"Hey, girls," I smiled, looking up from the dining room table as the trio walked in the front door. "How was school?"
"There was a new kid in class today," Iris grinned from ear to ear.
"Her name's Opal," Larkspur said, a matching cheshire smile on her face.

I frowned playfully, crossing my arms. "Alright, what's going on? You two look like the Meowth who ate the Pidgey."
"Ask Wisteria," they both giggled, rushing off to their rooms before I got a chance to ask what that meant. Hi mom, Wisteria signed as they left.

"Hi Wisteria," I smiled. "How was school—woah!" Wisteria wrapped me in a tight hug, before pulling back and grinning from ear to ear. School was amazing! she signed. The new kid in class speaks sign language! Her name is Opal! And she liked my ghosts and didn't run away from them and she treats me like a normal person, and—

Wisteria paused for a moment, before smiling and hugging me again. School was great. She, too, ran off before I could ask more.

"Well somebody seems excited," Meowsie commented from the couch. "No kidding," I said, sinking beside her. "I don't know what's happened, but whoever this Opal girl is, I need to find her and give her a medal. Maybe throw a party."

"I take it you're happy with Wis findin' a friend?" Piers asked from the table with a genuine smile. "Oh my God, Piers, you don't even know," I said, happiness blossoming in me as I thought of the pure unfiltered joy in Wisteria's eyes. "Well, I think that calls fer a bit of a celebration, then," he grinned, rising from the couch and whistling with two fingers. "Pack up yer homework, girls! We're goin' to the recordin' studio!"

**********

The recording studio had grown well beyond what it was in the beginning. At first, it was a small setup in Team Yell's main clubhouse (there were several others in and around Spikemuth now), with barely enough room for one singer. Now, there was a whole building dedicated to it. With proper equipment, instruments and technology, it was one of the most cutting-edge places to make music. Well, at least in Spikemuth.

Iris and Larkspur plopped down on one of the couches and started on their homework—a table of Pokemon types and weaknesses—while Wisteria followed her dad to review his latest song. I trusted her to get her work done in due time, unlike her two sisters, who were growing increasingly frustrated with their homework. The two had always been remarkably close, and it warmed my heart to see them sitting shoulder to shoulder, hunched over the small sheet of music and drumming out melodies on the tabletop they were sitting at.

"Help us out, Mum, please?" Iris begged me, Larkspur nodding along wildly.
"But you won't learn if I do it for you," I teased. "What about last time?"
"Nobody remembers what the difference between a Love Ball and a Friend Ball is, Mum."

"Love Balls effectiveness increases when in battle with a Pokemon of the opposite gender," I rattled off proudly. "A Friend Ball increases the trust between the Trainer and the new Pokemon. See? I can remember your work."

"Muuuuuuummmmm," Larkspur groaned loudly.
"Don't 'mum' me, I'll help you. Scootch." I walked over to them, putting Meowsie on the table as I squeezed next to them. "Alright, what's giving you trouble?"

"I can't remember the effectiveness against Steel types, is it Rock or Ground?" She asked, gesturing to her paper.

I took the pencil and began to draw out a mini diagram. "Okay, here's how I learned it; Steel is an advancement over Rock. It always beats it." I drew an arrow from the first symbol to the second. "Steel always comes out of the Ground, like this;" I drew another arrow from the Ground type marker to the Steel one. "And so do rocks." Another matching arrow on the other side, forming a triangle. "Does that help?"

"Sweet!" Larkspur grinned, taking back the pencil when I offered it. Iris shrugged and said "That was about it. I'm nearly done, just can't remember if Water beats Ice."
"Warm Water melts Ice," I threw out helpfully, before rising to collect my partner and leaving them be.

I sat on a different couch with Meowsie on my shoulder and started to tune up one of the guitars sitting by me. Slowly, I plucked out the melody to a newer song I'd written recently. Since settling down in Spikemuth, I'd had more time to devote to my own music, and over the course of the past fifteen years or so, I had been building up the strength of my voice so I could sing again.

I was nowhere near as good as I was before; although I had miraculously kept my range from years of vocal training, my voice was very quiet, and more whispery than it was before. And if I sang for long periods of time, my throat started to burn and I couldn't speak. But, still, it was better than never singing, so I threw myself back into the world of songwriting; and this time, I could let other people hear them too.

"When you wake in a dream wrapped in Versace sheets, that's amore," I softly sang, plucking a mysterious and alluring melody on the guitar. "When you rip off his clothes in his all black Lusso, that's amore~ When the light hits your eyes 'cause that eight-karat shines that's amore~~~ When he spends his money on ya, fly to Positano anytime you wanna, that's...amore."

As I continued past the first verse and into the chorus, slowly the girls made their way to my side and listened to me play. Then, I reached the second verse, which I intended to be a collaboration between a different male artist. I had already reached out to him and the lyrics were written and being recorded, but I couldn't help but think of my friend Carlos' baritone whenever I heard him rap. Carlos...

It had been so long since I'd last thought of my friends from Kanto. I couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving without so much as a notice; every time I saw a flash of red curls or colorful clothes, or heard a high-pitched voice yell out "Hey sis!", I was flung back into the past and pain squeezed my heart every time I realized it wasn't them.

It had gotten better over time—the pain lessened, and I no longer gave myself whiplash searching for faces who weren't there—but I couldn't help but miss them terribly. I could only imagine what they were doing now; probably over my disappearance and preparing for their newest assignments.