Kates' P.O.V
I sighed as I looked out to sea. Arceus really hadn't been that much help, he just looked at me with pity, but there was also something else in his eyes, I couldn't make out what it was though.
When we decided to go back to the rooms, I quickly changed out of my Ranger Uniform into short blue shorts and a blue tank top. I placed my trainers on my feet before running out of Base with my sketch pad in hand.
I sighed as I looked at the calmness of the sea. I liked it like this, not like what it was when we were on the cargo ship. I can remember it clearly, the sound of rushing water, the salty sea slapping against the metal. The shakiness of the boat whenever a wave hit it. The minute the boat started sinking, is when everything went downhill.
Now, I was alone, Rythmi, Isaac, Kellyn, Seren and myself. We had lost our most important friend, the one we swore we would help open up, the one we silently vowed to look after. Even if Keith didn't know it, he was the best out of us, even I had to admit it, but now he was gone.
A tear escaped my eye as it landed on my drawing, Kellyn, Seren, Ryth, Isaac, Keith and myself. We were stood next to each other, each of us linking arms, a huge smile placed on our faces as we laughed. It was a rare moment when we had Keith smiling, even Glaceon looked happy in the picture; it was a perfect memory, one that would carry on forever.
But I never thought forever would come to an end. I ripped the page out of my sketch pad as I set it onto the floor next to me, on the top of a pile of paper. Each paper, had a picture of Keith in it. Whether it be from our Ranger School days, or from the Graduation to the Base we live in now.
"I thought I'd find you here," I heard a voice say, I jumped slightly at the voice, but never turned around, I already knew who it was.
"Jackie, I thought you were in Hoenn or Johto or wherever?" I asked as I looked back at the sea.
"I was, but I heard about Keith and figured I'd come make sure you were ok," he answered as he took a seat next to me; I sighed slightly as I nodded my head.
"I'm fine, I guess, I'm holding out ok," I stated as I looked at the waves crash onto the pier of Pueltown's docks.
"I heard you sent Sharpedo to get him," Jackie replied as he looked from the sea to me, I didn't look at him.
"So what?" I asked as I lowered my head to look at a drawing of Sharpedo.
"I'm just saying-,"
"MOVE!" I yelled as some pokemon jumped out of the water and onto the docks, they were Tentacruel, around ten of them at that. Behind them a saw something floating in the ocean, while something was swimming closer to it, my eyes narrowed, it couldn't be…could it?
"Jackie, can you handle this?" I asked as I looked at the Tentacruel, Jackie nodded his head. With that I jumped over the pokemon into the sea, I swam to the floating thing in the ocean before picking it up.
"So, we're gonna have a slight cause of déjà vu, huh?" I asked as I picked the blue, red and yellow egg up before placing it in the bag on my shoulder. I squinted my eyes to get a better look at the thing swimming towards us, it wasn't one thing, it was two things. I quickly swam over to them before helping them to the shore. I may be down about Keith, but I won't let that get in the way of my job.
I looked at the pokemon that was helping us, it was….SHARPEDO?! Then, does that mean…I looked at the boy the Sharpedo was carrying, sure enough, it was Keith.
"JACKIE!" I yelled as I looked at him, he screamed before being flung into the ocean just a few feet in front of us. He swam over to us before helping Sharpedo and me with Keith.
The ocean began blowing around our face as we looked up to see someone in a helicopter. It was Phantom, along with Kai, Blake and Max.
"You gotta be kidding me," Jackie muttered as Keith began moaning, I think he was waking up.
"If we don't get him medical attention he could die," Sharpedo informed me, I groaned this was way too much for me to handle at once. I looked back to shore to see the Tentacruel jumping into the water.
"Give us the Manaphy egg and we'll let you live," Phantom cackled as he looked at us, I turned my head at the sound of powerful rushing water.
"Oh no," I whispered, Jackie turned his head to see the same sight I did, Kyogre rushing towards us. We gulped as we panicked, Tentacruel in front of us, Kyogre behind us, Phantom, Max, Kai and Blake above us, along with some Top Rangers that were flying on Staraptor, and…..hang on.
We looked up as three Rangers flew in front of us, Sven, Wendy, Solana and above them was Lunick. Wendy quickly helped me onto her Staraptor as Sven got a hold of Keith before pulling him onto his, Jackie then hopped onto Solana's as I returned Sharpedo to its pokeball.
"TO THE UNION!" Wendy yelled as we began flying, Phantom and the others hot on our tail.
