(Rena's POV)

It was a hot, sunny day in June. The sixth day of June, to be exact. The intense heat was blaring, and a gentle breeze drifted through the air, brushing my long, dark hair past my face. I stood calmly on the edge of the pier in Ascension Square, staring out at the relaxed ocean waters that were shining as clear as the bright blue sky.

Everyone was inside spending time with their families, having a blast before the ceremony got started.

...except for me.

I'm out here all alone, simply because I can't go back inside. If I do, Ms. April will find me, and she will give me my Ranger Base assignment. I don't want to know where I've been assigned to, because it's just one more thing I will have to grieve the loss of when this is all over.

Today was the day. Technically, it was the last grifting day of the job. I no longer have to pretend to be someone I'm not, because I've already got Keith, the mark, wrapped around my finger. Even though I wish I didn't...

I hate this. I hate everything about it. I was only in it for the money at first, but now? All I care about is getting out of this alive and trying to save Keith and the others.

Ice is one sick bastard. I thought we were friends... I wish I could tell myself that I can't believe he would do something so horrible and betray me like this, but then I would just be lying to myself.

I should have saw it coming. I honestly feel so stupid for not even considering it... The boss has been trying to get these blueprints from Keith's father for three years now, so I should have known he's really determined to get them back. And that he really will do anything to get his hands on them. That much has been proven to me as of late.

Who are these people? What exactly are on those blueprints I'm supposed to steal? I... I've always told myself to not ask questions and just do it, but now? I'm starting to think I was lied to... Maybe the boss really was just some hell of an actor after all.

I don't want to do this anymore.

I should've seen it coming.

And yet, I distracted myself from the obvious threat lying in plain sight by doing the one thing I promised myself I would never do: fall in love.

But, I have to do this. And not for myself...for them. For him.

I hate this. I hate everything about it.

Today, two days after prom, was graduation. Yes, I was graduating today. In two weeks, I'm supposed to report to the Ranger Base of Lamont's choice and get ready to be a real Ranger. Keith is thrilled, finally ready to take action and become the man he's always wanted to be.

But me? I'm just mourning the loss of the life I could have had with him.

I laughed out loud to myself cynically, covering my face with my hand. "Oh, the irony..."

What's so funny about it is that I would actually like to go to my Ranger Base and be a real Ranger. Let's face it, my thieving days are over. All it's done is get the people I love hurt.

This is my last job.

...although, after the stunt I'm about to pull with Keith, I'll never be able to be a Ranger now. I'll be on the run for the rest of my life if I get lucky.

I'm sorry, father, but I don't want to be Raux for you anymore...

Sometimes I wonder if my parents hadn't abandoned me when I was a baby and I was raised normally, would I have had a normal life? Would I have wanted to become a Pokemon Ranger eventually? Would I have stumbled upon Almia's Ranger School, and maybe meet Keith on my own? And maybe, just maybe...we could have been together for real?

Although, I'm not sure I even want that now...

I don't deserve him. He deserves someone so much better... Someone who could love him and be...honest. About everything. Someone who isn't afraid of commitment like I am, and someone who would actually be able to settle down and give him the family he's always wanted.

He told me once on a sunny afternoon that he wanted five kids someday, preferably all boys. He didn't understand why that caused me to do a major spit-take and practically regurgitate my entire soda. Five kids? I don't even want one kid... And marriage? That's just... I can't. I can't be tied down. I'm not sure I'd even be comfortable with dating someone...

I've just always been a loner, and because of that, I can't give Keith what he really wants, even if I had been born into a normal life and met him on my own.

Even if I hadn't chose the life of a thief all those years ago...

Even in the perfect situation, we can't be together. And it's not him, surprisingly.

It's...me.

And now, I'm going to be forced to break his heart. And mine...

A sudden splashing noise caught my attention, and I looked up to see Mightyena swimming back over to me. He jumped back into the pier and shook out his fur, being careful not to drench me and my white graduation dress.

