The next morning, or afternoon to be more exact, I awoke on Faye's couch to the sound of scuffling in the kitchen. Figuring it was just Faye, I was tempted to go back to sleep but became fully awake when I heard a pair of rather familiar voices talking.

   "Should I wake him up now?"

   "Let him get up on his own, Winnie. He probably hasn't had a full night's sleep in weeks."

   Winnie? I sat bolt upright, looking towards the kitchen. My eyes widened. "Wallace? Winona?!" I exclaimed the half-siblings' names, catching their attentions.

   "Steven, you're awake!" Winona cried happily, running into the living room and throwing herself at me for a hug. It was a blow to the chest that knocked the wind from me, but I happily returned the gesture before glancing up at Wallace. He kept his distance from where I was, almost like he was afraid to approach me. And after what happened between us the last time we "talked," I didn't exactly want to be near him either.

   "Hey..." he said uncomfortably.

  I returned the greeting with a nod. "It's been quite a bit of time, hasn't it?" I said.

   "Three months," he answered, looking away while tucking a loose strand of sea-green hair behind his ear.

   Winona glanced back and forth between us. "I'll leave you guys alone." She stood up and went into the dining room, an area of the house that was actually its own room.

   Wallace and I said nothing still for a minute more. He then sighed. "Okay, I'll say it now. I'm sorry."

   I frowned. "Are you, now?" I asked skeptically.

   "Yes, I am. I've regretted everything I said every day since we split up. And I know, I don't have any excuses for the way I acted. I was in a bad mood, took it out on you, didn't try to take or even consider your suggestions, and instead insulted you. I was just an overall ass! I'm sorry! Could you forgive me, please?" he borderline begged, his eyes wide and pleading.

   Skepticism and uncertainty clashed within me. I really did want to accept his apology since I didn't want us to ever separate like that, but I had been hurt by what he said. He had certainly made his case with his... colorful choice of words, but was he honestly being, well, honest? It seemed that way. Or perhaps it was because he was giving me Lillipup eyes. And it wouldn't be right to cling to spite or hold a grudge. Condemn our friendship, or try to revive it?

  "It's a tad unorthodox by my standards when it comes to apologies but..." I tried to smile. "I'll accept it. You're forgiven. I understand that you were in a tough spot there, that's why I'm saying this." I had a gut feeling that I made the right decision.

   "Oh, thank Arceus!" he exclaimed, relieved. "Thank you for not blowing up on me, or ordering Silvette to attack me or something," he sighed, pressing his thumb and index finger down on his closed eyelids and laughing awkwardly. "I hate making apologies. They make me feel like complete scum!"

   "That's a good reason why you should make them," I pointed out.

   "But it doesn't sound good enough!" he exclaimed, looking at me. "I know I really hurt you then, and I want to do more than say 'I'm sorry.'"

   I smiled knowingly. "So you're saying you want to repay me, then?"

    He realized what he meant and grinned, shaking his head. "Yes, that's exactly what it is," he agreed. "I'll do any favor you ask of me. Say the word and I'll help."

   "Hmm... I can't think of any favors at the moment, but I'll keep that in mind." I said, trying to put a mischievous emphasis on the second half of my response.

   "It seems I have little choice but to wait," he said reluctantly. "I bow to the whims of the pampered heir. I, Wallace, will do this thing you wish!" He gave a dramatic bow, smirking up at me. I burst out laughing at this. I had truly missed this dynamic between us that couldn't be replicated by anyone else. It felt amazing to have my friend back. After all, I never wanted him to go in the first place.

   "Yay, you guys made up! I knew you would!" Winona cheered, poking her head out of the dining room.

   "You've been telling me for weeks to apologize, and I've finally done it! Are you happy now?" Wallace pretended to complain, smiling.

   "Yeah, I am!" Winona replied.

   "But now that we're 'officially' friends again..." I started. "How did you two know I was here, anyways?" I asked.

   "Arietta called us pretty early this morning. We were visiting our dad when his Communicator suddenly started going off," Winona explained. "She told us you were here and we got over here as fast as we could. I guess the numbers I gave you worked out, huh?"

   I nodded. "Yes, and thank you again for that," I glanced about the room for the former Champion. "Also, where is Arietta?"

   "She said she was gonna go get some takeout for all of us. We're kinda supposed to babysit you until she gets back," Winona said.

   "Rather comforting to know I practically need a small army with me at all times." I tried to joke, but instead ended up shuddering at the thought of Valerie tracking me down. My response instilled an air of tension and uneasiness in the small home.

   "But on a sadly more serious note..." Wallace said, his voice taking on a more somber tone. "I heard about your mom and Meteor from Arietta. I-I'm sorry."

   I squeezed my eyes shut, clenching my jaw and nodding as turbulent negativity rose within me. "Th-thank you," I muttered through a sigh. "You know I'm going to get him back, even if Valerie insists on making him one of her personal Pokémon," I then said. "He's done almost everything with my feelings and best interests in mind. It would be beyond heartless if I didn't try to save him."

