Welcome back readers!
As anticipated here is the new chapter
Hopefully this chapter will answer many questions you've been having ;D

This chapter will also give you a better look inside Brendan's angsty, hormonal, teenage mind.
- enjoy~

Chapter 11: Steven did what?

I never would have guessed that after all of my backbreaking work to make my way to Ever Grande City, I would be so quick to fly back to Sootopolis. Hell, I'd just gotten out of that sunken city.

Regardless, I found myself hauling my team back to the doorstep of the famous water gym leader…again. I had no choice; I was at a dead end. I wanted to get my hands on Steven and the only person I knew of that would be able to find him was Wallace. I have to admit that it was a little punch to my pride that I had to crawl at the feet of this guy to find Steven, but I really had no hope of finding him on my own.

Besides, from what I've seen Wallace looked like competition. He was so close to Steven, they've known each other forever. When I last spoke to Wallace after our gym battle he was so protective of Steven…They've probably already done it.

I crossed my arms at the thought and almost high-tailed it back to Ever-Grande to wait it out; but I couldn't wait for him anymore. I needed Steven soon.

With every fiber of strength in my body I swallowed my pride and re-approached the small adobe home to rap on the door. At least he was really nice. He wouldn't be pissed off at me for coming to him. He seemed like a sweet guy…

I could hear a muffled voice coming from inside the house and then the door flung open. Wallace was standing there- or what sort of looked like Wallace- with a deflated look on his face. The face staring down at me was white as a Silcoon and looked deadly tired. I could barely even recognize the man with knotted hair and deep purple bags under his somewhat-bloodshot eyes. I suddenly was ashamed of any envy I had previously felt for this man. He looked…awful.

"Brendan? What in Arceus' name are you doing here?" It was weird seeing the previously elegant man so disheveled in capris and a baggy shirt. I looked away from the pitiful man and grabbed my shirt hem tightly.

"I need help finding Steven." I could hear the man laugh tiredly as he ushered me into his home.

"So do the rest of us... you're more than welcome to join the search." I kicked off my sneakers and followed him into the living room, where he collapsed on the couch. The poor guy looked like he hadn't slept in days. He probably hadn't.

"Is…is there…" I looked around his pristine house in a moment of distraction. The lightly colored room was decorated in a sea-like theme, with shell lamps and sand adorned candles. I knelt by the sofa where Wallace slumped. "What can I do to help?"

His tired blue eyes met mine; I could see a sparkle of surprise in them as he reached out and patted my head.

"You're sweet, dear. I don't need to burden you with-"

"Anything." I urged. This man was obviously working himself to the bone to find the person I held dear. If there was anything I could do to make his load lighter I would do it. He smiled lightly and quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Do you know how to brew tea?"

"Would you like me to?" I hopped up quickly, not very pleased when he chuckled at me.

"Well, I have a tea set on the counter in the kitchen. There is a jar of Chamomile…which would be lovely." He looked up at me so tenderly; it was hard to believe I barely knew the man. His eyes are so pale. I just nodded enthusiastically and headed off to where the kitchen seemed to be.

Fortunately his tidy kitchen was easy to find. Like he said there was a fine tea set out complete with cups and saucers. After setting the pot aside to boil I noticed a mess of papers heaped on his kitchen table. There were books and maps shuffled everywhere. I sat at the wooden table and picked up some papers to examine. I didn't mean to be so nosy, but I came here with so many questions that were still unanswered.

The papers in my hands were maps of caves and towns of Hoenn, but not only Hoenn. One looked like a foreign region like Kanto or Johto, which I had only heard about briefly during school. Was it possible that Steven went to one of these regions? I felt my stomach churn at the thought. If Steven was off hiding in an unknown region we might never find him.

Ugh! Why didn't he just tell me up front that he was the Champion? Was he just toying with me because I'm younger? What the hell, I'm not a fucking toy.

I glared at the papers on the table, as if it were their fault that my Steven ran off; my thoughts cut off by the screeching teapot. I almost jumped out of my skin at the whistle, but I had to admit that the tea was a convenient distraction from anything concerning Steven leaving Hoenn.

With the grace of a Muk I prepared the Chamomile that Wallace requested. I had only made tea a handful of times before and the last thing I wanted to do was break the man's pretty china…even if he was a love rival. I slowly brought the tray into the living room and set it down on the table, which I'm proud to say went smoothly and unbroken-ly.

