Chapter Text
I exhaled for what felt like the first time in hours.
Behind us, Latios landed softly near Latias. Voldie finally let the shield collapse completely, exhaustion seeping through us like a shared sigh. Steven glanced between me and Blaziken, something unreadable flickering across his face.
Then he walked over as if we’d just wrapped up a mildly inconvenient meeting instead of a small war.
“May,” he said. “If I may, your leg needs immediate attention. And your Pokémon could use some of these.”
I moved back from Kira, stumbling, and noticed he was holding some healing potions in his hands.
“You don’t need to—”
“I insist.”
He pointedly looked at my leg. “That needs washing. Let’s get it into the water. “
“Voldie already used Heal Bell on it,” I said. “It doesn’t even hurt.”
Making no reply, Steven’s arm wrapped like a vice around my elbow and he frogmarched me to the waves. He really loved to manhandle me, didn’t he?
And there he was, crouching carefully once we’d reached a certain depth, so that he was eye-level with my knee. I sighed, brushing damp hair out of my face.
He withdrew a bottle of alcohol from his pack and began cleansing my leg.
I suppressed a yelp, watching him work in silence. We were both getting drenched, Steven’s entire rich guy suit pretty much underwater.
That tie had to cost a lot of money. Should it really be getting doused in salt water?
Queen of awkward silences that I am, as he worked on my leg. My skin felt feverish – from embarrassment, not pain – his head bowed too close to my waist for comfort. I hated that a part of me liked being able to let go. Just for a small moment.
He didn’t rush. He never does. Eventually, he finished, telling me in a no-nonsense manner that we were getting it wrapped at the shore and not to get sand on it.
He wasn’t going to budge on the whole mothering me issue, I could tell, so I trotted after him out of the water, a wave crashing against us that had me stumbling and almost falling on my ass.
Luckily, Steven caught me. I said luckily with great sarcasm, by the way. I’d have rather fallen on my ass than this. What were all my proclamations for?
I sighed tiredly as he gingerly helped me stand again, wrapping an arm around my frame like I was made of glass. I hated the way he stepped up to take control like it was muscle memory.
I hated how easy it was to let him.
His drenched arm was slung over my back as he good as carried me out of the waves. He really was strong, I reflected, even though he didn’t look it. He’d lifted me onto Latios like it was nothing, and mind, I’m pretty heavy myself. I’d put on a lot of muscle since I stayed my journey, the gruelling training I put my team through extending to me as well. Plus, all the stuff I carried in my bag pack.
But even so, Steven carried me out of the waves like I was a feather that had landed on his shoulder. Same as how he’d lifted me earlier. It made my remember the warmth of his hands around my waist.
We made it out of the surf and to the dry sand eventually. I just stood there, wondering what now, when Steven took off his jacket and spread it out gesturing for me to sit.
“But that jacket is–”
“Sit.”
The way he was glaring at me…
I sighed and sat.
He pulled out bandages and gauze from somewhere, and started cutting the latter with a small switchblade.
I reached for the bandages to get started but he slapped my hand away testily, reaching for it himself.
Sighing, I leaned back and looked at the sky. Then back at Steven. His brow was knitted in concentration, his elfin features beautiful. It was unfair to be forced to look at him with nothing to distract away from his face. It made me linger too long… daydreaming about things I shouldn’t.
After shamelessly staring for much too long, I tore my eyes away, my self-command not really as good as his.
There was nothing else to do but look at what his hands were doing or regard the Pokemon clustering around us. I chose the latter, shooting Kira a ‘can you believe this guy?’ look.
Kira chuffed, but seemed overall pleased rather than annoyed with Steven’s mother hen behavior.
I huffed.
Finally, the man finished, leaning back on his haunches to inspect his handywork.
“That will do for now,” he said.
“Thanks,” I muttered. “Not that I couldn’t have bandaged it myself.”
I went to get up, grumbling, but Steven’s hand was already in front of my face, the embodiment of policeman telling you to stop.
I stared at his silver rings, their glare against the sun making me squint. Then I looked past them, giving Steven the stink eye.
“I am not an invalid.”
His jaw tightened, just barely.
“Stay put.” He crossed his arms, straightening. “What do you need done? I’ll handle it.”
