Heartstrings Ch5: Living the 'Good' Life
A/N: I do not own the Pokemon Franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield, or Piers.I just own Ivy Thornbury and any other OCs mentioned.Warning: Story contains scenes of violence, homelessness, bad language, mentions of sexual themes between Piers and Ivy, and Pokemon Abuse.Do not read if any of these make you uncomfortable.I have changed how I write my stories! From now on, I'll be writing a chapter of my Naruto fic between the chapters of my other stories, this is because my Naruto fic is further along and has been in the making since 2016, so I want to finish it before I reach a ripe old age!Anyway, I hope you like my newest chapter!The sounds of the city waking up, shutters opening, and people conversing in the streets were commonplace in Spikemuth. Unlike most cities, they did not have the luxury of natural light or passing birds, so for Thorn, the sounds of daily bustle were the ideal alarm clock.With a groan, the punk-rock rookie rolled over on her lumpy, cheap mattress which sat center-stage on her bedroom floor. Despite moving in over a week ago, last night was the first night she had slept in a bed, and not on the shaggy, damaged sofa the landlord had included in the rental agreement. Honestly, despite the uncomfortable slumber, she was just happy to be sleeping in her own uncomfortable bed, and not on the streets anymore.Slowly, the tired musician sat up, tossing the blankets off as she looked around with tussled hair and half-closed eyes. She smacked her lips together, then yawned and stretched her arms out above her head. "I need a drink..." She mumbled, rolling out of bed, before she almost bounced up into a sitting, then standing position."Alright!" She declared loudly, now full of energy. Without even making her bed, she snatched up her backpack which was resting against the edge of the mattress, and left the bedroom, entering her very empty living room and kitchenette combo. Sadly though, that wasn't the only issue with the flat; yes she had all the appliances someone needed, like a stove, fridge, sink, toilet, and shower. She also had running water and electricity, but no heating. When the colder months rolled in, she would have to bundle up in a thousand different blankets just to survive the night, since cold weather was already pretty common in their cave-dwelling city.Hell, despite all these issues, Ivy was glad she had found this place because the rent was dirt cheap, but only because the person who owned it didn't have the money needed to fix it up. Ivy assumed he made a bad business decision and was suffering the consequences, which was actually a good thing for her, at least. As long as she paid for repairs, and didn't complain to him about the flat, the rent would remain cheap enough for her to continue saving her hard-earned cash for musical instruments and actual pieces of furniture."That reminds me... before I can get that drumkit I've got my eye on..." She said, talking to herself as she walked across the dirty carpet towards the kitchenette, where she crouched down and took a glass from under the counter which separated the small cooking space from the living room. "I've gotta get myself some cleanin' supplies and give this place a good scrub!" She stood back up and turned, putting the glass under the tap as she twisted the top and watched pristine water pour into the clean glass hovering over a filthy sink. "I'm not gonna get far if the dirt 'ere kills me off, am I?"The street performer took a big swig of the cool, clear liquid before she let out a satisfied sigh. "Mm, perfect!" She proclaimed, grinning brightly as she turned and put the glass on the counter before she picked up the bag she had placed by her feet. At this point, she had a routine going. First, she got up and got a glass of water, then she fed her two best buds, then she went to get breakfast, and finally she spent hours performing on the streets for cash.Hopefully, she could add Pokemon training to that routine eventually, but right now, she was happy with the one she had. After some rummaging, she exclaimed gleefully when she pulled out the personalized blue and yellow bowls, along with the two Pokeballs containing her Toxel twins. "I made sure t'get your favorite!" She said to the small red and white orbs, as she set them down on the counter and crouched down to place the bowls on the floor.Once she had done that, she walked over to the fridge, where a heavy bag of Nurse Clarys' Pokemon food sat, waiting to be used. She made a point to buy the special stuff, even though Clarys continued to insist it was free for all trainers to use. But now that she was making a decent amount and saving a tonne on rent, she wanted to give back to the people that helped her when even her parents wouldn't.So now she donated money to the Pokemon center so they could keep buying the medicine they needed to help more people and Pokemon during their travels, and in return, Bioshock and Biohazard got their favorite food to chow down on.This thought pulled a smile onto Ivy's features, and she whistled pleasantly. A buzz in her bag pocket caught her attention and she watched as Rotom zipped out of the backpack and flew around her, grinning with her. "Good mornin', my little musical friend!" She said brightly, laughing when the Rotom Phone spun around and immediately started playing her favorite tune loudly.Thankfully, most of the apartments in Spikemuth were soundproofed, due to the many concerts held there. "Yeah, keep that jam goin'!" She proclaimed, bopping along to the song as she picked up a plastic cup and used it to scoop up generous helpings of Pokemon food.As she sashayed back over to the bowls, Rotom followed behind, zipping around her head as she began to sing along with the music. It was strange, before she had left her family home, she had everything an aspiring musician could ask for, like instruments, sound equipment, free internet, and even unlimited data. Hell, if she had stayed, she would have been set for life, wanting for nothing as she followed in her father's footsteps and took over the family's Pokeball manufacturing business.However, despite all the perks and the comfort; she always felt stifled, suffocated, and alone.Now here she was, standing in the center of her empty, dirty flat while she danced around in nothing more than her PJs with a single guitar in her bedroom and an amp she could use to jam with other people outside. Despite the complete one-eighty, her life had taken, she felt freer and more empowered in her shabby little home than she ever did in her parent's house.At first, she had regretted her decision to leave Wyndon, but now, after working so hard, she knew it was the best leap of faith she had ever taken. Because now she was living life the way she wanted, and no one could stop her from achieving her dreams!That's when she dropped into another crouch and poured the food from the cup into the bowls, giving both boys a generous helping, before she straightened up and placed the plastic cup on the counter with everything else. "Alright, let's see if you guys're willin' t'warm up t'me yet..." She mumbled, carefully picking up the two devices containing her apprehensive friends.She walked over to the couch and sat down, holding out both Pokeballs as they popped open and two beams shot out; slowly transforming into the shapes of two distinct Toxels. Then the light seemed to burst out, scattering like dust in the wind, revealing their solid, sleepy figures. "Morning, my little buds!" Thorn said, grinning at them as they yawned and rubbed their eyes with their tiny paws. "Did y'sleep well?"Bioshock opened his eyes and glanced at her, before he buzzed irritably and started shuffling towards his food. Biohazard made an electrical sound, then gave her a tiny wave, which made her beaming smile widen. However, when she stood up to approach them, both the Toxels immediately backed up and started growling at her.Of course, this was to be expected, since they were still young and scared. But while she knew it was normal, she had to admit it broke her heart to see them so anxious around her. Especially after she had tried so hard to show them she didn't mean them any harm.It was beginning to chip away at her gleeful attitude, and her smile fell."Look..." She started, stepping forward again, only to pause when they started shaking. With a sigh, she carefully got onto her knees and put her hands on her lap. "I know you're scared o'me... An' I can't blame you, considerin' who your last trainer was." She saw them pause, which motivated