~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own anything from Bakugan.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~It was now mid afternoon at Zenoheld's house.
Zenoheld had just introduced me to his teenage son named Hydron.
All three of us were sitting on a sofa in the living room with Zenoheld's dog Farbros.
Hydron looked at Zenoheld and asked. "Is Sioku the girl who you rescued from an abusive adult?"
"She sure is, I was just passing by the police station when Sioku's mother noticed me. She explained Sioku's situation to me and asked if I would like to be her replacement assistant. I accepted the job and officially met Sioku at her apartment later that night. Sioku immediately warmed up to me," Zenoheld explained.
"Your dog likes her too," Hydron said happily.
I petted Farbros as I listened to their conversation.
Farbros let out a relaxed sigh.
"Farbros and Sioku will become best friends in the near future. It was love at first sight for both of them," Zenoheld replied.
In the midst of their conversation, we heard scratching noises coming from the back door.
"I'm going to get Dryoid," said Hydron as he stood up.
"We'll be here," replied Zenoheld.
I watched Hydron as he walked down the hall.
Zenoheld put a hand on my shoulder and asked. "Sioku, do you like my son?"
I smiled brightly and nodded.
Hydron returned shortly with a fluffy medium sized dog by his side.
He then sat back down on the sofa.
"Welcome back Hydron," I said with a smile.
"Thank you Sioku," Hydron replied.
He looked at his dog and commanded. "Sit down."
Dryoid sat on the floor in front of Hydron.
I calmly held my hand out to the dog.
Dryoid sniffed my hand and then affectionately rubbed his head against my arm.
"My dog really seems to like you Sioku," Hydron said.
"I am a dog person," I replied.
I petted Dryoid under his ears as he sat still.
A brief period of silence passed between us.
"Hey Sioku, what grade are you in?" asked Hydron.
"I just started sixth grade last week," I answered.
"How is school going for you?" he continued.
"Good except for the bullies," I answered plainly.
Hydron grinned at me and asked. "Do you want to see me play rough with Dryoid?"
"Sure," I answered briefly.
Hydron whistled a Dryoid to get his attention.
Dryoid looked up at Hydron in response.
Hydron stood up and began running around the living room.
Dryoid chased the boy while panting and wagging his tail.
Hydron playfully tackled Dryoid to the ground.
Dryoid nipped at Hydron while growling.
Farbros heard the noise and woke up.
He yawned and then slid off of the couch.
I also stood up and followed him.
Hydron released his hold on Dryoid and then started petting Farbros.
Dryoid slowly circled around me while sniffing the floor.
"That dog is really cute," I commented while pointing at Dryoid.
"Farbros always joins in whenever he hears them playing," Zenoheld replied.
"My dog would do that too," I added.
Farbros walked up to Dryoid and pawed at him in a playful way.
Dryoid stood up and barked at Farbros.
I couldn't help but laugh at that.
The two dogs then started wrestling with each other.
Hydron stepped away in order to give the dogs some personal space.
"Sioku, you might want to back up. Those two could get rough," Hydron warned.
"You have a good point," I replied.
I walked away and stood next to Hydron.
Hydron tapped on my shoulder and said quietly. "Hey Sioku, I know what will really get these dogs riled up."
"You do? What is it?" I whispered back.
"Just watch," Hydron answered as he grabbed a pull rope off the coffee table.
He then tossed it to Farbros and Dryoid.
Both dogs grabbed each end of the rope and began pulling each other across the room while growling.
The chaos in the room didn't bother me at all.
Farbros and Dryoid's tug-of-war game only prevented my bad thoughts from resurfacing.
I pulled out my phone and turned on the video camera.
Hydron watched the scene with an amused expression.
I giggled at the sound of the dogs' nails repeatedly sliding across the tile floor.
After five minutes, Zenoheld decided to end the game.
He stood up and grabbed onto Farbros in order to keep him still.
"Come on Farbros," Zenoheld urged.
I turned off my video camera and then tried to take the pull rope from Farbros.
Farbros didn't let go of the rope and continued to growl.
This made Dryoid start growling at Farbros.
Both dogs were now glaring at each other with intent.
"They're going to fight if we don't separate them now," I warned with a concerned expression.
Hydron looked at his dog and commanded sternly. "Dryoid! Let go and get over here!"
Dryoid looked back at Hydron and dropped the rope.
