Today was a particularly peculiar one indeed when Leon approached me with a letter addressed from Marnie. "Could you read it Leon? I don't understand what it says." I asked, handing him the letter back, to which he happily obliged. "Oh! I see you're making friends in higher up places, Lele." He mused, smiling up at me as he continued, "Marnie has personally invited you to visit with her and her brother up at Spikemuth!" "Sh-She has?!" I asked, astonished. I've only met Marnie twice, and her brother, Piers if I recall, once! How could she POSSIBLY think that I was fully ready to visit them in her hometown?! "A-Alright..... I guess I'm ready when you are, then..." I replied, shifting on the sofa cushion a bit in unease. Leon's smiling demeanor fell, and he shook his head as he went on, "That's the issue.... See, she's asking to see you, and you ALONE!" "Then we're at an impasse because I can't leave Postwick without you or Hop, and I can't travel as far as Motostoke! Unless by some miracle you can persuade your mom otherwise." I said, leaning back leisurely on the sofa as Leon put a finger to his lips in thought. He left the lounge, and stepped into the kitchen to discuss the matter with his mother, who seemed hesitant to do so at first given who the duo was. Their mother came into the lounge, and with a serious expression on her face, she asked, "Do you WANT to go to Spikemuth?" "S-Sure," I began with a shrug, "Marnie doesn't seem THAT bad... Temperamental, but not at all a reason to worry! A-And I'm curious to see the town of Spikemuth for myself, considering Marnie never fully told me what it was like there." Their mother raised a shocked brow at me, then reluctantly sighed, "All right.... I'll allow you to go, only if you PROMISE me that you'll be careful, and that Leon gets to escort you to Hammerlocke at least before seeing you off!" "Yes ma'am, I promise!" I assured, running upstairs to grab my shoes. "You kiddos be on your best behavior!" Their Grandmother called as Leon pushed open the gate, and I assured her we would as we left for Wedgehurst station. Like I promised, I allowed Leon to take me as far as Hammerlocke station before booking me a flying Taxi to Spikemuth. Once we landed, I leapt out of the cab, and waved the driver off before turning back around to walk the rest of the path alone. It was a dreary, chilling sight, seeing the bright blue sky automatically turn a dismal gray like it was about to rain, and the air turning colder than how it felt in Circhester in a flash, making me wish I had brought my coat that Gloria bought for me! I continued on until I reached a large warehouse looking structure, and I approached a shuttered gate, wondering what the warehouse had inside when a gruff, deep voice asked, "Somethin' I can do for ya runt?" I whipped around to see who had said that when the same voice said, "Oi! Up 'ere!" I looked up, and nearly yelped at the sight of a burly man peering over the edge of a lookout point. His face was painted into a magenta letter "X", with a black outline, and his outfit was torn and ragged with the letter "Y" printed across his chest of the same color, but with a white border. His hair was styled into a magenta mowhawk, and his hardened eyes had me pinned as he asked, "Ya lookin' for trouble? State your business 'ere!" "I-I'm looking for a place called Spikemuth? A girl named Marnie invited me there to visit her and Piers!" I called, holding up the letter in hopes he could see it, and direct me where I needed to go. "And you're-?" "Lele, please." I introduced, giving a tiny curtsey. The man raised his brow at me, and asked, "Ya SURE you got a letter from Marnie to come to Spikemuth?" "P-Positive sir. Could you kindly tell me where I need to go, please?" I asked again, hugging myself for warmth from the cold air. The man only stared at me in disbelief, blinking, then with a click of his tongue he replied, "Well, there's no directin' ya to a place you're already at. I'll raise the gate for ya, kid, but I'm warnin' you, you're gonna get eaten alive 'ere; what with your sweet attitude an' doey eyed demeanor an' all stickin' out!" And with those worrying words, the shutter to the warehouse lifted much to my shock, and I slowly stepped inside to find a nearly deserted town within. "THIS is Spikemuth?!" I asked aloud, looking at all the decrepit buildings lined with neon lights, and the tiled street caked in dust as if it was left untouched for years! It wasn't completely abandoned, though, for there was still an operative Poké Center at the entrance, glowing eerily in the dark-cloaked town, speckled with tiny slivers of sun poking from the roof above. I saw now WHY Hop and Leon's mother was so hesitant to let me come here alone! Taking a deep breath, I slowly made my way from the front gate, which slammed shut behind me with an echoing bang, and making me scream in the process. I shuffled my way down the street, jumping at every noise, and keeping my eyes open for someone that may be willing to help me. "A-Alola? Is anyone here?" I called, my voice ricocheting off the walls around me, making goosebumps form on my arms as I nervously looked around. A set of footsteps came my way, and I turned just in time to find a couple women donned in the same attire the man was. They must've spotted me, for one began to muse in a teasing manner, "Well, well! Lookie what we got ourselves!" "Somethin' we can do for ya sweet thing?" The other sneered, and I quickly replied, "A-Actually, could you help me find Marnie's place? She invited me here, but I can't read the directions she gave me because I'm from Alola." "Thought I smelled somethin' fruity walkin' along the street. Lemme see the letter!" The first woman demanded, and I handed it to her to read for herself as the other kept a sinister gaze on me. Finally, the woman crumpled the letter up, and kicked it away much to my shock, and replied, "Course we'll take you to our lady! Bet she's been dyin' to see you." "Shame on ya, to keep 'er waitin'!" The second snapped, hissing and gnashing her teeth like a wild Yungoos, and making me step back a bit. Had I made a mistake coming here alone? "Come along sweets," the first began, "we won't go back for ya if you lose your way!" And with a cackle from the two ladies, I followed them deeper into the heart of Spikemuth. It was very quiet, with very little life to be had as we walked past walls covered with