Kate, Rhythmi and Keith sat huddled around a desk.

"Why do you think Kincaid was so mad about that?" Kate whispered. "I don't know, but he didn't even tell the principal, right?" Keith said. "So it can't be good, no matter what!" Rhythmi sighed. "So what do we do?" She asked quietly. "We're not even in his class!"

Our heroes were discussing how angry Mr. Kincaid had gotten when they had destroyed the strange machine that had caused it to snow. Now that it was gone, though, (A/N: Given away to a certain person) the weather was following its normal patterns, and it was extremely hot now. Kate, who got sleepy in the cold, had become more energetic lately.

"Well, tomorrow's a free day," Kate suggested. "We could follow him then." Rhythmi shook her blond locks. "No good, he always goes down to the base…" She trailed off.

"Ment…" All three of them stood up and shouted at the same time,

"THE BASEMENT!"

And then they were kicked out of the library for yelling.

They then retreated back to Ms. April's class for their next lesson, talking excitedly. "The basement!" Keith exclaimed quietly. "Why the heck didn't we see it before? The creep's always going down there!" Kate nodded. "Yeah, but how do we get in without being seen?" Rhythmi looked up.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" She said haughtily. Kate and Keith looked at her questionably. "We just get in before Kincaid."

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The next morning, Kate and Rhythmi snuck out of the dormitories early and met in the common room to wait for Keith, already dressed. That day was a free break day.

"Isaac's still asleep, but we don't have much time," Keith said, hurrying out of his dorm. "The guy's usually up and out before Janice even comes in." They looked at the clock, which read three in the morning.

"We don't have much time," Rhythmi said hurriedly. "Kate and Keith, you guys will search the basement while I stand lookout. If anyone comes, I'll distract them." Keith pouted. "How come you're putting us own there and not you?" He protested.

"Because if you were lookout you'd try and make conversation for two seconds and fidget, and if Kate was lookout Isaac would pester her about Gracidea Flowers," Rhythmi said simply, "So, in my opinion, I'm the only one who can hold a decent conversation."

Both Kate and Keith sweatdropped, but they had to admit it was true. They all went down to the main floor and stood in front of the stairs. "If you guys hear me say Ranger, then hide. If you hear me say Operator, get out of there. Got it?" Rhythmi asked. Kate and Keith nodded.

"Ok, let's go!" Kate said, and started down the stairs. "Hey, Kate, wait up!" Keith went off after her, leaving Rhythmi.

When they got to the door, Keith got a few flashes of the last time he had been down here, which was also the last time he had been alone with Kate. Kate put her handle on the door and opened it.

She immediately swiveled around, looking pale in the face. Keith simply stared on, horrified. Inside were a bunch of machines, and only a lone Pachirisu sitting in a cage, little wires attached all over its body.

Keith carefully took Kate's hand and led her inside. They stood in front of the cage, where the drained, almost dying Pachirisu lay unconscious. "That's sick." Keith said hoarsely. "That's just sick!" He aimed a strong punch at the cage.

"Keith, no!" Kate jumped in front of him, and Keith stopped his hand just before it hit her face. It was grazing her cheek.

"I know this is just wrong, Keith." Kate said, her voice shaking. "I agree with you completely. This is just wrong!" Her voice broke.

"But we can't free it just yet," She continued. "We have to show Principal Lamont this, for proof, and then we can help this Pachirisu, but we have to h-hurry." Keith stared at her, and withdrew his hand. He then nodded. "Ok," He said.

Suddenly Rhythmi's shrill voice rang out. "Oh, Mr. Kincaid! And Isaac too!" She said in a high voice. Kate and Keith froze. Rhythmi kept talking. "Did I tell you both that my friend Kate is training to be a Ranger?"

Keith and Kate looked at each other. "Hide!" Kate interpreted, and the two ducked into a wardrobe nearby.

It took a few seconds for Keith to fully register their position. Kate was pressed up against Keith's chest, looking out the little gap in the wardrobe door that was too narrow for them to be spotted, but just wide enough to have a clear view of the tiny room.

Keith blushed furiously at how close they were. He then distracted himself by seeing Mr. Kincaid and Isaac enter the room.

"…Honestly, that Rhythmi girl." Mr. Kincaid's voice rang out. "What a pest! She wouldn't stop talking about Lovett and Evans!"

"Yes, Mr. Kincaid." Isaac's voice wheedled. His voice seemed to be in a trance. Kate saw Mr. Kincaid look over at the Pachirisu.

"Oh, I don't think this power supply can go on any longer." He said. Kate stiffened, feeling immeasurable anger at Mr. Kincaid for calling the innocent Pachirisu a power supply, and a powerful desire to kick Mr. Kincaid right in the—

Her murderous thoughts were interrupted by Mr. Kincaid ripping the Pachirisu from the cage and tossing it onto the ground.

