It Consumes

Chapter 2

As Kate walked across the bridge dragging her suitcase behind her, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious about this whole ordeal. Who wouldn't be a little nervous on a day like this? All she had was one year of school to complete before being thrown directly into her dream job, which she would undoubtedly drown herself in for the rest of her life. Just like her passion for books, Kate figured that once she became a Pokemon Ranger, that would become her passion, and it would grow on her so much that she would have a hard time making herself want to do anything else.

Normal kids her age would be nervous about starting two weeks late into the year, making friends (if any), keeping good grades, and establishing whether they were popular or not. Kate, however, was not bothered by starting late, didn't care really to make any friends, knew she would effortlessly make good grades, and did not annoy herself with thoughts of popularity. Then again, Kate wasn't really what one would consider to be 'normal.' Instead of being nervous about all of those other things, Kate was a little nervous to finally fulfill her dream of becoming a Ranger, which she was now one step closer to by coming to this school.

She stopped when she found herself standing in front of a tall, wrought iron gate that barely concealed the school sitting behind it. Kate was about to fiddle with the lock and try to get it open when someone shouted to her from across the campus.

"Oh, wait!"

Kate looked up to see a middle-aged woman with bushy brown hair similar to her mother's running her way rather slowly, a little out of breath. She was dressed in a maroon-purple skirt and blouse combo, and she wore brown high heels to go with the outfit. A small, white waist-apron accented the woman's skirt.

The woman stopped at the gate and pulled out a key ring that Kate presumed held a key to every door inside and outside of the building, and the woman unlocked the gate and held it open for her.

"You must be the new student, correct?" The woman inquired, then simply let Kate inside when she merely nodded her head. "Right this way, then! My name is Janice, and I'm the caretaker for the students." The happy woman extended a hand for Kate to shake, which she did.

"Nice to meet you, Janice. I'm Kate." Kate gave her a gentle smile as they walked up the school's front steps.

"I've been instructed to take you to your entrance exam." Janice began, pointing Kate in the direction of what looked like a Training Gym, which was a small, separate building from the main school building. "Just head right on in there and I'll take your stuff to your room." Janice took Kate's heavy suitcase from her, and she was surprised at how heavy it was. What could this little girl have possibly packed to make it so heavy...?

"Thank you." Kate simply nodded her head, relieving herself from Janice's side to go inside the Training Gym.

"You will be sharing a room with Rhythmi Valentine." Janice called out to her one last time, then quietly chuckled at the look of panic on Kate's face. "Oh, don't worry. She's a really sweet girl. I'm sure you'll meet her later today!"

Kate anxiously smiled as Janice walked away, then pushed open the Gym's doors and sulked inside. She hadn't accounted for the possibility that she would have a roommate to stay with for the rest of the year. What if she turned out to be really obnoxious and rude? Kate quickly shook those negative thoughts from her head, trying to look on the bright side of things...which were definitely not in this room.

Kate raised an eyebrow at her surroundings, noticing that all but one of the ceiling lights had been turned off. The only lit one flickered occasionally, giving the room a very ominous atmosphere. All of a sudden, a small green object had been tossed to her, and if she didn't have quick reflexes, it would most likely have smacked her right in the face.