graffiti, and buildings with windows smashed out of the frames, and now and then another hoodlum would appear out of nowhere to chat with the ladies, leaving me to awkwardly listen as they exchanged conversations before going along the beaten path once more. A clattering sound from behind made me scream, and the three of us turned as a shadow zoomed across us. "Jumpy, ain't ya?" The second woman clicked, and the first added, "Relax! It's only a Sableye." "A what?" I asked, then the same shadow stepped into the lamp light on the street, and solidified itself into a purple colored, goblin like creature with Diamonds for eyes. "She said "Sableye"! What's it to ya!" It hissed in a harsh, echoing voice. "O-Oh! I meant no offense, of course, but..... I've never heard of a Sableye before! From how you sound, you must be a Ghost Type." "I'm a DARK Ghost Type! An' whaddya mean, " 'Ow I sound"?! Ain't it obvious by the fact I just magically poofed before ya for your entertainment?! If I was a magician I'd be askin' ya for a tip, Ditto, an' don't you forget it!" It replied in a scratchy tone, offended by my claim before running back into the shadows, and dissapearing with a hiss. "D-Dark Type!? You guys dabble in DARK Type Pokémon?!" I asked, horrified as I turned back to the two, looking on at me in confusion. "Well this IS the 'ome of the Dark Type Gym." "AND the Dark Type Leader!" They replied, raising a brow. It all made sense to me now, from their attitude to their fierceness! I've never been too keen with Dark Types due to their low tempers, and dismissive attitude about certain thoughts and opinions, but they're the most cynical, and bluntly honest Pokémon you'll ever meet deep down. We continued down the street until we reached a small, disheveled house; nearly on the verge of collapse if anyone put so much as a crate on the porch, and the women turned to me. " 'ere we are sweets! Give Piers an 'ello for me, wouldja?" The first woman replied, and with a nod, I thanked them. After seeing the two women off, I approached the house, and I could smell an amazing, somewhat familiar aroma coming from the cracks of the door as I lightly knocked on it. I took a deep breath as a set of footsteps came from the other side, and the door opened up to reveal Marnie, dressed in her sleep clothes as she bore a small smile. "Ah! You came!" She exclaimed happily, literally leaping into my arms to hug me, and knocking me off balance as I replied, "A-Alola Marnie! Yeah, sorry it took a bit. Leon had to really put on a show for his mother to even make her consider letting me come!" "It's alright, I understand COMPLETELY. Hop told me your situation when I texted 'im, an' I thought for SURE you weren't gonna show at first!" Hop told her?! Why did Hop TELL her?! "Come! You're just in time for lunch. I've a feelin' you're gonna LOVE it!" She said, pulling me into her house by my hand. I thought the OUTSIDE was bad, the inside had cracked floors, and waterstained walls, and mildew and mold in certain corners of the house! "Wh-Who could LIVE like this?! My goodness, if my mother were here to see THIS-" "Look who finally arrived bro!" Marnie called across a counter, separating the kitchen from the lounge, and Piers quickly glanced over his shoulder at me before replying, "Afternoon, Lele. 'Ow've you been since last we saw you?" I stood there staring in disbelief at the sight; almost ready to laugh even! Piers: Marnie's big, bad, tough brother, was standing there in the kitchen cooking, and decked out in an apron like a housewife! I smiled as I giggled slightly, "I've been well. Say, I didn't take you for a cook, sir!" "Please, just Piers darlin'." He replied, keeping concentration on the sizzling pan in front of him. "O-Oh. Yes, Piers..." I replied, continuing to look on at him busily cutting up ingredients with skill, and seasoning with precision. "Does he do this often?" I asked Marnie quietly, and she smiled as she replied proudly, "Ain't to shabby at it either. He also bakes too!" "He BAKES?!" I asked, raising a brow in amazement by what I was hearing. "Course I do, but there's NO touchin' desert till we've 'ad lunch. Am I clear?" Piers replied, looking directly at the two of us. "Yes si-" "Ah!" "I-I mean, yes Piers." I corrected quickly, and he nodded as he smirked. He looked more like a parent than a brother, standing there, and a warm feeling tickled my heart as I thought of how lucky Marnie must be to have such a wonderful person. I had, once again, judged to quickly! "Y'know," he said, turning back to the food in front of him, "you can sit down. Stay a while! We don't bite, at least not THAT 'ard." "Oh, Piers, Don't go scarin' off our guest!" Marnie scolded, making him laugh, "Sorry hens, force o' habit. Make yourself comfortable Lele, really! It's a pleasure to get to know you without people crowdin' an' whatnot." "Likewise! To be honest, I thought at first that you two were nothing more than a couple bullies, but Marnie cleared up that misunderstanding." I replied, swaying to and fro in one spot. "Yeah, she told me. Sorry I bit your 'ead off that day! Kills me, y'know, seein' my sister upset an' all." "No, I completely understand Piers. You love your sister like ALL siblings do!" I reassured, and Marnie pulled me into the lounge behind her before plopping herself onto the couch, and tapping the tattered cushion beside her. I was worried about sitting on the couch, knowing the condition the article of furniture seemed to be in, but from further persuasion on Marnie's behalf, I finally found the courage to sit. "I know our house ain't much, but at least it's a roof, yeah? So, 'ow was the trip? Hopefully nobody caused you TOO much trouble!" "No, not at all. In fact, I met some very..... Exciting? Characters along the way. I even met a Pokémon called "Sableye"!" "Did you? It's very rare for a Sableye to just appear to anyone! Normally they're skulkin' 'bout the alleyway, avoidin' eye contact with humans." Marnie explained, closing her eyes in thought. "Well, as you know already, I'm not fully, wholly human! I guess it trusted me enough to give an Alola; granted it wasn't as graceful as I'd have hoped." I replied, thinking of likely possibilities for Sableye's appearance. Just then, Piers swished on by us, and, like a server at a restaurant, placed a plate before each of us. The faint, familiar aroma from earlier grew heavy now, and my eyes widened at the dish that