I felt numb inside, sitting in the plush, train seats. Meowsie had curled up in my lap, napping comfortably as I mindlessly pet her back and thought about my decision to leave.

It was what we'd planned all along; sure, I was returning a couple months early, but Father agreed it was for the best since our own operatives now couldn't be trusted. I had no Wishing Stars to present to my father, though. Perhaps that was why I felt sick watching the Galarian countryside blur by?

Maybe it was Toxie. I ended up leaving her back in Spikemuth in the care of Marnie, who swore to look after her with her life. It hurt to see her go, and the bear hug Toxie wrapped me in before I handed her luxury ball away only twisted the knife in my heart. But, she was happy in Spikemuth. She and Piers' Toxtricity were close as could be, and many times I found them plucking their respective protrusions to make melodies; a sign of deep affection amongst their kind.

I looked down to my guitar, packaged in its case and sitting oh-so-innocently by my side. Quickly, I looked away. Every time my gaze settled on an instrument or a familiar melody ghosted across my ears, my heart was wrenched painfully. Anything that even remotely reminded me of Spikemuth, or Team Yell, or Marnie, made me want to weep. And I didn't even want to think about Piers.

Whenever I saw a flash of black and white, I immediately looked for the singer's classic mane; the various Galarian Zigzagoon sitting on the train with their trainers made it extremely difficult. I hated the way my heart leaped with joy whenever I heard a Galarian accent even remotely similar to the special kick Spikemuthians spoke with.

Meowsie sensed my discomfort and hopped off my lap, clambering onto my shoulders. She sighed, studying her necklace. "I miss them too, Gia," she whispered finally. I pulled her off my shoulders and pressed her against me in a bear hug. I held her there, squeezing her tight for what seemed like hours.

Suddenly, a cry of surprise came from everyone on the train. I gasped as I looked up and saw Piers' face on one of the overhead monitors. Actually, his face was everywhere; he possessed every single screen on board the train, including my Rotom Phone.

"Hey there, Galar," he said, sitting with horrific posture in front of the fountain in Wyndon. His hair was brushed back from his face for once, and Toxie, Obstagoon and Toxtricity were standing behind him. "If ya don't know me, the name's Piers. I'm usin' Raihan's livestreamin' channel or whatever t' give a message t' somebody real important to me."

Whispers and questions made a cacophony of noise around me, but it was drowned out by the thumping in my chest that was quickly growing louder. "Gia, I know yer supposed t' be leavin' for Kanto an' all, but I couldn't let ya leave without tellin' ya how I feel. An' I know I ain't great at sayin' my feelin's an' stuff outright, but...well, I can sing, an' I wrote a song for ya. Hope ya like it."

He looked at Toxie, and she grinned, plucking at her protrusions to start up a melody. The camera panned out to reveal a temporary stage setup in the middle of Wyndon square; Marnie was sitting, neat as you please, at a set of drums and waiting for her cue. Toxtricity and Toxie got into their places onstage as well, and Obstagoon pushed forward to hype up the growing crowd around the stage.

"Gia, I wrote this song for ya just after ya helped Marn an' scared off that Ford bloke," he said into his microphone stand, voice amplified even through the phone speaker. "I'm forever in yer debt. It was moments like those I realized how my life'd be in shambles if ya hadn't shown up when ya did. So...if yer out there listenin', I hope you like it."

He counted in the song by tapping his foot, and instantly Toxie launched into a guitar solo. Immediately, I noticed the change in his music style; how the guitar played chords, and didn't wail with wild solos; how he sang into the mic, compared to how he usually screamed lyrics until his lungs gave out; and the heart of the matter, where the emotion of this song stemmed from, made me feel tingly when he started to sing.

"Let it out, been building up you'd better let it out," he sang, his voice soft and surprisingly gentle in comparison to the voice often obscured by his harsh accent. "Say everything that you've been meaning now...I want it to burn~" The crowd was already beginning to grow, and my heart thudded along to the introduction of the drum.

"When you tell me that I'm 'such a wreck; it isn't easy cleaning up your mess'. It's like I've got a rope around my neck; she says it won't hurt." Marnie clacked her sticks together, and the rest of the instruments came in to form the familiar style of music I'd grown to love. "But everything you do makes my heart race; I can't even think straight. Is this just a game to you? Reruns every night, it's always the same fight. But I think you should know~"

The camera zoomed into his face as the chorus began. "I hate your touch, I hate your mouth; I can't stand every single word that falls out~ But you're all that I've been dreaming of; this is not another song about love."

The rest of the train was mumbling comments about the complete 180 every new word wrenched the song's direction in, but I was absorbed in the raw truth and how well I related to the song; it captured the feelings in my heart with incredible precision.

"I hate your voice, I hate your lips; I hate how bad I wanna steal your kiss~ But you're all that I've been dreaming of; this is not another song about love." As the crowd cheered and Toxie kept the chords running, only one thought entered my mind; I need to get off this train.

