When Stars Fall To Earth

2: Bonding Time

Once I got back to the Tower, I was greeted by my girlfriend Rude, alongside Jirachi, a star shaped creature from another dimension that I found and rescued. Caring for him was not that difficult since he was alien to us, but starsprites are extremely delicate and famous in myth, so keeping him a secret would be difficult. I only had one person and one other creature I could trust to keep my secret, and that was Rude and Jirachi.

"Hi, master! You're back!" exclaimed Jirachi cheerfully. He always gets excited when I come back from a long trip.

He calls me "master", which I don't mind. But deep inside... I feel more like a caretaker or parent to him. I knew my hands would certainly be full with two star creatures in my care.

"Icefang? You look paranoid. Is something wrong?" asked Rude.

"Yes. And you're not going to believe what I found. But you'll need to promise to keep a secret. You too, Jirachi."

"Uh, okay."

"Okay!"

Getting ready to tell them, I was nervous like never before.

"Rude... I... I found a starsprite. It was hurt badly, and I took it into my care... it's still badly hurt right now, please... please don't be mad at me..."

Rude looked a bit surprised, but retained her smile.

"Icefang... how could I be mad at you for saving a creature like that? Instead of doing your own thing with it you chose to save it, like the kind and caring snowflake you are. Your secret is safe with me... and I will help you care for it."

Rude reassured me that I was forgiven.

Jirachi was curious. They didn't have starsprites in his former dimension, so he needed to learn about them.

"Master? What's a starsprite?"

"They're a lot like you, Jirachi. They're small little beings that fly around the universe. They're said to be powerful but no one has ever seen a starsprite use their powers before."

I take out my bag.

"You wanna see him? He's fast asleep."

"Yes, please!"

Opening the small zipper, it reveals a slightly wounded starsprite, peacefully sleeping. Its snores made little chime sounds. Jirachi was lovestruck.

"HE'S ADORAB-"

Covering Jirachi's mouth, I hold him. Even if he was a telepathic speaker, he could still be heard by everyone within a radius, and silenced if his mouth was covered.

The starsprite was woken up. It teared up, and began loudly chiming and crying. Two new faces were in its sight now.

"These are my friends. They're here to help me care for you. Okay? I know you're strong, so if you could trust them... it would mean a lot."

Rude spoke up. "We only wish to heal you, little starsprite."

Jirachi was apologetic. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to scare you. I just like you..."

Jirachi lifts one of his "paws" and places it on the starsprite's head. The starsprite seemingly calmed down. It then began clinging onto Jirachi. His heart fluttered, doing his best to keep quiet.

"Good job, Jirachi."

Jirachi chirped happily, but quietly. "Thank you, master!"

Lifting the starsprite, still clinging to Jirachi, I bring it to a much softer bed. Tucking him and Jirachi, who was now fast asleep too, under the covers, they began to snore.

Me and Rude look happily at the two.

I guess this job won't be as painful as I stressed it would be.