"KATE!" Jackie yelled over the roaring wind, I groaned slightly before turning around to face the helicopter they were in.
"MEW!" I yelled as the pink pokemon puffed out of thin air, "TAKE 'EM DOWN!" I yelled, Mew did as told as she began using her psychic attacks on the helicopter, which landed in the Chroma Highlands.
"ALRIGHT!" I smiled as I high fived Mew, who laughed at us. We landed in front of the Union not two minutes later. Hastings rushed Keith into the infirmary where doctors and nurses began operating on him. Wendy left with Sven to tell the Base, while Solana and Lunick walking with Chairperson Erma to tell her the story.
"Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events," Jackie stated as he looked at me, I nodded my head as Mew flew over to me.
"Mew, can you go to the Base and bring Glaceon, Buizel and Rythmi over?" I asked, Mew nodded before she disappeared in a poof.
"I'm Keith'll be fine now that he's getting treatment," Jackie tried to reassure me; I smiled slightly as I rested my hand on the window that looked into Keith's room.
Another poof was heard as Glaceon, Buizel and Rythmi rushed over to me, each of them panting as they did so.
"We got the news from the operators, is it true?" Rythmi asked as she looked at me, I looked into the room Keith was in again, she followed my gaze. A gasp escaped her mouth as her hands rested over it to try and suppress any other sounds that wanted to escape.
"He'll be fine, as long as we've gotten to him in time, he'll survive," Hastings said as he walked up behind us all. Tears escaped Rythmi's eyes as she began crying, Mew nuzzled into my neck as she tried to comfort me. Buizel and Glaceon both stayed side by side, trying to stay strong, though I could see the pain in their eyes.
"Kate, walk with me," Hastings ordered, I looked at him in shock but nodded as I followed him down the halls. Soon we were out of sight of Rythmi and the others, silence floated around us…that is, until grandpa decided to break it.
"You care for this Dazzle boy Kate," he stated as if it were obvious.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't," I answered as we walked through the halls of the Union. My bag on my back as we walked, "Grandpa, I need an egg container," I stated as I pulled the Manaphy egg out from my bag. Grandpa nodded as he led me to the room he kept them in.
"If this egg hatched while in your possession, please don't grow too attached to the pokemon, you'll need to release it into the ocean in the end," Grandpa stated as he handed me a container. I filled it with warm water before putting some salt into it; it'd have to do until I got to the ocean.
"I know grandpapa, I promise I won't," I sighed as I placed the egg into the container.
"Something's troubling you," Grandpa stated as he looked at me, I frowned a little.
"It's nothing, I just remember how hard it was for May to set Manaphy free," I answered as I smiled slightly.
"You should give her a call, I'm sure she'd be happy to hear from you," Grandpa replied as we walked out of the room back towards where Keith was.
"I'm sure she would, I'll give her a call when I have time," I answered as I walked up to Ryth and Jackie, who was talking to a doctor.
"So, he'll be ok?" Rythmi asked with hope in her eyes, the doctor smiled as he nodded his head.
"Keith should be fine, he'll be able to leave the Union tonight, I'm sure he'd prefer to be in his own bed, and if you and Kate take care of him, he'll be back to his old self in no time," the doctor smiled as he walked off.
"What did he say?" I asked, Ryth turned to me with a wide smile and tears of joy in her eyes.
"Keith'll be fine, he has cuts, bruises, gashes, a few broken bones, but other than that he's perfectly fine, no internal bleeding or brain damage. He'll be discharged tonight and taken back to Base, where he'll sleep in his own bed, we have to look after him though," Rythmi answered as she held her arms open, I think she wanted me to hug her, so I did. She began jumping up and down in joy before she walked into the room, Jackie, Hastings and I followed suit with Glaceon and Buizel.
Keith looked away from the ceiling towards us a faint smile came onto his lips when he saw us. Buizel rushed forwards before hugging him hard, to which he replied with a pained moan.
"BUIZEL!" Rythmi yelled, Buizel instantly let go, "I said he had broken bones," Rythmi scolded as she glared at the pokemon.
"Yeah, but you said nothing about broken ribs," Buizel stated in a know it all tone.
"They're the same thing," I said with a blank look on my face, Buizel just went off to pout before jumping onto Keith's bed and lying next to him. Glaceon sat on the foot of his bed as she laid on it. Jackie looked at Hastings before nodding his head.
