I sighed contently as I plopped down on the comfortable bed, sinking into its warmth. "Now this is what I never had."

Sitting up, I unhooked my knife and sat it down on the desk near the bed. Grabbing my pokeball from my belt, I let out Arcanine.

He looked around the room and sniffed. I chuckled. "Yeah, I know it's practically empty. Give it a month or so. It'll be home."

He shook himself and came over to me. He licked my face and plopped down on the floor, his head on my lap.

I rubbed his head. "I know right? Peace seems so far fetched at the moment. But, maybe, just maybe, we really can have a peaceful life."

"I mean," I thought back to several months ago. "No more Hero Born of Darkness business. It's just me and you buddy. Zeno and Arcanine. Settling down with family."

"Hey kid!" I heard James call from downstairs. "Come down will you?"

I smiled. "Family calls."

I started heading down the stairs, when I heard a thump. I looked back to see Arcanine confused. He tried to fit through the opening to the stairs, only to discover his body wouldn't fit.

I laughed. "Well, this could be a problem."

I held out his pokeball, but he growled and shouldered his way through, breaking bits of the wall along with him. He padded down after me, looking mighty pleased with himself.

I shook my head and tucked his pokeball away. "You're going to explain that to Jessie, not me."

Making our way down into the living room, we saw Jessie and James cooking food in the kitchen.

I leaned against a wall. "You know how weird it looks, to see you two cooking food?"

James grinned and flipped a pancake. "Zeno, when we were on the job, we went undercover a lot. And many of those times were as cooks. We got pretty good at it too."

A cloud of smoke exploded into existence near Jessie and she looked astonished with her soot covered face.

James chuckled. "Well, except maybe Jessie."

She glared at him and smacked him on the head.

"Ow," he cried, rubbing his head as Jessie walked towards me.

She looked at Arcanine. "How'd he fit down the stairs?"

I shrugged. "Don't ask and I'll tell no lies."

She raised an eyebrow at that, but shrugged it away. "A truck with home supplies should be here within the next few days. In the meantime, you should go exploring. It's a brand new region you're in. Just, don't go wandering off too far."

She took out a map. "Only down to Aquacorde Town for as of now. Santalune City maybe later on, but that would be a couple days you would be gone."

"Hey," I said, grinning. "It's me. I can take care of myself."

She gave me a dry look. "That's what I'm afraid of."

She sighed and handed me the map. "Here. Now get going. Meet people your own age. You don't get to do that often."

On my way to the front door, I said, "I did in Alola."

"So we know you can make friends," I heard her say. "Do it again."

I returned Arcanine and opened the door. I closed it once I stepped outside and I breathed in the sweet Kalosian air, feeling the sun on my face. It wasn't as warm as it was in Alola, but warmer than Kanto. Clusters of trees surrounded the small town and the rest was countryside. To my right would be the town entrance, where a small road led to Aquacorde Town just ten minutes away. Besides my house, there was one next to it on the left, and past the gate, three more.

I heard chirping and I looked at the triangular garden plot in front of my house. Several Fletchlings fluttered around in the white and yellow flowers. Then I noticed Meowth, hidden in the flowers, crouched onto his stomach. He stalked forwards, then pounced. The Fletchlings flew above him and Meowth tried to jump and grab one of them. Their beaks glowed and they began pecking him.

After watching this for a couple seconds, I stepped forwards. "Alright guys, shoo. Shoo."

They flew away and Meowth gave me a thumbs up. "Thank Zeno. You saved my hide."

I smirked. "It's your fault this happens to you."

He held his paw to his chest. "I'm hurt."

"Yeah you are," I said, tossing him a potion. "Now go and help Jessie and James. I'm going to have a look around."

He saluted me. "Alright boss!"

He scampered off and I was about to let out Arcanine, when I heard a loud pounding noise.

"WATCH OUT!"

Turning to look right, I saw a Rhyhorn barreling down the cobblestone road towards me, a light brown haired girl around my age in a pink jumpsuit running after him.

Letting out Arcanine, I shouted, "Leer!"

Arcanine narrowed his eyes and growled. Rhyhorn's eyes widened and he skidded to a stop right in front of the Fire type.

The girl jogged up to her Rhyhorn, breathing hard. After a few seconds, she seemed fine, apart from being red in the face. "So sorry about that. Rhyhorn just doesn't like to be contained all that much. Plus, I don't think he likes me."

She tried to grab the harness I just now noticed on his back, but he turned his head away.

I chuckled to myself. "Well, I'm just glad I could help."

Looking at her attire again, I asked, "What's with the jumpsuit?"

She looked at it. "This? Oh, it's for my Rhyhorn racing. Or training I should say. My mom's the Rhyhorn racer."

She shook her head. "What am I doing? My mom would kill me if I didn't introduce myself."

She smiled and held out her hand. "My name's Serena. It's nice to meet you."

I shook her hand. "My name's Zeno. Pleasure."

She looked at my house. "You're part of the family that just moved in?"

I nodded. "Just got here today."

"Where are you from?"

"Kanto."

Her eyes widened. "Really!? Kanto!?"

She looked like she wanted to ask something, but instead she said, "That's pretty far away. Aren't you tired."

I shook my head. "Nah. I'm used to travelling. But maybe this time I'll be able to settle down."

Serena was about to say something else, but Rhyhorn nudged her. Not so much a gentle nudge as it was a forceful knockdown. She landed on her back and groaned.

