*drowns in ocean of responses*
Chia: WHOA. Lotta papers here. *sits on boat, reading responses* Lets see…Here's one. It's one of those ones that says you should make Kate have angel DNA.
*facepalms*
Chia: And this one says Kate was a fallen angel. Here's one that says Kate is a secret angel goddess. Oh! Another response!
Does it say something about Kate being an angel?
Chia: Nope.
Really?
Chia: …..ok I lied. It says that Kate is the twin of the goddess and you should totally let Keith figure it out either this chapter or the next.
*rage flips a table* THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!
Chia: Do your little 'read, review, enjoy thing' and chill, dude. *goes fishing in the responses*
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A week passed in a flash. Keith and Kate managed to spring back up, going back to ranger duties. They gave a very brief, shortened explanation about the Distortion World to the Union. Cutting out the transformation and angel battle of course. Speaking of angel, Keith was still awaiting that 'surprise' from Gabriel. Huh. Maybe the dude was bluffing. Gabriel always had a weird way of 'fun' (like paperwork or mental torture on others).
Kate was sore a lot more often, now resulting in her releasing a lot more energy. Keith accompanied her. For support but also because she started to pass out at times. It was heart-wrenching to watch. But it was better than her transforming. Kate missed one of her 'release' times and became a jolteon for an hour. And Kate didn't seem to like it either. Through it all, Keith supported her and stayed by her side.
Issac researched the chemical X.11. Rhythmi kept busy with operating duties. Sven and Wendy were either patrolling or investigating Teams Rocket & Dim Sun (who only had minor violations as of late). Everyone kept busy one way or another.
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"Hey Keith! Someone here to see you!"
Rhythmi ran up to Kate and Keith, who had been talking in the hallway.
"Huh? Who is it?" Keith asked.
"He says he's your cousin, the 'R-man'." Rhythmi sweatdropped. "He's waiting downstairs on the ground floor."
"No way…" Keith's face lit up.
The redhead raced through the Union, down the stairs and to the first floor. Sure enough. There was a guy his age leaning against the wall. His hair was in two colors; red on top with a blond layer underneath it. Taller than Keith remembered but still the same guy known all these years.
"Raph!" Keith called out.
"Keith!" The guy, Raph, ran over. "Dude! You're tall! When the heck did you shoot up?"
Round of high fives with one bro-hug somewhere in there. Kate, Rhythmi and Issac came downstairs, curious to see what the commotion's about.
"You know him, I take it?" Kate giggled.
"Guys, this is Raphael. He's my cousin." Keith introduced.
"Nice to meet ya. And hello lovely ladies." Raph chuckled. "Why is it you get all the cute girls and I'm stuck with duds, couz?"
Rhythmi blushed while Issac shot a glare.
"I thought you were working in the Sevi Islands, dude!" Keith said.
"Out of nowhere, I was rewarded with a few days off! The only condition was to spend it with family and since mom's been driving me nuts lately…" Raph smirked.
"What do you work as?" Rhythmi asked.
"Oh! Ah…er…a researcher's assistant!" Raph lied. "Typing things, helping with the power tools, that kinda stuff."
Keith knew he was only a researchers assistant as a cover. Raph may be a spaz but he wasn't dumb enough to reveal his true job.
"So couz, are we going somewhere epic? Gotta show me the Almia hot spots!" Raph said.
"Well I have patro…" Keith was about to say.
"I'll clear things up with Chairperson Erma. You and Raph go have some fun." Rhythmi told him.
"Yeah. I can cover your patrolling if you need me too." Kate offered.
"Hey Rhyth? Can you get Kate the day off too?" Keith requested.
"Yeah! I'd love to have a pretty girl tag along with us. Maybe two if the cute blonde joins us…" Raph smirked, causing Rhythmi to blush.
"Actually, I need Rhythmi's assistance." Issac cut in, looking ticked. "Rhythmi? Shall we get back to work?"
Before the operator could respond, she was dragged upstairs by Issac. Huh. Who knew Issac could be the jealous type? So he liked Rhythmi after all. If the genius wasn't a crucial part in figuring out this DNA in Kate, Keith would love to mess with him. Keith and the others walked out the doors of the Union and through the forest path to Pueltown.
"You think they'll be ok?" Kate asked, concerned for her friends.
"It's cool. I don't mind what girl joins us." Raph shrugged. "Though I must say you are exceptionally hot, young lady."
"Ignore him. He flirts with anything in a skirt." Keith rolled his eyes.
"Hey! It's not just girls in skirts! I happen to like girls regardless of the pants they wear! Even none, if they so choose." Raph huffed. "So, who might you be?"
