Kates' P.O.V

"Well where to?" Keith asked as he pulled his t-shirt over his head, I shook my head as I watched him. Buizel and Glaceon both snickered at me, I just glared at them.

"Well, let's go outside for a moment or so, maybe there's a pokemon out there that could help us," if memory serves, I was right, there should be some Drifloon out there that could lift us over the steam coming from the floor of the volcano. Luckily I was right there was.

"Ok, are you psychic?" Keith asked as he looked me up and down, I turned to look at him.

"It's a possibility, after all, I am Summerland's Gift," I stated as I looked at him, Keith just gave me a black 'I-forgot-about-that' face. I watched as Glaceon and Buizel both face palmed, honestly I couldn't blame them.

"Ok, how about we just catch this guy?" Keith asked as he tried to change the subject, I smirked.

"Don't think you're getting off that easily," I whispered as he caught the pokemon.

"You're evil, you know that?" Keith asked as he finished the capture, I smiled widely before clapping my hands together.

"You noticed," I smiled as I closed my eyes.

"You're worse than Crawford," I head Keith mutter, my eyes snapped open as I looked at him.

"I TAKE A HUGE AMOUNT OF AFFENCE TO THAT!" I yelled as I chased him back inside the volcano.

"Ow, ow, OW! OK YOU WIN!" Keith yelled as Buizel went Buizatouille on his ass. I just lagged behind as he was being tortured.

"YOU NEVER INSULT KATE LIKE THAT! EVER! DO YOU HEAR ME KEITH?!" Buizel yelled, Glaceon just shook her head, while I smiled a toothy smile, for some reason I was feeling very, very goofy, even after the fiasco outside the volcano.

I watched as Keith ran into one of the walls of the volcano. I winced at the sight before rushing to his aid.

"Keith? Are you ok?" I asked, concern laced my voice, though you could tell I obviously wanted to laugh.

"Go ahead and laugh," Keith muttered as he turned to face me, his face was burned a little from the heat of the rock. I covered my mouth with my right hand to hide my amusement.

"Here. Lemme help," I ordered as I took my bag from around my shoulder, I never go anywhere without it, as you can tell. I grabbed my mini first aid kit before applying some burn ointment to Keith's burn.

"This is really getting out of hand," Keith muttered as he looked at Buizel, who looked like he had just figured out one of Einstein's problems.

"Hey, Barlow's missing, we haven't seen him in a while," at that Keith fell over anime style, while Glaceon shook her head, I just looked at Buizel with a blank expression.

"Well, now that we're all on the same page, how about we go?" Keith asked as he sweat dropped while ushering us towards a small river of lava.

"Erm, sure," I answered as we walked towards the lava. The Drifloon made a happy noise, before it draped its, string like, arms around me before draping them around Keith, who was then pushed into me. I looked up at Keith as our chest pressed together.

"Well, this is something you don't see every day," Keith whispered as he winked at me, I rolled my eyes at him before looking at Glaceon and Buizel. Glaceon smiled as she backed up, with Buizel on her back, before running to the lava and jumping over it.

"HOLY SHIT! I ALWAYS LOVED YOU KEITH! GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD!" Buizel yelled as amine tears came streaming down his face. He held onto Glaceon's fur as he held onto his head, like he was holding a hat down.

"Classic rodeo clown," I muttered as I looked at the pokemon, shaking my head, as well as sweat dropping.

"Well, that's something you definitely don't see every day," Keith stated as Drifloon lifted us into the air, taking me by surprise. I did what my instincts told me to do, grab onto the thing nearest to you, which in my case, happened to be Keith.

"Aw, you just can't resist touching me," he stated with a wink, I glared at him before I felt him wrap his arms around my waist, "I won't let you fall," he whispered as we were half way across the small river of lava.

When Drifloon set us down, we thanked the pokemon as we watched it take off. We were completely oblivious that we were still in each other's arms.

"Well, I hate to break the moment, I really do, but BARLOW'S STILL MISSING!" Glaceon yelled, we turned to look at her in shock and fright, we weren't expecting that. I then looked at the position Keith and I were in. I quickly jumped away from him towards the lava river, accidentally losing my footing. I screamed as I felt myself falling backwards.