When I looked up at Wallace, who was curled up on the couch, he smiled so kindly towards me.

"You're darling…thank you so much. I don't think I could have done that without some disaster happening." He reached out a shaky hand and cupped the china close, breathing in the steam. I settled myself on the floor across from him and sipped my own tea.

"So…how long has Steven been gone?" Wallace's pale eyes closed and he sighed.

"The day that you went into the Cave of Origin, he went to talk to his father. From what Mr. Stone told me, they had gotten in a bit of a spat and then he just…disappeared." He fingered at his cup nervously staring into the brown liquid.

Was I part of the reason he left? I know Wallace was really freaked out that day…

"Does he do this a lot?" Wallace glanced up at me and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Only once did he run away longer than this…it's been over 3 weeks now." He leaned forward and hushed his voice as if he were telling me a secret "He went missing for two whole months when his mother passed." I can't imagine how awful it is to have your mother die, but two months in isolation?

"Where did you find him?"

"I didn't, he just came back on his own. Later he told me that he was creating his own passages in the Shoal Cave. With the constant tide changes there no one could have found him anyway."

"Do you think he's there again?" Wallace shook his head and finished the last of his tea, setting the cup aside.

"Unfortunately no, it's very unlike Steven to return to a cave that he's already spent so much time in." He brightened up a bit. "Oh, and thank you again for the tea. Steven's chosen such a sweet boy. I'm happy for the two of you."

Why was he glad? Wasn't he pursuing Steven too? I felt a little discouraged at the thought. If Steven really was considering Wallace, I wouldn't stand a chance.

"Aren't you a thing with Steven though?"

"Pardon?"

"Like…aren't you guys a couple or something?" Wallace looked confused and surprised. Suddenly he broke out laughing and leaned over the table to pat the side of my head. Normally I'd be offended that someone kept treating me like a little kid, but with Wallace I didn't mind too much.

"Oh honey, you have got such a wrong impression. Steven and I have never cared for each other that way." I placed my tea on the table. Really? But they are so close!

"But aren't you gay too?" Wallace raised an eyebrow at me and crossed his legs.

"Hon, just because I'm gay doesn't mean I want a relationship with every guy in my life. Steven's always been like a much younger sibling to me." He combed back his hair, trying to make his waves lay neatly against his head. "Besides, I only like older men."

It was like someone lifted a giant weight off of my chest. If I didn't have Wallace as competition no one could get in my way of Steven! A faint echo in the back of my mind reminded me that I'd have to find the man first, but that wasn't going to bring me down. I was psyched.

"Are there any other cute boys like me trying to get their hands on Steven too?" Wallace looked beyond amused.

"Brendan, I can assure you wholeheartedly that no one but you stands a chance with Steven. You've got him smitten." My heart fluttered at the thought. I was so excited about all of this I thought that my heart was going to take off out of my chest and float away, but then I remembered a bleak detail about Steven.

"If he's so smitten, why the hell didn't he tell me that he was the Champion?" How could I forget all of the crap I had to go through because he didn't tell me? What the hell was that about? Wallace looked at me with soft eyes, smoothing his hand along the other.

"I did talk to him about that. You have to understand something about Steven. When it comes to a topic he knows nothing about, he tends to shy away from it. He fears the unknown- or rather what is unknown to him. He was worried that you would reject him if you knew." Reject him? Why the heck would I do that?

"Obviously I'd find out sooner or later." Why couldn't it have been sooner? I wanted him so badly.

"He was being a coward. I'm glad that you chose not to reject him though." It was nice to have the man to chat with; although he was exhausted he had such a calming presence about him.

"What about you? Is there anyone you like that way?" Wallace's smile faded and his eyes began to look distant and glassy.

"There was…" he sighed sadly. "He passed away. I still love him so much though." I felt kind of awful for asking. How could I have accused him of loving Steven when he was really mourning the loss of his lover? I feel like a jerk…

"Wow, I'm so sorry. Was it recently?" He smiled sadly and shook his head.

"No, it was about two years ago. His name was Juan…have you heard of him? He was the handsome French man that used to run my gym." I thought back to important meetings with people that I had attended with my father. I did remember a man with peppered hair and a French accent, his name might have been Juan…it had been a long time since I'd seen the man though.

