Allister was really busy, planning Festivities in Stow-on-Side for the holidays, and I found myself cleaning Gyms from Ballonlea to Motostoke for a couple weeks now. Raihan was so impressed with my work that the others had to see for themselves, and each time I had hit the nail on the head, I earned more funds for the tip jar Raihan and Marnie had set up for me, which Piers disagreed with the thought of a kid having to work. I had just got back to Spikemuth with Piers after cleaning up Milo's Gym, and once we were inside, zen undid himself from the swaddle I left him as he yawned happily, "You're back! How much did you get?" "Two hundred. I wish they would just know that I'm doing this for a hobby!" "Well at LEAST you have enough to get your own things without having to ask others. How much does that make now?" Zen asked as he watched Piers put the money in the jar, and go into the Kitchen to prepare tea. "About a thousand or so. Why do you ask?" "Just curious." Zen said, floating in the air around me. "Is something coming that I'm unaware of?" I asked, and Zen simply counted down on his fingers as a loud ping was heard, and I felt wind fly across my cheek as Piers yelled, "GAHHHHHHHH!" "PIIIIIIIEEEEEERRRRRSSSS!" Marnie screamed from upstairs at the top of her lungs. " 'OLD ON! Aisling! Get a towel and bring it, QUICKLY." As he demanded, I ran upstairs, flung open the bathroom door, which sloshed out the water flooding within, and grabbed a towel before running back downstairs to Piers. He took the towel from my hands, and clamped it over a busted sink pipe as he commanded, "Keep it there; do NOT let go!" He ran out of the door, leaving me confused and frightened about what was going on, and it took about six minutes before all water stopped coming up from the pipe. Piers came back in, breathless and terrified just as Marnie slunked down the stairs in a towel, with a cut above her brow. "Oh, Marnie..." Piers sighed, coming to her to observe her wound, making her wince as he gently moved hair from the sticky blood that was gushing. Clicking his tongue, he turned to me, and beckoned me over to him as he observed me for any wounds myself. "Aisling, listen to me. Up in my room, in the closet, there's a spare Gym Uniform. I want you to get outta your soaked garmets, get into dry clothes, an' immediately bundle yourself up. Do NOT move till I've finished patchin' up my sis!" "Scared... Cold..." I whimpered, tears coming to my eyes as Piers took my face into his icy hands. "I know, sweet'eart. I know you're scared and confused, but I NEED you to do this for me." He wiped the tears off my cheek, and pecked my forehead before sending me off. As was told of me, I sifted through Piers's closet, finding the Uniform in question before throwing off my wet clothes. Once I had dried myself off and slipped into the Uniform, I went back downstairs to find Piers taping a bit of gauze to Marnie's forehead before sending her off. I went to the blanket I had Zen swaddled in, and I quickly wrapped it around me as he settled into my lap and Piers left for his room. Once he returned in dryer clothes himself, he and Marnie both came down the stairs, shivering, and Piers sat on the chair with the blanket over his shoulders, beckoning Marnie to join him. Someone was huddled with somebody, trying to keep warm as Marnie asked, "Wh-What're we gonna do?" "We do what we simply must, Marnie..... Just what we simply must...." Piers said, pulling Marnie close as she began to get upset, saying, "When does it become little? We can't possibly keep livin' by doin' "What we simply must" because if that was the case we'd 'ave some bloody money to do it! This place is old, an' worn, an' now broken; it's MISERY to live in this 'ouse." "I know, Marnie, an' I wish I could get somethin' better to provide you, but not everyone's got the lux that people in Wyndon got. But lookit like this; least we got each other, and that's somethin' money could ne'er buy!" Piers replied, moving his sister's bangs just a smidge to kiss her head. I felt bad for the two.... No heating..... No money.... And now without water! I wanted to say something- DO something that would make their lives easier, even IF it was just for a little bit. Hearing his sister cry was weighing Piers heavy, and his weary eyes and sullen face showed his own struggle to keep from coming frayed. There MUST be- "Aisling? What are you planning?" Zen