Steven sat cross-legged on the ground, waiting for Metagross to return.
Inside the nearby cave, Mawile was putting up a fierce resistance against the two larger Pokémon, snapping her oversized jaws at anyone who came close.
"Metagross!"
Metagross's call echoed across the clearing, drawing the attention of the three Pokémon still lingering at the cave entrance.
When Steven climbed onto Metagross's head and the two lifted off into the sky, the standoff in the cave dissolved on its own. The three Pokémon exchanged a look.
Well then. Everyone comes out ahead. Congratulations all around.
Steven rode atop Metagross, scanning the terrain below as they flew.
A Heracross down there…
Wait —
Steven tapped Metagross's head twice. Metagross understood immediately and slowed to a hover.
Below them, in a wide stretch of wetland, three Pokémon were locked in a three-way tug-of-war over a small sky-blue stone. Each of them moved on all fours, their bodies a deep blue, their fins dark, their bellies a pale white.
Hoenn's Water-type starter.
Swampert.
"If three of them are fighting that hard over it, it has to be the Swampertite," Steven murmured to himself.
He had spent considerable effort searching for it, and here it was, sitting in the middle of a muddy wetland being used as a tug-of-war prize.
Wallace could use a Swampertite. And this saves me from having to explain how I found it.
Sometimes things just work out.
"Splash!"
One of the three Swampert planted its free hand into the ground, clutching the Mega Stone against its chest with the other. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the earth, staggering the other two.
Steven watched from above without moving.
The two Swampert that had been knocked back exchanged a glance, reached a silent agreement, and turned on the one holding the stone together.
After a short, decisive scuffle, the alliance held. The first Swampert went down. The two remaining ones squared off against each other — a clean, one-on-one battle. A proper contest.
Steven gave them a moment. When both Swampert were clearly exhausted and beginning to wobble, he patted Metagross on the head.
"Earthquake. Let's wrap this up."
"Metagross!"
Metagross used Psychic first, lifting Steven gently off its back so he floated safely in the air. Then it dropped to the ground, all four limbs driving into the earth simultaneously.
The shockwave rolled outward in a visible wave. Both remaining Swampert dropped.
"...I may have miscalculated the power on that one."
Steven descended back onto Metagross with a slightly rueful expression. The Swampertite had been flung somewhere into the disturbed earth.
Whoosh.
A faint violet glow surrounded the stone as it rose smoothly from the mud and drifted to a stop directly in front of Steven's hand.
Metagross had already retrieved it.
Right. Of course it had.
Steven turned the stone over in his palm. Sky-blue, with an orange and dark grey gene helix at its core. Given that three Swampert had been fighting over it, there was little doubt — this was the Swampertite.
He also had a Mega Stone that Piplup had unearthed in Granite Cave some time ago. He would pass both to Professor Birch for proper identification once he returned to the mainland.
Steven landed back on Metagross and opened his bag. He took out several Water-type Poké Blocks and set them carefully on the ground in front of each unconscious Swampert, one by one.
"I'm taking something that belonged to you. It's only right to leave something in return."
With that done, he had Metagross carry him toward the volcanic region at the island's interior — Garchomp territory.
The volcanic zone was hot and dry, the air shimmering above dark rock formations.
A Garchomp lay stretched out on a flat boulder, fast asleep.
Steven studied it from a distance.
"Now, the question is how to go about finding the Garchompite…"
He thought it over for a moment.
The most direct approach: defeat the Garchomp, then ask for its cooperation in locating the stone. Wild Pokémon that respected strength tended to be more willing to negotiate once a point had been made.
Metagross regarded the sleeping Garchomp without particular enthusiasm. This one was powerful, certainly — but it wasn't that Garchomp.
Buzz.
Empoleon's Poké Ball vibrated at Steven's hip.
Let me handle this one.
"Still holding onto that, are you…" Steven laughed quietly.
He hadn't expected Empoleon to carry a grudge quite this persistently. Then again, Empoleon had always had a long memory.