I huffed. “I need to heal my Pokemon. But you don’t ‘need’ to handle anything. Take care of your own team first. I’ll handle mine!”
Steven was ignoring me, already moving towards Kira like he hadn’t heard a word I said.
I couldn’t believe the man.
Huffing, I went to get up, annoyed, when vines shot out of – that blasted Cradily! – keeping me in place.
I turned to glare at it, the murder algae staring back smugly.
“Release me.”
The algae did no such thing.
“Voldie,” I groused, nodding at the algae. “Make her.”
Voldie stayed put where he was, looking at me like ‘yeah, I’m not helping you’.
I stuck my tongue out at the stupid overlord and turned my gaze on the rest of my team. They all turned away, feigning interest in the ground or a passing bird as I tried to make eye contact.
Traitors.
I huffed, crossing my arms, and parked my ass back on Steven’s jacket.
Steven meanwhile had gone around my team dolling out Super Potions like candy. Ultra Heals. Sprays. Restoratives. No commentary. He had a fucking apothecary on hand, apparently. Somehow. Where did he even store it all?
I watched him work, increasingly put off the more expensive stuff he pulled out. I lingered on his methodical, careful fingers, his eyes that seemed to track everything, not missing a single bruise, flinch, or gingerly placed weight.
“Steven… there’s really no need…” I tried.
Nothing. He was facing away from me, continuing his potion sprinkling like he hadn’t heard a word.
“It’s over,” I tried. “We’re in no rush. We’ll get to a PokeCenter next thing. You don’t need to waste all that money… Please.”
I may as well be the wind playing with his hair for all he seemed to hear me. Steven was busy giving his team silent instructions, neglecting his them over mine.
It annoyed me. Suddenly it was too much and I bit out, “stop trying to fix everything with money, Steven.”
He glanced at me, but said nothing.
“At least look at your own Pokemon first,” I growled.
Metagross gave me an insulted look and matching chirp while he helped steady Heist, who had been injured earlier.
“Don’t chirp at me like that, buddy,” I sniped back. “Semi-legendary or not, you could have internal bleeding and not know it. And then what, huh? You need to be looked at too.”
Even more insulted chirping followed, this time with Steven’s other Pokemon joining in. Cradily’s tentacles, which had loosened around my chest, gave a pointed squeeze, while Armaldo stretched himself out in front of me like a petulant cat and made weird prehistoric bug noises.
“Fucking hell. You guys are so full of it,” I grumbled.
Skarmory gave me an annoyed chirp, a glint in its eyes like ‘know your place, peasant’.
“I know my place, ya dumb bird, and it sure as hell isn’t sitting here like a moron.”
The man’s Claidol was glowing with psychic energy, floating a couple meters off the ground while its eyes stared me down meanly.
“Okay, Attila’s not a dumb bird,” I backtracked, turning back to Skarmory. “Tell your friend to stop staring murder at me.”
Skarmory chirped.
“Yeah, well I’m not the one who’s bitching.”
Steven’s Aggron lumbered up to me at this point. I wondered if it was trying to intimidate me as it just stood over me, a colossus.
“Rude,” I said to him. “Didnt anyone tell you you’re not supposed to loom over people like that?”
He snatched up my backpack from behind me with his mouth and inspected it.
“Oh, you just want food. Sure, no problem. ‘S the least I could do after your dumbass trainer went berserk with his potions.”
Metagross came closer, chirping in outrage.
“Your trainer is a dumbass, I don’t care what you think,” I told him irritably, digging in my pack for some Meloc and Oran berries I’d foraged for just that morning.
“There ya go. Aunt May’s humble thank you for your hard work.”
The Pokemon sniffed at them and had a few before apparently getting bored of me and walking off.
Cradily kept pinning me in place even as it ate, but the others spread out. The Claydoll hovering close by creepily, while Armaldo and Aggron lumbered off. Attila took flight, circling overhead, cutting smooth, unhurried arcs through the sky, like he was keeping watch or something.
Metagross was still helping Steven a few paces away.
Steven who was finally almost done.
I admit maybe I had a few Pokemon too many. I did a headcount and winced internally. There were… eleven of us. That was a lot of potions.
