the jerks with fierce intensity. This wasn't like the genius at all! Issac usually avoided arguments and stayed away from violence. He'd never be the type to confront someone!
"Leave her alone." Issac ordered.
"Or what? You gonna hurt us?" The leader mocked.
Issac frowned, not moving from position. He was determined.
"We show you not to mess with us!" The leader snarled.
"Get 'im boss!" One of the guys shouted. "Show 'im da pinball move!"
The leader of the gang wound up his fist, like someone would pull the trigger on a pinball machine. Within a flash of a second, the fist struck down and collided into Issac's face. Issac was sent flying to the tree some feet away, already damaged heavily. This earned laughs from the group. But they weren't done. The leader walked over to Issac and picked him up by the arm.
"Watch dis, girlie." The leader smirked at Rhythmi. "Your boyfriend ain't so tough."
"NO STOP!" Rhythmi screamed.
Issac's arm was bent in a funny position. The blond genius cried out in pain. He tried to squirm free and fight back but the enemy was way too strong. The arm kept getting bent and bent…
CRACK!
Though she was no medical expert, Rhythmi panicked as she heard that sound. It sounded like Issac's arm was broken. Issac seemed to know this too. His eyes were wide and shaken gasps came from his mouth. Blood poured from his nose like a river while the right eye was starting to swell with colors coming in. Poor boy was seriously hurt!
"HEY! Let him go!"
The gang turned around. Sven and Wendy! Thank arceus!
"Rangers!" One of the guys yelped.
"Let the kid go and scram." Sven commanded.
"Don't you ever harm someone like that or you bet your ass we'll throw you in jail." Wendy threatened.
"Crud! Lets get outta here!" The leader threw Issac on the ground, taking off with his cronies.
Rhythmi crawled over to the boy, resting him in her lap. Wendy and Sven came over to take a look as well.
"Rhythmi…" Issac weakly looked up at her. "Y-you're not hurt are you?"
"No. I'm fine." Rhythmi shook her head. "B-but look at you! You got hurt cause of me!"
Issac's smile was faint. "I would gladly give up my safety for yours…Rhythmi…"
With that, Issac grew limp. He passed out. From the skies, the clouds gathered and grew dark. Looks like the weather was changing fast.
Sven inspected Issac. "Broken arm, swollen face and probably a broken nose too. We need to get him to the hospital. Now."
Sven lifted Issac, then led the girls into Pueltown as they went to the hospital.
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Meanwhile, in Vien Forest…
"Aw man!" Seren muttered as she got off voicemail.
"What's wrong?" Kellyn asked.
"Kate called. She just got a call from Rhythmi who said Issac was admitted to the hospital." Seren informed.
"What!" Kellyn exclaimed.
"Not sure on the details but some thugs beat up Issac. He's been taken into intensive care." Seren told him.
"First Luana in emergency room, now Issac? They must be in a lot of pain." Kellyn sighed.
There it was again. Another opportunity but it was missed. Could've mentioned how Issac's face would be ruined by bruises or how unattractive an arm cast would be. But Kellyn didn't say anything.
It was like that all day. He let Seren use the bathroom no problem. Didn't obsess over his looks once. Actually, he appreciated the looks of everything else. Took the time to comment how nature looked exceptional (minus the rainclouds gathering at that moment) or how cute/cool a pokemon looked. He commented nice things to people on their quests such as 'you have a nice sense of humor' or 'that shirt looks great'. Kellyn didn't compliment other people. Nor did he compliment Seren.
"Hey Sere? Are you using a new conditioner? Your hair's so soft and shiny."
"Yeah…? You noticed?"
"Of course I noticed. I notice everything about you."
That was a little weird. Seren was never complimented on her appearance. Maybe an occasional 'good job' for a capture but not on her looks. Though looks didn't matter so much to her, Seren liked hearing the praise. Made her feel a tiny bit more confident. For the entire patrol, Kellyn slipped in compliments for Seren; be it appearance or skills.
"You have a cute laugh, you know."
The most recent nice thing Kellyn said and that affected Seren the most. She always thought her laugh was awkward. Made her try to resist laughing so people wouldn't judge. Kellyn liked it though. And that made Seren relax, smiling more.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…
The sky was super dark now. Before either ranger said something, a cascade of water poured from the heavens.
"Ack! Raining? Already?"