The Golden Retriever then walked slowly toward Hydron.
"Sit," he ordered.
The dog sat down by Hydron's feet.
"Good boy," Hydron praised while petting Dryoid's head.
Dryoid yawned and lowered his head.
Zenoheld grabbed Farbros and calmly led him toward the sofa.
Farbros laid down on the carpet and sighed.
The silence had returned once again.
I quietly left Hydron's side and rejoined Zenoheld by the couch.
Zenoheld pulled me into a gentle embrace and lifted me onto his lap.
"Come here Sioku," he said gently.
I wrapped my arms around him and snuggled against his chest.
Being in Zenoheld's theraputic embrace helped me relax almost instantly.
All of my worries had slipped away one by one.
I closed my eyes and slipped into my thoughts.
Zenoheld lovingly stroked my hair as he held me close.
His gentle touch instantly sent me to a world of serene relaxation.
I focused on the steady rise and fall of Zenoheld's chest which allowed me to drift off.
Hydron stared at Zenoheld and me as he stood still next to his dog.
"Sioku looks comfortable with you Father," he said softly.
Zenoheld only nodded in response.
A long period of silence passed by.
Zenoheld stared down at me with an adoring expression as I slept peacefully in his arms.
"Hydron, why are you keeping your distance? Please come over here," Zenoheld said smoothly.
"Father, are you sure?" Hydron replied hesitantly.
"Don't worry Hydron, you'll be fine. Sioku really likes you," Zenoheld assured.
"Let's go Dryoid," Hydron whispered.
Dryoid shook off and followed his master to the sofa.
Hydron carefully took a seat next to his father.
Dryoid stood in front of Farbros and sniffed him.
Farbros let out a low warning growl.
"Stop it Farbros," Zenoheld scolded.
Hydron tapped on his knee and said quietly. "Dryoid, get up here."
The dog happily climbed onto Hydron's lap.
Hydron pulled Dryoid into a tight hug and shyly buried his face into the dog's fur.
Zenoheld put a hand on his son's shoulder and asked. "Are you all right?"
"I'm just nervous," Hydron whispered.
"Really? Why?" Zenoheld continued.
"I'm afraid of hurting her," Hydron answered sadly.
"You don't have to be afraid of that. Sioku doesn't feel threatened by you at all," Zenoheld reassured.
Hydron smiled with adoration as he stared down at my sleeping form.
"Excuse me Father, but why is Sioku so tired? Is there something wrong with her?" Hydron asked curiously.
"Sioku's nightmares take a lot of energy out of her," Zenoheld answered softly.
Hydron held Dryoid close to him as he cautiously placed a hand on my shoulder.
Having the dog around made Hydron feel less nervous.
I felt Hydron's touch but didn't move a muscle.
"You're doing a great job," Zenoheld praised.
Hydron smiled at his dad in return.
A knock at the door suddenly startled Farbros out of his sleep.
He sat up and stared out the window.
Dryoid hopped off of Hydron's lap and rushed toward the door.
Farbros followed after him while panting.
Both dogs wagged their tails wildly with excitement.
"Come in," said Zenoheld.
The door opened to reveal a masked man entering the house.
Both Farbros and Dryoid happily ran circles around him.
The man greeted the dogs by ruffling their fur.
Another medium sized dog entered the house behind him.
"Good afternoon Spectra, it's nice to see you. What brings you here?"" greeted Hydron.
The man known as Spectra walked further into the living room and replied. "I just landed here from Vestal using the dimensional transporter. Zenoheld, how is the academic assistant position going?"
"It's going very well, and Sioku has already warmed up to me. She also likes Hydron," Zenoheld answered.
"That's good to know," Spectra said.
Spectra's dog strolled up to Hydron and sniffed him.
"Hi Helios," Hydron greeted as he hugged the dog.
Helios excitedly placed his front paws on Hydron's sholders.
Zenoheld looked at his son and said sternly. "Hydron, you need to be careful over here. Sioku is still resting on me."
"Don't worry Father, I have Helios under control. I promise," Hydron assured.
Helios wagged his tail wildly as he stared at Zenoheld.
Zenoheld quickly placed his hands over me in a protective way.
Hydron lowered Helios to the ground and commanded. "Come on Helios, let's go somewhere else."
He then grabbed Helios by his harness and led him to the other end of the room.