Pulling out my phone, I checked the screen; the livestream was still pulled up on it. Good. I grabbed Meowsie and returned her to her luxury ball with a cut-off shout of surprise, before grabbing Espeon's and jumping out of my seat. "Asphyxiated just to say the least," Piers crooned into the mic. "And with your eyes you're suffocating me." I noticed the emergency exit hatch on the roof; perfect. "Emptied my lungs it's getting hard to breathe; you couldn't care less."

I emerged onto the roof with the help of my Psychic-type Eeveelution, swiftly returning her and pulling out Salamence's capsule. "But everything you do makes my heart race; I can't even think straight. Is this just a game to you?" Releasing the confused Dragon-type, I only shouted one word over the wind; "FLY!"
"Reruns every night, it's always the same fight, and I think you should know...

"I hate your touch; I hate your mouth. I can't stand every single word that falls out! But you're all that I've been dreaming of; this is not another song about love." I ducked down low to Salamence's body as he flew faster than he'd ever gone before, wind whipping my hair wildly into my face. I pressed closer to the warmth of the giant Pokemon, seeking shelter from the frigidness of the high altitude.

"I hate your voice, I hate your lips; I hate how bad I wanna steal your kiss~ But you're all that I've been dreaming of; this is not another song about love." Soon, we approached the lights of Wyndon that sparkled like an aurora as we passed over the frigidness of Route 10. Even sooner, we touched down in the city and I returned Salamence, pressing a chaste kiss to the capsule before running in the direction of the town square.

"The sky fades from blue to grey. Her touch is like an ocean, still I'm drowning. How bad I wanna sink and let it take me away~" I searched frantically, scanning the various street signs that pointed towards the fountain. Finally, I noticed a familiar street and sprinted down it.

"I don't know why I come back; I do every time." I came upon the ocean of fans, pushing through the mass of bodies to reach the stage. "We get close to the end, it's the finish line." I shouted Piers' name as I shoved through the crowd, until I reached the edge of the stage. "Sing these words for the girl I've been dreaming of; is this just another song about love?" I was spellbound, gazing starry-eyed up at the punk singer, whose teal eyes suddenly locked with mine.

"Let it out," he sang, offering his hand. I accepted it, and he pulled me up with surprising strength. "Been building up I'd better let it out." I sighed, pulling him in closer for a hug. "Say everything that I've been meaning now, dreaming 'bout. I need it now; I need it now~!!!

"I need your touch, I have no doubt," he sang, pressing his forehead to mine. "I want your love until it all runs out--"
"'Cause you're all that I've been dreaming of," I sang, belting out the lyrics like I was declaring my devotion. And in a strangely poetic way, I was. "Is this just another song about love?" he followed, breaking into a grin. "I need your voice," I sang.
"I need your lips," he continued. "I need you bad; I wanna steal your kiss~"

We were a beautiful duet that made the crowd scream in excitement; two notes that collided to make the most gorgeous harmony ever heard. "'Cause you're all that I've been dreaming of. This is just another song about, another song about love~" As we harmonized on the last note, he pulled me in for a hug, smothering me under that bony figure as the music faded out and the crowd erupted into cheers.

"So I take it ya liked the song?" he asked, arms still wound tightly around me. I just laughed, burying my face in his shoulder to hide the tears of happiness threatening to spill. Judging from the moistness on my scalp, Piers had a bit less restraint when it came to his emotions.

"Meowsie!!!" Marnie shrieked as the little Meowth burst from her luxury ball, running full-speed to the Gym Leader as she leapt into her arms. Piers and I laughed at the joyous reunion, and Meowsie resumed her usual perch on Marnie's shoulder.

"So, what happened t' 'obligations in Kanto'?" Piers' voice teased, but his eyes held genuine curiosity. "I mean, I don't wanna get any phone calls from the guy who sent one of his workers t' kill me--mph!" I shut him up with a quick kiss, which got a lot of gasps and wolf whistles from the audience. There was no need for restraining my emotions now; Team Rocket held no control over me any more.

"I think he'll have a hard time getting a hold of us," I smirked, stepping away slightly to grab my phone from my bag. And with a grunt and slam of my heel, it was reduced to nothing but metal and shattered glass. "Us?" Piers asked playfully, sliding his arms around me again. "Yeah," I smiled. "I thought I might take you up on that offer to be Team Yell's captain. Is the position still open?"

A searing kiss that made my knees weak sealed the deal. I beamed as Piers pulled back to rest his head on mine. "C'mon," he grinned, one arm still wrapped around my waist as the other motioned to the crowd of Pokemon. "Back t' Spikemuth with you lot! We've got a new arrival t' welcome!"

"Oh, and Piers?" I asked as we walked offstage to the Flying Taxi waiting to take the three of us back to Spikemuth. "What is it, Gia?" he asked, sliding his arm up to my shoulders to pull me closer to him. "I'm not sleeping on the couch anymore. I hope you know that." He threw back his head and laughed, ushering me along to the waiting carriage that would take us home.