Author Notes:
Inspired by the Pokémon Adventures past story background between Winona and Wallace.
I've never actually read the actual manga, but the setting intrigued me all the same.
I could only hope I gave the setting justice through this chapter, though.
A few days after winning the Gym Challenge against Tate and Liza in Mossdeep, Sip and I stayed around the city for a while, even getting to visit the Mossdeep Space Center that Sip did not get to due to being captured by Team Willpower during his last visit to Mossdeep. Since I had already reached the minimum number of Gym Badges required for the Ever Grande League with sufficient time remaining, I was confident enough that I could finish the two remaining Gym Challenges in time. Thus, I felt that I could give myself some leeway for free time to enjoy the remainder of my journey in Hoenn.
Afterwards, it seemed that Winona's schedule was freed up, as she contacted me to be ready for the next morning, which I obliged.
…Which brought us to this current moment, where Sip and I were waiting for Winona outside the Mossdeep PokéCentre.
As we awaited for Winona's arrival, I asked Sip, "Now that you finished collecting all the Gym Badges, what's your plans before the Ever Grande League starts?"
"Oh, I'm going to return home for a short while to visit my parents." Sip replied, "After the kidnapping news broke out to my family, they're quite worried about me, so I just wanted to assure them that I'm perfectly fine to continue my journey."
"Yeah, that'll definitely convince them." I said, thinking about my parents who did eventually give me a scolding after their private talk with Charmaine.
"Then, I'll probably help out in the hot springs for a bit and return to training before heading to Ever Grande City." Sip summarized.
"You really thought far ahead." I was impressed, "For now, I'm just focusing on completing the remaining Gym Challenges at hand before I want to do anything else."
"Take your time, Lows." Sip smiled, "You're heading to Sootopolis next, right?"
"Yeah."
"Out of every Gym Leader I had battled in Hoenn, I'd say Wallace was definitely the strongest with his Water type Pokémon. He gave me a really rough time during the Gym Challenge, so give it your all when you battle him."
I laughed, "Nothing's really easy anymore at this point, isn't it?"
"You have a point." Sip chuckled.
Just as our brief conversation came to an end, we saw a Bird Pokémon descend from the sky before landing in front of us, which was revealed to be Winona's Altaria, Merodī, as her Trainer temporarily lifted the flying goggles off her eyes and greeted us two, "Sip, Lows, I heard from Tate and Liza that you aced in the multi battle Gym Challenge against them. Good work."
"I wouldn't say we aced it… But thanks, Winona." I smiled.
"Some extra confidence wouldn't hurt in your journeys." Winona said, "Now, let's get going, Lows."
Fortunately, Sip was strong enough to help me properly get on the Altaria's back. With that, I lightly grabbed onto Winona's back and looked at Sip, "See you soon in Ever Grande City!"
Sip responded with a huge grin on his face, "Good luck, Lows!"
The Lavaridge native waved us goodbye as Merodī took off for our trip to Sootopolis City.
On the way to our next destination, I was definitely less nervous compared to my previous flight, after Winona showcased her excellent proficiency in flying that made sure I had nothing to worry about. As such, I was able to have a quick chat with the Fortree Gym Leader, "Winona, how did the Gym Challenge with Regis go?"
Winona was secretive in her response, "Take a guess, Lows."
"I have full faith in Regis that he's done well." I said.
Winona never looked behind to answer properly, but the gentle smile on her face was visible as she slowly soared higher in the sky on her Altaria, before we flew past a few tall mountains ahead of our way. Afterwards, she flew downwards until some buildings were visible in our sights. Locating a decent spot to make the landing, Merodī gently descended from the sky under Winona's instructions as her feet eventually made light contact with the ground below.
It looks like we have arrived at Sootopolis City.
Sootopolis City
"The mystical city where history slumbers."
As I carefully got off Merodī with Winona's help, I looked around the city and noticed the endless flights of stairs around the area to get to multiple builders. A sense of dread instantly hit me, realization hit me that the upcoming days would be quite the hassle just moving around Sootopolis, both either with his crutches or wheelchair.