I watched my Pokémon straighten, one by one. Cuts closed. Burns cooled. Fatigue drained off in visible waves. Kira stood taller, his fire now a low, steady burn that felt almost too warm to stand close by. Voldie brushed against my mind, smug in that quiet way of his that meant he knew he’d saved all of us and we’d have to be eternally thankful. I rolled my eyes, smiling, and stuck my tongue out at him.
Then Latios flew closer.
I turned towards him.
By now it was apparent that he’d wanted our help mainly to help them defend against the Magma bastards.
“So… mission accomplished, right?” I signed awkwardly.
He lowered his head and pressed something into the sand between the two of us. I blinked in confusion.
“Uh…”
It was a pretty stone. Like the ones I’d collect at the beach as a kid.
“Oh, thanks. That’s a nice trinket,” I said, leaning over to pick it up. Something about it pulsed faintly in my mind, the sunlight rippling across its surface in pretty patterns. It must be imbued with some psychic energy from Latios, I pondered, feeling it with my hands.
“I’ll put it in my nightstand,” I told Latios happily. “It’s really pretty.”
It was at this point that Steven inhaled sharply behind me. I turned, raising a brow at him.
If ever there was a day I’d seen him lose his composure, that was just then. His eyes had gone wide as saucers, and he was staring at the trinket.
“Oh,” I said, recalling he was a rock nerd. “Do you want it?” I glanced back at Latios. “He’s a rock nerd. He’ll probably appreciate it more if you give it to him.”
Steven shook his head as if barely just jerking back to reality. “That’s… May, do you even know what that is?”
Latios nudged the stone closer to me, huffing, then straightened and met my gaze with something that was almost petulant.
Okay, so he did not want Steven to have the trinket. Was he dense or what? This would be the perfect way to repay him for all those potions!
I petulantly glared back at Latios, who met my stare without so much as a twitch.
“May,” Steven repeated.
I turned back to him.
“What?”
“That’s an evolutionary stone,” he said, crouching over it, but not touching. “Incredible. Latinos gave you an evolutionary stone.”
He was staring at me wide eyed, as though Arceus himself had descended from the sky and farted over the stone or something.
I stared back at it. “Um… so it’s like a thunder stone is what you’re saying. I actually found one recently, so you can have this one.”
“It’s not like a thunder stone at all,” he exclaimed hysterically. “May, you have no idea… may I…?”
He reached out questionigly.
“Sure…” I dropped the rainbow-coloured stone into his waiting palm.
Steven ran his index over it reverently. “Woah… these fractal patterns… I’ve never seen one like this. This… it really seems to be keyed to Latios’ energy.”
“Huh,” I said. I glanced back at Latios. “Er… look, that’s very nice of you, but you’d best hang on to that, yeah? Your energy seems kinda important.”
Latios huffed loudly and did not move to pick the stone back up. Only… the stone levitated off Steven’s palm, spinning into the air, moving towards me, and smacked me pointedly in the forehead.
“Ouch,” I grumbled, reaching up to take it. “What was that for, you berk?”
Latios made this weird noise that sounded almost like a titter and sped off into the water close by, my backpack suddenly floating into the air behind him and rushing off as well.
“Oi!” I called dumbly. “Give that back!”
I had no choice but to chase after him, Cradily complaining loudly as I moved after the flying Pokemon, my stuff trailing after it like nobody’s business.
“You little shit! That’s my life you got in there! With my journals! If that bag falls into the water–”
Right on cue, my notebooks floated out of my backpack and dipped dangerously over the water, then back up.
I screeched, speeding straight into the waves after them.
Latios moved just out of reach, doing that titter noise again. I swear to god, this guy was having a blast.
“You damn plane shit! Give me back my stuff! Playing damsel only to prank us, I swear…” I ranted angrily, getting splashed with water for my troubles.
I ought to look like a drowned rat, my hair falling around me in sloppy curtains.
“That’s it, Imma toss this dinky thing and then you’ll see what’s what,” I threatened, holding the rock aloft.
Latios chirped loudly.
“Oh, yeah, you think I’m joking? Calling my bluff, huh?” I grabbed the rock. “I was one of the best baseball pitchers in the whole of Pallet town, just so you know.”
