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“Steven?” Footsteps echoed through the vast back rooms of Shoal Cave. “Steven, I know you’re here.” The current of the approaching tide lapped at white shoes—shoes that carefully navigated past large holes in the cave’s floor and walls. Venturing deeper, the cave’s texture seemed to change. From pearly white sand into rugged terracotta stone.
“Steven, please! I just want to know you’re alright.” A deafening, muffled sound reverberated through the cave, as if something had slammed into one of the rock walls. Terrifying. But no reason to turn around.
“Steven, is that you? I—oh, hello there. Don’t be scared.” A small blue Pokémon had crept out from behind a nearby wall—a Beldum. It hovered anxiously around the cave, nearly colliding with the walls again.
“You’re one of Steven’s, aren’t you? Do you know where he is?” The small Pokémon emitted a metallic buzz and began gliding deeper into the cave. Trembling but not aimless. It continued to hover until it reached a small dimly lit grotto and rested themselves atop a steep stone.
"Oh? Do you need to rest? Poor thing, you're so exhausted—"
“Wallace?” A tired voice called out.
“Oh, Steven, there you are!” Wallace sprinted towards the young man, who was crouched against the cave wall. Falling to his knees, he wrapped his arms around the blue-haired man in a tight hug. “I was worried sick!” He planted a quick kiss on Steven’s lips and gently caressed his cheeks with his thumb. “No one knew where you were. I’ve been searching for you for days! Are you hurt? Did something happen?” He frantically ran his hands over Steven’s body, checking for injuries.
“I’m fine, Wallace. Don’t worry,” Steven replied weakly. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to be competing in a contest right now?”
“I was—until I dropped out to look for you,” Wallace explained, his hands still moving up and down Steven’s body, as if to reassure himself that he was fine. “And that contest was five days ago. Do you even know what time it is?”
“I—”
"You've gotten skinnier," Wallace said, his tone drenched with concern. "That’s it. I’m taking you to a hospital right now." He tried to lift Steven off the ground but struggled as Steven resisted.
"I don’t want to go, Wallace," Steven hissed, clinging to anything within reach.
"But why?"
"What’s the point? There’s nothing out there for me," Steven whimpered, sinking back against the wall. Wallace sighed, studying him carefully before sitting down beside him.
"You can’t just disappear like this, Steven."
"Well, I did," Steven muttered, rubbing his temples. "Why did you come here, Wallace?"
"Because I thought you were dead, Steven!" Wallace’s voice echoed sharply through the cave. "As did your father, Steven." Wallace sighed and let his head run tenderly through Steven's hair. "After you lost the match, you just vanished—without a word. You’ve been gone for three weeks. I— your dad was so worried Steve. He thought his only son had—"
"Died? Hmm, you're right I should call Father." He sighed. "Three weeks already, huh?" Steven groaned, glancing up at Wallace, who sat silently beside him. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you anything. I didn’t want to make you worry. I swear. It’s just that I— I felt—"
"You felt lost after your defeat like you had no direction," Wallace murmured, his voice softening.
"Exactly," Steven whimpered, a couple of tears dropping down on his cheek.
"Steven, dear, losing the exhibition match doesn’t change the fact that you’re still a strong trainer. When I was younger, after losing my first major contest, I was convinced my career was over too. But look at me now," he smiled gently. "It might feel soul-crushing now, but with enough effort, you’ll recover."
"I might," Steven nodded, slowly pulling himself to his feet. "But for now, I don’t feel like I deserve to be champion."
"What?!" Wallace blurted out. "But you'd need a suitable successor to take your place. Where—"
"You," Steven whispered, gently taking Wallace's hand. "You will be my successor. Just think about it, Wallace. You're the strongest Gym Leader in Hoenn, its best Coordinator, and the people adore you. And how fitting would it be for a Water-type specialist to serve as the Champion of our region?" Steven smiled lightly, exhaustion still clear on his face.
"Still, I’d have to defeat you in an official battle."
"You would. That’s why I’ll organize the battle as soon as possible." Steven nodded. "I’m certain you’ll make an excellent Champion."
"And what will you do when I’m Champion, Steven?" Wallace asked, concerned.
"I’ll travel around the world, free of responsibilities." Steven’s face lit up with a faint gleam. "But don’t worry, Wallace. I’ll be back sooner than you think. And it's not all fun for me, I will train of course. You won’t hold the title for long."
"You’ve barely handed me the title, and now you're already planning to take it back? Typical Steven." Wallace flashed a small grin. "I’m not entirely convinced about becoming Champion, but if it gets you out of this cave, I’ll battle you," he said, tugging Steven towards the cave entrance.
"Wait, Wallace."
"What is it now, Steven?" Wallace asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"My minerals," Steven replied sheepishly.
"Fine." Wallace sighed. "You stay here, and I’ll gather your tools and minerals. But only if you promise to let me take you to the hospital the moment we leave this cave."
"I promise." Steven placed a hand on his chest as if taking an oath. Wallace couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight before turning to collect Steven’s equipment.
"You're doing great, Wallace," Steven called out, watching as the tall man carefully gathered the minerals. "Just be careful with the dolomite—it’s very brittle."
"Oh, Steven," Wallace rolled his eyes and smiled. "You really never change."