“I apologize again, Gary. As I recall, when I asked where you were planning on going way back when, you said that you intended on going to Pewter City,” Prof. Oak said with a hesitant smile and a shrug, his hands in the air. “After your experience with that group of Mankey, I figured maybe you weren't ready to go straight for a Badge in Viridian City. I thought you may want to take some time traveling through Viridian Forest. Maybe catch some more Pokemon and train before battling against a Gym Leader.”

Gary lowered his head and shook it. “So instead I get sent to the Gym of the future Pokemon Master,” Gary bemoaned.

“And with your failure to arrive at Obsidian City, battling Ghosts,” Prof. Oak continued, thoughtfully looking at the ceiling before returning his stare to Gary. His face hardened sternly. “I told you to keep Hoothoot with you, Gary,” Prof. Oak scolded. “Your Hoothoot's Foresight could have exposed your Badge as a fake, and the entire battle you had as nothing more than an illusion. Anyway, good luck getting through Viridian Forest.”

Gary groaned. “For the last time.”

“While I have you here, Gary, I’d like to inform you of two things. One, your Lanturn is doing very well here in the pond with the others, so do tell Jen not to worry about her.”

“That’s great, sir!” Gary smiled, not bothering to correct Prof. Oak. “I’ll definitely do that.”

“She’s a very smart and responsible Trainer. As tough as this must have been, this was great for Lanturn’s health. She gets sad here and there, obviously missing, uh... June, but I told her she’d be here very soon, right?”

Gary nodded. “We’re almost there, sir.”

Prof. Oak nodded. “Hmm. Now, the next news is about your Absol. She hasn’t been causing any problems, but I think she may be better off right now in your care. Unless you had a reason for sending her back.”

Gary shook his head. “No. Just trying to get around to using all of my Pokemon if possible. I know there’s still plenty I haven’t even seen.”

Prof. Oak nodded. “I’ve gotten Kingdra and Primeape in a relatively acceptable state. I just think, considering the circumstance, keep in mind the others.”

Gary knew exactly what he meant, and he nodded.

A scream filled the Pokemon Center.

Shouts and wails mixed with foot stomps followed.

Gary turned around quickly.

“Uh, is everything alright over there?” Prof. Oak asked.

Gary turned back to him. “Well, that’s kind of part of why I-”

A scream Gary immediately knew as Nurse Joy’s came out.

“Oh, no! Nurse Joy!” Gary called, whipping back with concern. He then glared around the building, stopping on someone. “JUNE!”

“This is YOUR mess, Gary!!” June screeched, a stunned look on her face.

“Just watch out for Nurse Joy!” Gary shot back.

Suddenly, from out of his Poke Ball, Hitmonchan appeared! “Chan!”

June let her grin be shown big and proud.

“GET OUTTA HERE! No one called for-!” Gary grunted as he was swung on, and he kicked out frantically in return, knocking down his Pokemon. He then let out a furious yell and jumped on top of Hitmonchan.

June was still trying to pry her Magneton from Gary’s Nosepass’ nose.

Raichu took off his sunglasses and waved at the three of them with both hands, begging and pleading.

Nurse Joy and her Chansey ran over to try and assist however they could.

Everyone else in the lobby was either filming and laughing, pointing and laughing, or leaving and laughing, while a couple of people were just fast asleep on chairs.

*

“What else is new?” Gary said grumpily, his eye trained on the ground. His other eye was swollen shut, completely black, and hurting behind an ice pack he held to it. “Honestly, at this point, everything is Team Solace, even when it isn’t. Who else could’ve guessed they were behind the Golem incident?”

“Was just... something on the news while you were in the back with Nurse Joy,” June muttered. “Thought you may wanna know. I’m sorry. There was also a story about some missing kids throughout Kanto, and that pack of thieves Prof. Cozmo stopped in Pewter City. You wouldn’t believe it, but apparently that same Hypno was kidnapping the children and was later captured by those thieves and they were using his Teleport to get around and away. The kids were all found on a mountain near Cloud City. Not all of them were found alive, though...”

Gary didn’t say anything, removing his ice pack for a bit before placing it back on.

“There was also this silly story with a Trainer’s Barbaracle whose heads couldn’t get along and the Trainer was losing his mind trying to ge-”

“June, I don’t care,” Gary interrupted bluntly. “I just want to-” He stopped talking, and walking, staring at a sight.

Before June and him were several large flowers, fully bloomed and displayed underneath a few Butterfree!