"You know, before Steven was the Champion it was Juan. He was a flawless trainer and coordinator. Everything I know is thanks to him." Wallace curled his legs up onto the couch. "Pancreatic Cancer took him away from me. Not a day goes by that I don't miss him…tu me manques mon chéri." Honestly, I wasn't surprised that Wallace knew French; especially since his lover had been French. I didn't need to know what he said to understand how much he loved and missed Juan.

"That's so sad…" I stood up from the floor and walked over to the exhausted, mournful man. I sat next to him on the couch and wrapped him in the tightest Ursaring hug I could give him. He leaned into the hug and sniffled. I knew there wasn't much I could do to make him feel better, but a hug wouldn't do anything but help. Wallace rested his head on my shoulder and rubbed my arm.

"Thank you, honey. I'm glad that Steven's fallen for such a compassionate young man." He smiled up at me and pinched my cheek. "And you're so cute as well!" I rubbed my sore cheek and sat back on the couch.

"Not to change the topic to suddenly…but did he really fall for me? Am I really his type?" Wallace settled in the plush cushions on the couch and chuckled, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, the man has fallen for you, but up until now I wasn't so sure he even had a type…other than Steel. His love life has always been an enigma."

"How long have you known him?" He yawned and rubbed his eye gently, scratching at his still-messy hair.

"I met Steven when he was a little younger than you. I was busy training with Juan for Pokémon Contests and he attended one of my shows. He was so enthused; he found me after the competition and bombarded me with questions. He used to be such an energetic child."

I couldn't even picture Steven younger than me. The only Steven I knew, the only one I really wanted to know, was the incredibly hot, buff, and sexy one. I tried to mask the chill that shook my body at the thought.

"That's right, you're supposed to be like…the best coordinator out there, right?" Wallace blushed a little and smiled shyly.

"Not really, I just train very hard with my Pokémon. Juan helped us to master the art of competing."

"I've always admired coordinators. I entered a few amateur contests along my journey, but I was kind of on a mission to find the champion."

"Now you've found him. You have plenty of time to pursue that dream now." He curled up and sighed. "If you'd like I could assist you with tips and training some time."

"Really? That would be the coolest!" I watched his eyes droop while he fought to keep them open.

I had almost forgotten how worried this man was over Steven. Of course I was worried, but I probably was just taking his safety for granted. If anything did happen to Steven I'd be crushed. He was the only person I ever wanted to hold me. From the looks of things it wasn't going to get easy very soon; he might as well catch up on sleep.

"You know Wallace…if you want to sleep that's alright with me. I can go home or-" He waved his hand dismissingly.

"Oh you don't have to do that." He fought back a yawn and sighed. "Would it be asking too much to ask you to stay and watch the phone and door? I've been too scared to fall asleep and miss something important. I know there are dozens of search teams looking for him right now- goodness every cop in the region is looking for the man. But if he decides to come to anyone I know it will be me…and I have to be…there." His eyes slipped closed with a sigh and his breathing grew deep.

I think that coming to Wallace for help to find Steven may have been a really good idea. No one knew Steven better, and I really, really, wanted Steven. Because the man was so motherly and kind to me, I felt awful about my previous jealousy. I could only guess that since Steven's own mother died Wallace decided to step in and fill that role the best he could.

The polished, pretty man looked so wrecked over the disappearance of his best friend. Even though I didn't know him well, it seemed very out of character of him to let himself go unkempt and without sleep. I never had such a strong relationship with anyone the way that Wallace and Steven had. Seeing how the two cared for each other made something deep in my chest itch for whatever it was they had-and more. I wanted to be Steven's crutch and his lover. I didn't just want him to bend me over and drive me wild- don't get me wrong, I wanted that so very much- but I wanted to have a close loving relationship with him. I wanted to love that man. I wanted him to love me.

I smiled at Wallace and stood up to examine the room. I wanted to get a closer look at his ribbons first. In the frame hanging he had what had to be more than 40 ribbons displayed neatly. There were blue ribbons, green ribbons, red, orange, yellow, purple, silver, and rainbow ribbons. There was practically any color and design of contest ribbon you could imagine hanging in his frame. On a shelf beside the frame sat a few frames of contest photos. In most, Wallace and his Pokémon were together proudly with giant trophies and flowers. One particular photo caught my eye.

In one frame I found Wallace standing beside a neatly trimmed gentleman who had his arm around Wallace's waist. I picked up the frame to get a closer look. Wallace was holding a large bouquet of roses and looking up admiringly at the man. The man with streaked hair and a small pencil moustache was donned in elegant clothing, much like Wallace's, and clutching him at the hip. I knew without a fraction of a doubt that this man was Juan.

