*eats a pastry*

Hiya guys! Another new chapter update! Kate ran off upset while Keith realized he messed things up. What'll be the outcome? You've got to read, review and find it all out!

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(Kate)

That…..that jerk! Moron! Idiot! How could he? I thought we were friends! My feelings got hurt again by that egotistical, hot headed, twit. All he thinks of me is….is….a screwup. I'm nothing to him. He hates me…this time I know it for sure…

I didn't stop running. Didn't care where I was going or where I ended up. All I wanted was to be as far away from that redhead as possible. Let my feet carry me till they felt like lead. Tears were leaking out my eyes but I made no effort to stop them. What's the point? How much more lower could I possible go?

"Chippa!"

Chia tried to warn me but it was too late. I tripped over a tree root and landed with a thud, right on the ground. Yikes that hurt…with a groan, I got on all fours and assessed the damage. Nothing broken, sprained or hurt. Just a minor bruise.

"Chi? Chippa chippa?" Chia looked at me with a concerned expression.

"I'll be alright." I sighed, patting her head.

So where did I end up? I looked around. This was Vien Forest…but….I went in a lot deeper than I've ever gone. The trees were taller, more ominous. Their canopy didn't let much light reach through, darkening the ground where I sat. Not many pokemon around, if at all. How far in did I go?

"Shaaaa…"

A ghostly voice caught my attention. Ahead of me a few feet was a blue shuppet, floating and beckoning me to come to it. I've heard stories about it when I was little; a blue shuppet always leads you to your fate. Was this one trying to lead me to mine? I got up and took a step forward.

"Chi…" Chia seemed hesitant about it.

"It'll be fine." I whispered. "Don't worry about a thing."

Taking in a deep breath, I slowly walked up to the shuppet. I reached out my hand but it turned to vapor. Had I done something wrong?...apparently not. Another blue shuppet appeared some distance away. A whole line of them formed, calling me to come forward into the darker part of the forest. I follow the path, each shuppet turning to vapor at close range while another appeared at the end of the line. Chia was nervous, but I stroked her fur to ease her fears (as well as my own apprehension). For a little while, I walked into the woods as the shuppets directed. Once the line of shuppets was near completion, I hustled forward to the end.

At the bottom of the ledge I stood on was a cottage. Very old fashioned but quaint and cozy-like. Strange how the shuppets led me there. But maybe there was something inside that would tie me to my fate. I slid down the rocks and went up to the cottage.

Knock, knock!

…..no answer. I grab the doorknob, twist it and push the door open, hearing a faint bell as I did. The place was only lit by two or three very dim lanterns. Everything seemed to be made of wood. Each piece of furniture, shelf and item was carved from wood. The entire house was filled with all sorts of unique wood knick-knacks. All of them had a similar theme; dragon. Dragon statues, dragon clock, dragon carvings on bowls, dragon toys….everything had dragons on them. Whoever lived there certainly had a favorite pokemon type.

"Hello?" I call into the house.

"Why hello!"

The voice came from the next room over. I go there to find a short old woman sweeping the floors (of a room filled with, guess what, dragon stuff). She seemed cheerful and upbeat, despite her somewhat unusual appearance and the murkrow on her shoulder. Though something seemed unusually off…what was it?

"Welcome to my shop!" The old woman greeted as she set her broom aside. "We've got all sorts of wood carvings for you to pick out!"

"Um yeah….listen, the blue shuppets led me…" I tried to tell her.

"Blue shuppets? Ahahaha! Haven't heard that fairy tale in years!" She laughed.

"Fairy tale!" The murkrow chirps.

"No I swear I saw bl….hold on…." I stare at the bird. "Did that murkrow just talk?"

"Talking murkrow? Why that's silly!" The old lady giggled, smacking her hand on the murkrow. "Now are you going to buy something young lady or not?"

My eyes soon caught something else moving. The broom was sweeping. On it's own. The old woman immediately swung around and grabbed it, trying to pretend to be sweeping the floor herself.

"I got it!" I suddenly realized. "You're a witch!"

"That's it! Get out of the store!" The witch tried to push me.

"Hey wait! I need your help!" I told her. "Can't you fix me up a spell or something?"

"Sorry! Unhappy customers in the past and I ain't takin another chance!" The witch shouted.

"Please! I really need your help!" I begged, trying to resist being shoved out the front door.

"If you're not buying something, then I need you to leave!" The witch refused.

"Wait! I want to buy something!" I lied.

"Really?" The witch stopped.

