I hastily made my way outside into the midday heat, calling my friend's name. Winona came out behind me, asking what was going on.

"What happened? I heard yelling and then Wallace left!" she protested. To her, her brother had just bolted out of the house, leaving her in the dust without an explanation.

   "You know that tension between your brother and his mom you mentioned?" She nodded. "Well, it sort of blew up in their faces," I said.

   "Can you please find him?" she begged.

   "That's what I'm doing right now. Can you stay here?" I asked. She stammered out a "yes," and I blindly ran out into the city, hoping he hadn't gotten too far.

   With some help from Meteor's thought-sensing, I found Wallace—ironically—by the Tree of Origin. He was talking to himself angrily, clutching a Poké Ball in his hands so tightly I thought it would break.

Then in a burst of frustration, he threw the capsule to the ground, the action automatically triggering the device to open. Starmie appeared and instantly began jumping around her Trainer, her ruby core flashing repeatedly.

   "Quit it, Starmie. I get it. Leave me alone," Wallace muttered.

Starmie's core blinked again, more rapidly this time, and the flashes were much, much brighter. It seemed like she was yelling.

   "Stop talking to me, please! I just want to be alone!" Wallace scrambled to grab Starmie's fallen ball and ended up stumbling and falling to his knees. He snatched up the Poké Ball, his thumb roughly jabbing the center button. Starmie returned to it, emitting one last slow flash from her jewel before vanishing.

Wallace made no effort to stand afterwards. He fell back into a sitting position, head bowed and shoulders shaking slightly, as if he were holding back sobs.

   I opened my mouth to call to him, but faltered halfway through, a stifled syllable being all that came out. Part of me desperately wanted to try and comfort him, but the rest told me to respect what he said and leave him alone.

   "I know you're there," he then said, his voice low and unsteady. He looked up at me with dulled eyes. "You might as well stay. It'd be awkward for the both of us if you didn't." He uttered a humorless laugh, face twisting in anger-laced mirth. Unsettled by this, I didn't want to stay. But I told myself that the reason I was here was to do just that. And so I did, sitting beside him.

   We stayed silent for a minute, the lively buzz from the city muted by flowing water filling the void. I wasn't content to simply sit here, I needed to talk to him. "Y-your mom wants you to come back..." I said cautiously, making no effort to sound convincing.

   "Does she now?" he stated in deadpan. "Then I guess she'll be disappointed when I don't listen to her. Again." We again lapsed into silence. That had gone nowhere.

   "You didn't tell me you're supposed to become a Sootopolitan," I then said.

   His eyes narrowed. "I'm not. I'm a Trainer, not some Watchog guarding a stupid cave."

   "According to your mom, that isn't the case," I said. "You said you didn't know what you wanted to do with your life. Why did you lie to me when you do have something planned for your future?"

   "I don't. And I said I didn't want to remain a normal Trainer. Sootopolitans aren't Trainers, they're depressing, lifeless people who sit in that lifeless shrine, waiting for years, and years, and years for nothing to happen only to foist their lifelessness onto another Trainer who actually has aspirations and condemn them to that lifeless cycle!" he spat.

   "Can't you be a Trainer and a Sootopolitan?" I questioned.

   "What do you think? Of course you can't! You need to be completely devoted to the position." As he said that, I got the strangest feeling of déjà vu.

   "Then why not try to change that?" I suggested. "There's a Gym here, and it's a Water Gym no less. You could become a Gym Leader. It's the perfect balance between an ordinary Trainer and a Champion."

   He shook his head. "Juan has no intentions of giving up his position. And even if he does, someone else would get it before I ever could."

   "Well, if you start now, perhaps you could make it."

   "And what if I don't? I'll have wasted my time preparing for something I know I won't be able to do."

I was becoming frustrated with Wallace's stubbornness, but I sought to it that I would remain calm. Fighting fire with fire was never a good solution unless it was all you could do, and I knew I still had other options. "Why do you keep playing Giratina's advocate? I'm trying to help you figure out a solution, and you keep shutting me down."

   "Then why do you insist on helping me?" he asked. "You don't need to help everyone with their problems. Maybe they want to figure them out on their own!"

   Taken back by my friend's sudden hostility towards me, I hesitated before speaking again. "You don't seem like you were 'figuring out' your problems. You're more raging than anything else..."

