Erika ran past the small shrubs and bushes lining the outside of the forest, and into the deeper growth. Vines barred her path but she brushed past them, climbing over low branches and ignoring the stabbing pain in her sides. She ran until she couldn't breathe anymore, and simply collapsed onto the ground. A Pokéball fell out out of her pocket, and released the monster inside. Erika dragged herself into an upright position, holding tightly onto the mossy trunk of a tree.
"Why..." she choked. Why do I feel this way? Why am I crying? She cried freely now, her tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping into the soft, sweet smelling earth beneath her.

::I don't understand what's happening to me...::

She felt a warm nuzzle at her side, and turned back from the tree. "Oh Gloom, I'm so sorry I yelled at you..." Erika picked up her Pokémon and petted it in her lap. "Everything I do is a catastrophe. Why can't I do anything right for once? Natsume... Natsume must think I'm such a disaster." she sniffed, looking at the ground. Gloom shook its head sideways. "Gloom gloom..." It gave her a tight hug to reassure her. Erika pulled her arm up and wiped her face dry of her tears.
"Thank you. You're really sweet, Gloom. But how can I make it up to her? What if I just make things worse?" Gloom shook its head again and began to pull Erika back towards the beach. "Wait, not yet Gloom. I have an idea." She walked further away into the forest, and Gloom followed curiously. Erika smiled and began picking some brightly-colored flowers. "We'll at least be able to make a nice centerpiece or something." she giggled. "Gloom Gloom!" replied the Pokémon in agreement.

Natsume washed her hands in a pool of rainwater that had collected near their cave. At least the messiest part, cleaning and gutting the Pokémon, was done. Now the only had to cook everything over the fire....She reminded herself never to get stranded on a desert island again. And with Erika of all people... Her Alakazam was listening to her thoughts, and tilted its head quizzically.

"Oh, it's not that I hate her or anything." sighed the Psychic girl.
"No, in fact, that may be the problem." The Spoon Bending Master shook it's head and frowned.

::'What a complex person you are. Stop and listen to yourself. You're making no sense..':: it seemed to be saying.

Natsume gave her Pokémon a long, hard look. "Of course you wouldn't understand, you're just a Pokémon!" she scoffed. "Sure, you can learn about fighting and battles and obeying commands, but how could you possibly ever learn feelings? Especially difficult human feelings..."

Alakazam snorted and made a rather smug face. ::'Isn't that what YOU have done in the last year? I seem to remember a certain girl who had no feelings at all...::

Natsume scowled. "That was a VERY long time ago!"
Her Pokémon smiled a little. ::'And is it not possible that you are still learning to sort through some feelings?'::
Natsume nodded. "I suppose it is possible..."
The Pokémon sat back and closed its eyes, folding its legs underneath it, in a meditating pose. ::'Then perhaps the best help you can get is from a little girl...the child in you, Natsume. Always remember your inner self. She's the only one who can understand your feelings.'::

Then, it teleported off, probably to the top of the mountain to meditate, thought Natsume. "Thank you." she whispered.