Spectra cautiously moved closer to Zenoheld and stared down at me with full concentration.
After a minute of silence, Spectra looked up at Zenoheld and spoke quietly. "Pardon me sir, but I have a request. May I be your substitute if you aren't able to be at school with Sioku?"
"Sioku must get to know you first. She is very timid around new people," Zenoheld answered calmly.
"I plan on introducing myself to her very soon," Spectra added.
I heard their quiet conversation and woke up.
Zenoheld pulled me close to him and said gently. "It's okay Sioku, you're still in a safe place."
I stared up at the masked man who was standing in front of me.
He had long blond hair and wore a red coat that was decorated with black feathers.
"Hello Sioku, my name is spectra. It's nice to meet you," the man greeted softly.
"Hi... Spectra," I replied shyly.
Zenoheld took my hand in his and said smoothly. "Don't be afraid Sioku, Spectra is a good person. He just wants to get to know you."
I lightly squeezed his hand in return.
A long period of silence passed by.
"Sioku, do you like dogs?" asked Spectra.
I simply nodded in response.
"She already adores Dryoid and Farbros," Zenoheld chimed in.
Spectra walked across the room and then led his dog over to Zenoheld and me.
I gasped in surprise as I caught sight of the new dog.
The medium sized dog had long fur, floppy ears, and a long tail.
"Wow Spectra, that dog is gorgeous. Does it belong to you?" I asked while staring up at him.
"He sure does, my dog's name is Helios. He is a Yellow Lab," Spectra answered.
"I have a Pomeranian named Pegasus back at home. He's very hyperactive," I said with joy.
"Helios can get really hyper whenever I play with him," Spectra replied.
I started to relax as I listened to Spectra's voice.
He sounded calm and soothing to me.
Spectra looked at his dog and said. "Helios, sit down."
Helios sat down and leaned against the sofa.
"Good boy Helios," Spectra praised while rubbing the dog behind his ears.
I slowly held my hand out to the dog.
Helios sniffed my hand and then nuzzled my arm.
I petted him under his floppy ears.
Zenoheld carefully released his hold on me and leaned back.
I slid off the couch and moved closer to Helios.
Helios affectionately nuzzled my neck.
I wrapped my arms around the dog in a loving way.
"Helios really seems to like you a lot," Spectra said with a smile.
"I already love him," I replied while petting the dog.
Zenoheld patted my head and chimed in. "I'm glad to see that you have made some new friends today."
Spectra decided to start a conversation and looked at me. "Sioku, do you like Bakugan?"
I immediately perked up and answered. "I sure do, and I have two guardian Bakugan of my own. They are Aquos Preyas and Aquos Akwimos."
"That's wonderful," Spectra said happily.
"Do you have any guardian Bakugan?" I asked curiously.
"I have a Pyrus Bakugan named Helios," Spectra answered as he pulled a Bakugan out of his pocket.
The Bakugan opened up its ball and spoke to me in a low voice. "Hello mis, my name is Pyrus Helios. I am Spectra's guardian Bakugan."
I found Helios' voice to be quite pleasant and smooth.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Helios. My name is Sioku Marie," I replied with a bright smile.
I then pulled out my own Bakugan.
"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to both of my Bakugan friends. Meet Aquos Preyas and Aquos Akwimos," I said proudly.
"Hello good people, what's happening?" greeted Akwimos.
I couldn't help but grin at his enthusiasm.
"Good afternoon everybody," Preyas added.
"Same to you," replied Helios.
"Hey Sioku, why haven't you shown me your Bakugan yet?" asked Zenoheld with a confused expression.
An awkward moment of silence passed between us.
A wave of guilt instantly washed over me.
My face flushed with embarrassment as I explained. "I'm sorry Zenoheld, but I've been too scared to let anyone else besides Dan see my Bakugan. I didn't want to get judged or teased for having them out, so I kept them hidden in my pockets. Julie would have screamed at me if she saw them."
Zenoheld's expression softened as he said gently. "Sioku, you don't have to worry about being judged by me for anything. I would never ruin your social life. Freaking out over Bakugan would be silly and a huge waste of my time."
"Thank you Zenoheld, your kind words mean a lot to me. That is one of the many reasons why I love you," I replied graciously.
Preyas stayed by my side and watched while Akwimos floated around the room.
All three of the dogs noticed Akwimos and immediately started to chase him.