"We're glad you're ok Keith, we'll see you around," Jackie stated as he walked out the room with Hastings in tow.
"Take it they didn't want to be a burden," Ryth said with a shrug before smiling at Keith, "I'm so glad you're ok," she smiled as she gave him a gentle hug, Keith responded with a smile as she did so.
I sat on the chair next to Keith's bed as I watched him hug Rythmi, before petting both Buizel and Glaceon.
"I take it you're mad at me?" Keith asked in a bit of a scared tone, I looked at him before frowning, my eyes narrowed.
"I'm not mad," I answered, he let out a sigh of relief, "I'm beyond furious, what the hell were you thinking?" I asked as I looked at him, he looked at me.
"I was thinking it was better one of us dying then both of us," he answered with a glare, I froze on the spot, he was thinking like I was in the volcano.
"You scared the daylights out of me Keith, I thought you were dead," I replied as I looked at him.
"Well I'm not, that's all that matters, right?" he asked, which earned him a punch from Rythmi, "Ow, hey bruised here," Keith stated as he glared at her. Rythmi pointed to me as I looked down to my lap, Keith looked at me.
"Rythmi, could you get me a drink, and something to eat?" Keith asked as he looked at her. I heard the sound of footsteps leave the room before the door closed behind them. Keith shifted in his bed to a sitting position. He rested his fingers under my chin, forcing me to look at him.
"I'm not going anywhere any time soon, so stop worrying, this is just a minor injury, I've had worse at the hands of my father, you should know that," Keith stated as he looked at himself, my eyes followed as I looked at the bruises on his body, the cuts, the scars, the gashes. I sighed slightly before a green light filled the room.
"Figured someone might need an actual doctor," Celebi smiled as she flew over to Keith before healing his bones, "Unfortunately I'm quite tired, you'll have to let the cuts and bruises heal on their own, but I've done the bones for you, go ahead, move your arm," Celebi ordered, Keith did so, he smiled when he felt no pain before standing to his feet, still a little shaky.
"Thank you Celebi, I owe you one," Keith smiled as he looked at Celebi, who nodded her head before getting ready to teleport again.
"Hold up, how did you know about Keith?" I asked, Celebi stopped mid-teleportation before smiling at me.
"I'm a Forest Guardian Kate, everything's connect," Celebi answered, I place my hands on my hips while raising a brow at her, "That, and Arceus and Mew might have had something to do with it, both say hi by the way," Celebi smiled before laughing sheepishly.
"I'll kill them both," I muttered as Celebi teleported away, I turned to look at Keith, who was smiling widely. I sighed before shaking my head.
"What?" Keith asked, I didn't answer; I just gave him a hug, which he gladly returned it. I pulled away before punching him in the arm.
"OW, hey-,"
"If you ever scare me like that again, I will make you wish you were dead," I cut Keith off before he could speak, "Got it?" I asked, Keith gulped before nodding his head.
"Good," I smiled as I looked at my bag, which had begun to glow, "No way, already?" I asked as I picked the Manaphy egg out from the container.
"That a…Manaphy egg," Keith whispered as he stood next to me, the egg hatched as the two antennas joined to make one, the head came next then the body before the glow finally died down. Keith looked at me, then the baby pokemon in my hands.
I looked down to the little pokemon before it opened its eyes; it looked around before it began crying. Keith began panicking as he looked at the pokemon before grabbing a small sheet nearby. He wrapped the Manaphy up in it before I began cradling the pokemon, but she wouldn't stop crying.
"Sshh, it's ok," I smiled as I gently bounced the pokemon; Keith smiled as he began stroking the pokemon's face.
"You're ok, no one's going to hurt you," Keith added as he looked at the legendary water type, who looked back at us before smiling.
"Mama, Dada," the pokemon said before she fell to sleep in my arms. Keith and I both looked at each other in shock; we heard a tray drop behind us. We turned to see Rythmi, Hastings, Erma, Jackie, Solana, Lunick, Sven and Wendy stood there. I looked at Keith who looked at me.
"Mama? Dada?" Jackie asked as he looked at us, then the baby Manaphy, Hastings frowned as he looked between us to the pokemon.
"I'm afraid we might have a bit of a problem," Lunick stated as he looked at the pokemon.
"Ya think?" Solana asked as she placed her hands on her hips before hitting him upside the head.
"What should we call her, daddy?" I asked in a joking matter, Keith glared at me before thinking.
"What about Lullaby, Mommy?" he asked back in a joking tone.
