I woke to what sounded like wings flapping outside. The sleeping bag felt a bit more spacious, so I had assumed that Star was already out with Zoren, preparing for their morning flight. I just so happened to be correct, because Star was climbing onto Zoren's back as soon as I stepped out. “Good morning, Jason! Zoren said that he's gonna make this flight a bit shorter so he can help find food.” Star said happily, which made me feel fuzzy inside. I noticed that Morris and his Pokemon have not stirred yet, so I replied. “Zoren, you don't have to do that. I'm pretty sure Morris, Inu, Fali, Abby and I can handle it.” Zoren gave me a big smile and took off. He made enough noise to wake Morris up. I could hear everything that he grunted and moaned. Most of it was cursing whoever made the noise that rudely woke him up, the rest of it was just a bunch of gibberish. He then stuck his head out of his tent to see me standing there, looking up to the skies. “Jason, are you alright? What are you doing?” He asked, getting a jump out of me. “Oh! G'morning, Morris. Zoren likes to go flying every morning, so I like to try and keep an eye on him while he's up above. I'm sorry if his obnoxious takeoff woke you up.” Morris just shook his head. “It's fine. At least my Pokemon didn't wake up.” I can tell that he was still irritated, so I decided to let him simmer down a bit before we continued our conversation. “So... I hope you don't mind, but we should go look for food. Do you mind waking up your Pokemon so they can help?” I had asked after a few minutes of silence had passed. Morris sighed “I suppose.” I heard him mumble a few things under his breath, but it didn't bother me. After Morris had gone back to his tent, I heard some noises coming from inside the tent, mostly moans and groans coming from his groggy Pokemon. Eventually, Morris stepped out of his tent with Inu, Fali, and Abby following behind him. Fali was rubbing her eyes, while Inu and Abby were almost holding each other up.

I stepped closer to Morris to quietly ask him a question. “Hey, do you think we can wait for them to wake up a bit? It'd make things go by quicker if they were fully awake.” Morris nodded in agreement and we decided to take a seat on the ground while we waited. I looked up once more, trying to look for Zoren, but he was nowhere to be found. I figured that they had flown higher or a little further away. I just hoped that Star would be safe up there. A few more minutes passed, and Abby decided that it would be fun to poke Inu with her horn. Inu jumped at the touch and looked to Abby. “Why'd you do that?! You know that I hate that!” Abby just laughed and walked away. Morris and I figured that his Pokemon had fully woken up, so we explained the situation to them. “Alright guys, we're gonna go look for berries this morning. Abby, I want you to go with Jason and look with him. Inu, Fali, you two come with me. Alright?” Morris said in a valiant tone, almost as if he was debriefing soldiers about to go on a mission. I was happy that he sent Abby with me, and no one else. This is because I'd be able to chat with Abby about Morris without him seeing my ability. “Okay Jason, I'll look this way, and you go that way.” Morris pointed to the trees behind me. I nodded in approval and called for Abby. Morris, Inu and Fali vanished into the woods, leaving Abby and I in the camp alone. “So, how are you, Abby?” I asked in a meaningful tone. “What do you care?” Abby growled. “Well, I want to know how you're feeling. I care for your well-being.” Abby hit me with a confused look. “Yes, I can understand you. Surprising, right?” Abby seemed to be at a loss of words. “Well, this is new. I can finally have a conversation with a human! I have so many questions I've been wanting to ask.” Abby said with excitement in her voice. “I do, too. Not about Pokemon, but about Morris. But first, we should at least get moving. Alright?” I said. Abby nodded in approval. We headed in the direction Morris told us to go, and just as we were about to enter the woods, I heard a loud noise coming from the direction of the campsite. I turned to see Zoren landing, with Star climbing off slowly. “Jason, where are you going? And where is Morris and his other two Pokemon?” Star asked quickly. I'm sure she thought that I traded her for Abby, and was leaving her here. “Relax, Star. Morris took Inu and Fali with him to go look for berries. He left me Abby because you weren't here.” I said as I approached her. She let out a sigh of relief and hugged my leg. I looked at Zoren with a smile. “And I thought I told you to enjoy your flight!” I said in a jokingly stern tone. Zoren just laughed and offered an explanation. “Well, Star said that she felt that something was wrong and wanted to land. I was feeling hungry anyways, so I did as she said.” I was surprised to hear about Star's odd feeling and felt an urge to ask her about it, but I figured that I'd ask her later. “Alright, we've wasted enough time here! Let's get going!” I cried out. Abby and Zoren let out synchronized howls of confidence while I picked up Star to put her on my shoulders. Abby darted towards the woods while Zoren took off once more, keeping low this time, and leaving Star and I in the dust. “Well, get going you Slowpoke!” Star said as she tapped my head. I ran in the direction Abby and Zoren went, while Star looked around for berries.