I moved back onto the couch in order to stay out of the dogs' way.
"Be careful Akwimos," I said protectively.
"Cool is the rule mis Sioku, no need to worry. I'll be all right," Akwimos assured.
I sighed dreamily at the sound of his catch phrase.
The dogs growled while running back and forth.
I laughed whenever one of the dogs wagged his tail against my legs.
Zenoheld, Hydron, Spectra, and I watched the scene with amusement.
"Come on dudes," urged Akwimos with excitement as he hovered above them.
The dogs barked at him in response.
I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Those dogs are crazy," I commented.
"Your Bakugan sure knows how to rile them up," replied Hydron.
Spectra looked down at Preyas and asked curiously. "Why isn't that one playing with Akwimos?"
"Preyas is very shy and timid around people and other Bakugan. He also doesn't like chaotic situations," I explained.
"Has Preyas suffered from any type of trauma in the past?" Spectra continued.
"Yes, my Preyas' former master verbally abused and forced him to brawl against his will. She never cared about the poor Bakugan," I answered sadly.
"Has Preyas brawled under your command yet?" Spectra asked quietly.
"No sir, I tried to brawl with my friend from school once. Preyas immediately freaked out as soon as I released him onto the arena. My Bakugan wouldn't move or fight his opponent. He had a severe panic attack after the battle. I spent almost an hour calming him down. Preyas got scared while watching a brawl one time as well," I explained.
"I'm so sorry Sioku, that sounds really rough. Please let me know if I can help in any way," Spectra said sympathetically.
"Thank you Spectra, I appreciate your offer. My Preyas needs all the support he can get," I replied gratefully.
I stared down at Preyas who hovered by my right side.
"Hi Preyas, are you okay?" I asked gently.
"Yes Sioku, I'm just watching the action from a safe distance. I don't want to get hurt," Preyas answered anxiously.
I gently pulled Preyas close to me and embraced him.
"Don't worry Love, you won't get hurt. Akwimos is just playing with the dogs," I reassured.
Preyas snuggled against my chest and closed his eyes.
The dogs laid down on the floor one by one as they started to settle down.
Akwimos floated over to the spot where Preyas and I were sitting.
"Hi Akwimos, did you have fun with the dogs?" I greeted with a smile.
"I sure did, those dogs are probably worn out now. They should relax for a while," Akwimos answered.
"I might ask you to play with Pegasus like that one of these days. He'll get tired in no time," I said happily.
"I can do that for you mis Sioku," Akwimos replied with a yawn.
Akwimos then slipped himself back into my pocket.
"Rest well Akwimos," I thought.
Spectra sat down on the couch in the empty space to my right.
His aura felt just as pleasant and comforting as Zenoheld's.
I felt safe and secure around him.
He looked at me as a thought crossed his mind.
"Pardon me Sioku, how would you feel if I helped Zenoheld assist you at school in the near future?" he asked.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea. I could use the extra help," I answered quietly.
"Sioku, you would always have somebody watching over you in case that awful woman or her daughter ever showed up out of nowhere. I just want you and your Bakugan friends to be safe," Zenoheld chimed in.
"Same here, Zenoheld has been telling me everything that had happened to you since the day he met you. Helios and I are able to protect you as well," said Spectra.
"I would appreciate that very much," I replied graciously.
A long period of silence passed by as I relaxed on the couch between Zenoheld and Spectra.
Hydron pointed to his dog and said. "Come on Dryoid, let's go outside."
Dryoid immediately stood up and shook off.
I watched as the dog followed Hydron outside.
Spectra put a hand on my shoulder and asked gently. "Sioku, has your former academic assistant ever done anything major in the past to traumatize you physically or mentally?"
I tightened my hold on Preyas as I remembered a traumatic incident from elementary school.
My expression instantly changed from a cheerful smile to a frown of sadness and anxiety.
"Are you okay Sioku?" asked Spectra.
I only shook my head.
Zenoheld noticed the sudden change in my mood and said sympathetically. "It's okay Sioku, you don't have to tell us the story."
Telling them about one of my most traumatic memories wouldn't be easy for me to do, but I trusted Zenoheld and Spectra as if they were family members.
I shook my head in order to suppress the sadness.
"Don't worry guys, I'll be all right. You deserve to know about this," I assured quietly.
"We're right here for you," replied Spectra.
