To Steal the Heart of a Thief {Pokemon Ranger Fanfiction} (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)

Chapter 26: The Mile

(Third Person POV)

"So we're just running the mile today?" Fully dressed in her gym clothes, Rena asked Mr. Kaplan her question.

"Yep." Kaplan nodded his head. "The distance from the Gym, across the bridge, and to Vientown and back adds up to about a mile." He nodded approvingly to his favorite student, patting her on the head. "I expect you to have the best mile time out of everyone."

Rena just threw her head back and scoffed. "Oh please, Kaplan. You've seen me run. You know I will."

Kaplan chuckled at her confidence, shaking his head. "Go ahead and leave Mightyena with Ms. Claire for when you're running." He pointed to a woman with short, dark brown hair and green eyes. Her baseball cap covered most of her face.

"Her?" Rena pointed to her, and when Kaplan nodded his head, she crouched down to face Mightyena. "Alright, boy! Go hang out with that woman over there while I go run for a bit, okay?" She placed her hands on the side of his face, affectionately pressing her forehead to his.

Mightyena was reluctant to leave his master, but with a sigh and a small whine, he turned around and went to join Ms. Claire and the other family Pokemon the various students had left in her care. He immediately layed down in the sun with Rhythimi's Eevee, deciding to take a nap himself.

Kaplan shoved Rena's back a little in the direction of where the rest of the students were waiting at the spray-painted start line on the grass. "Now, go on! Go join your classmates so we can get started!"

"Fine, fine." Rena groaned, turning her head to look at the crowd of students. She jogged over to her two blonde friends when she spotted them, and they both looked absolutely miserable. "Why do you two look so dead right now?"

Isaac sighed sharply, slumping his shoulders. "I'm not much of a runner."

Rhythimi was already sweating, even though they hadn't even started running yet...somehow. "Oh my god, this is exactly why I'm becoming an Operator and not a Ranger..." She panted, already tuckered out.

Rena chuckled at the two physically-inactive blondes. "Oh my god, you two are absolutely pathetic..."

"Shut up." Rhythimi swatted at the brunette, who laughed and playfully dodged the attack. "Not all of us are built for physical abuse like you and Keith are."

"What about me?" The red-head himself asked, suddenly deciding to appear.

Rena turned her head to look at Keith and immediately narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, it's you."

Keith instinctively threw his hands up defensively. "Great, what did I do this time? I don't think I've pranked you lately..." He pressed his index finger to his lips, thinking it over. "...nope. I've got nothing."

Rena sighed in annoyance, and as soon as Mr. Kaplan blew the whistle, she took off running as fast as she could.

Startled by her impeccable speed and the various complaints of the students around him that were starting to jog, Keith was already falling behind Rena in the race. "Oi, Rena! Wait up a sec!"

Rena rolled her eyes as the red-head caught up with her, and she already was out the school's front gate and the student furthest ahead. "Leave me alone, you posh asshole."

Keith grimaced at the insult. "Ouch... Care to explain what I did to deserve that?"

Rena groaned when he matched her pace and started jogging right next to her, and she glared right at him. "Did you already forget about your damn prom-posals yesterday?"