“Over there!” She exclaimed. I turned my head in the direction she was pointing, and just like she said, there they were. I scratched Star's head as a reward, and she offered a giggle as a rebuttal. I made my way over and began to pick the Rawst berries, when I heard a low growl coming from the bushes. I backed up, thinking that a wild Pokemon had already claimed these berries, but the growl just continued. “S-Star... Do something!” I stuttered. Star giggled once more and jumped off of my shoulders. I felt my heart rate increase greatly, and I began to run. I kept running, and I just happened to trip over a root and land face first. As I hit the ground, I felt something land on me. Adrenaline began to course through my veins as I tried to look at the thing on me. “I gotcha, Jason!” Abby said as she got off. “Jeez! I almost had a heart attack! I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that again, Abby.” I said after I caught my breath. I stood up and called for Star. “Yes?” I heard her say from some nearby brush. “Did you have anything to do with this?” I said sternly, for I was quite irritated. “Well, sorta. I used telepathy to tell Abby to scare you, but I didn't think that she'd do that. Still, I thought it was kinda funny...” Star said. I just shook my head and sat down on the ground. “Well, since we know where some berries are, why don't we talk, Abby? You said that you have some questions, right?” I asked, trying to calm down. Abby nodded. “I have plenty of questions about you humans. I've been around Morris enough to know some of what you do, but sometimes Morris will close himself in his room for a long time, not letting anyone in. Do you know why he does that?” Abby's question made me grin and snicker. “What's so funny? I think that something's wrong with Morris!” Abby said, getting a little frantic. “Don't worry about Morris when he does that. He just wants a little privacy every now and then, that's all. He's perfectly fine.” I said, trying to hold in my laughter. Abby let out a sigh of relief and smiled. “Alright. As long as he's okay, I'll make sure to leave him alone. Should I tell this to Inu and Fali?” Abby asked, to which I replied with a nod. “Do you have any other questions?” I asked the Absol. For about ten minutes, she had asked her questions, which I answered to the best of my ability. Content with all the answers she received, I thought that it was time for me to ask my questions. “So, do you like being with Morris? He seems to be a nice person, but I thought that it would be nice to hear from one of his own Pokemon.” Abby looked at me, and began to answer. “Morris is a nice human. He makes sure to feed Inu, Fali and I, he plays with us, and lets us sleep with him. When we battle, he makes sure to keep us as safe as possible, and if we do end up losing, he makes sure to get us to a Pokemon Center as fast as he can. One time, we had won a battle, but Fali was hurt badly. He had no medicine on him, so he carried Fali all the way to the Pokemon Center. I wondered why he didn't put her in the Pokeball, but I didn't care that much at the time. I was too worried about the condition of Fali. That night, he put Inu and I in out Pokeballs, but left Fali out of hers for some reason. The next morning, Morris took us out of our balls so we could eat breakfast, and then put us back in out balls, but leaving Fali out once again. He still does this sometimes, and it irritates me a little bit. Why doesn't he just leave Inu and I out of our balls as often as he does with Fali?” Abby had finished her answer. I wondered why Morris liked Fali so much. “I'll tell you what, Abby. Why don't I ask Morris about Fali later? Maybe I can coax an answer out of him for you.” I said. Abby stood up and nearly jumped. “You would do that? If you did, I'd be grateful.” Abby said, happiness quite present in her voice. “I promise. Now, let's finish looking for these berries, okay?” I said as I pet Abby's head. She yipped in approval. “Alright. Star, get rea- wait, where is Star?” I said as I began to panic. Star was right next to me earlier, and now she was nowhere to be found. “Star? Where are you!” I began shouting. I was sweating, and Abby just looked at me with a confused look. “Jason? What's wrong?” Abby asked. “What's wrong? Star is missing, that's what's wrong!” I replied in an angry tone. “Oh, she's not missing! She told me that she was going to pick