   Wallace suddenly sneered at me. "You think you have it all figured it in life, don't you?" he said with a mocking laugh. "Just because you got your 'blessing' or whatever the hell you'd call it from your father, you think your bright future is set in stone!"

    I didn't understand what was happening, why was he acting like this? "N-no, that's not it in the slightest! You've done so much for me since we've met, a-and I... I want to repay you for it." This was no longer a disagreement about Wallace's future. It had turned into an attack on mine.

   "That's another thing. You say you need to 'repay' me. You say that whenever anyone helps you. Can't people ever do nice things for others because they feel like it anymore? Or is your necessity to repay others part of some Tauros-crap ideology your holier-than-thou father taught you?"

   "N-no, I... He didn't... " Stop saying these things about my dad! I wanted to yell, but I didn't have the heart to do so.

   "That brings me to another thing," Wallace said accusingly. "For all the things your father apparently did to protect you, from how you acted before and still do, they seemed to have hurt you more than they did help!"

   He knows that well enough! Why aren't you considering what he thinks? Just because Dad wasn't here didn't mean I couldn't take the blows for him, and I was, each one more scathing than the last. "H-he did it for a reason!" I retorted weakly.

   "What, he cared about you so much? He 'knew what was best for you?"

   I'd had enough of this. I tried to speak rationally but there really were times calmness couldn't make an impact on a situation. "Y-yes... Yes, he did!" I exclaimed, my volume rising. "My dad raised me the way he did for a reason, and that reason was why I hid for the last two weeks! You've seen firsthand what I'm striving for, what's on the line, and who's after me, and yet you have the gall to call my future 'perfect?'

   "I stay up night after night now poring over battle strategy after strategy, and if I do sleep I awake wondering if this is the day they'll find me, and drag me to Valerie." My voice cracked upon uttering my aunt's name, tears beginning to well in my eyes as the constant, buried fear I felt started seeping through the cracks my emotions created in my psyche.

   Wallace said nothing. His expression was still cold, but he didn't retaliate. I supposed he was waiting for me to continue. I accepted his "generous" offer and finished my thoughts.

   "You may have an imbalanced relationship with your mom, but at least she let you go on your journey. You don't have a royally screwed up family, and you don't have a psychotic aunt who has already killed most of your family, is after you and your parents next, and shamelessly looks at you like some kind of alluring doll every time she sees you! I know she's obsessed with me and it makes me sick knowing that." My chest heaved as I fought to steady my breathing and my tears threatened to fall.

"And what makes it worse is that I'm putting you and Winona in danger every time I go out in public with you two. You have no idea how much I deliberately try to make this between myself and the Insurgents. You and Winona are two of my closest friends, and I couldn't live with myself if you were injured because of me! Knowing all of that, the least you could let me do is try to be concerned for you!"

   Wallace's gaze softened, un-focusing as he went into thought and I felt the faintest sparks of hope flicker within me. I wasn't expecting him to take everything he said back, not by a long shot, but perhaps he was reconsidering his words. "You're right," he said, further fueling my hope. "You are putting us in danger. I want to keep Winnie safe, but she could have died at least twice since you joined us. I haven't realized it until now." My heart dropped, disbelief gripping me. "Leave."

   "Excuse me?" I gaped. Did I hear him correctly? He couldn't have meant it.

   "You heard me. And you said it yourself, you're putting us in danger. So go." When I didn't move, he scowled, anger rapidly returning to set his eyes ablaze. "What aren't you getting?" he growled, his voice one step from being livid. "Leave, Steven!"

   He was serious. He was really, truly serious. It felt like something broke within me then, my unfortunate attachment to reality, or something else. Disregarding the snap I swore I heard, I said, "Wallace, I... I..." I couldn't get the words out. My limbs seemed to move on their own, and I numbly got to my feet. "I-I will. I'm sorry."

   He glared at me for a moment more before looking away and muttering, "Sure." That one word was the last nail in the coffin. Speechless, I turned and began walking away from who I thought was my friend. But were we really now? My heart clenched painfully at the alternative. If we somehow still were, I wouldn't have known. But now I wouldn't have to worry if they would get hurt or not. I wouldn't be responsible for it. That was a good thing, right?