   Wallace gave me an understanding but puzzled look. "How are you going to do that? If Valerie personally has him, you can't exactly steal him back, not easily."

   "I don't know, but it needs to happen, and soon. The longer he has those bangles on, the longer he suffers," I said, thinking of all those times I was told that the puppets screamed.

   Winona tried to pipe up. "We could always—"

   "I'm back!" Faye announced over the sound of the front door opening and closing. She walked into the living room holding two packed plastic bags followed by Missy, who also held a bag in its jagged maw. "Oh good, you're up," she remarked when she saw me. "I grabbed some lunch for us. Onigiri and sushi sound good to you three?"

    Lunch was a mostly silent event. Very little conversation was had and I didn't mind it. With my constant nausea from my time spent captured now totally gone, my appetite had returned with a vengeance, and I gladly partook in the seaweed-wrapped balls of white rice and chilled Basculin meat. With all of us together again, it almost felt like things were back to normal, but Meteor's absent presence and the distinct tension-filled atmosphere begged to differ.

   "I'm contacting the police as soon as we're finished eating," Faye announced. "Steven knows where those lunatics are based. We'll call them, give them the details, and that psycho Valerie will be put away for life."

   "But what about Meteor?" I asked.

   Faye looked confused. "What about him? You'll get him back when Valerie's caught."

   I decided to voice a thought that had been nagging at me for a while now. "Not if she leaves before the police arrive. She could have taken Meteor and fled for all we know! " I rebutted, my heart sinking in dread.

   "Stevie has a point," Wallace concurred, looking just as concerned. "She could have already abandoned her base for all we know."

   "Couldn't the four of us bust in and take them on? We have over a dozen Pokémon put together," Winona said.

Fear seized me in a sickening hold. "No!" I burst out. Everyone looked at me, shocked. "W-we can't do that! Over a dozen Pokémon against how many? We'd be overpowered in a heartbeat! And if we are, we'd be captured and—!"

I imagined myself being thrown back in that horrible cell with Arceus-knew how many injuries earned via "punishment," Valerie smirking as she locked the door and threw away the key.

"I-I don't want to go back there. Please don't make me go back..!" I clenched my eyes shut and lowered my head, all I could do to keep the tears at bay.

  "Steven, are you—?" Wallace started.

"Yes, I'm fine!" I forced my head up and my eyes to open. I hurriedly wiped away any tears, making my eyes burn fiercely. I couldn't believe how selfish I was acting here, but I couldn't help it. "I-I'm fine," I insisted, though my stutter suggested otherwise. Everyone knew I was lying but didn't say anything about it.

"But Steven's right. Who knows how many puppets they have?" Faye said, still looking at me with concern. I didn't say anything, just nodded in silent agreement.

"Ranks don't matter if you abandon your stronghold. It wouldn't be easy to transport so many things, Pokémon or people, even if the former are in Poké Balls," Wallace said.

   "It's been over twelve hours since Steven got here. That's unfortunately more than enough time to jump ship," Faye countered sadly. "If they left, there's nothing we can do anything about it. And we definitely aren't going to investigate ourselves," she added, directing a sympathetic look at me.

  "Then call the police right now!" I cried. "We can't let Valerie escape! If she leaves with Meteor, then I'll probably never see him again!"

   "Didn't you just hear me?" Faye questioned. "There's nothing we can do if she's already gone!"

   "Don't say that! There has to be something we can do!" I exclaimed, my mind racing to think of a solution. Then out of nowhere a wash of chills and dizziness consumed me. I reflexively put a hand to my head, gritting my teeth against the spinning. It had been so long since I had a premonition that it startled me. The last thing I heard before being pulled into the vision was Faye asking if I was okay.

   The interior of Faye's home warped, tearing and fading away in favor of a brilliant blue and purple sunset atop a mountainous peak, an emerging half moon hanging just out of view. I stood alone facing Valerie, none of my friends nor any other Insurgents near us. Cracked and broken gravestones lined the path we were on. Valerie's arm was extended, reaching for a fist-sized hunk of dull ruby. I watched her snatch the ruby from the pedestal it rested upon, her lips contorting into a smirk.

   "Why are you insisting on doing this? You know that if you awaken Groudon, then everything will be destroyed!" I yelled, glaring at her.

   Valerie laughed, tightening her hold on the stone. "Not if you can control it!" she said, proudly holding it up to display the Omega symbol etched on its surface. "I know what Groudon is capable of, I've seen the content of your dreams more than enough times. But I know the future can be altered, and the risk will be worth it!"

   Confusion struck me. Wait, she's seen my dreams? How? I couldn't let her this. If she left with the Red Orb, then everything would fall apart! "Wasn't murdering my mom enough for you? Why do you think this is so necessary?"

   "Because I'm doing it all for you, Steven dearie! I want to protect you!"

"That's the reason why I left home in the first place," I said. "If I wanted to be protected, then I would have stayed where I was! I became the Champion so I could prove that I can protect myself!"