those berries that I made you run away from. She'll be right back.” Abby reassured me. I noticed that I was holding my breath, so I thought that it'd be smart to exhale. As soon as I did that, Star emerged from the bushes carrying the Rawst berries in her arms. “I'm baaaaack! Here are the berries, Jason!” Star said. She began to say something else, but I cut her off as I picked her up. “Oh, Star! I was so worried! I thought that someone took you away from me! I was so worried...” I repeated the last sentence a few times while rocking back and forth, holding Star tightly. I began to cry, so Star decided that comforting me would help greatly. “I'm still here, aren't I? Don't worry, Jason. I'll make sure to tell you before I do anything like that ever again. I promise...” Star began to weep a little herself, so I tightened my grip a bit to keep her as close as possible. “Uh, guys? I don't want to ruin your moment, but don't you think that we should go back to the camp? Morris should be done by now.” Abby said quietly. I heard her and set Star on the ground. I wiped the tears from her eyes as she wiped the tears from mine. “Alright. Star, Abby, lead the way.” I said as I stood up. “What about Zoren? Shouldn't we wait for him?” Star asked. I looked up to the skies to try and find the dragon, but he was nowhere to be seen. I assumed that he was back at the campsite, waiting for us to return. “I think that he is back at the campsite, so let's just go back. Even if he isn't, I'm sure that he'll think the same thing I'm thinking.” I said. I was sure that Zoren was smart enough to return to camp if we were nowhere to be found. Star nodded.

She looked to Abby to ask her a question. “Hey Abby, do you think that I can ride on your back?” Morris' Absol laughed and said yes as Star began to climb onto Abby's back. It was a silly sight, and I couldn't help but laugh myself. Abby trotted ahead of me in the direction of the campsite, making sure not to go too far ahead so I can be close to Star. After a few minutes of walking, we emerged from the forest and saw Morris sitting next to the fire, roasting some Pecha berries that he had found. Zoren was sitting on the other side of the fire. Fali was sitting right next to her trainer, leaning her head against his shoulder, while Inu was curled up on his left side. “There you guys are! For a second, I thought that you guys would never return! I got some Pecha berries. What'd you guys get?” Morris said in a positive tone. I showed him the Rawst berries as I took a seat next to Zoren. “Awesome! Inu and Fali love Rawst berries. Only if we could find some Chesto berries, Abby loves those.” Morris said, staring intently at the fire. Inu caught a whiff of the Rawst berries and his head shot right up. “You want one, Inu?” I asked the Jolteon. “Yeah! Can you toss it over?” Inu replied. To Morris' ears, it sounded like a bark, but I'm sure he understood Inu. I tossed it high enough so that the berry would pass over the fire, and Inu jumped and caught it in his mouth. “Nice catch, Inu!” I said to brighten the somewhat gloomy mood. Everyone seemed to be upset somehow. Morris didn't make a sound after Star, Abby and I returned, same with Zoren, and Star just munched quietly on a roasted Pecha berry that Morris offered. The silence was overwhelming, so I decided to strike up a conversation with Morris. “So, have you ever tried contests, Morris?” I had to ask, because it seemed like Inu took part in some contests in the past. “Actually, yes. Inu is a contest Pokemon. He likes to battle as well, so I let him do both. He's been doing contests for the past year now, so his moves are naturally flashy and cool.” Morris said with enthusiasm. Inu sent a colorful electrical charge through his fur to show off. Abby, who was sitting next to Inu, nudged him to make him stop. Inu stuck his tongue out at the Absol and curled up once again. The rest of the meal was silent, and as soon as we finished, Morris suggested that we get moving. “The next town is not too far from here. We should be there before dusk.” Morris said in a firm tone. He acted like a squad leader, which I actually liked a little. I like someone who can take charge and do it in a good way. “Okay then. Star, do you mind helping me pack up?” I said to my lovely Kirlia, who nodded happily and began to get our sleeping bag. I took down the tent like always, and we were on the road once again.

