Annais knocked on the door to Piers’s flat.  Each second that passed without him answering had her more concerned.  Piers asked her to come over, saying that there was something he needed to do and would like for her to go with him.  Over the phone, he sounded so blue.  His normal melancholy tone laced with another layer of sorrow.  Not knowing what to expect, she came over as quickly as she could.  However, the absolute last thing she had anticipated seeing when he opened the door was for him to be dressed so… proper.  He was cleaned up.  His hair was brushed and tidy, not teased or done up big like usual.  No makeup.  If his face wasn’t still full of piercings, she’d believe he was being dragged to church.

“Don’t you look handsome,” she complimented, giving him a hug and a kiss.  “What’s the occasion?”

“I, uh…”  Piers grabbed his shoulder and looked down at his feet.

Annais reached out, grabbing his free hand.  “Is everything okay, Nez?” she asked with a comforting squeeze.

Closing his eyes, he sighed. “I’d like you to meet my parents… if you want… It’s up to you.”

Annais opened her mouth to speak, but immediately closed it.  

Don’t you dare, she thought to herself.  We both know they’re gone.  Don’t question him.  Don’t be stupid.

She nodded, but he still wasn’t looking at her.  She squeezed his fingers one more time to get his attention.

“I’d love to,” Annais told him when his sad eyes met hers.  “When can I?”

“I was headed over there now.  Marnie can’t come with me this time,” he told her.  “It’s not that I mind going alone, I just… thought maybe you’d like to go too this time.”

“Of course.  I wish I would’ve known, though.  I feel kinda underdressed,” said Annais.  She was wearing her usual attire: plaid skirt, fishnets, sweater, and jacket.  Compared to him right now, she looked like the punk.

“You’re fine,” Piers assured her.  “It doesn’t matter.  I… It’s a habit for me, I guess.  But you look lovely as always.”

Annais nodded.  It was bittersweet that he got dressed up for them. She knew he said it didn’t matter, but she wished she could have been respectful with him.

“Well, it’s getting’ late,” said Piers, stepping outside with her and closing the door behind himself. “Let’s get a move on before they think I forgot about them.”

Piers was quiet the majority of the walk, only speaking if she asked him something but keeping it brief. He never told Annais much about his parents.  Even after months of being together, she still only knew the vaguest of details.  It was extremely rare for him to bring them up; Annais wasn’t even sure she had ever heard their real names.  She knew they passed away.  He was 13 when it happened, meaning Marnie was 2.  She always wanted to ask him more, but there never seemed to be a good time.  In Annais’s experience, he only ever brought them up if he was drunk, sick, or on the verge of sleep.  None of those were particularly good for holding a serious conversation. Normally, she’d ask Marnie about things when she couldn’t figure out how to approach Piers, but she didn’t know how sore of a subject it was for her either.  Unlike Piers, Marnie never mentioned or even hinted at the two of them.

“First stop,” Piers told Annais, pulling her out of her thoughts.  She looked at the storefront- a florist shoppe.  Much like everything in Spikemuth, the exterior looked a little worse for wear.  But Piers stepped right in, and a bell chimed.  Annais snuck in too as he held the door for her.  Inside was easily more beautiful than out.  Street displays had already been brought inside for the evening and crowded the entrance.  Sweet smelling and colorful, it was an extreme contrast to the downtrodden façade. There were so many flowers, Annais barely noticed the sole older woman working behind the counter.

“Ah, there ya are, Piers,” she said without lifting her head from her work.

“Evenin’ Mrs. Davies,” he said, tucking his hands in his pockets.  “Finally here for my pickup.”

The lady straightened up and looked towards their direction.

“Oh!  Who’s this ya ‘ave with ya?” she asked, gesturing at Annais.

“Aw, c’mon…  Ya don’ know a champion when ya see one?” laughed Piers.  “This here’s my girlfriend, Annais.”

Being referring to as the champion was all fine and dandy, but Annais felt she’d never get over the thrill of him calling her his girlfriend.

“Champion, huh?  I thought she looked familiar.” Mrs. Davies grabbed Piers’s bouquet and walked forward with it- a beautiful arrangement of pink and white lilies.  “Well, a pretty girl like her probably deserves some pretty flowers after a win.” She gave Annais a wink as she said this, prompting her to giggle.

“Oi, now you’re givin’ ‘er ideas, Mrs. Davies,” Piers said while shaking his head.  “Go on then.  Tell ‘er what your favorite flower is, Ann.  So, she’ll know for next time.”

