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epichik · 8 days ago

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intro of a ranger fic - working title "nothing that i need"

i have had writer's block on this thing for over a month, and the idea of this story has been cooking in my brain since like the summer of 2012.

feedback is appreciated!

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I can’t help but gaze out the window during class today. After starting school in the blazing heat of summer, the autumn breeze is more enticing than anything I could learn indoors. The leaves have just started to change, green slowly fading to yellow. I tap my pencil absentmindedly against the wooden desk, just quiet enough to make sure neither Ms. April nor any of the other students would notice.

“Well, class, I have something exciting to share,” Exciting? I perk up a bit in my seat at Ms. April’s words. Our teacher, sweet as she may be, hasn’t referred to a lesson as “exciting” in quite some time.

This could be good, I’m thinking. I glance instinctively over to Rhythmi, my roommate, who’s attentive as ever, and then over to Keith, who’s seemed to have snapped to attention as well.

“For this next assignment, you will be doing a survey on the ecology of southeastern Almia,” Ms. April continues. The survey will take you from the Ranger School to Vientown and just south to Chicole Village.”

This seems cool. Plus, I’ll get to go home. But that’s a lot of journeying…. A couple of days’ worth.

“To work with you, keep you accountable and supervise you, each of will be paired up with one of the second-year students in Mr. Kincaid’s class.”

Rhythmi glances back at me this time. There’s a spark of something in her eyes. Adventure? No. Mischief.

Not. A. Word. I glare back in response.

~3 months earlier~

“Rhythmi, who is that?” I ask without pointing at the taller boy walking across the schoolyard with Isaac. The early summer sun is high in the air, the local Starlys soaring overhead. Something about him looks… familiar.

“Who’s who?” Rhythmi replies, shielding her eyes from the sun. “Mushroom head? You remember him from class orientation. Isaac, from our class.”

“No, the guy with him. Of course I know Isaac.” Rhythmi never shuts up about how smart he is.

“Oh! That’s Kellyn, he’s-”

“Wait, Kellyn? Kellyn Clark, from the Ranger Times back in April?” That’s gotta be it.

“Uh… oh, yeah, I remember the paper being out here after that crazy rockslide rescue. I don’t know what we would’ve done without him. The Vientown rangers didn’t show up for another twenty minutes after Kellyn got those kids out of there.”

“Wow, that’s…” I’m looking back up at Kellyn and Isaac as they pass by us in the courtyard. Both of them smile at me in greeting, but Kellyn’s eyes catch mine just a moment longer. Uh oh. Rhythmi notices and her eyes grow wide as dinner plates. Double uh oh.

“Ooh, does Katie have a crush~?”

“No! Dude, no. I don’t even remember the last time I had a crush… on a guy.” It’s true. At eighteen, I haven’t dated anyone. High school saw a few crushes, almost exclusively on girls. None of those went anywhere. I was definitely too nervous to put myself out there, and not so sure that ranger school could turn over a new leaf.

“But Kellyn isn’t really a guy, you know.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?” I’m not sure I want to know what she means, but I ask anyway.

“Well, sometimes I hear the upperclassmen calling Kellyn ‘they’ instead of ‘he’, I think. Although he- they- seem to be fine with either, I think.”

“I’ve never heard of that, but that’s cool. Does that mean Kellyn isn’t a guy, though? What else is there? I’m interested, though – wait, not like that! I don’t know, Rhythmi. I just think Kellyn Clark is cool. Learning about what he – they - did in their first year at the Ranger School really got me motivated to come to school here.” I’ve already said too much. I really am intrigued, I didn’t know you could “be” anything else, really. If it’s how you’re born or what you choose… Or both. I don’t know.

“I getcha. Plus, it’s normal to have crushes on the upperclassmen. Or any other student, for that matter. A lot of people marry someone they went to school with.”

“Rhythmi! I don’t even want to think about that right now. I just want to learn Ranger stuff. And… And what it means to be, uh, not really a guy.”

“I dunno. I’ve just heard stuff. I think… I think it’s just something they started going by. Kellyn is totally handsome, though. Not my type but I totally get why you like-”

“Shh! Just… let’s drop it, okay?” I hate how red my face has turned. I’ve literally never even met Kellyn. People always say never meet your heroes, and maybe those people know something I don’t. And he’s just some guy. Or some… person.

