"Please go back to your regular duties until further notice. That means patrols, Rangers." These were the rushed parting words of Professor Hastings, a sign of dismissing everyone. Barlow, Crawford, and Luana waved goodbye. "Remember to see a doctor soon, Tori!" The other rangers dispersed and left the area. Professor Hastings was the last to leave.
I remained in the room, immobile because of my leg. Only Erma, Sven, Wendy, and myself remained. "I'm glad you three are here," Erma said. "I needed to talk to you." I shifted uneasily in my seat. "As you can probably already can tell, the Professor has been feeling a bit stressed lately."
"That's understandable, Erma," Sven said. "He's under a lot of stress working nonstop because of this new mystery."
"Yes, but there have been times as hard as this and he has not been feeling this bad. Maybe I'm the one who's watching him too closely," Erma wondered.
"We're all worried about the Professor, and the stress that he's under," Wendy stated, and I nodded my agreement. "But the Professor can handle it. He's done several missions like this one before, each one just as hard as the other. This isn't any different. It may take a little extra deciphering, but he's not one to give up."
"I think you're absolutely right, Wendy," I agreed. "Professor Hastings can handle anything!"
"Perhaps you rangers are correct, and that this is nothing more than a mood swing." Erma looked under the table at my leg. "Oh, goodness! Tell us exactly what happened to you."
I launched my full tale about Haruba Village and the earthquake, saving the Tangrowths, and breaking my leg. The three of them winced in sympathy when I told them about the sickening crunch of my leg. "After I couldn't stand, Rythmi sent Barlow and the gang to help me get back."
Erma nodded. "You're lucky that the Vientown rangers were available, and that the Professor also has his medical degree and can take a look at your leg." She walked around to my side of the table and helped me up, motioning to Wendy for her to help her carry me to the Professor's study.
They walked me down the corridor to the Professor's office. Erma punched in a code on a set of buttons by the door, and we entered the large study. Professor Hastings sat in his swivel chair, examining some documents. One look at my leg and he jumped out of his chair, and waved Erma and Wendy off. "Thank you, Erma and Wendy. I can take it from here now." He sat me down on a couch, and walked over to his closet, opened the door, and pressed a button. On the other side of the room, the wall flipped, showing a metal examining desk. He walked back over to me, and he could tell that I was impressed.
"Interesting," I said. "I never knew that you had that."
"No one does," said the Professor. "I only use it in emergencies." He took another look at my dangling leg. "And your emergency calls for the table."
He lifted me up onto the surface. Cold and hard, it gave my skin chills. I lifted my leg up for the Professor to examine. He looked up and down it, and finally looked at me. "You need to have a cast for this," he told me.
"What?!" I shouted, nearly knocking him over.
Regaining his balance, Professor Hastings said, "I wouldn't give you one unless I believed you really need it. And you do."
"But I want to help with the Quint Reunion mission," I begged, my voice trembling, "Will I be well enough in time for investigations?"
The Professor looked at me. "Maybe," he started, "But don't get your hopes too high. If you strain it too much, definetly not." He left me on the table and walked back to his closet, pulling out some crutches. I groaned out loud. I had used these before when I was eight because I had sprained my ankle. Years later, I still remembered the feeling of sore armpits.
"I recommend using towels on the armrests," he advised, and I gladly took his advice. Wobbling out the door, I called out my thanks.
"Come see me next week for another examine!" the Professor shouted after me.
Limping on unsteady legs was rough. I could barely make it down the corridor without tripping over myself, and I nearly ran into three people. Deciding to visit Rythmi, I limped up the stairs, just barely making it not falling. I finally got up, and hobbled over to Rythmi's station.
Spotting me first, Rythmi ran over to me, nearly knocking me down. I had to resteady myself before I talked to her. "Sorry, Tori!" Rythmi apologized, and before I could get a word in edgewise she said, "Come here, I have a surprise for you." She walked toward the top floor of the Ranger Union building.
Confused, I followed her. She helped me up the stairs, and caught me when I fell over backwards. At the top of the Ranger Union builiding, you can see all of Almia, not to mention Fiore, too. At the top of the stairs, I gazed around, wondering what my surprise was. She grabbed me by the hand and said, "You're going to thank me for this."
She led me to the huge oak tree in the middle of the top floor. I stared at it. "Sooo..." I started, "What's the big deal about our tree? You know I see it almost every day. The oak tree is my--?"
I stopped mid-sentence as I stared in awe at the person who walked out from behind the giant tree. The only person who could make my heart leap, when I thought that it wasn't possible. The one person who saved me from the everlasting darkness that Darkrai had in store for me that day. The person who, so long ago, made a promise with me and my other best friend, who stood beside me now.
He stepped out of the tree's shadow and into a ray of sunshine, highlighting his light colored hair. He smiled his crooked smile that made me stop breathing altogether. "It's been a while, Tori." He didn't need to say anymore.
I limped awkwardly to his arms, but he met me halfway. He wrapped me into a great hug. "I missed you so much, Keith."