"Come on! We better find shelter till the rain lets up!" Kellyn suggested.
Seren nodded. The two rangers ran through the town, trying to find someplace to lie low. Normally it was a bad idea to hide under a tree during what could be a thunderstorm. But Vien Forest had a lot of trees. Plus there was one not as tall as the others (no chance of attracting lightning) with big leaves that left a spot on the ground perfectly dry.
"This way!" Kellyn said.
SLIP! CRASH!
The raven haired girl had tripped. She found herself colliding face first into the mud. Kellyn skidded to a halt before turning around and coming back. He grabbed Seren's hand and helped her get up from the mud. The boy took Seren with him as they ran for the safety spot.
"Seren? Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" Kellyn questioned.
"No…" Seren wiped mud from her face. "I'm alright."
She was feeling pretty pathetic; all covered in mud, soaking wet. Now she was waiting for the remarks to start. Kellyn would say Seren was muddy and looked like a complete mess. Then launch into complaints about his ruined hair, how he had to look absolutely perfect and such. Same old thing.
"I heard mud is good for the skin."
Huh?
"If that's true, your skin's going to be as soft as silk." Kellyn said. "Although it's pretty soft as it is. Hard to improve on perfection."
Seren blinked, lost on what was going on.
"And even with all that mud on, you still look pretty." Kellyn grinned.
"A-are you being serious right now?" Seren questioned.
"Of course I am. I wouldn't lie to you about that." Kellyn told her. "I don't think I'd ever lie to you about anything. You're very pretty, Seren. Like an angel."
The girl in questioned looked at Kellyn with a shocked expression. Tears formed inside her eyes as her skin trembled. Kellyn noticed. He was about to ask when Seren couldn't fight it any longer. She bawled and leapt into Kellyn's chest, crying in his already damp shirt.
"I'm not pretty! I was never pretty!" Seren cried. "And you're never this nice to me! Why are you suddenly telling me this stuff when you know it's not true?"
"It is true, Seren. You're a gorgeous girl." Kellyn wrapped his arms around her. "I realized that I was obsessed with my own looks. That I hadn't really seen the world through another perspective. So I opened up my eyes, not looking or thinking about myself anymore. I saw how awesome the world is and the people's true colors. And….and I saw you. That's when I realized how lucky I am to be with such an amazing person."
Tears kept spilling from Seren's eyes. But she managed to look up at Kellyn. She hadn't noticed before what with all the gloating. Now she could see Kellyn did actually have a good looking face. Though Seren could see past it all. She saw that Kellyn, deep down inside, was a magnificent person. Falling sleep in those arms, Seren felt as lucky as a fairy tale princess. As if she was safe within the arms of her prince.
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For what seemed like eternity, Luana floated in the dark sub-consciousness of her mind. Voices gurgled but were impossible to disqtinquish. There was no pain. Only a vast, cold emptiness. It felt so lonely. But eventually, Luana started to force herself out of the mindset and away from the dreamworld.
Once out of the unconsciousness, pain erupted throughout Luana's body. Throat was raw and scratched. Stomach was in so much pain and completely empty. No fever but a headache was pounding her skull. And the body was aching like mad. Could barely move. It was hard to even open her own eyes.
Light poured into the eyes, blinding her for a moment. Luana tried to make sense of the image before her. A shadow watched over her from the side. It slowly formed into a familiar person.
"C-crawford…?" Luana weakly said.
"Luana!" Crawford gasped. "You're awake!"
Luana could soon see she was in a white hospital room. An IV ran into her arm, putting in a strange fluid. She was on a bed with Crawford sitting beside her. He looked so worn out and pale.
"You're smiling again." Luana's voice was still a bit raspy.
"Of course I am! You're awake! Heck, you're alive! That's reason enough to be smiling!" Crawford told her.
"What happened?" Luana coughed.
"Well apparently the milk in our fridge was spoiled. And your immune system wasn't at its finest. You got a wicked bad case of food poisoning." Crawford explained. "They had to pump your stomach to empty out any remaining milk you hadn't thrown up on the beach. Even your blood was contaminated so they had to drain some of that too."
Luana noticed a bandage on Crawford's arm. Crawford saw her staring, grinned and held the arm up for her to see better.
"Heh…a lot of blood was drained. And they had to get an on-the-spot donor." Crawford sheepishly admitted. "I guess now I'll always be inside you."