The majority of the walk was silent, like our breakfast. We would try to initiate some conversations, but they never really lasted. They mainly consisted of questions about our families, stories behind how we found our Pokemon, and where we came from. Abby, Fali and Inu were in their Pokeballs, which still ticked me off, but I didn't want to show my anger. I'm pretty sure Star picked up on it, but for the sake of our little group, she didn't bring it up. The silence continued for another fifteen minutes, until something made a noise in a nearby bush. Zoren noticed it, and nudged my shoulder. I issued a command using my hands to make Morris stop. I crept up to the bush, trying not to make a sound. “Raaaagh! I got you now!” A Team Sabre grunt shouted as he jumped out of the bush. He landed on me and pinned me to the ground. “So, you're the punk that beat up those two guys in the desert, huh? You think that it would've gone unnoticed? Hahahahaha! You really are one dumb kid!” The grunt said. Another grunt came out from a different bush and came to kick me, but was interrupted by a swift Dragon Claw attack from Zoren. “You will NOT hurt him! You will pay for what you have done!” Zoren shouted. To Morris and the two grunts, it sounded like an intimidating battle cry. I felt the fear in the grunt holding me down, so I decided that now would be a nice time to try and break free from his grasp. As I began to wrestle free from the Sabre grunt's grasp, Morris released his three Pokemon. Inu and Fali aided Zoren in his fight, while Abby helped me break free by hitting the grunt with a furious Night Slash attack. It knocked the grunt off of me and made him bleed a bit. It wasn't that bad, and I knew he was going to live, so I pinned him to the ground this time. “How does it feel to be on the other end, buddy? Huh?! Star, hit him with Hypnosis!” I waited for Star to work her magic, but I was confused when she didn't do it. I looked her way and saw her being picked up by a third Sabre grunt. “Hehehe... You're a nice find, little one.” The grunt said with a raspy voice. The image that was unfolding before me sent me over the edge. “That's IT!” I shouted as I began to move towards the third grunt. I grabbed him by his neck and put him against a tree. “You let her go right now, or I swear that I will end your life right now. Do it!” He didn't do it as soon as I had asked him, so I hit him with a hard left. That was enough to make him let my Pokemon go, and as soon as he had done so, Star hit him with a Psychic attack. This rendered him unconscious, so I let him fall to the ground. The grunt that was wounded by Abby saw me come his way, and he began to back away and shake his head. “If you want to live, then you better turn around and get the hell out of my face.” The grunt did as I said and ran away. I checked on Zoren, Inu, and Fali in time to see them finish beating up the grunt that tried to kick me. Zoren's Dragon Claw was restrained enough that it only left some minor cuts, much like the first grunt had. I checked for a pulse and, even though it was faint, it was still there, so I assumed that he was going to live. “Star... Are you okay?” I had asked, kneeling in front of her. Star began to cry. “H-he was.... He was gonna take me away from you...” She said between sobs. I pulled her into a hug to comfort her. “It's okay... I'm here. I won't let anyone take you away from me, ever. Don't worry.” I said, rocking back and forth like I did in the forest. After Star had shed her last tear, I released her from my grip to check on Zoren. “Are you okay, Zoren?” He just nodded, and that was enough for me. Morris had finished checking on his three companions and they all seemed to be healthy. “What did that guy mean after he pinned you down? Did you do something to them?” Morris asked. I remember that I didn't tell him about my previous fight with some Sabre grunts back in the desert. “Well, this story ties in with how I found Zoren. Star and I were traveling through the desert when we came across two Team Sabre punks beating up Zoren. Of course, Star and I couldn't just leave him there, so we took action. We knocked both of them out and released their Pokemon, then hauled Zoren all the way to the Pokemon Center. The rest you know.” I explained. Morris was awestruck at our valiant act. “Wow. You're pretty brave to be standing up to Team Sabre. If I were you, I'd be careful. It seems that they're out to get you and your Pokemon, so watch your back.” I nodded in approval, and once again, we were on the road.

