[X] My Assistant

[Ganymede]

"Do you need to leave right now? I, for one, need some food first. But after a meal and some rest, I wouldn't mind a trip to the Loch Ranch."

"I suppose I can drag out my vacation for a little while longer. I might even be able to find a home for Romeo over here."

Cameron smiled, the mention of food drawing a loud, angry rumble from his stomach. Figuring that Shep and Runner must be hungry as well, he let them out - instantly getting a face-full of crying Pichu. While he was busy peeling Runner off of his nose, the smell of hamburgers wafted through the air. Runner suddenly let go and bounded towards the booth laden with food, eyes shimmering as he picked up a bowl of Grepa berries and held it above his head, as if in reverence. Shep gave a joyful bark and darted to the table, eagerly sniffing at the bowl labeled 'ELECTRIKE' and giving Raven's Larvitar a friendly sniff. Cameron winced as Shep dug in - the fur along his side was rough and matted, burn scars winding their way across his muzzle. He looked right at home next to Raven's Pokemon now.

"Grub's on!" Raven declared, already sitting down with a loaded plate. His stomach growling again, Cameron grabbed his own paper plate and loaded it, for once not caring about Damian's special 'starve your aspiring star' diet. At the back of his mind he knew that once he walked out the doors, he'd have bigger problems to face than Pokemon smugglers and thieves.

But for now, he was enjoying a hard-earned rest.

☼

It took them a few days - most spent sledging through mud - but they eventually made their way to Loch Ranch. Cameron would later say that the trip had been one full of exciting adventure and close calls with a crack team of assassins hired by his father (with him as the hero, of course) but in truth, aside from when Cameron slipped and almost drowned in the mud, the journey was fairly boring. It was a relief for Tag and Raven when they finally stood beneath the archway leading to the ranch's main building. Cameron, on the other hand, lamented the fact that the buildings looked old enough to collapse at any time and that they probably didn't have cable - or a TV, for that matter.

After his tantrum was over with, Cameron stood uncertainly on the threshold of the ranch, watching as an old lady pushed open the front door and waved, beckoning them in. Shep barreled on ahead, the lure of fresh breakfast and, maybe, a warm blanket by the stove too much to wait for. The teen idol turned and looked at his friends again, waving; Runner mimicking him from his good shoulder.

Time to start over.