I wake up early… and I don't know why. It's 4 A.M. and the streets are still empty, might as well jog for a bit. A 30-minute run won't be bad will it? I fasten my exercise gear and go straight out the apartment. As I travel around the quiet streets of Regal, observing the stars while the sunlight's slowly starting to take them in, I bump into Xeva, who's also jogging.

"Oh, Arrow. What're you doing here at this hour?" she says while panting.

"I woke up early this morning. And… I don't know how to do with my spare time so… I decided to jog." I reply, while trying not to blush.

"Oh. Can you do that everyday?" she says, laughing a bit. "I've never seen you this early since… NEVER!"

"Yeah… I guess I could…" I say nervously. I've never been this nervous when I'm talking to Xeva at the station. It seems true that "work talk" is definitely different from "normal talk". "Anyway, where are you heading next?"

"I'm heading to this little coffee shop near the city park." She replies. "They serve great lattes. Want to join?"

Dear Arceus! This has got to be my greatest day ever! Is she really asking me out? I think. No, no, no. She just wants to have some coffee. For it's morning and coffee is good when you drink it in the morning. Random sentences are suddenly generating deep within my thoughts, finding a suitable reply.

"Yes, I would love to." I calmly say.

"Great! Come on! Let's go jog together!" says Xeva.

I nod in glee, and proceed to join her. I can't believe that this is happening. I'm hanging out with my own boss! I rarely see her hang out with her friends. Does she have any friends? I'm trying hard not to unleash the happiness I'm feeling right now. And of course, not let her show signs that I like her. I'd rather get stabbed in the chest than let her know that I have this "something" for her.

We chat for a bit until we reach the coffee stand. She hands me a nice hot cup of latte. It's so hot, touching the plastic cup feels like touching a furnace.

"It's hot!" I murmur.

"Hotter than you?" she says and proceeds to laugh.

"* Laugh * Nah. You, my dear Xeva, are definitely hotter!" I suddenly burst out.

"Really? * Chuckle * Why thank you!" she responds.

What was I thinking? Saying that? I now feel afraid that she'll know I have this crush thing for her.

"Come on! Let's sit on the bench!" Xeva says.

While we're sitting, we observe the things around us and start a conversation.

"So… how's life?" I ask.

"Pretty good actually." She replies, while sipping the foamy coffee. "How about you? How's the wound healing?"

"Fine… I guess." I reply, while glancing at her beautiful side of her face from time to time. "My body is 100% healed… for now."

"* Laughs * Don't you feel sick and tired being bodily abused all the time?" she asks.

"Not actually. You'll get used to it." I respond, taking a few slow drinks of the nice latte. "It actually feels good when I'm wounded, seeing the blood flow and all. It makes me feel stronger."

"OH REALLY?" she asks in disbelief. She then grabs her steak knife from her side belt and stabs my hand through the bench wood. "Does it feel good now?"

I twitch for a second while sipping the coffee. The amount of agony is so great I want to scream out loud. But I can't. Just to prove her that feeling pain feels good.

"Better." I say in a squeamish voice. "Can you please remove the knife now? I want to enjoy my coffee with two hands." She laughs, and then takes the knife away. I carefully look at the knife puncture. It seems that she hit the veins, because blood suddenly sprays unto my eyes when I glare closely. I wipe the red goo off my face and then hide my hand in my pocket, hoping the fabric of my pants will cover the wound.

"Sorry about that!" she says while giggling. "I just want to see if what you're saying is real."

"No biggie." I reply. I can feel the warm liquid oozing down from my upper right leg to my right foot. I never should've told her that. But oh well, it happened. Hope I could get manly points for that.

"I like you. You're full of spunk. Compared to the other officers at the precinct, you're the only one who had the guts to talk to me nicely even if I didn't return the favor." She says. "No one dares to ask me out for a lovely friendly dinner, to have a fun time at the city amusement park. I don't know. Maybe people are used in seeing me as a mad, strict, and a drab Xeva."

"Really?" I reply. "Thanks for the compliment. No offense, you do seem scary. But you can change that! Start being happy with the workers. Talk to them. Share stories. Don't be shy. If you start talking to them, maybe everyone in the precinct will reply back. Don't worry! And when something goes wrong, I'm just here to keep you company."

"I don't know sport… To tell you the truth, I'm an introvert. Even now, talking to you feels weird." She responds.

"Just try it." I say to her with a smile. "Don't do it immediately though. Just slowly and slowly until you win their hearts. Speak to one officer, then another until you've fully befriended everyone in the precinct. Don't even say to yourself that you'll seriously change. Remember, actions speak louder than words."

"Okay. I'll keep that in mind." She replies. "Oh what do you know? It's already 8 o'clock. Time surely does fly when you're having fun doesn't it?"

She had fun hanging out with me? That has got to be my greatest achievement I've done this year. Or better yet, my entire life! I'm wondering… does she really like me? Like "like" like? Or just likes me because of my bravery when on job? Does her payment of my hospital bills yesterday means something? Does she already know that I have a thing for her that's why she's doing that? But how can she know that I like her? Were my actions too obvious? I've never told anyone about that I have a crush on Xeva. Did she figure that out just by observing how I treat her? Or… maybe… she just really wants to become friends. My head is full of questions right now I just can't stop.

"Yeah. * Sigh *" I say. "Anyways Xeva, I had a great time hanging out with you. But I've got to go now. I'm going to visit the hospital."

"What for?" She asks.

"For my friend whom I rescued yesterday, and back then." I reply.

"Oh. Okay then. I'll meet you back at the precinct. The Regii Satellites are going to have an important meeting together with their head and the R.P.D. relating to the brutal Dark-type attackers. Don't be late. 1 P.M. sharp. Got it?" She says.

The "Regii Satellites", also known as "The King's Guards" or "The Royal Guards", are the heavy soldiers and sentinels that defend this kingdom. They are composed of armored Lucarios, heavily trained with their powerful Flash Cannons and Aura Spheres. They will do just about anything to protect the royal family and the people. They also carry lances and shields for seizing.

I nod. And then we stand up, give a salute – we always do that in the precinct – and wave goodbye. Seeing and meeting her, made me brisk. I feel I can do my tasks better than ever, because of her.

I'm heading down now to the hospital to check Dawn… and to check my right hand too.