~End Flashback~

“Rhythmi, you’ll be with Linda Delphi, since you’re both in the Operator program,” Ms. April started to list off names.

“Okay!”

“Keith, you’ll be with Asher Litman.”

“Thanks, Ms. April. Asher is cool.”

“Caroline, you’re with Dillon Rainier.”

“Okay!”

“Opal, Izzy Timmins.”

“Of course,”

“Isaac, your partner is Leland Honeyman.”

“Okay, Ms. April.”

“Ponte, Adrian Grace.”

“Got it.”

“Kate, you’re with Kellyn Clark.”

I definitely feel something like my heart skipping a beat, or puke coming up, before forcing myself to calm down. I try not to look at Rhythmi, who, by the vibes I’m getting, is absolutely grinning back at me. This might be worse than high school.

Ms. April passes out the project packets to the class, heavy reams of paper with lots of space to write in. She’s describing the due dates for the project just before the bell rings for lunch and outdoor time. It’s technically called “recess” but us students think that’s a little too grade school, so outdoor time it is.

“It would be a good idea to meet your partners during the break if you haven’t yet!” Ms. April calls after us as we clamor from our seats and out the door.

“Kate, OMG!” Rhythmi grabs my arm as we head out together. “Lucky you!” She really has no concept of personal space.

“Shh! Don’t-” I’m cut off by our friend Keith joining up at my other side.

“Ooh, lucky Kate indeed!” He elbows as both he and Rhythmi begin to laugh.

“What?! Rhythmi, what did you tell him?” I can feel the fire of anger rising. I know we’ve only been friends for three months but I thought I could trust…

“Nothing! I-”

“She didn’t have to. I could tell how excited you were when Ms. April paired you guys up.”

I can’t help but shake my head. “No. I don’t believe it. Guys, can we just drop this? I do not have a crush on anyone, let alone the most popular guy in the entire damn school.” We’re heading outside now, the autumn sunlight and my annoyance narrowing my eyes.

“Kate, I don’t think there’s anyone in our grade who doesn’t have a crush on Kellyn,” Keith elbows me again, to which I can’t help but give him a massive shove. Nearly losing his footing and falling into a decorative shrub, Keith rubs his arm with feigned annoyance.

“Hey, I’m just saying. I wouldn’t complain.” He gives a parting wave and heads off in the direction of a picnic table where a few other first years have gathered. I’m not sure I want to follow him after that.

Rhythmi and I are looking around the courtyard, noticing that both Linda and Kellyn, our project partners, are sitting with a group of second-years and their own first-year partners.

“Should we go sit with them?” Rhythmi asks, her blue eyes all innocence. I know it’s a front.

“Only if you don’t say a single funny thing about me and… you know.” I’m already sighing as I follow my giddy, golden-haired friend to the grassy clearing where the other students are hanging out. Well, I’ve got to meet him- them? - sometime.

“Hey guys!” Rhythmi greets the group. The others seem chill with our arrival and make room for us at one side of the circle. To our luck, Rhythmi sits down next to Linda and I’m beside Kellyn.

“Hi!” Kellyn immediately greets me. My pulse is speeding up, but not because I have some schoolgirl crush on… them. I think it’s the social anxiety of meeting upperclassmen in general. “You’re Kate Starfall, right?’

“Um, yeah. Hi, Kellyn.” They know my name? Interesting.

“Oh! No need to introduce myself, then,” They’re… screw it, he’s smiling, and it’s as if his gray-blue eyes are laughing at me.

I think I’m blushing something fierce. I guess I know his name already, too. “I mean…”

“Kidding. Yep, I’m Kellyn. It’s okay, I spoke at your orientation, so you probably know me from that.” No, his eyes aren’t laughing at me. I’m overthinking it. He seems… alright.

“Actually, Katie read about you in the paper!” Rhythmi pipes up from her conversation with Linda. I’m biting back a curse and forcing myself not to swat at Rhythmi’s hand. Linda seems amused, too, and I try not to notice. So. Embarrassing.

