It was the beginning of summer, but for some reason it was only forty degrees out and Kate, Rhythmi, and Keith all walked across the courtyard, bundled up in their school jackets. Kate was wrapped up in an extra scarf Keith had nicked from Mr. Kincaid's room for her.

"I hate the cold. It makes me so tired." She muttered through her scarf. "Oh, my gosh, did Kate Lovett just complain?" Keith joked. "Shut up, Keith." Kate said.

Kate had been much freer with her emotions since the incident at Ascension Square, and was now able to express herself more freely. However, both Keith and Rhythmi knew perfectly well that however hard Kate tried to be true to her feelings, she would always remain that same shy girl they had met in the midst of spring.

"Well, you can't blame her for hating the cold," Rhythmi remarked, "Kate's from Summerland in Fiore, right Kate?"

Kate grunted which Rhythmi took as a yes. They all sat down on a bench where crowds of Bidoof were bustling around, apparently impatient for food.

"I hope Janice didn't forget to feed them." Rhythmi said worriedly. "Don't worry about it, she should be here soon, it's almost 12:00." Kate yawned. Keith suddenly snapped his fingers.

"Oh, that's right!" He said. "Speaking of food…" He pulled a small package from is coat pocket. He unwrapped the various napkins from it to reveal steaming hot cake bread. He broke it into 3 pieces, giving one piece to Kate and Rhythmi.

"Thanks, I didn't eat anything at breakfast." Kate sighed and took a bite out of the warm bread.

Keith nodded. "No problem. It's Mr. Kincaid's birthday and Janice was making a cake for his staff party, but she let me take a chunk out of it before she added the icing when I was passing since no one likes that teacher much." He shrugged. "I don't even know why Principal Lamont hired the guy; he's a total letdown in everything."

He turned to look at Kate, who was looking drowsier. "Hey, why didn't you eat breakfast, anyways?" He asked. Rhythmi answered for her.

"She overslept this morning; Mr. Kincaid gave her detention for running in the halls last night." She said. Keith raised an eyebrow. "I should've known."

"I was late to bedtime; I was studying in the library." She murmured tiredly, taking another bite out of her bread. Keith looked confused. "Studying? For what?" He asked. Rhythmi stared.

"We have a history test tomorrow." She said. Keith freaked out.

"WHAT? I need to study now—" But he was cut off by a shush from Rhythmi and he suddenly felt a light weight on his shoulder.

He looked down to see Kate sleeping.

His face flamed up, and he looked up desperately at Rhythmi. A mental conversation took place.

'Help me!'

'No.'

'I gave you cake bread!'

'That doesn't mean I owe you.'

'But I need to study!'

'You can copy my notes and I'm sure Kate will let you use hers as thanks for letting her use your shoulder as a pillow. Now shut your trap, you'll wake her up.'

Keith blushed even more if that was humanly possible.

'I hate you.'

'Then my life's work is complete.'

And so the mental conversation came to a close, with Rhythmi smiling happily, Keith sitting grumpily on a bench cursing under his breath, and Kate not knowing anything that was happening, leaned against Keith in blissful slumber.

Suddenly a large flake of something large, white and fluffy fell from the sky, quickly followed by many others.

"Snow? On the first day of summer?" Keith whispered. Suddenly an announcement came onto the loudspeakers.

"Due to this unexpected snow, we ask that all students please enjoy the rest of their break time inside of the school building. Thank you."The loudspeaker clicked off. Keith looked over at Rhythmi.

"What do we do? Kate's asleep." He asked. Rhythmi waved a hand. "Carry her."

"WHAT! Why can't you do it?" Keith hissed. Rhythmi winked. "I'm a girl. How would it look if I carried Kate? Besides, I just filed my nails."

Keith muttered something about Rhythmi being a cold, cruel, evil little girl, but then swooped up Kate with ease and carried her inside.

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The trio had decided to go to the library, where Keith laid Kate down onto a small couch and then finally started studying for the history test whilst Rhythmi read many different books regarding Operators. A few minutes later, Kate awoke.

She sat up and looked around. "The library?" She mumbled. "How did I get here?"

"It's started to snow, so Keith carried you inside." Rhythmi answered, ignoring Keith's frantic signals. Kate looked over at Keith and smiled.

"Thanks, Keith!" Keith simply went back to his studying. Kate sighed, though. "Why is it snowing on the first day of summer?" She groaned. "I'm probably going to fall asleep on the test…"

"Don't worry," Snickered Rhythmi, "I'm sure Keith will let you use his shoulder as a—" But she was quickly cut off.

"RHY-TH-MI…" Keith snarled without taking his eyes off his book. Rhythmi sweatdropped. "Shutting up now." She said meekly.

You could practically see the question mark that appeared over Kate's head.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Kate said suddenly. "I got a letter from my younger sister!" Keith flipped his head over the back of his chair to face Kate.

"Let me see," He said. Kate took out the letter from her pocket and held it upside-down in front of Keith's eyes for him to see. Keith read it out loud.

"Kate~

"We've decided! Mama and Papa just announced that we're moving to Almia! I can't wait to meet your friends, they sound really nice!"

Keith paused. "Aw, you mentioned us!" He teased. Kate grinned and Keith kept reading.

"We've decided on a place called Chicole Village, I can't wait! Mama and Papa got a big plot of land and a farm, I can't wait!

"Anyways, I hope you're well, and I can't wait for when we get to see you!

"Love- Gracidea"

Keith stopped reading. "So the kid's name is Gracidea, huh? Wasn't there a flower named after that…?" He said. Kate nodded. "Yeah. The Gracidea Flower is a rare flower that grows in Fiore." She said.