The Butterfree were flapping their wings violently, bouncing about in the air, crying out sharply.

“Are they fighting each other?” Gary asked.

“It seems so, but, I don’t think so?” June contradicted herself, confused.

“Yeah, it looks like they’re attacking the flowers?”

“Not quite. Gary, use the Pokedex.”

“Right.” Gary pulled out his device.

Butterfree. The Butterfly Pokemon. Caterpie’s final stage. And Cutiefly. The Bee Fly Pokemon. Nectar and pollen are favorite foods of these Pokemon, so battles between them are not an uncommon sight in flower fields.

“Whoa, I can barely even see the Cutiefly!” Gary squinted. “But now that it mentioned them...”

“Yeah! They’re right there!” June nodded. “Fighting the Butterfree!”

Lowering his ice pack for a moment, Gary rubbed his tingling arms, disgusted at the Bug war. “Well, let’s not disturb them.” He walked off in a different direction, away from the several Bug types, and gave a shudder.

“At least we still have a few weeks before the League. Just one more Badge, Gary.”

“More than enough time for one single Badge.” Gary returned his ice pack to his eye. “And it’s a Bug Gym, at that. The easiest type of them all.”

“Gary, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This girl must be a Gym Leader for a reason.”

“You saying you don’t know her?”

“I don’t.”

“Thought you guys would’ve- Hey.” Gary came to a stop in front of a building in a clearing.

The old cabin looked ready to collapse. Huge holes were all over it.

Gary’s only eye widened as he recognized the place. The place I was chased to by the Beedrill, Gary remembered. The Beedrill... He looked around him, trying to spot any of the ferocious, horrifying Pokemon.

“Gary?” June said. “You okay?”

Gary kept turning, looking into the afternoon sky, peering through the trees.

“Gary, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

He ignored June, walking closer to the cabin, but only because he had to pass it to get through the forest.

“Gary, are you afraid of the Beedrill?”

Gary jumped at the unrecognized voice to see an unfamiliar face!

This man stood at the side of the cabin, Gary having not seen him there previously. He was about Gary’s height and oddly enough was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, all underneath a black suit jacket, but without a tie. His feet were in gray sandals. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned.

“What?” Gary uttered, still startled by the sudden man.

He rubbed at his chin and cheeks and shook his head tiredly. “There’s no Beedrill to worry about, so long as you don’t lure them here. They usually mind their own business so long as you don’t mind them.”

Yeah I dunno about that... Gary thought to himself. “How do you know my name?”

“June told me.” He nodded at the girl.

“How do you know my name?” June cried.

“Gary told me.” He nodded to Gary.

“Hey, enough games! What’s going on here?” Gary demanded.

“I saw you both when you ran into the Butterfree,” he replied impatiently. “Look, I’m really glad you’re here. I need your help, you two.”

Gary tried to speak up but the man kept talking.

“I’ve got a love issue going on in my house and I’m hoping you experienced Trainers could lend me a hand.”

Gary’s mouth opened again but he was cut off some more.

“I have a Cherrim that is in love with this stupid Sunflora that popped up around here. The two are totally incompatible, the hypocrite. At night she goes to sleep and hides behind her petals, but she has the nerve to judge Cherrim when he hides away in his leaves. Yet my Cherrim still loves her. How can they be compatible? How can he love such a stuck up... pothead?!”

“Love is a funny, strange thing, sir.” June smiled and looked over at Gary.

Gary just shrugged at June. “Anyway, what can we do to help?” he asked the man.

“Catch the damn thing!” the man yelled. “Take her away so Cherrim can get over her already!”

“That’s not very fair. Why should we intrude on their love? You should be happy for him!” June cocked her head.

The man shook his head. “No. You don’t understand! They aren’t good for each other! Someone, or, something, who puts another down for something they themselves do is an abusive relationship! It’s only going to get worse. I know he’ll be mad about this but he’ll get over it and realize I was only trying to help.”

“I dunno, this sounds like something that’s none of my business, and I don’t really have time for this. I have a Badge to collect. Sorry, dude.” Gary shrugged and turned from the guy.

“I need, your HELP!!” the man raged out of nowhere, his voice so powerful it made June scream and Gary stumble. He looked furious and threatening now, showing his teeth, his chest heaving inside of the suit. “It’ll take TWO FUCKING SECONDS!!”

You have your Pokemon, Gary told himself. You may not be able to fight this guy, but your Pokemon can surely intimidate him. Geez, Hitmonchan. You always wanna pop up when there’s a girl I like around, but not in moments like these??