   "Some Champion you are," Valerie sighed. "I've heard enough out of you. If you want any chance of stopping me, then face me in a battle! I know you lost to Liam before, and he was the second-best battler in the Insurgents. If you couldn't defeat him then you stand no chance against me, especially without your Metagross! That's why you need my protection!"

   "That doesn't mean I won't try!" I proclaimed, snatching Maverick's Poké Ball from my bag. "I earned my position for a reason, and I'll prove why!"

   The Insurgent leader laughed mockingly, taking out a Poké Ball of her own. "Fine, then. Show me how 'strong' you are, little Champion!"

   When I came out of the vision, I gasped aloud, my mind a jumble of thoughts and revelations. Was this what Valerie had actually been planning this whole time? Stealing the Red Orb and capturing Groudon?

But this greatly contradicted the vision I had in Sootopolis, literal years worth of contradictions based on how old I seemed to be in the vision itself. At the same time, Valerie had said she saw my dreams, or nightmares to be exact. Did that change the future's outcome? Dread twisted within me at the thought of the death-riddled future I had foreseen coming true prematurely. But should I trust this premonition? None of them that hadn't been consciously altered were false.

   Wallace was explaining to Faye what was happening to me and my gasp cut him off mid-sentence. "What happened? What did you see?" he inquired frantically. I wasn't going to take the chance of what I had just seen being false, not if it could help me rescue my partner. I took a moment to let the remaining dizziness fade before I told them. They instantly fell into thought, trying to decipher the contents of my premonition.

   "I can't believe they're after Groudon! Are they insane?" Wallace asked, flabbergasted. I raised an eyebrow at his question and he added, "It was a rhetorical question."

   "You mentioned seeing graves," Faye commented. "That sounds like Mt. Pyre."

   That made sense. Mt. Pyre was Hoenn's rendition of the Pokémon graveyard that existed in every region. It seemed like a strange place to keep the Red and Blue Orbs, but I wasn't the one who needed to keep track of such legendary objects. I crossed my arms, my head tilting in puzzlement and thought. "Okay, we know where it's going to take place now..." I mused. "When is the next half moon?"

   "Half moon? What does that have to do with anything?" Winona asked.

   "It was close to nightfall in my vision, and I could see that there was going to be a half moon. And I mean the very beginnings of a half moon, not one a few days in."

   "Tonight's the start of the half moon," Wallace said, gazing out the window to the golden-tinged sky. "And it's almost sunset right now."

   That was the clincher. It was going to happen tonight. "We need to go, now!"

   "But what about the police?" Faye objected. "We can tell them and they can take care of it!"

   I shook my head. "There's not enough time! Valerie will take both the orb and Meteor, and we'll never catch her after that! You can call the police if you want, but you can't say that I've returned." I took my jacket from the back of the chair and started leaving the room, resolve igniting into a blaze. "I'm going, with or without you!" I called over my shoulder.

   "Aren't you afraid that Valerie will try to recapture you?" Faye asked in a last-ditch effort to change my mind.

   I stopped in my tracks, my courage wavering. I thought I was doing so well but the obvious was the one thing I wanted to avoid mentioning the most. I sighed before swallowing hard. "Yes, I am. I'm terrified," I admitted, trying to keep the trembling out of my voice. I turned back, hands clenching and resolve burning steadily. "But that won't stop me from rescuing my best friend, and you cannot change my mind!"

   "I'm coming with you," Wallace said, standing up and joining me near the room's entrance. "You don't have to convince me!"

   "Weren't the Insurgents the reason you wanted us to separate?" I inquired, confused.

   "Yes, but I'm not letting you go alone this time! You may be the Champion but you're not Arceus. After all, doesn't every Champion have an Elite Four to back them up?" He paused, reconsidering his words. "Um, make that pseudo-Elite One. You get my point!"

   "You mean Elite Two! I'm going, too!" Winona declared.

   "But Winnie, I don't want you—"

   "I'm going!" the girl reiterated, fixing her brother with a frosty lavender stare.

   Wallace sighed. "Then I guess I have no choice..." he uttered unwillingly.

   "Make it the pseudo-Elite Three. I'm going as well," Faye added. "You'll need all of the help you can get, and I'll be happy to be part of that. And most importantly, I won't let you get hurt again!" she said. Her voice then quieted. "You mean so much to me, and though risk-taking is my life, I don't want losing you to be one of those risks."

   Not sure how to interpret that last statement, I took it as her way of saying that I was one of her best friends, as Helena had once mentioned. Despite how much I berated myself over how I always needed help from others, this was an occasion I couldn't refuse said help. "Th-thank you. You all don't know how much this means to me..."

   I took a breath, quelling the blend of emotions in favor of unbridled confidence. I put my jacket on and briefly admired the value of what adorned it. The badges, the Mega Stickpin, and I couldn't forget the new additions to my ensemble—the silver rings. They all made it come together in a way I couldn't explain. They made me feel like... myself.

Broken and afraid as I was then, I was still Steven Stone, the son of Carol and Joseph Stone, the heir to the Devon Corporation, and the Hoenn Champion. And Valerie was going to learn that last fact the hard way. You won't have to wait much longer, Meteor. We're coming.