A huge thank-you to anyone who stuck around and kept reading despite my extreme lack of chapter frequency. You guys rule.

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Star sighed heavily, walking the familiar street back to her house. It felt good to be home again, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that the next few months were going to be torturous. Knocking on the dark oak door of her family's modest, white, ranch-style home, she drew in and out a calming breath. Her father answered the door, a soft smile crossing his face as he realized who was at the door. "Star! Back so soon? You haven't been gone but a day, have you?"

"I…yeah, Dad. I just decided I want to wait a little while longer before going out and training Pokemon."

Xander's smile grew wider. "Well, sweetheart, you know that you're ALWAYS welcome here," he said, giving her a big bear hug.

Star fought the urge to cry. "I love you, Dad."

Xander pulled her away to see her face, concerned. "You okay, kiddo? Something wrong?"

"I'll…tell you when we get inside. Is Mom home?"

"Yeah, she's in the living room."

"Okay. There's something I have to tell you guys."

Xander frowned. "All right. Come on in."

He entered the living room with Star close behind. "Summer, honey? Star's home. She says she has something to tell us."

The same frown that Xander wore spread to Summer's face as well. "What is it, sweetie?"

Star hung her head. "Well, you know that kid down the street? My old friend, Brandon?"

"Yeah. He's a good kid. What about him?"

"Well, we…"

"Wait!" Xander said without warning. "DID YOU TWO—"

"No, Dad, we did NOT have sex."

"Oh. Uh…continue."

"Well, Brandon and I went…adventuring. It's a long story. Brandon…well…he's dead, Dad."

"Dead? You mean like DEAD, dead?"

Summer sighed. "I don't think there's another kind of DEAD, honey."

"How did this happen, Star? Tell us everything."

Star took a deep breath. "Well, it's a long story. It all started when we went out to Celadon City. We were attacked by this giant creature…"

Two hours later, Star had told the whole story to her parents. She soon regretted telling them the ENTIRE story.

"You had SEX with this Asher person? AGAINST his WILL?"

"Dad!"

"Right. So…Brandon's really gone, then?"

"Yeah. I just…I still can't believe it," Star said, tearing.

Xander and Summer walked over and both held Star to comfort her. "There, there," Summer said, surprisingly calmly. "It will be all right. I don't want you to worry about this anymore, sweetie. We'll tell Brandon's parents."

Xander nodded. "It'd be better if they heard it from other adults."

"But…Asher said that I should just give them this note," Star said, fishing out the bloodied piece of paper from her pocket.

"Honey, I think we know a little better than this kid you keep talking about. STAR! Why is that paper covered in blood?"

"It's Asher's, Dad."

"Asher wrote that note in BLOOD?!"

"No, Dad. I got it from him after he killed himself."

"The boy KILLED himself. Right in front of MY daughter?"

"Dad. Please. Stay focused."

"Yes. Well, give me a minute to read the note, Star. I'll decide whether or not this gets to Brandon's parents."

Xander skimmed the small paper, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he conceded. "I guess…this would be better than us telling his parents."

Summer looked suspiciously at him. "Xander, are you just saying that because you don't want to have to break the bad news to them yourself?"

Xander sighed, handing Star the note. "Yes."

Star shook her head in disbelief. "How can you two think about his situation like this?"

Summer frowned. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I feel bad that Brandon's gone. Your father and I both do. But we can't let that consume us. I'm sorry we're not crying like you, but we didn't know him as well as you did. We barely knew him at all. It isn't that we don't care."

Star scoffed, walking out the door. "Whatever," she retorted, slamming it behind her.

Xander sighed, and began to step toward the door.

"Let her go, Xander. She needs to be alone right now."

"But…"

"Let her go."

"All right."

Running as fast as she could, it was only a couple of minutes before Star arrived at Brandon's parents' house. Brandon's mother opened the door before Star even made it to the driveway, and greeted her with a smile. "Well, if it isn't little Star! How are you, dear?"

Star stopped in her tracks in front of the woman. She suddenly felt nauseous. "Mrs. C…I have something to tell you."

"Something to tell me? What is it?"

"Here," Star said weakly, handing her the note.

Brandon's mother began to choke while reading the note to herself. She looked angrily at Star. "Is this your idea of a JOKE, young lady?"

Tears welled up in Star's eyes, as well as Brandon's mother's. "No, Mrs. C. It's no joke. Brandon…he's gone."

Brandon's mother began to sob and weep uncontrollably. "No…that's not possible. Oh, my poor, sweet little Brandon!"

"Mrs. C…I'm so sorry…" Star consoled.

"When my husband gets home…oh, I don't think I can stand this…Go home, child. I need to be alone right now."

Star nodded, and left, but she didn't go home. Home was the last place on her mind to go. Instead, she borrowed a neighbor's bike and pedaled to Celadon City. The mesmerizing brick below soothed her as she approached her target: the Game Corner. Swinging the door open slowly, sadly, she sat down at the bar. "Barkeep…give me a double shot of Ryhorn Tamer."

The balding man, cleaning a glass in typical bartender fashion, scoffed. "Missy, ain't you a little YOUNG to be drinkin' whiskey?"

"There's no age limit here in Celadon, old man. Just give me the drink."

"Fine, fine," the old man said, pulling a whiskey bottle from under the counter and pouring it into a glass. "But if you ask me, you shouldn't be drownin' your troubles with that there glass 'o whiskey."

"You're not my psychiatrist," Star warned, "and you're not my doctor. It's no business of yours what I use this glass of whiskey for. The only business you have is selling it to me."

She slapped a $100 bill on the table.

"Missy, I think you need new glasses. Price up on the wall there says $100 for SIX PACK o' Ryhorn Tamer."

"You read the number on that bill, old man? One. Hundred. Pokedollars."

"Yer gonna be sorry if you drink that much, kid."

"So what? It's not your problem, old man. Just give me the six pack."

"All right, but you still gotta pay for the double shot."

Star fished another couple of Pokedollars out of her pocket and handed them to the man. Downing her glass, she grabbed the alcohol the man had just slapped onto the counter and decided to find somewhere more secluded to rid herself of her sorrows.

That night, Star was found collapsed outside Brandon's parents' home and taken to the Celadon Treatment Center. She was diagnosed with alcohol poisoning. After a few days' recovery, Star was released from the hospital by her father's request, who promised to her that he would put a stop to her apparently newfound drinking habit.

The next day was Brandon's funeral. She found it odd, going to a funeral without a body, but said nothing. She only watched and listened as the priest read the eulogy—Asher's note about Brandon's death.

"To Brandon's friends and family.
I'm sure that you know that you were all dear to Brandon. He was a good man. He and I formed an organization with Star a while back to help out people in need, people that couldn't help themselves. We fixed a lot of stuff and saved a lot of people's lives. But Brandon's own life was taken by a confused man who decided that our organization needed to be stopped. I don't know why the man did it. Even to this day I still wonder why he didn't take me instead. But I know that Brandon wouldn't want me to think about that. He'd want me to think about how I could help someone else, how I could help keep his spirit alive by continuing the work he put his heart into. Brandon was a brave soul, a strong man, and a good friend. He will be dearly missed.

Sincerely,
Asher."

As everyone vacated the funeral home after the ceremony ended, Star looked up into the sky. It was already night time. She smiled ever so slightly. At least the stars looked friendly.