It was uknown to Ayu what her fate was, all she knows is that two days out of seven passed alredy and still no sign of her saviours, not even a phone call from Hop… She was so worried about the carefree boy, his energy had the tendancy to get him into messes, poor sweet innocent Hop. She still remember the day they met, clearly, like it was yesterday. He bumped into her on the way to Hammerlook to see his big brother, the ''champion'' and got into a lot of trouble because he mafe a few mons' fall from the owners hands and even hit a baby

Of course it wasn't with ill intend, he was just hipper, just happy to see the man he admired so much, that he respected, that he loved and cared for. The boy even offered to clean the mess and buy her breakfast after he meets his brother. He was so emberessed, worried that he stained his brother's name, soooo cute! Ayu never know brotherly love, even if all people call her ''moterly'' and say she's lovable. A dark fact about her was that she removed both her parents and sister from her life. It wasn't like she hated them, she did it to proof her independence to them. They were proud, so proud when she told them about her job at the gym, about her income and how well she manages. She also told them about her admiration for Lady Opal, how she found a path thanks to her.

Truth was, this feeling of disheartenment wasn't new to her, probably why she's taking it so well…She feelt like this , this hopeless for many years, the years of her journey. She just couldn't find her place in Freezington, her home town. While it was beautifull, with all of its snowy cliffs and glamorous pokemon, it was small and isolated. And Ayu, like many kids there, dream of traveling Galar. But her parents forbided it, they were fearfull that she might not manage on her own, and they become even more fearfull when Mayu left. Her big sister was a rebel, just pack her bags and run off into the night.

They were furious! She on the other hand felt abandoned… The village had very few ppl and not to many children, her sister was her only friend, and she abandoned her. Now in Kanto, she sends letters and packges every mounth, not to mention calls. While she was gone, their parents spoiled Ayu, givng her all the love and attention she craved, but once she was back in their life, well, the youngest became invisible. Phothos of the young siblings, once flling the walls, turned into a shrine of Mayu's achivments, prizes, schoolarships, boyfriends, husband and kids. At 13, age Ayu finally left her home town, her achivment wall couldn't even be seen, shadowed by Mayu's success. And so, she focused on her goals, trying desperately to earn her parent's affection, alomst begging for their love. She felt hopless every day, until she realise that, well, that she wasted some years for nothing. She shouldnt do things for them, she should do it for her. She had love to give and share, but it was worthless, at last it seem so. After all, how can you love others if you can't love thy self?

She smiled, Hope remembered her so much of herself in younger years, that's why she likes him so much. He was like a ray of happiness from her past, and Ayu hopes he never changes. A past that she keept buried deep into her soul. Prehaps she was too dramatic back then? Even jealous. But now she's all grown up, even if she still hasn't forgeiven her sister. Now she has no way but to move on, the only path you can go is forward, no one can walk back. Regardless, she did good, she had a stabile job, a great team, and a decent apartment. So being held here, against her will, it didn't rebound any of her was just a bit boring, Marnie didn't do much, she would train, ask a lot of questions about the outside, wich started to annoy Ayu at some pont. She just give up and let Marnie have her phone, to look on the internet at stuff outside he walls. Honestly, Piers was a psychopath for keeping her locked in like that. Like, the girl was 14, what's the worst she can do?

And what was the deal with the goons? And that hideous guitar torture they call ''music'', so repulsive! She always considered rock music to be unsavory and watered-down, like it was to edgy for her taste. She didn't considered herself to ''old fashion'', she was 19 after all, but Arcerus help her she got a migrene everytime they passed the street or Piers had a ''concert''!

''Ayu'' a pair of innocent icy blue eyes meet her warm chocolate ones,''what are you thinking about big sis?''

''Oh, Marnie, you startled me!'' she put a palm on her heart,''everything ok sweetheart?''

'' I took a break from training,''she blow her nose,''what are yo' up to?''

