Calmly sitting in my bed, I hugged my Petilil, Sylvia, closer to me. We were both scared of the commotion happening downstairs.

"DON'T YOU SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY!" My mother shrieked at my brother.

"I'LL SPEAK TO YOU ANYWAY I WANT, BITCH!" He retorted angrily.

This has been going on for an hour! I thought shakily. My mother and brother had been quarreling for quite a few years now, ever since Dad left. Mom has been cranky and irritable, and Eugine is just always in a foul mood. I just stay out of their way and hoped they don't turn on me.

My frightened pokemon shrilled in my arms, fidgeting and squirming further away from the door.

"I don't like it here, Harmony.." Sylvia cried, her 3 distinctive leaves tickling my chin as she buried her face into my shirt. I knew how she felt. I dislike it here, too.

"I know... I don't either.." I whispered to her, holding her tighter.

"-I don't know! Maybe it's that damn pokemon she keeps with her!"

"Don't change the subject!"

I heard the bellow from Eugine. They must be talking about money again.

"Maybe if we got rid of that damn thing, we wouldn't have to worry about it anymore!" Eugine shot back. I was stunned, and I clutched Sylvia tighter.

That's it.

I gently laid Sylvia down on my bed and pressed my finger to my lips. She watched me inquisitively as I left the room slowly and ventured into my mother's room. Her large, lonely bed sat there in the middle of the room, made perfectly. Rushing over to the side drawer, I yanked it open. Nope. Under the pillow? No. Suddenly, I saw a music box, sitting on her dresser. I scurried over and picked it up.

'Dreams are like stars.' were the words engraved into the top.

"This.." I gasped. It was the music box that my father had given me when I was younger. The day he died, it disappeared from my room. I was devastated. My fingers trailed to the side of the wooden box, the cool surface smooth against my skin. I unlatched the top and pushed it open.

Inside lay a large wad of money, and a beautiful melody that I knew all too well.

Tears began to pour down my face as I clutched the music box tightly against myself, quiet sobs racking my body. Dreams are like stars...

"Daddy?" A little girl stared up at her father, green eyes wide and curious. "Why are there stars?"

The father, amused, chuckled and patted her head. "I don't know. You'll just have to find that out one day."

The girl frowned, face contorting into a pout. "B-But.. How am I supposed to figure it out of you don't know? You're supposed to know everything!" To emphasize her outburst, she held her arms out wide.

"I don't know everything." He laughed, the smile reaching his eyes. He cupped her small, plump cheeks in his hands and looked her in her tearing eyes. "Who knows? Maybe you'll grow up to be smarter than me. Nobody knows everything, sweetie. If you ask people one question, you're sure to get a different answer from each of them. It's how they see things. It's like dreams, no two are exactly the same."

"Dreams? Aren't dreams those things that you see when you sleep?"

"Um, yes, there are those dreams. But there are other dreams..." He fumbled for a description on a dream.

"Ah! Dreams are like stars. You may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny."

I wiped the tears from my face, pushing the vivid memory to the back of my head and carrying the box out of the room. I stumbled into my bedroom once more and grabbed my shoulder bag, placing the box inside along with a couple sets of clothing. I also grabbed a few other things. Two pokeballs that I never used, a lighter, and a container of pokemon food for Sylvia. I slung the bag and it's contents over my shoulder and opened up the window, pushing out the screen.

"B-But... It's the second floor!" Sylvia cried, throwing herself into my bag and closing it over herself. She always was afraid of heights.

"And?" There was a large Oak tree outside my window. Convenient much?

I threw my legs over the side and pushed myself out, barely landing on the branch. By now, my heart was pounding right out of my chest. Oh my god. Oh my god. Bad idea!

I held onto the branch for dear life. Taking in a deep breath, I slide over to the trunk of the tree and hugged it, shimmying down the side and not opening my eyes until I felt my feet touch the ground.

I nearly cried in happiness. I hadn't gone outside in how long?

"Sylv! We're out!" I cried, hugging my pokemon that had emerged from her hiding spot. She cheered, nuzzling my face.

"It feels so nice! To actually be outside with the air! Oh dear I do believe I quite enjoy this!" Sylvia cooed. I smiled at her, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"We better go. Before either of them notice." I suggested. She nodded quickly and hopped into my bag, uncovered this time.

I had a feeling that this was going to be an exciting journey.


Phew. =_=; I'm completely awful at stretching out chapters to make them longer. I just don't have the patience. I hope you keep reading.. n_n I don't own pokemon, by the way. Just my characters. c:

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