I felt Keith grab a hold of my hands, but he ended up tumbling forwards as well. I saw Buizel grab Keith, but that didn't do any good. The next thing I know, I'm half way falling, Keith still had a hold of me, but Buizel and Keith's feet are frozen solid.

Glaceon shook her head as she ran to a nearby Drifloon; I felt my grip on Keith slipping.

"Don't you dare let go," Keith whispered as he looked at me, the determination in his eyes was huge. My eyes widened when I heard the ice crack, "Don't even think about it," Keith ordered, I looked at him with sorry eyes as I released his hand.

"KATE!" I heard Glaceon yell before two strings wrapped around my waist. I felt myself being lifted from the lava as the heat left the back of my neck. A nearby Charmander melted the ice Buizel and Keith were in, as the Drifloon caught them.

"Thank you so much you two," Glaceon thanked, the two pokemon nodded their heads as they looked at Keith, Buizel and me, I smiled at the pokemon as I nodded my head, giving them a thumbs up, Buizel jumped for joy around them, while Keith nodded his thanks. We watched as the pokemon returned to where they were before Keith turned to me.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" he yelled as he looked at me, I glared at him.

"I was thinking it was better one of us dying than three, that way Barlow would have still been found," I stated as I looked at him, Keith returned my answer with his own glare.

"I promised your family I would look after you, do you know what would have happened, not only to me, but to them, Rythmi, Seren, Kellyn, Isaac, Luana, Elaine and Barlow if you died?" Keith asked, his voice was more serious than I had ever had it. I gritted my teeth as I looked back at him.

"A Ranger's prepared for anything, even death," I shot back as I glared at Keith, Buizel and Glaceon were looking between us now with worried faces.

"NO!" Keith yelled as he looked at me, I could see his eyes losing their life, they were going hollow, "A Ranger's job is to protect people and pokemon around them, not get themselves killed," he growled, his voice was low, he was trying to control his anger, but I knew it wasn't working.

"What would you have me rather have done? Not let go and let you and Buizel fall to your deaths with me?" I asked as I put my hands on my hips.

"It would have been better than losing my best friend," Keith answered.

"Well I wouldn't be able to live with that," I glared.

"Why not? You already live with such shit, you're a burden to almost everyone around you, especially me, I don't know why I didn't turn you into my father the minute I found out about you," at that, my eyes began to water as I looked to the ground.

"Kate, I didn't-,"

"Save it, I'm a burden on you, so let's just get this mission over with," I cut Keith off, the tears fell freely from my eyes, but I refused to look up. I trusted him, I trusted Keith, how could he do this?

'I trusted you, I guess now I know who my real friends are,' I thought as we carried on walking, Buizel and Glaceon walked at either of my side. Buizel shot Keith a disappointed look, while Glaceon shot him one of her vicious death glares.

"I didn't mean it," I heard Keith whispered, I almost laughed, but I was too upset. He meant it, he meant every word he just said, even the best friend part, but that died when he said the last part.

We walked to the back of the volcano in silence; Buizel was now on Keith's shoulder while Glaceon was with me.

"Kate," Keith called, I turned to look at him, my eyes were a little red from crying, plus my cheeks were red and hot with tear stains. I saw Keith's eyes flash with pain when he saw me, he handed me something, a red styler.

"Barlow," I muttered as I looked at the styler.

"Yeah, what did you say about Dim Sun when you were in Pueltown?" Keith asked, I thought for a moment.

"They took off by boat, towards Boyleland," my eyes shot wide open with realisation, "There's a part in the volcano that leads to the sea, it's big enough to fit a cargo ship in, I bet that's where they are," I looked up from the styler in my hands and into Keith's eyes, they were soft, sorry and worried.

"Well, let's go," he whispered as we continued walking towards the back of the volcano, we soon passed through the doorway and into another room, there were two Dim Sun Grunts on top of a ledge, but we couldn't hear them properly. Whatever they were talking about, it had something to do with Barlow.

"HEY!" Keith yelled as he ran in front of me, I walked after him.

