The next few hours were an absolute nightmare to get through. Reporters from across the region flooded the Pokémon League, each literally shoving each other aside to get a word from me. It was a tidal wave of microphones, recording devices, and cameras, so many cameras.

Countless questions were thrown at me like Bullet Seeds. What was my name? Where was I from? How long had I been a Trainer? These were but of a fraction of the questions I was asked. I now scolded myself for saying that I liked the attention I was being given, this was far too much!

Faye could tell that I didn't want to answer any of these questions and that I was feeling overwhelmed, and thanks to her encounter with the Insurgents, she knew the reason why. She nearly came to blows with some of the reporters that carried the cameras, trying to shoo them away.

Some scuffling and bargaining later, and I was spared the crushing wrath of the reporters. They made off with my full name and my basic Trainer information but no photos, which I highly doubted. There were too many photographers there for no one to have gotten one or two pictures of me.

I asked the others when was it possible for me to go home, and they all insisted that I spend a couple of days at the League until the news died down and I could take a step outdoors without being flattened by a mass of reporters or paparazzi that were definitely going to start congregating.

   Everyone thought my wariness was nerves or me being not used to so much attention, but that was only part of the truth. With my name and surely my face being broadcasted all over Hoenn, it would be impossible for the Insurgents to not take notice.

The day of my departure, Faye approached me. "Do you want me to accompany you back?" she asked.

"No, it's okay. I think you need to keep the media at bay," I joked uneasily before trying to reassure her. "I don't plan on staying for very long. I'm coming back in a day or two. But thank you for offering."

"Are you sure? If those people show up again..." she trailed off. I shrugged, my gaze going off to some other point than Faye's face. "Can I at least come with you halfway? Once we get to the mainland, we can split up."

   "Okay, fine. We can do that," I sighed. If it made her feel better, then that was what we'd do. Besides, we'd be flying, and the only Insurgent I'd seen up until then with any bird or Flying-type was Andrew. And if we left at the right time, that would further decrease our chances of encountering them.

We snuck to a secret courtyard behind the Pokémon League that I was told earlier by Brynne where the Elite Four trained. It was unknown to the public eye, so it was the perfect place to take off from undetected. Faye and I sent out our fliers, each having them use Agility and Dragon Dance until they would move fast but not out-speed the other so we wouldn't get separated easily.

"We might not be able to talk once we're in the air, so I'll warn you about this right now," Faye started. "The news about you becoming Champion is still fresh, and even though those reporters promised to not take any pictures, I know they were lying through their teeth. When you get to Rustboro, hide yourself and your face as best you can. News stations will definitely be on the lookout for you, especially since there's so little information about you out there. They'll be dying to get their hands on you."

Perfect. Not only was I wanted by the Insurgents, but now the press was after me as well. When Dad found out about this, he was definitely going to be unhappy. But what could he really do? He couldn't take my new position away from me. I was essentially on his level of importance now, just in a different field. I told Faye that I understood, and with our preparations complete, we took off into the wild and uncertain blue.

The majority of our flight was spent in awkward silence. Now that we were free from the chaos of the League, the events of weeks past threatened to stagger this quietness. I had an excuse by constantly checking our surroundings and my PokéNav to make sure we were going the right way. But even if either of us tried to talk, the other probably wouldn't be able to understand. The air roaring past us as our Pokémon cut through it effortlessly drowned out everything else.

Once the shores bordering Mauville City came into view, I looked over at Faye. She nodded and waved, mouthing, "Good luck, and be careful!" I waved goodbye as well, and she and Stella dove down, making a wide turn and retreating back across the ocean. It was just Maverick and me now, but I didn't care to acknowledge it.

The sun had almost completely set when I reached Rustboro. I had Maverick land on the route south of the city, close enough to see the bright lights shining through building windows but far enough for those gazing through them to not see me.

The moment we touched down I put up my hood and left my goggles on, switching on the night vision function. Faye's warning about the media rung clearly in my mind, and my hood and goggles were all I had to disguise myself. I recalled Maverick, slipped Meteor's ball into my pocket for easy access in case something went wrong, and entered Rustboro City.