her to continue. "But I promise you, I'd never hurt y'like that." Honestly, the mere thought of anyone hurting Pokemon made her sick to her stomach. If she ever saw that guy again, she would kick his ass to hell and back for what he did to these poor Toxels.No Pokemon deserved such sickening, abhorrent, abuse."I'm a lot like you guys, y'know... My parents disowned me 'cause I couldn't be what they wanted me t'be..." She swallowed, feeling the suffocating ache their reaction gave her only intensifying as she continued. This would be the first time she admitted out loud what she had been through. She gripped her pajama shirt tightly in her fist as tears pricked at her lilac eyes.Seeing this, both Toxels watched her, relaxing a little in both surprise and curiosity. Hell, Biohazard even sat down, shrugging out of his self-protecting stance completely, but Bioshock continued to growl with narrowed little eyes, unsure about her words.Despite this, Thorn kept talking. "And I spent a long time on my own, just coastin' through the motions since I couldn't find a way outta livin' on the streets..." She felt the ache form into a lump deep in her throat and swallowed again as the tears began to fall. "Then someone saw me out there an' rescued me, givin' me a place to stay when I needed it most. She helped me save money an' earn my way. Thanks t'her, I scraped up enough t'rent this place, our place."She dropped her hands onto the ground and gritted her teeth tightly, her expression twisting in anguish as she crouched into a bow, her forehead touching the ground. She had done so much, and tried so hard, but without their trust, she continued to feel like the failure her parents saw whenever they looked at her. "So please, let me be that person for you!" She begged, her voice hoarse with emotion.She didn't want to feel like this anymore!"Let me be a Pokemon Trainer you'd be proud of, so I can achieve my dreams an' give y'the life y'deserve!" She choked out a sob, her voice quieting down from a broken cry to a saddened whisper. "I can't tell y'how much I love you, and I want y'to be happy with me, since y'can't be released into the wild... But I can't do that if y'keep shuttin' me out like this! So... Please...!"A small buzz echoed in the space in front of her and she gasped, lifting her tearful face to see Biohazard tottering over to her, sitting down right in front of her face. "Biohazard?" She managed to croak out, watching the cautious Pokemon for a moment, before he let out another little zap and placed both his paws on her face, tongue sticking out.She swore she felt her heart soar out of her chest and break through the ceiling; his reaction, though small, was all she needed to know that he was willing to give her a chance. The sweet, blue-patterned Toxel had trusted her once before already, during a battle with someone far stronger than her, and he was letting her know, in his own way, that he was willing to grow stronger with her; so they could win those battles more often.She let out a broken laugh and moved so quickly that she startled the poor reptile, who was immediately scooped up into her arms and held against her chest in a tight hug. "Buddy...!" She sobbed, ignoring the burn of his toxic skin against her cheek as she nuzzled into him. "Thank you...! Thank you so much...!"The little toxic toddler looked ahead with wide eyes for a second, tempted to squirm out of her grasp, but he couldn't. Something about the way she held him felt so... warm and... safe. With a soft buzz, he buried his chubby cheek into her shoulder and held onto her shirt tightly, finally relenting to the affection she had wanted to show him for so long.Bioshock watched them from a distance before he grumbled and tugged his bowl closer, eating his food once again without paying them any mind. Thorn looked up from Biohazard's back and smiled at the sight of the sulking yellow baby.She knew he would take a lot more convincing since he was the more stubborn of the two. However, she had poured her heart out to them, and they had listened, so she hoped with time, he would give her the same chance his blue brother did.One out of two wasn't bad, for someone with no experience handling Pokemon.With a sniffle, she carefully pulled Biohazard from her and put him on the ground, wiping her eyes as she grinned down at him. "Go on, finish your breakfast, Bud!" She said, waving towards his bowl. The little reptile buzzed and dropped onto his butt before he turned and crawled back over to his food, where he sat and ate alongside his brother, both making sounds as they conversed among themselves.'Maybe... maybe I'll actually be able t'earn their trust.' She thought, wiping away the leftover tears in her eyes as she sat back against the bottom of the sofa. 'I don't know where I'd be without you guys, an' I don't wanna know.'Biohazard's small display of trust had reignited that fire within her, giving her hope that she would be able to at least make some sort of life for herself with them, and that was enough to give her a burst of motivating energy.Whatever her parents thought of her didn't matter anymore, not when she had a new family to call her own.'Let's get stronger together, 'kay?'~Heartstrings~Thorn stepped out of the doors of the large apartment complex she called home, listening as the entrance buzzed and clicked shut behind her; effectively locking her out if it wasn't for the keycard she had in her possession. She had her green/grey hoodie on and her mint green backpack strapped to her back, with her guitar strapped around that. Once she had gotten her breakfast from the Pokemon Centre cafe, she planned to head into town and play some tunes for the people of Spikemuth.Hopefully, she would make a good haul that day, and could actually buy some cleaning supplies to fix up her grubby flat a little more. If she had any left over, she would buy some beds for the boys, so they didn't have to sleep in their Pokeballs all the time. It was the least she could do for them since they took the time to listen to her when she had poured her soul out to them.The young woman was so wrapped up in her thoughts, that as she stepped down, onto the path leading to the Pokemon Centre, and slammed straight into another person, causing both of them to stagger back in surprise. "Hey, what're you-?" Thorn started with a bite in her tone, only to soften in surprise when she looked over at the person she had collided with, only to see Marnie standing there, dusting off her coat with a small pout. "Oh geez, sorry Marnie, that one's on me!""It's alright." She said simply, shrugging off the tackle as she straightened up completely, holding onto the straps of her loose, red leather backpack. "Nothin's broken, but you should watch where you're goin' from now on." There was a small smirk on the girl's lips, the only indication Thorn was given that showed she was joking.The wanna-be rockstar blushed a little and rubbed the back of her neck, grinning sheepishly. "Heh, yeah, I can be a bit brainless sometimes! I need t'start livin' in the real world once in a while!" She shrugged off her embarrassment and placed her hands on her hips. "So where're y'headed? There ain't much in this direction, 'cept the Pokemon Centre an' Route 9, so unless you're gettin' breakfast or plannin' on trainin', your not gonna find much up 'ere!"Marnie stared at Thorn for a minute, before she hummed and looked away, adjusting her backpack so it sat comfortably on her shoulders. "Well, if you really wanna know. I was headin' to the Pokemon Centre for somethin' to eat.""Hey, I'm headin' that way too! Why don't y'join me?""Hmmm..." The gothic young teen hesitated, she wasn't the best at conversing with new people, the only reason she had been comfortable talking to Thorn before was because her brother was there to keep the conversation going."Aww, c'mon." Thorn urged, gently elbowing the young girl's shoulder, her grin lighting up the street more than the neon signs ever could. "I'll even buy you a milkshake, t'make up for almost knockin' you to the ground!"Marnie sighed, convinced by the offer of a free milkshake. "Alright, but I can't stay long, I've got a lot of trainin' to do.""Oh yeah? So you're goin' to the Pokemon Centre, and Route 9?" The two began the slow trek to the large, red building, now walking alongside each other as they continued their conversation. "I think I remember y'telling me that you'd just started trainin' for battles! Once I get both my Toxels t'listen t'me, I might have t'join you!"Marnie placed her hands behind her back as they stopped in front of the red