"It's small, pink, has green leaves and is extremely fragile, correct?"

"Kya!" Isaac, the school braniac, had just popped up on the tiny couch next to Kate. "Oh, it's Isaac… Hi." Kate's shy side kicked in, as she had never talked to Isaac before and she could only feel comfortable around Keith and Rhythmi.

"I've read books on the Gracidea," Isaac said. "But it's nothing compared to the real thing! Could you show me sometime, Kate?" It seemed that with every syllable, Isaac leaned closer in to Kate until their noses were almost touching. Kate seemed to be panicking.

For some strange reason, Keith got ticked off.

"Leave her alone!" He snapped. "Don't just call Kate like you're her friend!" He then grabbed Kate's wrist and pulled her out of the room. Rhythmi shot a look at Isaac and then flounced off after them.

When they were far clear from the library, both Rhythmi and Keith turned to her.

"Kate, we need to tell you something…" Rhythmi said. Keith nodded. "It's about that Isaac guy," He said. "Try and stay away from him, alright?" Kate stared.

"Why?" Kate asked. Rhythmi sighed. "Isaac used to be really nice, and he was kind of fun to hang around, even with his brainpower." She said. "But then he got mixed up with Mr. Kincaid…" She trailed off and Keith picked up.

"Ever since then, Isaac's been nothing but bad news," He said. "He's creepy, always trying to get his hands on every piece of knowledge he can grab, and then he goes down to the basement with Mr. Kincaid. Whenever those two are down there, people can sometimes hear weird things. Reallyweird things.

"And besides," Keith went on. "Isaac is in Mr. Kincaid's class. If that's how it is, thenhow did he know your name?" Kate started. Isaac had called her Kate…

"Anyways, just steer clear of Isaac," Rhythmi nodded. "It's what we all do, except for Ponyo. He knows Isaac well, but even he agrees that since Isaac met Kincaid, he's not the same." Kate nodded.

"Ok…" She said. She looked up at the sky, "But seriously, this snow is weird…" Rhythmi looked out the window.

"Look!" She cried out suddenly. Out of the window, in the direction of Ascension Square, there was a large, rather ominous black cloud forming.

"We've got to check this out." Keith said excitedly. "Come on!" He ran to the doors. Rhythmi and Kate stared after him. Kate looked over at Rhythmi.

"Should we go after him?" She asked. Rhythmi sighed. "What choice do we have?"

And they chased after him.

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"Mr. Kincaid, sir!"

Isaac scuttled into the basement room where a bunch of machines were beeping off the hooks. Mr. Kincaid was pressing certain buttons frantically.

"Ah, Isaac!" Mr. Kincaid exclaimed. "Good, good. This machine is working well; it was pure genius to use Ascension Square as a magnifier!"

"So this changes the weather, right?" Isaac said. "This is why it's snowing?"

"Yep." Mr. Kincaid's eyes glittered maliciously. "Just a little longer…" He finished his sentence in his mind.

'And then this school will be done for.'

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"Keith! Wait up!"

Rhythmi caught up to Keith. "So what do you think this is?" She asked him. They were close to Ascension Square by now. "I don't know, but it's got to be fun!" Keith said.

"W-waiiiit…"

They both turned to see Kate, who was looking extremely tired. She finally fell, face down into the snow. "Kate!" Rhythmi and Keith ran over to her. Keith picked her up out of the snow.

"Is she OK?" Rhythmi asked frantically. Keith examined her, and then announced,

"She's asleep."

Rhythmi sweatdropped. "You've got to be kidding me." But it was true, Kate was asleep. Keith shook her. It didn't work.

"Kate… Kate!" He said. Kate didn't budge. "KATE!" He finally yelled. "WAH!" Kate's eyes shot open. She looked around her, and then said, "Keith, why are you carrying me?"

Keith's face flamed up, and then he dropped her. "Ow!" Kate fell to the ground. "I never said drop me!" She protested. Keith turned around, his face still flaming. "Let's go." He then walked at a brisk pace to Ascension Square.

When they arrived, Ascension Square looked totally different. There were thick wires strung all over it, and a large vane sat at the top, its tip extending into the black cloud.

"Is this thing making it snow…?" Kate contemplated. "Let's smash it!" Keith stated excitedly. Rhythmi was aghast.

"Are you crazy?" She protested. "This could be something important; we could get into big trouble if we just destroy it!"

"But if it was something important, the school principal would have sent out an announcement, right?" Kate pointed out. Keith nodded impatiently. "So, all in favor of smashing?" Both he and Kate raised their hands. "Then let's do it!"

Three.

Two.

One.

Zero.

"CAPTURE ON!"

The Styler top spun out and they noticed some Bidoof nearby, which they captured with ease. Keith noted grudgingly that Kate had gotten much better since they had met.

"All right, chew those wires!" Keith and Kate ordered. The Bidoof immediately sprung to action, chewing determinedly at the wires. Finally, the great weather vane fell to the ground.

"All right!" Keith punched the air. "Now smash it!"

But the Bidoof's job had been done, and they were now lingering around, un-captured. Keith got ticked off. "Fine then, I'll do it! Come on, Kate!"

Keith and Kate then proceeded to jump on the vane until it was nothing more. Rhythmi sat on a bench, filing her nails… That is, until Mr. Kincaid came along, wondering what had happened.

He saw Kate and Keith jumping on the device, and he went mad with fury.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He shrieked. The three turned around, startled, and saw the enraged teacher.

Three.

Two.

One.

Zero.

"RUN!"