The man raised his hands. He took a deep breath, his eyes upon Gary’s. “Listen.” He took a few seconds to speak. “I’m sorry, kids.” He looked to June and then back to Gary. “I can tell you have more important things going on considering your little eye injury there.”

Gary looked away from the man before sharply returning his gaze.

“I’m at the end of my rope here. If they could be together, I’d let it happen. I love my Cherrim, and I want him to be happy. That’s why I’m looking out for him. Please, it’s a free Pokemon! Don’t you kids like free shit anymore?!” He threw his hands up in exasperation and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Then, he let out an aggravated, loud groan and looked back down to the two kids as he ran his hands through his wavy, messy hair. He looked very stressed.

A Sunflora, though? Gary considered. That evolved thing of Sunkern? Is that really worth my time?? I do need to catch ‘em all but... “Alright, we’ll take a look, but no promises, man. I’m not intruding on anything crazy. Depending on how things look here, we’re leaving without-”

“Great, just check it out!” He advanced on Gary quickly.

The young Trainer took a sudden step back but was grabbed by the wrist and pulled to the other side of the cabin. “Trust me! Once you see it, you won’t believe it!”

When Gary tried to pull back, the man’s grip tightened, scaring the boy.

The man then stopped, releasing Gary, and he pointed with a huff. “There’s the cretin. SHOO! Go away! You’re not welcome!”

“Sunflora...” There, beside the cabin, stood a Sunflora. She gazed at a window, a leafy appendage against it. “Sun...”

“I know you hear me you rotten leaf. Get away!” the man continued.

“Hey, take it easy, will you?” Gary looked around warily.

“Yeah, yeah,” the man waved Gary off, not turning from Sunflora.

“Is Cherrim inside?” June stepped up to the guy.

He turned to her and nodded. “Yes. Hiding from her. I’ll show you.” He then spit at the ground by Sunflora before turning and walking around to the front door, opening it and leading the way in.

Gary followed inside, holding open the door for June. “Huh?”

June wasn’t behind him.

He stepped back outside and nearly bumped into her. “What are you doing?” he snapped.

“Nothing,” June shook her head and nudged her head at the door.

Gary went inside. “Why is it so dark in here?”

Inside of the cabin, just a little light shined in through the windows. It was still dark, though. And a mess. There were wooden shelves with pots and pans, cups and other dishes. A wooden bench was against the wall in the back, and a wooden chair sat away from it, this being painted white. One wooden, white table sat in the middle of the room. It was large and held a couple of measuring cups and other strange tools and equipment. Beside it sat what was possibly a white minibar, or maybe a safe. Paper littered much of the floor, covered in writing, and there were also heavy amounts of thick dust everywhere. There also stood a strange object in the shadows in the corner of the cabin.

“Excuse my work. Just take a look at my Cherrim,” the man pointed at the thing in the corner.

Cherrim. The Blossom Pokemon. The evolved form of Cherubi. Depending on the sunlight, they change forms and become more powerful and energetic in the Sunshine Form. When in its Overcast Form, however, they are quiet and don’t move much, so they try to make up for lost time when finally in the Sunshine Form.

“Cherrim.” The little being walked over to the group, slowing down as he reached the papers on the floor. He tried to hop around them somewhat, but was still walking on top of some. “Cherrim.”

“You okay, my friend?” the man questioned the Pokemon.

“Cherrim.” The Pokemon was hard to see in the dark, with very dark leaves covering a barely lighter shaded body underneath. A sprout came from the top of his head.

The man knelt by his Pokemon and pat the sprout. “Just take it easy.” He looked to Gary. “You see how depressed he is? He loves her out there, but she makes him feel like this! Reclusive!”

“Maybe she’s just teasing him? Like when a boy teases a girl he likes?” June suggested thoughtfully, her hand on her chin, her hips shifted to one side.

“That’s stupid. Boys don’t really do that, do they?” Gary looked at June. “I mean, really, why would anyone do something that stupid as a sign of liking someone?”

June rolled her eyes and muttered something Gary didn’t catch. “Anyway, can I see them together? So I can listen to their interactions?”

“Listen?” the man squinted in confusion.

“Yes. I can hear the language of Pokemon and understand them like I can hear you or Gary. It’s a gift of mine.”

His eyebrows raised with his widening eyes.

Gary’s own eyebrows raised at June’s statement and, therefore confidence. “Yeah, it’s-” Gary tried to vouch for her.