was just set before me. It wasn't possible....... Was I imagining things? "I-I know this dish!" I exclaimed, rubbing my eyes to make sure it was real, from the perfectly grilled chicken in the center of the plate, to the freshly made fruit drizzle and precisely placed veggies on the side, and rice rolls neatly wrapped in kale soaked with a tangy sauce from the seeds of a Pinap Berry. "Do you?" Piers mused, grinning as he sat down in the recliner at the head end of the table with his plate. I nodded my head excitedly before saying, "It's "Akala Medley", one of the most popular dishes in Alola, and nearly IMPOSSIBLE to make! How did you manage it?!" "Research, prepping, and patience, with a lil' assistance from my lovely sis 'ere o' course." "It may not TASTE like 'ow it would in Alola, but I remembered from the way you spoke about your 'ome that you missed it. I talked to my bro, and we both agreed that if we were to bring a slice of point A to point B, you'd feel more accepted and welcomed 'ere in Galar!" I was stunned that the two went all that way to make me feel at home, and I didn't know what to feel as I tried to hold back tears. "Th-Thank you guys SO much! Do you mind if I prayed to myself before I ate?" I asked, not wanting to offend the two. "Not at all! Go right ahead love." Piers replied, nodding his head in understanding. I quickly bowed my head, and recited an ancient prayer taught to me by Kukui before taking the utensils in my hands to cut a piece off the chicken, and taking a bite for myself. It wasn't exactly like how it would taste in Alola, but it was still an excellent dish overall to my delight! "Wow, Piers, this is AMAZING!" I breathed, impressed by how the food turned out, and he chuckled in amusement as Marnie reiterated, "See? Told you he ain't 'alf bad!" For a while we sat in silence, enjoying our meal to the sound of a ticking clock when Piers coughed, getting our attention. "Normally, when a guest is over, a polite chinwag is takin' place." He said, looking over in Marnie's direction to give her a hint. "Ah! I-I'm sorry Lele, I didn't mean to leave you sittin' there." "O-Oh, it's alright Marnie! I-I didn't really have something to talk about on the top of my head either." I replied nervously, tapping the table. "Hmmm..." Piers grumbled before closing his eyes. "Why not start with offerin' 'er a cuppa? She must be parched!" He suggested, and Marnie quickly leapt up from the sofa, and raced to the kitchen. "We 'ave Juice, Water, Tea, an' Milk. Anythin' to your fancy, Lele?" "Oh, uh... J-Juice please!" I replied awkwardly, and with a nod, Marnie busily began to pour each of us a glass of the contents of our choosing. Once back at the table, I thanked her, and took a small sip before setting the cup gingerly on the glass table in front of me, black as night, but with a glittering touch. The room went silent again, and Piers began after setting his glass of Tea down, "So, Lele, Marnie told me a bit o' what you said 'bout Alola, but now I wanna 'ear it from you myself. What's life there like? 'Ows the atmosphere?" "It's absolutely breathtaking. We may be a small region, but the life flowing through is quite rich in both People, Pokémon, AND foliage!" I replied, almost happy that I could freely express my feelings about home with someone who won't snap at me for it. "Is it really? It sounds like a blast! You're quite lucky to live in such a diverse area; seems almost too good to be true even!" He replied, dipping a rice roll into the sauce on the plate before eating it. I never took Dark Types as ones to make polite chitchat with, and I made a mental note to talk to them more often when I got back to Alola! "Well it WOULD be, if I wasn't locked away from it all. See, my mom never let me leave the house, and we were secluded from villages and people so I had no friends! I mean, I was NEAR people, especially in the Poké School." "Poké School?" "Yes, on Melemele Island! Oh, it's a lovely place, with a courtyard, and the main school looks like a jungle castle with it's terraces and balconies! When I was upset, I remember walking from the class to one to get some air before Kukui came to talk with me. He was the only one my mom trusted around me, and she sent me to the School in hopes that he would teach me to control my abilities, but that was under the condition I sat far away from my classmates." I explained solemnly. "Why? It's not like you were sick!" Marnie piped, rubbing her nose lightly to itch it. "To my mom I was a danger, and a freak.... To them I was odd, and unsociable... A few had tried to talk to me, but when I told my mom that I may have made a new friend, it was Kukui that she exploded at, so eventually I was just put in a corner out of sight, and eventually out of mind." "That's just sick!" Piers commented, scrunching his face up in disgust. "But necessary. Kukui was nice to me, though! He's the one who taught us about Pokémon battles, and Speed boosts and Defense stats; why, he even taught us some type match-ups, but I never really retained anything he said about it." I replied, continuing to shovel baked veggies down my gullet. "Sounds like a right proper time! Maybe if I DO take Marnie to Alola for the summer, I'll see about enrollin' 'er. Might be handy in teachin' 'er the ropes of bein' a Gym Leader!" He said, closing his eyes in thought. "Nonsense, I learn plenty from you big bro!" Marnie exclaimed, smiling pridefully towards him as if to praise him. He looked away from her, rubbing his head in embarrassment as he laughed, "Stop now, you're embarrasin' me!" We all shared a laugh at the table, and I never felt more at home! It was too long since I had quality time like this, and with someone who would listen and understand no less. "So, Lele," Marnie began, placing her glass of ice water down, and crossing her legs before leaning on them, "from what I understand, the Alola region is made up of four different Islands." "Four Islands, and all are guarded by the great Tapus. I come from Akala Island, where the dish that were having now originated, and fittingly enough where my Ancestor Pokémon, Tapu Lele, resides! Always guarding it's own, unless the need comes for ALL of them to come together as one to protect Alola as a whole." "Facinating! But how did you get to school from one Island to the next?" "I took a boat, mainly, but there are bridges and roads that you can take to get there. In fact, the