The bird-plane chirped again, tittering like he was unimpressed.
“Okay, you asked for it, plane-shit. Here we go!” I screamed, getting into my pitching stance and tossing the little rock with all my might.
I kinda had the idea the dragon could just catch it with psychic, this was just a way to mess with him. The rock fairly rocketed over the waves, bouncing several times before indeed getting scooped up by psychic energy and bouncing straight back to me. It smacked me in the forehead again.
“Grrr…”
I slapped my hand against my forehead to catch it, like I would a mosquito, and ended up just slapping myself as the rock twirled out of reach. “You’re such a damn menace! See if I help you next time!” I groused.
Starting to feel cold, I glared at the dragon and turned back around, stomping towards the shore where I’d hopefully change into some dry clothes.
Getting caught up in playing a game with the menace was the kind of childish thing that would make Steven convinced I was an idiot, if he somehow hadn’t realized it already.
Which… great. I guess everything was going according to plan. My mood darkened further as I tromped my way back to the shore, remembering only belatedly my change of clothes was inside my backpack… which Latios had nicked.
Damn that plane!
The plane Pokémon in question followed behind me, apparently sensing my change in mood, and nudged me with the floating backpack in what I assumed was an olive branch.
I grabbed it, pouting.
“Fine. I forgive you. But I don’t want your energy rock.”
I took the backpack and riffled around, trotting towards the shore.
Steven had sat down on the sand at some point, his cradily playing with some shells a ways off, while Attila was hunting for birds in the distance, diving into the water and springing back out with them trapped in his beak.
Metagross was just sunning himself like a big mountain that’s taking a nap. He reminded of Red’s Snorlax in that moment.
I patted his belly as I brushed past, brushing some sand away that looked like it might’ve been bothering him as I went, and trudged on towards some distant rocks, where I could get changed into some dry clothes, waving at Steven as I passed.
My own Pokémon were similarly engaged. Grim was digging eagerly in the sand, searching for a buried bone or who even knew what, Grinch barking like mad at a Bedoof that had buried a hole there. Kira and Voldie were walking together in the distance, waves lapping at their feet, while Silent Walker rushed ahead of them, chasing a a couple Wingull.
Jormy, Jaws and Tess were nowhere to be seen, likely having gone for a swim in the crystalline waters, and as for the rest – Mob was sniffing at some flowers by the treeline, Nazgûl had perched atop some distant rocks, covertly spying on Attila’s fish-catching like she was too shy to ask to join, and Shikamaru and Heist were both asleep, subbing themselves up a tree.
In short, they were all having a blast. I was glad at least something good had come of the trip to this magical island.
I jogged up to Nazgûl’s rocks and, quickly ducking behind a large one, tore the wet and ripped dress off my skin.
Guess the dress was sorta trash material. Damn it.
Pouting, I changed into a black bikini shorts and top, figuring I’d probably get wet again soon, and lathered myself up with sunscreen.
I also dug out my cargo-bucket hat, jamming it over my head, and headed back out.
At this point, Steven’s creepy-looking Cradily appeared behind the rocks. It was peering at me with narrowed eyes.
“Now what,” I complained.
Cradily’s tentacles had saved me back in the middle of that chaos, I recalled. It merely watched me, as if suspicious.
“You’re pretty awesome, huh,” I mumbled, reaching for my pack for some berries and tossing them at him. Her.
She snapped them up midair and began to chew noisily. Crunch crunch crunch.
I sighed, watching her for a bit. “Thanks for earlier. You saved me back there.”
Cradily continued demolishing the berries and gave me a look that might been a little mean. Like she found me annoying. Well, I can’t blame her.
I nodded at her and swiftly jumped across the rest of the cliffs, covering the distance back to the beach in a few well-placed leaps before sliding down a large boulder and jumping the rest of the way.
Grinch and Grim spotted me at a distance and came charging at me, Grinch barking like mad as he presented me with a fish in its maw, Silent Walker and Grim chasing behind him but failing to catch up.
Grinch reached me first, the colossal Manektrike pouncing on me. He would’ve toppled me if not for the fact that I’d gotten used being tackled by colossal Pokemon tackling at this point.