Fali walked on Morris' right side, holding his arm. Inu and Abby walked on his left, not trying to antagonize each other. Zoren was circling overhead while Star slept peacefully in my arms. Inu was talking with Abby about the fight we just had, trying to make sense of the whole thing. They both had no clue as to why those men would try to attack us, and why they would try to take Star away from me. I don't blame them. If I were in their position, I'd be confused as well. The silence continued once more as we reached the next town. “So, you said that you were gonna go stay with some family, right?” I asked. Morris nodded. “Yep. If you want, you can come and visit at any time. Heck, you can even stay the night if you want! We have an extra guest room that you can stay in.” Morris offered. I had to accept, not because I disliked Pokemon Center rooms, but because I haven't slept in a real home for so long. “Well, okay! As long as your relatives are okay with me and my Pokemon inside your home.” I said. Morris just shook his head. “Oh, it's not a problem. Besides, they have no qualms about me letting my Pokemon out while I'm inside. C'mon, I'll show you where we're staying.” Morris said as he led me to his aunt's house. I saw the general store along the way and memorized the location, because I knew that I'd have to stop there later. After walking one more block, we finally approached his aunt's house. “Oh, Morris! It's been so long! And I see you brought some guests! Welcome to my humble abode. Please, make yourself at home!” Morris' aunt said as she stepped out to greet her nephew. “Thank you, miss...” I began to say before I was cut off. “Oh, just call me Hilda. And call my husband Matthew.” The polite woman said. “Thank you, Hilda. I hope I'm not going to be too bothersome.” I said. I never seemed to be troublesome, but Hilda might see things differently than I do. “Oh, you won't. Now please come inside! You and your Pokemon seem to be tired.” Hilda said after looking at my sleeping Kirlia. “Thank you. But, what about Zoren? Isn't he a bit too big?” I asked after remembering Zoren's size. “Hrm, that is a bit of a problem... I tell you what, I'll get Matthew to build a nice nest for your handsome dragon.” Zoren blushed at Hilda's compliment. “Thank you once again. Do you mind if I helped Matthew build the nest? We could probably finish it tonight.” I said. Hilda nodded and let me inside. The house was beautiful. It reminded me of the countryside and how my grandparents. My grandparents live out in the country, making their money by selling Miltank products. “Your house is beautiful, Hilda.” I complimented, making her giggle a little. “Hilda? Who's here?” I heard a voice say in the next room. It was very rugged, much like a drill instructor's. “Morris is here, and he brought a few friends!” Hilda called out to her husband. He came into the room I was in and looked at me, as if he was trying to push me over with his stare. “So, you're a Trainer, eh? You seem to be the type. You can stay, as long as you can best me in a battle. I'll warn ya, my Pokemon have years of experience on their side, so you better be ready.” Matthew said as he showed me his belt. It had 2 Pokeballs on it, one being a Cherish Ball. “All right. Are we going to battle in the backyard?” I asked. Matthew nodded and showed me the way.