Luana giggled at the innuendo. Crawford relaxed at this.
"Luana? Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick?" He questioned.
The dark haired girl looked guilty, looking away from him. "I…I didn't want to make you madder than you already were."
"Mad?" Crawford was confused. "I wasn't mad."
"But you ignored me until I threw up. No jokes or anything. And you barely talked to me." Luana's eyes grew moist. "I-I felt like I did something wrong. I couldn't trouble you anymore. You'd hate me."
"Luana I would never hate you." Crawford said.
"Then why…?" A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Because I thought you were mad at me." Crawford sighed. "I thought you hated my sense of humor. So I tried being serious. Maybe you'd like that better. But in my attempts to be serious, I didn't realize that I hurt your feelings and ignored your sense of well-being."
"But I like it when you're funny."
Crawford looked at her with wide eyes. "You do?"
"Of course." Luana leaned back against the pillow. "Sometimes your jokes are repeated too often or too corny. But you have a sense of humor that no one else has. You make me smile when I need it. I'm always happy when I'm with you."
The afro ranger stared at her for a long time. A smile melted onto his face. He slipped a hand on hers.
"I'm happy when I'm with you, too. I make those jokes because I like seeing your smile." Crawford admitted. "Actually, I li-…"
Knock! Knock!
Before Crawford could say anything else, someone opened the door and came inside. A nurse. She found Luana was awake and grabbed her clipboard, starting to scribble notes. The nurse wanted Crawford out of the room so she could ask Luana some questions. He offered to get food but nurse strictly ordered a liquid diet the next few days. Luana knew Crawford would be back soon though she felt lonely. She wanted him with her. And she wanted to know what he was going to say.
Questions were asked and answers were given. Simple physical tests done & dealt with. The nurse wrote down a lot of notes on her clipboard.
"You know, that friend of yours was worried about you." The nurse said.
"Really?" Luana responded.
"Oh sure." The nurse told her. "He carried you here, completely freaked out. Stayed with you while your stomach was pumped and during medical treatment. Hasn't even left your side once while you were unconscious."
Luana's cheeks were pink. That was incredibly sweet!
"You ought to hold onto him tight. Not many guys would care about a girl the way he does about you." The nurse winked.
Nurse left the room, leaving Luana alone. She smiled as she knew Crawford would be back in soon. And hopefully, he'd make a few new jokes. Hey, laughter is the best medicine right?
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A couple floors up was Issac in bed. Wendy and Sven had been ushered away but Rhythmi (after much fighting with the nurses) was allowed to stay by Issac's side. The blond guy had a swollen eye with sickish colors. Had to wear a medical eye patch until he was healed up. Nose was broken so there was a white patch on the nose. Wouldn't be able to smell for awhile. And then a broken arm too.
"Oh Issac…" Rhythmi whispered.
"You know, even one eye still has depth perception. And I can still see how radiant you look." Issac grasped her hand.
"I can't believe you did that for me. Y-you never get involved with conflicts." Rhythmi said.
"Had to. I was taught that a lady is a delicate flower. One that should protected and never harmed." Issac told her. "That's why I took on those men. Even if it meant getting hurt."
"I still don't understand. You're not usually so confident or strong. What's going on with you?" Rhythmi questioned.
Issac was quiet for a moment, hesitating. Rhythmi patiently waited for an answer.
"I'm sorry." Issac apologized. "But I had been so busy with work lately. And whenever the Union wasn't giving me research to do, I was trying to find ways to impress you. Alas, in the process, I've managed to ignore you. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. So I decided maybe you'd like me again if I paid more attention to you and became assertive. Maybe try something that you would enjoy."
"Thank you." Rhythmi smiled, face turning red. "Issac, though I do like you're a little stronger than before, I already liked you for who you are."
"And I like you for being positive, outgoing and kind. You're more than a friend to me, Rhythmi." Issac confessed.
Rhythmi leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Issac's cheek. She felt exactly the same way.
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"Excuse me, ma'am? Could you tell me what floor Luana would be on? The girl with the dark hair and her friend with an afro?"
"Eh…y-yes! I think they're three floors down! Ask the receptionist what room number!"