asked, looking up at me with a puzzled gaze. I looked over at my tip jar, and back around the broken room as a slow, but unnoticeable grin came to my face.... For the first time, I figured out what a simple Pokémon like myself can do with money! I picked up my brother, staying wrapped up tight as I went to join the two on the chair, and I climbed up into Piers's lap before nestling into his embrace. I had an idea, and the smiling lips on their faces after would be worth every note, and that made me happy. After a short nap, Marnie and Piers decided it best to go grab a cheap, small lunch somewhere, and they got ready to leave when Marnie asked, "Bro? Could you call my phone? I thought I 'ad it on me.." Piers brought out his device, and dialed up some buttons before silencing the room..... One minute.... Two minutes.... Piers dialed again; One minute..... Two minutes..... But all was silent in the house. "It might be dead, sis." "It CAN'T be, it was at fifty before we took a nap!" Marnie cried, tearing through the room to look for the device. "That was hours ago, Marnie, an' we need to get to the sandwich joint 'fore they close an' we starve." Piers replied exasperatedly, making his younger sister sigh in defeat. "Guess I'm on a hunt when I get 'ome.... Sure you two wanna stay behind?" Marnie asked, stroking my hair. I nodded as I continued to sit at the table, wrapped in a blanket and coloring as Zen weaved himself through the air. "Suit yourself then. Let's go, Piers!" Marnie said, taking her brother's arm to drag him out the door. I listened to make sure they were gone, even going as far as to use my powers to see if I can detect their presence before I reached into the waistband of the shorts I wore, pulling out Marnie's phone. "So now that your little phone heist and innocent facade worked, care to tell me exactly what you're going to do?" Zen asked as I tapped the phone screen, and correctly guessed the pass code. "Observe, dear brother, the intuitive side of the eldest." I replied, looking up the phone number for a plumbing service place. I dialed the number, my heart pounding with anxiousness and adrenaline as a man answered in a cheery tone, "Mr. Winchester's plumbing and repair service, what can I do ya for today?" "Hi, am Aisling! Need help." "You sound a bit young. Are you okay kiddo? Something the matter?" He asked, sounding concerned. "Pipe broken.... Water gush! Needs fixing..." I replied, business like. "Are you by yourself?" The man asked, and I answered truthfully, "Aisling, brother, only ones." the other end went quiet for a minute, and I thought for sure they were going to refuse me when the man replied, "Alright. Adress?" "Ummmmm..... Spikemuth? Marnie, Piers house!" I replied, unsure what he meant. "Okay, I'll be there in a flash!" The man replied, and he hung up the phone as I caught my breath. "That's FRIGHTENING! Come! Let's sop up the water and straighten up a bit." I said, getting up from the floor. "Piers is going to be FURIOUS if he finds another soul in his home that's not his sister or us!" Zen panicked. "Well they have no money, Zen, and we have no real use for it ourselves. What's the harm in giving them just a smidge of comfort!? Plus, the overall service is five hundred notes, so it won't even BEGIN to make a dent in the cash I've made. Come! We got work!" I replied, and reluctantly, Zen followed my lead. We sopped up the water that was still left on the floors, and we dusted and cleaned until the handyman in his purple overalls and silver tools hanging arrived at the door. I ran over to let him in, and I immediately began to show him the conditions of the ancient pipes and broken faucets around the house; I even showed him the condition of the shower head as he placed a thoughtful finger to his mouth. "Wow, I heard Spikemuth houses were run down, but I never imagined THIS! Say no more, love, I'll get all this replaced and fixed up in no time. I'll even let you help me, since you were kind enough to make the call, love." "Okay!" I said, dragging him back downstairs to firstly replace the old faucets and pipes in the kitchen sink. As he promised, it took about twelve minutes to repair the kitchen, sixteen for the bathroom, five for the laundry room, which was unbeknownst to me, and finally the old water tank outside. After all his work, I treated him to a bottle of tea that Piers had gotten for me, and I grabbed my