only times I actually came home was during weekends! Other than that I was practically living at the School, and Professor Kukui would be the one to take care of me in my mom's absence." I explained, remembering the nights I would sneak out, and look up at the stars in the courtyard after hours, and Kukui would always have to hunt me down, and send me back to bed. "Interesting. Say, you've told us 'bout ONE of the four Tapus, but I'm curious who the other three are, and what island they protect!" Piers mused, setting his now empty glass on the table. "Oh yes! The remaining three are Tapus Koko, Bulu, and Fini. Tapu Fini gaurds Poni Island, Tapu Bulu gaurds the Island of Ula'ula, and the mainland island Melemele is guarded by none other than the esteemed Tapu Koko. I've met them only once when I was four years old! I was walking around the forest, talking to Pokémon with my friend when Tapu Lele took us to a ruin. It told me that I was born of Human and Ditto, but it was Tapu Lele that willed my existence to be, and through it, I am connected to ALL Pokémon, as all Pokémon are connected to humans. It said that I was the permanent link between the understanding of both worlds, and that it will carry on through my bloodline forevermore! Why it chose Ditto, I'll never know, but when the other Tapus greeted me, they were the closest to an inviting family that I had. Unofficially, of course, but still a family." I recalled, remembering how each Tapu had treated me. "It sounds almost story book! But what confuses me is that you said you had a friend, but you weren't allowed to have any." "Not HUMAN friends." "So you were friends with a Pokémon?" Marnie asked, eyes going wide. I nodded before sighing sadly, "At one time I did." "What happened?" "She..... Evolved....... Ever since then we never spoke, much less seen each other because to her evolution line, I was a disgrace!" I replied, setting my fork down on my plate as I went on, "When I first met Miko, he was scouring about the woods looking for an Alolan Sandslash, and I had snuck out of the house to find Pokémon to talk to!" "That creep from Circhester?" Piers asked, shocked, and I assumed that Marnie had already explained to him the problem. "He was different!.... Er, I THOUGHT he was...... He felt bad for me when I told him I had no friends, and he was really sweet and accepting at first..... Until I told him what I was, and then I became a prize that he couldn't have!" "You ever snog him?" Marnie asked, making Piers shoot a stern look at her as he scolded, "Sis!" "What? I'm curious to know." She defended, shrugging her shoulders. I shook my head as I answered, "No, I've never kissed him. In fact, that boy from Ballonlea is the first one I've EVER kissed, but even THAT'S iffy to consider as an act of passion, given what he's done!" "Bede? What'd he do now?" Marnie pressed, but I simply shook my head as I said, "I don't..... Want to talk about it, really...." "You don't 'ave to, darlin'." Piers comforted, pushing his plate away from him. I stayed silent, looking at the empty plate before me in a distant, saddened manner as Piers asked softly, "What's on your mind, Lele?" "This dish you made.... When the weekends would end, my mother sent me off to school with some lunch money to hold me over for at least a couple days, which wasn't much to begin with, and this punk organization called "Team Skull" would stop me along the way every time, and take it!" ""Team Skull"?" Marnie asked, raising a brow. "They're thugs that go around Alola, stealing Pokémon and Pokémon items from other people! They once tried to force me into a battle with their Pokémon, but after I told them I didn't HAVE any, they took what I had, and left me alone. God forbid I told THEM my secret!" "Stealin' Pokémon from trainers? That's just sorry! Team Yell'd NEVER stoop so low, and I hope they never will or they'll 'ave the wrath of a Dark Type master on their hides." Piers interjected, sipping his tea. "How do you know for certain?" I asked, looking up at him. "Cuz he's the leader. Team Yell was put together by Piers as a group to cheer me on durin' my Gym Challenge! Granted they weren't exactly agreeable at first, but we whipped 'em back into shape in no time." Marnie explained, making my eyes go wide in shock as I replied, "O-Oh! Interesting." "I tell ya though," Piers began, a smirk across his thin lips, "them Team Skull punks wouldn't wanna mess with me OR my Marnie, lest they wanna good thrashin'!" "I-I wouldn't recommend it, though! They're very dangerous, and equally as nasty. The only reason I lucked out was because my lunch money was used as a "Passage Tax" for them because I had nothing else! To avoid getting screamed at, Kukui would replace what they took, and lie to my mom that I made it there safely. And this dish.... On certain days, he'd make this dish for lunch instead, and all of us would sit in the class and converse with each other!" "All except you?" Marnie asked, and my reminiscing smile faded as I looked away. I was excluded, sure, but those days were STILL the best because the energy they brought, and Professor Kukui would be silly and crack jokes to lighten up the mood of the classroom! Sensing that I was sad, Marnie reached over to embrace me; even her brother left his seat to come sit beside me as he took both of us into his arms. "Well, you may've been outcasted an' excluded there, but 'ere in Spikemuth, you've got a friend who has your back, an' is more than willin' to talk to, an' include you love. That's more 'an what I can confirm 'bout the rest of Galar." Piers ensured kindly, and Marnie chirped in addition, "Yeah! We won't let you go lonely, ignored, or bullied." I never thought that under their rough looking exterior Dark Types harbored a heart of pure gold, and I felt blessed to be in such understanding warmth, and overflowing kindness as the tears I've been holding back this whole visit broke free, making me sniffle. "Now, now," Piers began, gently lifting my chin to meet eye to eye, "there'll be no tears in this house. Only smiles!" I quickly dabbed my eyes before producing my best smile. The two laughed, and once I felt a little better, Piers handed both Marnie and myself a brownie that he made, and sent us up to her room to play while he cleaned up downstairs. Unlike the rest of her house, Marnie's room was in a somewhat pristine state, with a veranda that had a broken mirror, cut