Well. I was up at midnight, unable to sleep. So I decide to try and draw the cover page for the fanfic! Something dramatic….beautiful….deep!
…when I realized I'm not the best artist. I settled for basic but classic romantic poses. And I remembered I still can't draw even that good. Even my cute chibi poses weren't doing justice for Keith and Kate. It's 1:30 am and I was stumped. My thought then? "Screw it. I'm going for colored sketches and upload in the morning."
Today, as I typed up a new chapter, I went to upload the coverpage. Guess what? My scanner broke…
But back to story, I hope you read, review and enjoy the latest addition to the chapter collection! I'll be getting a cover page onto this fanfic at some point!
Edit; sorry but there's a slight error somewhere (cant find it). The researchers name is Nage, not Nate
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"Good to see you back, successful in your mission!...hm? Why is your arm…?"
The group arrived back at the bridge, greeted by Professor Hastings.
"From what I gathered, a sharpedo swallowed the key. And Spar…Kate had to retrieve it manually." Barlow answered.
Kate shivered at the memory.
"I see. Very bold of you to do what you did, Kate." Hastings nodded. "Keep the aqua-lung. Now that its properly tested, Nage can make more for other rangers."
…did he mean that she was the first to test that thing? AND it was possible that if it didn't work Kate was, quite literally, sunk? Well that was the cherry on top of the cake now wasn't it?
"Oh that's neither here nor there. Kate, lower the bridge!" Hastings instructed.
"Hold it! That's my job!" Brook objected. "You let me take care of things!"
Brook raced to the control booth nearby. Within a few seconds, the gears and metal joints started to creak. The drawbridge was gently lowered back into place! People were free to move across the bridge again! Kate followed Barlow and the Professor across the bridge. But about halfway there, a guy in an emerald green uniform met them.
"Whew! I'm glad to see you're safe and sound Professor!" He said, relieved. "It's unlike your impatient self to stay over somewhere else. You sure had me worried!"
"Murph! Who are you calling impatient?" Hastings huffed. "Ah but we have little time! Barlow, let's hurry!"
The two broke into a jog and crossed the bridge in no time. That left Kate and whatshisname behind.
"Uh…..and who am I…?" He mumbled.
"Figures that we're left behind." Chia rolled her eyes.
The guy turned to face Kate.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Murph, in charge of PR for the Ranger Union." Murph held out his hand.
"I'm Kate and you probably don't want to shake hands right now…" Kate looked down at the blood-crusted arm.
"Yikes that's a doozy!" Murph jumped a little. "What'd you do anyways?"
"Retrieved the bridge key from a sharpedos throat. Oh the life of a ranger." Kate sweatdropped.
"Not all sunshine and rainbows is it?" Murph chuckled. "We better go get that checked out."
They walked off the bridge and into the park (which Murph pointed out was Altru Park). As they started moving forward, a familiar character appeared and took notice of them.
"Issac?" Kate said.
"Kate? Wow it's been awhile!" Issac came over. "I know we didn't really hang out much but its hard to forget you and Keith."
"You know this guy?" Murph asked.
"Yeah we graduated ranger school together." Kate replied.
"Kate was…..hey your arms injured!" Issac inspected her arm. "I'm seeing a deep cut on the upper area. Though some of the blood isn't yours…"
"Key in sharpedos throat. Had to get it out one way or another." Kate sighed.
Issac dropped her arm suddenly. Seemed like the genius figured it out. He was shocked and a little disgusted. Who could blame him?
"Let's go to my workplace nearby to bandage that up. You friend can come with too." Issac suggested.
Kate and Murph followed the mushroom-haired blondie around the park. Too bad they couldn't enjoy it. Seemed like a really relaxing place to chill out, play with pokemon…all that jazz. Issac led the group up a flight of stairs to the Altru company building doors.
"You work for ALTRU?" Kate exclaimed.
"Yep! Head researcher!" Issac happily told her.
They went inside and over to the reception counter. There was a first aid kit under the counter which Issac used. With careful work, Issac managed to clean off the blood.
"What the…?" He blinked.
"Something wrong?" Murph asked.
Issac, rather than responding, got out the tweezers. Kate felt a small pinch as Issac dug the tweezers into the cut. When they came back out, it dragged out a medium-sized pointed tooth.