As we stepped out, I looked at the yard. It was so large that you probably could have made an entire daycare out there. “Well, are we gonna battle or what, kid?” Hilda's husband said as he reached his side. “Sure thing, old timer.” I said with a smirk. He laughed as he reached for his Pokeball. I reached my side of the yard and set Star in the grass. “I'll wake you when I need you, my little princess.” I whispered to my sleeping beauty. “Alright Zoren! Come back here!” I yelled out. The Desert Spirit flew from the front yard and landed right in front of me. “What a mighty fine Flygon you got there, kid.” Matthew said. I wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not, but I took it as a compliment. He tossed his Pokeball into the air and a Zoroark came out. This one was different, though. Instead of having red hair and claws, his were a bluish purple. “This is Von. He has been by my side for about seven years now.” He said as his Dark type got into a battle pose. “Zoren, use Dragon Claw!” I barked, and Zoren flapped his wings and flew at full speed towards Von. Von evaded the attack and quickly readied a Shadow Claw attack. “Zoren, use Fly!” Zoren was already ascending as I began my command. The Shadow Claw narrowly missed Zoren, and he dove as soon as Von had finished his attack. My dragon struck the Zoroark in his ribs and sent him backwards. Von staggered as he got back into his pose, and began making a Shadow Ball. I was amazed at the fact that Matthew wasn't saying commands, much like Morris was when I first battled him. “Dragonbreath that Shadow Ball!” I shouted. Zoren opened his mouth, and out came a powerful beam that struck the Shadow Ball, causing it to explode in a shower of purple and orange sparks. Von was knocked onto his back, unconscious. Matthew ran to his Pokemon's side and grabbed him. “Von! Von, you're gonna be okay. I'll get you fixed as soon as this battle is over.” The old man said. He returned the wounded Pokemon to his ball, and reattached it to his belt. “I hope you're ready to lose, little punk.” He said as he grabbed the red Cherish Ball. He rolled it on the ground, and it sat there.

Suddenly, a Haxorus came out of the ball and let out a very valiant war cry. “This is Jack. He has been my partner ever since I became a Trainer, which was about twenty years ago. Together, him and I have almost never lost a battle.” Matthew said. Jack was an impressive Pokemon. He was obviously very healthy, having been in the tender care of Matthew and Hilda. He looked as if he has been battle-hardened, having some scuffs and scratches all over him. “Uh, Jason? I can't handle this... Do you mind waking up Star?” Zoren said nervously. “Alright Zoren, return!” I said to the dragon. He returned to my side, and I began to nudge Star with my foot. “Hey. C'mon Star, it's time to wake up.” I said as I nudged her a little harder every time. “Ugh... Urr... Huh, what? What's going on? Where are we?” Star said as she came to. She looked at the mighty Haxorus and stood up. “Whoa! Jason, get back!” She said, thinking that we were being attacked. “Oh, don't worry. We're battling. It's your turn to fight, and you get to fight this Haxorus named Jack.” I said to her in a very calm tone. Star looked at me and her jaw dropped. “You expect me to fight THAT thing? Why not have Zoren do it?” She asked. “Well, if Zoren were to fight Jack, we would have a slight advantage, but so would our opponent. Dragons are weak to other dragons. Therefore, there is the chance that either Zoren or Jack would get hurt badly. Besides, I know you're strong enough.” I said as I rubbed her between her head ornaments. I smiled as I looked at her, which made Star feel happy as well, so she stood right up and walked in front of me, looking the Jack right in his eye. “So you're gonna use that little thing to fight my Jack? Ha! This'll be fun.” Matthew said in a cocky attitude. “Don't underestimate young Pokemon.” I said, trying to sound like a seasoned veteran. “You're trying to teach me a thing about Pokemon? Son, I've been doing this for years now, you can't teach me anything!” The man yelled. He was beginning to make me mad, so I issued my command to Star. “Psychic, now!” I yelled while the Haxorus was off guard. Jack took a step backwards as he was hit by the strong wave of psychic energy. Jack let out another war cry, trying to scare Star, but to no avail. Jack charged towards Star, readying a Dragon Claw attack. “Star, dodge it!” She heard me and jumped to the left, and then moved behind Jack. “Hypnosis!” I shouted. Star sent several yellow rings towards Jack, lulling him to sleep. “Now, hit him with a Confusion attack to finish him off!” I said. Apparently, Star had other plans. She then used Dream Eater instead of the intended Confusion to finish the fight. Jack was snoring, but after Star finished her attack, his snoring stopped, and was replaced with steady breathing. Jack tried to stand up, but he fell back down, and went right back to sleep.