It's kinda funny that I'm wearing a white dress, if you think about it. I'm dressed like an angel, but in reality, I'm just another demon disguised like everyone else. I'm dressed like the white knight in every classic fairy tale, but I'm just...the villain. I always have been, because bad guys just don't get to be good guys. They never do.

"Heroes aren't born, Rena. They're made."

Well, that's just the problem, Kaplan. Heroes are made, but I haven't been given the chance to be anything but a villain, so I guess...

...it just isn't meant to be.

I'll never be a hero. I will be the villain, forever and always.

"Oi, Rena!"

"What the---" I started to turn around, and then quickly yelped with surprise when Keith crashed right into me. "KEITH! BE CAREFUL! YOU'LL KNOCK US INTO THE WATER, YOU IDIOT!" I scolded him as he held me up over his shoulder, punching and kicking him furiously whenever I got the chance.

Keith chuckled as he started to walk back to the school with me hefted over his shoulder. "Everyone's looking for you, you know. Come on! The ceremony is going to start in half an hour!"

"What, no!" I kept thrashing in his grasp as Mightyena trotted alongside us. "Put me DOWN!"

"Nope!"

"UGH!"

_________________________________

(Third Person POV)

"Keith! Put me DOWN!" Rena growled as she pounded her fists on Keith's back, still being held backwards over the cocky red-head's shoulder.

As Keith stepped through the Ranger School's front door, he pretended to consider her request at least for a second before immediately turning her down. "Hmm, should I put you down? ...nah."

"UGH!" Rena thrashed in his grip again. "You are UNBELIEVABLE!"

Keith cracked up laughing, but he suddenly stopped and froze in place as soon as he got a few steps into the building. "...dad?"

An older man with dark, spiky auburn hair furrowed his brow at the sight of Rena over Keith's shoulder, questionably looking over his only son. "Hello, son." He then glared down at the mangy wolf-Pokemon and otter-Pokemon at Keith's side.

Keith instantly picked up on his serious demeanor and carefully set Rena down, standing her back up. "What are you doing here...?"

Rena shot Keith a weird look, and she lowered her voice to make sure Keith's father couldn't hear her. "It's your graduation and you're his only son... Wouldn't he be here for you?"

"I highly doubt it." Keith spoke stiffly as he hardened his glare on his father.

Joseph Dazzle fiddled with the cuff-links on his business suit. "I flew in for a business meeting with Lamont. I'm just waiting until after the ceremony to discuss a new opportunity with him." He pulled out his cell phone and started checking his email, paying Keith absolutely no attention.

Keith was almost disgusted with his father's disinterest in him, but he couldn't honestly say that he was surprised. "Now that sounds more like you."

"So." Joseph Dazzle locked his phone and shoved it into his jacket pocket. "Who's your latest conquest?" He eyed Rena up and down before reconsidering his choice of words. "Or perhaps a better word to use would be distraction."

"Dad, she's not like that." Keith sighed as he held up his hand in defense, trying to keep his father from getting the wrong idea. "We're not dating. This is my friend Rena."

Rena sheepishly waved to the strict man, trying not to take offense to his rather obvious insult. "...Hi."

Joseph still seemed unpleased. "I will be taking my leave of you now." He abruptly turned on his heel and stomped off, leaving Keith feeling ashamed of his own flesh and blood.

"God... I'm sorry." Keith stressfully rubbed at his forehead before turning to Rena. "He's an asshole. Sorry he implied you were most likely a gold-digging slut."

Rena just sweatdropped. "It's...alright. I've been called worse." Which wasn't a complete lie... "I'm guessing you two don't really get along?" She peered over Keith's shoulder to get one last glimpse at his father before questionably looking back up at him.

Keith just scoffed. "We used to before my mom died, but now? He's just a self-absorbed workaholic. I want nothing to do with the guy." The red-head scanned the crowd for a familiar face, in need of a distraction from the topic of his relationship with his father, and he looked a little relieved when he saw Rhythimi hanging out with her family. "Come on. Let's go introduce you to Rhythimi's family. I think you'll like that bunch of weirdos."

