After dinner, Steven cleaned up the dishes and headed to the backyard to prepare food for his Pokémon.
Lairon surveyed the new surroundings with visible dissatisfaction.
There wasn't even a single rock to be found!
Metagross had worked tirelessly all day, so Steven specially prepared an assortment of mineral ores and energy cubes, allowing it to choose whatever it preferred.
In any case, Lairon could handle whatever was left over.
The leftover "food" disposal specialist—Lairon!
"Steven, dear." Grandma Carolina stood at the doorway, her gaze sweeping across Steven's assembled Pokémon.
"Grandma Carolina, what's wrong?" Steven had just finished preparing their food and stood up to address her.
"Looking at your current strength level, it seems you still can't defeat my Cynthia," Grandma Carolina said with an amused smile.
!!!
Metagross suddenly looked up sharply, its eyes gradually intensifying with determination. It seemed its rate of improvement still wasn't sufficient!
Skarmory paused its eating momentarily, internally resolving to increase its training intensity.
Scyther, who had finished eating earlier and was meditating peacefully, slowly opened its eyes a fraction.
Well, after all, when you accept someone's hospitality, you're somewhat obligated...
Only Lairon, noticing Metagross's momentary pause, quietly snatched an ore for itself.
Hehe, victory!
"Then it seems I still need to work considerably harder," Steven replied with a slight smile, not taking the comment too seriously.
Cynthia's Gible wasn't as adorably naive as she had been during childhood.
Once Metang, which had been progressing steadily, evolved into Metagross, its strength would catch up eventually.
"But have you considered what happens when Cynthia's strength surpasses yours? Your image..." Grandma Carolina displayed a mischievous smile.
Steven felt genuinely startled. That made considerable sense, actually.
Steven turned around and met Metagross's intense gaze directly.
"Metagross!" Metagross's expression grew serious and determined.
Leave it to me!
I am both shield and spear!
Steven suddenly smiled warmly. "Let's work hard together."
As he spoke, his gaze swept across all his Pokémon, not just Metagross alone.
He firmly believed that both he and Metagross would definitely ascend to legendary status together.
"Steven, dear, you should stay here for the night. Tomorrow you can travel to Sandgem Town to find Professor Rowan. I'll inform him of the situation beforehand."
"Okay, thank you for your hospitality," Steven nodded without refusing the offer.
"The first room on the right upstairs. Nobody has lived there for a while, so you might need to clean it a bit."
"Understood!"
Grandma Carolina settled in the living room, drinking tea and watching Sinnoh news on television, while Steven tidied up the second-floor room.
He redialed his father's number, but Joseph still didn't answer.
"If Dad actually wants me to bring a fossil back, that'll probably take three or four days," Steven mused aloud.
"What can I accomplish in three or four days?"
"Forget it. I'll confront him face-to-face when I return to Rustboro City." Steven helplessly rubbed his forehead. He also needed to travel to Petalburg City to challenge that Gym.
The "excavation" operation at Meteor Falls would have to be postponed indefinitely.
The landline phone in the living room downstairs suddenly rang, and Grandma Carolina rose to answer it.
A delicate, beautiful face appeared on the video screen. Golden hair covered half of one gray eye, and the blonde locks on both sides of her face cascaded down along her facial contours to her chest.
A teardrop-shaped black ornament adorned the spot where her golden hair was tied back, and behind her, a dark blue shark-like head with two prominent protrusions was visible.
"Grandma! I've successfully obtained my fifth Badge!" The golden-haired girl happily displayed the brand-new Badge in her hand.
"Khaoo!" The Garchomp behind her also showed crescent-shaped eyes, as if claiming credit for the achievement.
"That's wonderful! Cynthia and Garchomp are both working so hard," Grandma Carolina said with a warm smile, then revealed a mysterious grin.
"Cynthia, guess which special guest came to our house today?"