medical center. "Well, like I said before, I'm always up for a battle. Me and Morpeko could use the practice.""I guess I better get a move on then, before y'out rank me like your brother!" Thorn opened the door and watched as Marnie walked in first, then the older woman followed behind, waving as the staff within the center greeted her as old friends would.It seemed despite Thorn's short time there, she had made a few good friends, at least, that's what Marnie surmised from their casual hellos. "Y'might as well take a seat, Marnie." The musician continued, plopping her backpack and guitar down next to a chair before she strolled over to the cafe. "What kinda milkshake are y'after?""Oh, a strawberry one would be nice, thank you."Thorn nodded and gave he a mock salute. "Aye-aye! A strawberry an' a chocolate comin' right up!" She turned back to the counter and placed her order with Hector, before she grinned down at Indeedee and leaned over, giving the Pokemon a sweet pat on the head. Marnie found the woman's interactions with others fairly interesting.She was the complete opposite to her and her brother, but in some ways, it was a refreshing change. She was as energetic as the League Trainers that worked for Piers, but not quite as... exhausting.The young girl was pulled from her thoughts when the punk-rock prodigy dropped into the chair opposite her, leaning back with a comfortable sigh. "The drinks'll be 'ere soon! Should give y'enough energy t'last 'til lunchtime!""Don't you eat anythin' for breakfast?"Thorn shrugged. "Not really, I ain't got enough t'eat three meals a day a lot o' the time. So I just 'ave a heavy drink to tide me over 'til lunch, then get on with earnin' my way for the rest o' the week." She laughed and plucked her guitar off the ground, resting it comfortably in her lap. "Once I get a bigger followin', I think I'll be earnin' enough t'spoil myself with a big breakfast every day, but for now, I need t'focus on gettin' what I need t'really make my music soar!""You shouldn't neglect your health," Marnie said, as the drinks arrived. "How're you gonna make a livin' if you're starvin' all the time?""Heh, food doesn't give me as much energy as y'think!" She said jokingly, strumming the guitar, though it made little noise since it wasn't connected to an amp right now. "All I need is music in my soul, an' I'll be able t'do anythin'! 'Cept beat your brother, apparently~!""I don't think that's how the human body works..." Despite that, the young girl shook off her concerns, she knew little about Thorn's lifestyle, so she had no right to harp on her for living in an unhealthy way. As long as she was happy, then that's all that mattered. Besides, Piers' own lifestyle wasn't much better. While he ate more than enough, despite his dangerously thin frame, he got so engrossed in his music and writing that he'd forget to sleep most nights. It seemed that their polar opposite personalities had the same stubborn, yet admirable, love for their art. "Speakin' of my big bro..." She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table as she looked at the older woman curiously. "What made you want to fight him anyway? I know you interrupted his set, an' everythin'...But there's gotta be more to it than just that, right?"Thorn shook her head. "Nope! Nothin' but a racin' in my heart from his sick music!" She snickered as she straightened up and snatched her chocolate milkshake from the table, taking a big sip through the paper straw."What do you mean?" Marnie asked, relaxing in her chair as she too picked up her milkshake and took a tentative sip."Well, y'know that feelin' y'get, when you're on your last Pokemon, durin' a battle and if y'miss your next attack, you'll lose? The way your heart's racin' an' y'feel like your body's gonna burn to a crisp from the adrenaline?"The tween nodded."Well, when I heard your brother's music, I got the same feelin' in my chest that you'd get durin' a battle." The young woman shrugged and placed her glass down on the table. "'Cause o' that, I got the overwhelmin' urge t'challenge him to a battle, an' I knew nothin' else would fire me up as much as hearin' a good tune while our Pokemon duked it out on the field!"Marnie hummed and continued to sip her drink as she processed the woman's strange words. "So you wanted to feel the rush of a battle mixed with the rush you get when you hear music?""Exactly!" Thorn clenched her fists as she leaned forward as she felt her motivation only spike as someone else understood her strange thought process. "In fact, I wanna feel that rush so much, that it's become my dream t'make a show where I battle people while I play live music, so they can feel that rush too! Battles an' music go so well together, an' it should be considered a crime that nothin' like this has been thought up before!"This surprised Marnie a little and she hummed against her straw. "That sounds pretty cool, actually." She admitted, placing the large glass down on the wooden table. "You got all that from battlin' my big bro?"The black-haired older teen nodded with a laugh. "Yep! Hell, I might just take your bro's idea t'carry a microphone everywhere! Music can't be enjoyed if the audience can't hear it over your instrument." She picked up her own drink and took another big sip. "But I've gotta get one that ain't on a stand, 'cause battlin' and playin' with a heavy microphone stand ain't how I'd like t'spend my Saturdays!"The idea of Thorn struggling to carry a stand everywhere made Marnie's shoulder shake with a fit of silent giggles. Her smile was so small and nonexistent, that anyone who wasn't talking to her wouldn't have seen it. "Looks like your next battle with him's gonna be a lot louder, eh?""Y'got that right!"The tween stared at the older, energetic woman for a second, before she relaxed in her chair. She had decided she liked Thorn, despite her ridiculously high energy, she had good ideas and seemed pretty smart, despite her rash actions. "Then you'll need motivation, right?" Marnie picked up her drink and pulled her bag onto her back. "Why don't y'come to Piers' next free concert? I'm sure he'd appreciate your support, and it'll get your blood pumpin' for a battle!"This made the musician grin as she slammed her hand onto the table, leaving cash behind to pay for her drink as she chugged the last of her shake and stood up, gathering her things. "Heh, y'know what, I might just take y'up on that offer! But right now, there's a street out there screamin' for my music, an' I ain't one t'ignore the call!"Marnie giggled and nodded. "Alright, Morpeko and I are going to Route 9 to train for a while, see you later.""See you!"And with that, the black-haired ball of energy rushed from the Pokemon Centre, giving the staff there a bright and hurried 'goodbye' as she barged out of the doors and onto the streets with her things in tow. Piers' younger sister found her erratic movements both amusing and a little tiring, but something about the woman's optimism and ideals sat right with her.'You better hurry up an' get your Toxels to trust you...' She thought as she plucked Morpeko's Pokeball from the strap of her bag. 'Me an' Morpeko wanna see what you've got."~Heartstrings~"Aw, C'mon Bioshock..."Thorn sighed as she stood on Route 9 with her two Toxels. Biohazard was out, attempting to battle some wild Pokemon with the young woman's guidance, but her other little purple pal refused to move, and sat stubbornly by the entrance to Spikemuth with his little tongue poking out defiantly. Since she blurted her feelings out to them, they had warmed up to her a little, Bioshock barely growled at her anymore, and instead looked annoyed most of the time when she got too close to him.She knew he heard her words and saw her love for them, but also knew it would be a slow and grueling road to getting their complete trust.Biohazard had barely flinched or shown fear towards her since he hugged her last week, and right now, he was taking on Galarian Meowth left, right, and center in hopes of leveling himself up and becoming a little stronger so he could protect his brother for a change. However, without Bioshock's help, he was still very timid and did tend to run from a battle before he could claim victory.It didn't help that his opponent wasn't weak to his typing, though."Look..." Thorn started, placing her hands on her hips as she tried to reason with her stubborn purple and yellow friend. "I get it, y'don't want me to tell y'what t'do, so I won't. Would y'just help your brother a little bit so I can get y'leveled up, please?"Bioshock glared at her before he hissed and snapped