“Oh!  Um… Wow, Let’s see… I guess peonies are really pretty,” said Annais, rapidly blushing.  “The yellow ones in particular.  Any yellow flowers really.  That’s my favorite color.”

The older lady nodded. “Duly noted, love.  I’ll make sure he takes care of you.”

“She means it.  Her memory’s sharp as a tack,” Piers told Annais. “Knows what I’m gonna order before I order it.”

Mrs. Davies chuckled at his compliment.

“What about you, Piers?” Annais joked, elbowing him.  “What’s your favorite?”

Piers stiffened, caught off guard.  “I… Dunno. I’ve never thought about it.”

“I’d wager he shares a love of lilies,” the older woman said.  “Never knew a young man to appreciate them like he does.”

“Guess you’d be right. Maybe one day we can have a bouquet made up of both.  They’ve got yellow lilies, don’ they?” asked Piers, pulling out his wallet.  The woman hummed affirmatively as Piers handed her the payment for his order.  “Right then, sure y’know we’ve got to be on our way now.  I don’ need any change.”

“Thank you as always, dearie,” Mrs. Davies said as he picked up his arrangement.  “You take care now.”

“Cheers.”

After waving goodbye, Annais followed Piers back out into the cool evening.

“I always bring mum flowers,” he whispered to her when they were outside.  “Lilies are her favorite…  Mine too, I guess, since they remind me of her.”  He laughed to himself as he held the bouquet closer and smelled it.  “Y’know Marnie’s name was almost Lily.”

Annais shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“Marnie was my gran’s name,” Piers said, beginning to walk the street again.  “Pop’s mum.  I don’ much remember her.”

“Marnie’s a pretty name too,” said Annais.  “After knowing her this long, I couldn’t see her as a Lily.”

“Yeah, Marnie suits her.”

The night got chilly as it got darker.  Heavy clouds hung in the sky and blocked the view of the stars.  Piers was silent yet again.  Annais kept wanting to start a conversation, but he didn’t seem like he was in a talking mood.  She opted to just continue walking by his side.

Upon reaching the cemetery gates, he walked in without looking back at her.  She followed as closely as her heels would allow her over the grass and dirt.  Litwicks and Lampents illuminated the dusky evening better than the dull lampposts, giving the whole area a faint purple hue.  Even in the dark, Piers didn’t seem the slightest bit lost.  It appeared he’d walked these grounds many, many times.  Once deep into the cemetery, he stopped in front of a gravestone.  

“G’evenin’ Mum, Pop,” Piers whispered.  He kneeled down before the grave and sat the flowers on the ground.  “Sorry I’m late, but I’m here.  Y’know I’d never forget.”

Thanks to the candle Pokémon who seemed to float aimlessly, Annais was able to read the engravings.  

Rhys and Myrtle “Tilly” Sterling.

Annais had to choke back tears when she looked at the dates.  It was the anniversary.  And with a bit of quick math, she determined they were rather young.  Both were roughly a decade older than she and Piers were right now.  She looked down at him, who seemed as stoic as ever and felt silly for being so emotional.

“Marnie couldn’t make it,” he said softly.  He gripped the grass with his fist, pulled it up, and let it fall to the ground.  He continued to do this as he spoke.  “Don’ be sore, she’s out doin’ her best.”  He talked so casually, as if they were on the other side of a telephone call.  One would almost be convinced they could actually hear him and were speaking back. “Y’know she’s running your gym now, Pop. Doin’ much better than I was.  You wouldn’t believe how much she’s grown…  How strong she is…  How much she looks more an’ more like you every day, Mum.”

Annais swallowed roughly, but was unable to will away the moisture that welled in her eyes.

“But I brought someone else with me this time.  Remember that girl I was tellin’ ya about?  Annais? Well, I guess it did work out…”

She stepped forward, tears steadily streaming down her face.  He patted the ground beside him without looking back.  She lowered herself to her knees by his side.

“They’ve never met anyone I’ve ever been with,” he said to her.  “You’re the first.”

She smiled, wiping her face. “It’s an honor,” she managed to say.

“They’d love you,” said Piers, unable to raise his eyes from the bouquet.  “I think Mum would especially.  You’re a lot like Pop.”  He chuckled gently, letting another fistful of grass fall out of his grip.  “Makes sense.  Been told I’m like her.  I think you’d like them too.”

Annais saw this as the perfect window of opportunity to get answers.  It would make sense to talk about it here and now.  He almost seemed like he was inviting her to ask, seeing as he brought her here with him.

“Piers,” she whispered. He lifted his head to glance at her. “May I ask…?”  Her voice trailed off, but he nodded.