up stuffed toys that were crudely sewn back, stickers of bat's and goth designers on the walls and a black, cresent carpet on the floor. She flopped onto her bed, and asked, breaking off the corner of her brownie, "So, whatcha wanna do?" "W-Well, why don't you tell me what you like to do? If we find something in common, it'll let us have more freedom to have fun." I suggested, taking a bite out of my brownie. "WOW!" I exclaimed pleasantly, the richness of the chocolate and the moistness of the treat spreading in harmony across my tongue. "Hehe, I KNEW that was comin'. My bro is a man of many talents; often makes me wonder when he's gonna find 'imself a sweetheart!" Marnie laughed as I continued to devour the chocolatey sweet. "Maybe he's too focused on taking care of you." I began, mouth full of brownie before swallowing. "It'd make sense that you'd come before anything and anyone, given your relationship to each other is strong." I finished, dusting the cumbs off my outfit. "Meh, but that shouldn't get in the way of life. He's an adult, after all!" Marnie said, just as a tiny pair of floofy ears and beady eyes peeked over the edge of her bed. My jaw dropped as I pointed at the tiny face, and Marnie looked over with a small smile as she cooed, "THERE you are! I've been lookin' EVERYWHERE for you, Morpeko." "Morpeko?" I asked, rubbing my arm as she lifted a cylindrical, black, brown, and pale yellow furred Pokémon with pink cheeks onto her bed with her, and kissing it lightly on the nose. "Morpeko's my partner Pokémon! Piers caught it just for me when I was just a small thing." Marnie reminisced fondly, petting the Morpeko as it cuddled itself up to her in a loving fashion. "Aww, how cute! My mom had her own Pokémon as well, but she never let me touch or interact with it. If I remember correctly, it was called a "Fomantis", and I always thought it was an adorable little thing. She also had one called a "Comfey" that would take care of the gardens she planted! But just like Fomantis, I wasn't allowed near it either." I said, rubbing the back of my head. "Ouch! She didn't even get one for you?" "Why would a Pokémon need a Pokémon? That was ALWAYS the reason for everything..... I still remember the look of horror, and defiance on her face when Tapu Lele would visit me, and invite me into the forest to play with other Pokémon; I never seen Tapu Lele so angry, or feel so disgraced by a denizen of Alola in all my life!" I explained, remembering my mother protesting to the island guardian with tears in her eyes, and the beautiful Pokémon looking down on her with shame before taking me to the forest itself. After that, she detested Tapu Lele, and would always tell it that it was careless, and selfish.... That I belonged to HER, and it had no control over my life... Needless to say that it would cut her down every time she did! "Seems Tapu Lele knows more about Poké children than your mum did. At least it wasn't hiding you from the world!" Marnie sighed, shaking her head. "Well I was partly Tapu Lele's, seeing as how I was it's dream brought into fruition. My mom couldn't stand having to share me with a "Measly creature deity of the forest"." I said, blushing in embarrassment. "So then it 'ad every right to be upset! You're like the child it never had, and your mum was refusin' to accept that. Serves 'er right, I'll say!" Marnie replied, scratching Morpeko behind the ear when it leapt off her stomach, and approached me in curiosity to take my scent. "You're a new concept. You smell like a Pokémon, but you look like a girl!" it began observantly, circling my feet as it studied me. I closed my eyes, and I felt my body shrink and twist before opening my eyes to find myself now at eye level with the shocked creature. "Better?" I asked the awe stricken Morpeko, and it replied, "WOW! You look just like me! Of course your eyes give you away, but I've never seen a human that could transform into a POKÉMON. Facinatin'!" "Woah! Wicked!" I heard Marnie breathe out, and I looked up to find her excitedly peeking over the edge of her bed as she continued, "You can just do that whenever?!" "And wherever, yes." I confirmed, taking my regular form again before finishing, "The only catch is that I'd have to have SEEN the Pokémon before to take it's shape." "Bede was MAD to disqualify you! Now I wanna battle you myself; forget about the challenge! Shoot, I'll even throw in a Dark badge for ya." Marnie offered, smiling wide. As much as I wanted to, I had made a promise, and I wanted to be a girl of my word, so I respectfully declined the invitation to battle. "Aw, it's okay. I understand completely! Well, we ain't got much up 'ere to do unless you wanna do each other's hair and nails." "Oh, I've never had my nails and stuff done before. My mom said it brought too much attention!" "But mum ain't 'ere, and I ain't no snitch." Marnie replied with a wink, and with a smile slowly spreading across my face, I agreed to doing nails first. Marnie dug in her closet, and produced a whole spa kit, with nail polishes of an array of colors: from dark, crimson red, to a pale blue that glittered! Marnie chose a dark purple, with a tinted sheen after application on the nail, and I got to work, making sure to get more of the polish on her actual finger nail than her finger period. I've never been too adept at doing another's nails, but my mother would alway ask if I wanted to, and it was always fun! After I was finished, she placed her hands under this contraption that used light to dry the polish, and I used her phone to show her what Alolan variants of Pokémon looked like. Personally, I found Alolan Vulpix, and Sandshrew to be just the cutest, and I told her about one Christmas at the Poké School where we were doing a gift exchange! My classmates and I all put our names, and what we wanted on a piece of paper before folding it up, and putting it into the Professor's cap. One of my classmates, Lilie, had an alolan Vulpix that I adored immensely! Personally, though, my favorite was Alolan Sandshrew because of their tiny ears, and cute noses, and the igloo like design their skin bore, so I wrote it down before kissing the front of the paper. My mother always told me that when you wished for something on a star, a stone, or anything to ALWAYS plant a kiss on it to solidify your desire. When it came time to draw names, to my luck, I ended up getting Professor Kukui, and he just