I carefully put the photo back among the others and continued looking around the room. He had a photo organizer up on another wall. With closer examination, I found pictures of Wallace and acquaintances of all sorts. There were a few more photos of him and Juan, one of the two holding hands on a beach, one of Juan laughing with cake icing on his face, and another of them with their foreheads pressed together. It was very bittersweet to see the love of these two people that were torn apart. I noticed a familiar face in a few more photos. Steven was in multiple photos as well, I finally got a glimpse of him at a younger age. My favorite photo was of him clinging onto the back of a Steelix, looking terrified out of his mind. One of the photos of Steven fishing with Juan gave me a much appreciated look at the man's well-toned upper body.

I don't think that my prior expectations of the Champion, physically and through his personality, could have been better met than with a man like Steven. Even though he made stupid rash decisions, like running away to play treasure hunter in a big cave, Steven was everything I ever wanted in a man. He was not only intelligent and powerful, but he was compassionate and so fucking sexy. I was admittedly pissed that he had the nerve to run away from me when I was so close to having him in my embrace, but I knew I would quickly forgive him for all of the drama and crap that he put me through once I got him in bed. And even though he was stupid for ever thinking that I would reject him, I knew that his sweet kisses would make up for everything.

I sighed like a love-struck schoolgirl and continued to wander around Wallace's house and appreciate the small details he put into every decoration. I liked how in one display cabinet he had an assortment of corals of every color, and water stones. There were so many water stones he must not have known what to do with them all. Regardless of the quantity, Wallace still managed to make them look polished and neatly arranged. Wallace clearly had the finest eye for his decorating style; it seemed very suiting for the stylish man.

Once I made my way back to the kitchen, I sat down at the table and started to sift through his papers once again. On each map, Hoenn, Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh he had every cave and tunnel highlighted and coded. He clearly had tracking down Steven to a system. While looking at the countless caves, I started to worry that we would never find Steven. There were so many places that Steven could have been that the possibility of us finding the right one was so slim. I had just found out that Steven was the man of my dreams and I needed to show him how much I wanted him, but now it was starting to look like I would never get the opportunity.

I flashed back to when I first met Steven in the Dewford cave. I never expected the man that I was delivering Mr. Stone's letter to would be so charming and attractive. He was so flustered when I found him that he could barely talk- it was adorable. And the next time I found him collapsed in the middle of the road...I was so scared. I had never come across anyone unconscious before, and he was so handsome. I probably didn't leave the best impression on our first meeting, so that time I planned to leave a good one. I remember just how peaceful he looked laying there, but his defensive Pokémon kept me on my toes. Then that night at Fortree…where he first kissed me. I felt like my journey with my team had come to an end, but Steven tried to cheer me up and helped me, and kissed me. He wanted me. it was like that day he was trying to communicate to me that he was the champion. And then the day I fought against Maxie I got a glimpse at Steven's powerful side before I passed out. He was so protective of me; he really must care about me.

All of these memories I had of him made me remember that I loved the Champion- no. I loved Steven. I finally came to terms with my love for Steven…and I may not even see him again. I felt tears begin to leak from my eyes and fall onto the maps beneath me. At this rate Steven would never know how I felt about him and I would never see his handsome face again. I tried my hardest to fight back my tears and look forward to when I would see him again. Steven had to be fine; he knew what he was doing. If there was one person who knew his way around a dark cave, it had to be him.

I had time plenty of time to kill while Wallace slept, so I pulled out my Pokénav and switched on the radio. Instead of being greeted by music I was met with a news broadcast.

"And we would ask that anyone with information regarding the man's disappearance would contact authorities immediately. Again, Mr. Stone is approximately 183 cm tall, has silver hair and is 22 years of age. This man would be expected in cave-like areas and has been missing for 3 weeks. Please-" I switched off the radio and stared at my contact list. I didn't want to hear about Steven's absence anymore.

Twenty two years old though…He wasn't as old as I thought he was. That made it only a five year age difference. I felt a slight twinge of guilt for always calling him an old man, but not much guilt. I chuckled and stared at Steven's name in my contacts. I knew that if I called him there would be no answer, so I slid the Pokénav back into my pocket with a sigh and stood up. I remembered a bookshelf in the living room that could help me kill some time.