I took a deep breath and then explained. "This terrible incident happened last year at my fifth grade graduation. I had just arrived at school on that Friday morning. My former academic assistant Julie met me at a picnic table where I was sitting all by myself. First, she asked me if I was satisfied with my overall behavior for the year. I was totally confused because she randomly asked me that question. When I told her yes, Julie asked if I wouldn't change the fact that I supposedly threw my teacher under the bus. Julie's accusation caused something inside me to snap like a rubber band. I immediately asked her where she got that crazy idea from. Julie told me that my teacher told her an entire story after school a week prior to this incident. My teacher claimed that I threw a huge fit in class that day because she didn't let me go grab my laptop from the computer lab. However, I never did that at all. I just sat down at my desk and watched YouTube videos on my phone. Julie obviously didn't believe me though. She said I was lying and trying to cover up the truth. We then got into a huge argument about how bad she had been treating me. Julie accused me of acting like a baby and crying over VeggieTales music. None of that nonsense was true because I didn't make a single noise or talk about VeggieTales. I was worried about my laptop getting stolen because it is an expensive gift that my mom got me for Christmas last year. Then she told me that VeggieTales is for kids five years old and under. The fact that Julie brought one of my favorite Tv shows into our argument upset me to the point of tears. She did that on purpose just to hurt me. She also said that I should think about how much I supposedly hurt her, my teacher, and my mom every time I listened to VeggieTales music. Many people stared at me as I cried my eyes out. I felt so embarrassed that day."
Spectra and Zenoheld sat in silence wearing stunned expressions.
My story shocked them beyond words.
The only sound we heard was the two dogs breathing as they slept on the floor.
After a few minutes of silence, Spectra decided to speak up first. "Sioku, did you and your teacher have a fractured relationship?"
Before I could answer Spectra's question, those dreaded memories began to resurface.
They flooded into my mind like rushing water.
Julie's low voice echoed loudly in my mind.
~Flashback to The Graduation~
"I hope that whenever you hear that silly music, you think about how badly you hurt your teacher, your mother, and me," Julie said harshly.
~End Flashback~
My whole body trembled violently as I tensed up.
I went into a full-on shut down.
Zenoheld put his arm around me and asked gently. "Sioku, are you okay?""
There was no response from me.
My face heated up as I desperately tried to hold my tears back.
Unfortunately, that was far from possible.
Those tears slowly rolled down my cheeks.
Spectra took my hand in his and asked smoothly. "What's the matter? Is there anything we can do to help you?"
I still didn't respond.
Without a warning, I laid my head on Zenoheld's chest and sobbed.
"Come here Sioku," Zenoheld said softly.
He affectionately wrapped his arms around me.
I tried to catch my breath as I snuggled into him.
Spectra sat still as he stared at me with a concerned expression.
My heart raced as I continued to let all of my emotions out in front of him and Spectra.
I slowly started to calm down in Zenoheld's warm embrace.
Zenoheld soothingly stroked my hair in an attempt to help me relax.
"I'm so sorry Zenoheld," I said brokenly.
The man held me closer to him and replied in a gentle voice. "Oh Sioku, you don't have anything to apologize for. There were a lot of emotions trapped inside you. Please don't feel ashamed for letting them out."
"I'm a huge mess now," I whispered.
"Don't worry about it," Spectra said as he ruffled my hair.
A brief period of silence passed by as I pulled myself together.
I carefully sat up and adjusted my position.
Zenoheld gently released his hold on me.
"Sioku, have you told anybody else this story before you met us?" asked Spectra.
"No sir," I answered briefly.
"Sioku, please let Spectra and me know when something is bothering you. We will always try our best to help," Zenoheld said smoothly.
"Yes sir," I whispered back.
In the midst of our conversation, the door burst open which woke up Helios and Farbros.
Farbros let out a low warning growl.
"What's going on?" I asked with a confused expression.
"I think Hydron and Dryoid are back," answered Zenoheld.
The two other dogs shook off and then rushed toward the door while wagging their tails.
I giggled whenever I heard their tails tap on an object.
""Hydron, don't let any of these dogs outside. Please come in quickly," said Zenoheld.
Before Hydron could reply, Dryoid roughly dragged him inside the house.
Hydron was then pulled into the living room.
Farbros ran after them while panting.
I burst into laughter while watching the scene.
"Settle down Dryoid," Hydron said with irritation as he tried to control the dog.