“Suppose I… haven’t told you much…” he said.

“If it’s too difficult…”

“It’s okay, Ann,” Piers assured her.  “I know you’ve wanted to ask.  I’ve wanted to tell.  I dunno… It’s… Well, I know you realize it’s not easy for me.  I don’ think it’ll ever be, but I guess things are getting pretty serious between us.  It’s past time I share.”

“Take all the time you need, Piers.”

Heaving a heavy sigh, he held his hand out for her.  She accepted it.

“Twelve years ago,” he started.  “I had started my Pokémon journey.  A little later than most kids in Galar, but Marnie was born right around the time I turned 11 an’ they wanted me to be around for her.  An’… I was a mama’s boy…” A small laugh escaped him.  “So, I was still reluctant to leave ‘er an’ that gave me an excuse.  Mum needed me to help her with Marnie an’ around the house.”

Annais nodded, following along closely to every word.  Whenever he divulged details of his past with her, it was never that far back.  Stories usually hovered around the 15- or 16-year-old mark and beyond, but seldom before.

“Anyway, the time came, and I started the challenge,” continued Piers.  “Got an endorsement from my Pop.  He ran the gym in Spikemuth for many years, as long as I could remember. Things were going well.  I’d made some new chums along the way, both human and Pokémon.  I had three badges- Circhester, Ballonlea, Stow on the Side.  Was gonna get my fourth in Hammerlocke, since we didn’t have to get them in any particular order back then.  Hammerlocke isn’t too far from home, so they were going to come watch my match.  Marnie, too… She was with them that day.”

Annais’s heart dropped to her stomach.  It was obvious how the story ended, but she didn’t realize the circumstances.

“There was… an accident…” Piers closed his eyes and lowered his head.  He was silent for a moment, holding Annais’s hand tight until he got the strength to carry on.  “Nobody’s fault, really,” he uttered.  “It’s just usually so rainy this time of year.  Could’ve happened to anyone.  An’ I was so upset thinkin’ they forgot about my match.  I didn’t know ‘til afterwards…”

Annais could see the glisten of teardrops as they rolled down his cheeks.  She squeezed his hand.  She knew this was difficult for him.  It was unsurprising that he kept it from her for so long.  She wondered if he ever got a chance to talk about it with anyone or if he had been living with this on his own since it happened.

“I don’ think Marnie knows she was with them,” mumbled Piers, looking away from both her and the gravestone.  “I know I never told her.  She was always… just so sad.  Such a sad little girl, some would call her a crybaby.  I never blamed her.  I just wanted her to have a happy childhood like I had.  I dunno.  Even as she got older, the time never seemed right.  I didn’t want to make things worse on her.  I fear it’s gone too long to tell her now.  Maybe when she’s 18… I dunno.  I don’ want her to hate me for bein’ the one to tell her.”

Piers looked back over at Annais.

“She…” He lowered his wavering voice, leaned in closer to her.  “She doesn’t remember the wreck as far as I can tell, nor the first thing about them.  This day doesn’t crush her like it does me.  It’s just another day.  She knows, of course.  She’s come with me before.  But she doesn’t know I almost lost her too.  I don’ burden her with it.  I’m glad she doesn’t hurt like I do.  She wasn’t even two at the time.  It’s a miracle she made it.  Sometimes, I still have nightmares about it.  I don’ know what I’d do if…”

He swallowed hard, shaking his head.  It broke Annais to hear these things.  She couldn’t even imagine having to live through them.  He took another moment to recollect himself.  Honestly, he could take all the time he needed in her eyes. She admired his strength right now.

“Anyway, I finished it,” he said.  “As tough as it was, it’s what they wanted, after all.  I got all my badges and made it to the champion cup.  Well, most of them.  The dark badge…”  Piers’s breath quivered.  “I had planned on goin’ up against my Pop last so he could see how far I’d come. It was waived that year.  Dunno if you realize Leon won that cup, an’ the rest was history.  But I’m glad I wasn’t champion.  It’d make it that much harder to be with Marnie.”

“Oh, Piers…” Annais was no longer able to keep herself collected.  She burst into tears, throwing her arms around him.  “I’m so sorry.”

Piers was stiff in her embrace as he continued.

“She’s all I had,” he whispered, voice cracking.  “They couldn’t take ‘er from me.  I couldn’t let us be separated at an orphanage or foster care.  I took care of her.  I had to.  As long as I still had her, I’d take care of her.”