jar off the shelf to pay him when Piers came bursting through the door in rage. I could tell he was seeing red, and his teeth clenched together tightly as he hissed, "WHO ARE YOU?!" "Me? Oh! I'm Tobias of Mr. Winchester's plumbing and repair. I came here on an account of some plumbing issues." "H-Huh?!" Marnie gasped, eyes going wide in shock as she looked up at her older brother. "I'm shocked! You ACTUALLY called a handyman?" She asked her brother in astonishment. "COURSE I didn't! Why would I call to 'ave somethin' I don't 'ave the funds for done?!" Piers replied. "Uh-oh..." Zen whimpered. "Busted...." I said, shuffling a little as the repair man admitted, "It was actually your good friend here! She knew you needed help, so she hired me herself." Piers and Marnie both looked at me in shock, before clicking two and two together. "Aisling?" Marnie began slowly, "Did YOU take my phone an' hide it from me to call 'im?" Knowing the jig was up, I pulled Marnie's device from the short's waistband, and held it up for her to see. Quickly, she took it from my hand before saying in a disappointed tone, "Aisling, that WASN'T kind, OR proper!" "S-Sorry.... Piers, Marnie, sad! No wanted sad, Aisling thought, "Help smile"." I explained, pointing up at the man. The shocked and disappointed look on Marnie's face began to soften by the revelation, making her place a hand over her chest before looking at the floor. "Awww, a right sweetheart this one. Always ready to look out for her mates!" The repairman said, patting my head. "I'm SO sorry for the inconvenience, sir. If there's ANYTHING I can do-" Piers began, sounding even more annoyed than when he first saw the man but trying poorly to hide it. "Oh no, guv! I've got everything here replaced and situated, but I do need an adult's signature. If you would, sir?" The man replied, holding out a clipboard for Piers to read over, and he quickly signed the thing as I handed the man his money. "And you, little one," he began, kneeling to my level, "never stop being the loving, responsible sort you are. Such a clever thing, you!" He took off his hat, and placed it onto my head before standing back up again to leave, but not before saying something to Piers, and slipping him a card. Once he was gone, the brother and sister pair remained silent for a brief time before turning back to me. Piers placed his hands on his hips as he began, "Aisling? A moment, if I may." I knew from the tone of his voice that I was in for a scolding, so I braced myself as I neared closer to him. "I've told you, time and TIME again, to leave business like that up to me. What you did was dangerous on your part, and very costly for us!" "Well that's why she paid for it, bro. She used 'er own cash so we didn't need to worry...." Marnie said, quickly rushing to my aid. "It don't matter! That's for her, an' 'er ONLY. This is OUR 'ome, Marnie, she's a guest till we get 'er to Kanto where she belongs. Hopefully by then this mess is over!" Piers scolded, snapping his gaze to his sister. The way he had put it stung me a little.... Almost as if he blamed me for the sleepless nights he had, and overflowing tension he felt... "Well Aisling lives 'ere too! She's only contributin' to help us out of the rut we're in! Don't you get it, Piers? Aisling didn't 'AVE to do anythin' 'bout the pipes, but she WANTED to so that we could put it off our shoulders. Or is it that you WANT to keep runnin' yourself thin workin' so many jobs that, for starters, don't make you 'appy, and two, ne'er get your singin' career back on track? Everyone thinks you've gone off the deep end an' DIED, bro, because you don't sing anymore an' you've been under so much pressure to replace broken equipment an' 'ouse repairs. I'm worried 'bout you, bro. You don't 'ardly smile anymore, and you don't sing anymore! I miss that, Piers. I miss your singin' an' smilin', and no doubt in my mind Aisling does too! So why don't you swallow that stubborn pride you got, and accept when you need help?" Marnie ran off crying after sharing her feelings with her brother, leaving his jaw hanging agape with no words to say. To be honest, she was right.... Piers was always so tired.... So depressed..... The house remained silent, and I wanted so much to revive the life that once resided, but maybe what I did WAS wrong. Piers sat on the sofa, thinking to himself as tears were brought to his own eyes, and ran down his