"Alright, Metagross. Take us down."
"Metagross!"
Metagross descended with a heavy thud. The impact was enough to rouse the Garchomp, whose eyes snapped open. It took one look at Metagross and Steven, and a surge of irritation crossed its face.
First that Salamence, always picking fights, and now strangers show up uninvited too?
Fine. If that's how it's going to be — let's go.
Garchomp surged to its feet. Emerald energy gathered along the edges of its fins, forming sharp, crackling blades.
Dragon Claw.
"Empoleon, Metal Claw!" Steven called out, releasing Empoleon in the same motion.
Bang!
Empoleon emerged in a flash of white light, both arms already coated in a hard metallic sheen. It met Garchomp's Dragon Claw head-on.
Clang!
Garchomp's strike was stopped cold. Its expression flickered with surprise.
Tough.
It didn't hesitate. Garchomp drew a breath and released a surging stream of blue-purple energy directly at Empoleon.
Dragon Breath.
Empoleon opened its beak and fired back with a Hydro Pump.
At this distance, the water cannon tore straight through the Dragon Breath and hit Garchomp flush in the face. The force drove it backward, knocking it to its knees. It coughed, sputtering water.
"Graaah!!!"
Garchomp snarled. Blue-purple energy wrapped around its entire body as it compressed itself low and launched forward like a missile, a roaring spectral dragon forming around it as it accelerated.
Dragon Rush.
"Empoleon!"
Empoleon called up a sheath of water around itself and charged straight into the oncoming attack.
Aqua Jet.
Boom!
The two moves collided with a concussive blast. Garchomp skidded across the rock, leaving grooves in the surface before coming to a stop. Empoleon stumbled back several steps, planted its feet, and steadied itself.
"Empoleon!"
Empoleon raised its head, something bright and fierce in its posture.
That's what I'm talking about.
"Grr…"
Garchomp shook itself and pushed back upright. This opponent was the real thing.
"Ice Beam," Steven said from where he leaned against Metagross. "Hold back on the power."
Empoleon raised one arm. A focused beam of pale blue light lanced out and washed over Garchomp from the neck down, freezing it in place from the shoulders to the ground. Garchomp strained against the ice, found it wasn't going anywhere, and bared its teeth.
"Graaah?!"
Empoleon tilted its head slightly and walked forward at a calm, unhurried pace. Garchomp tried to aim a Dragon Breath at it, but Empoleon simply turned its head to the side and let it pass. Then it raised one flipper and brought it down firmly on top of Garchomp's head.
Slap.
"Empoleon~"
Empoleon stepped back, expression serene, and moved to stand off to the side.
Steven approached and crouched to Garchomp's eye level.
"How about we make a deal?"
"Graaah!"
Garchomp turned its head away.
Not interested.
Metagross lifted one heavy metallic arm and let it hang in the air, perfectly still.
"...Grr."
Garchomp's eyes moved back to Steven.
Perhaps there's room for a conversation.
"Somewhere on this island, there should be a stone that resonates with you," Steven said, keeping his tone easy. "I'd like to find it. Can you point me in the right direction?"
Garchomp went quiet. Then it looked away deliberately.
This is not something I'm going to help with.
A soft sound came from beside Steven. Empoleon had stepped forward and was holding something out — a smooth, ice-blue sphere, resting in its flipper, frosted with cold.
A bead of sweat ran down the side of Garchomp's face.
That's extortion. That is absolutely extortion. I'm going to report this to the nearest Pokémon Ranger.
"I was planning to offer you these as a thank-you," Steven said, opening a small tin from his bag. He peeled back the lid with an expression of mild regret. "But I suppose if you're not interested—"
The scent hit Garchomp immediately. Rich, layered, unmistakably high-quality Poké Blocks.
Its resolve held for approximately three seconds.
"...Grr."
Garchomp's gaze drifted — helplessly — back to the tin in Steven's hand.
...Fine. Let's talk.