"Stop bickering like an old married couple," Rythmi laughed when Sven said that before looking at the sleeping pokemon.
"What should we do?" Wendy asked as she turned to Erma, who frowned.
"Kate and Keith will both take the Manaphy back to its home, then they shall returned when the mission is complete," she answered before walking out of the room.
"Everyone come meet us in the conference room in two hours, we have much to discuss," Hastings ordered before he walked out of the room. I looked at Keith worriedly, his eyes held the same amount, if not more, then mine did.
"Looks like we have a tough mission ahead of us," Rythmi stated as she looked at us, we nodded our heads.
"Hang on…we?" Keith and I asked as we looked at our blond friend.
"You didn't think I was going to let you have all the fun on every mission did you?" she asked as she looked at us, I looked at Keith.
"But, Keith's still recovering," I answered as I looked at the sleeping Manaphy.
"You don't think that'll keep me down do you? You're still recovering, and you died," Keith retorted as he looked at me.
"That was entirely different," I argued.
"How was it?" Keith asked with a smirk.
"Woah, woah, woah, back up twenty steps, when did Kate die?" Rythmi asked as she looked at me.
"On the cargo ship, she drowned," Keith answered as he looked at Rythmi, he shouldn't have said that.
"So, you brought her back to life with the kiss of life?" Rythmi asked with a sly smirk.
"You and your big mouth," I groaned as I looked at Keith, who glared at me.
"Me? You're the one who's more bruised and cut up than I am," Keith stated.
"That has nothing to do with this conversation," I retorted as I glared at him.
"I know, I'm just trying to get Rythmi off of the kiss of life conversation," Keith whispered to me.
"Oh right, but still," I replied as I looked at the boy, who face palmed.
"I swear, you two are the most weird people I know," Rythmi stated as she sighed before shrugging. I set Lullaby down on the bed before looking at Keith, who smirked at me. We then proceeded to jump onto Rythmi, taking her into a hug.
"And that's why you love us," Keith and I both laughed as we hugged Rythmi, who smiled at us before laughing.
Normal P.O.V
"You're sure that setting them this mission was the right thing to do?" Hastings asked as he and Erma both watched the scene between the three friends unfold in front of them on the screen. To say Hastings was upset about his granddaughter dying was an understatement.
"I'm positive it was the right thing to do, besides they won't be alone, Kellyn and Seren will be joining them," Erma replied as she watched the Operators contact Fiore to send the Base leaders over to the Union as fast as possible.
"But still I worry," Hastings sighed as he watched the screen, "You know Kyogre doesn't like anyone in the sea, let alone it be Kate. What if he succeeds in killing her?" Hastings asked as he looked at Kate, who was cradling Lullaby with Keith and Rythmi sat next to her.
"Kate is protected by Keith, he has saved her life more times then I have ever seen a Ranger save any one person. Besides, if anything happens to the girl, Seren, Kellyn and Rythmi will be there to help them out," Erma answered.
"But Kate's still only a child," Cynthia stated as she walked up to Erma with Flint, Lance and Jackie. Cynthia, Flint and Lance had managed to stay out of sight of Kate at the Union, they knew it would distract her from Keith.
"Yes, I understand, but she is in good hands, I can tell," Erma mused as she looked at Kate, who was glaring at Keith as he danced, Lullaby and Rythmi laughing hard as they watched.
"Besides, if any of them is hurt on the mission, I have a feeling it will be Keith. The girls, Kellyn and Seren are the only real family he has," Jackie stated as he watched Keith dance with amusement in his eyes. Cynthia looked at Flint and Lance, who both had doubtful looks in their eyes, but it was mixed in with faith.
"Alright, we'll trust your judgement, Chairperson Erma," the three chorused before they walked off, out the Union and towards Chicole Village.
"Maybe we should send someone with them, just in case," Jackie sighed as he looked at the screen.
"The only person who knows what it's like to part ways with Manaphy is May Maple, and she's busy travelling the Kanto Region with Drew Hayden," Erma replied as she looked at the screen.
"Still," Hastings whispered as he looked at the screen.
"Get me May Maple," Erma ordered as she looked at an Operator, who began calling Pokemon Centres all over Kanto.
Meanwhile, actually in Kanto, May was battling it out with Solidad, practicing for the upcoming contest in Viridian City. Drew and Harley watched with amusement in their eyes as they looked at the two battle. May's Munchlax against Solidad's Lapras, just as Lapras was about to use a body slam, Nurse Joy came running out of the centre.