"A sharpedo tooth?" Murph shrunk back.
"Kate probably scraped against the tooth, causing the cut, and pulled it right out, lodging inside her skin." Issac deducted. "Good thing it didn't get caught on the nerve muscles."
"Awesome! I am SO keeping it!" Kate held the tooth, admiring it.
"What are you going to do with a sharpedo tooth?" Murph asked, puzzled.
"Make it into a necklace. Like a good luck charm." Kate responded cheerfully.
Maybe reaching into a sharpedos throat wasn't all bad. Kate remembered Ranger Spencer tell her when she was little that a tooth from a tough pokemon was considered lucky. He had his own tooth from a Charizard. Kate had always wanted to get a tooth from a pokemon and keep it as a charm. Of course the right and natural way, without force or anything.
"Er yes…well the injury's not that bad. Just keep it wrapped till it heals." Issac said, finished wrapping Kate's arm in a bandage. "There's a very good chance it'll scar but it could have been much worse."
"Sweet! What other ranger has a battle scar?" Kate exclaimed.
"A few I know. But none from….er…what you've done." Murph replied.
"That's for sure." Chia sweatdropped.
"Now that we're done, how about I show you around?" Issac offered.
Issac started to explain what Altru was all about as well as the business they were offering. He got to the back to explain the history that started with Doyle Hall, then Brighton Hall and the current founder, Blake Hall. Murph was intrigued but Kate was only pretending to listen, her mind racing at a thousand other thoughts a second.
"President!"
The secretaries scattered all over the place before filing up in a row. They stood at attention like soldiers. Through the double doors first came a strange-looking man with green hair. Almost like an older, sort of weird version of the Joker. Behind him was a man in a black suit, dark hair and sunglasses.
"What a coincidence! There's Blake Hall now!" Issac whispered.
"As you were, people. Can't leave our customers unattended." Blake nodded. "Remember, Almia's future is bright and full of hope!"
The secretaries did as told, going straight back to their spots. Blake noticed Issac and walked over to the group.
"Ah, Professor Issac. Your research is going well I assume?" Blake said. "Are you showing these rangers around?"
"Kate's an old friend from school. Since we ran into each other, I offered to show her around and also fix up her arm after a more recent mission." Issac explained.
"Bravo on your work, dear girl. I've admired rangers for what they've done. You're to be commended for the Almia region." Blake told Kate.
"Thanks sir." Kate politely replied.
"Sorry to cut the reunion short but Issac is needed upstairs again." Blake said.
"Yes President." Issac nodded. "See you around, Kate."
Issac, Blake and the green haired guy went into the elevator and disappeared from the room. Murph and Kate walked back out of the building.
"Woo! We got to meet the Altru president!" Murph cheered. "Maybe that tooth IS lucky."
"Told ya." Kate smirked.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Styler was getting a call. Kate flipped open communications.
"Voicemail! It's Barlow, here. We need you at the Union to help us with the Gigaremo meeting." Barlow said.
"Sure thing." Kate agreed.
"Oh and bring make sure Chia's ready for a target clear." Barlow reminded before shutting off contact.
"Ready? I'm always ready." Chia nodded.
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"Welcome to the Ranger Union!"
Kate gasped in amazement and wonder as she stepped inside the building. It was bigger, even more awesome than she had imagined. Being inside the Union…what an honor! Keith would be so jealous!
"This is my workplace! Which means I'm back on professional work-mode now." Murph told her. "The meeting room's on the second floor and the door has a sign next to it that says 'meeting room'. Impossible to miss."
"Thanks Murph!" Kate ran for the stairs.
She charged on up and got to the second floor. Murph was right. Finding the meeting room was no problem whatsoever. The sign next to it was in a beautiful bronze (a very nice touch). Kate stepped inside, ready to tackle on the meeting. There was Barlow and Professor Hastings next to a blue Gigaremo (but….why no headache?). Other people were those Kate didn't know. Several were rangers though one with long green hair seemed familiar (at least her hair was beautiful, unlike that Joker replica back at Altru). Her styler was a different style. Another was a researcher but his nametag said Nate (yep…Mr. I didn't bother testing the aqua-lung so thanks for doing it for me) And then an elderly woman as well. She definitely seemed important.