When going back into the room I found Wallace sprawled out on the couch with one foot on the floor, his mouth was hanging open and a few light snores escaped him. Even though the man was a lot older and exhausted to death, he still looked pretty cute. I grabbed the Afghan draped over the back of the couch and tucked the sleeping man in. On the bookshelf I found an assortment of Pokémon contest training manuals. With a glance back at the sleeping man on the couch, I grabbed a thick book off of the shelf. This ought to kill some time.

A trainer must spend rigorous hours perfecting each move-set with their Pokémon. The Pokémon is not naturally equipped with the perfection of any given move to the standards of contest judges. Only through many trials of the moves will the Pokémon reach its full potential. While working with said Pokémon, it is very important to keep in-

Wallace groaned loudly and sprung up in a sitting position, nearly causing me to piss myself. I dropped the book I was reading onto the floor and clutched my convulsing heart, staring at Wallace wide-eyed. The exhausted man had been asleep about 3 hours and finally jolted awake with a bang.

Wallace was now wide awake and gaping at me.

"Brendan! Oh my goodness gracious, you've been here waiting while I slept! I'm so, so sorry. I just-"

"It's fine Wallace, you just scared the shit out of me." He covered his face with his hands and swung his legs over the couch.

"I'm sorry it wasn't intentional. Good lord, how long have I been out? You must have been bored to death. Are you hungry?" He stood up and picked up the book I dropped, handing it back to me.

"No thanks, I'm good. You slept a couple of hours, but its fine. You didn't miss any phone calls or visitors." Wallace smoothed a hand over my cheek.

"You're such a doll. Thank you." He gestured at my hat and smiled gently. "You've been here quite a while. You're not comfortable enough to take your hat off?" My hand instinctively reached up to pull the hat further down my forehead.

"I'm plenty comfortable; I'd like to keep my hat on though." I fingered at my bangs sticking out from beneath it. No one wanted to see my scars… even I didn't want to see them. I could see the concern clear on his face.

"Are you positive? I've been keeping it kind of warm in here…" I slid a finger under my hat and touched the odd patch of skin with no hair. I closed my eyes and sighed, he was just going to worry anyway. Something told me that Wallace wouldn't be scared of my scars, not like some others.

I slipped off my hat, watching the man's reaction as he noticed the large hypertrophic scars on my forehead.

"I got them when I was little." I quickly whispered. Then he did something that no one else ever did. Wallace smiled and ruffled his hand through my hair, casually brushing the scars.

"That's it? Why bother hiding this head of pretty hair because of a few little scars?" He chuckled and crouched down to my eye level. "Besides, it gives you character."

My tongue was stuck, I was lost for words. I just sat there gawping with my hat clutched in my fingers. Character?

"Now come with me to the kitchen, hon. You said that you wanted to help me find Steven, and this man isn't going to find himself. That's for sure." He giggled airily and sauntered into the kitchen. I hopped up and followed close on his heels. When we sat around the kitchen table and Wallace began to organize his papers, I fingered at my hair vigorously. It felt so odd to not be wearing my hat.

"So you know what cave he's in?" Wallace pulled out a number of cave maps and spread them out on the table.

"Last time Steven mentioned rocks, he said he was looking for a Moon stone, I believe. That narrows it down to… 6 possible caves. It took me forever to get all of this information, and now I'm stuck with 6 enormous caves to choose from." He sighed and shuffled through them. I propped my chin on the palm of my hand.

"Why don't we look at the most likely first? Where was he last seen?"

"He was in Rustburo with his father." He combed his hair back. "So where will you be staying now that you're done traveling?"

"Well…I guess I'll stay at the Pokémon league until I can work something out." I didn't want to go back home after all of my hard work. I wasn't giving up yet.

"If you'd like I could help provide meals. I always have extra here." He smiled up at me and set aside a few maps. So kind.

He picked up one map and looked at it intently, it had a few words scrawled on it and the cave looked pretty big. His jaw dropped and he folded up the map.

"Brendan…I have to make a trip. I'll have my Pokénav on me, if you need to contact me. I don't know how long I'll be gone." He looked shocked and like he was on auto-pilot as he stood up from the table and gathered himself to leave.

"Can I come with you?"If he was going to go get Steven I wanted to be there to drag the idiot out too.