Rena almost showed her regret on her face at the mention of that. "Do we have to---WHOA!" Rena was cut off by Keith jerking her towards the other side of the room, not having much choice in what she was about to do.

"Oh, hey! Keith, Rena!" Rhythimi waved to them when she spotted them coming over, and she almost laughed at the sight.

Keith stopped dragging Rena when they joined up with their little group, and Rena just shot him an angry look.

"Who's this...?" A thirteen-year-old girl with dirty blonde hair and piercing grey eyes blinked at Rena, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Stacey, this is my friend Rena." Rhythimi pointed over at Rena, then smiled brightly at the brunette. "And Rena, this is my little sister Stacey!"

"O-Oh!" Rena stumbled over her words, holding her hand out for Stacey to shake. "Nice to finally meet you! Rhythimi talks about you a lot."

Stacey rolled her eyes as she shook Rena's hand. "...Well at least don't lie to my face!" She chuckled, shaking her head. "Maybe once or twice, but a lot seems a bit unlikely."

Rena just laughed, as well as the light brown-haired man standing next to Stacey. "It's nice to meet you, Rena. I'm Rhythimi and Stacey's father." He shook the brunette's hand. "You can just call me Charlie."

"Nice to meet you too, sir." Rena chuckled at how funny and nice Rhythimi's family was, getting along with them just fine.

Charlie, Rhythimi's father, spotted a familiar blonde-haired boy off in the crowd, and he started to point to him. "Rhythimi, darling, isn't that boy over there the same one you're always talking about---"

"Shhh, DAD!" Rhythimi slapped her hand over her father's face, causing her sister to crack up laughing. "Cut it out! You're drawing attention to him!"

Isaac turned just in time to see Rhythimi slap her father across the face, and although he was confused as to what just happened, he couldn't honestly say he was surprised.

"Isaac, dear." Isaac's mother Caitlyn looked over at the man across the room pointing to her son. "Isn't that girl the one you're always talking about?"

Isaac embarrassingly turned his head back to glare at his mom. "Mother!" It was impossible for him to hide the deep shade of red staining his cheeks.

Rena shared a laugh or two with Rhythimi and her family before slowly breaking away from the group and letting her actual feelings show on her face.

She was just so sad...

Every one of her friends had family, even if they were arrogant jerks like Keith's father, but Rena was all alone...

Completely, and utterly alone.

She had no one. No one came to see her for graduation today because every member of her family was dead.

She began searching the crowd of students and their families out of desperation, and to her complete surprise, she found herself staring directly at---

Every bone in her body chilled as Rena widened her icy-blue eyes in horror. "...Ice."

When Ice made eye contact with her, he looked almost startled before he immediately began to approach her. However, like always, Rena did what she does best.

Run away.

"Rena, wait!" Ice chased after Rena as soon as she began to run away from him, desperately trying to catch up to her.

She couldn't run away from him. Not forever. She couldn't run away from the truth once he told her.

...if he could ever work up the courage to tell her.

...and also get her to stop running away from him. That was kinda important.

"Get away from me!" Rena snapped at him, jerking her wrists from his grip as soon as he caught up to her on the other side of the room. "I never want to see you again, you liar! You betrayed me!"

He tried his best to hide the hurt on his face. "I already told you that wasn't my choice to make!" Ice snapped at her in annoyance, frustrated that she didn't trust him anymore. "I was just following the bosses orders..." He tried to keep his voice down in order to not make a scene.

"Screw the boss!" Rena drew her hand back and slapped Ice right across the face, not holding back one bit. "I wanted out, and you wouldn't let me!" She narrowed her angry blue eyes at his, practically shaking with anger. "You were supposed to be my friend..." She brushed him off and walked away, just leaving him standing there.

Ice just sighed as two other people came up to him and joined his side.

"What's wrong, Ice?" A pink-haired girl dressed in a hot pink crop top and pencil skirt devilishly looked into his eyes, trying to act all innocent. "Still obsessing over that stupid girl, I see?"