“Yeah, um, the Ranger Times.” Damage control. "About that landslide that happened back in the spring. That was you, right?” Obviously.

“Oh, that? Yeah. I didn’t think that was big enough news for the regional paper. It’s cool you remembered. I don’t know, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Any Ranger could’ve done that.”

“You don’t have to act so humble,” Linda chimes in. “That was a pretty big deal.” Okay, maybe she doesn’t think I’m dumb.

“Thanks, guys,” Kellyn seems accepting of the praise but moves on quickly to another topic. Thank Arceus. “Kate, we’re partners for the ecology project, right?”

“Yeah. Ms. April told us to find our partners during the break today.” I didn’t think I’d have the cajones to actually do it, but here I am. Thanks, Rhythmi, for something.

“Cool. Well, I’m looking forward to it. I’m not from around here, and-” He’s cut off by a flurry of wingbeats from a nearby tree followed by alarmed chirping. I know those calls anywhere.

“Star! Staravia!” The large monochromatic bird seems to be calling over to our group of students, obviously panicked by something.

“W-woah! What’s up with it?” Rhythmi stands up, backing away from the Pokemon.

“Hold on,” I’m getting up slowly, standing next to Rhythmi, watching the Staravia. It seems to lock eyes with me and soars out of the tree, across the clearing to land in front of me.

“Eek!” Rhythmi scrambles behind me. I know it won’t hurt us, but don’t say it. The other students have stopped chatting and are watching us, not sure whether to stay or scatter.

“It’s okay, Rhythmi. Staravia isn’t going to hurt you.” I finally say. I’m familiar with the bird, native to both Sinnoh and Almia. Slowly, I inch towards it. “Hey, there. What’s wrong?”

Staravia seems to gesture towards the tree it had flown over from then flies back towards it. I turn to Rhythmi, who looks unsure but not as frightened as she was a second ago.

“It wants me to follow. Stay here.” I turn to go, but another voice follows me.

“I’ll come with you,” Kellyn falls in next to me. “Just in case.”

I try not to roll my eyes, not looking back at him. “It’s just a Staravia. I’ll be okay.”

“I still want to check it out. Could learn something, you know?”

Sure. But he’s a second-year, I can’t imagine he hasn’t run into a Staravia before. “Don’t spook it. Just stay calm. She’s already upset about something.”

“She?” Kellyn follows as I make my way across the courtyard to Staravia’s tree.

“Yeah. Look at the tuft of feathers on her head. It’s not super pronounced, so that’s a female Staravia.” It’s common knowledge to me, but I guess to anyone who isn’t from around here it’d be hard to tell.

All the other students on this side of the courtyard have gotten out of the way of the panicked Pokémon. Once we arrive at the tree, Staravia greets us with a sharp call and flits up to a branch about fifteen feet overhead. I try not to cover my ears as it flaps and screeches, calling for help.

“I’m gonna follow it,” I declare, hauling myself onto the first branch. It’s sturdy, and the tree doesn’t seem to have any dead limbs as I look up to make my next move.

“Do you need me to-”

“No. Stay here. I’ll let you know what’s up.” I can handle this, I think, as a country kid I grew up climbing trees. Plus, I don’t need Rhythmi making any Kate-and-Kellyn-sitting-in-a-tree jokes. I push the annoyance at the thought aside and hurry up to the tree, grateful that the branches are thick and spaced so closely together. Once Staravia is just overhead, I peer through the leaves to make out just what the problem is.

There in the crook of a branch, against the tree trunk, is a gray, black and white egg that looks just like Staravia. A Starly egg, I bet.

“There’s a nest up here,” I call down to Kellyn. Upon further inspection, I notice Staravia has started pecking away at tough, red and green vines that are snaked around the branch and towards the nest. Following the vines outward, I finally realize…

“Carnivine! There’s a Carnivine going for her nest!”

“Are you okay? Is it-”

“I’m fine! Just give me a minute!” I carefully unhook the practice styler from my belt. Here goes nothing.

#pokemon ranger #pokemon ranger shadows of almia #writers block #help #fanfiction #pokemon #almiashipping #but not for the whole story hehehe #aged up of course #ranger school is kind of like college?#what am i doing here i havent used tumblr in years

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