"He didn't mean what he said, he was just mad," Buizel stated as he jumped onto my shoulder, I looked at the pokemon.

"He could have been drunk for all I care, there was no reason for him to say that," I replied as I looked at Keith being attacked by a couple of the Dims Sun's pokemon, or wild pokemon, I couldn't really tell.

When a rumbling came from near us I looked around, nothing. Glaceon yelled as she looked up above Keith, a large boulder was going to fall on him. I silently gasped as Keith looked up, he froze in place.

I began running as Buizel jumped off my shoulder, onto the floor. The boulder was falling fast; I only just managed to tackle Keith out of the way as the boulder hit the floor, sending some stray rocks our way, none of them big enough to cause damage though.

Smoke began filling the area as Keith and I began coughing. I waved my hand around in front of my face as I tried to clear the smoke from my line of vision. By the time I could see again, and the dust was cleared, we saw the bolder had fallen in front of the only opening to the arch Keith was stood in front of. I mentally sighed, this could take the piss to move, or Glaceon could just use iron tail on it, that'd be quicker.

"You ok?" I asked Keith as I coughed a final time. Keith looked at the boulder then at me before nodding once; I just stood up after I saw him nod.

"You idiot, now look what you've done."

"Me you're the one who….."

I decided to ignore the two idiot Dim Suns as I motioned for Glaceon to come over to me. She nodded as she walked over to me before using iron tail on the boulder, which crumbled easily. I love how she can read me.

"ALL RIGHT! BARLOW HERE WE COME!" Buizel yelled as he jumped onto my shoulder, in a Superman outfit? No, I don't wanna know, "BUIZEL MAN TO THE RESCUE!" he yelled again as he jumped off my shoulder, falling face first onto the floor, I tried my hardest not to laugh at the pokemon, but found myself failing.

"I swear to Arceus, Buizel's gonna be a gay pokemon," I heard Keith mutter as he walked over to me with his eyes closed, shaking his head and his arms folded over his chest.

"Don't drag me into this," I jumped at the sound of Arceus' voice. Looking around I saw the pokemon was nowhere to be seen, Keith, Buizel, who had previously recovered, and Glaceon were doing the same thing.

"How long have you been listening?" I asked as I looked around the empty volcano….wait, empty? Where did the Dim Sun…I stopped my train of thought when I saw the metal door at the back of the room…..oh right, I really am getting dense.

"I'm the God of pokemon Kate; I've been watching you since the beginning. I've seen everything that's happened on this mission, including the argument," Arceus' stated, I could just picture his disapproving look towards Keith, who just walked over to me.

"We should get to the ship, shouldn't we?" he asked, I nodded my head as we walked towards the door, "Kate, stop giving me the silent treatment already, I didn't mean what I said, I'm sorry," he apologized; I turned to glare at him.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Keith, I trusted you, not you've just thrown that away," I stated as I carried on walking.

"Arceus, you're so difficult," Keith growled as he walked next to me.

"No, I'm not difficult, I'm a God," Arceus responded, I laughed a little at him before we entered the back room, where a large cargo ship was stood.

"Woah, think they've got any hot pants on there?" Keith asked, I just shook my head at him, "Was it something I said?" he asked as we looked at the Dim Sun in front of us, across the water.

"We depart in three minutes, remember if you see a small Ranger throw 'em out, if it's a big un, bind them a smidgeon on the tight side," the Admin ordered as he, or she, I couldn't tell from here, looked at the Grunts.

"Yes sir," the Grunts answered in unison.

"Now, stations everyone," the Admin ordered.

"Oh, I'll take a game station, it gets boring up here," Arceus stated, I looked up at the ceiling.

"Arceus, aren't you meant to be watching over people?" I asked.

"Oh shit, gotta go bye," Arceus answered as he either disappeared, or stopped talking to us, I don't know which.

"Right, we got three minutes, let's plan a strategy," Keith stated as he looked at the guard coming over towards us. I shrugged as I stepped out in front of the guard.

"Hey, you know I hate broccoli," I stated, the guard looked at me confused, as did Keith, who had previously stepped to my left side. Without warning I punched the guard in the face, "Forgive me Arceus," I muttered as I shook my fists, while looking at the unconscious guard.