A burly man with rippling muscles, dark tanned skin, and unnatural yellow hair let out a hearty laugh. "Lavana, me and you both do know that girl be not just some person to obsess about for Ice." Despite his lack of intelligence, Heath never could shut up. Or talk like a normal person.

Ice tried to hide the grim look on his face and just shifted it into anger instead. "Shut up, Heath. We're not talking about this anymore."

_________________________________

"Big sister! Big sister!" A spazzy blonde girl spotted Rena and immediately chased after her, aiming to jump on her and hug her to death.

Rena just widened her eyes in horror as the little kid was about to completely bulldoze her, despite Melody's tiny size. "Wha---Melody! Look out!"

Keith turned around just in time to simultaneously see the crash, and catch Rena.

Well... Sort of.

BAM!

CRASH!

Rena collided front-first into Keith, Keith stumbled back and bumped into Rhythimi, and Rhythimi crashed into Isaac, creating an impossible domino effect.

Melody just sweatdropped as she looked up at the two pairs of people she accidentally pushed together. "Oops... Am I interrupting something?"

Both girls simultaneously shouted "NO!" at the top of their lungs, letting their faces light up as red as a Christmas ornament. They didn't waste any time in awkwardly breaking away from each other right after that. Although they were completely embarrassed, the Pokemon found it entirely amusing. Especially Mightyena.

Keith grinned like an idiot, leaning in towards Rena. "What, couldn't get enough of me, Blue Eyes?"

Rena drew her hand back and slapped her second guy tonight right across the face, just glaring at him the whole time.

"OW! THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"

Flustered, Rhythimi slightly punched Isaac's shoulder, causing the mushroom boy to almost glare at her in confusion.

"Ow!" Isaac rubbed at his shoulder, whining under his breath. "What did you do that for, Rhythimi...?"

The perky blonde just shrugged her shoulders, not really sure herself. "Dunno. I just felt left out not hitting you, since Rena slapped Keith."

Melody busted out into a fit of giggles, unable to contain her amusement with these four. She took a step backwards and accidentally bumped back-first into a tall person's legs, and the little girl slowly turned around to face who it was.

This man towered over Melody, reaching a height of six feet and five inches tall. He was dressed in a mostly black suit with dark purple and navy blue accents. His long black hair was tied into a side ponytail, and his eyes were covered by black sunglasses. Just below his nose rested a black mustache, and overall this man had Melody staring up at him curiously.

"Hello, little girl." The man smiled gently as he bent down to her height. "My name is Blake Hall, and I'm looking for someone named Isaac Gram Bell. Do you know where I can find him?"

"Oh, oh, oh!" Melody jumped up and down happily. "You're talking about my big brother! He's right over here; follow me!" She innocently took his hand in hers, dragging him over to Isaac and the others.

Isaac slowly turned to see his sister and a vaguely familiar man approaching him, and he was completely confused. "Melody, who is this?"

"Big brother, this is Mr. Hall!" Melody let go of Blake Hall and pointed up to his face, which was a great distance between that and her short arm. "He said he was looking for you!"

Rena was already in a bad mood from her chance encounter with Ice earlier, but this man in front of her... He was eerily familiar to her. And she couldn't quite put her finger on where she had seen him before.

"Wait, Mr. Hall?" Isaac blinked back his shock momentarily before stumbling forwards to shake his hand. "Oh! You must be Altru Oil's current president: Blake Hall!"

Blake Hall shook Isaac's hand graciously. "That would be me. Isaac, I have a business opportunity I would like to discuss with you..." Blake Hall placed his arm across the back of Isaac's shoulders, gentlemanly taking him aside from his three friends.

Rena visibly tensed up as she watched Blake Hall begin to discuss something with Isaac, and Keith instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Rena, what's wrong?" The red-head shot her a curious look.

Rena shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "I don't know... There's just something not right about that guy. I'm getting a seriously bad feeling..." She involuntarily shuddered in her white dress, and Keith motioned to rub her arms to warm her up.

Rhythimi blinked owlishly at Isaac and Blake Hall from across the room. "I don't know. He seemed like a pretty nice guy to me! Even Melody likes him." She smiled at the adorable little girl that was talking Blake Hall's ear off as he was chatting with Isaac. Blake Hall humored Melody the whole time and wasn't even bothered by her one bit.

