PROLOGUE: RANGER SCHOOL

"C'mon Kate," a blonde girl with deep brown eyes walked over to her bunkmate, "Let's... sneak out, for a bit." The girl called Kate stood up and grinned. She knew what was coming. Kate wasn't tall or short; she was rather average with pale brown hair pulled up into short pigtails and liquid sapphire eyes. She looked totally opposite to the blonde, called Rhythmi, with her curly blonde hair, slender build and brown eyes. The girls walked out to meet three boys. One, tall with long, spiked chestnut hair that covered his bright green eyes, the other, average height with messy black hair and dark green eyes, and the last, Kate's height with short brown hair and blue eyes. "Alright Kate. You're new here so there's something you have to do.... initiation." The tall boy's green gaze sparked, "We, as in me, Rhythmi, Ponte, and Kellyn, have hidden our stylers in the Library, Staff Room, Kincaid's room, and Ms. April's room."All you have to do," said the boy with black hair, called Ponte, "Is find them and take them down to the basement." "Set them in front of the door," the boy called Kellyn added, "And Isaac will bring them back tomorrow morning." Kate nodded and looked at the red-headed boy, "But the student who sits next to me has to come also. Isn't that right, Keith?" Keith cursed under his breath, "Damn. I though you forgot that part." Kate laughed and started downstairs. Keith rolled his eyes and followed, "Good luck you two!" Rhythmi called, "Don't let Mr. Kincaid catch you!"

The two students slowly came down the stairs. They looked at each other with wide eyes as a scraping sound was heard. Keith jumped,"Agh! W-What is that!?" Kate pulled out her styler and caught the Bidoof swiftly, "Really Keith?" she smiled. "Well... this place can get creepy at night...." he muttered defensively, and they moved on. After thirty minutes of chasing a Pichu, smashing crates as quietly as they could, and running from Zubat, all four of the stylers were found, "Okay," Keith said, "Now we just gotta take 'em downstairs." Kate nodded and the student made their way down. Even Kate was starting to get kind of jumpy as they went farther. Keith gulped as they reached the door,"O-okay, just set them here and let's get out." Just then, four ghastly appeared, startling both students. Keith yelped and jumped back against the wall as Kate went for her styler. After a couple minutes, all four ghost Pokémon had been captured and released. After a quick glance between the boy and girl, they had set the stylers down and raced upstairs with Mr. Kincaid yelling behind them as they ran.

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Rhythmi and Kate sat on the steps in front of the pledge stone, with Keith standing nearby. It was after Outdoor class, and everyone else had gone in. "I hope that Mantine is okay," Kate murmured, and Keith nodded in agreement. Crawford, an Area Ranger from Vientown had to cut the class short thanks to a call about an injured Mantine. "It will be fine," Rhythmi said, smiling. "Crawford is a very experienced ranger. He even said I'd make it to be an operator." Keith rolled his eyes and smiled,"Yeah? Well I'll be a better ranger than him. I'll be a Top Ranger!" He declared. Kate jumped up to face him, "And I'll be better than you!" Rhythmi laughed, "I'll be a Top Operator! You guys know, we're declaring what we're gonna do here in front of the Pledge Stone!" The two wannabe Rangers turned away from each other and looked at Rhythmi and then the stone statue that stood high above them, "Why don't we make a pledge here and now then while we're at it?" Keith asked. Kate smiled and held out her hand, "I pledge to become the best ranger I can be." Keith held out his hand on top of Kate's, "Same here. I pledge to be one of the best rangers out there!" Rhythmi placed her hand on Keith and Kate's, "And I pledge to be the best Operator I can be." They all shared a glance and said together, "We pledge to make our dreams come true!"

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Kate, Rhythmi, Keith, Isaac and Ponte all stood together with Kellyn and the other students behind them. In front was Principle Lamont on the landing. Beside him were Ms. April and Mr. Kincaid. "Well, today's the day," Keith sighed. Rhythmi nodded, "Keith and I are going to Fiore." Kate nodded, "I'm going to the Vientown Ranger Base." "And I'm going to work at Altru Inc." Murmured Isaac. "I've no idea where I'm goin'." Ponte said,"I'm still tryin' to figure out wh-!" Ponte was cut off by a huge explosion coming from the basement. Isaac's eyes widened as Mr. Kincaid gasped and ran down the stairs; "It couldn't be…!" he whispered and followed as the students ran to shelter in the front hallway. Keith and Kate stepped forward with a determined glint in their eyes. There was a yell and Mr. Kincaid came running out in a panic. Two huge Tangrowth lumbered out, looking totally pissed. Kate and Keith looked at each other, nodded, and threw out their capture disks, circling the Pokémon. Kate gritted her teeth and the huge Pokémon spewed poison powder everywhere, breaking her line. She tossed the line and disk back out and circled again and again. It took a moment, but soon both Pokémon had calmed down and were released. Mr. Lamont stood back up on the landing and took a deep breath, "Keith, Kate, that was.... marvelous! Simply brilliant! I think we've all something to learn from these two grads." Rhythmi, Isaac and Ponte came up to them and gave their congrats, though Isaac still had the same haunted look in his eyes. After the speeches were given, Rhythmi sighed and stood, "I'd better be getting home. You too Keith. Our boat leaves in a few hours." With that, she said goodbye and left with a final look at Isaac. Isaac and Ponte said goodbye and left soon after that. Only Keith and Kate remained, "Well, after this we'll be official rangers and on our own. I'd better go. Good luck Kate," he murmured. Kate nodded and stood up, about to head home, "Bye Keith. I hope we meet again." Keith's only reply was a wave over his shoulder as he walked away.