''I was wondering what to cook for tonight,'"she lied,''its almost 19:00, after all.''

''We can make puree again,''she suggested, Ayu deny her head rolling Sylveon's ball in her pam.

''We run out of potatoes, I don't know what I can cook with just a bag of nuddles, I mean even without me there's the two of you and 8 more pokemons to feed.''

''I can go look through the storages,'' she suggested pointing at the abandoned buildings over the fence.

Ayu frown she crossed her arms.

''No way I am letting you rummaging trough those hazaedous places! Its dangerous! Not to mention unladylike!

''K, what then? Piers gets grumpy when he's 'ungry, so do I.''

''It's ''hungry, Marnie, not ,'ungry'', please try to fix those language defects. And to be honest with you, I have no idea, no way I can cook a meal for 10 people out of a nuudle pack UNLESS!'' she lifted her index in the air a small bulb getting light bove her head.

Marnie didn't get it.

''Unless what big sis?''

''Follow me, Marnie, this will be fun!"

''k'' the young lass passively walked to her backyard, she frown at the opaque atmosphere while Ayu's footsteps echoed in the background. " What are we doing here?"

" We will eat outside!" Ayu started the stove in their small kitchen, "I just remember something!'

" In the dark?" Marnie arched a brow," What?"

" When I was younger than you me and-" she stopped, a tear almost falling on the edge of her eye, she trough of her sister again" me and my family used to make curry for our Pokemon. We would have those nice dinners while we watch the stars. Don't get me wrong, I know we don't have stars but the food should be enough if I get creative."

" I wish I could have done that," Marnie looks at the ground, even if Ayu tried to ease the situation, mentioning her parents didn't help. Marnie still misses hers, and with Piers gone most times, she was lonely. Nothing could replace their presence, even if she tried to be strong about it.

" Wanna help me, Marnie?"

" Sure," she hesitated but grabbed a butter utensil eventually and help her slice the veggies. Around 23;00 Piers unlocked the entrance, looking for the two of them.

" Ya' two not sleeping yet?"

" We were waiting for you big brother," Marnie yawned," Ayu was talking with me about er parents."

He scratched the back of his head.

" T's great and all Marn, but I don't want ya to not get enough sleep, it's unhealthy."

" The guts of you to comment mr.48 hours"

" Yer' 14, ya' have plenty of time until you'll have sleepless nights. Don't waste em. Nvm, tell me about yer' day."

Marnie runs to grab his hand.

" I build a strategy for a combined move and Ayu teach me how to make curry. "

" Ya had a pretty full day, didn't cha?"

" Yeah! she does scold me at times..."

Almost jealous of their relationship Ayu found her way to Marnie's room before crashing on the old mattress. She was tired, and after cleaning, cooking, washing, and almost no food she just wanted to get some shut-eye. Her pokemon were fine, so she didn't need to worry about it.

" Elena," Marnie worded through her sips of tea," what yer' doing 'ere?"

It was the next morning, not that you could tell, spikemuth was always shady. Ayu only frown, trying to wake from her restless slumber. She couldn't understand how this child was ok with strangers entering and exiting her home like that, it was weird.

" I am here for her" the unusual grunt pointed at Ayu. And she says unusual because, unlike her kin, she was somewhat different. She still rocked the fake leather and tight skirt, but her short hair had a two colors braided tail that runs seductively down her shoulder and a golden musical note on a shoulder band. " Com on lass, I ain't got all day!" she demanded.

Ayu backed off.

" I don't know you," she crossed her arms," I am not going anywhere with you!"

A vein pop on the grunt's forehead.

" Now listen' 'ere, luv," with a quick gesture she pulled her gloves down her arm," ya either come with me, willingly or the bosse's orstrogun will bring ya to 'im in pieces. Yer pick."

" If Piers wanted to see me he could have said so before he left."

" Ya, because he chats with the maid."

" I am not his maid!"

" Move it, lass! I don't care if Piers is too indulgent with ya, I ain't him!