Rena watched Isaac shake hands with Blake Hall and leave his side, then come back over to them. Isaac seemed very excited about something. "I've just been offered a job as the lead research scientist for Altru Oil! The president himself came to our graduation in person to offer me the job!"

Rhythimi excitedly leapt into Isaac's arms and hugged him tightly as he spun her around. "That's wonderful, Isaac! I'm so happy for you!"

And it was at that exact moment when Rena realized where exactly she had seen Blake Hall before.

She began scanning the crowd in a panic with her eyes, looking left and right for him. But unfortunately for her, it appeared that the great president had already slipped out and left.

That unnatural height, combined with that voice... There was no mistaking it.

President Blake Hall of Altru Oil was the boss.

Rena gritted her teeth and held in the urge to slam her fist through a wall, upset that she didn't recognize him sooner and that she let him get away.

"Rena?" Keith shot her a worried look, waving his hand in front of her face in order to snap her out of her trance. "Hey, come on. We should get going. The ceremony's about to start."

Rena mindlessly stared out the front door of the Ranger School with the most depressed look ever before she joined Keith at his side and took his arm in hers. "Alright... I'm coming."

_________________________________

(Rena's POV)

"Congratulations, graduates!" Principal Lamont clapped his hands at the podium up on stage, smiling at us all sitting in the chairs that filled up the school's grand hall. "I am truly delighted that I can be here with all of you: Rangers, Operators, Mechanics, and Scientists. Though these paths may take you in different directions, what I hope for all of you is but the same." He saw the bored looks on our faces and quickly laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to say something impossibly difficult or challenging." The crowd cracked up laughing at his joke before he resumed his brief speech. "Please, just don't forget to smile. That is all I wish of you." He smiled at us with his bright smile one last time before proceeding to his closing statement. "With these simple words, I wish you the very best of luck in all your endeavors."

We all applauded our Principal and stood up from our seats as he stepped down from the podium, joining the teachers lined up on both sides of the stage. Mr. Kincaid began making his way over to the stage, and he was quick to take the podium and instruct us all to sit back down.

"Thank you, Principal Lamont." Mr. Kincaid began, then suspiciously glanced over at me in the crowd. "Next, let me call upon this graduating class's valedictorian. That would be our best student: Isaac Gram Bell." He pointed to the blonde sitting two seats down from me, cuing everyone to applaud Isaac.

Isaac humbly stood from his chair and walked up to the podium, getting ready to give his speech.

He's been working on this speech for weeks. I would be surprised if it wasn't at least two hours long.

"Today, we leave the shelter of this place of learning and nurturing..." Isaac started to give his speech, and I instinctively tuned it out with a yawn.

I leaned over and rested my head on the red-head on my left, trying to get my mind off of how much time we had left together. "Are you listening to this? It's just so...boring." I yawned again, getting an angry glare from Rhythimi for ignoring Isaac's 'inspirational' speech.

Keith just scoffed, letting me rest my head on him and not really caring. "You kidding? I wasn't even paying attention to Lamont."

I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing out loud.

Just as I predicted, a solid two hours later, Isaac had FINALLY began to wrap up his painfully boring and dreary speech.

"...we will never forget. Thank you so very, very much! From all of us!" Isaac finished up his speech right as about half of the graduating class began to stir and regain consciousness.

Someone gave Ms. April a little nudge, and the auburn-haired teacher woke up from her nap. She cleared her throat before swapping places with Isaac at the podium, and she fixed her hair before speaking into the microphone. "I would like to call upon one student as the representative of the graduating class."

Rhythimi, who was sitting on my right, leaned over and began to whisper something to me. "Who do you think it is?"

I just shrugged as I took my head off of Keith's shoulder. "I don't know. Probably some lame geek who spent their time in the library studying all year." I scoffed, hardly paying attention to Ms. April at this point.

"Rena?" Ms. April called out to me from the podium. "Step forward please."