“Star, you did it!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Zoren cheered for Star while I ran to pick her up. As I hoisted her into the air, I looked at Matthew. He was kneeling next to his unconscious dragon, saying something. I set Star down and made my way to the man. “...We were the best. I mean, we crushed so many Trainers, that I've forgotten how many we beat. We hardly lost...” Matthew said under his breath. “I'm sorry for hurting your Pokemon, Matthew. If there is anything that I can do, just let me know.” I said, trying to make Morris' uncle feel better. “Well, if you'd like, you can help me apply first aid to my Pokemon. After that, I'll show you to your room.” He said as he wiped a tear from his eye. I nodded and reached into my bag to grab a Max Revive that I kept for emergencies. I handed it to Matthew, who then put it into Jack's mouth. Jack began to chew as he slowly regained consciousness. When he was fully awake, he stood up and unleashed a third war cry, far more intimidating than the last two. Matthew had finished preforming first aid on Von, who then walked to me. The Zoroark stuck his paw out to shake my hand. I gave him a firm shake and went to return to my Pokemon, when he suddenly said something. “That was a fun battle. I hope we can do it again sometime.” Von said. I turned, nodded and smiled, then went back to my best friends. As I approached them, Star ran up to me and began hopping up and down. “Oh man! Jason, did you see that! I used Dream Eater! I didn't think that I could pull that off! I dodged behind Jack and hit him with Hypnosis, then I thought 'Oh, this might not work.' But, I still tried it and it worked!” Star said quickly. She was extremely happy, and so was I. I learned that Von and Jack are not poor sports, and we earned another victory. Star noticed my happiness, and began to jump around, laughing and waving her arms about. I rubbed Zoren's wings when he was looking away. He jumped at my touch and then relaxed when he saw that it was me. “So, Matthew and I are going to build a nest for you out here. Where would you like it?” I asked. Zoren looked around the very large yard and pointed to a spot under a tree. “Right there, please.” Zoren said kindly. I smiled and nodded, then made my way inside with Star following closely. “This way, Jason.” Matthew said as I set foot inside. I passed Hilda as I came through the kitchen and she must've been cooking something delicious because the entire kitchen smelt delightful. I assumed that it was dinner. “Are you coming, Jason? The room is right upstairs.” Hilda's husband said. “Yeah, I'm coming.” I replied. Matthew and I went upstairs and entered a room. The room had a queen-sized bed, a nice bathroom, a small closet, and some nice decorations. “This is where you'll be staying, kid. I hope you like it.” Matthew said with a grin. “This room is wonderful! A lot more spacious than my room at home. Thank you for letting me stay, Matthew. It means a lot to me. But there is just one thing...” Matthew cut me off. “Yeah, you need to make a nest for your dragon. Hilda told me that it needed to be done. Come and help me, and we'll be done before the day is out.” I nodded and after I set my bag down, we went into the backyard once more and began working on Zoren's nest. We cut down several branches and dug a fairly large hole in the ground to leave the branches and some sticks in. After about 45 minutes of labor, the nest was done. Star sat by and watched us work the whole time. “Whew. We finished a lot faster than I had initially thought. Thanks for the help, Jason.” Matthew said as he wiped his brow. “Anytime, Matthew.” Hilda stuck her head out of the back door. “C'mon guys, dinner is ready!” Hilda called out. I remembered that I haven't eaten anything other than the berries from this morning. My stomach growled, so Matthew patted me on the back to get me moving. I sat down at the table with Morris to my left, Star sitting on the floor to my right, Matthew in the chair to my right, and Hilda across the table. She had finished making some fresh meat that was imported from a place that is very far away. The meat was a white color, and Hilda told me that it was from a bird of some sort.