"Rhyhorn," she said, sitting up. "I'm going to give you away when mom isn't looking."

Rhyhorn made a sound like laughing and lumbered off down the street to where I assumed was Serena's house.

I helped her up. "He looks like a handful for sure."

She glared at the retreating Pokemon. "You have no idea."

She looked at Arcanine. "Your Pokemon seems well trained. I mean, he managed to stop my Rhyhorn with just a Leer."

Arcanine huffed proudly, sticking out his chest.

I laughed. "I guess. He and I, we've trained together for not even a year yet."

I rubbed his head. "Yet he's the strongest Pokemon I have with me."

Serena smiled and rubbed his head. He grunted and licked her face.

She stepped back, wiping his slobber away. "Though that is kind of gross."

Arcanine looked indignant and I laughed again. "I'm used to it."

"Serena! Serena, where are you!?"

Serena groaned. "That would be my mother."

She turned and began running back, but then turned around to wave goodbye. "It was nice meeting you Zeno!"

I waved. "Same to you Serena!"

She turned back around and ran back to her house where I could see her mother in the doorway.

Rubbing Arcanine's head, I said, "C'mon buddy. Let's see if James finished the food."

...

I sat at the round dinner table with Jessie to my right and James to my left. Meowth sat across from me, digging into pancakes like a human would. Even Arcanine got pancakes, which were placed in a food bowl on the ground near me.

"So," Jessie said. "Meet any cute girls?"

I nearly choked on my next bite and even James spluttered with his food.

"What?" Jessie looked at us.

James pounded his chest and managed to swallow. "You're trying to get him to bring home a girl?"

"Well," Jessie said. "I wouldn't say it like that."

I gave her a sideways glance. "Look, I don't need a girlfriend at the moment."

Jessie leaned on one of her hands. "What about Alex?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It's been six months and I don't even know where she lives. Plus, we weren't officially together."

Jessie snorted. "Tell her that."

I scowled. "Look, I'm not ready yet for all that. Sure we kissed a couple times, but..."

I drifted off. "But that was only because I knew I would be leaving and I guess we wanted to feel together as much as we could before I left."

Jessie smiled kindly. "Zeno, she still likes you, I guarantee it. And you just need to be ready for her. Search your heart for answers."

James bit into his pancake. "You know, you were never this wise before. I think you got old."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me!?"

James nodded. "Yeah, you got old."

Jessie looked outraged. "I am 27 thank you very much!"

"And I'm 26," James responded casually. "As I said, old."

Leaving them to their bickering, I left the house. It was getting a bit colder since the sun was beginning to set. I heard thump and saw Arcanine trying to fit through the door.

"Not this time buddy," I said, returning him to his pokeball. "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to break the doorway."

I hooked the pokeball to my belt and stood there, feeling the breeze filter by. Peaceful.

"Hey there!"

I opened my eyes to see a girl wearing a pink shirt with three black bows lining the middle standing a couple feet away. Her shorts had black frills around them and a pink purse was slung over her shoulder.

She smiled. "I'm Shauna. I hear your name's Zeno. Nice to meet you."

I shook her hand, a little speechless. She seemed a little, ecstatic.

"Hi," I finally said.

She held out a letter. "Here, for you."

"Thanks," I said, looking at it. "What's it for?"

"The Pokemon Professor asked me to see if someone your age was moving in here," she said. "And if there was, I was to give them this letter."

She took a breath. "It's so you can receive a starter Pokemon and gather research for Professor Sycamore."

"Oh, " I said. "Yeah, sorry, but no."

She looked surprised. "Why not?"

"I already have my own Pokemon," I said, tapping my pokeball. "Plus, I'm not all that interested in going around the region as of now. I kinda just want to rest for a while."

She frowned, apparently unable to take no for an answer. "Just think about it okay. Getting a starter, or just a Pokemon, isn't just about going around a region or researching for the professor."

She turned around, then looked back. "Tomorrow, Aquacorde Town, noon."

When she disappeared into the house next to Serena's, Jessie poked her head out of the door. "A date. Scandalous."

I groaned. "Shut up already."

...

The next morning, I reluctantly grabbed my backpack and put it on. Looking in the mirror, I kinda missed my trench. Heading downstairs for a quick breakfast of more pancakes, I left, bidding the three stooges farewell.

I met Serena by the gate, where she looked hesitant. No longer in her jumpsuit, she now wore a black tank top that matched well with her red skirt along with black stockings. She wore a dark pink hat with sunglasses on top as well as carrying a pink backpack.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, walking up to her.

She squeaked, startled. When she saw me, she relaxed. "Oh, sorry. You scared me."

She looked down the road. "Shauna gave me this."

She held up a letter. "She said she gave you one as well?"

I nodded and held up mine. "I'm just going to see what the whole deal is. I doubt I'll want to do research for the Professor."

Serena nodded. "Same here, but if it means getting away from Rhyhorn training, I'm game."

I laughed. "Well, we might as well go together."

I started down the road and she followed. I looked up at the blue sky, wondering what the meeting in Aquacorde would bring.

Kinda refreshing to have a chapter where there isn't a battle. Just some good old settling in and meeting new people. Feels like it's been a while. We're only one chapter in so far, so I don't really need feedback yet. But it's still appreciated. That's it for now. Toodles!