He dropped the fish in my lap, all excited, his tail wagging like crazy.
“That’s a pretty good catch,” I murmured, carding my hand through his fur. “Why don’t you take it to Latias over there? She was just sick, I bet she’ll be happy to eat it.”
Manektrike barked excitedly and nudged Silent Walker forward, as if telling the baby of the team to act as their spokesperson. He reminded me of my mum pressing some pennies into my hand to deliver to a beggar or something. I smiled gently, rubbing Grinch’s belly.
Silent Walker’s tail stuck up like a proud flag, picking up the fish between her teeth. She scuttled over the sand back towards Latias, the two larger dogs following her like proud parents.
I sighed, smiling, and made my way at a more sedate pace back towards Steven and the legendary duo. Had I been putting off talking to him? Maybe…
Steven was watching me approach from where he’d sat down on the sand. Which was odd since his jacket was available.
He’d taken it off, along with his usual hot shot vest and high-collared business shirt, revealing a white chest that made him look even paler than he was.
I stopped walking as I reached him, trying not to gawk. He was pretty toned, okay?
“Yo,” I said, for lack of anything else.
“Yo yourself,” he said back.
I dropped down in the sand next to him, on the jacket, since I may as well, if he was going to be an oddball about not using it — figuring we’d probably need to discuss what happened.
“You’re taking care of all this stuff with the cops, right?” I asked. “I don’t need to report this?”
Steven was looking at me, and it was too much, I turned away to look ahead at the waves.
“Yes. I’ll handle the legal parts,” Steven said, his voice softer now, in comparison to before. “Though… the notebooks you gave me seem to point towards corruption on the inside. It might be a better policy to keep this between just the upper levels of the league for now.”
“Corruption, huh…”
I did remember reporting what had happened in Petalburg Woods, with my Pichu and that Rocket guy… but the police never got back to me about it.
“May… I’m sorry, I ended up having to read some of it,” Steven said. “What happened to you at Petalburg Woods—”
I turned back towards him. Waiting.
He frowned, his jaw set. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” I replied, giving a shrug.
Steven shook his head slowly. “I don’t understand. You’ve felt the consequences of getting in over your head from the start… How can you keep doing this?”
I looked ahead.
“I wanna live my life.”
Steven tensed, frowning at me. “That’s my point, May. Do you even realise how dangerous—?”
“Of course I realize,” I cut him off, getting sick and tired of his condescending bullshit. My outburst was too loud. It made him stop, and I went quiet.
The waves rushed around us.
“When I was a kid, I got in an accident,” I said. “Later, we learned it’s because a Rocket facility blew up in Cinnabar. All of these crazy, drugged Pokemon were released into the water as they tried to flee… I tried to help them,” I added. “Pallet was the closest to Cinnabar, you see… I was just trying to help.”
My mind flashed back to that night.
“I got into the water, trying to pull those out that had been caught in fishermen’s nets… there was this baby Dratini… He wrapped around my leg, wouldn’t let go. It was scared.”
I gulped. Why was I even telling him this? But Steven was already looking at me. The rushing of the waves was easy to confuse with the one back then, the storm coming on, the dark, the angry sea roaring around me.
“I started losing the feeling in my leg, the Dratini was squeezing so hard. April had run away to fetch my dad and Professor Oak, but when they got back, it was too late. My dad shot the Dratini.” I gulped, remembering that horrible moment.
“But my leg was already necrotic. They had to cut it off at the hospital.”
Steven’s eyes were boring into my side.
“I had to spend the next couple years shut up at home. I couldn’t go on my journey with April. I couldn’t even go to the woods next door because everyone treated me like I was made of glass. And I kept being scared it would happen again. This hate started to grow inside of me… I hated that I couldn’t bring myself to forget it happened, even after they managed to regrow my leg with some Ditto cells. I couldn’t put a foot outside my house if I didn’t have Blue’s Pokemon with me, or something. I couldn’t make myself go on my journey, even after my parents started telling me to try. Offering to drive me like I was an invalid.” I sneered. “When I graduated high school, I was so done with myself. I hated I was such a scaredy-cat. I had worked with Oak at his lab, and even got a job at the Charizific reserve Lance owns. You’d think working with dragons every day would make me brave, wouldn’t you? But I wasn’t.”