He eventually eased against her, arms linking behind her and resting his head on her shoulder.  Annais could feel the skin of her neck grow wet as Piers began to cry.  He wasn’t sobbing, or wailing, but she felt him shake.  The fact that he was silent about it made Annais feel that much worse. How long had he had to cry in silence? Forever?  Annais just knew he kept it quiet for Marnie’s sake.  Even when his sister wasn’t around to hear, he was silent and strong for her.

“Piers… Who took care of you?” Annais asked.  She could feel him crying harder.  There was still no sound, but his chest heaved against hers.  She let him, rubbing his back to soothe him.

After a moment, he pulled away.  He straightened back up and wiped his face with the back of his hand.  “We, um… Moved around a lot.  Stayed with Mum’s family for a bit, but it wasn’t working out. They had a lot of problems of their own, so I just… Ran on back home with Marnie.  I was homesick on top of everythin’,” he said.  His fingers laced between Annais’s again, and her thumb brushed over his.

“Back here though, lots of folks who knew our parents let us stay with them.  Just for a few months or so at a time ‘til I was old enough to have my own place.  I was around 15, right when I started leadin’ the gym.  Everyone kinda banded together to make sure we got to stay with each other ‘til then.  I owe everythin’ to Spikemuth.”  He chuckled while sniffling.  “Guess that’s why everyone loves Marnie so much.  She’s like everyone’s little sister.  You’d think she wouldn’t be so shy havin’ grown up around so many people. Or maybe that’s why.  She was still kind of withdrawn ‘til I got her Morpeko. Guess some people just prefer the company of Pokémon.”

Fifteen, Annais thought to herself.  She knew he had been on his own a while, but fifteen…  A whole decade.  She couldn’t fathom being fifteen and taking care of a child, or just being on her own at all.  Despite being younger than her, Piers had lived enough for them both.  Annais had only left her parent’s house when she moved to Galar a year ago.  Everything he told her was just stunning.  Her respect and admiration for him continued to grow.

“Sorry to talk your ear off tonight,” he said, releasing her hand.  “I know this isn’t what you signed up for.”

“Oh, my God.  No, Piers… It’s perfectly fine.  I’m glad you’re opening up to me,” Annais assured him. “Does it feel better to talk about it?”

Piers nodded. “Kinda.  I don’ feel like I’m hidin’ it now.  Not like it was a secret or anythin’, just… Y’know…”

She held her arms open for him again.  He accepted and embraced her back.  

“Thanks, Ann,” he mumbled. “It’s nice to have someone to listen…”

Annais kissed the top of his head and let him go.

“Well, do you want to tell me more about them?” she asked.  “You can talk my ear off all you like.  There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Piers visibly perked up. “Like what?”

“I mean, what were they like?  I’d like to get to know them.”

Piers gave her a nod, looking back to the flowers on the ground.

“Well, to start I guess, my mum was the sweetest woman in the world,” he said fondly.  “I miss ‘er every day.  She was my best friend, as lame as that might sound for a 13-year-old boy. I was her baby for so long.  Also, probably can’t tell from me, but she was from Unova.”

“Whoa, really?”

“Yeah.  Mum’s family was kinda ritzy, like the taking piano lessons at a young age on your own baby grand kinda rich,” he said.  “She loved music.  She was always singing to me, humming, playing.  She had the most beautiful voice.  Her accent was so much different than everyone else’s I grew up around.  She was able to calm me down by just talkin’ to me.  Pop said I used to try to mimic her, but unfortunately I got stuck with his voice.”

Annais nodded, trying not to laugh.  Pieces were starting to come together- his love of music and attraction to accents.

“Ah, I know what you’re thinkin’.  I see it in your eyes, love,” he said, a smirk starting to form.  He leaned into her.  “No secret your voice was the first thing that attracted me to you.  It’s not like hers, but… I dunno.  It’s comforting, too.  I’m a sucker for a beautiful accent.  Guess it runs in the family.  Mum an’ Pop were always teasing each other over how things were pronounced.”

After being called out, Annais allowed herself to laugh, causing Piers to smile too.

“So, Mum was on holiday when she met my Pop.  Don’ think I was ever told why she was in Spikemuth of all places in Galar, but she was. I know they met at the shore… The Spikemuth Pier, actually.  Real creative, huh?” Piers explained, grinning as he did.  Annais bobbed her head, amused to learn such a tidbit.  “Him, havin’ lived ‘ere his whole life, didn’t recognize her an’ introduced himself.  Love at first sight, from what I’m told.  No one could convince her to go back home, not even ‘er own little brother. I mean, I suppose bein’ pregnant with me kinda solidified her stayin’.  They got married after that.”