his head to the side, a silent and very obvious 'no.' This made the older teen's shoulders sag with defeat and she let out a sigh. "Alright fine..." She turned to Biohazard, who ran from yet another Galarian Meowth before it could scratch him with its sharp, black claws. Thankfully, the cat Pokemon saw no reason to chase after its pathetic prey and let out a hiss, before it darted back into the grass and out of sight. "'Hazard, y'might as well come back. We're not gonna get anywhere like this.""Looks like you're havin' a bit o' trouble there."The sudden voice caused the black-haired punk to jump out of her skin and she quickly spun around to see Piers leaning against the far edge of the tunnel. Immediately both her Toxels began to snarl and growl, backing away from the strange new person. "Aw, geez..." Thorn quickly turned to the two and crouched down, pulling their Pokeballs off the clip she had fastened to her backpack's strap. "Let's call it a day." She whispered while she gave them a soothing smile. "Get in your Pokeballs, an' I'll let y'out later for dinner, 'kay?"The reptilian Pokemon glanced at one another, then nodded, and Thorn mirrored their action, before returning them to their balls with a beam of red light that burst from the central dot of the small spherical device. Once they were safely tucked inside, she clipped them back onto her backpack and stood up, turning to see Piers walking up to her."What was all that about?" He asked, arching a brow as he stopped in front of her.Thorn laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, y'see... Their not big fans o' people." Her usually friendly and happy expression softened into a frown as she dropped her hand to her side. "Their last trainer left them in an alley after kickin' 'em pretty hard. If I hadn't been there t'stop him, I don't wanna think o' what could've happened."Piers' eyes widened as she explained, then hardened into a glare by the time she had finished. "People like that don't deserve Pokemon." He stated, a bite in his tone as he crossed his arms. "If y'ever see him in my town again, let me know... I'll make sure my gym trainers give him a pretty thorough 'lecture.'"This pulled a grin from Thorn, who huffed out a laugh. "Not if I get t'him first, y'won't!" She chimed in, before she used one hand to play with the Pokeballs hanging on her bag. "'Cause of that arsehole, these two can't be released into the wild, an' are too scared o' people t'really be taken care of... If I hadn't adopted them, they'd spend the rest o' their lives in the system."The metal singer nodded, closing his eyes as he let out a deep breath through his nose and relaxed his posture, letting his arms drop and a hand land on his slim hip. "Then I guess you're better with Pokemon than I first thought." He admitted, smirking a little when she met his gaze with stunned eyes. "Only those who really love Pokemon are willin' to do what they can for them. Even if that love's one-sided. People like you are why Pokemon Trainers are given such a good rep."The compliment brought a blush to Thorn's cheeks, her pearly white teeth glinting in the light of the setting sun as the grin she adorned only widened. "Heh, I like you, Piers!" She said, making the man blink, he didn't expect to be complimented in return. "Maybe if y'hang out with me more often, we can get these guys used t'people. It might even help Bioshock get used t'me!"Piers couldn't help but let out a huff of laughter at her optimistic words. While he doubted his presence would make any small creature feel comfortable, he didn't have it in him to refuse such a simple and genuine request. "Alright, I think that's reasonable enough." He said, shrugging a shoulder as he held out his hand. "Don't hesitate to come and find me outside my concerts, me an' Marnie'll be happy to help you with your trainin'."The energetic woman snatched his hand in her own, almost knocking the poor man to the ground as she shook it enthusiastically. "I knew y'were a cool guy! T'new friends!"Piers' smirk tugged at one side of his lips, and he felt a drop of sweat slide down his cheek.What had he gotten himself into?"Yeah..." He said, relenting under her overwhelming glee. "To new friends."~Heartstrings~The sounds that resonated within Spikemuth were one of the few things Thorn looked forward to every morning, afternoon, and evening. Especially if those sounds were cheers as she performed at her best on the streets she'd grown to love for more than just its ties to her favorite band's origin story. The way people roared and whooped as she hit a particularly difficult note, then cheered her on when she faltered at certain points was both nerve-wracking and awe-inspiring all at once.And that was where she found herself at that very moment, her voice echoing into a microphone stood on a familiar skull-adorned stand, bellowing out song after song as she played her guitar for all to hear. Behind her, Piers stood against the wall with his arms crossed, smirking as he watched her play, tapping his fingers to the beat as people far and wide stopped to see him, only to be absorbed into her music.He knew his presence was garnering her some attention, but honestly, after listening to her passionate voice as she let the music take her; he had a feeling even if he wasn't there, she would be quite popular among the locals. Hell, some of the people there didn't even stop for him, some started gleefully filming her on their phones, cheering her name, and asking for specific songs whenever she offered a request.Of course, that didn't mean he would walk away and let her enjoy her fame alone! After all, he lent her his microphone, and without it, he felt a little less... himself. So until she was done, he would stand by and enjoy her street performance like everyone else.And it seemed that the people of Spikemuth weren't the only ones who enjoyed her music. His tired cyan blue eyes darted down to the edge of the blanket she had set under her feet, where Bioshock and Biohazard were. The timid blue-patterned Toxel was banging his hands off the blanket, pretending to play the drums, while his yellow-patterned brother stood up and mirrored her movements, pretending he was holding a tiny guitar, like his owner, who had the real deal.Since he'd spent a long time practically raising Marnie while their parents were out of the country, he felt a particular tug at his heart from the sight of their adorable imitations. Thorn had no idea how much she was helping these poor, abused Pokemon, nor the effect her energy had on them, whether she could see it or not.Especially Bioshock.While Thorn complained time and time again that Bioshock wasn't getting any warmer around her, he knew that wasn't the case. Marnie wasn't exactly known for her emotions, so he could read between the lines of body language and understand what someone was thinking based on how they stood and moved. Bioshock was mimicking her, like a child who looked up to their older sibling.Yes, he acted out, however, that didn't mean he didn't love her too, he just didn't want to open his heart to anyone just yet.'Give it time, Thorn... He's comin' 'round, y'just gotta show him more o' that spark you've got that makes people wanna listen to your music.'~Heartstrings~A month came and went since Thorn started hanging out with Piers after their discussion outside Spikemuth. Since then, she had spent more and more time with not only the monochrome musician, but his mild-mannered sister too. So far she'd had lunch with the two once and had tossed food to her Toxels who sat far away to avoid the newcomers, she had chilled with Marnie while she ate her lunch on Route 9 after training since the early morning, and she'd even invited Piers to watch her perform more than once; especially when she needed to borrow his microphone.Hell, he'd even praised her music at one point, which didn't help her ego in the slightest but made her feel good, nonetheless.That was a huge turning point for her performances. A lot of Piers fans had been there, and hearing their favorite musician was enjoying her tunes had them rounding up to listen to her play. Now she was earning a little more money each time, and if they kept flooding her old lunchbox with cash, she'd never have to worry about skipping a meal ever again!She had no words for how much she appreciated their support, despite not knowing much about her situation.While they weren't super close, since they'd only hung out a handful of times in the past four weeks, Thorn couldn't deny that she was starting to view the two low-energy metalheads as her friends. Something