“You don’t say!” The guy went a couple of feet closer to June. “Now that’s something.”

“Uh... yeah! And they can hear me just as well,” June added.

The man nodded. “Well, isn’t that... wonderful.”

June’s eyes widened a bit and she smiled. “It is, isn’t it! So, I can give you that help you need!”

The man shook his head. “No. You’re of no help.”

“Huh? But, why?” June asked.

“It’s a waste of time. If you can truly do what you claim, you’ll only be telling me what I already know. I don’t need a retelling of the problem. I need a solution.”

“But maybe I can just talk to Sunflora or Cherrim, or the both of them, and get them to either love each other right, or end it.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“Well, if it’s as abusive as you claim, then I’ll catch her myself!” June said boldly.

The man nodded. “No!”

June did a double take. “What?!”

“Catch her immediately or you’re of no use to me! I don’t have time for this shit! I’m a busy man!” He motioned with his hands around the room.

Tap! Tap!

Everyone looked over to one of the windows.

Sunflora was there, outside, peering in through the glass. She waved slowly.

“Cheeeeerrrr!” Cherrim turned his back on Sunflora.

“This is too difficult for me to read properly!” June complained. “Come on, sir!”

“What are you hearing, June?” Gary asked.

“Cherrim here said, ‘Oh, noooo! I’m not ready!’ Which doesn’t really tell me much.” June knelt down. “Cherrim, honey, please tell-”

BAM! BAM!

Everyone jumped with a gasp to the window again, Sunflora now banging on it! She was also yelling now.

June stood up, her eyes wide, and her mouth then fell open.

“June! What’s up?” Gary pursued.

June kept silent as Sunflora kept on shouting.

She finally stopped being vocal and just seemed to be glaring in.

“She said to get away from her man,” June said, keeping her eyes on Sunflora. “She’s jealous of me, a female, talking to Cherrim.”

“Jealous? But you’re not a Pokemon,” Gary said.

“It’s not uncommon for there to be... Like... Cross... species... romance conflicts...? Between humans and Pokemon...” June seemed to be forcing out the most uncomfortable sentences of her life.

“LISTEN!!” the guy barked in the room. He inhaled. “That thing is clearly insane! Get rid of it!!”

“I think there’s more to this story, Mister,” June protested. “I want to speak to these Pokemon alone. Without anyone else. Alone, and then together, Sunflora with Cherrim.”

“And I want you to capture the damn thing, but we can’t all have what we want, now can we?” the man replied. He then got closer to June and pushed her towards the door.

“Hey!” June stumbled.

The man then grabbed Gary’s shoulder and maneuvered him to the door of his cabin as well.

“Hey, man!” Gary let out.

“I have things to take care of, and if you’re not willing to assist me, you’re wasting my time,” the guy said impatiently. “Most kids would be eager to own a new Pokemon. I guess you both already have a Sunflora.”

“Why are you making such a big deal about me seeing Sunflora? I’ll just go talk to her myself!” June walked away from him.

“No! Stop!” The man let go of Gary and ran after June, reaching out.

June then picked up her pace and ran for the door. “Aaaaah!” She tripped and hit the floor. “Whoa! What?” She sat up and looked around, but there was nothing. “Wait a minute.”

The man got past June and ran outside himself.

June stared at the door but looked back around the room.

“June, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Gary walked to her and held out his only free hand, helping her to her feet.

“I coulda sworn...” she muttered, still staring around the floor, but only Cherrim and the mess were there.

“Did you drop something?”

June sucked her teeth and shook her head before running out the cabin.

Gary looked back to see that Cherrim remained inside, and then he followed after June, turning the corners to where Sunflora was still looking in the window.

The man was near the little Pokemon, waving her off, but Sunflora was completely ignoring him. “Get! GET OUT!!” the man yelled, stomping at the ground.

“Look! It’s Cherrim!” June pointed at the window.

The man gasped, a horrified look on his face as he watched the window. “No!” He went to the window and shoved Sunflora aside, staring into his dark cabin.

Cherrim was at the floor, a few feet away, looking up to the window.

“Sunflora, what’s going on?” June called out to her. “Why are you so persistent to stay? You like that Cherrim, don’t you?”

“Sunflora.” Sunflora turned to June and nodded as she got to her feet.

“So what’s wrong? Is this guy preventing you two from being together?” She crossed her arms and looked to the man.

He sneered at Sunflora.

“Sunflora Floooora!” Sunflora waved to June. She continued crying out to her.