I picked at my nail.
“So when I got here… and I got up the courage to just go on my journey… I knew I couldn’t stop once I started. Because if I stop, I’ll go back to being that girl who stayed home.”
The waves were still crashing around us. Steven didn’t speak for a long time. I continued to stare at my knees.
Finally, he said, “thank you for telling me, May. It means a lot.”
I turned to look at him, chewing on my lip.
He was already looking back. “I understand you better now… but even then, please think of all the people who would be devastated if something happened to you.”
My mind flashed to my dad, at his gym, the way he’d tackled me. I nodded somberly.
For a while, neither of us said anything.
Finally, I tried to add some levity. “It’s odd that we both just happened to be there when Latios called, don’t you think?”
Steven smiled. “I had a tip off from a spy we’ve planted within team magma.”
“Huh… so you knew all along what was happening.” I was the one who’d walked in there blind. That would also explain why Steven had such a ridiculous number of overpowered healing gimmicks on him.
“What about you?” he asked. “I would’ve thought you’d made it to Fortree by now.”
I shrugged. “I was busy doing side quests, and then my Absol went insane and took off back the way we came, across the route.”
“Absol are supposed to have a sixth sense for natural disasters…” Steven murmured.
“Hm, well I don’t know about natural disasters, but Grim sure has a knack for finding trouble,” I muttered.
“Do you often make a habit of following your absol after he takes off somewhere unknown?” Steven asked with a smile.
“Only sometimes,” I winked.
He watched me for a beat. “Say, May. Did you notice… Latios seemed to trust you very quickly… It was almost uncanny.”
I was surprised he said that. I did get that impression as well.
“I guess it’s easier to trust a klutz like me than a guy who’s as put together as you,” I pointed out.
Steven gave me a surprised look. “A klutz? You’re the most graceful person I know...” He cut himself off, his cheeks pinkening a little. He bowed his head. “I suppose my attire might have reminded him a little of a shady businessman.”
“Ha,” I said. “That goes to show you should wear orange dresses more, Steven.”
“That must be it.”
At this point, Latios and Latias flew over to us, Latias chewing happily on the fish Eevee had delivered.
Smug as anything, Silent Walker trotted over and dropped into my lap, practically begging for head scratches.
I gave in, reaching out lazily. Latias, that red-scaled beauty, laid down her head on my thigh, ostensibly sunning herself after a nice meal.
I went very still, trying not to move my thigh so as not to bother her. Latios just watched us and huffed, like he was making fun of me for being so nervous around her.
But gods. A literal legendary just started taking a nap on my thigh. What was I supposed to do?
Reaching for my remaining Meloc berries was the answer. I dug them outta my bag and bit into one, passing the rest around.
Steven politely turned me down, but Grinch and Grim were all over the bag, while Latios levitated a couple for him and his sister.
Steven sat there a while and watched us eat, me doing my best to give Latias a toe curling scale scratch without getting berry juice all over her.
Then Steven spoke up. “It might be best,” he said carefully, “if Latios stays with you for a while, May. I believe that’s what he was suggesting by giving you the evolutionary stone earlier.”
I forgot what I was doing. “What?”
“He seems to believe you could use it to MegaEvolve him… is that right, Latios?”
The blue Pokémon did not deny it.
I gaped at him. What was he even on about? They were legendaries! Legendaries don’t evolve. Even a kid knew that.
I said as much.
Steven gave me a look. The kind that said I was being obtuse.
“Maxie just as good as admitted that he attempted to murder you, May. Please be reasonable.”
“Okay… but what does that have to do with anything?”
“Having Latios on your side might save your life if you keep up getting in this much trouble.” He glanced at Latios. “He’ll be safer with you in turn, now that those terrorists know where to find his habitat. And,” he paused, giving me the faintest hint of a smile, “you’ll be much safer with him.”
I frowned. “I doubt he agrees with you. I mean, what about Latias? Someone needs to watch over her.”
Steven nodded at me. “They want me to care for her, at least for a little while. I’ll keep her safe and looked after until this blows over.”