“That’s so sweet,” Annais giggled.  She thought to herself that if she wasn’t already living in Galar, she would definitely be convinced after meeting Piers.  “What about him?  You said I’m like your dad?”

“Oh, right… Suppose I did,” Piers said, chuckling softly.  “Well, he was an ace trainer, too.  I think you would’ve loved to battle him.  Such a brilliant man.  Never a champion, but I think that’s cos he didn’t want to be.  He never felt the need to prove anything.  Kinda did things just cos he felt like it at the time.  He was adventurous for sure.  Tried everything, just cos he could.  Almost became a professor, too, but decided he wanted to do something else.  Eventually decided on the gym so he could stay around me an’ mum without movin’ us around, but he had fun with it.”

Annais couldn’t help but laugh.  “You think I’m like that?”

“You are like that, love.  I don’ know anyone who has done as much as you just on a whim… Except for him,” he said. “An’ Mum always kind of stuck to the things that she liked and made her comfortable.  She reigned him in; he helped her live a little.  I guess…  Sometimes I think of us like that…  All those messes you’ve dragged me in…”

The air around Piers and Annais got surprisingly cold while he spoke.  A fine drizzle misted them.  As she was wishing she had on more clothes and maybe an umbrella, she swore she heard voices.  Soft, faint, indiscernible, but someone was speaking.  No one could be seen.  Eyes wide, she looked beside her.

“Piers?”

Piers held a finger to his lips, listening intently.  He must have heard it too.  Was it the wind picking up and whistling through the trees?  Someone off in the distance?  A ghost Pokémon playing tricks?  Piers didn’t seem to think any of these things, judging by the serene expression and fond smile that had formed.  Annais couldn’t let herself believe it.  Spirits?  She figured they had to exist.  But other than ghost Pokémon, she’d never had any encounters.

“They’re…” Piers paused, dipping his head.  “They’re sayin’ thank you.”  

“For?”

He rubbed the back of his neck.  Despite the dim light, she swore he was blushing.

“… To you… For takin’ care of me for them…”

“Oh!  I-I really can’t take credit for that.”  Flustered, she found herself talking to the gravestone. “He’s the one who takes care of me most of the time.  I’m not really good at it.”

The drizzle got a little heavier and the temperature dropped again.

“They’re not buyin’ it,” he mumbled.  Piers listened for another moment, then covered his face.  “Aw, I’m not tellin’ ‘er that.”

Annais looked over to him. “Telling me what?”

Goosebumps rose, as did the hair on the back of her neck.  The atmosphere was ice cold at this point.  

“That he looks better than he has in years…”

Annais gasped and straightened up at the sound of a woman’s voice in her ear.  It wasn’t Galarian for sure.

“Our little Piersy’s finally smilin’ again…  Never smiles when he comes to visit…” A male voice with a distinctly Spikemuthian dialect added.  It almost sounded like Piers whispering in her ear, but he hadn’t moved an inch.  “Thank you…”

“We knew Marnie’s in good hands, but worried about him…”

“I…” she choked up. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes again.  But the frigid air had shifted from unsettling to reassuring.  She looked to Piers, the love of her life, the man she’d do anything for.  She was frequently vulnerable before him, and tonight he had finally allowed himself to be vulnerable to her.  It was proof that he was healing.  Healing was proof that he felt cared for by her.

“O-Of course,” she proceeded to whisper into the darkness.  “It’s nothing…  I’m glad he lets me.”

“Aw, you’re gonna scare ‘er off,” muttered Piers.  His cheeks were bright red under the palm that tried to conceal his face.

“Oh.  You’re underestimating me, Nez,” Annais said, giggling while wiping her face with her sleeve.  She didn’t know why she was worried about tears amongst the rain. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?”

Annais reached forward to pull his hand away from his face, revealing that he was indeed smiling hard. Once again, she hugged him tight. She squeezed him and rocked him side to side, causing him to laugh in spite of himself.  “Promise.”

“Wouldja look at that, love!”

“I forgot how much more handsome my baby could be when he’s happy…”

“Now, see if you can get the boy to eat somethin’…”

“See if he still fancies an evening Full Breakfast.”

Annais laughed aloud and let him go.

“What?” Piers asked. “Are they still talkin’ to you? They’re not embarrassin’ me, are they?”

“Not at all,” said Annais, rising from the ground.  She held a hand down for him.  “What do you say we go grab some dinner… maybe breakfast?  My treat.”

Piers laughed as she pulled him to his feet.

“See, now you’re sounding just like Mum.”