(Ben's POV)

"Protect!" I shouted. Summer was immediately covered by a blue translucent shield. I actually felt quite proud of myself. First Pokèmon move I use, and it's to save my best friend. The whole room was collapsing, so Mew and I stood outside. I caught sight of Jake standing with a girl and two other boys, trying to see what was going on. I waved them over.

'It's safe.' I told them telepathically. The four walked over cautiously. 'Don't worry. Summer will be fine.'

"You... saved my sister..." Jake stated, looking at me gratefully. "Thank you, Latios."

'Latios is my father.' I replied. 'Please... call me Natsuya.'

"Then thank you, Natsuya." Jake smiled. Natsuya... it basically meant summer. But Jake wouldn't know that.

"Smart move, Benny. Calling yourself Natsuya." Mew giggled. Not telepathically, so the others wouldn't understand.

"Yeah, I figured I probably shouldn't tell them it was me." I replied. The four humans- so weird calling people humans- looked at us in confusion.

'Just talking to Mew.' I explained nonchalantly. 'Ah, looks like the room's stopped falling in!'

"Summer!" The blonde boy called out. I let down the force field, and she came running over. "Summer, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ravio." She smiled. Then she looked at me. "Who... are you? You seem... familiar... to me."

"Ahaha, you don't know me." I laughed nervously. This only made Summer more confused. She took a step towards me.

"That voice..." She mumbled. She reached out her hand torwards me, as if she wanted to make contact. Without thinking, I pressed my own hand- er, paw- to hers. "I do know you..."

"No, I really think-" She looked up at me, and our eyes met. Her eyes widened, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Ben." She murmured, under her breath so the others didn't hear. She threw her arms around me in a hug. "Ben, it's you."

"H-how-"

"You think I wouldn't recognize you? I'd know that voice anywhere." She laughed. "So I did hear you with Kate!"

"DON'T tell anyone else about this!" I giggled.

"Why?" She asked. "You're cute as a Latios."

"Okay, Summer. Stop hugging the Latios." Jake requested. Summer let go of me, and turned to face her brother. "Sis, this is Natsuya. He's the Latios who saved you."

"... Natsuya?" Summer looked at me skeptically. I sorta shrugged. "Well, since we're done here, we really should go help out Mom, Dad, and Kate."

"Time for Benny to go back then!" Mew giggled. She dragged me out of sight of the others. "Transform back, okay?"

"Okay..." I focused on being human again. When I opened my eyes, I held out my hands. Human. "Now what?"

"Simple, I send you back!" Mew floated over, and touched a paw to my forehead. The world started to fade. "See ya in the future, Benny!"

…...

When I opened my eyes, I was back on the coach. And I couldn't feel my leg again. But the good news was, the rest of my body hurt a lot less.

"Ben!" I heard Erin exclaimed. I sat up, and turned to look at her. "You're awake! And sitting up!"

"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit better now thanks to D- er, a Pokèmon." Erin looked at me quizzically. "Never heard of an out-of-body experience?"

"Oh, um... well, no one I've known has ever had that happen. To them. Er, um, MURPH GET IN HERE!" Erin shouted. Murph came running in, looking kinda panicked.

"Hey, Ben's awake! Whew, and I thought something was wrong." Murph laughed. "Call Summer, tell her the good news!"

"Totally unnecessary." And cue Summer, at the perfect moment. "Hiya, Benny!"

"You sound like Mew." I chuckled.

"I know." She grinned.

"I take it the Mission was a success." Murph laughed. "Good job. Since Ben's feeling better, why don't the two of you go meet up with Summer's parents, Kate, and Keith."

"Alright, let's go!" Summer exclaimed, grabbing my hand and dragging me out the door. "Mission: Save Leanne and Nema!"

…...

(Summer's POV)

I pretty much dragged Ben the whole way. When we caught up with Mom, Dad, Kate, and Keith, they had reached a dead end.

"Summer! You made it!" Kate grinned, rushing up to us. "And Ben! You're human! Er, I mean, of course you're human, I mean, why wouldn't you be? I meant to say you're okay. Haha..."

"Drop the act Kate, I know about Ben." I laughed. "He saved me back at the Light Temple."

'You know, you could've done that.' Arceus pointed out. 'Or you could've turned ground type, and the rocks wouldn't affect you.'

"Well, excuse me for not knowing how to do that." I retorted. Kate rolled her eyes. "Arceus again."

"Kinda figured." Kate chuckled. "Keith came. He still thinks Ben is dead."

"Payback time." Ben smirked. "Summer, remember when you tricked Murph into thinking I was a ghost?"

"Ah, that. That wasn't on purpose, you know." I honestly didn't mean for that to happen... "But, good idea!"