Ayu sighed letting her shoulders fall down.

" Fine! But he better not complain when no chores are done! "

As Spitemuck was quiet, only a few neon lamps in sight, Ayu felt the sadness overtake her over the waste of the town. Sure, she despises the place for being a ruin, but now that she was there, seeing it with her own eyes, her heart softens thinking of the kids and Pokemon living there.

" A lot of abandoned shops, eh?" she asks too, particularly no one, looking at the dirty roads.

Elena sighed, rolling her small braided tail over her ear.

" A lot of shops had to shut down," the pink head bit her lip," economy was weak and a lot of families left the town. Piers tried to keep it alive through his charity concerts and gym, but he couldn't sustain anything. With time, we were abandoned by Hammerlock as well."

Ayu arch s brow.

" But the team yell stayed?"

Elena tsk-ed gripping her own elbow with force.

" Why do you think that is? " she send arrows piercing Ayu's own eyes." those who stayed had nowhere to go. Boss and his sister especially. "

" Oh, come on! That's just ridiculous! I get Piers, but the rest of you?"

" Homeless or orphans," Elena replied a movie about her past rolling in front of her eyes. " Piers stayed, he was the only one who didn't abandon Spikemuth, who ain't abandon us. "

" Sounds misrepresented if you ask me. That idiot can't even take care of himself, let alone you all."

" Don't ya dare speak of Piers like that!" Elena lost her temper almost shoving Ayu on the floor." Ya don't know what he did for us all! How hard he has it! He was the nobody who did something for the masses !"

" He locked you in a metal box!" Ayu snap back," his sister is a caged rockfurr and you all are nothing but fools worshiping at the shrine of his lies! There's nothing to fear outside!"

" We are protecting the outside!" Elena shout back before attempting to slap Ayu." Yer getting on my nerves-"

" Elena-"

"Boss?"

"What are ya doing?" The two-haired male questions with an arched brow, he was supporting his weight on the frame of the amphitheater door." I told ya to bring 'er to me in one piece."

" I was just going to ruffle 'er a bit boss."

" Don't waste yer time, fairy denizens will never get Spikemuth. Come luv, we need to talk."

" Very well then Piers"

The stadium was one of the few places you would see all the gym leaders together, with each having their individual employment separately from the gym, gathers like those were infrequent. Nessa was buzzy modeling, Bea training in her dojo, Rihan keeping the archive of the past legends safe and so on and so forth.

They would meet like this only during the championship or in emergencies, like the one they had currently.

" Play it again," Leon growls frustrated rubbing his thumbs on his oily forehead." Try slowing it down and increase the visibility."

" We already did that young Leon," Kabu played the video for the 10th time," it's impossible to identify the figure, even if it's impossible to deduce the complexion it is obvious it wears a Hammerlock uniform.

" That still proves nothing," Nessa crossed her arms," anyone can get a hammerlock uniform, even stole it from the warehouses of the gym."

" There has to be something," Leon puffed," something we miss in this video. A clue or something ."

Bea who was gazing at her bare feet the whole time twisted her head to Alister.

" Any luck on figuring out what was stolen?"

The masked man denies his head.

" This is horrible !" the fighting master almost tears up, "what do we do?"

" We wasted enough time already" Nessa bit her nail removing a bit of its polish," perhaps we should attack them directly."

" What are you suggesting darling?" Bede blinked with his long lashes.

" Spikemuth are a bunch of brats! No way they can face all the divisions in battle! We can attack, take them down and destroy the RR ray."

" You are lucky you're beautiful Nessa, " Bede rested his head on the back of his gloved hand," you lack other qualities. "

" What is that supposed to mean you imp?!" the water master smashed her palms against the table. " Are you calling me stupid?!"

Bede, unlike the rest of the leaders, didn't even flutter but responded with a wide smile.