I made my way through the ever-darkening streets occasionally lit by streetlights, a figure in black dashing between splashes of yellow. What night-Rowlets were out then cast me looks but they were ones of confusion rather than recognition. I supposed a hooded teen in goggles and mostly black clothing wasn't the most inconspicuous sight at seven-thirty in the evening.

It wasn't soon enough that I caught sight of my home, silhouetted against the last glowing embers of twilight and tinted green from night vision. I noticed that only two lights on the first floor were on, but it didn't bother me. My parents only turned most of the lights on when it was fully dark.

   I briskly walked up to the front doors, raising a hand to knock. But when my fist made contact with one of them, instead of feeling solid wood beneath my hand, the wood yielded. I stepped back, confused, witnessing the door open slightly and letting light leak out into the night.

I instantly stepped out of the view of the open door, red flags going up in my head. How could my parents have left the door open like that? Meteor, can you sense anyone inside? I asked.

Other than you and I guess a wild Tailow close to here, I'm not picking up on anybody or anything, he replied. I thought your parents would be home.

So did I... Unease sparked momentarily before I could stifle it. I needed to look at this logically. Mom and Dad could have simply gone out together. An event like that with them was rare but not unheard of, though that didn't explain why the door was open like this. Then I suppose we could surprise them for when they come back, I said, trying to sound positive. Still wary, I sent out River and Vinya. If I had let anyone else out, they might have pitched a fit if someone else took their job.

Entering the front hall, I saw that the light coming through the door was the main light in the foyer. From my place in the entryway I could see the second light brightening the empty kitchen. Everything beyond those lights, the staircase, the living room hall, the hall leading to our small library, were either drowning or submerged in shadow. There were no other lights on.

Why is it so dark in here? If they aren't in the kitchen then why have the lights off? My hand instinctively went for the hall light switch, but I stopped myself. Something here was off, and it wasn't the lights. A change in atmosphere, a shift in temperature. It felt... colder, colder than it should have been in a house during autumn. We certainly had a working heating system.

   A sickly feeling began to grow in the pit of my stomach, slowly blooming into dread. The feeling didn't go unnoticed by me, and I took it as yet another sign that things weren't right.

I was now almost afraid to turn on the lights despite there being nobody in here that would notice them. Something was wrong here, I knew it. I wanted to leave but refused to turn my back to the darkness to do so.

   A loud fluttering sound echoed down a hallway, startling me witless. In a flash I turned my attention to the living room hall, heart racing. Something caught my eye that I thought I imagined. The faintest glow of a light, like one given off by a lamp, subtly shone around the corner.

   I looked pointedly to River and Vinya, catching their eyes before looking at the hall. I didn't know why I didn't speak, something in me told me not to. I checked to make sure my goggles still had their night vision on before continuing.

Vinya entered the hall first, putting me between her and River. We traversed the shadowy, nearly black hall, the floorboards creaking beneath our feet. Everything was dyed a decomposing shade of green in my sight, making it all seem like a scene out of a horror movie.

Out of nowhere I heard the cracking of wood under my left foot, and I nearly bumped into River stepping back in shock. I looked down at what I had stepped on, and my eyes narrowed in confusion before widening in horror. I picked it up, making sure what I was seeing was what I thought it was. It was a framed photograph, but something was very wrong with it.

It was the photo Mom had shown me when I came home before, the one of her and Dad's wedding day. That was what it used to be. The enclosing glass of the frame was smashed, and the delicate paper of the image had been cruelly slashed by a trio of claws. Almost every figure in the photo had a slash in them, figuratively dismembering or decapitating them.

But one figure remained intact.

The younger version of Valerie was completely unharmed, and that painted the scene in a new, bleak light. It looked like she was standing among the remains of a bloodless massacre, but the smile on her face showed that she was content with it, happy even.

