Amber.

Inside the Pokemon Center.

A Few Minutes Later.

"Hey, Riley, Flint and Volkner're gonna show us some places they've gone today after Dee and I clean ourselves up. Wanna come with?"

Riley seemed astounded when we explained about Astro, but he was okay. Everyone eventually accepts it.

He reminded me of some sort of lovechild between Tess and Volkner. He had spiky black hair and wore a baseball cap over it, with a navy pullover hoodie and jeans with sneakers. Simple enough. He wasn't loud or opinionated, like Dee or Flint; he was quiet.

Riley flushed when I offered him to come with us. "I was, uh, planning to leave after the contest...I dunno if-"

"Aww, c'mon! Volkie's buying dinner."

"Volkie's doing what?" Volkner snapped.

I hated the thought of anyone being alone in a big city like Jubilife, and it looked like he didn't have a soul besides his Riolu.

Riolu tugged at Riley's hand. "Hygh..." He pleaded, with his big, sad looking eyes. He wanted to come with us, obviously.

Riley shrugged off the Adidas bag over his shoulder. "Lemme drop off my stuff in my room, at least. If I'm gonna be kidnapped, might as well not have anything muggable on me."

I laughed. "Great! Meet us down here in a half hour."

I ran upstairs to go change. Everyone had headed up without me, including Astro.

When I got to the room, Dee was already back in her jeans and camo jacket, makeup washed off. The only thing she kept was how I'd braided her hair before the contest.

"God, Amber, what'd you do? Make out with the guy?" Astro joked. He was laying on my bed, watching TV. Dee was sitting next to him.

"Ha ha," I laughed dryly. I changed into a red t-shirt and white jean shorts, and pulled my hair up in a ponytail.

It only took about fifteen minutes to get ready to go out. I decided to take all the money I'd earned battling trainers on the way to Jubilife, which was about $50. Plenty to shop on if given the chance.

Flint and Volkner were waiting in the lobby, Volkner having shed his own jacket. Even without his jacket, he looked a little chunky.

"Hey, where's that emo tool?" Flint asked. "Rory?"

"It's Riley, and I heard that, you uncultured little swine." Riley strode up behind us, hands in his pockets.

Volkner covered his mouth and snickered. "Man, I like you already."

Riley had brought his Riolu with him, which Astro seemed to appreciate.

Riley.

Two Hours Later.

Amber inviting me to hang out with her and her friends had come as a complete shock. Why did she want to spend time with me?

She was really pretty, though. Her eyes were sort of gold colored-amber colored, I suppose. And she wore thick eyeliner and mascara, a little more than nessicary for a pre-teen, but she-

Stop it, Riley, I berated myself. She's just a girl. Stop thinking.

Amber's little posse dragged me all over town, trying to fit me into conversation. It was sort of fun, I guess.

I quickly figured out who was who; Amber was the popular girl, Flint was the clown, Volkner was the "cool kid" or whatever, and Dee was the asshole. And I can't really place Tess, even years later.

Riolu took to Astro right away; he stayed in step with him, listened to every word he said. I could tell the little guy adored him.

"Riley? Hey. Where'd you come from?"

I snapped out of my daze, and found Volkner looking right at me. Everyone else was listening to Amber chatter away.

"Where'd I come from?" I repeated. "My mom, I guess."

Volkner rolled his eyes. "Dumbass, I meant your hometown."

Crap. Now I look like a smartmouth. "Oh. I was, uh, born in Canalave City, but we moved to a tiny place called Iron Island when I was a baby."

Volkner raised a blonde eyebrow. "Like that popular training spot?"

"Y-yeah." I nodded. "My dad he...he, uh, sorta owns the mines. Where everybody like to train."

It took a bit, but I finally managed to relax around them. Flint threw a few more cracks my way, pretending to forget my name, and I sent back a few about where he could go when he died. It was fun.

Volkner treated us to dinner, like Amber promised, at the same little burger joint I'd spotted the two guys at earlier that day. I ordered the same thing I'd eaten for lunch.

Astro gave me a weird vibe. He was talking and getting along with my Riolu while the eight of us ate, but he kept on glaring at me. Not in an angry way, but more like he was...gauging me. The way Astro watched my every move made me feel oddly naked.

"Where're you heading next, Riley?" Amber snapped me out of it again. I broke my attention from Astro.