Keith busted out laughing as the room roared with applause and cheers. "So, you then?"

I just sweatdropped, realizing that my library and study geek stereotype actually did apply to me. "Wait...me? Are you serious?"

"Yes, Rena! You're the representative!" Rhythimi chuckled, then shoved me out of my chair and towards the stage. "Go ahead and go on up already!"

My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as everyone began chanting my name in order to encourage me to step up to the podium. I knew a certain red-haired idiot had more than just a little something to do with that. I hesitantly walked up the stairs in my shock-white stilettos and accepted the certificate from Ms. April, then awkwardly took my place at the podium.

The lights were all on me, and I must say, I was a little nervous. I hadn't prepared a speech or anything, so it looks like I'll just have to wing it.

"Umm..." I looked out into the crowd and spotted Keith's reassuring smile, and I suddenly began to swell with confidence. "I never thought I would be where I am today. And honestly, the only reason I accomplished what I did is because after coming here, I learned I had to stop being such a stick in the mud to actually achieve anything..." I sweatdropped as everyone laughed at my joke. "I also had to abandon the five rules I always lived my life by: never trust, never let your guard down, never love, never fail, and never depend on anyone." I stared out at the crowd through the tears that were starting to well up in my eyes. "I used to think that I had to do everything alone, and that I could never depend on anyone." I glanced over at Keith in particular in the crowd, who seemed to be listening avidly to what I was saying. I wiped at a stray tear from my eye before I continued. "...But coming to this school taught me one very important thing: you're never alone. The only way to really live in this world is to surround yourself with people you care about, and to never live your life thinking you're unloved and not worth it." I stared down at the podium and swallowed the long bottled up emotions that were threatening to come out. "I used to think love was weakness." I looked up into the crowd and spotted three people in particular, and I glared at them. Ice, a pink-haired woman named Lavana, and the third member of their trio: Heath. "But I was wrong. It's not weakness, it's strength." I smirked malevolently when Ice seemed to be pissed off at my subtle rebellion. "So I guess I just have one last thing to say to you all before we get ready to graduate and go out into the world to finally make a difference like we've always wanted to..." I completely recovered from my sadness and stared out at the Sinis Trio in the crowd with a determined glare. "Never stop fighting the evil that runs our corrupt world. Never stop fighting, never lose who you really are, never give up, never think you're too weak to make a difference, and never..." I glared at Ice in particular. "Never let anyone tell you who you really are. Because the truth is...you are who you aspire to be. Hero or not."

As the crowd stood up and applauded me joyously, Ice stood up from his seat and walked right out the front door, pissed off beyond words. Lavana and Heath remained though, glaring at me from their seats.

I smiled brightly to myself. I can't help but feel that I just won a minor battle.

But... It wasn't over yet.

I was about to step down from the podium when a sudden tremor erupted across the school's campus, and I quickly got down on my hands and knees to keep me from losing my balance. The whole school shook, and everyone started to scream as we all endured the short earthquake that made all of the lights flicker.

When the tremor stopped, I cautiously stood up, looking around the room with an expression of dire confusion. "What the---" I barely had time to utter my question before a slimy tentacle wrapped itself around my neck and cut off all my air, and I quickly tried to pry it off of me as I gasped desperately for oxygen.

Keith widened his eyes in horror as he ran towards me on the stage. "RENA!"

The tentacle lifted me up into the air and turned me around, and I was able to see that a large, enraged Tangrowth was what was strangling the life out of me. All I could do was dangle helplessly in the air while everyone screamed and ran around in a panic, and I just hung there and watched Keith try to capture the beast that was killing me.

When Keith completed the capture, the Tangrowth flung me into a nearby wall, causing me to slam into it back-first and slide all the way down it to the floor.

"RENA!"

My consciousness was wavering, but I was too stubborn to just faint. I've endured worse throughout the course of my life. I shook my head of the ringing noise and carefully stood up with the help of Keith, and I nearly collapsed into his arms.

"I'm alright..." I rubbed at my throat, taking in a deep breath.

