Dear Arceus, please make sure that Marnie is safe on her Pokémon journey. I really care about her and I don't want anything to mess her up.

Piers wasn't one for prayer. So, when he told one of his closest friends he'd be celebrating Life Month, the whole of Spikemuth went up in riot. Everyone was bugging him about his parents dying and how he felt, and now he was being put under even more stress by Spikemuth because Marnie was going on her journey tomorrow and he had planned a big party to send her off.

He was tempted to persuade them out of doing it, but once his citizens got something into their heads, there was no convincing them to go back. So, like someone religious, he was leaning down and praying silently in his bedroom. He was in front of his bedroom mirror, and he knew it made him look pathetic.

They must all think I'm insane. A Dark-Type user believing in Arceus? What have I come to...

Sighing, he got up and made himself a quick smoothie and sat on the couch, opening up the newspaper. He needed something to take his mind off of things, and a smoothie would do just the trick.

I hope Marnie doesn't think I'm some kind of weirdo for celebrating Light Month...

He ended up pulling an all nighter, even though he knew he still had to perform Marnie's farewell concert. At around five am, he lifted his butt off the couch and practised a guitar solo he needed for the concert. At five thirty, he walked outside  and into his stadium, setting up.

At five forty-five am, it was go time. Piers started singing and his crew in Spikemuth started chanting his name. Marnie got out of the house and saw all this was going on. Piers wished her good luck, which everyone in Spikemuth and beyond could hear.

When Marnie ran away to start her journey, Piers started to pack up his gear and get ready to head to town. He remembered the water Rotom bike he got for his birthday one year and got it out of his house.

He wiped all the dust off the bike and began to bike off. On his way in, he noticed a boy.

"Need a lift?"

The boy just nodded and hopped on the back of his bike.

"Where are you off to?"

The boy pointed to a place on the map of Galar he had on his GPS.

"Ah, Hammerlocke. That place is deeply rooted in the history of this region, you know. I'll take you there if you want."

Piers gave the boy a quick look before realising.

That's Lixon, right?

"Haven't seen you for a while, Lix..." Piers muttered gruffly.

Lixon nodded. "Me neither, you've not been answering my calls."

"Guilty as charged..."

Lixon gave him a soft chuckle as they reached Hammerlocke.

"Your destination, sir."

Lixon nodded and hopped off. "Thanks."

"No prob, you were a silent boy roaming. I had nothing to do, and it wasn't trouble at all," Piers told him.

"I hope we can get closer..." Lixon murmured, not sure if Piers could hear him.

I hope we can, Lix... I hope we can.