Kate watched with horror as the little Electric Type rolled lifelessly over the ground and halt with a bump against the wall. She couldn't feel anything; the tears in her eyes rolled over her face unnoticed.

Keith, however, noticed them perfectly well, particularly because his shirt suddenly felt wet. He looked down at Kate. Without thinking, he put his arms around her and held her even closer. He felt her bury her face into his chest, as she was sobbing silently. He didn't look at the Pachirisu again either, he just stared at the empty wardrobe wall.

Only did they look up when they heard fading footsteps and a hiss of 'Operator!'

Keith and Kate tumbled out of the wardrobe, frantic. "Rhythmi, get down here! NOW!" Keith called whilst Kate made a beeline for the Pachirisu. She was afraid to touch its little pale body.

Rhythmi appeared in the doorway. "What happened—OH MY GOD?" She noticed the Pichu and ran for it, kneeling next to Kate. Keith bent down over them.

Rhythmi picked up the Pokemon delicately and put her ear against its limp body. "Well?" Keith said impatiently. Rhythmi gave a cry of relief. "It's alive, but only just," She reported. Keith sighed in relief, and Kate seemed to be both crying and laughing at the same time.

"Hurry! We have to see Janice!" Keith urged. They all ran for Janice, who was in the Staff Room, speaking with Principal Lamont.

"Janice!" Kate cried. Rhythmi held out the Pachirisu. "Oh, my!" Janice said, and took the Pachirisu, bustling to the Pokemon Care office. "What happened?" Mr. Lamont asked.

"Mr. Kincaid, that's what." Kate said gravely. Mr. Lamont paled. "What…?" Keith spoke.

"We looked around in the basement and found that Pachirisu with its energy being sucked out of it," He said. "Then we heard Kincaid and Isaac—we think he has something to do with this—and Kincaid just said the power supply for all the machines was almost dead, and he threw the Pachirisu on the ground."

Mr. Lamont's voice shook with anger as he spoke. "If what you say is true—and I have no doubt in my mind that it is—then Mr. Kincaid has broken three laws. One for the illegal use of draining Electric Type Pokemon for electricity, one for Pokemon abuse, and another for child abuse, as he no doubt tricked Isaac into this. I will call authorities immediately." And without a word, he swept off to his office.

Kate, Rhythmi, and Keith all left the office and looked at each other. Then they walked, without a word, to Ascension Square.

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They all sat on the stairs leading to the statue of Ascension Square. All was silent, but then Kate spoke.

"How can people like him exist?" Her voice was shaky. Keith and Rhythmi knew what she was talking about.

"I don't know Kate." Keith answered darkly. "I just don't know." Rhythmi put an arm around Kate without a word. Suddenly Janice walked towards them.

She sat down without a word. "The Pachirisu died," She said. All three of them gasped. Kate felt her heart sink.

"But," Janice went on. "When it died, it left something behind." And from the folds of her skirt, she revealed a large snowy white egg with light blue and yellow markings. Rhythmi's eyes widened. "Is that a Pokemon Egg?" She gasped. Janice smiled.

"Correct." She said. She then sighed. "I turned my back for two minutes and when I returned, the Pachirisu was dead and next to it was the Egg." Janice turned to look at Keith and Kate.

"This should go to someone who deserves it." She said. "Kate, Keith. If you two hadn't seen that Pachirisu and called Rhythmi, this Egg might not be here right now. Either one of you can have it. Go on."

"Wait, I thought students weren't allowed to keep Pokemon." Rhythmi said. Janice winked. "I already cleared it with Mr. Lamont. Pokemon, not Eggs." She said. "And by the time this hatches, you guys will be Rangers and Operators." She handed the Egg to Kate.

As soon as Kate's hands touched the Egg, she felt a warm, happy feeling course through her blood. She looked over at Keith.

"U-um…" She murmured. Keith grinned. "It's fine. You can keep it." He said.

A warm smile crept over Kate's features. She remembered the now dead Pachirisu and realized with a jolt that she was now responsible for its offspring.

For a whole new life.

Despite that, as she looked down at the Egg, she felt that happy feeling surge through her blood again. She turned to Janice.

"I'll take good care of it, I promise!" She said. "Thank you!"

"No problem." Janice said as the trio left Ascension Square.

Rhythmi grinned mischievously at Kate, who was holding the Egg in her arms. "I guess you're a mommy now, Kate!" She giggled. "I wonder who the daddy is…" Rhythmi was staring at Keith as she said this. Keith felt his face burn, and the flashes in his mind of him holding Kate close to his chest in the wardrobe earlier didn't help.

"RHYTHMI, I'LL KILL YOU!" He shouted. Kate hadn't gotten the message, assuming that Rhythmi had meant the Egg's father, and was now watching Keith chase Rhythmi around the courtyard, shouting, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Kate looked back down at the Egg in her arms. "A mommy, huh…" She pressed her lips softly to the Egg. She said quietly. "I probably won't do as well as your real mommy would, but…

"I'll try."