"Baby don't cry, I hope ya got ya head up,   
           Even when the road is hard, never give up,
           Baby don't cry, I hope ya got ya head up,
           Even when the road is hard, never give up (keep ya head up)..."  Tupac- Baby                
Don't Cry


"Ash, I have a suggestion." Misty said wearily, cradling togepi in her arm. I kept looking forward with my 
Houndoom next to me, and Ash had pikachu sleeping in his backpack. Ash looked at her.
   "Yeah?" He asked. Misty took a deep breath and I could see her breath floating in the air, rising towards 
the stars.
   "Well, it's just that Christmas is a week away, and I don't think I want to be out here in the cold. Eden 
agrees too." Misty pointed to me. I nodded, looking at the snow on the ground.
   "But every second we waste is a second I could use to be training and working to be a master." Ash 
protested. Pikachu was still asleep.
   "Ash, come on. It's December 18th, and we're all a little cold and tired. We can't sleep good because it's so 
cold, you have to admit." Brock persuaded. Ash shook his head.
   "We all know how bad you want to become a pokemon master, but a few days won't ruin your chances. 
It'll probably make you stronger. Even you know we won't make it very far the next few months without 
some good sleep and a short vacation, I mean, whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And it 
won't kill you to take a vacation." I said, hugging myself for every bit of warmth I could get. I checked my 
pokedex (18 degrees). Ash bit his lip and stopped arguing.
   "I guess your right. But how are we going to get to our homes in time for the holidays?" Ash asked 
defiantly. I grinned.
   "The pokemon center. We can get transported to our houses, then meet back up here." I said. Houndoom 
nodded, rubbing against my leg. "Uhh, my Houndoom's hungry. Is anyone else?" Misty, Brock, and Ash 
nodded.
   "Yeah, let's eat." Ash said. So we all found a spot in the forest with a few rocks and Brock made a circle 
and put firewood in it.
   "Eden, can I see your Flareon?" He asked. I nodded and held a pokeball.
   "Flareon, come on out." Then my Flareon stood, its flames shining brightly.
   "Flareon, can you start this fire?" Brock asked it and Flareon nodded.
   "Flare!" And it sent a few flames towards the wood, which caught on fire immediately. I called my 
Vaporeon, Jolteon, Ninetales and Mightyena out and I brushed them along with Flareon and Houndoom as 
Brock was cooking some food. I then fed my pokemon and sat around the fire, eating Brock's soup. We 
were all eating and Pikachu had finally woken up and ate some of its pokemon food.
   "RING, RING, RING!" My cell phone rang loudly and it picked it up. Ash, Brock, and Misty watched me.
   "Hello?" I asked into the phone. My Mom answered and we talked for a few minutes until we were done 
and I hung up. I grinned to the three watching me.
   "Well, my Aunt Jeanine is having a Christmas Party the day before Christmas Eve and since I guess I'm 
going, I can bring my friends. And since you three are like my best friends, I was wondering if you'd like to 
come?" I asked. I petted Mightyena who was on my left side, and Jolteon who was curled up on my lap. I 
had sent Vaporeon into it's pokeball because it wasn't very good with the cold.
   "Ooh, yeah I wanna go." Misty said, smiling, feeding togepi.
   "Uh, well I want to go, but I want to be home for Christmas Eve." Brock said nervously.
   "Me too." Ash complained. I shook my head and giggled.
   "Don't worry, my aunt lives right down the street from a pokemon center." I answered, which cheered 
Brock and Ash up.
   "That's good, but where does your Aunt live?" Brock asked, warming his hands over the fire.
   "In Citrine Falls. It's kinda far from here. But if we go to Mahogany Town, we can stop at the pokemon 
center. Citrine Falls is near Cherrygrove City, so we won't have too far to go after the party." I said, 
mapping it out in my mind.
   "So, tell me more about this party." Misty requested. I nodded.
   "Okay, it's formal dress so we have to dress up, it's on December 23rd 7-11 at night, oh and Ash, your 
Mom will be there so don't worry about that." I said, not watching my mouth too much because Brock 
looked down at the snow and didn't say anything. I was sure he was thinking about his family and his mom 
alot lately.
   I looked to Ash, who noticed this and I clapped my hand over my mouth, scdreaming at myself inside.
   "It's okay Brock. My Dad passed away when I was a kid." Ash said sincerely. I felt bad and looked at the 
fire.
   "My dad left one night when he was supposed to be taking care of me..." I mumbled, leaning over to hug 
Brock. Misty didn't say anything and held togepi tighter. I figured she knew that she was Togepi's mom and 
wouldn't leave it.
   Most of the rest of the night was quiet, with the exception of Ash telling jokes to break the sad mood I had 
stupidly put us all in. We finally laughed at a few and started talking about some childhood memories and 
stupid stuff we used to do.
   That night I fell asleep in my sleeping bag wondering how the rest of our journeys were going to go and 
the ups and downs of traveling with these three. All I knew was I was bound for some great memories.