I nodded slowly. Stumped was one word for it. Steven was gonna keep a legendary? How? In a pokeball?
It sounded ludicrous.
I guess if anybody was the man for the job, though, that was Steven.
“Right…”
Latios tilted his head slightly, as if in agreement with what Steven just said.
“Those whose memories fade seek to carve them in their hearts…” I said, remembering before. “Latias seems mysterious enough to get along just fine with you… I wonder what she meant by that.”
Steven smiled at me, his eyes crinkling like grey diamonds, his skin shimmering like alabaster in the sunshine.
“Latias likely meant we should be grateful for what we have and enjoy it to the fullest, without seeking ever more,” he said, his eyes still trained on me.
My heart leapt to my throat.
He was too good for this place. This mucky and confusing world… sometimes I felt like I’d made him up. Who even was Steven?
Why was he being so kind to me, when I’d been such a jerk to him?
Before I could answer, he frowned, like he’d remembered something important. Then he reached into his wrist and removed his metallic bangle-thing.
“Speaking of mysterious… May, I would like you to have this.”
I frowned. I’d seen him wearing that metallic bracelet before, embedded with a rock – had thought it was just one of Steven’s odd fashion choices.
“But that’s yours.”
Steven smiled wryly. “I don’t need it as much as you will, I think. Besides, I can ask Sycamore for another.”
“Sycamore?” I repeated. “That guy from Kalos?”
Steven smiled. “That guy from Kalos,” he agreed with a wry laugh. “Yes. We’ve been collaborating for some time on a project. He wanted my geology knowledge. I was after his expertise in evolution theory. This is the result.” He held out his hand.
I frowned, unsure. “What does some jewelry have to do with anything?”
How could I tell him that no amount of gifts would change what happened? Or my decision about it? How could he just give me something so personal after… after…
Then Steven explained. About Mega evolution, and how it was possible. How it seemed like, if that stone really was linked to Latios, legendaries might be able to Mega-Evolve. He explained he and sycamore had figured out a way to trigger it semi-reliably through the very bangle Steven was offering me, provided you also had a stone that matched the Pokémon’s energy.
“Steven… Holly shit. Why are you offering this to me,” I said dumbly.
He pressed it into my hand, gently clasping my fingers, closing them around the metal. “You’ve proven you can handle it, May. And,” he added, “If you’re going to… keep going no matter what, I’d rather you be prepared for what lies ahead.”
I frowned reluctantly.
“But what about you? You’re the Champion. You’re the one who needs to be in top form.”
He ignored me, gingerly taking a hold of my wrist, as if it were the most delicate thing he’d ever held, and slipping it on.
When it came into contact with my skin, the rock engraved in the middle of the bangle warmed. Maybe because I was blushing so hard.
I stared, holding my breath. Steven’s hand was still wrapped around my wrist.
“It got warm,” I whispered.
Steven smiled, his eyes never leaving my pulse. “I knew you were a strong candidate.”
“Steven… what?”
“The keystone has only warmed this quickly before when I put it on,” he said, watching my wrist as if it were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. “I knew it. You’ll be able to do it… for certain.”
“I… huh?”
“Mega evolution doesn’t work for everyone,” he explained. “In fact, it works almost for no one. We’re still trying to figure out why that is…”
“Then why would you think I can do it?” I demanded. This was beginning to look more and more like I’d be having to return this thing to Steven pretty soon.
He smiled secretly. “I just had a feeling… from the moment I saw you battle those Aqua grunts in the Aquamarine museum. I thought you might just…”
I turned to regard him. “That long ago!?”
“Hm,” he said simply.
I glanced back at the bracelet adorning my wrist. It was much too large, and bulky, and had looked way better on Steven… but somehow I loved it.
My heart squeezed. I didn’t want Steven to be wrong. I didn’t want to have to return it.
Then something hit me. “Wait, that rock you gave me at Pacifidlog…”
“That was a Blazikenite, yes.” Steven smiled at me. It carried some melancholy. “I dare say you’ll be able to use it now. Congratulations on Kira’s evolution, by the way.”
I nodded slowly.
“Mega Evolution, huh… are you sure?”