Dryoid hopped into Zenoheld's lap while whipping him with his tail.
Zenoheld grabbed the Golden Retriever by his harness and said with slight annoyance. "Get down Dryoid."
I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that.
Dryoid slid off of Zenoheld's lap and then shook off.
Hydron grabbed Dryoid's harness and gently pulled him away.
Spectra jumped up from his seat and ran toward the open door.
"Helios! Come over here," he called to his dog.
The Yellow Lab immediately stopped at his owner's side.
"Good boy," Spectra praised as he led his dog back to the sofa.
Spectra then sat back down with Helios standing in front of him.
Farbros hopped onto the couch and then laid down between Zenoheld and me.
I gave the dog a quick hug and rubbed his head.
The sight of all three dogs made me smile.
I felt all of my worries about Julie start to disappear one by one.
The presence of all three dogs helped me relax and start to think clearly again.
Zenoheld patted my head lightly and said. "I'm glad to see you in better spirits. These dogs really seem to make you happy."
I simply nodded in response.
"Come here Helios," I said while tapping on my nee.
Helios placed his front paws on my shoulders while wagging his tail wildly.
I pulled the fluffy dog into a tight hug and held him for a while.
Helios laid his head on my chest.
"Thank you Helios," I said while petting him softly.
The dog licked my face in return.
Hydron noticed my red cheeks and asked. "Sioku, did something happen to you?"
"Yes, but don't worry about that. I'll be fine," I answered while trying to brush off the whole topic.
"Are you sure?" Hydron continued.
"Yes Hydron, I'm okay. I promise," I assured.
Spectra petted Helios behind his ears and said to me. "Helios likes to be a therapy dog for people whenever he gets the chance."
"I can tell," I replied while hugging the dog tighter in a loving way.
Another long period of silence passed by as my friends and I relaxed with the dogs.
"Hey Sioku, how are you feeling?" asked Zenoheld.
"I feel much better now that I was able to let my emotions out in front of people who I can trust," I answered with a relieved sigh.
"That's good Sioku, you can always tell all three of us anything. We will always be here to help you," Spectra reassured.
"Thank you Spectra," I said softly.
"Sioku, what happened to you?" asked Hydron.
"I just told Spectra and your father an unpleasant story about my former assistant," I answered.
"I'm glad that you're with my father now. You deserve someone much better than her anyway," Hydron said.
I blushed and turned my head away.
"Thanks for the kind words," I replied shyly.
Zenoheld put a gentle hand on my shoulder and said. "My son really cares about you."
"He's a nice kid," I replied.
Hydron picked up a rubber ball and squeaked it a few times.
Farbros immediately woke up and lifted his head.
"Watch this Sioku," said Hydron.
I watched as he waved the ball in front of Farbros' face.
Farbros quickly stood up and began wagging his tail.
I giggled as I ruffled the dog's fur.
"Go get it," said Hydron as he threw the ball.
Farbros jumped over Zenoheld and then chased the ball down the hallway.
I laughed at the sound of Farbros' nails tapping on the tile floor.
After retrieving the ball, Farbros rushed back to Hydron and dropped it on the floor in front of him.
Hydron picked up the ball and began running around with it.
Farbros chased after him while growling.
"Come and get the ball," said Hydron as he squeaked it.
Farbros barked at Hydron while chasing him around the living room.
I burst into laughter while watching the entertaining scene.
"Hey Zenoheld, does Hydron do this with any of the dogs very often?" I asked curiously.
"Yes, he gets these dogs wound up all the time. I am always telling him to take them outside," Zenoheld answered.
"That's understandable," I added.
Dryoid heard the commotion and joined in.
The Golden Retriever happily circled around Farbros and Hydron while whipping them with his tail.
"Let's go Dryoid," Hydron urged.
Hydron led both dogs in circles around the entire house.
Helios also noticed the commotion, but he stayed with me and didn't move.
"Helios, are you sure you want to stay?" I asked while petting him.
Helios climbed into my lap and sat down.
I pulled Helios into an affectionate embrace and held him tight.
Helios laid his head on my shoulder.
"My dog will stay with you for a while. Helios likes to comfort people when they are sad," Spectra explained.
"You've trained your dog well," I said with a smile.
"Thank you very much," Spectra replied.
I closed my eyes and imagined myself bringing Pegasus into Zenoheld's house.