   Don't look back. You know he won't be, either, so why bother? I told myself. Still, I wanted to. But through some twisted sense of willpower, I didn't. I kept walking, across the grass, over the bridge, into the city, and away from Wallace.

   I soon found myself at his house once again, having no interest in informing Telia where her son was. The person I was really looking for was still outside, sitting on the ground with her Pokémon around her. I felt some relief knowing that she hadn't been alone this whole time. She heard me walking up to her and looked up, smiling hopefully.

   "Where's Wallace? I thought he'd be with you," she asked.

   "He isn't," I stated the obvious. "He's by the Cave of Origin. I don't know when he'll be coming back."

   "Oh, okay." She frowned for a moment, then perked up again. "So what do you wanna do until then?"

   I winced at her obliviously sunny attitude. How was I going to break this to her? "Nothing... I won't be doing anything with either of you anymore."

   "Huh? What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

   "Wallace and I had a fight, and that is why I came here without him." I waited to see if she would react. When she didn't, I deemed it safe to continue. "We fought, and sparing you the details, we won't be traveling together any longer. I'm sorry, Winona."

   Her lavender eyes widened. "W-wait! Why not? I don't get it..."

   "What is there to not understand? We won't be traveling as a group now. I assure you, none of it was your fault. It was between Wallace and me. And given the circumstances as of late, it'd be best if we stayed separate."

   "But I don't want you to leave!" she exclaimed as she stood up.

   "I don't want to, either! But after our last encounter with the Insurgents combined with my fight with your brother just now, it largely wouldn't be the same." From the look she was giving me, my answer wasn't enough. I sighed. "Do you want the full truth?" She nodded. "He felt that it would be best to part ways because he cares about you very much, and if you were hurt by the Insurgents, I would be partially responsible for that. And I agree with him that it would be my fault. I don't want either of you to get hurt because of me. Do you understand that?"

   "I guess so." Her voice sounded unsure, but her eyes showed understanding that was crystal clear. "If the Insurgents ever go away or get broken up, will you try to find us?"

   A corner of my mouth twitched up into a sad excuse for a smile. "Of course I will. The both of you mean too much to me for me to simply forget about you."

   Nodding, she dug out a crumpled piece of paper from her backpack's pockets, handing it to me. "To make sure you will, these are the Communicator numbers to the one here, and the one at my house. I wanted to give them to you a long time ago, but I forgot."

   I took the paper from her, examining the numbers on it in rushed printing. "Thank you, Winona. I promise I won't forget to contact you."

   She held up her hand, her fingers clenched except for her pinky finger. "Pinky promise?" she asked. I leaned down so we were at the same eye-level before intertwining my own right pinky finger with hers.

   "I promise."

   She grinned before giving me as big a hug as her tiny frame would allow. I didn't flinch or react adversely when she did this, instead wholeheartedly returning the gesture. I really was going to miss her. "Okay, it's a promise!" she confirmed, letting me go. "Goodbye, Steven!"

   Smile wavering, I turned away. "Goodbye, Winona."

   Later that day when afternoon shifted into evening, I reentered the room I had taken out for the past few weeks, this time knowing I would have no one to greet when I left it the next morning.

   I threw my jacket onto a chair positioned by the window and fell back onto the room's single bed. I watched the warm colors shifting on the ceiling, letting silence dominate my world for a few minutes. Everything felt so much quieter to me now for some reason.

Growing discontented with the silence, I sat up, seeing the sunlight reflect off my Mega Stickpin along with my seven badges. It was now my mission to get out of this city as soon as I could. Deciding I would give myself a day at most to prepare for my Gym challenge, I got to work in my notebook.

   Working late into the evening, everything had fallen into a monotonous pattern. Special moves warrant Light Screen, refresh when possible, status effects shouldn't be expected... I alternated between reading and writing, not allowing my mind to wander to anything else. Watch for priority moves, a Water-type's Special Defense tends to be weaker so utilize Special moves... Beneath my thoughts, a little voice taunted me.

   You're alone now, it sung mockingly. Don't you know what this means? I ignored it and focused harder. You won't be able to survive out there. Despite what you keep telling yourself, you still rely on your friends too much. That wouldn't be the case, I could do things on my own. I wasn't some needy child!