June’s face softened and her eyes widened. Her crossed arms came undone.

Sunflora then went quiet and turned back to the window.

“June, what happened? What did she say?” Gary asked.

“Sunflora... She’s...”

“Yes?” the man questioned. “What? Hm? Believe me now?”

June leered at him and then went to Gary. “It’s true. She does prefer him in his other form...”

“What?” Gary was stunned by this news. He realized, what with how the man had been acting, that he had wanted him to be wrong, after all.

“She prefers the Sunshine Form, but she wants to be the one that brings out that Form in him. In other words, she wants to be the sunshine to open him up. But she does still want to be around him, even in Overcast Form! I think...”

“Exactly! You think! Sunflora didn’t say that, did she?” the man brought up.

June shook her head, facing him sternly. “Not exactly, no. But she’s at the window. That says what she didn’t. They want to be together. Sunflora just prefers how the other Form looks, is all. That’s not a reason to keep them apart.”

“It’s hypocrisy, I say! Sunflora fold up their petals when the sun sets.”

“That’s not saying either of them dislike the other at night!” June exclaimed. “It’s like you’re the only barrier between these two!”

This is really beyond my interests, Gary thought. I don’t care about this! That’s between them three! June and I need to go. Or definitely me, if nothing else. He sighed openly.

No one paid him any mind.

Rolling his open eye, Gary huffed out noisily. “So she prefers him without makeup but still thinks he’s beautiful with it. Big deal. Cherrim can’t control his Forms. This is so stupid! I’m really wasting my Badge time for this? I’m outta here!” He stomped away from them all.

CRAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSHHH!!!

Gary turned immediately at the sound to see something had burst out from the window!

Sunflora screamed and backed away, her leafy arms at the sides of her face.

Something landed on the ground, landing in the sunlight. The being was made up of two purple petals enclosing a deep pink body. A green, leafy form sat atop the body, a purple stem coming from out of that. It was Cherrim, visible in the daylight! Suddenly, he was covered in a flash of glowing white light, his silhouette visible. He changed his shape within the brightness and the glow vanished, revealing something entirely different!

Whoa! Gary thought quietly. What a change! It’s cute!

“The... The Sunshine Form!” the man pointed at his Pokemon, shocked. “How?!”

“Sunflora!” Sunflora extended her arms at her sides, seeming delighted with the change. She then backed up from the Cherrim and raised her arms in the air.

Magically, pink petals arose from the ground around Sunflora out of nowhere, glittering in beautiful pink sparkles.

Sunflora then pointed her arms at Cherrim.

The petals flew swiftly at Cherrim.

Cherrim cried out as he was hit and taken down.

“Whoa! Yo! Was that an attack??” Gary said loudly.

“Why is she attacking??” June added.

Cherrim got up and was suddenly enveloped by pink, glittering petals which then fired at Sunflora!

Petal Dance. This powerful move continues for a few turns, nonstop, but results in the user being Confused.

Sunflora struck again using Petal Dance.

Cherrim continued with his move a second time.

Sunflora’s eyes suddenly flashed red and she stumbled about, Confused! She then swung a leafy arm wildly and struck herself in the body.

Cherrim went for a third Petal Dance.

After the move ended, Sunflora dropped, defeated!

Cherrim’s eyes went red after this, but he shook his head and cleared his Confusion. “Cherrrrim!” He ran to the Sunflora.

June, Gary, and the man also closed in on Sunflora.

What just happened, here? Gary wondered.

Cherrim stood next to the beaten Sunflora.

Sunflora opened her eyes and sat up. She shook her head and frowned at Cherrim.

Cherrim lowered his head and nodded. “Cherrim Cherrim.”

“Sunflora Sun Sunflora!” Sunflora responded. She pushed herself up to her feet and then crossed her arms, turning her back on Cherrim.

Cherrim remained with his head lowered.

“Sunfloraaa!” Sunflora then turned and left! She simply left the area entirely, disappearing into the trees.

“H-hey! Where’s that one going??” Gary turned to June. He eyed Cherrim and then went right back to June. “What’s going on here??”

No one answered.

June and the man continued staring where Sunflora had vanished.

Cherrim still had his head down.

Gary was staring at the two humans, waiting for an explanation.

“Cherrim Cheeerrrrrim.” Cherrim dragged himself, his feet sliding in the dirt, back to the door of the cabin. Seeing he was unable to reach the door handle of the closed door, Cherrim dragged himself over to the back side of the cabin, vanishing from everyone’s vision.