News about Luana hit the two top rangers so they decided to visit. Course they needed directions first. Wendy listened to the exchange between Sven and a hospital nurse. A young, pink haired woman who looked flustered just looking at Sven. Another heart fallen victim to the cowboy yet again. Wendy waited for the flirtation to begin.
"W-would you like to go out with me?" The nurse shyly asked. "I mean, I get off in twenty minutes. And there's…t-there's this great Italian place down the street…"
"No thanks." Sven refused. "But have a nice day."
Another missed opportunity to get a girl? Sven hadn't gotten the ones at Chroma Valley. And when he helped get Issac to the hospital, female nurses were adoring him like nuts. The dude had his own fan club! But Sven didn't even look at other women or accept their invitations for a date. Normally, he'd be overjoyed with the attention.
"You know, we're at a hospital." Wendy said to him as they walked the hallway.
"Yeah?" Sven glanced at her.
"If there's something wrong with your head, we could go ask a doctor to check it out." Wendy suggested.
Sven chuckled. "And what makes you think someone's wrong with me?"
"Really? You don't know?" Wendy raised an eyebrow.
"Know what, Wen'?" Sven asked.
"What the hell, man? You've been acting weird all day! First, you're being a total gentleman to me. Then you're suddenly paying extra attention to me. And what's really got me stumped is the other girls." Wendy started to tell him.
"Other girls?" Sven looked lost.
"You act like you haven't seen another girl all day! Those two girls in Chroma Valley were totally into you but you brush them off! Not to mention all these nurses." Went continued. "All these women who throw themselves at you but you don't go after any!"
They reached the elevator. Wendy pressed the button as they waited for a car to come up.
"What's with you all of a sudden?" She muttered.
The elevator car arrived. Sven graciously allowed Wendy in first before he entered. He pressed the button for the hospital floor where Luana would be.
"It's because I only have eyes for one girl now." Sven told the green haired ranger as the doors closed.
"Who?" Wendy asked.
"You."
The car jerked before starting to go down. Wendy whirled to face Sven, shocked.
"Don't mess with me, dude. I can break your arm as bad as Issac's if you even think about…" Wendy growled.
"I'm not messing with you, Wendy. I like you." Sven calmly said to her.
Wendy was speechless. She wanted to ask or say something but the words wouldn't form. Instead, the girl was silent and frozen in place.
"I've always admired you. You're a pretty girl with brains and a fiery attitude. Great partner to have on the ranger force." Sven admitted. "But I had been busy going after other women to keep me entertained. You were ignored and left to handle quests on your own, for which I'm deeply sorry. Thought I'd make it up to you if I was a little nicer. And I realized something. I don't need a ton of girls to be happy. Just one. You."
Wendy still felt skeptical. "Can you prove all that?"
"I can." Sven smirked.
Without warning, the cowboy swung Wendy into an embrace and kissed her. Wendy felt a shock of electricity run through their lips. She was startled for a moment but found herself melting to the passion that came from her partner. Almost was disappointed when the kiss ended.
"That proof enough for ya?" Sven questioned.
Wendy didn't say anything. She was staring into those twinkling eyes. Her heart pounded furiously. Blood pulsed through her body. What a rush!
"I could hit the elevator buttons again. Give you more evidence?" Sven chuckled.
"NO." Wendy shook her head. "That…w-was enough. Pretty decent kiss."
Doors opened. Wendy tried to regain her composure as she walked out. Sven followed right behind. The nurses still went gaga over the cowboy. But his focus was on his green haired partner only. Actually, it looked like he was glowing from sheer happiness. Was he really that into Wendy?
"So you in love with me yet?" Sven asked.
"Hardly." Wendy stubbornly replied.
"Well I'll just have to try harder then." Sven said, determined.
Wendy grumbled some curses in response.
"I'm thinking maybe we could go out for a snack after we visit our friends." Sven suggested. "There's a place that sells some good smoothies."
Smoothies? Damn it. Wendy always loved smoothies. And Sven knew that weakness of hers.
"Why not?" Wendy sighed. "But it's so not a date."
"Whatever you say, sweetie."
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It was evening. Frostbitten duo Kate and Keith came back from the Hia Valley. Though they wanted to see their friends in the hospital, they were exhausted. Besides, they'd come the next day. With everyone visiting and such, Luana and Issac must be tired. Not exactly easy to heal with company every few seconds.
