Astro.

On Route 204.

I was a little surprised when Riley asked Amber if he could tag along with us, but not much. I was pleased, really; I felt a chance to delve into that little Riolu of his a bit more.

Riley held Riolu by the paw until we fully left Jubilife, which seemed a little strange. What, did he think we'd lose him? But, I kept my mouth shut. Or, my brain, I should say.

I got to watch Riley and Dee battle some trainers that day, around two kids each. Riolu wiped away a kid with two Bidoof, and a chick with a Geodude; Riolu decimated two Starlys in a row.

But, I didn't feel like battling. The night before, even just that sparring match with Riolu, tired me out.

After walking the straight dirt road for a few hours, Amber finally let us set up a small camp around noon to eat lunch.

Riley set his backpack down on the grass. "Here, lemme make you guys lunch, Amber."

Dee regarded him with animosity. "Uh, I have all our food, showoff. I'll do it.".

Before we left Jubilife, Volkner had given us something he'd tinkered with before leaving Sunyshore: a battery-powered minicooler. It could hold a loaf of bread, some packages of meat, packets of ketchup and mustard, and a six-pack of waters. Probably the coolest parting gift; pun intended.

Amber and Riley sat off away from her while she prepared their sandwiches, and distributed pokemon food. Ice-type food for Snorunt, fighting for Riolu and I, and Riley pulled out a canister of steel-type blend for his other pokemon, an Aron.

"Dig in, you guys," Amber encouraged us, handing Riolu and I small silver bowls of food.

I grimaced. I hated pokemon food; it tasted like those pencil shavings Max had tried to feed me when he was four.

Glancing at my companions eating cheerfully, I sighed, and popped a pellet in my mouth. When in Rome, huh?

Dee finished making sandwiches, and joined the other two in eating. I watched Snorunt introduce himself to our two new pokefriends, happily offering Aron a pellet. Snorunt always was such a sweetheart.

"Big Riolu? Are you okay?" I found Riolu staring at me, sounding concerned.

I shook my head, laughing a little. "I'm fine. Just a little tired...and, it's Astro, okay?"

He pursed his lips for a second, like he was thinking. Then ge nodded, breaking into a smile. "Okay. Astro."

I offered a small smile back. I noticed his bowl was empty. He'd eaten mighty quick.

"Hey, you still hungry? I'm not all that peck-"

Riolu was already reaching for my food. But, a Starly from above dove in, and took the whole thing.

"Hygh!" Riolu grunted. He'd gotten pushed to the ground.

I jumped up, of course. Amber yelped, and I'm pretty sure Riley did, too.

"Hey!" I forced as much authority into my voice as I could. "Give that bowl back!"

The Starly greedily ate the food. My stomach growled, and I regretted not eating earlier.

That did it. Nobody jacks Astro's grub. I picked up a rock.

"Come fight me, ya stupud little winged Rattata!" I threw it, and missed.

Amber turned around. "Astro, don't pick a fight with wild birds over-"

"It's not the food! I was giving it Riolu, and that bastard took all of it!"

But, my temper only got me in trouble. A whole flock of Starly came flying out of the trees, all angry at me for disturbing them. They dove for me, and I felt a thousand beaks and wings tackling me to the ground. I couldn't move.

"Astro!" Riolu's voice squeaked as they peck the hell outta me. I heard Riolu, Snorunt, and Aron fighting to get the off of me.

"Tackle 'em, Aron!"

"Snorunt! Headbutt!"

Riolu used one Force Palm, and the whole area combusted in a fit of ash and smoke. The Starly, scared, flew off.

Meanwhile, I laid against the grass. I had practically been pinned, I couldn't even move.

Amber stood over me. "God, Astro, why can't you listen?"

A Starly had ended up piercing the skin on my right arm. She had to wrap it up for me, spraying some Potion on. It stung like hell.

Riolu.

That Night.

After Astro got hurt, we only went for another few hours. He told his trainer that he didn't feel so good.

He skipped eating again, when our trainers gave us supper. When they went to bed, and Snorunt and Aron did too, I watched him climb up into a tree. He didn't come down.

I couldn't sleep, 'cause I wanted to know what he was doing. I stood at the bottom of the tree, and saw him sitting on a branch, against the trunk. He looked like he was sleeping.

"Hey!" I didn't want him to fall if he woke up. "Astro!"

He jumped, and nearly fell. "Christ, Riolu!"

I laughed. "What're you doing?"

Astro swung his legs over the branch. "I'm just...I dunno. Couldn't sleep."

"Weren't you tired?"

He shook his head. "Nah, man. My body's exhausted, but my brain's just wired. C'mon up here."

I looked at the thick trunk of the tree in the dark. It wasn't very tall, but Astro was high up...

He ended up getting me to climb. When I got close to his branch, he grabbed my paw and pulled me up with him.

I looked down at the ground. "We're high up..."

"No need to worry." Astro smiled. "I won't let you fall, kid."

Astro helped me get situated. The branch was thicker than it looked; I really wouldn't fall, just like he said.

I looked around. "Nightime is real pretty," I told him plainly. "Real pretty."

Astro nodded. "Ain't it?" He looked up at the starry sky. Astro took a deep breath. "I never climbed a tree before tonight. The stars...Amber showed me a few patterns before. She told me the twins were born under the Gemini constellation. Gemini's the twins, I think. But they're so different...Amber never told me what her sign is."

Astro kept on talking, and I looked at the stars with him. I didn't think a lot of what he said made sense, but I understood.

We stayed up there a long time that night. It hadn't been long before he had started feeling sleepy, but he said he didn't want to miss a single second of anything.

I eventually had to beg him to go down and get some rest. Trainer always told me even the best pokemon needs a little rest.