"No honey, I don't think that's a good idea. You should probably go head back to the League. I don't know how long this will take." I followed him to the door, where he slipped on a thin coat and sneakers. "There's no telling what I'm going to find. I'll let you know when I have news, okay sweetie?" I stared up at the man and pulled back on my hat. I tried my best not to sulk, but how was I going to get closer to Steven if I never had the chance?

I nodded and gathered my belongings at the door, squeezing Wallace in a quick hug.

"Bring him back home so I can beat some sense into him." He broke into a smile and brushed my bangs to the side.

"I'll do my best, Brendan."

I loved the crackling sound of debris scattering on the dirt floor, the jolt that wracked my body as I slammed the heavy metal tool into the thick wall, the feeling against my feet as the stones I just crushed crumbled before me. For me, there was no better feeling in the world.

With a satisfied sigh, I reached up and wiped the dust from my face, which was unclean and unshaven- but that didn't faze me. After the time I'd spent in solitude with my small companion, I was Zen at last. I had found a place where all worries of the outer world could no longer reach me and it felt marvelous. Meanwhile my Aron nosed through the remains at my shoes, eating a few stones.

I used my brush to cast aside any dust concealing gems in the cavern wall, finding a few uninteresting stones and minerals. It wasn't long before I heaved my pick-axe above my shoulder and smashed away at the thick sheet of stone again. My hands had long since been coated in a dry layer of clay and nails filled with dirt, my hair was most likely unrecognizable, and face had certainly been sheened with dust and mud; All petty things in my opinion. I was on a mission; a mission to find a stone…and a mission to forget. Aron trotted around the cavern and continued digging in a hole that he had previously started.

At this point, I had lost track of how long we'd been down there. I knew that it had been over a number of weeks and that our food supply that I had prepared was beginning to thin out. I enjoyed this cave more than others though, in this outlet there were never any trainers and few Pokémon. It was quite serene and the quiet echo of the distant waterfall created a pleasant atmosphere in the cavern. Because of the water, the air was never very dry and I could easily wash off any unwanted dirt. My Aron had the greatest time digging himself meters into the soft floor of the cave; and best yet, it was almost an unfamiliar cave to me. It was perfect.

The thick metal of my axe collided with the brittle rock of the wall, breaking off large chunks of crusted rock and allowing me further into the secrets of the cave. I ran a bare hand along the cool barrier, examining each bump and crevice of rock before me. After spending so much time in this area of the cave I began to feel connected to it, the cavern had become somewhat of an accustomed friend to me. I had memorized the structure of the area, counted the wondrous stalactites many a nights; if necessary I could have easily maneuvered around the area in the darkest of blacks without difficulty.

The wall crumbled at the force of my axe for the umpteenth time just when my Aron scrambled out of his hole and screeched. He ran for my legs and stepped on my feet excitedly. Was a large Pokémon approaching? His head pressed against my shin, I searched the entrance of my cavern with a flashlight, hearing approaching footsteps and a fit of coughing. I placed my axe on a nearby boulder and went to investigate who was invading me. No one had found me this time, it had happened numerous times before in other caves; this time I thought I was well hidden and completely isolated, but it appeared some poor soul wandered his way too deep into the cave and was trying to find his way out.

"Hello? Sir, can I help you in any way?" I heard a distant gasp and the footsteps increased in speed and force. Before I could identify what was happening, I felt myself being tackled in a tight hug by a shaking body. Initially I thought that I was being attacked, but I quickly realized what was happening when I looked down at a very familiar head of teal hair on my chest. "Wallace." The name slipped from my lips as an instinctual whisper as I cradled his head in a dirty hand.

He quaked against me and clung to my ribcage so tightly I almost worried about asphyxiation.

"Steven…Steven…oh hell, Steven." He sounded like he was…sobbing.

"Is everything alright, Wallace?" He looked up at me with teary eyes and tried to mouth words for a moment.

"A…Alright? You blasted fool! You've been missing for practically month now! Of course everything's not…I thought you were-" He choked on a sob and buried his face in my chest to cry more. I stroked his hair, feeling a pang of guilt strike me. It was so very strange to see Wallace cry. He had always been the stronger of us; in fact, I hadn't seen my friend cry since he passed.

"I'd ought to slap you." He croaked out with an exasperated chuckle.

I had no words; I could only hold him as he wept against me. He looked awful, his hair was a dirty mess, his clothes were unsuited for a cave and spotted with dirt and slightly wet, and as I felt his frame he seemed significantly thinner.