"This is Kate." Keith introduced.
Raph blinked, his face blank. He gave Keith a look which translated to 'this the assignment you got?' to which Keith responded with a nod.
"Nice to meet ya!" Raph broke into a goofy grin. "Keith's been telling me all about you!"
"Keith mentioned you a few times too." Kate said. "You two look a little alike."
"Don't we?" Raph smiled 'innocently'. "So Kate, you know about guardian angels right?"
"Yep." Kate replied.
"Whew! That's a load off! Now I don't have to keep up an act and whatever." Raph looked relieved. "So you're the important assignment? Awesome! Great to meet the biggest assignment in angel history!"
"Ix-nay on the importance-ay!" Keith sweatdropped.
"I thought angels and humans couldn't be together. So why are you flirting with every girl you see?" Kate cocked her head, confused.
"What? I can't appreciate the ladies? Besides, I don't mean many female angels on the job, you know." Raph replied. "Speaking of angels, it was Gabe who sent me here. Said something about you getting a reward for the hard work the other day? By the way, congrats."
Ah, so Gabriel gave him a family reunion as a reward. That was (weirdly) nice of him! It'd be great to catch up with Raph! Hang out like old times and goof off!
"So how long are you in town?" Keith asked.
"Three days! We've got that long to have some wild action epic non-stop slam jam awesome partyfests!" Raph fist-pumped. "LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL CAUSE RAPHIEL THE AMAZING HAS COME TO ALMIA!"
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Life was never dull for Kate. And there certainly wasn't a boring moment the second Keith's crazy cousin showed up. She laughed at his jokes and outrageous personality. It was so cute how Keith bickered with him. There was a ramen eating contest downtown in Pueltown with them both competing, furiously trying to beat the other. And the dance video game contest. Then the race to the docks for fun. Clearly that stubborn streak ran in the family. But Kate admired it in Keith and found his relationship with Raph to be incredibly sweet. They were cousins who were very close. The kind of cousins who were there for good and stuck through bad.
After some time, Keith had left to go get some smoothies for the group. So Kate finally had the chance to talk to Raph, hoping to get some information about Keith from him.
"So how old are you? You look like you could be Keith's twin." Kate said, choosing to sit on a park bench.
"Actually, Keith and I are five hours apart!" Raph replied. "He's the older one though. But I'm the better looking one!"
Kate sweatdropped. "Er…Keith mentioned once that you could alter your looks as one of your powers."
Raph glanced around, making sure no one was watching. As luck would have it there wasn't anyone near by. The cousin closed his eyes as a white light overcame him. Kate saw his body quickly shift around and create a new shape. When the light died, Kate saw Raph turned into someone else! A man in the early thirties with very light brown hair and thin glasses over his dark eyes. He wore a white turtleneck sweater and gray pants.
"Wow!" Kate clapped. "You're awesome!"
"I know!" Raph gave a smug grin, his voice unchanged. "I changed into our boss, Gabriel. Keith and I used to make fun of him behind his back all the time! We got yelled at. A lot."
"Does it work with only people?" Kate asked.
"Sadly, yes. My skills aren't developed enough to do pokemon. But it's a work in progress." Raph went back to his original looks. "I am a bit envious of Keith, though. His energy manipulation, while tricky, does come in handy a lot. It's not a common power either so the family's impressed with how far Keith's gotten with that skill."
"Keith never really did tell me about the family apart from you." Kate said.
"I assumed he wouldn't say anything. Never does." Raph shrugged. "His dad was a famous guardian angel who did really well for himself. Strong but really caring from what I heard. He died when Keith was two. The dude sacrificed himself for his assignment, which is a very special honor in our world."
Keith's dad died? The redhead never knew his father? Poor guy…
"When Keith was seven, his mom got sick. She died a year later. Keith never did get over that." Raph sighed. "So he went to live with me and my parents. My mom's a bit naggy and loud but she's great. And dad's always been busy with assignments but he's pretty cool. For a dad, anyways."
Kate listened but her heart pained for Keith. She had no idea that he was parent-less. That he didn't get to know his heroic father and watched his mother slowly die.
"Hey guys! I got smoothies!"
Keith ran over, carrying three cups. Kate grabbed hers from the pile but accidentally knocked another smoothie. Right onto Raph's head.
"Ack! Dude!" He moaned.
"Sorry!" Kate squeaked.
"Could be worse. Remember when that one girlfriend of yours stuck a smoothie down your shorts after you stared at another girl?" Keith chuckled.
"Don't remind me." Raph shuddered. "I'll go grab some napkins. Be right back."