wanted a new pair of shades! I thought it was silly, but I couldn't complain as it was the cheapest thing I could afford from my own pocket, and when it came time for the gift exchange, instead of getting an Alolan Sandshrew, I ended up getting a basket of treats from a girl named Mallow because she didn't want Kukui to get in trouble for me having my first Pokémon ever! I accepted the sweets gratefully; after all, they DID smell yummy, but after I returned home with it to show my mom, she immediately confiscated it while explaining that sugary snacks weren't good on a Pokémon's health, and Kukui ended up getting yelled at anyway! After that, each gift exchange, I was to give my slip of paper directly to the Professor before choosing another name, and when I recieved the gift it was instructed to remain there as to avoid trouble with my mom. It was like stepping on Eggsecute shells, teaching me, and keeping me in the loop without inadvertently upsetting my mother, and leaving Kukui in a frazzled state as he tried to negotiate with her. It was for that reason my classmates hardly interacted with me, and who could blame them? It may've sounded like torture, and abuse, but my mom just wanted to keep me protected at the cost of my own happiness. I only had my mom, and Kukui, but I couldn't really consider them as true friends! "One Christmas I was so lonely that I wished for a new dad, thinking that it would make mom happy and me a bit less lonely...." I started, looking down at Marnie's soft, black and pink checked blanket. "Oof. I bet THAT sent your professor into a fluster!" "It did, mainly because he didn't know how he could manage that, so instead he made a promise to look out for me, and take care of me as best he could before sending me home for the holidays. From what I heard from the class, he still has that slip of paper in his desk, but each time I inquired about it with him, he would change the subject." I replied, feeling embarrassed that I would even ask such a weighted request of him. "So you NEVER got ANYTHIN' you wished for?" Marnie asked, pity in her voice. "Everything I asked for was impossible, and what WAS possible wasn't allowed. When I fled Alola, I was hesitant to make friends here because I would grow too attached...... Only to then never see them again..... I mean, I wasn't even allowed a phone because my mom didn't want me to be associated with people!" "Seriously?! 'Ow would she've known if you were in danger? 'Ow would she've known if them Team Skull punks, or creeps like that Miko kid whisked you away somewhere your teacher an' 'er couldn't find you?!" Marnie asked, shocked that a mother would just send her child away with no connection. "She'd call Kukui, and if something went down, the police! Of course if something like that DID happen my mom would blame him for it, but whose asking THAT question." I scoffed, rolling my eyes at my mother's blame game behavior. After her nails were dry enough, Marnie quickly, briskly left the room for a moment, leaving me to wonder what it was she was doing as I exchanged glances with her Morpeko. She returned again with a can of Lemonade for both her and myself, and handed the can to me as she said, "Cheers! I thought you might be thirsty after working on my nails for a bit." "O-Oh! Ch-Cheers!" I replied, tinking my can against hers before opening it up, producing a loud sizzle. "Carbonated Lemonade. Who'd have thought?" I asked, taking a sip of the sour liquid within. "Still delicious though. You're turn! Pick a colour." Marnie said, turning the kit to me. I thought the dark polishes were a bit too much, so I set my sights upon the bright, pastel matte and glittery colors. "This orange one here looks nice. Very tropical like!" I said, pointing at the bottle of sparkly, orange nail polish. Marnie took the bottle in hand, and shook it before saying, "This one's my favorite. I only wear it durin' summer though, cuz any other time besides that just seems inappropriate. That and the chartreuse one as well!" "My mom says that anything green would make me look like an an oversized watermelon." I said with a laugh. Marnie observed me a bit, taking my chin to turn my head both ways before measuring my waist with her hands. "Your mum don't know what she's sayin', boo. I think she's just upset you can pull it off better 'an she can!" "Marnie!" I said, laughing, making her crack up as well. She took my hands, but before she painted them, she gave me a process called a "Manicure"; cleaning the nails and primping them before getting to work painting them. "Say, I can also draw with polish too! You wanna see after they're dry?" She asked, and I replied with a shrug, "Sure! It's whatever you want to do." "Great! I'm feelin' a sunrise would match this colour." "Oooh, that sounds mighty pretty!" And a sunrise she did make! After putting on a top coat, and having them dry, I held them up to admire her work as I fawned, "They're SO shimmery! Wow! Is this what it's like for girls to hang out with each other?" "All the time! Next time I'll invite the champion to join us, and us girls could rock out up 'ere." "That sounds fantastic! I can't wait to fill all this into my journal. I bet the Professor would get a kick out of it!" I exclaimed, feeling a rush of excitement flow through me. "Journal? Why would your teacher be interested in what you write in your journal? Ain't that stuff private?" "Hm? Oh, no! Actually, it's like an abroad study project, disguised as a stress reliever while I'm away from home. Almost like talking to him, while not actually being in the room! He said it's only done when I tell myself that it's done." I explained, swinging my legs off the side of her bed. "Ah. So you record your adventures, and he's gonna read them when your adventures feel like they've come to a close." "Precisely! But the problem is I've wrote so much in the time that I've been here, that I've only got a couple pages left..." "If you need it, I could provide you another notebook for you to continue your writin'. The issue is we only got black an' navy blue ones!" "Th-That's fine by me. Thank you so much!" I said, and with a simple nod, Marnie leapt off her bed to dig around her closet again, and produced a dark, hardcover notebook. I took the book from her, and clutched it to my chest tightly as she said, "I got stickers too, if you wanna decorate it." She placed a sticker pad before me, and I selected a few to place on the cover before borrowing a pen, and putting my name on the inside. "That's a peculiar font." Marnie commented, pointing at my signature observantly. "That's the Alphabet of Alola. Pretty amazing, huh?" "You bet! Hey, wanna see how we write 'ere in Galar?" "Sure!" Marnie took a sheet of blank paper, and very quickly scrawled a bunch of symbols down before showing it to me. "W-Wow! That looks very complex..." I replied, rubbing my hands together nervously. "Has nobody taught you Galarian durin' your stay?