Thankfully, Winona offered to push me on my wheelchair around the city until we reached the PokéCentre, which I appreciated as it saved me from some of the trouble temporarily. Throughout my Trainer journey in Hoenn, I definitely owed Winona the most out of all the Gym Leaders in the region, other than my sister, of course.
As we entered the PokéCentre, I immediately became surprised of the numerous framed paintings displayed on the walls inside the building, which consisted of many things, ranging from the city sceneries, to random Pokémon in the region, to unknown individuals and buildings, all drawn in intriguing fashions.
"Wow…" The amused feeling came out of my mouth just as naturally, as I looked at Winona, who seemed oddly lost in thought as she stared around the paintings in the centre. Suddenly, I noticed one of the nurses working in the PokéCentre examining us before exclaiming in surprise, "O-Oh! You're the Fortree Gym Leader, Winona!"
"That'd be me." Winona nodded, "It's been a while since I visited Sootopolis. Anyways, this Trainer in front of me would like to get a room."
"We'll get you registered right away!" The nurse returned to her professional self as she helped me register for a room in just a few minutes. Once I was handed the key card for my temporary stay, I thanked the nurse as I suddenly heard the PokéCentre doors behind us opening, following a familiar presence that was too hard to not notice.
"The Sootopolis Gym Leader, Wallace?" I said, the figure all too unforgettable from his important role during the meeting in Wally's Gym. Wallace immediately saw us two, which surprised him for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual demeanor before greeting us, "Winona, Lows, it's great to see you two here. Especially you, Lows. Ever since everything that happened a few weeks back, I never got the chance to properly thank you for everything you have done to subdue Team Willpower."
A polite bow soon followed after he finished his sentence.
"I didn't really do much…" I was feeling a little shy to take full credit, "It was mainly the PLA members like you and Winona who did most of the work."
"Give yourself more credit, Lows. You did well." Wallace said with a dazzling smile on his face, before turning his attention to the Fortree Gym Leader, "Winona, what brings you here? You haven't really been to Sootopolis in a while."
Winona smiled, "Bringing the hero of the region around cities for his remaining Gym Challenges. That includes you, Wallace."
"Looking forward to our battle then, Lows." Wallace said.
"Same here, Wallace." I smiled, "We were actually enjoying the paintings in the PokéCentre earlier. They really strike differently compared to the other PokéCentres I've visited in different cities in Hoenn."
"I'm glad you enjoyed them!" Wallace said.
"Who drew them, may I ask?"
"That would be me, thank you very much." Wallace looked proud upon giving his reply.
Winona then looked at me and explained, "Besides being a Gym leader, Wallace is also famous for being a Coordinator and artist, who often drew artwork to be displayed around Sootopolis, and even in art galleries in the Lilycove Museum."
"I see!" For some reason, I did not feel surprised hearing his talents and achievements. Wallace just seemed like that kind of person from his appearance alone.
"The paintings in the PokéCentre were splendid, as Lows mentioned. As expected from you, Wallace." Winona praised, her smile feeling somewhat warmer when she looked at the Sootopolis Gym Leader compared to other people.
"I'm glad to hear that from you, Winona."
The Fortree Gym Leader then looked at me and said, "Lows, looks like my mission in Sootopolis is accomplished. You can handle everything from here, right? I'll be taking my leave, then."
I nodded, and Winona looked to leave the red building, but Wallace called out to her, "Winona! You're leaving this soon already? Busy schedule?"
That can't be true. She told me yesterday that her schedule was pretty much free for today.
Winona looked towards the Sootopolis Gym Leader and said, "Opposite of that, actually. I'm quite free for the rest of the day, but while I appreciated your efforts on the city for the years I wasn't around, I still couldn't exactly wipe away the unpleasant memories I had, which stemmed from this city, so now that my work here is done, I'd prefer if I don't stay here any longer than I needed to."
Wallace instinctively looked like he wanted to grab her arm to prevent her from leaving, but stopped himself at the last moment before articulating his sentence, "I understand… But there's actually going to be a stargazing event tonight. I'd like it if you can both participate in tonight's event, since your attendance encourages more stuff like this to happen within the community of the city. I ensure you two will have a great time there. Sootopolis' night sky view will definitely not lose to any of that in the other cities, not even Fortree."