“So, it turns out... I... may have been wrong?” June spoke up.

Gary and the guy turned to her.

“Seems that... Ugh...” June lowered her head and went quiet.

“Do tell, June.” The man crossed his arms, staring at June with raised eyebrows.

She looked at Gary, who then raised an eyebrow, awaiting some kind of answer, which caused her to lower her head again. “Well, I’m not entirely sure of the situation, but it seems that those two did like each other. But, it wasn’t based on looks, necessarily.”

“Oh? Then what was it??” The man’s tone was sarcastic, snotty, and taunting, and it was irritating Gary.

June turned away, not looking at either guy. “It seems, yeah, she did prefer, physically, the Sunrise Form, but it was more about what that Form gave to Cherrim.”

“Sunshine Form. And what do you mean?” the man asked.

“Gary, look up that Ability, please.”

Sunshine Form is a Form that is triggered for Cherrim who has the Flower Gift Ability. This Ability allows Cherrim to transform, and boosts its Special Defense and Attack power.

“So that’s what it is. I didn’t quite get it until now,” June nodded. “Sunflora was testing out the power of Cherrim. She’s been dissatisfied with Cherrim’s power boosts compared to her power. It wasn’t so much appearance that she was attracted to. It was the power of Cherrim. She finds Cherrim too weak.”

“But Cherrim won!” Gary pointed out.

June sighed. “Yeah... but only due to Confusion causing her to weaken herself. It seems that both Cherrim and Sunflora agree that that doesn’t count. Sunflora is not satisfied...”

“Exactly,” the man stated. “So glad to see that this is finally settled and done with.” He walked to where Cherrim was. A moment later, he came from it, carrying his Pokemon, and entered the cabin, slamming the door.

June and Gary faced each other.

“Can we go now? This was stupid,” Gary frowned.

June looked away. “Yeah... I’m sorry. I just-” She stared to the cabin. “I just coulda sworn I-”

The cabin door burst open, startling the Trainers.

“Hey, kids. Before you go, do you think you can help me with one other thing...?” the man asked them hesitantly.

“No way, man! We’re gone!” Gary made a sharp turn from the man.

“I don’t need you, boy. It’s June I want.”

June and Gary both froze at this sentence.

“Her communication abilities to Pokemon. She proves extraordinarily useful.”

“Well, tough,” Gary snapped at him. “I’ve wasted too much time here as it is, and being in this forest much longer isn’t the plan. Get someone else to help you. Come on, June.” He walked off again. But a loud scream made Gary stop once more and turn. “June?”

She was on the ground, facedown. She pushed the top half of her body up but looked back to her legs. “Hey! What?” She seemed to be struggling with her legs as she brought them closer to her body. She flipped over to a sitting position. “My shoelaces?” The red laces on both of June’s red and white sneakers were tied together! Her feet were unable to break loose. “Who in the world did-??”

Something flew by Gary’s face and he freaked out, thinking it was for sure a Bug Pokemon. He dropped his ice pack, shrieking and swinging his hands wildly in front of his face and he ran backwards. He then tripped over his stumbling feet and landed on his end.

“GARY! BEHIND YOU!!” June boomed.

Gary turned around quickly and saw something brown surrounded by a huge mane of fluffy material, like a light colored afro. Before he could take in what he was seeing, it lunged at him! “YYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGHHH!!!!” Gary exploded as his sore eye was touched. He shoved the soft creature back and fell over, raging in more pain as he touched his sore eye, covering it. He had to remove his hands and hold them at a small distance from his eye, still wanting to keep it protected. He let out a whimpered, stuttery cry as he gazed around him. There was nothing to see except for a couple of balls of fluff by him.

“Where’d Gary’s ice pack go?” June said loudly. She was untying her laces, looking from them to the ground and back continuously.

Gary looked around him, his eye widening. He stood up and made several circles, some fast, some slow, until accepting the fact that his ice pack wasn’t anywhere.

“And this is why I would like June to stay,” the man brought up easily. He stepped up to the two children and placed his hands in his suit jacket. He stared at June. “I don’t care about what you do, Gary. June, you’ve heard her, haven’t you?”

June stood up, her laces loose and separated. “So, she tripped me up at your house. And just now.”

The man walked to his cabin and held the door open, looking expectantly at June.

June turned to Gary.

Gary’s eye went from her to the man. “After this, w-!”

The man held up his hand, silencing Gary. He nodded, closing his eyes understandingly. His eyes opened, and he waved into his dark cabin.