"Excuse me for interrupting, May, you have a phone call, it's very important," Nurse Joy stated as she ran back inside. May looked at her three friends before shrugging. Each of them followed her back into the centre as she sat in front of one of the screens. Turning it on, she watched as Hastings face came up onto the screen, May smiled brightly.
"Professor Hastings, how are you?" May asked, Solidad, Drew and Harley looked at May in shock before looking at the elderly man.
"May, how many time have I told you, you can call me grandpa, any friend of Kate's is a friend of mine," Hastings smiled, May laughed slightly before nodding her head.
"Sure thing Grandpapa, how's Kate doing, she hasn't gotten into any trouble has she?" May asked as she looked at Hastings, who frowned slightly.
"Sadly yes she has, it's like trouble follows the girl around," Hastings sighed as he looked at her three friends before looking at May expectantly.
"Oh, forgive me, Grandpapa, this is Drew Hayden, Solidad Saori and Harley James," May introduced, "Everyone, meet Professor Hastings," May smiled as she turned to her friends.
"Pleasure to meet you Professor," Drew, Harley and Solidad greeted in unison as they looked at Hastings, who smiled widely at them.
"Pleasure to meet you three too, listen May," Hastings said as he turned his attention back to May, "I know there's an upcoming Pokemon Contest in Viridian City, but I was hoping you would come to Almia as fast as possible," Hastings explained with slightly hope in his voice. May's face suddenly became hard and cold as she looked at the screen.
"What's happened?" she asked, Hastings sighed as he looked at May.
"Phantom's back," he stated, May's eyes went wide, "Kate has the Manaphy egg, he'll be on her tail and to make matters worse, Max knows who Summerland's Gift is," Hastings added as he looked at May, whose eyes were wide with her mouth hanging open.
"I'll be over as soon as I can be," May stated as she ended the call before running to the counter.
"I need the rest of my pokemon Nurse Joy," May ordered, Nurse Joy nodded as she handed May her poke balls, May then ran out of the centre before summoning her Altaria.
"Woah May!" Drew exclaimed as he grabbed her arms, turning her to look at him, "What does your brother know?" Drew asked as he looked into May's eyes.
"Not Max my brother, Max as in the Mob Boss in Fiore," she stated as she struggled out of Drew's grasp, "I have to go to Almia, Kate's in trouble," she stated as she hopped onto her pokemon.
"PIDGEOT!" Solidad yelled as she and Harley boarded the pokemon.
"FLYGON!" Drew called as he boarded his pokemon.
"You guys…are coming?" May asked in shock, "But what about the contest?" May asked as she looked at them.
"They'll be more," Drew shrugged.
"We don't mind missing out on one contest, or grand festival to meet the famous Professor Hasting," Solidad stated as she smiled warmly at her.
"Who would have thought you'd be the one to know him," Drew stated smugly as he smirked at May, who glared at him.
"Shut your mouth Hayden, if you're coming you follow my every order, the minute you mess up or say something insulting, I won't hesitate to kick your ass. This is one of the biggest things you'll ever have to deal with in your life, it's a matter of life or death, and if I don't think you can handle it, then you'll be staying at the Union, understand?" May asked with a threatening look in her eyes, Drew and the two adults gulped before nodding their heads.
"Alright, Altaria, take us to Almia," May ordered as Altaria took off flying through the skies.
'Who knew May could be so threatening?' Drew thought to himself before shaking his head to take note of his surroundings.
'Kate, don't you dare do anything stupid until I get there,' May thought as she flew through the skies towards her friend.
Sorry it's been so long since I updated, hopefully this has made up for it. I really couldn't keep Keith out of the story for too long either, so hopefully you all enjoyed seeing him again. We will be seeing Romance between:
Solidad and Harley
Kate and Keith
Kellyn and Seren
May and Drew
And who will be inflicting this romance? Rythmi of course.
Next time of Shadows of Almia, we see Kate and Keith deal with a baby pokemon. Kate reunites with old friends. Keith's back to his old tricks. New friends are introduced. Old pokemon are seen and most importantly, there is ROMANCE.
Seriously if this chapter hasn't made up from my late update I don't know what will, by the way Manaphy thinks Kate and Keith are her mom and dad, Rythmi, Seren, Solidad and May will be her sisters, while Drew, Harley and Kellyn will be her brothers, until next time please REVIEW :D