Besides, Kate already had too much on her mind. Would never be able to talk to other people if her thoughts were driving her crazy. Actually it was more like Keith who drove her crazy. The guy was so weird today! He was friendly and nice all day long. Did nice gestures like bringing breakfast, helping her up when Kate fell, random little compliments…random. And then the really insane part.
Keith listened to her.
If Kate suggested a certain area in the Hia Valley might be too hazardous, Keith would agree. When he asked Kate's opinion and she answered, Keith made sure to tune in to her completely. Heck, the guy carried out some normal conversations but then he wanted to ask Kate questions about herself. Kate complied; some of what was asked was sort of fun to answer. In return, Kate asked questions about Keith. Odd how the more she asked and listened, the more interesting Keith seemed to be. Kate found it cool to learn her partners past and preferences. He had a deep mind when it wasn't stubborn or filled with hot air.
"Should I like this? I mean, I liked Keith for who he was before but this is sorta nice too." Kate thought.
Attentive and kind of sweet. Plus without the constant loud mouth blasting away, Kate could see that her partner was genuinely cute. Granted she thought that a few times before but this time seemed different. As if seeing those red wind-tossed spikes, green eyes and dazzling smile in a whole new light.
"Pokepenny for your thoughts?"
Keith's voice brought Kate back down to earth again. She shook her head.
"No it's fine." Kate mumbled.
"Come on. I'm curious." Keith said. "Looked like you were thinking about something good."
In a way, yes.
"Well…um…" Kate stumbled over her words for a bit. "I was thinking that you seem different today."
"Different? How so?" Keith asked.
"No competitiveness at all today. No irritation, impatience or snippy comments. Not even a single insult about my ugly pigtails or how my ranger skills aren't as good as yours." Kate explained. "All day today, you paid attention to me and what I've said. For the first time, you're interested in me as a best friend and not just a rival. Not once did I feel like I had to yell at you for something."
Keith watched her, ears tuned in to what Kate said. His face held a blank expression for a moment. But then he smiled and looked towards the sky.
"I was hoping you'd notice the change." Keith said.
"You mean you knew?" Kate blinked.
"Of course. I was purposely trying to not be myself." Keith replied. "Donned an entirely new personality. At first, I just wanted to mess with you. Maybe get you angry at me so we'd have plenty of fire for the ranger capture contests and races."
That was why he changed? This whole thing was fake for that reason? Kate was getting angry alright…
"But then…" Keith went on. "I started to like what was going on. You were in a much more positive mood. Lot of smiling and laughing. I liked that. So I kept up the charade, despite the urge to compete or say something sarcastic."
"Or stupid." Kate giggled.
"Yeah. That too." Keith sweatdropped. "And hearing you talk was really nice. You had interesting stories and opinions. I realized that I barely knew anything about you, despite the fact you're my closest friend. Had to learn more. It was fun finding out more stuff about you and your life. You know, I still want to learn everything about you and hear you talk more."
Keith looked at her. He took her hand into his own.
"Also, without focusing on the competitions, I had more time to think. And I discovered something I should've known about a long time ago." Keith continued. "Kate? I really like you. A lot. I've…I've really fallen for you."
Kate gasped. Did Keith just say that? The stubborn, arrogant redhead confessed to liking her?
"I know I'm not exactly soft and sensitive but I'll always be there for you. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy." Keith murmured, embarrassed.
Lips quivering from emotions and tears ready to burst, Kate suddenly hugged Keith. Keith looked pretty surprised by the action but he wasn't pushing her away.
"You're stubborn, competitive, energetic, impatient and sometimes a complete idiot. But you're also my best friend. And you can be funny, sweet, spirited, loyal and caring when you want to be. I like you for all of that, Keith." Kate whispered. "Might've been falling for you for a long time. Didn't realize it till now."
Keith smiled. He took Kate into a gentle embrace. As the sun set beside them in the mountain tops, they kissed.
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Several days later, the guys met again for some time out. Hung out on the beach south of Chicole village this time. Issac's injuries were getting better. Eye patch still worn though the swelling went down. Broken arm wasn't as sore. Nose was almost healed up. He was still quite the sight.
"So Rhythmi doesn't mind the looks?" Kellyn asked. "You know, all battered and bruised?"
"Not at all. Actually, she uses my injuries as an excuse to check up on me often and spend time with me. We're together more than ever since that happened." Issac answered.