she hadn't had since her best friends went their separate ways to pursue their own dreams.Well, now that she thought about it, that was a lie. She had Nurse Clarys as a friend too, but she saw the woman as more of a maternal figure than anything else. She certainly knew how to scold her like a mother would.In fact, she had done so recently, when Thorn exclaimed that she had earned enough for her drum kit, and the nurse had noticed how thin she had gotten since she had skipped meals to save more. Honestly, while she hated being ripped into for her bad decisions, she appreciated the fact that someone cared, and since then she had made an effort to eat at least one good meal a day.After she bought her drum kit, of course.And on that note... Thorn sat in her living room before said drum kit with a pair of wooden sticks in her hands, grinning down at the latest addition to her musical arsenal. However, that wasn't the only change to her setup.The flat was clean thanks to the supplies she had bought three weeks ago and sprinkles of new items were littered across the floors of the three rooms. There was now a small lamp in her bedroom in case she woke up during the night to go to the bathroom, she had a stool near the counter separating the living room and kitchenette, her sofa now had a chipped and worn coffee table sat in front of it, and her bathroom had a wall-mounted towel rack with some white towels hanging over it.Her place was still a dump to anyone who had their life together, but she was proud of the work she'd managed to put into it.'If I keep goin' like this, I'm gonna be able t'get my own microphone!' She thought before she took a deep breath and twirled the sticks in her hand. Though she still had yet to hit a single drum in the half-hour she'd been staring at it already. She knew she was stalling herself, and honestly, it was frustrating,She was a little nervous, she only purchased the kit the day prior, and had been so swamped with her performances, that she had yet to try it out. It had been a long time since she touched a real drum kit and part of her was worried that she'd forgotten how to use one.She wanted to improve her sets and add drums to her street concerts, that's why she'd invested in a kit that could be dismantled and packed up. 'But if I wanna do that, I need t'get some more practice in!' She scolded herself.'Stop stallin' and get to work!'She ignored the concerns fogging her mind and closed her eyes, preparing herself mentally for her first real drum session since she had left her family home.She opened her eyes again as she began to play, hitting them in a rhythm that would leave people tapping their feet, and even caused the soundproof flats to tremble with the vibrations traveling through the instrument into the floor. The sound of the drums caused Rotom to fly out of her backpack pocket, and upon hearing her play, he buzzed gleefully and flew over; immediately turning on a video of her favorite song."Yeah, that's it, Rotom!" She yelled over the percussion instrument, changing her beat to match the song perfectly. "Let's get this groove goin'!"In no time at all, the apprehensive young woman was back to her old skill level, playing song after song with a grin on her face, as her Toxels watched curiously from their little beds by the couch. They had never heard someone play the drums before, and while Biohazard liked the guitar more, Bioshock stared at her for a while; remembering when she first played for them, using pots and pans she had found in a trash pile outside the city.Real drums sounded so much cooler.The song came to an end, and Thorn dropped her hands as she panted hard, sweating a little from the exhausting display of her talent. She laughed as she placed the drumsticks on one of the cymbals and pushed her fringe out of her eyes.Suddenly, she heard the softest of buzzing sounds and hummed, opening her eyes and looking down to her right. Much to her surprise, Bioshock was now sat nearby, staring up at her with an apprehensive glare. "Hey, Bud." She started, giving him a smile. "What's up?"The small, purple, reptile droned grumpily, before he started slamming his hands onto the old carpet, now clear of dirt. He did so in a way that almost looked like he was trying to emulate her drumming, and it made her heart soften."D'you like the drums, Bioshock?" She asked, tilting her head to the side as the puny Pokemon averted his gaze and blushed, nodding a little. She quietly held out a drumstick, causing the creature to growl and back up a little. "Aw don't be like that..." She whined before flashing him a grin. "I just thought you'd wanna give it a try!"This caused the Toxel's angry snarl to relax a little, and he sat back, grumbling hesitantly as Biohazard crawled over to see what was going on. The two Pokemon spoke for a little bit, and Thorn giggled, placing her chin on her fist as she watched them buzz and chatter among themselves.They were so cute, and she found herself loving them more and more each day.After a moment, Bioshock rolled his eyes when his brother pushed him towards her, and he stood up on wobbly hind legs. The young musician lifted her chin from her fist as the small Pokemon tottered towards her, then lifted his arms in the air.Was he...? Was he asking her to pick him up?!And just as quickly as it had vanished in her surprise, that beaming smile she always wore returned with a vengeance and she practically dove to pick up the small beast, only to startle him. Immediately she froze as he growled and staggered back a little. "Oh geez..." She breathed, calming herself down before she slowly held out her hands. "Sorry Bud, I got a little too excited there. Y'can trust me... I promise."The purple dinosaur glared at her for a moment, then looked back at Biohazard, who urged him forward with a wave of his paw. Seeing as he was outnumbered, he let out another annoyed buzz and stumbled into her arms, lifting his paws up as Thorn's eyes sparkled excitedly and she lifted the small Pokemon."Since the sticks're pretty heavy..." She started, placing the small monster on her lap, facing the drum kit. "I'm only gonna give y'one o' them for now, okay?" She held out the large wooden stick, and the rather hesitant Pokemon took it in both his little paws, a truly adorable sight. "Now whack that drum there as hard as y'can!"When she pointed at the center drum, Bioshock made an electrical sound and hit the skin of the instrument with the rounded tip of the stick. Thorn clapped softly behind him, since she didn't want to scare him again, and Biohazard buzzed excitedly and began to clap in a sloppy manner as well, like a baby imitating his mother. The encouragement only fueled the stubborn lizard's interest in drumming further and he blushed, grumbling as he continued to hit the drum again and again, trying to hide the small smile pulling at his chubby cheeks.All while Thorn felt her heart swell in her chest. While she knew it was still too early to tell, she felt like this was the turning point for her and Bioshock's friendship. If she kept encouraging him and teaching him to play, she knew they'd at least grow to trust each other, like she and Biohazard had.She had to be careful though, if they kept being adorable, she was sure her heart would explode out of her chest.'I can't wait t'tell Piers an' Marnie 'bout this!'Unknown to the three of them, Piers was hobbling along outside. Despite the early hour, he was up and about, ready to tackle the day as he took his Linoone and newly caught Inkay to train out on Route 9. However, as he passed Thorn's window, he paused when through the open frame, he heard the sloppy beating of a drum.'Since when did she get drums?' He thought, turning as he looked up at the window. He could hear her say something, and then the buzz of one of her Toxels before the sloppy beat was replaced with an expert rhythm.'Looks like she's makin' some progress with her Toxels.' He thought, intent on hearing just how good she really was. The beat seemed to etch its way into his bones and soon he was tapping along with each hit as he easily recalled the lyrics in his head.It was another Roserade Renegade song, and she was playing it so well, he could almost hear the lyrics accompanying the beat. Of course, he almost laughed when he realized that he wasn't imagining the vocals, she was actually singing along to her own instrument. That took a lot of talent, considering the amount of mental energy that went into playing the percussive instrument properly.It looked like she had more tricks up her sleeve than he first thought. If she was this skilled with instruments, he couldn't wait to see how she did as a Pokemon Trainer with some time, determination, and support.A smirk tugged at his pale lips, and he let his hand fall to his hip, remembering their handshake the month prior."You know what... I think I like you too, Thorn." He admitted under his breath. "Keep up the good work, and I'll be battlin' you again in no time."He was starting to look forward to their rematch.