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"Jason..."

A soft female voice could be heard through the wooden walls of Jason's room. The riolu squirmed and shifted within his bed in discomfort. He covered himself with his blanket and tried to return to sleep.

"Jason... get up, Jason."

If anything, Natalie, Jason's mother, was persistent. Her voice was heard through the walls once more, closer this time, as her calling was accompanied by her knocking on the door. Natalie, she was a remarkable Lucario and a wonderful mother. She cared for Jason with all her heart, especially after Damion's death. A week's passed since the incident and she's beginning to worry about Jason's health. He hasn't been eating properly or going out of his room at all.

"Jason, the academy's given you a week to get your mind off of it." Her voice grew stern and commanding this time. "Your father can't ask for them to extend anymore, the academy's losing their patience."

Jason mumbled his protests and squirmed within his sheets.

He could hear his door slowly creek open and the soft thumping of his mother's feet as she entered his bedroom. The light from the outside poured into Jason's dark and gloomy room. If Jason wasn't under his blanket, he might have been blinded by such a simple ray of light. Natalie flipped the switch to the lights in Jason's room, Jason's eyes would have been fried without his blanket.

"Jason Alexander, you will get up this instant!" Natalie commanded with a stern and intimidating tone.

His mother's command sent fear throughout his body forcing him to jump out of his bed and fall to the floor. He almost forgot how vicious his mother could get at times. Honestly, she was more likely to get mad compared to his father Aiden.

His mother knelt beside him as he lay stupidly on the floor, his blanket still covered his body as he fell down with it. "Jason, staying locked up in your room like this won't help you in any way. You have to get up and face reality head on."

"I know..." Jason's voice was trembling, not from fear but from the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.

Natalie placed her hand on the blanket-covered Jason and gently stroked his side. "I know it's hard to let go, but you have to be strong. It's what he would've wanted."

Natalie's words pierced Jason like a dagger, he felt a mixture of sorrow and fury at her comment. "What would you know about how he felt?"

"Jason, I'm a mother, a medic, a woman AND a lucario." Natalie replied, combatting Jason's irritation with her dominance. "I should know how people feel for one another. Damion admired you. You were a hero to him. You came out as one of the best in the academy, the strongest among the others, yet you still needed his help and company. He cares for you and he'd never want to put you in pain. If anything, he'd want you to just move on and be happy."

It was at that moment when the sounds of whimpers and sniffles could be heard within the sheet. Jason couldn't hold himself anymore, he started crying. He clenched his fist, gripping hard on the blanket as he curled up and cried. Jason never enjoyed crying, he felt as though it was showing weakness and that was something he vowed he wouldn't do in front of others. But... the fact remained that he has the need to have someone with him. Someone to comfort him when he's sad, someone to pick him up when he's down, someone to hold on to when he's troubled... wasn't that weakness as well?

"You're wrong, Jason." His mother's voice surprised Jason. It didn't come from her mouth at all, it resonated within his mind. "That is not a sign of weakness. Don't let the harsh life of a soldier blind you from the norms of this world. To need someone's company, to show kindness and compassion towards others, those are not weaknesses but strengths." Slowly, Natalie pulled away the blanket revealing the lying Riolu staring at the floor with a blank expression.

"What strength is there in feeling sorry for others?" Jason asked, his trembling hands cradling his head. "Wouldn't that make killing your enemy a whole lot harder?"

Natalie let out a soft chuckle. "Don't think of it that way. Be smart about it, would you feel love for your enemy?"

Jason didn't speak, but he shook his head in reply.

"Would you have feelings for the man who kills people for fun?" Natalie asked.

Jason responded with another shake of the head.

"What of the innocents then?" Natalie asked once more. "Would you feel sorry for them?"

Jason nodded.

"And do you love your friends and family?"

Jason nodded once more.

"Then you have the basic concept of things." Natalie responded quite reassuringly. "It's natural to feel love and compassion for those who understand you. I believe that you're a good person, Jason, and that the people you love are all good as well. Tell me, was it weakness when I married your father?"

"No..." Jason managed to utter a soft response.

"And last I recall, the academy did not teach its students that love is wrong." Natalie pointed out. "Jason, what you're feeling right now, it's all natural. They're just a part of life and growing up. You don't have to be ashamed of being like this."

Jason's ears twitched as his mother continued her lecture. She was right... right about everything. She even pinpointed the reason why he couldn't get himself to go to the academy. She knew that Jason was ashamed that he was weak, he failed to protect his friend, he was afraid that everyone would shun him. Every word was either a warm breath of motivation of a cold touch of irony.

Natalie felt that Jason grew more uncomfortable as the conversation progressed and decided to stay quiet for a while, give Jason some time to let it all sink it. "Jason, go on and get a shower. Once you're cleaned up and dressed, head on downstairs for breakfast."

"M'kay..." Jason managed as he got up and headed for the bathroom.

His mother watched as his son closed the bathroom door behind him. It's been a week since Damion's death and so far, Jason hasn't handled it well. Natalie was concerned for him, she had the a feeling that Jason will never be alright, that there will always be that scar in his heart that may never heal.

She sighed and stood up, brushing the dust off of her jeans and viewed the entire room. Everything was a mess. The curtains covered the windows so no light would enter the room, the sheets were sprawled over the floor, the pillows were a mess and reeked of sweat. Gosh, how long has it been since this room was last cleaned? "Well, mother mode activate." She sarcastically commented as she began tidying the room. She had to support her son in any way she can, he needed her now more than ever.