"Oh, yes. We all know how scared Keith is of ghosts. Go hide, Ben!" Kate ordered. Ben ran and ducked in a bush. "HEY! KEITH! Summer's here!"

"Oh! Summer, I am so sorry about Ben!" Keith exclaimed. "Wanna hug?"

"No, Keith, I'm fine. I'll be okay." I replied, acting as if I was miserable. I had to prevent myself from laughing.

"Summer." I heard Ben's voice from the behind me. I turned around but he wasn't there. Hmm, must be some Pokèmorph thing. Couldn't Latios turn invisible?

"I can almost hear his voice." I sighed wistfully. I think. I'm not the best actress. I heard Ben laugh at my acting. I resisted the urge to tell him to shut up.

'That's right. Don't tell him to shut up.' Arceus said smugly. 'He's supposed to be dead.'

"Oh, shut up, Arceus." I muttered angrily. "I'll wipe that smug grin right off your face."

'I don't have a mouth, therefore I am not grinning.'

"You know what I mean!" I growled. I noticed Keith looking at me funny, and Kate trying not to laugh at me. "Ah, um, hi."

"Um..." I heard Ben laughing more. Oh, he was loving this. "You know, I hear him too..."

"Yes, I'm sure you do, Keith." Ben's voice echoed through the air around us. I actually felt like there was a ghost. I couldn't see him, and there was a chill in the air now. My only explanation was that Mew was helping out. Keith looked around wildly for the source of the voice. Suddenly, Ben faded into view in front of Keith. "Nice to see you."

"Aah! Ben!" Keith shouted in surprise. "W-what... h-how are you here!?"

"Do you believe in ghosts, Keith?" Ben asked. I noticed that Ben was actually hovering a few inches above the ground. Of course. He was half Latios, after all.

"Your a... g-ghost!?" Keith gulped, backing away ever so slightly. Mom and Dad had come over now. They quickly caught on, and pretended not to see Ben.

"What ghost, Keith?" Dad asked him. He looked to me. "Oh, hello, Summer."

"B-ben's a g-ghost!" Keith exclaimed. He pointed at Ben. Mom looked where he was pointing. "S-see!"

"No, dear, nothing is there." Mom replied. "Keith, perhaps we should find somewhere for you to lay down."

"No, no... he's really here! Ben, say something!" Keith demanded.

"They can't hear me or see me." Ben said. "Only you can."

"Keith, are you okay?" I asked cautiously, as though I couldn't hear Ben. I stifled a laugh as Keith looked from Ben to me then back to Ben.

"O-okay!? Okay!? There's a g-ghost talking to me!" Keith looked wide-eyed at Kate. "You see him Kate, right!?"

"Sorry, Keith." She shook her head. She was a much better actress than I was. I was jealous. "I don't see anything. But I can take your word for it."

'You know, technically, Kate can see ghosts. Her dad is Darkrai, after all.' Arceus pointed out. 'And of course she's a better actress than you!'

"Say that again. I dare you." I growled threateningly. Keith looked at me weirdly.

'Um, what I meant was- she, is, uh... better at masking her emotions.' Arceus tried to make up for his insult. Failing miserably.

"Ugh, just shut up, stupid Pokèmon." I grumbled. "I don't need your nonsense right now."

"Um... Summer? Who are you talking to?" Keith asked.

"Arceus probably said something stupid." Ben muttered, rolling his eyes.

"As a matter a fact he did. He said that Kate is a better actress than I..." I noticed that I had said that out loud. "Am... Oh, come on!"

"Nicely done, Summer. Guess the pranks over." Ben sighed. "Arceus was right, you know."

"Oh, shut up." I retorted. "I don't need you nagging me too."

"Wait- this was all a prank? Ben never died?" Keith gasped. "You pranked Hastings!?"

"No, Keith, we pranked you. At the time Murph sent that letter, we all really did think that Ben was dead. Turns out, being stuck in an exploding submarine won't kill you." I laughed.

"Yeah, if your cousins with Mew." Kate added under her breath.

"Oh. Well, what's this about Arceus?" The red haired Ranger asked. "You keep mentioning him."

"Oh, him? Oh, it's nothing important." I shrugged. "He's just stuck in my head, that's all."

'For the last time, I am your Pokèmon Guide!' Arceus exclaimed.

"Really? You won't hound me about it anymore?" I grinned. "Yes!"

'Wow.'

"Okay- really confused hear..." Keith looked at my parents. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Wait, so... I'm not even gonna ask." Keith sighed. "Lets just go save Leila and Panema, or whatever their names are."

A/N: SEE! I'm multitasking! And listening to epic music. ^_^ Keith's really confused right now... poor guy... You know, Leila and Panema are their Japanese names! Just thought I'd put that out there, though many of you might already know. :) Hope you enjoyed chapter 21! ...Wow, that's a lot of chapters... XD