"Thank god..." Keith hugged me tightly, forgetting that I had just been strangled not even five seconds ago.

"Keith...!" I squirmed in his grip, trying to get him to let me go. "Can't...breathe...AIR!"

"Oh, oops." Keith let me go, then sweatdropped when I desperately tried to catch my breath. "I was just so worried---RENA, WATCH OUT!"

I could barely register what was going on before Keith suddenly shoved me out of the way, and when I crashed to the ground, I could only watch in horror as a second Tangrowth emerged from the basement and ripped one of the posts off of its hinges and chucked it right at Keith.

"KEITH!" I shrieked in horror as the wooden support beam came into contact with his stomach and sent him flying into a wall, and I was nearly brought to tears when he collapsed to the floor and didn't move. I stood up from the ground shakily, and I turned to glare at the Tangrowth. "You..." I switched on my Styler, angrily stomping over to it in my six inch stilettos. "MONSTER!"

I captured that Tangrowth with such speed and skill that I didn't even think I had. I didn't take a single hit, and I whirled that capture line around the gargantuan beast so incredibly fast like my life depended on it. When I finished capturing it, I released both Pokemon, and I didn't waste any time in running over to Keith.

"Keith!" I crashed to the floor in front of him, and I turned him over to check the damage. He had a big bruise on his forehead, and he was completely unresponsive. "Keith, wake up! WAKE UP!"

"Oh my god, Keith!" Rhythimi ran over and knelt down on the stage next to me, trying to help me wake Keith up.

Isaac ran over too, and pretty soon, the three of us were trying to desperately wake up the red-head. Mightyena, Buizel, and Eevee were crowded around us as well.

I started to cry frustrated tears when Keith didn't wake up, and I shook him over and over again. "Keith, you need to wake up! Don't you die on me, you bastard! You promised me you'd never leave, and I expect you to keep your promise!"

Isaac reached out and pressed his fingers against Keith's neck, trying to check for a pulse. Isaac's eyes widened in terror. "His heartbeat is very slow, and he's not breathing..."

Rhythimi turned to me with tears pouring from her eyes, and she gripped my shoulders and shook me violently out of desperation. "Rena, do something!"

In a moment of panic, I stared down at Keith's pale face, and glanced at his closed eyes before taking in one deep breath for courage. I bent down, placed my lips on his, and quickly began CPR.

Having to ignore the intense emotion you experience during your first kiss and focus solely on saving someone's life is a lot harder than it looks. Especially when it's Keith.

I don't even remember what happened next. All I could think about was saving Keith, even though my face was redder than a fire truck. He still remained unresponsive, but after a solid three minutes of CPR and trying to get him to wake up, his eyes suddenly snapped open, and he shot straight up into a sitting position.

"GASP!" Keith gasped for air, then immediately regretted his sudden movements and clutched his stomach. "Yeesh... That hurt."

I stared at him in shock completely silent for a good minute before I snapped out of it, suddenly tackling him into a big hug. "You idiot! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Buizel seemed to have the same idea, and he hugged Keith tightly too.

"OW!" Keith verbally expressed his pain with irritation, but his expression immediately softened when he registered that I was hugging him. "Er, sorry if I worried you..." He petted Buizel as he hugged me back.

I tearfully tore away from him and glared at his red eyes angrily. "What the hell were you thinking!? I was supposed to be the one to get hit, not you!"

Keith almost laughed at my weird reaction. "The way I see it, I can take a hit better than you can."

I just groaned and slumped my face into his shoulder. "Ugh... You really do have no idea what I'm capable of."

_______________________________

(Third Person POV)

Rhythimi was tempted to smack Keith upside the head herself for worrying her so badly, but she just couldn't force herself to break up the cute hug between Keith and Rena.

She didn't tell them yet, but she already opened her assignment envelope. Rhythimi was stationed to be an Operator in Summerland, and she just knew this was the last time she'd get to see her friends for awhile.

...and it was also the last time she could witness in-person shippy moments between her favorite not-couple before she left.