I felt ashamed of my selfishness. How could I have up and left so abruptly without even considering how it would affect him? The least I could have done was warn him of my absence.

"I'm so sorry." I settled my hands at his shoulder blades and he turned his cheek against my chest.

"You can't keep doing this kind of crap, Steven." He sniffled and backed away looking up at me with those tearful eyes. His face was smudged with dirt and grime and his eyes were lined with heavy bags underneath. "You're the only family I have left. You could have d..di-" I bowed my head as he coughed fitfully.

"It won't happen again. I promise." He rubbed his eyes and laughed in exhaustion.

"I forgive you. I'm so relieved that you're alright…" Of course I'm alright, what else would I be?

"I'm impressed that you managed to find me. Maybe you are meant to be a cave explorer after all…" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood and he pressed a map towards me.

"This was the only cave in the region with Moon Stones, you said that's what you were looking for. I just followed the map all over the cave to try and find you." I took the map into my hands and examined all of the crossed out areas and notes were scattered along the detailed cave map.

"Very good Wallace. I'm even more impressed that you were so efficient." He clung to me in a hug again, not quite as constricting as before.

"I was so worried about you. Brendan was worried too, and your father. The whole region has been searching for you like crazy." I stepped back from him as the name rung in my head. It was one that had begun to seem foreign.

"Brendan? He knew that I disappeared?" Wallace rubbed at his eyes.

"Yes. Well, you see…He made it to the League and the secretary had told him that you were missing." I toyed over his words for a minute; it seemed like they were a different language, my brain refusing to accept the information.

"Wait a minute…are you telling me that he knows?" My heart throbbed wildly, he knew my secret. Wallace nodded gently and brushed the topic aside.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter. All of that can be situated. We need to get out of here and you need to go home and shower. You also need to inform work that you're returning." I turned away and began gathering some of my items.

"But I'm not." I knew it came off as brusque. I heard him sputter.

"Pardon?" I tossed my pack over my shoulder and held my pick-axe in hand.

"I'm not returning to work. I've been thinking while I was down here that maybe I'm not suited for the position of Champion any longer. My priorities have been altered." He gaped at me like I had just sprouted another head.

"But Steven, you can't just-" I picked up my lantern and beckoned my Aron, heading towards the exit of the cavern.

"I understand that I can't just leave without filling the position." Wallace followed behind me, still flabbergasted by my news. "Would you be the new Hoenn Champion, Wallace?"

"Steven! You can't possibly be serious right now!"

"I'm absolutely serious." I rolled my shoulders and glanced back at my best friend with a grin. "I would be honored if you would be my replacement. I know that you will fill the roll wonderfully." He stammered for a moment and broke out into laughter.

"This is nonsense, but I think that…Well I guess that I'm just…" He snorted and almost tripped beside me. "Okay." I shot him a large smile and chuckled lightly.

"That's lovely." We continued much of our trip out of the cave in silence, just enjoying the other's presence; it was quite nice actually. When I knew that we would be approaching the exit soon I stopped and turned to Wallace, squeezing him in a quick hug.

"Thank you for coming to get me." He reached up and brushed the hair out of my face and gave me one of his signature motherly smiles.

"You're entirely welcome."

I had spent so much time convincing myself that I needed to get away so badly, which may have been somewhat true, but to be completely honest I was looking forward to going home again. I wanted to shower and sleep in my bed and enjoy the luxuries of indoor electricity once more.

It was nice to have the responsibility of the Champion lifted off of my shoulders so easily. There was one thing that was gnawing at the back of my head constantly however:

Would Brendan still want me now that I was retired?

I departed from my dear friend and hopped on my Skarmory to take flight.

There was only one way to find out…

Cliffhangers are just cruel, aren't they?
And what was that, Steven's stepping down? What in the world is happening here?
Well don't worry lovelies, I know what I'm doing.

Also a side note about Brendan's scar- I know that Ruby in the manga has the Salamance scar where it's not mentioned in the games for Brendan; I decided that it would be nice to give Brendan the scar for character development that will be touched on some more in the next chapter.

So leave me your thoughts so far! Tell me that you're hungry for more and maybe you'll be lucky and get a chapter next month :D
Are you anxious? Sad about lil' Wallace's tragic romance? Angry at Steven for being such a rock-head?

Let it all out in that little review box and come back to see how it all unravels in the next chapter- it's gonna be cray cray.

Until next time~