~Heartstrings~"Ugh, I am so sick of curry!"Thorn stood in her tiny kitchen, glaring down at the ingredients she had bought for her usual bowl of curry. While she wanted to buy something from the nearby restaurant, she had been saving her money throughout the last three weeks since she purchased her drum kit to ensure she could afford her next piece of musical equipment; which was thankfully arriving in the mail the next day. Because of that, she was limited to cooking for herself, and since she didn't know much about cooking, she bought a guide to cooking curry that both people and Pokemon can enjoy.Hence why she had been eating curry every day for about two weeks. She was sure her Toxels were getting sick of it as well. This prompted her to look up, smiling as she watched Bioshock and Biohazard play tug of war with one of their toys; a knotted rope that was blue, yellow, and purple, like them. It had been three weeks since she'd started teaching Bioshock the drums, and since then, the two had formed a weak connection of sorts. He no longer ducked away when she went to touch him, but he did pout at her if she gave him a pat without his permission first.However, she didn't care, she was just happy she was getting somewhere with him, and if they kept going like this, she was sure that she would be able to revisit the idea of training them."Looks like it's curry again, guys." She piped up, getting their attention as Biohazard dropped his side of the rope toy. The two small Pokemon whined with an electrical drone, and she sighed. "I know, I know, but once I get these ingredients used up, we can get somethin' else t'eat!"Both Pokemon slumped down into a sitting position, giving each other defeated looks, and Thorn felt her determination to use the last of her prepped veggies and berries waning under their adorable manipulation. However, before she could cave, she heard the doorbell ring and all three inhabitants turned to the front door in surprise."Ain't it a bit late for my headset t'arrive?" She asked out loud as she glanced out of the window, only to scoff and hit herself on the forehead when she remembered it was always dark in Spikemuth. Once she realized this, she looked at the clock instead, and her brows knitted together when it read 7:30 pm. "Yeah, it's way too late for post."Unsure of who was behind her door, she walked towards it, only to stop with her hand on the door handle as she turned to her best buds. "Go hide, I'll make sure they leave quickly." She told them since they still didn't like other people. They let out a little sound of agreement and scampered off into the bedroom, only for Biohazard to re-emerge, grab the rope toy and hobble off with it dragging between his legs.This made Thorn laugh. However, she almost jumped when the knocking returned and she sighed, straightening herself up before she finally opened it, where she was met with Marnie and Piers standing on the other side of her peaceful threshold."Oh, hey!" The young musician blurted out in surprise, relaxing when she realized it was just her friends and not some stranger trying to sell her something she didn't want. Hopefully, the boys wouldn't mind if she didn't pester them away immediately.While Marnie sent Thorn a small smile, Piers awkwardly raised his hand, a silent 'hello' to the energetic trainer. Yes, Thorn had told them her address the last time they met up for coffee, but this was the first time she had seen them at her front door.She got the feeling Piers wasn't really the type to go out of his way to interact with people outside his concerts, and Marnie was working hard to become a Pokemon Trainer fit to be champion someday. With such busy schedules, she was just happy they had the time to hang out with her outside her home, but to see stood outside her front door was quite the surprise."So..." She started, placing a hand on her hip as she leaned against the edge of the door; arm above her head, hand hanging limp in front of her. "What're y'doin' here? It's a bit of a walk from the concert venue t'ere, so I can't assume y'just walked on by, right?"Marnie shook her head and placed her hands behind her back, all while Morpeko chittered at her side, looking out from behind the young girl's leg with a cheeky smile on his little face. "Nope, we're here 'cause we heard you've been really playin' your heart out lately-," she started."Actually..." Her older brother chimed in, scratching his cheek with his gloved finger. "She heard, I was there."The gothic trainer glanced at him and he gestured for her to continue with a cheeky smirk, which made Thorn chuckle. "-And since I've never seen you cook, and you only order milkshakes when we get breakfast, I convinced Piers to make you somethin'!"As soon as she said this, Piers lifted his hand, where a lunch box hung from one of his long fingers, tied up neatly in a handkerchief. "Make sure you eat it before it gets cold." He said, shrugging a single shoulder as if his kind act wasn't a big deal. "I don't usually cook for others, but Marnie asked, an' I wouldn't be a good big brother if I told her no.""We made sure to pack enough for your Toxels too." Marnie said, scolding Morpeko in hushed tones when he tried to clamber out from behind her to jump up and snatch the lunch box.Honestly, Thorn was speechless. She took the box off of Piers' finger and looked it over, it was a pretty big box, and it felt rather heavy. Just how much did he make?! There was only one other person that had shown her that much kindness since she had escaped her family, and that was Nurse Clarys. Now that she had her own home, in a town that wasn't known to be the most welcoming of places, she assumed people would stop showing her these small acts of goodwill, and she had been fine with it, expected it, even.But seeing them stood there, carrying something that hopefully wasn't curry... It made her think they were closer as friends than she originally thought.Her heart warmed up a little at the idea. It was nice to have friends again.This pulled a smile from her, not her usual smirk or grin, but a genuine, soft smile, and she let out a huff of laughter. Before they could ask her what was so funny, she stepped back, gesturing at her tiny living room. "Since y'came all this way, it'd be rude t'send y'back! Why don't y'get comfortable and I'll pop the kettle on!"Piers hummed and put a hand on his hip as he mentally checked his to-do list to ensure he had time to chill out. Nope, no plans until that night, he had time. "Why not? I haven't got anythin' else t'do 'til later anyway." He looked down at his sister. "What 'bout you, Marnie? Got any trainin' planned?""We did, but I don't think Morpeko would mind a little tea, would you?" She asked her tiny hamster friend, who gleefully chittered and raised his hands at the idea of food.Thorn nodded and waited until they entered the flat before she closed the door behind them. Unknown to her, Marnie and Piers had a comically identical reaction to the sight of her ragged couch and chipped coffee table. The two siblings shared concerned looks while their host went behind the kitchenette counter to put her ingredients away.While they knew from past conversations that Thorn had been struggling to make ends meat, they didn't know just how bad the situation was. Her flat was near empty, and the only things in good condition were the musical instruments and equipment resting on the wall separating her living room from her bedroom. Yes, she had just moved in, so the lack of furniture made a little more sense, but most people had furniture from their previous place, this looked a lot like she just dropped in with nothing to her name.Just what situation was she in before she moved into her new home?Unsure of what to say, Piers awkwardly walked over to the battered seat and plopped down, soon joined by his sister, and the very giddy electric hamster holding a berry he'd begged Thorn for while she was putting everything on the counter away. "Looks like you've made a new friend, Morpeko." Marnie giggled as she lifted the Pokemon onto her lap, watching as he gleefully chowed down on his treat.Thorn appeared from beneath the counter with a