"…..no." I muttered.

The witch glared at me. Her hands rose, summoning two dozen knives into the air. She flicked her fingers and pointed all the knives straight at me and Chia from every angle. Not a good position to be in.

"Now are we going to leave with or without force?" The witch questioned. "Cause I don't want to mop your blood of the floor."

An idea came into my head. Wasn't sure how it'd work but worth a shot.

"Hold it!" I pulled out my ranger license from my pocket. "I'm Top Ranger number eleven, Kate River. I've saved lives, helped the environment and try to make the world a better place. I don't usually ask for anything in return but…please….just this once, can you help me?"

The witch studied over my license. And weird enough, so did the knives. The knives were pointed directly the witch now. It was kind of cool to know that kitchen utensils took my side. The witch wasn't liking it.

"Oh all right." The witch sighed. "What is it you need?"

"A spell that can make my friend like me, to change his heart." I answered.

She whisked her hand and the knives went back to their places. After snapping her fingers three times, the witch led me back to the other room. Only…it wasn't the same as before. Now it was exactly like a witch's room. A black cauldron over a fire, potions and weird stuff all over the place, spider webs on the walls…it was creepy yet cool. The witch went right over to the cauldron and clapped her hands, making the stuff inside light up neon green.

"Last time I did a spell like that was for a prince." The witch said.

"Easy on the eyes." Murkrow piped up. "Handsome prince….brawwwk!"

"He demanded I give him the strength of ten men. And he gave me…" The witch pulled out an amulet "…this, for a spell."

It was an old copper-colored stone, with a carving of dragon wings. Not hard to guess why she took that as payment.

"He wanted a spell that would change his fate." The witch told me.

"And…did he get what he was after?" I asked.

"Yes!" The witch replied. "And made off with a very nice mahogany shelf. One of my prized pieces of work."

She went over and inspected some of the ingredients, mumbling to herself. Then, looking as if inspiration struck, the witch grabbed a few round items and threw them into the cauldron. The liquid inside started to swirl, turning a stormy dark purple with thunder echoing off the walls. Right after, the witch tossed in a dried up thing (I chose not to ask…) and made the liquid turn a sparkling ocean blue.

"Brawwk!" The murkrow flew onto my head and yanked a piece of hair off. "Hair!"

"Hey!" I yelped.

Didn't have to be so hard. But the murkrow gave the piece of hair to the witch, who dropped it into the cauldron. The liquid changed again, making it looking like bubbling molten magma. Hopping onto a stool, the old woman grabbed her wooden spoon and started stirring the contents of the cauldron together that turned greenish yellow. She added a sprinkle of powder and then stood back.

"You might want to wear this." The old woman handed me a welding mask for myself and Chia.

I hesitated until I saw her and the murkrow put on theirs. Through the mask, I watched the cauldron start to glow white. For three or four seconds, everything flashed in an explosion of blinding bright light. When it was over, I followed the witch as she took off her mask.

"Almost done…" She murmered.

The witch grabbed tonsils and stuck them into the dark green liquid. She fished around for something but then pulled out a square. As the liquid melted off, I could slowly start to see what it was. It…was….

"…a brownie?" I blinked.

"Yes!" The witch put it on a cloth napkin for me and started wrapping it up.

"This is the spell that will change my friend's heart?" I ask.

"It is!" The witch handed me the wrapped brownie. "Just have your friend eat this. And voila! Your heart will change, as well as your fate!"

"Thank you!" I said, still a bit perplexed about the brownie.

"It's a pleasure." The witch nodded.

I exited the room, stuffed the brownie in my pocket and out the cottage with Chia. As I walked back through the woods, I felt a little relieved. Finally, the answer to my problems. If Keith ate this, then he'd like me! Ok so using a spell is cheating but I'm desperate. I want him to like me back and not think of me as…sigh….

"Chi? Chippa chippa?" Chia looked over at me.

"This is going to work, Chia." I tell her. "I can feel it."

Getting out of the forest was easier than I anticipated. I navigated through Pueltown and started back on my way to the Union. I could see the sun starting to go down. Everyone had to be back at the Union, Keith included. My assumption was he was still mad at me. But if I offered him sweets, he'd accept and eat it. Keith always loved pastries and sugary snacks.

There it was. The Union was within sight. Summoning up my courage, I started to make my way back to base.

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*stares at the pastry I'm eating*

Er….ummm….yeah…

*sets it down*

While I go check where this pastry came from, you readers can wait for the next update! Don't worry! It won't be too long a wait!