After the chaos of the Tangrowth died down, all of the guests came back inside and took their seats again. Janice and Ms. April fluttered around Keith worriedly to make sure he was alright, which he was. Mr. Kincaid had a guilty look on his face for the remainder of the ceremony for reasons unknown. Ms. Claire followed Mr. Kaplan around and dragged him away by his ear every time he walked up to one of the parents and pretended to start recruiting their kids for a secret army of some sort. And lastly, every student was given their base assignments and graduation certificates.

Rena, Rhythimi, Isaac, and Keith were all standing at the front door to the school, getting ready to say good-bye. Their Pokemon were just as upset to see them go too.

Rhythimi looked back at her family waiting for her before turning to face Rena to say good-bye. "I guess this is it. I know you and Keith are going to Vientown, but you better call me every night, okay?" She smiled sadly at her best friend, trying to keep her attitude playful. "No excuses for not calling me at least once a week!"

Rena's eyes watered as she quickly embraced Rhythimi without a second thought, burying her face into her shoulder. "Rhythimi, you are my best friend, and I love you. Don't ever forget that no matter what happens, okay?"

Rhythimi just awkwardly laughed at Rena, kind of confused by what she meant. "What do you mean, silly! I'm still going to see you after today. Just because we got assigned to different regions doesn't mean we'll never see each other again."

Rena laughed through her tears and let go of Rhythimi, then looked over at Isaac to say her good-bye. "You." She pointed to mushroom boy, keeping a serious look on her face. "Don't blow shit up without me, okay?"

Isaac just chuckled to himself. "Alright, I promise." He shook his head at her. "Even though you'll be a Ranger now, I'm still going to invite you over to Altru to do some experiments with me from time to time."

Rena wiped a tear from her eye with a laugh. "Naturally." She rolled her eyes.

Keith fist-bumped Isaac one last time. "See yah later, man." He then gave Rhythimi a bored stare, pretending to be completely uninterested in her whatsoever. "Won't miss you, Blondie."

"YOU JERK!"

WHACK!

"OW! I WAS KIDDING!"

Mightyena whimpered depressingly as Rena jerked him away from Eevee, and Eevee was just as upset to see Mightyena go. Buizel was already going to miss Eevee, but at least he'd get to spend the summer with Mightyena.

Rena broke away from Rhythimi, gloomily watching as the two blondes turned to walk away. "Good-bye..."

"Come on." Keith placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to walk out the school with him. He was sad to see two of his friends go, but he tried not to show it on his face. After all, he had to be strong for Rena.

...okay, so he mostly just couldn't appear to be sad for the sake of his ego. Same thing, right?

Rena hung her head low and slumped against Keith's side, letting him guide her out the door. "Okay..."

As they left the building and approached the front gate, Rena spotted Keith's butler waiting for them outside the black limo. Keith went ahead and got right in with Mightyena and Buizel, but before Rena followed behind, she turned around to look at the school one last time. The place she lived in for the past year of her life. The place where she changed.

"And this is where it all comes to the end..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...I can practically feel the death stares I'm getting now for the long time without the update, AND the end of this chapter.

Sur-fricken-prise to those who have played Shadows of Almia: Blake Hall is the boss. Honestly, it shouldn't be that much of a shock XD I took the bad guy from the game and made him the bad guy in this book.... It's kinda a no-brainer. I thought it was hilarious that some of you guys were legitimately conspiring that Keith or Isaac's dad was the boss. Not a bad idea, though.

I hate to say this, but this is the last chapter with Rhythimi and Isaac for awhile. The next time they appear is.......

.......okay, kind of awhile from now. Sorry!!! Don't hate meeee... I love you guys, I swear.

XD it's 2am and I have work later today.... I've been working on this chapter for WEEKS whenever I have spare time, including when I'm at work sometimes and it's not busy. Phew... This was a long one. 6787 words. Damn.

One last note: I would just like to thank those of you who took the time to make beautiful fan art for TSTHOAT. I really appreciate it, and I loved all of your photoshop creations! Again, thank you so much!

Anyways........ Read, comment, vote, and enjoy the story :)