The cousin left. Kate and Keith were left alone on the park bench with their smoothies. Keith sipped his but noticed Kate barely touched hers. He stopped and faced her, his face so cute and blank.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"Um…I uh…" Kate's voice trailed off.
"Did Raph say something?" Keith's eyebrows furrowed. "Cause I can pound the heck outta him for you."
"No its not that. He…I….well…" Kate looked right into his eyes. "H-he told me. About your family."
Keith's face shifted into a melancholy expression. He looked at his smoothie with dark eyes.
"So he told ya." The redhead mumbled.
"I'm sorry." Kate whispered.
"No big deal…" Keith muttered. "I'm used to this."
"I mean…well I…" Kate stammered. "I'm so sorry you never got to really know your parents. A-and you must've been close to your mom so it was hard to see her die…"
Keith stared at her for the longest of times. Then he slunk back against the bench, eyes closed. Seemed to be thinking.
"I don't remember much….but what I do remember was vivid." Keith spoke. "My mother's full name was Tierra Vienna though everyone called her Terra. She was spirited, pretty, upbeat, kind hearted and always smiling. I remember she used to dance every morning because she was always so happy."
The redhead's eyes opened, staring at the clouds overhead. Kate noticed he looked as if he was faraway.
"We were really close." Keith went on. "Mom was the world's best mother, always caring for me and making me smile with her. She taught me to fly. She'd always stopped what she was doing to play with me. Every moment with her…it was like magic…"
A pause.
"…then she got sick. I remember coughing and her saying she had a cold. But I found her passed out in the kitchen one afternoon. And she never was the same." Keith continued, his voice low. "I helped care for her but the disease was rapidly progressing. Mom had been ignoring symptoms for way too long. She….she didn't want me to worry. After a year, she asked me to snuggle with her in bed. We sang her favorite song, one she danced to many mornings. In the end….she died. Mom was gone."
From Kate's throat, a small sob was choked out. Keith's eyes were wide and he sat back up, staring at Kate with worry and shock.
"Y-y-your mom…she would've been so proud of you." Kate's voice shook. "I bet she…she's still watching over you. And she's happy to see you've grown into the handsome young man you are now..."
Keith was astonished. "You really think that?"
"I know it." Kate nodded. "Look at you! Y-you turned out so well! All because of how she raised you! She did such a wonderful job!"
Keith's eyes were moist. With a sad smile, he took Kate and pulled her into his arms. He held her there, taking deep breaths and stroking her hair. Kate wasn't sure but she might've felt a tear or two drop from his face. They stayed like this for awhile.
"Kate, you remind me of mom in some ways." Keith murmured. "She would have adored you."
Those words…they seemed to be worth so much to Kate. She felt touched to hear those words being spoken to her. Kate leaned up and gave a quick kiss to her angel on the lips. Keith smiled, brushing some loose hair strands from her eyes.
"Hey!"
The couple let go, hearing Raph's voice. He ran over with a new smoothie and some spare napkins. Kate brushed off any stray tears as Keith regained his regular, goofy smile.
"What took ya?" Keith questioned.
"Huge crowd. Impossible to get through!" Raph sweatdropped. "Raise your smoothies! A TOAST!"
Kate and Keith raised their smoothies, smirking at the humor.
"TO MY INCREDIBLE AWESOMNESS!" Raph cheered.
"More like your incredible dorkiness." Keith joked.
"That's it! First one to finish their smoothie first is the most awesome!"
"You're on!"
"Er…guys? Maybe you shouldn't…"
"GAAAAHHHH!"
"BRAIN FREEZE!"
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Chia: Hope you loved the chapter! We finally get to meet Keith's cousin! Where's the author, you ask? Uh yeah…the author's chowing down on ramen and watching old cartoons again so she let me close the chapter here. Her brain snapped after seeing one too many reviewers of those who insist Kate's an angel in disguise. And it's not that she doesn't want you to review! She loves it! Heck, even I say more of you silent readers should review away! Once or twice the author cried because you guys love the story so much.
*spit-takes the ramen* Don't tell them that! I never cry! EVER.
Chia: Yeah. Sure. *rolls eyes* Can I ask a favor? Pachirisu to fans of author? No more saying/suggesting/insisting that Kate's an angel! Sky is an author with one heck of a plot! She's got her ideas all planned out! So have faith in the girl and patiently wait for things to unravel. Cuz what she has in store will make your heads blow up! If it doesn't blow your head up, *smirks* then let me take care of…
NO BLOWING UP THE MINDS OF OUR FANS! At least not literally.
Chia: Fine, fine. I'll spare them. I mean I have a few loyal fans out there. Next chapter's coming up pretty darn soon! Stick around!
