CHAPTER 9: A NEW BEGINING
The ship rammed head on with a crash... into Ascencion Square. Ms. april and Mr. Lamont came running out,"W-what is this!?" Crawford and Luana came up behind them,"Good going Barlow!" Crawford yelled and turned to Ms. April,"Its the ship Dim Sun stole. They were using it to smuggle Pokemon and Gigaremo. Barlow and Kate had to find a place to dock it to save the pokemon." Ms. April nodded,"But where was the captain?" she asked. "Kincaid ran off with that damned Gliscor of his," kate murmered as she walked out, holding Pachirisu. Ms. April's eye widened,"Oh dear..." Mr. Lamont murmered. Crawford distracted them,"Where is barlow...?" They all looked around,"I was on the bottom deck..." Kate muttered,"He was on the top bridge..." "That crash was rough...." Ms. April murmered. "Oh come on! Our Leader's not fragile!" Luana sighed. Pachirisu looked at the gash on Kate's arm,"Pachi?" Ms. April saw Kate's arm,"Oh Kate...." kate pulled away,"It's nothing." she muttered, then a yell came from the top of the ship,"Kate! Mission Clear!" kate smiled up at Barlow, and nodded once.
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"Well, this is it. Now on your a Top Ranger. Your not the type to stay down here as an Area Ranger. That I could tell as soon as I handed you your styler..." Barlow sighed. Kate smiled at him,"you guys were the greatest. I'll visit. I promise." barlow nodded,"Yeah you will. Or I'll send Luana and elaine to drag you back here themselves! Hahaha!" Luana smiled at her old friend,"Chairperson Erma asked for you herself." After the ship adventure, Barlow and Kate had returned to the Base where Elaine and ollie nervously awaited them. As it was, Pachirisu had suffered from a cracked collarbone and many very bad bruises. Elaine had managed to patch it up. Pachi could go on it's own, but Kate refused to let her friend battle yet. They had also patched up the gash on kate's shoulder. Now it was sore and bandaged. Crawford sighed,"Well, I'll see ya." Kate nodded,"Crawford. You were an excellent mentor. It's thanks to you I could even do my missions right. You made me see what i could do. Luana, thank you. You were an awsome friend, and no matter what, I still think you're a better ranger than me. Elaine, Ollie. You guys rock. It's thanks to you two my styler is still in one peice," she chuckled,"And Barlow. My friend, my Leader, and my Mentor. Thank you." Barlow nodded,"There are visitors outside." Kate turned to leave when barlow called to her once more,"Hey Rookie!" she looked back at him to see his eyes gleaming and his wide smile,"Good luck." Kate walked outside, only to meet her mother, Maddie, and Ms. April,"Oh kate..." her former teacher sighed,"Your off now... it's all a new adventure for you." Her mother nodded,"Be careful kate." Maddie smiled,"Big Sister! Your such a good ranger! I'll keep taking good care of your pokemon though! Be sure to visit!" the eleven-year-old called as Kate started her hike to the Union.
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"Hey lucky gal!" Kate looked up as a girl with long hair swooped down on her Staraptor,"Hey remember me?" Kate smiled up,"Wendy! Nice to see you again!" The last time girls had met was when Barlow and kate had visited to help find out how to destroy Gigaremos. That time Wendy had been rather guarded with the rookie ranger, but they were both Top Rangers now. Teamates. Wendy grinned down,"Well, Chairperson erma has ordered me to come and fetch you. Watch out though!" with that, the great bird swooped down and grasped kate's arms, crawling higher and higher into the sky.
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The staraptor dropped Kate in front of Murph,"Oh wow Kate! Brilliant entry! Bravo!" he smiled,"Well anyway, hurry! Into the conference room with you!" Kate saluted him and ran into the building, up the escalator, and into the great room in the center of the second floor. She took a deep breath and stepped inside,"Well, here she is now," Erma smiled,"Welcome back dearie. Last time you were here you were only a rookie, helping Barlow out. Kate smiled and nodded,"Yes. it's good to be here again." The door opened and a boy ran in,"Oh! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry i'm late!" he panted, rushing to stand by Kate. Erma smiled,"Oh, welcome twelfth Ranger. I know why you were late. You stopped to help some Pokemon from Dim Sun." Kate stiffened at the name, remembering Kincaid. Her arm atomaticly flew to her arm. Erma giggled,"Hm. Haven't you two noticed?" The boy was puzzled,"What?" Kate's eyes widened. That voice.... so familier... "Well look at eachother and find out!" Erma encouraged. The two Rangers looked at eachother, only to gape in surprise,"Kate!" the boy gasped,"Keith!" kate gasped back. The two stared at eachother for a moment before Erma spoke,"This is no coincidence either. Now, let us go to the Operation Room." she led the two new Top Ranger to the next floor,"Wow kate! I never knew I'd be a top ranger with you!" Kate smiled back at him, her face growing hot,"Same here." "Bui Bui!" She looked at the Buizel,"This your partner?" she asked, and he nodded,"ANd i see Pachirisu is yours." She nodded when his attention turned to her arm, "But hey... what happened to your arm?" Keith asked, "....the Gliscor came back," Kate murmered and Keith raised his eyebrows,"Kincaid's Gliscor. It was the same one though! Keith Kincaid is leader of Dim Sun!" she whispered. Before Keith could answer, Erma called all three operators up,"These are our three Top Operators. They are excellent workers but they can be rather chatty. Now dears don't be shy. Introduce yourselves." A brunett stepped forward,"I am Linda." she stepped back to let the boy forward,"I am Marcus." Then the blonde stepped forward, her brown eyes shinning,"I'm Rhythmi... hey! No way! Your Kate and Keith!" the three old friends stared at eachother for a moment, before Erma giggled,"Ah. We heared of you three from Ms. April of your friendship. The Union needs you three." The three old friends looked at eachother, thinking the same thing. There was someone missing,"...He works at Altru Rhyth..." she murmered. Rhythmi blushed and looked sad at the same time. "Now, back to work you three," Erma told the Operators, when Linda's station beeped,"Oh? Sven? What is it?" "Linda darling, I'm at the Chroma Ruins. I need Erma to send a young Ranger or two to help clear some Dim Sun vermin." Linda looked at Chairperson,"Well?" Erma nodded,"Two he shall have. Keith, Kate! To the Chroma Ruins you go! But first, here." She handed each of them... "Wow! a Fine Styler?" Keith gasped, and Erma nodded,"Now go!" The two nodded,"C'mon Kate!" Keith called as he turned and ran. Kate grinned and ran after him, her new styler already in place.
Rhythmi watched them go, a smile on her face,"They're your old friends from ranger school right?" Linda asked and Rhythmi nodded,"I never thought I'd see them again..." she mused,"But I'm curious as to how this turns out."
"What?" Linda asked,"Kate and Keith. They've both liked each other since Ranger School. They were really upset to learn that they were to go to seperate regions after graduation..." Rhythmi murmered. "What about Isaac... do you miss him?" Linda asked, reminding Rhythmi of the boy whom Rhythmi had never stopped talking about,"He... he goes to altru. I never see him and probably won't ever see him again..." she sighed,"We have a job. C'mon Linda." Linda agreeed but knew her friend was holding back how much she really missed the blonde boy.