1Kate didn't know where she was, but she saw all her Partner Pokémon and figured they might be able to help her. However, whenever she approached them, they backed away from her, wearing looks of anger and disgust. Her family members watched the sight, looking disappointed in her. "Is this what you are, big sister?" her little sister called out with a sneer.
Kate was suddenly in front of Chairperson Erma and Professor Hastings, who looked down on her. "Kate, we don't think you should be a Pokémon Ranger anymore." Rhythimi came out suddenly, handing Kate a smashed, smoking Styler. "I thought you could do better," her friend said coldly.
Kate turned, and found herself on the roof of the Union. She saw Wendy and Sven scoff at her, turning and flying away on Staraptor. Kate felt overwhelmed, and felt her eyes sting, but tried to calm down. Deep breath. Deep breath.
She was suddenly scooped up by another Ranger on a Staraptor. Kate's nerves calmed when she saw Keith, who gave her a look of concern rather than disdain. Pachirisu popped over her friend's shoulder, and she reached out to pet her trusted partner.
As her fingers reached closer, though, her worries began to whisper in the back of her mind again. As if on cue, Pachirisu bit down on her fingers, then turned and dashed into the sky. Kate reached out to catch the Pokémon, but her fingers passed through the creature, and the image faded away.
Kate took in more deep breaths, looking to Keith to find happiness again. However, the look on her friend's face, filled with anger and disgust with her, shook her to her core. "You deserve this," he said with malice, pushing her off the Staraptor and disappearing.
Kate was waiting to hit the ground, but feeling only nothingness, opened her eyes. She would have prefered to hit the ground rather than see what she did. She was back on top of the tower, shadows writhing over the sides, trapping her. Darkrai looked over her, and she instinctively grabbed at her wrist where her Styler was, only to find it bare.
She glanced down to see that not only was her Styler missing, but that instead of her Ranger uniform, she wore simple civilian clothing. She looked at Darkrai and willed herself to not panic. Deep breath. Deep breath. She had to get out of here, but the shadows wouldn't give way when she tried to push through. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Darkrai made a cry that sounded like laughter, and Kate saw darkness expand beneath her feet, pulling her in. She struggled, both with the void and her panic.
Deep breath. Her knees had gotten pulled in. Deep breath. Half of her torso was in the void now. Deep breath. Her arms were pulled in. Deep breath. Her head went under and she couldn't breathe deep breath but she couldn't she was drowning and trashing and she had to get out-
Kate jolted awake, pulling her face away from the bedsheets that had been wrapped around it. She took in quick puffs of breath, letting a scream die at the back of her throat. She swiped her palms across her eyes, finding the hint of newly formed tears, which mingled with the cold sweat that was spread across her skin.
Once she had calmed her nerves, Kate crept downstairs, trying not to wake anyone up. In the kitchen, she poured herself a glass of milk, gulping it down to ease her throat, using the creamy taste to push away the memory of the nightmare. After quickly downing the drink, Kate washed it in the sink, thinking about what she should do now.
She couldn't go back to sleep, even if she wanted to. She couldn't watch TV or play video games without waking her family, and the only book in the house she was interested in at the moment, she had just finished. Reading a newspaper or magazine would only entertain her for a short time.
The only thing left she could think of was to take a walk. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote a quick note saying that see couldn't sleep and went outside to take a walk, in case anyone woke up before she did. Leaving the note in plain sight on the table, she opened the door and left the house.
It was a clear, crisp night. Kate took deep breaths, though they were more to enjoy the clean air in her lungs than be a calming action. She realized that she had forgotten to put shoes on, but enjoyed the feeling of the grass on her bare feet, so decided she was fine without them.
As she took steps forward, into the light of an almost-full moon, she realized she didn't know where to head. Staying in Chicole Village could wake her family's neighbors, and going to Veintown would likely have the same result. As she thought her feet lead her to the one place she could go before her mind thought of it.
At Partner Farm, her partners were all sleeping in close proximity to each other, possibly for companionship rather than warmth, as though the night was crisp, it was not cold, not even to the human that lacked the fur, feathers, and other various insulation the Pokémon had. She approached the slumbering creatures, reaching out to a peaceful Munchlax, thinking of running her fingers through its fur, to give affection to it, to console herself that her partners wouldn't leave her.
As she brushed her fingers through its green fur, Munchlax began to awaken. Kate found herself kneeling down and wrapping her arms around the Normal-type, seeking comfort as the thought of her partners leaving her returned. Without thinking she spoke in a soft voice, asking her partner if she was good enough. Munchlax, sensing her distress, patted the Ranger's head.
Kate felt tears come, but willed herself not to cry. The memory of Pachirisu running away came back to her, and she again asked if she was good enough. Munchlax just keep patting her head. Kate tried smile, telling herself that her partner cared, but the question of whether she was good enough rang through her head again.
She couldn't remember giving more affection then this to any of her partners, other than the reunion between her and Pachirisu. Even if her memory was failing her, she was certain that she had never shown affections to her Friend Pokémon, simply capturing them for a purpose, then simply dismissing them once the task was done.
Even the affection she gave now was hollow, as she realized she was seeking to comfort herself, rather than think of the Pokémon in her arms, who was now wrapping their arms around her torso. Her heart felt heavy when it caught up to her how selfish she was right now, and had been.
Kate pulled Munchlax's arms off of her gently, giving it a scratch behind the ear and whispering her thanks. Munchlax simply smiled up at her as she stood, and repositioned himself near the other Pokémon. Kate walked back to the house, her limbs suddenly feeling like weights, her mind in a fog. She mechanically crumpled up her note and tossed it into the trash, and headed upstairs in the same way.
As she lay on her bed, instead of worrying about the opinions her Pokémon, family, and friends, she could only think of one thing. Was she good enough for them?