pale cheeks as he hunched himself over. I couldn't tell you what he was thinking, but I knew that some of it was about Marnie, and how she felt. I came to Piers's side, and set a gentle hand on his back as I looked down to the floor, and I began, "Am sorry.... Wanted happy, only made worse...." "Nah kiddo, you were right to do what you did, an' your reasoning moreso. I was the only one my lil' sis 'ad growin' up, an' I swore to myself that I'd do everythin' in my power to make 'er happy. Guess I'm just rubbish at that too..." Piers replied, breaking his tough exterior to reveal the soul he truly was as he lightly sobbed. "Shhh, shhhh. No say! Piers kind, brave, take good care." I said, throwing my arms around him, and leaning my head against his. This made him sob a little harder, and I felt bad that he was struggling so. I know what it's like, trying to keep things cemented together, only for it to crumble more than it had before. After mother died, father would hardly eat, and my siblings would have nightmares, Zen especially. I did most of the food gathering, and relationships between us all became strained. It took a bit, but after some meditation, and mourning, we all managed to find our strength in each other once more. "Tell her..." I said, stroking his arm lightly. "What?" "Tell her; tell Marnie Piers's feelings. Let see, know what heart has say!" I repeated, taking his tear stained cheek into my hand, and swiping away the ones that fell as his eyes glanced away from me. Piers had a hard time opening up, mainly because he feels that nobody would get him, but he and Marnie are much more similar than they know, and they both need reassurance that one is there for the other. After staying a while in thought, Piers recollected himself, and started up the stairs towards Marnie's room. All was quiet the first few minutes..... Then an uproar of banter and screaming between the two, followed by some loud thunk and crashes here and there, but after it was all let out, the room above had gone silent again. I went up the steps to check on them, and I could feel a calming air radiating from the door, as if a cyclone had passed, and the next dawn had finally come. There was a sense of solitude that was long past due, and I pressed my hands and forehead to the door as I tapped into my psychic powers to see what was being said. "Marnie," Piers began, his voice soft, "You DO know I'm tryin', right?" "Yes...." "An' you know I love ya?" "Yes...." Marnie replied quietly. I couldn't see what was going on as if I was spirit shifting, but just being able to hear them was enough to make me picture them side by side on Marnie's bedside. "Oh, Marnie.... If only we could swap places, you'd know it ain't easy bein' grown. Everythin' I do for you, I do it to prepare ya for the bigger world beyond Spikemuth." Piers sighed. "But I already KNOW what's out there, bro. I've provided for myself durin' the champion cup last year!" "But that's not what's OUT there, out there. Ya get me?" Marnie sighed, and remained silent again. I heard Piers plant a kiss on his sister, and said, "Tell ya what. I'm gonna stay 'ome tomorrow, and I'm gonna pay good attention to both o' you; Aisling too. And this 'ouse will be filled with music so loud your ears'll be whinin' to stop!" Marnie laughed a little after he said that, and I took my hands from the wood as I lightly knocked on the door. "Come in, Aisling!" Marnie invited, and I opened the door to find the two in an embrace. I felt as if I was intruding, so I just stood there sheepishly as I debated wether or no I should wait for them when Piers beckoned sweetly, "Aisling, darlin', come up 'ere. Come sit with us a bit." He extended his hand out to me, and I came over to him as I climbed up onto the bed with his help, and leaned myself up against his waist. I was happy that they stopped the banter, and realized their feelings. After we all three came down the steps, Piers and I made the call to have more things replaced and fixed around the house, and even got a source of heating. For the final night, we slept together in the lounge with the warmth of the heater spreading throughout our bodies that we casted aside our blankets. I was comfortable, and I felt safer than ever on the sofa with Marnie, and even Piers slept more peacefully than he had in weeks. And for a short moment before drifting off to bed, I swore I saw him smile just a little.