"There ya are!" Barlow greeted, then turned to the elderly woman. "This is Spa…Kate, our prized rookie. She's the one who figured out how these Gigaremos should be stopped."
First thing Kate noticed was Barlow having trouble not using her nickname. But second was called her the 'prized' rookie. Kate was certainly feeling special.
"You want a demonstration Barlow?" Kate asked.
"Exactly!" Barlow answered.
"Let's go Chia!" Kate said.
Chia sparked up, leaping high into the air. She charged and fired away at the Gigaremo. The Gigaremo sputtered and gave a small explosion before crumbling.
"Good job." Kate complimented.
"Naturally." Chia landed on Kate's head with ease.
The two got out of the way as Professor Hastings walked up to the center, ready to speak.
"Now then. Gigaremos are destroyed by the process you've just seen. But keep in mind, there are Gigaremos that require another method of ruining. It all depends on their color." Hastings spoke. "Get the word out to all the rangers about how Gigaremos can be stopped. Kate, you deserve much thanks for your help."
Two of the rangers went over to push the destroyed Gigaremo out of the way. It took a lot of effort and time to get that thing off the main floor.
"By the way….did you notice something strange about the Gigaremo?" The professor quizzed.
Like how it failed to give Kate any headache at all? Kate was absolutely thrilled.
"Such as how it didn't hypnotize the pokemon in the building?"
Well there was that too.
"Everyone, take a look at the monitor below you." Hastings instructed.
As he said that, the monitor glowed and images appeared. Kate had to admit. THAT was really cool. She watched as she saw pictures of the Gigaremo, science type notes and a drawing of a familiar diamond shaped black stone filled the floor screen.
"See the diamond shape? There was a black stone fitted into this section. I removed the stone when I rebuilt the Gigaremo. It's clear to me that this stone embodies some sort of mysterious power that lets the Gigaremo control pokemon." Hastings explained.
The images disappeared and the floor went back to what it was.
"We're going to have to search for and destroy these Gigaremos one at a time." Barlow said. "There's no other way to deal with them, I'm afraid. But you can count on the Area rangers to stamp them all out."
"And the Ranger Union is analyzing the black stone as we speak." The green haired ranger added. "We've also launched an investigation into Dim Sun."
Dim Sun….strange name. Catchy and easy to remember. But all around….just weird.
"Hey rookie. Mind if I ask you questions?" The girl turned to Kate.
"Go ahead." Kate responded.
Kate was asked about the color of the gigaremo that fled the scene, whether Dim Sun was conducting an experiment, how they fled the scene and about trying to befriend pokemon that were hypnotized. She answered all the questions to the best of her knowledge which left the questioner satisfied.
"It seems as though Almia is under threat of a new organizarion they call Dim Sun." The elderly lady said. "But it doesn't frighten me. And it shouldn't frighten any of you either. We are here to protect and serve Almia. My only request is working towards our goal. Safeguard the people, pokemon and environment."
The elderly woman walked out of the room with Hastings. Slowly, everyone started to clear the room as well. Barlow had to go talk to the Professor but would speak with Kate later. For Kate, that was perfectly fine. It gave her a chance to explore the Union.
First stop was the third floor. Kate was in awe over the operators working hard. One of them, a nice guy named Marcus, helped Kate understand what was what. Like the green haired girl was a top ranger named Wendy (Luana's article! That was where Kate saw her!) and the elderly lady was Chairperson Erma, founder of the Ranger Union and most important person around. Then Kate went to the break room, where she found the right materials. Remembering how Spencer showed her, Kate managed to make a necklace from the sharpedo tooth using a strong black chain and a small hook drilled & glued into the tooth. Needless to say, Kate was proud of herself.
By the time she was done, Barlow came for her. They had to stay at the Union for the night since it was late. Kate grabbed a guest room and plopped onto bed. Wow was she tired…yawn…too tired….to even answer the call from….her….styler…
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Big adventure and an unexpected injury! Not bad eh? Of course I'm deeply sorry for you squeamish readers!
Your next chapter will board the station in a little bit! Now if you excuse me…
*raises sledgehammer*
I've got a scanner to fix.