I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I felt my lungs burning, my throat seizing in need of oxygen. Or perhaps it was my heart forcing itself into my throat. The photo fell from my vaguely trembling hands, landing with an excruciatingly loud clatter. River and Vinya jolted, looking at me in alarm. I buried my face in my hands for a moment, trying to regain my composure. Something had unquestionably occurred here. What it was, I didn't know, and I dreaded to find out.

Steven, are you—

I'm okay, Meteor... I muttered before he could finish. I'm... I'm okay. I'm a little shaken up, that's all. I began walking forwards, involuntarily making Vinya move so I wouldn't hit her. I had to know what had happened, and I felt that whatever was in the living room would help answer that question. And it did.

I entered the living room to be greeted with a gust of cold wind and a room in complete disarray. Books were scattered on the floor, the couches and chairs were tipped over and covered in slash marks, the TV had fallen over and lay shattered on its front, potted plants in pieces, dirt and roots spilling from the broken containers like dry gore. The dread in my gut blossomed into a poisonous bloom of horror, anointing my mouth with the disgusting taste of bile. It was like a hurricane had come through here, a hurricane with claws.

The light I had seen from the foyer came from a lamp that had somehow escaped unscathed. It sat upon a table beside an upright armchair. Looking at the window behind the furniture, I saw the cause of the cold wind. The window had been shattered, smashed to the point where almost no glass was left in it. The world was dark beyond the window, darkness and cold reaching in to infiltrate what was once a place of comfort for me.

As I stood there in the remains of my living room in utter shock and fear, a chilly breeze blew into the room, setting a piece of paper on the end table aloft. I caught the paper before the wind could carry it into the blackness where the light didn't reach. I took my goggles off to get a clearer view of it, curiosity igniting. Looking at it, it didn't take a genius to see that it was a note, one that was written with criminally neat printing.

If you're reading this, Steven dearie, then you have most likely seen our handiwork. But it's perfectly justifiable, I promise! When I heard that my adorable, darling nephew had become the Hoenn Champion, I felt that a celebration was in order! I already took the liberty of inviting your parents, and of course you need to come, too. It'd be awfully rude to not attend a celebration that is being held in your name! And if you don't believe me, I left behind some things that might convince you.

Suddenly, a Tailow flew in through the window, nearly giving me a heart attack. The tiny bird wore a familiar green-lighted collar and held a drawstring pouch in its talons along with another note in its beak. It fluttered over to the table, dropping the bag onto it. It then flew to me and latched onto my shoulder.

"Wh-what the—? Let go of me, get off!" I swatted at the puppet Pokémon but it wouldn't let go. The more I tried to remove it from my shoulder, the tighter it clenched its talons. I stopped struggling when I felt them pierce my skin through my clothes. It clearly wasn't going to let go. River and Vinya growled and prepared to attack the bird. The Tailow leaned over, looking me in the eyes and holding out the rolled-up paper. "Wait, stop! Don't attack it!" I told my Pokémon. They were unhappy with my order but listened. I took the paper from Tailow and began reading.

I presume you met Tailow now? Then we can move on. This Tailow will be your lovely escort! If you try anything, it will know and report back to me or my admins. Its health and the state of its collar are being monitored, so if either are affected dramatically then we'll know. If you don't comply, your parents will have to take your scolding. And since you've seen what Tailow had for you, then you know I'm not lying. You'll find us at the old Devon building in Mossdeep City. I do hope we'll see you in the near future!

I looked at the bag Tailow had dropped, my heart staggering and my blood running cold. What was in the bag that was so incriminating..? I cautiously opened it, and what I saw inside made me scream.

I jolted back and covered my mouth, shuddering at what now lay on the table having fallen out of the bag. Four rings made of pure silver, carved around their circumferences with delicate etching lines. The rings my parents always wore.

Dad had gotten them for himself and Mom for one of their anniversaries, and the lines they bore were designs hand-picked by them. Each of them wore one ring with the design they chose and one that the other had chosen. Mom had told me it was a reminder to them that even if they were apart, they would always have a small piece of each other. They never took them off, wearing them so much they were seemingly fused with their hands. So seeing them here in front of me was more than enough proof that Valerie wasn't lying. She had my parents.