Steven nodded, his expression hardening. “It’s definitely not a toy. Be careful with it.”
I inspected the bracelet. “Wouldn’t using this during gym matches be cheating?
“Use it only in a life or death situation,” Steven cautioned. “There’s no rules that would impede you from taking advantage, but it would draw too much attention.”
I nodded. “Okay. But how am I supposed to figure out how to use it without practicing?”
“You’ll be able to when the need arises,” he said, sounding certain about it. At least one of us was.
“Right…”
“Mega evolution is volatile,” he added. “If your concentration breaks mid-fight…” he trailed off. “It’s definitely not without risk. Stats change. Abilities shift. Sometimes even type.” He met my eyes. “It’s driven by trust.”
I nodded slowly.
“Pokémon aren’t used to depending on the energy of their trainer to maintain their form,” he added, “which means to them, it will take an incredible amount of trust to go through with it.”
I didn’t know if they trusted me that much. I mean, I wouldn’t trust myself that much. Look at how I’d fucked up earlier…
“Thanks,” I said, frowning at th bracelet. “This is… a lot.”
He waved me off.
I watched him trot back to Latias in silence and turned around, to regard Latios, who was still waiting for me to make up my mind, the rainbow rock, the Latiosite, I realized, floating between us.
“Are you sure about this?”
It felt illegal to toss a pokeball at a legendary.
But he nodded.
I felt his resolve. More than anything, he was glad to see his sister would be safe with Steven. That much I understood, but why would he want to come with me?
“Did Steven put you up to this?” I whispered suspiciously.
The Pokémon merely peered back, not giving an inch.
I sighed. “Honestly, I’d like an explanation please. Something beyond ‘you’re a trouble magnet so I’m banking on that to kick Magma ass.””
The Pokémon said nothing. Then, out of nowhere, a pokeball floated out of my bag and tapped him in the head.
“Oi! Oi, I didn’t consent to this!” I exclaimed, but Latios had already been swallowed by the ball of light.
Great.
He was so in cahoots with Steven about this.
“Un-fucking-believable.”
I crouched and picked the ball up.
“I don’t need a babysitter,” I told it bitterly. Naturally, the pokeball made no reply.
When we finally left the island, both by riding Latios, it disappeared behind us as if it had never existed. Route 118 greeted us with familiar wind and salt and motion, almost mundane after everything.
Latios deposited us by the cliff we’d been standing, then floated around merrily with his sister, who, while injured, had been well enough to fly next to us on the way here.
Steven stopped short, adjusting his cuffs as he faced me. “I’ll head on to Mossdeep from here.”
“Right,” I said. “I’m headed back to Mawile, I think. the Center is closest.”
Silence stretched between us.
So many things that went unsaid.
I wonder, if social etiquette weren’t a thing, how this conversation would have gone.
Steven paused, just long enough to look back at me, his grey eyes piercing through my own like a lance. “Take care, May.”
His voice was soft. Maybe a little sad. He didn’t add anything else.
Where was the steel asshole I’d seen at Ever Grande? Where did he go? Where did all that anger go?
Steven turned, and I don’t know why, but I called after him.
“Steven.”
He twisted back around, guarded.
It was different now. I felt like I’d lost access to him again as we left the island. I was back talking to customer service Steven.
“Yes, May?”
I hesitated, words burning on my tongue. What to even tell him?
“You still owe me a shit tone of money,” I blurted, folding my hands behind my neck. “Cuz I beat Norman. Remember?”
Steven’s eyes lightened. He said nothing for a beat. Then: “Oh, come on. That wasn’t a real bet.”
“It totally was. I beat him with a Magykarp, so pay up!”
He laughed. “You technically beat him with a Gyarados, May. And an overpowered Salamence played a starring role as well. Not that impressive, in my book.”
I clicked my tongue. “Semantics.”
He smiled. “I’ll see you around. Stay safe.”
Then he turned and now definitively, moved down the path and away from me.
I watched, the sound of waves crashing around us, as he called out Attila when he was some paces away. The metallic bird lifted him cleanly into the sky and after a moment, they’d disappeared.
I stood there a while longer, staring like a dumbass, my team gathered around me, Latios at my side, the Mega Bracelet warm against my wrist.