"Nah, give 'em hell from me," Arceus spoke before going again, I laughed a little as we continued walking, we ran into a second guard not long after.

"Hey, you know, I like blue things, like veins, the sky, Shellos, things like that," I smiled innocently, while the guard gave me a confused look. Keith was the one who punched him this time.

"Damn, these guys have faces made of concrete," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Yeah, so does Blake Hall," I stated as I shrugged, we carried on walking, while Buizel and Glaceon stayed at our side.

"Hey, you know, you shouldn't be working with Loser Sun, it'll get you nowhere in life," I stated, the guard growled at me before advancing on me. Keith moved his arm to move me behind him a little; this guard was a pretty big one.

"You just had to piss of the big 'ens, dint ya?" he asked before watching the guard get frozen. I smiled as I petted Glaceon a couple of times.

"Nice one," I stated as I tapped the ice, "Huh, this is the thickest ice you've ever made, how'd you do it?" I asked.

"I thought of how dense Ben and Crawford were," Glaceon stated as she smiled at me, that got Keith, Buizel and me laughing before we went to find the last guard.

"Huh, I could have sworn there were four guards," I stated as I tapped my chin thinking. I felt Keith grab my wrist as he pulled me into his chest.

"There was, that's the last one," Keith stated as he looked at the guard that threw a knife at me, how did I miss that? Oh well, I watched as the guard was hit with a powerful water gun that sent him flying through three crates.

"Ouch," I whispered as I looked at the unconscious guard, "I'm not paying for anything," I stated as I turned around to look at the boat, but only came face to face with Keith's neck, when did he grow so tall? AH! NEVER MIND THAT! BARLOW'S STILL IN TROUBLE!

"Erm, can you go?" I asked, my voice held no emotion as I spoke; my giddy mood had be gone since Keith said I was a burden. He released me before we walked onto the ship, which left in less than a minute. We were pushed back out by a couple of Dim Suns. I groaned before readying my styler as they sent out a Gloom and two Beedrill.

"CAPTURE ON!" I yelled as I caught the Gloom no problem, the Beedrill were a bit of a problem. They were so fast and attacked so quickly, I watched as the pin missals came towards me, I dodged them but they ended up hitting Keith, who hissed in pain. I rolled my eyes before actually completing the capture.

"Well, that was interesting," Keith hissed through clenched teeth.

"THE SHIP WILL BE DEPARTING FROM BOYLELAND NOW! ALL GRUNTS ON BOARD AND TO YOUR STATIONS!" a voice from the boat rang out.

"HAHA! We delayed you enough for the ship to take off," one of the Grunts said, I rolled my eyes before pushing passed the two of them, knocking them into the water as I did so.

"Don't you guys ever stop talking?" I muttered as we passed them, Buizel stuck his tongue out, while Glaceon gave them a posh person's look of distain, Keith just laughed at the two wet rats before following me on board.

"So this is the Kingston Vail?" one asked, the other nodded, "It looks like a giant plug."

"That's 'cause it is a giant plug," said the other. "You take it out and the water comes in," the first nodded as they walked away talking about something to do with pokemon.

"Well, we made it on board, now all we have to do is find Barlow," Keith stated as I looked around. There was a number of missing pokemon that looked angry.

"That might be a bit of a problem," I stated as we were surrounded by the pokemon from the first room of the ship.

"Oh shit, Kate, promise me one thing," Keith ordered as he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Depends on what it is," I stated.

"Don't die," he answered, I smirked.

"Only if you promise me you won't die," I answered, I saw Keith smirk, I knew then and there we had an agreement; none of us were going to die in this ship.

I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE! Don't kill me, I have been busy with school starting again, as well as a few homework assignments, as well as no internet for the last week of the holidays, I know, sucks right? If you stay tuned, I think the next chapter will make up for it, though you might also hate me for it, but please just wait for it. I'll try to get two chapters up on the weekend, no promises, so please don't kill me, now REVIEW, and I'll update again tomorrow. Also if you want ANYTHING to happen to Kate and/or Keith, except for kissing, then please review or PM me your idea and I'll try to add it in, now please REVIEW :D