"That's a bold statement." I replied, feeling interested to go for some more stargazing. However, when I looked at Winona, who still had not given an answer, she looked… perplexed, despite her obvious love for stargazing back that I had learned back in Fortree. She obviously had her reasons and principles stopping herself from staying in this city further, but looking at the Sootopolis Gym Leader in front of her, who looked so desperate for her to stay longer, those principles of hers seemed to be on the verge of being shaken.
Eventually, she seemed to have recollected her thoughts before finally giving a light nod of approval, "...I'll stay here for a night, then."
"Great!" Wallace cheered, the happiness and relief visible on his face, "I'll help you get a room here, then."
"No need for that, Wallace. I can handle it on my own." Winona stopped him.
"You have a point." The Sootopolis Gym Leader said as he backed away, "I'll be seeing you two tonight, then! I'll send you the event details through the Pokégear soon, Winona."
Concluding the conversation, Wallace left the red building as Winona quickly registered herself for a night stay in the PokéCentre, her emotions not visible through the expression on her face.
I wonder what happened to Winona here.
Night time soon came and Winona and I decided to meet up earlier to head to the exact spot of the stargazing event, which was at a green field located just beside the waters. A few Sootopolis citizens were already there, so we tried not to disturb them as we found a comfortable spot to lay down and started staring at the night sky. Obviously, I was stargazing with a Gym Leader instead of a closer friend this time, so it felt a little awkward, but I tried my best to forget about our status differences and instead focused on the current activity we both enjoyed.
The nighttime view in Sootopolis was a different vibe compared to that in Fortree, but nevertheless, it impressed me all the same. The unique structure of the city made it feel like the stars were more gathered together, as they looked to be the ones peering into the objects below them from the sky. It was a scene that could definitely at least compete with Fortree.
"Amazing!" That was all I could muster. I was really glad I discovered this newfound hobby of mine thanks to my experience in Fortree.
"After all these years, the night sky in Sootopolis feels just the same." Winona said in a soft voice, "In case you didn't know, Sootopolis City is located inside of a giant crater, formed by a giant meteorite impact into the ocean of the Hoenn region a thousand years ago. This made for fantastic nighttime views through the top of the crater."
"You seem to know a lot about Sootopolis, Winona." I said, "Did you come by the city quite often before?"
"...You can say that, I guess." Winona said, "That was the time when I still frequently visited Wallace, after all."
"Wallace, do you mean…" After the recent events regarding my sister and Wally, I had a simple guess in my mind.
And it seemed like my intuition was correct once again, "...It's not really a big secret within the Hoenn region, but I used to have a relationship with Wallace, but stuff happened, and we separated."
"Is that why you stopped yourself from visiting Sootopolis afterwards?" I asked.
"Not exactly… Wallace and I are still on good terms, after all." Winona explained, "This city was the indirect cause of our separation, so you can say I held some grudges about it and never returned to Sootopolis for quite some time, until today."
"That's oddly childish." I chuckled. It just felt very unlike the Fortree Gym Leader, who I had known as a serious, straightforward person.
"Not the first time I've heard someone say that." Winona said, "My set of principles could be complicated to some people, both in work and in relationships. They help me to always think with my brain rather than with my heart, which is good in most cases."
"Now that sounds more like the Winona I know."
"But sometimes, I do forgo these principles of mine temporarily… like today." A soft sigh came out of Winona's mouth, "I never thought of associating myself with this place any further than I did today. But Wallace looked so sincere in wanting to keep me around… that I couldn't bear to disappoint him. It's perplexing sometimes."
"Doesn't that just mean you still care for him?" I said, an answer perhaps expected from my straightforward innocence as a former ten-year-old.
"...Perhaps." Winona said, "Sometimes, even I couldn't understand my own actions. I still have a lot to go when it comes to relationships."
"I don't really get it, either." I admitted.
"It's okay, Lows. You're still young, after all." Winona said, "Once you turn older and have someone you like… maybe you'll understand. Maybe even understand them better than I did."
The scene where my sister was hugging Wally outside my hospital room came to mind, "...Maybe."
In what seemed like perfect timing, we heard some footsteps nearby before Wallace's voice entered our ears, "You two arrived early. Thanks for coming!"