   You're lying, again. Valerie will find you, and you'll lose to her, all because you're not strong enough on your own. A warm droplet of water hit my writing hand, and out of reflex I shook it, flinging the moisture off. A second and third dropped onto my notebook, darkly spotting the page. I brought my hand up to my face, feeling the tears I knew were there dampen my fingers.

   You're useless without someone backing you up, and you know it. My vision began to blur, and I clenched my eyes shut, forcing more tears to fall and regret to take over.

Why hadn't I objected more strongly? If I had, then perhaps through some miracle Wallace and I could have made up. But I hadn't. My hitched breaths became sobs. The notebook fell from my lap as I drew my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and burying my face in them. I didn't fight harder, and I was now alone because of it.

   Steven, you're not useless! Meteor said. And you're definitely not alone. When he said that, I felt something nudge my arm. I looked up, teary-eyed, and saw Maverick next to me. She squawked softly, placing her head on my shoulder. I smiled bitter-sweetly and stroked her head.

   "Laii!" Silvette stood on her hind legs, clinging to the edge of the bed while looking up at me with her bright red eyes. Three flashes of light followed the ones I hadn't seen previously and the rest of my Pokémon appeared, gathering at the bedside. Minus Orbit, who gave a happy whine, they each warmly exclaimed their concern and reassurance. Being the only one who couldn't come out of their ball, Meteor stuck to telepathy.

   See? Why'd you ever think you'd be alone? We'll stick by you always,  he said. Fresh tears began to gather in my eyes but for a different reason.

   "All of you, thank you. You've put up with all the moronic things I've done and you still follow me unflinchingly. You're the greatest team any Trainer could ask for," I said, wiping my eyes. And you're the greatest friend I could ever ask for, I said to Meteor.

   Hey, we've been together so long we're pretty much stuck with each other at this point. We might as well make the most out of it! he joked.

   For the first time that day, I smiled genuinely. We all were stuck together, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

—~*~—

"Vinya, finish it with Energy Ball!" The Cradily held her tendrils before her face, green light seeping down them and gathering into a pulsing orb of light where they converged. She then thrust her tendrils outwards, sending the light flying at the battered, elegant, tan serpent across the arena.

   "Counter with Hydro Pump, Milotic!"

The Water-type's pearly black eyes glinted with defiance as it opened its mouth and expelled a torrent of water. The attacks met, clashing against each other, but the Energy Ball proved to be too powerful and shot straight through the jet of water.

Milotic was hit head-on, the super-effective move combined with its lowered Special Defense from an earlier Energy Ball knocking off the last of its health. The beautiful Pokémon collapsed, signaling its defeat and in turn, mine and Vinya's victory.

   Nice! You got lucky with that Special Defense drop before! Meteor said.

   Why do you think I was using nothing but Energy Ball? I was depending on that status drop, I responded, recalling Vinya and praising her aloud as I did so.

   "Congratulations, you've won the battle," the Gym Leader, Juan, commended me. "And in doing that you've earned the Rain Badge." The man presented me with a triangular badge shaped by three connected sapphire drops. It was a simple design, certainly not the fanciest Hoenn League badge, but what it represented meant more than the design ever would.

   "Thank you, sir! I really enjoyed the battle," I said, taking the badge. I could scarcely believe that I was holding my eighth Gym badge. It was almost unrealistic to me. I was tempted to pinch myself just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. But I wasn't, and it was amazing to know that.

   "As did I. It's not every day you award someone with their eighth Gym badge. I'm assuming you're now going to try challenging the Elite Four?"

   "Yes, I am. It's located by Ever Grande City, correct?" I'd heard from some city dwellers that the Pokémon League was built in the isolated, surprisingly mountainous terrain by Ever Grande, a city I didn't know existed until recently.

   "Correct!" Juan said. "You either need a Pokémon that can fly or use Surf and Waterfall to get to Ever Grande itself. But it seems your Skarmory has you covered. Head straight east from Sootopolis and you'll see the city. It's atop a massive waterfall, you can't miss it."

   "Okay. Again, thank you, sir." Leaving the Gym, I wished I could have shared my accomplishment with Wallace and Winona, but if us being separated was for the better then I guess the victory would remain between my team and me.

The final badge now in my possession, I had no reason to stay in Sootopolis. I returned to the Pokémon Center one last time to hand in my room key before refreshing my supplies. With all of that done, I bid the city—and my friends—a silent goodbye, and left for Ever Grande City.