"Huh? We have a guest today? Is it Professor Rowan?" Cynthia asked, genuinely puzzled.
"It's Steven, dear!"
"Ste...ven? Who's that?" Cynthia blinked her gray eyes curiously.
"It's the 'big brother' you used to insist you'd become Champion before, back when you were little~" Grandma Carolina chuckled knowingly.
Cynthia visibly startled upon hearing this, instinctively reaching up to touch the black ornament in her hair.
"I'm coming back to Celestic Town right now!" Cynthia's face suddenly moved forward, filling the entire phone screen.
"Let Garchomp slash him twice!"
"Khaoo?"
"Don't rush, don't rush now~" Grandma Carolina smiled as she calmed her down.
"The misunderstanding has been cleared up completely. You simply sent the letters to the wrong address when you were little."
"Huh?"
Cynthia's pretty face flushed slightly pink, then she crossed her arms defensively and changed the subject. "Well, he never thought to write to me either!"
"He deserves to be slashed!"
"Khaoo!" The bewildered Garchomp raised its shark-like fin enthusiastically.
"Then I'll quietly tell you—he's going to Sandgem Town tomorrow to see that troublesome Pokémon. You could..." Grandma Carolina chuckled mischievously.
"I don't want to see him at all!"
"I wasn't suggesting that. What I meant was, you could take the opportunity to let Garchomp slash him twice." Grandma Carolina giggled while observing Cynthia's flushed face.
Before Cynthia could formulate a proper argument, Steven walked downstairs.
"Grandma Carolina, do you have any cleaning rags or anything?" Steven appeared in the phone's camera frame, scratching his head sheepishly.
"Hm?"
Looking at the girl displayed on the phone screen, her appearance had gradually matured significantly. Unlike her cute and silly childhood self, she now exuded considerably more confidence and heroism.
That was only natural, after all—she would become the magnificent Sinnoh Champion in the future.
"Long time no see, Cynthia~" Steven raised his hand casually and greeted her warmly.
Cynthia appeared momentarily dazed, then spoke very rapidly: "I have to go, Grandma!"
She immediately disconnected the call.
Steven stared at the ended call, completely bewildered by the abrupt reaction.
Grandma Carolina turned back to look at Steven, her expression clearly struggling to contain her laughter.
Far away in Pastoria City, Cynthia frantically ended the call, taking several deep breaths repeatedly to compose herself.
Then she spoke in a low, determined voice:
"Garchomp, we're heading to Sandgem Town tomorrow!"
"Khaoo!" Garchomp waved its shark-like fin in enthusiastic response.
Don't worry! I'll definitely slash him cleanly in half!
If I can't manage to slash him, it means his head is simply too hard!
Observing Cynthia's reaction through the call, Steven felt as though he might be genuinely doomed.
"Grandma Carolina, you didn't tell Cynthia that I'm going to Sandgem Town tomorrow, did you?"
"Don't worry at all! I didn't say a single word about you!" Grandma Carolina stood up and patted Steven's shoulder reassuringly.
"The cleaning rags should be in that cabinet over there."
"Tsk, I somehow don't feel that's entirely trustworthy," Steven muttered under his breath, watching Grandma Carolina's retreating back.
Steven was actually quite interested in discovering what Pokémon even Cynthia couldn't properly handle.
If it happened to be a Steel-type Pokémon, he wouldn't mind attempting to work with it.
His team was currently missing someone who could set the proper battle atmosphere.
A little mischievous behavior was perfectly acceptable.
As long as it didn't constantly cause major problems.
"I hope that's the case..."
Steven tidied up his assigned room thoroughly, took a refreshing shower, and then settled down on the bed to rest.
The room wasn't particularly spacious, but it provided just enough accommodation for Steven and his four Pokémon comfortably.
"Everyone, let's rest well today. Tomorrow, we'll go see exactly what kind of Pokémon that is."
During the night,
Faint blue light occasionally emanated from Metagross's tightly closed eyes...