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. I shook my head no, and her jaw dropped as she gasped. "Someone's gotta teach you! What're ya gonna do if you're stranded, and you 'ave no one around?!" She exclaimed urgently, and I shrugged as I replied stupidly, "The thought never crossed my mind, to be honest..." "Well we can't 'ave that! Tell you what, you teach me Alolan, and in return I'll teach you Galarian. Sound good?" "You got yourself a deal, Marnie." I replied, shaking her hand to make the promise sound. I NEVER thought teaching someone a whole new language would be so hard! It took a full five hours before each of us got the hang of the different variants of syllables, styles, and the feeling of how it would be written, but eventually it became more easy as the time flew by. "Oof. My head's killin' me!" Marnie groaned, setting her pen down before resting her head on her arm. "W-Would you like me to get a warm wash rag for you to set on your forehead?" "Oh, you needn't to worry yourself 'bout that." She replied tiredly, looking up at me. "It's no trouble, really! I get how difficult it is to learn and teach a whole new language. I'll go get a rag for you!" I offered, leaping off her bed. "They're in the cabinet in the loo at the end of the hallway." She instructed, and I nodded in confirmation before slipping out the door. I ran over to the washroom, opened the cabinet, grabbed a rag, and took it with me to the kitchen to get it wet when a soft humming came from the room beside me. Curious, I looked at the door, which was slightly ajar, and attempted to push it open quietly just enough to peer inside. The room inside was messier than the other rooms I've been in, with broken furniture scattered about, ripped wall paper, and tattered bed. On the bed was Piers, lying flat on his back with his eyes closed, and the same, beautiful hum filled the room. Not wanting to disturb him, I kept on walking when I heard him say, "Did you need somethin'?" My heart dropped as I panicked inside, wondering how he guessed that I was there, and slowly, I made my way back to the door, and swung it open fully. His eyes were now wide open, and a stoic look across his face as I replied, "I-I heard something coming from in here, and I grew curious to know what it was! I-I didn't mean to intrude, Piers, I'm sorry." He smiled gently before looking back up at the ceiling above him, and asked, "Pretty, ain't it? I made that song for Marnie when she was about up to my knee in height." "Y-You did? Wow! D-Do you sing often?" I asked, stepping inside his room. "Not lullabies, no. Very rarely do I come up with pretty, whacky, or 'appy melodies, an' when I do, it's only for my lil' sis. I DO, 'owever, sing rock when I'm performin' for others, but only once every couple weeks due to the rehearsin' and song editin'. I write all of 'em myself, and it's a passion I enjoy when I'm not battlin' Pokémon!" "Whoa. I bet you're popular, with a voice like yours! It's really nice." I complimented, to which he replied, "Most things are when you put patience and effort where they're due, but only lil' will appreciate it ever. I'm glad you're one of the few that do! 'Ere, these are for you, Lele." He lifted his hand to produce two slips of paper, and I approached him to gingerly take them into my hands. My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened as I turned over two concert tickets in my hand, and I quickly stammered, "Oh, no, I-I can't take THIS! I-I-I haven't any money to give you for them." I tried to hand them back to him, but he gently pushed my hand away as he said with a chuckle, "A friend of my sis, is a friend o' mine. I insist!" "W-Wow.... Thank you, Piers!" I breathed, not knowing what else to tell him as I turned over the tickets once more, catching a glance of the rag, and making me exclaim, "O-Oh no! I have to get back to Marnie. She must be worried now!" "Eh?" "See, Marnie was teaching me Galarian, and in return I taught her Alolan and her head was hurting; I REALLY must be off! Thank you again, and I'm sorry to bother." "Nah, no need to worry your head 'bout it. Run along back to your friend 'fore she begins to miss ya!" He assured, sending me off with a light tap on the arm. I nodded, smiling, and I quickly left the room just as I heard him sing, "The nightingale cries ring through twilight, soothing heart of stone and sorrow; the tinkling chimes of the wind, disguised in morning's morrow. The roarin' sprinklin' of the showers o' Spring noon, the night's moon will soon do bring the silence." Something about that verse spoke to me as I turned back to the now quiet room, pondering the meaning behind the lovely, poetic phrase. The lyrics stuck with me as I wetted the rag with warm water, and quickly bounded back up the steps to Marnie's room before opening the door. "There you are! I was beginnin' to worry!" She exclaimed, now sitting upright on her bed. "I-I'm very sorry, Marnie. Your brother needed to talk to me a bit, and I got distracted by his singing!" I said, handing the rag to her. "Charmin', ain't he? A big lug, sure, but has the heart of a good, well behaved gent; granted you don't get on 'is bad side." Marnie replied, boasting a proud smile on her face. "I've never heard singing before, until today, did you know?" "WHAT?! You didn't even get Lullabies?!" Marnie asked, astonished. I shook my head, and said, "Not from a person." "So a Pokémon did THAT too?" "Yes. Something I forgot to mention was that, no matter how many times I was told I wasn't allowed, my mother's Fomantis always felt pity for me. My mother would always tell me, "I can't Lele, I'm too busy finding chemical compounds" or "Go on! I'm finding a cure for this illness." And her Fomantis would tuck me in and hum me to sleep before sneaking away before my mother found out. Tapu Lele would sing to me too, but honestly, it doesn't compare to