"Nice!" Sven high-fived him (Issac used the non-broken arm & hand).
"How's Luana holding up?" Keith asked Crawford.
"Definitely better. She goes home this evening and she'll be able to eat soft foods. But no dairy for another two weeks." Crawford replied.
"I think that's understandable after what happened." Keith sweatdropped.
"She's a tough girl. Doesn't cry over spoiled milk." Crawford joked. "Eh? Better? Or are these jokes getting sour?"
The guys shrugged. It was a so-so joke.
"Oh well. I'll have to try harder on the comedy. All that laughter is making Luana better so I need top-notch material." Crawford said.
"Writing jokes for her? Some dedication." Issac noticed.
"Sooo have you told her yet? About you liking her?" Sven asked.
Crawford chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Well not yet. But I will! Luana says she likes me for my humor and optimism. So surely if I keep making her happy, she'll feel the same way."
"Assuming she doesn't already." Keith noted.
"Oh? And what about you?" Crawford questioned the redhead. "How's it going with Kate?"
Keith shrugged casually. Didn't say anything.
"Nothing? Really?" Crawford tested.
"That's not what the operators at the Union say." Sven snickered.
Issac pulled out a photograph. It was taken from the third floor windows. And there it was. The magical kiss that Keith shared with Kate. Caught right on film.
"Arceus dammit…" Keith face palmed. "We wanted to keep it secret!"
"With rangers and operators, there are no such things as secrets." Kellyn commented.
"Then tell us, he who is obsessed with his looks." Keith remarked. "How's things with Seren?"
Kellyn laid back against the rocks. "Getting there. I've captured her attention and we're hanging out pretty often. Just a little more before I make my move."
"You make it sound like a game, dude." Crawford sweatdropped.
"Love is like a game, in a way." Sven noted. "You find your target and you have to capture them using whatever means necessary. Huge risks. All worth it in the end."
"Are you winning Wendy over?" Issac asked.
"Slowly but surely." Sven smirked. "She's too stubborn to admit it. I know I've got her."
"Have to say, Keith. That idea of yours was the best thing that ever happened to us." Kellyn said.
"I concur. All I needed was confidence to get through to Rhythmi."
"I would've let a great gal like Wendy slip away if not for this plan."
"I found Luana likes funny guys."
"While I found beauty in things besides myself. Like my partner."
Keith grinned. "And I opened my eyes for once. Only to see more in my partner than I ever dreamed there could be."
The guys hadn't gone back to normal after that. But they certainly didn't keep those new personalities. Keith learned to settle down every now and again. He listened to Kate and was gentler. Of course he was still pretty rash but Kate laughed, playing along with it. They were always together. Always so happy.
Issac healed up to normal eventually. While he kept studying and inventing, there was time devoted especially to Rhythmi. And he went outside sometimes to enjoy the fresh air with his girl.
Sven paid attention to Wendy. He was himself, of course. But he also did show some gentleman in him at times. Wendy was slowly starting to be won over as they went out on more dates together.
Crawford spent a lot of time with Luana, always smiling and making her smile. Melted his heart to see her in high spirits. As he continued thinking new jokes, Crawford made a promise. When she healed completely, he'd confess the truth to Luana. And hopefully, she'd feel the same.
Finally, Kellyn wasn't freaking out about his looks. As much. Cut down on bathroom time and tried hard not to panic if something was slightly off. Better yet, he was focusing on Seren. He always made sure to tell her she was pretty as well as compliment her personality or ranger skills. It was boosting the girls confidence. And Kellyn's own confidence was building, slowly rising to the point where he'd admit his own true feelings.
Each guy found love in their own special way. All it took was a change of mind to see what they were missing before.
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So assuming I'd have more time to write, I thought maybe I could try writing the final boss scene of Coraline into ranger style. Always did love that story/movie. And then there's one of my favorite video games; Kid Icarus Uprising. I've been thinking of writing some of that too.
Chia: I've noticed you haven't written much of other characters.
Working on that. I've been meaning to write more Lunick and Solana. Maybe occasional Ben and Summer. Plus some of the minor ranger cast of other regions. *makes some notes* Though there may end up being a sequel to Transformation. We'll see what our readers have to say about all these suggestions.
Chia: Next update's soon?
Hopefully. Be patient and see you guys real soon!