The Sootopolis Gym Leader seemed to have also laid on the ground near us and said, "What a sight! This might be one of the best views in Sootopolis so far. It makes me want to draw a painting right here, right now."
"Does inspiration strike artists like you everywhere you go?" I asked. Through the paintings in the PokéCentre, it felt like everything could be considered a subject in his finest artwork.
"Well, just having inspiration won't be enough to draw." Wallace replied, "For me, to draw a painting, I think what's important is the need to understand the subject I'm drawing. Whether it's the shape, emotions, or feelings. That's probably why… when I'm drawing, I feel like I understand everything around me the best."
He quickly added, "But of course, there will always be some things that I would never come to fully understand, no matter how hard I try."
I noticed him glancing at Winona for a moment, who seemed to be ignoring his brief gaze, "Dwelling on the past is never a good trait to have, you know."
"You're probably right, Winona." Wallace said, "But I'm glad they happened, because it made me cherish the rare times I get to spend with the people involved afterwards, like now."
The atmosphere around the green field felt so peaceful, yet also mixed with a tint of tension. Both Winona and Wallace stayed quiet for a while, probably hoping the beautiful night sky could get their minds off the mixed thoughts bothering them at the moment.
Time felt ever so slow for the two, and after a while, Winona slowly got up from her spot and looked to leave, "Thanks for the invitation, Wallace. I'll be going back to my room now."
"No worries, Winona. See you tomorrow." Wallace said, not having any intention to keep her around any longer.
Maybe this much was enough for him already.
"...If we see each other, sure." Winona said, before leaving the scene and never looking back. I eventually took my leave as well, needing to give myself more time to return to the PokéCentre with my condition.
I could not fully understand their situation at the time, but thinking back to the moment now, the prior time Winona and Wallace spent together might have been a wistful tale for both of them.
A wistful tale between two former lovers.
During Wallace's walk back to his home in Sootopolis, he was lost in thought about the time he still had a romantic relationship with the Fortree Gym Leader.
Flashback...
After managing to defeat most of the Trainers in the Pokémon League, he found himself in an intense battle with a friend of his, and the Hoenn Champion at the time, Steven Stone. Win this, and the Champion title would be his.
It was a battle that showcased all the fiery passion and outstanding skills from both Trainers. Everyone gave it their all with one goal in mind: to win.
In the end, it felt like a dream when his Milotic managed to take down Steven's final Pokémon, his Metagross, even when the Water type looked beaten to a pulp. It held on just enough for its Trainer to be declared the final winner.
"...Congratulations, Wallace." Steven smiled, "You thoroughly deserve this victory. With that, you are now the new Hoenn Champion-"
"I won't become the new Hoenn Champion, Steven." Wallace rejected before Steven could even finish his sentence, surprising the Steel type user.
"Oh?"
"Before my battle against you started, my master, Juan, actually requested me to take over the Sootopolis Gym for him. I can't really say no to my master's wishes, can I?" Wallace said, "Maybe that's why I could battle you with all my heart, without any pressure."
"I guess there's no stopping you, then." Steven nodded, "Thanks for the fun battle, Wallace."
Wallace laughed, "No problem, Steven. Hey, at least you get to stay as a Champion for just a little longer, until another better Trainer emerges out of nowhere."
"With how fast Trainers have shown up lately in the region, I wouldn't be surprised if that time is coming soon."
"Perhaps."
"When that happens, I will whole-heartedly hand them their deserved Hoenn Champion title." Steven said.
"Sure." Wallace patted Steven's shoulder, "I honestly think you'll be able to stay for a long time, though. I truly believe in your abilities to go far."
"...Said the one who just defeated me in a battle."
"Haha."
Wallace returned to Sootopolis City and headed to his house, where he instantly saw Winona waiting for him outside, the usually calm Gym Leader from Fortree even fidgeting a little.
When Winona saw her partner approaching her, she walked towards Wallace and said, "Welcome back, Wallace. How did it go?"
Wallace let out a lie, "Barely lost. Steven isn't the Hoenn Champion for no reason, after all."
"There's always next time, Wallace." Winona put her hand on his face, a common action of hers to comfort her partner.