“Thank you for dinner, Hilda. It was delicious.” I complimented. “Your very welcome, dear. Feel free to relax if you want.” Hilda replied. I had kept one thing that I had to do in mind for a while now.” Actually, I don't want to rest just yet. I still have something to do. It's a surprise.” I said as I stood up from the table. “Do you mind watching Star for me while I'm out? I shouldn't be too long.” I asked Hilda. “Absolutely! Just make sure to hurry back, it is getting dark.” I nodded and knelt next to Star, who was still eating her foreign bird. “Where are you going, Jason?” Star asked with a mouth full of food. “It's a secret. But don't worry, I'll be right back. Hilda is going to watch you. Are you alright with that?” Star stuffed another forkful of food in her mouth. “Mmhmph.” She replied. I smiled and made my way out the front door. To my surprise, Zoren was out there waiting. “So, you're going to get a Pokeball for Star, right? You gotta make it special for her. Make it something that she'll never forget about.” Zoren said. “Wait, how did you know that I was going to get a Pokeball for Star?” I had to ask. “You're somewhat predictable. I know that she doesn't have one, and you love her and would never want to lose her.” My dragon said with a smirk. I blushed at Zoren's last sentence and didn't reply. “Well, if you want a good ball for her, I recommend buying a Cherish Ball. You know, the one that Matthew keeps Jack in? Those are great Pokeballs.” Zoren said as he made his way to the backyard. “Zoren? Thanks for the info.” I said with a smile. “Your welcome.” He said with a smile. With that, I made my way to the store. It was a short walk, and I made it right before they closed. I found a Cherish Ball on the shelf and picked it up. I figured that the shiny red color of it wasn't enough to satisfy me or Star, so I brought it to the counter. “I have a question. Do you customize Pokeballs?” I asked the clerk. “Why, yes we do. We have a variety of seals that you can use, or you can get a custom paint job.” The friendly clerk replied. “Awesome! Can you paint this Cherish Ball to look like a Kirlia or a Gardevoir with a blue star that looks like this on it's forehead?” I said as I took out the blue Star Piece that Star wanted to keep. The clerk's jaw dropped to the floor at the sight of the jewel and nodded. “Thank you so much. How much do you want for the customized Ball?” I asked. “A customized Cherish Ball will cost about 2,000 dollars.” The clerk said, still amazed at the rare jewel I had shown him. “Okay, here you go, good sir. Keep the change.” I said as I handed him 4,500 dollars. “Thank you. The ball should be finished by tomorrow.” I smiled and walked out the door and back to the house. As I stepped in, Star came running to me, screaming. “Jason! You're home! What did you go do? Did you bring me anything?” She immediately asked me. “Unfortunately, no. You are in for a surprise, though.” I said between chuckles. In the living room, Abby was playing with Fali, Inu was curled up on Hilda's lap, Morris was conversing with his uncle, and Zoren, Jack and Von were out back talking. “Star, are you tired? It's pretty late.” I asked my lover. She yawned and replied. “Yeah. I was playing with Abby and Fali. They have a lot of energy! They've been going at it ever since you left!” I yawned, too. “Alright then. We're going to bed.” I announced. “Just let me go tell Zoren, and we can lay down.” I said to Star. She let go of my leg so I could walk outside. Von was sitting on the ground, Zoren was sitting in his nest, and Jack was standing next to Zoren. I had no clue what they were talking about, but I'm sure it was better that way. “Hey Zoren, Star and I are going to bed, alright?” I called from the back porch. “Okay. Goodnight, Jason!” He yelled back. He continued his conversation with Matthew's Pokemon as I stepped back inside. “Okay. C'mon, Star.” I said. She grabbed my leg and tugged on my pants. “Can't you carry me? I'm so tired.” She said. She gave me puppy eyes, so I had to do as she said. “Oh, fine. Let's go.” I grunted as I picked her up. I went upstairs and entered our room. “You can get into bed. I'm changing into my pajamas for once, so don't look.” I sneered. Star picked up on my sarcasm and stuck her tongue out at me and buried her face in the pillows. As I finished changing, I plopped next to her and made her bounce a little. “So, what's the surprise, Jason?” She asked. “I can't tell you. If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, now would it?” I said with a smile. “Meanie. I love you.” She said after nudging my arm. “I love you too, princess.” I replied. I gave her a kiss on the forehead, and we fell asleep.