I gripped the table with both hands as my vision began to swim. The rings glimmered mockingly from their place on the table, their owners' absences making it worse. "Mom... Dad..." I whimpered, tears beginning to gather. River and Vinya moved closer to comfort me, but their gestures went unnoticed. If you don't comply, your parents will have to take your scolding. I wasn't stupid, I knew what Valerie was talking about.

A rush of ice and dizziness then consumed me, tilting the room in a sickening spiral. I dropped to the floor, hands still gripping the table and my eyes squeezed shut against the subsequent nausea. A premonition was coming, but the triggering effects had never been this bad before, or lasted this long.

   I could barely feel my grip now, and I could tell that I was about to faint. Right when my hands slipped from the table along with my consciousness, I was granted what I thought was the sweet release of the vision. How wrong I was.

I came to laying on the floor, River and Vinya beside me looking worried and fretting over me. I could barely feel the Tailow flailing as I had partially crushed it when I had collapsed, as my mind was a blurry jumble. It took a minute for me to get a grasp on my senses again, and revulsion was the first thing that struck me.

Arceus, Steven, are you okay? Meteor gasped.

I ignored him, as I was more horrified than I ever had been in my life. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. It was sickening, absolutely sickening. If I didn't know it was an accurate view of the future, I would have refused to believe it. And from the state everything was in, the events were going to transpire soon. I had to stop it.

What are we going to do? Meteor questioned fearfully once I told him what I saw.

We're going to Mossdeep City, I said, carefully getting to my feet with River and Vinya's assistance.

But you'll be handing yourself over to Valerie!

And if I don't go? I gritted my teeth, trying to hold back the tears. They'll both suffer what I saw! If I go, I can do something and change the future. I've done it before, I can do it again. The Tailow chirped lifelessly, as if it had read and was advocating my thoughts.

If you're really sure... Meteor paused to let out a resigned sigh. Then you can do it. I'm here to protect you, not make your decisions.

Thank you, I said. I gazed at the rings again longingly. I couldn't leave them behind, they were all I had left of my parents then. They were too important to abandon.

   Picking up the rings with an odd sense of resolution, I slipped them onto my ring and index fingers, one of each type on each hand. They were a tad big for my fingers, but they fit fine when I slid them down to the bases of my digits. I took a moment to melancholically admire the jewelry, how strange yet natural they looked on me.

"We're going," I plainly told River and Vinya. They looked confused by complied, dutifully leaving my home with me for what I thought would be the last time. When I got out onto the front yard I let Maverick out, not caring who saw me. "Maverick, triple Agility." She nodded sadly before boosting her Speed greatly.

   I climbed onto her back, putting on my goggles. The Tailow picked at my jacket until I begrudgingly let it ride in the zipped-up front part of the article. It didn't want to risk being swept off my shoulder while we were in the air. Smart.

   "We're going to Mossdeep City. Don't stop until we arrive there, please." I braced myself for the takeoff and we shot off into the sky like a bullet.

Countless thoughts turned over in my mind as we flew. Some told me how dumb of a decision this was while others pointed out the opposite. I crushed down the first thoughts, letting the others take over. My parents' lives were on the line here, I wasn't backing down... not when I was the cause of this whole mess. And while the premonition hadn't given me too much information, I knew enough that I could either stop the events or alter them.

We landed in Mossdeep a little before midnight, touching down on the vast lawn of the old Devon building. It was so twistedly ironic, and I was sure Valerie chose this location on purpose. As I put my goggles away the Tailow wormed its way out of my jacket and back onto my shoulder, staring at me blankly with its zombie-like purple eyes. I gave it an icy glare before approaching the building.

I walked right up to the front doors of the dark building, knocking harshly on one of their iron surfaces. I then stepped back, my fists clenched, and waited.

Are you sure you know what you're doing? Meteor asked.

I waited before answering, until the doors began opening. Yes, I said firmly.

The doors opened halfway to reveal Andrew and two Insurgent members. The admin gazed down at me, his mouth forming into a frosty grin. "Welcome, Champion. We've been waiting for you."