jug, turning her back to them as she approached the sink to fill the plastic container with water. "Heh, as soon as he saw the Pecha berry, he just gave me those adorable puppy eyes and I couldn't say no!"The monochrome trainer smiled a little and put his arm across the back of the sofa, watching Morpeko's enthusiastic chomping. "Looks like you're gettin' the hang o' handlin' Pokemon." He said, looking over at her as she filled the kettle with the water and switched it on."Yeah, I had t'get a bit creative t'finally get my Toxels t'start trustin' me." She admitted, while she turned and placed both hands on the smooth wooden surface seperating her living room and kitchenette. "Biohazard was pretty easy t'convince, 'cause he's such a sweetheart, but Bioshock was a completely different challenge!""Oh yeah?" Piers arched a brow, curious about her relationship with the one Toxel that had refused to listen to a single word she said during their first battle. The last time he heard any sort of improvement in their relationship, was when Thorn's drumming lessons could be heard from her window and even then, he couldn't tell if she had been talking to Bioshock or Biohazard."Yeah, turns out-," Thorn stopped suddenly, her expression turning blank in mild shock as she stared at her bedroom door. Piers and Marnie felt a sinking dread and quickly turned to look at what she was looking at, only to relax when they saw Bioshock and Biohazard peeking out of the doorway. "Oh... hey guys!" The street performer blurted out, still surprised they even attempted to show their faces. "Piers an' Marnie brought us somethin' t'eat, so we didn't 'ave t'eat curry again!" She lifted the bento box high enough for the boys to notice, and they buzzed nervously. "Y'wanna come out t'say hi?"Piers leaned over to peer at them from around his small sister, giving them an awkward, but gentle smile as he raised his hand. "You don't need to if you don't want to." He told them, sweat sliding down his cheek when they sent glares his way. Yeesh, they really didn't like people. "If you decide to ignore us, I'm sure me and Marnie'll understand, right Marnie?"The youngest sibling nodded, only to gasp when Morpeko hopped off the couch and strutted over to the two Toxels, who growled a little as they backed away from his tiny form slowly. The cute rodent saw their fear and frowned before his expression lit up and he started nibbling at the berry Thorn had given him.All three humans watched in surprise as he used his teeth to weaken the center of the berry enough to pull it apart, holding out one piece for the two purple reptiles to share. While he happily popped the second half into his mouth, filling his chubby electric cheeks. Bioshock and Biohazard looked at one another, then at the berry chunk, before they relented and stepped out of the room, taking the berry and splitting it between them.Piers, Thorn and Marnie looked between one another, silently reveling in the progress Morpeko had managed to pull out of them. Thorn cleared her throat after the boys had finished eating, and opened the lunch box. "So, d'you guys wanna join us, or d'you want me t'bring it in there for you?"Biohazard buzzed at Bioshock, who pouted and crossed his arms, before finally buzzing back. The two shared a bit of back and forth, and eventually, they crawled out of the bedroom and into the living room, keeping a large distance between themselves and the two strange humans on the couch."Heh, I knew y'couldn't resist some good food!" Thorn exclaimed, putting the kettle on at long last as she unpacked the meal, which happened to be fish and chips, with a side of Pecha Berries and yogurt for dessert. "This looks so good, y'really made this, Piers?"Piers shrugged. "It's just shop-bought fish, it's not like I made you a Sunday dinner or anythin'.""Of course not." Marnie deadpanned, closing her eyes as she crossed her arms and fought back a smile. "You only went out to the market in Hammerlocke and bought fresh fish and potatoes for it.""Marnie!"Thorn blinked, looking at the embarrassed musician as he kept his gaze on anything but her, a blush creeping up his neck. "Y'really did that?"The kindhearted singer pouted as he glanced at her, made even more embarrassed by her soft expression of shock and awestruck tone of voice. "Like I said, I don't cook for other people often. I didn't want your first taste o' my food t'be microwave lasagne."This made the young woman snicker as she separated the food into portions, leaving the desert where it was for the time being, before she took the two bowls and walked around the counter, placing them on the floor for her Toxel twins to enjoy. "Well, even if y'had made me a microwave lasagne, I'd still be really happy." She admitted, straightening up as the kettle finished boiling. "The fact that it's homemade, makes me feel even happier t'call y'my friend!"This seemed to soften the man's suffering a little and he sighed, tugging on his choker as he leaned forward and let his other hand hang between his legs lazily. "It's no problem, really. Just... don't tell Raihan I cooked for you." He grimaced at the mere idea. "He'd never let me live it down."Thorn laughed. "I ain't in the habit o' talkin' t'online celebrities often!" She said, taking out three cups from beneath the counter, glancing over it to see the boys eating comfortably, which only made her smile widen. "The fact that you're friends with him tells me just how strong a trainer y'are!""He's not my friend," Piers stated though it was obviously a lie. "He just has it in his head that I'm his second biggest rival in Galar." He sighed and combed his fingers through his fringe, before settling back onto the couch cushions, eyes closed and brows knitted together. "Honestly, I dunno why he says that. I'm not a good Gym Leader, an' he is, there isn't even a comparison here."Marnie frowned. "You're bein' to hard on yourself, big bro.""Marnie's right." The poverty-stricken, punk-rock artist chimed in, placing tea bags into the cups, before turning to them. "How many sugars do you want?" She suddenly added, sidetracking the entire conversation."Uh..." The male musician, who was taken off-guard by the sudden question, looked up and remembered she was making them some tea. "Two for me, and a lot of milk.""Alright, what 'bout you, Marnie?"Marnie smiled. "Three sugars, no milk.""Damn girl, you're pretty tough t'drink your tea like that!" Thorn grinned and started measuring out the requested amounts. "Anyway, like I was sayin'..." She glanced back at them over her shoulder. "From what I've seen, you're a pretty great Gym Leader." She poured the water into the cups, then stirred them with a small spoon. "Y'make sure Spikemuth ain't forgotten, even with all the Dynamax and Gigantimax stuff goin' on! Y'always listen to a new challenge-.""Even if that challenge is in the middle of a concert?" Piers asked, smirking as he arched a brow, pulling a laugh from their host."Heh, yep! Even if the challenge is in the middle of a concert!" Thorn repeated, stirring and tapping the spoon off the third cup before she tossed the metal utensil into the sink and gathered them all in her two hands. "An' as far as I'm concerned, that's everythin' a Gym Leader really needs t'be doin' their job well!"The self-conscious singer hummed as the slightly younger woman walked over and placed the cups on the coffee table, where she had no coasters. Once that was done, she went back behind the counter to put her own food out. "Well, I still think Marnie would make a better Gym Leader than me."Marnie sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you?" She raised her finger, glaring at him as he held his hands out in front of him as if she was pointing a gun at him. "I want to be the next Champion, I can't do that if I'm workin' as the Gym Leader, can I?""Alright, alright! I'm just sayin'!"Thorn snickered as she brought her plate over to the opposite side of the coffee table, plopping herself down on the floor with her legs crossed as she tucked into her portion of food. "Y'remind me a lot of me an' my sister!" She told them gleefully. When she bit into the food, all thoughts of their conversation left her mind immediately.Piers should have been a chef, and nothing would convince her otherwise!However, while she was in blissful food heaven, her guests looked at her, a little taken aback by her absentminded words. "Wait..." Marnie said, picking up her cup with her two small hands. "You have a sister?""Mm!" The older woman hummed around a mouthful of food. She raised her finger and swallowed before she continued. "Yep, got a mom and dad too."Piers' brows knitted together. "So how come you're out here on your own, and not with your family?" He asked, sensing something was amiss. Her eyes held a sting in them when he pressed further, there was a sadness there that he saw in Marnie whenever their parents were mentioned, especially when their plans to come home for a holiday or event fell through.The energetic woman seemed to falter as she went to take another bite. She cleared her throat and put her fork down, suddenly not feeling as hungry anymore. "Well..." She rubbed the back of her neck as she looked at her food, trying to figure out just what to say in her head. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and put her hand on the table next to her dinner. "My family didn't want me t'be a musician, and their attitude rubbed off on my sister." She told them, omitting a lot of detail for the sake of her sanity. "And now we don't speak anymore." Her apathetic shrug made Piers' frown only deepen."Oh..." Marnie breathed, looking down at her tea as Morpeko hobbled over to Thorn and tapped her forearm as a consolation.This made Thorn smirk and she laughed, patting the small rodent. "Look guys, it's no big deal!" She expressed, putting on a false display of gleeful energy as she tucked into her food once again. "They didn't accept me, wanted me to be someone I'm not, and I booked it! Now I live here, where I'm free t'be who I want to, without their annoyin' complaints!"She finished her meal in record time and bound up, holding the plate in her hands. "I'm gonna wash up, y'want anything else?"Marnie shook her head and Piers picked up his mug, blowing on the steam coming off it. "I'm good, ta." He said, taking a hesitant sip, only to be surprised when she managed to get it right on the first try.While she praised his cooking, he had to praise her tea-making skills.Thorn nodded and went into the small kitchenette to clean her plate. Both Piers and Marnie shared worried looks, then glanced at the two Toxels, who also stared at their owner, then back at the two humans in her company. It was obvious that Thorn was hiding a lot of details, but since they had only known her for a short amount of time, it would be rude to pry further.Instead, they decided it was best to make their way out, not just because the atmosphere was awkward, but because they both had jam-packed schedules. "We'd better head back." Piers started as he chugged his tea quickly, ignoring the burning sensation that caused. Marnie took a few tentative sips of her own before she stood up and picked up her bag.Thorn turned when she heard them moving, and blinked, surprised by their quick actions. "Oh, you're goin' already?""Yeah." The tween chimed in. "I've got some research to do on type advantages, and Piers has been tellin' me he wants to start writin' a new song." The young teen walked towards the front door with Morpeko following close behind, sad to be leaving a place with so much yummy food. "Maybe we can hang out this weekend? I'll show you some of the best trainin' spots on Route 9.""That sounds like an awesome idea, I'll see you at the Pokemon Centre on Saturday, 'kay?"The younger girl nodded and left the apartment, while Piers awkwardly walked around the coffee table and up to the counter. He had to really try to ignore the hisses he heard as the two Toxels backed away from him. Right now, he was more concerned with Thorn's sudden change of attitude."Look..." The monochrome trainer started, watching as his new friend paused in her attempt to wash the plate, glancing at him over her shoulder, curious and slightly oblivious. Did she even know how easy it was to read her? "Somethin' tells me you're not tellin' the whole story 'bout your situation here." He gestured to her empty living space, and realization dawned on her immediately. She frowned and turned off the tap, turning to face him properly. "But I won't press you for more details... Instead, I want to give you this."The younger woman tilted her head to the side and knitted her brows together as he pulled out a small pad and pen, something he kept on him if the inspiration to write a song ever hit him during his morning walk. He leaned over the counter, which he easily towered over and scrawled something onto the lined piece of parchment before he tore it off and held it out to her.On it, was a series of numbers... A phone number."That's my mobile number." He informed her, watching as she took it and looked it over, her brows high on her forehead. "If you need anythin', or just want someone to talk to... give me a call, yeah? If I can't help, Marnie definitely will."The punk-rock trainer felt her heart swell with gratitude, and her almost oblivious and confused pout turned to a genuine and soft smile. "Heh, thanks, Superstar."This made the man blush. "Please stop calling me that."Thorn grinned and waved the paper in the air. "Nope~! Now how can I make this the worst decision you've ever made? Maybe I could see how many Pokemon memes I can send you in the next hour?"The poor Gym Leader's face paled further, which was quite impressive given his almost ghostly white complexion. He glanced down at her Toxels, who had moved away but were more perplexed than annoyed by the change in mood. "D'you think I could snatch it off her before she could stop me?" He asked them, making his new friend bark out a laugh as she tucked it into the back of her jeans."Yes, it is!" She confirmed, her grin widening as he groaned and ran his hands down his face, regretting every decision he made to get to this point. "Now you're stuck with me, forever~!"With another noise of complaint, the man walked towards the front door, gripping the handle as his head dropped miserably. "Wait, where're y'goin'!" The hostess asked, arching a brow at his silent attempt to leave."To change my number."She snorted and tossed her tea towel at the wall. "Get outta here, Superstar! I'm not gettin' any work done 'cause o' you!" That was a lie, she only had two things planned that night, a shower and a movie on her Rotom Phone."Alright, alright!" Piers opened the door and stepped out of the flat, glancing down the hallway to see Marnie waiting by the lift. "But before I go..." He paused as he leaned back inside to take the door handle, his amused smile washing away, replaced with friendly concern. "Think 'bout what I said, okay? You've got friends 'ere now, and if there's one thing I can say as the town's Gym Leader, it's that we take care of our own."Thorn nodded, her own expression changing from her typical energetic grin to a smoother, calmer smile that spoke volumes about how much she appreciated his words. "Thanks Piers... Don't worry, I'll be sure t'call y'if anythin' happens, or I just feel like talkin'.""Good." With an awkward nod, he closed the apartment door, leaving Thorn to stand in her kitchenette, looking down at the paper in her hand. All while Bioshock buzzed and looked at Biohazard, who only shrugged in response.With a deep breath, she turned her attention to her backpack. "Rotom!" She called out, watching as her bag made an electronic sound before her phone flew out of one of the pockets. "I've got a new number for y'to save!"The wanna-be punk-rock artist watched as the equally peppy phone made another drone, before it looked down at the paper, adding the number scrawled on it to her contacts. Meanwhile, the owner of the phone stood there, picking up her forgotten mug of tea as she thought about her interactions with the strange monochrome siblings.As she put the rim to her lips, she couldn't help but grin as she thought about what Piers said. She wasn't just a wandering stranger to Spikemuth anymore, but a part of their community. She was one of them, and neither Piers nor Marnie knew how much she needed to hear those words.She knew it hurt to talk about her parents, her sister, and their obvious distaste for her life choices... But knowing she had somewhere to call home, a family in her Toxels, and friends in Nurse Clarys, Piers, and Marnie; made the gnawing ache in her heart ease just a little bit each time she thought about them.'Thanks, guys... I'll be sure t'pay y'back someday, I promise.'A/N: Thanks for reading! I really worked hard on this chapter, and it went through a fair few rewrites before I was happy with the final result! Please let me know what you think, and if there's anything I can do to improve further!Thorn's TeamBioshock (Toxel) Lv.5Moveset: Acid, Nuzzle, Belch, Power-up PunchBiohazard (Toxel) Lv.5Moveset: Acid, Nuzzle, Flail, Tearful Look
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