"Huh?" I nearly choked on a bite of burger.

Dee nodded. "You're definitely not a coordinator," She added. "What are you?"

"Oh." I shrugged. Conversation went quiet. I hated being on the floor like that. "Oh. I, uh...I plan on heading to Eterna City next."

"Y'know, the closest gym is in Oreburgh," Flint advised.

I sent him an icy glare. "Thanks, mother. I'll make sure to keep that in consideration." His gray eyes stared down my blue.

Tess laughed nervously. "Amber and, um, my sister are heading that way come tomorrow..." She interjected, to break the tension. "You guys should go together. As a group, I mean."

Conversation broke again at the table. Astro's eyes seemed to shift between the two sides.

I cleared my throat. "Why, uh, why aren't you going with them?" I asked politely.

Tess widened her brown eyes in surprised. She sort of flicked Volkner a panicked look.

He shuffled in his seat. "Long story. Conflict of interests."

"Conflict of interests?" Dee echoed. "Listen here, you rich daddy's boy-!"

Astro thumped his paws against the table. Dee cut herself short.

"God, could I go for another milkshake!" He announced. "Waitress!"

There were obviously some "conflict of interests" on the subject of Tess's preferred group. The subject was dropped, at least for the night.

At nine, we went back to the Center to go ahead and hit the hay. Everyone else ran off upstairs, but Tess pulled me aside like Amber had earlier, grabbing me by the arm and literally pulling me.

"Hey," I protested. Riolu watched, puzzled.

Tess glared at me, but not threateningly. "I was serious about you going with Amber and Dee," She told me. "They're both really great people. Really. You guys'd get along."

I had a feeling she had more than one reason to suggest it. "I'll consider it. But, I don't know you guys..."

"You'll think about it?" She raised her eyebrows.

I sighed. "Sure. Whatever."

Tess smiled, and I'll bet she felt relieved. She probably felt guilty about leaving her sister. I figured they were close.

Riolu and I went upstairs, and I found my room. When I reached in my pocket, the keycard was missing.

I sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Shit."

"Hya?" Riolu poked me. He showed me the key; I must have dropped it somewhere.

I unlocked the door and shuffled inside. Riolu closed the door behind him.

"You really like that Astro, huh?" I asked. I slipped off my shoes, and my thick pullover.

Riolu nodded, pulling himself onto the bed. "Hyunn!" He beamed.

I laughed. "Well, maybe I'll take Tess up on that offer." I stripped off the black t-shirt I'd worn under my pullover, leaving a black tank top and my jeans. It had been sweltering, wearing so many clothes in the middle of August.

Finally, I managed to strip down to my undies. I finally didn't feel like I was suffocating.

I turned the light off and crawled under the covers, placing my cap on the bedside table. Riolu curled up next to my pillow, and fell blissfully to sleep.

Hesitating, I reached my arm up my back in the dark, touching the small, smooth crevasses in the skin. The scar trailed up my spine, to the nape of my neck.

I bet a bunch of girls would freak out if they really saw me. I guess swimming would be far out of the question.

Tess.

The Next Morning.

The next morning felt a little bittersweet. Everything the three of us ever did had been together, so it was going to be hard without Amber and Dee Dee.

We all met outside the Pokemon Center early, including Riley. He announced that he wanted to go with Amber and my sister. Dee did make some negative noise about him, which was ignored.

Dee hugged me really tight. I knew it was harder for her than for me.

"Take care of yourselves," I said quietly. "Don't get in trouble, Dee..."

"Those assholes better take good care of my baby sister." I knew she was dead serious.

It took forever for us all to finally seperate, but finally, I saw the three of them off to their next stop, Floraroma Town. I knew I wouldn't see them again for a long time, at least a month.

"Tess?" Flint tapped me. I turned around.

Pikachu hopped onto Volkner's shoulder. "Are you ready? Or do you need a minute?"

I nodded. My hair swished against my face in the breeze.

"Yeah. No, I'm fine. Let's go; Oreburgh is at least a three day trip from here."

AOF: Why would Riley have a scar on his back? Would it be why he dresses so thickly? And why did Astro take such an interest in him and Riolu so quickly?

AOF: Well, only one of us knows, so I suppose you'll have to wait for more updates to see any answers. ;)