" We don't know how the ray works, how to stop it or even it's location in Spikemuth. " he pointed out," going into a literal war without knowledge will lead to our perish. even if we do break in Spikrmuth, we still won't have the time to fight all the trainers off, search the tower for the ray and learn to chase its functioning. Not to mention the possibility of Piers knowing about this theory and moving the device in the years of peace. No one knows what actually happens in spikemuth. So, by the time we even reach the town, they could activate the ray and Galar would be in chaos."

" And it's strongest trainers are nowhere near the civilians to help them." Gordy finished the sentence for Bede.

Nessa crosses her hands in defeat.

" I can't believe you're so calm Bede! Should I remind you that one of your gym members in being held hostage by Spikemuth? " Nessa hissed back," That poor girl! How can you be so cruel? Who knows what abuse she's being put through as we sit doing nothing?

Bede merely rolled his eyes, a gesture he often did. Of course, everyone thinks he's a real monster. People say he was arrogant and cold, and he was. After all, Bede was an orphan, you can't rely on people in that situation, just on yourself. Not he had no idea what was happening with Ayu at this hour, but he knows Piers wasn't hurting her. She was too cunning for that. The fairy leader had an eye for finesse, he saw the way Piers look at Ayu, and he saw that same glance he himself poses for the girl .

It was fascination, something he rarely had for someone else than himself. Ayu is elegant and kind, but mostly calm, and she induced that to others. She was the only gym member that didn't seek bede off, she instead let him be the one to do the seeking. She was like any other girl, but pop out somehow.

And Bede did seek, even attempting to introduce her into his circle, but she show no interest, and that made him want her even more. She become a main guest in his dinner nights with dame Opal, they even had conversations from time to time. It was something about her, something that fascinated, she was invisible, but her presence let a pressure in the air. And he known Piers was captivated by that, because prior to slapping him, his orbits were light with curiosity.

That's right, Bede saw it! He was way more attentive than those wanna be trough of him to be.

" I trust my associates, Ayu will be fine, we should worry about what was stolen." he calmly replied.

" But...Tsk!"

" Sir, we have a problem"

" You wanted to see me Piers?" she follow his moments until he returned to the couch getting his guitar. He lights a cigarette inhaling from it before releasing the smoke through his nostrils.

" Ya, I did. I am glad ya' carry ya' weight luv," he inhales again," but I need ya' to stop going through our old things."

" You mean the stuff in your basement? The books and old CD's. Why?"

" Those used to belong to our parents before they died," he let out smoke again,"that's why I hide them there, I don't want Marnie to suffer because of their memory again. "

" But Piers she needs to do something, she's a jailbird between those walls! Besides, reading isn't bad! It could help her rela-"

" Enough luv! Ya'ar supposed to take care of Marnie, not the other way around. "

" But Pier-"

He placed his microphone under her chin pulling her down towards him. His face was so close she could clearly gaze into his light blue eyes, torment blazing into those eyes.

" I don't do encores luv!' he carefully studied her lips," No songs, no Pokemon, no people! Put the junk back and do yer job!

" You stink," she covers her stinging nose," take a bath from time to time, won't you? Fine, I will put the things back. Don't know why you didn't throw them away in the first place."

That was a hard-to-answer question, Piers himself didn't know the response, it was perhaps a part of him, of the 16 years old boy who had to raise a 4 years old girl on his own. A part that cherished the memory of his parents but knows that it must be removed in order to stop Marnie from crying.

After their death the young one, Marnie, cried for days, asking him where are mom and dad? When will they return? That she misses them! How can he answer that? He was a child himself at that time, and he also suffered, but he didn't have the luxury to cry, or mourn their death. No, he had to be strong, he had no choice, he needed to take care of his sister.

So he removed every item that belong to their parents, throw them in the basement and try his best to provide for them. That's why he become a gym leader, even if it wasn't the extent of it. He just hoped that with time and a lot of waiting happiness will come.

But it was never that easy, he learned that the hard way.