"I'm not too worried about that." Wallace nonchalantly said, "I'll probably take up Juan's offer to become the new Sootopolis Gym Leader soon, anyway."
"But Juan wasn't rushing you to accept the offer, was he?" Winona asked, "I heard he was supportive of you challenging to become the new Champion, and if you did, he wouldn't force you to move back here."
"It's okay, Winona. I'm content with this." Wallace gently caressed Winona' head, "Besides, Sootopolis is much closer to Fortree compared to Ever Grande. I get to stay closer to you."
"If you say so."
Truth was, Winona already had a sense of suspicion towards Wallace. Call it intuition, but throughout the preparations for the big day against Steven, it felt like she was even more nervous than the actual battler himself. It was like… the stakes and results of the match did not concern him at all.
To confirm her suspicions, she privately met the Hoenn Champion at the time to ask, "Steven, I would like to know about the outcome of the match between you and Wallace."
"Did Wallace not tell you about the results?"
"...I don't believe that." Winona said. She had full faith that Wallace would not lose.
"Don't tell Wallace that I said this, then." Steven said, "He actually ended up winning against me, but he turned down the offer. He said he was going to accept Juan's offer to become the new Sootopolis Gym Leader."
"...I knew it." Winona let out a soft sigh, "Thanks, Steven."
Deep down, Winona knew a huge part of the reason Wallace turned down the offer was because of her.
Knowing their skill discrepancies at the time, and how her partner was not valuing his own abilities just to be constantly around her… the thought of that made her feel suffocated.
After her private conversation with Steven, she still visited Wallace in Sootopolis somewhat often, with Wallace returning visits back to Fortree. She knew it was all only possible without the restricting boundaries of being a Hoenn Champion.
But in some way, that hurt Winona. It made her feel more and more inferior, and felt that she was the one who stopped Wallace's further growth in his career as a Trainer.
Before these emotions could affect her further, she knew what she needed to do.
She was going to break off their relationship.
It happened during a normal walk together in Sootopolis City.
"We're breaking up, Wallace." Winona said it, straightforward and precise.
"...I expected so." Wallace did not seem to be too surprised by her words, "You looked off the whole day. Besides, I heard from Steven that you knew all along."
"I think we all need some time for ourselves." Winona said, "You're much stronger than me, we both knew that. But you willing to be around me more by turning down the offer to become Hoenn Champion… I can't come to terms with your decision. In a way, it smothers me."
"I never once thought our skill discrepancies would be an issue between us." Wallace replied, "But if you really think so… I won't overstep further and force you to accept it. Not like I can convince you to change your mind, anyway." Wallace had a bittersweet smile on his face, knowing his partner way too well.
"I apologize, Wallace, but this is something I needed to do."
"It's okay, Winona." Wallace was too understanding, too tolerating, to the point where Winona could feel her own determination wavering just that slightly. But she knew what she was doing was necessary, before the relationship soured further and resulted in an even worse ending.
However, Wallace also said, "But promise me one thing, Winona. After everything that happened today… Don't avoid me. Let's continue being good friends and colleagues. The time we spent together… They were beautiful, and they were real. I don't want to cut contact with the one person that created these precious memories with me… the memories that I want to cherish moving forward."
"...Of course, Wallace. I don't plan to." Winona gently smiled, "You're still a great person, after all."
The two shook hands with one another, before they coincidentally walked their separate ways.
Winona never visited Sootopolis again, until today.
Back to the present...
After what felt like a long time, Wallace could not even remember when and how he headed home. Drowning in all the memories before reaching his house made him want to instantly crash down in bed.
As he entered the building and approached his queen-sized bed, a painting lying near his bookshelf suddenly caught his attention.
He inspected the painting. The painting was still kept in relatively good condition despite it being drawn many years ago. When he opened it up, the contents of the painting brought him back to the times with the Fortree Gym Leader. It was drawn way back, during one of her visits to Sootopolis, the city she used to love.
Wallace gently slid his hand through the drawing. It was undoubtedly more amateur compared to the dazzling artwork he had produced after, but to him, it held just as much, maybe even more value than any of his recent paintings.
"I've kept you around for way too long, haven't I?" Wallace smiled as he stared at the nostalgic painting.