what I just heard a few minutes ago." "Lele, I know it's none of my business, but are you POSITIVE you had a good standin' with your mum?" "Not ALL adults are perfect. It was just her own way of raising me!" I replied simply, shrugging as I looked up at the clock. I gasped as I yelped, "My GOODNESS! I ought to get back to Postwick or Leon and Hop shall have a fit! I-It was nice visiting with you Marnie." "Well don't zoom off just yet!" Marnie called, leaping off her bed to hug me tightly as she said, "T'was a pleasure 'avin' you over, really! I hope you had fun." "Thank you. I really did! Well, I gotta go now. Alola!" "Hello?" "Means "farewell" as well." "O-Oh! Kay, then. So long, Lele!" She called, waving as I made my way down the steps to find Piers now on the sofa watching T.V. "Goin' 'ome now?" Piers asked, looking my way. I could SWEAR he was somewhat psychic! "Y-Yeah! It's getting rather late, and I don't want to worry Leon and the others." I replied, rubbing my arm. "Come 'ere a sec, yeah? I got somethin' for you." He said, waving me over. Curiously, I came closer to see what he wanted, and he produced a black colored phone that housed the same creature that Marnie's and Hop's had as he explained, "As an older brother, it's my duty to watch over others. I've good ears, 'specially, an' so when I caught wind of you not ownin' a phone o' your own, I dug 'round my room an' found my old Rotom Phone from when I was about your age! Factory reset it an' all; can even call your friends and look things up to your hearts desire. Should you ever find yourself in a pinch, I added my contact as an emergency one so you can contact help!" He handed it to me, and I wasn't quite sure how to respond as I stood there dumbfounded. "Piers, you really didn't need to..." "Yes I did. Unlike some, I care 'bout what 'appens to you, an' what with creeps like that boy out there, it's best that you stay with reach o' someone if ere you get separated!" I took the phone from him slowly, feeling moved by his concern, and I replied quietly, "Th-Thank you. Do you mind if I, er, hugged you? I-If you don't want to it's alright." Piers stayed silent at first, then with a smirk, he outstretched his arm, and I quickly hugged him before wishing him farewell. "You certain you don't wish to stay the night? I could contact Leon since it's late; bring you to Postwick in the mornin' after we eat." He suggested, raising his brow, but I politely declined his offer, seeing as how I promised Hop and his family that I'd return by dusk. Nodding his head in understanding, he waved me farewell, and after I thanked him for the visit, I made my way out of their house, and looked around the dingy, darkened "street". With the help of a few more bystanders, I was able to find Spikemuth's exit once again, and I headed out into the dreary landscape once more. There was a tunnel ahead that lead directly to Hammerlocke, and I was about half way through when a couple voices rang throughout my ears, urgent, and mischievous. "The boss'll have our heads again if we loose that girl a second time!" A man said, and I quickly hid myself in a blind spot as I listened to the exchange. "Forget our heads, he'd have our JOBS! I've got four mouths to feed, and this is the ONLY job in Alola that remotely pays their employees WELL." A woman replied, sounding stressed as she took a scanning device from her lab coat. "GAH! How could ONE little girl be so hard to find?!" "Because she's half Pokémon; a Ditto, of all things!" At that moment realization smacked me square across the face as my blood ran cold. I wanted to scream, but I forced myself to keep quiet as to not alert them to my presence as I began to panic internally. They HAD come..... They had ACTUALLY come! I couldn't believe that I was stuck in this predicament, and I truly felt like there was nowhere to run, and nothing I can do! They finished off their conversation, agreeing to go look somewhere else, and after I lingered a bit to see if they were still there, I broke into a mad dash back to Spikemuth. I hid around the corner, crying harshly and frantically as I trembled, and I immediately put the phone to use as I pressed Piers's contact on the screen. "Well THAT was quick. You miss us already?" Piers joked on the other end, and I sobbed, "On second thought, I'll take your offer to stay the night, Piers." "Did somethin' 'appen? Why the quick change o' heart?" "Piers, PLEASE! Remember how I told you guys I fled from Alola, and Marnie's story about that boy who threatened me?" "Yeah? What of it?" "They're here Piers! Those awful people looking for me are just on the outskirts of Spikemuth, and they're looking for ME! Please, PLEASE help me, Piers." I sniveled, pressing my back against the wall and sobbing harshly. "You stay put. I'm on my way!" He replied urgently, and with a click, the phone hung up. I stayed there at the entrance for fifteen minutes until he appeared from the shadows, and I quickly ran to him for protection as I threw my arms around him, and buried my face into his stomach. He stood there, comforting, and quieting me softly as he brought me back to his home, and he informed Leon of the situation after he set me next to Marnie on the sofa. Shaking in her embrace, Piers hung up the phone, and sighed, "Leon an' 'is folks agreed for you to stay till tomorrow. As an extra precaution, I've closed off the city in case they broke in, or are still lurkin' about outside!" "You're safe now Lele. Don't you fret!" Marnie comforted as I cried in her arms. After supper, Piers decided it best for Marnie and I to share her room for the night, and she even gave me some pajamas that she didn't like! I stared up at the beige, cracking ceiling above us, curled up next to Marnie as I messed with my hands nervously. Marnie was sound asleep, but I couldn't rest easy knowing that I was in danger again. I began to sob lightly, causing Marnie to stir a bit, and she put her arm around me before becoming still once more, and her soft, warm, spearmint scented breath went on in a steady tempo. I don't know if it had something to do with his impeccable hearing, but Piers began to sing aloud from across the room. The song was very warm in feeling, and full of heart as I listened on to the beautiful tune. My eyelids grew heavy, and rivers were still streaming, but eventually the spell of sleep was cast upon me, leaving nothing but the industrial buzzing outside.