Authors note: Thank you everyone who's taking time out of their day to read this, it means a lot! I hope you enjoy the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, the characters, storyline, or whatever else I forgot. *Starts crying in the corner*

Chapter 1: What A Day!

(Kate's P.O.V, present day)

I awoke with a start. I've been having that same dream a lot lately. Maybe it had something to do with my past, my past before I joined the Ringtown Ranger Base.

It's not like it mattered much anyways. All I knew was that there was a fire, and since I had no family, the Ringtown rangers took me in. I jumped in shock as my alarm clock shook me out of my reverie. It was a rare occasion I woke before my alarm clock- a rare occasion that's becoming increasingly more common lately.

I stared at my calendar. Oh-my-gosh! Today was that day. The day I could finally become a ranger myself! I thrust my school uniform on- I had been sent it the day before- and rushed out the doors. Solana handed me my ferry ticket as we hi-fived, and before I knew it, I was on the ferry.

(2 hours later: ranger school dock)

I stared wide-eyed at everything. I couldn't believe it! This was the school I was going to go to! If I even managed to pass the test. I figure it'll be pretty easy though, seeing as I can communicate with Pokémon without a styler. This would be a cinch!

I quickly asked a cute little taillow for directions to the entrance exam room. I thanked her, and rushed over there.

'How cute, a Pikachu!' I thought. 'This should be an easy capture.' Indeed it was, as I captured the Pikachu in under 10 seconds flat. I turned to Mr. Kaplan, curious as to how I compared to the other students.

"Well done. My name, it is Kaplan. You are now a member of our secret army, the inscrutable team school. With your help, we can rule the world!"

I just stared. I was honestly quite bewildered. Was this guy crazy? And what about that maniacal laugh..? I shivered, for the mere thought of that was seriously creepy.

Just as I was about to run for the hills, the light flickered on, and a lady with reddish-brown hair stepped in, sporting a stern look.

"Oh please Mr. Kaplan! Don't tease my student with a silly display like that! You do not want to get me angry!"

I was rather shell-shocked. Who was scarier, Mr. Kaplan, or this lady, presumably my new teacher. Just as I was backing out the door, the lady stopped and turned to me with a smile.

"I'm sorry about that dear. Mr. Kaplan can get a bit… carried away at times, to say the least. Anyways, I'm Miss April, follow me. Your new class is waiting!"

I gulped. I heard voices from outside the door.

"Now class, as you know, we have a new transfer student today…" Poor Miss April didn't even get a chance to finish before the usual flurry of questions broke out.

"Is it a guy, or a girl? Which is it?"

"Is the new student cool? Cute? Or look like a celebrity?"

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I burst open the door and walked right up to the front of the class.

"I am Katlyne Amber. I come from Ringtown in the fiore region. I am very pleased to meet all of you." I signed, happy to see Miss April was translating for me.

"Oh, and does anyone here know sign language so they can translate for Kate here?" Miss April finished.

"I do! I would be more than happy to!" A pretty girl said. She was about my age with wavy blonde hair and deep blue-green eyes. She wore a little too much makeup too.

"Okay thanks Rythmi. Okay class, just for today I'll make this a free study class. Oh yes, and be nice to Kate too okay? I understand she did quite well on the entrance exam… why the big grin Keith?" Miss April finished with an inquiry. I looked where she was staring. Turns out Keith was a redhead. A spiky haired one at that.

"Nothing Miss April." Keith responded with a smirk. I was beginning to get annoyed with this guy. Miss April gave me a long lecture on the styler, which I just barely managed to stay awake for, and walked out of the class. I jumped back a tiny bit as I was surrounded by every member of the class.

"So you come from the Fiore region? I've never been there."

"What's your family like? Are they coming to Almia too?"

"Hey!" the redhead broke through the crowd. "I forgot your name, new kid, but how long did it take you to capture Pikachu? Like an hour?"

"Oh just ignore Keith. He's just a show-off. You should be friends with me instead. I'm not here to become a ranger, I am going to be an operator instead. That way when Keith becomes a ranger, I can order him around like my servant… just kidding," Rythmi said.

Rythmi dragged me out of the room, and marched me down the hall. We stopped at a classroom right next to ours. The second I walked in, I was surrounded by an overwhelming smell. Who wore that much hair spray and got away with it?

"This is Mr. Kincaid." Rythmi whispered. "He's a little too strict for my liking. I'm sorry you have to smell all that hairspray."

"Me too." I signed. Never before did I believe that I might die at the hands of hairspray. I snorted at the thought.

Mr. Kincaid finally seemed to notice me. He looked at me.

"A new student? Fine, I have two rules that will serve you well here. Number one: No running in the hallways. Number two: Never cast suspicion upon others without proof."

I totally disagreed with rule one. I actually kind-of liked rule two. Anyways, I was dragged along by Rythmi towards the library.

"This is the library. Also known as Keith's nap room. Come on in."

I walked through the doors right to the back of the room. A blonde, mushroom haired boy seemed to be deeply lost in thought, but Rythmi had no trouble jolting the boy out of his trance.

"Hi, I'm Isaac. My IQ, and height, in centimeters are both 163. I was just doing a six digit multiplication in my head when you interrupted. It's no big deal though, I can just start over." The mushroom boy said.

I just stared as Rythmi introduced me. "Hi Isaac. This is our classes new transfer student, Kate. She came here alone from Fiore to become a ranger."

"Alone? What about your family? Surely they should've taken you here?" He said.

"Yeah, I've been curious about that too."

I gulped. How was I supposed to explain to them that I had no family? I finally began to sign. "Well, I don't really have any family. I have lived with the Ringtown rangers for as long as I can remember."

"That can't be easy." Isaac said, biting his lip. He was obviously worried about how I would react. Either way, I was used to peoples' questions. I didn't even question how he knew sign language. He had an IQ of 163, after all.

Me and Rythmi continued on are way. We saw the staff room, with principle Lamont Splendidocious. (I learned not to ask peoples' full names.) She also introduced me to the caretaker lady, Janice, Mrs. Claire and Mr. Kaplan again. Thank goodness Mrs. Claire stopped Mr. Kaplan from going off on his silliness again. I liked jokes, but not like that.

We left the building, and I heard a scream. I saw nine bidoof come running around.

"Hey new kid, still forget your name, but let's make this a race. Whoever captures the most bidoof wins. Three…two…one… go!"

I leapt into action. I didn't care about the silly race, but the bidoof were upset, so I had to help. I was breathing heavily by the end. I'm not exactly the most athletic person in the world…

"Hey I caught uh, five! That means you caught uh… four! That means I win!" Keith did his ranger pose, which was a pretty cool backflip. Still, I wondered how long it would be 'till he fell and broke his back..?

"Hey anyways Kate, I was wondering. Your captures were pretty decent. I would rate them about 65 out of 100, pretty good for a nobody!"

I blushed. He was totally cute. I just hoped Rythmi didn't like him too…

"Hey Keith! You knew our new classmates name all along, didn't you, you little…" Rythmi began to rant. To be perfectly honest, I never expected such words to come out of a person as sweet as Rythmi. Oh well, you learn something new every day, right?

Rythmi turned to me. "That's right, I forgot to show you one last place. C'mon quick!"

"Hey, wait for me. Its ascension square right. I'll come too."

The three of us hurried down the stairs they showed me the magnificent pledge stone, and we decided to make a pledge.

"I pledge to become the best operator!"

"I pledge to become the best ranger!"

"I pledge to help people and Pokémon whenever, and wherever I'm needed."

We pumped our fists in the air, and before I knew it, my first day of ranger school was coming to an end…

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