"Perhaps… it's finally time to send you back to your designated owner."
The next morning, Winona quickly checked out and prepared herself and Merodī outside the PokéCentre, as she would be leaving Sootopolis early in the day. To her, she probably already stayed there for way too long.
"As always, when you want to head to Lilycove after your Gym Challenge here, just contact me." She covered her eyes with her usual flying goggles as she was ready for takeoff.
"Alright. Thanks again, Winona." I said.
Winona flashed me a gentle smile as she looked up to the sky and was about to pat on her Altaria's back, but a sudden voice caught both our attention.
"W-Winona!"
The Sootopolis Gym Leader was running towards us at an alarming speed, showing his desperation to say a proper goodbye. In just a few seconds, he managed to arrive in front of Winona, but not without the cost of him heavily gasping for air afterwards.
After Wallace recovered enough to be able to converse normally, he said, "Winona! I have something to give you before you leave."
Winona slowly lifted the flying goggles off her eyes, her face showing a hint of surprise when she saw Wallace took out a painting from his storage bag and handed it to her, "All this time, I always wanted to give you this, even back when we uh, you know."
Wallace continued, "Even though everything had long past, and that we still maintain peaceful terms with each other, I still hope this painting can serve as a sign of support for your future endeavors under my spirit."
The painting featured the Fortree Gym Leader herself, who looked younger as she had a bright smile while standing in front of the great tree that stood in the center of Sootopolis City. It was presumably drawn a few years prior, back when their relationship was probably still intact.
As Winona examined the drawing, the perplexed expression on her face slowly turned into a warm smile, similar to the one she had in the painting.
"...Thank you." Winona said, "But it's going to be hard for me to carry this back to Fortree, you know."
Wallace clearly did not think that far ahead as he panicked, "T-Then… I can… uh…"
Winona let out a rare laugh before saying, "Don't worry about it, Wallace. I was just kidding. I'll be able to handle it just fine. My years of flying aren't all for nothing, after all."
Winona then patted Wallace's shoulder, "I know dwelling in the past is your artistic weakness, but… don't feel held back because of our circumstances before. You have the skills to back yourself up, so do yourself a favour, and challenge Brendan in the future. You have what it takes to become the Hoenn Champion… and when that happens, perhaps we will both be freed from the shackles that restricted and suffocated us all these years ago."
Wallace looked to be deep in thought for a moment, before replying to Winona' advice, "...Sure, I'll give it a go eventually. Winona… if I become the Hoenn Champion one day… will you reconsider your stance?"
"I'll give you my answer when that actually happens." Winona smiled, "Good luck in the future, Wallace."
"...You too, Winona."
The two looked at each other longingly for a few moments, before Winona put on her flying goggles again before patting her Altaria, ready to leave Sootopolis with Wallace's drawing, and her newly resolved feelings.
Before leaving, she looked at me and said, "Oh, Lows. I don't think I told you what happened in the battle against Regis a few days ago."
"Oh yeah!" I almost forgot about the conversation we had on our trip to Sootopolis, "How did Regis do?"
"...He passed with flying colours." Winona had a grin on her face as Merodī flew into the sky, and eventually, the Fortree Gym Leader disappeared from our sights.
...I don't really understand the feelings they're going through right now…
But I wish you two luck in the future, Wallace and Winona.
Lows' Pokémon Team:
Surfer (Blastoise, Male), Jolly Nature
Ability: Torrent
Moves: Surf, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Iron Defense
Ziggs (Linoone, Male), Naive Nature
Ability: Quick Feet
Moves: Dig, Iron Tail, Protect, Facade
Grace (Kirlia, Female), Calm Nature
Ability: Synchronize
Moves: Calm Mind, Magical Leaf, Shadow Ball, Psybeam
Woody (Grovyle, Male), Lonely Nature
Ability: Overgrow
Moves: Agility, Leaf Blade, Giga Drain, Rock Tomb
Power (Machoke, Male), Timid Nature
Ability: Guts
Moves: Rock Tomb, Scary Face, Submission, Seismic Toss
Shadow (Absol, Female), Quiet Nature
Ability: Super Luck
Moves: Payback, Night Slash, Psycho Cut, Protect