Usual day as league champion. Except Steven knew that today would be his last day at the head of the Hoenn elite four. Since he had lost to Ruby, he felt he had lost his sense of purpose. It seemed to him that continuing in his position would be a pretty hollow sense of status, knowing that the title was no longer rightfully his to hold. He couldn't help feeling a little annoyed and a little embarrassed about losing his position. He had lost to a young girl, several years younger than him. Fair enough, he had lost fair and square, he felt like it was time to move on and let someone else have a stab at the championship. And that someone was his old friend Wallace, the leader of the Sootopolis gym.
When he thought about it rationally, Steven was happy to pass the title onto his friend. He was a strong and capable trainer who would be perfectly capable of holding up the league's exacting standards. That and Steven knew he was a good man and good trainer, who cared a lot about pokemon. Either way, he was ready to move on. He wasn't the kind of person who was particularly hung up on status and titles. Nor was he especially fussed on the endless battling. So he had decided to relinquish his title and take the opportunity to indulge in his other passion, that of rock collecting.
He had decided to leave his home city of Mossdeep for a while and to travel Hoenn and maybe even beyond it's borders in search of rare rocks, stones and fossils. An unconventional hobby maybe, but it gave him a sense of calm and purpose, and he had a life long fascination with geology; the unique thrill of uncovering, identifying and studing rare rocks, the calm quiet hours of study, mixed with the days on end of travelling in the great outdoors searching and digging, not to mention the electric thrill of finding something new for his collection. No, he wouldn't regret his decision, it was time for him to move on to something new. Of course, his beloved steel pokemon would be coming with him, but he would enjoy not having the pressure of facing endless streams of hopeful trainers, not to mention keeping an eye on the activities of Team Magma. Still, he wasn't in the best of moods on this particular day, and he wasn't in the mood for Wallace's relentless gloating.
"Well, it's nice to see water pokemon back at the head of the league where they belong," Wallace commented, looking highly pleased with himself. "I've never been a fan of these newfangled steel creatures. Strong they might be, but they're ugly as hell you must admit, and you can never beat the pure elemental power of a good water pokemon or the sheer unadulterated power of a freezing ice attack…"
Steven nodded unenthusiastically, not paying to much attention to the other trainer's raptured musings. Steel pokemon were his only true love. Well, that and his other passion for rock collection.
"Wallace, you know I am never going to agree with you on this matter. I know you're a good trainer and I don't doubt your pokemons' skills, but steel pokemon have an unbeatable combinatoion of sheer attack power and technique, not to mention they will crush most other types in a moment."
Wallace shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I could smash you in a battle any day."
"I'd like to see you try", Steven replied a little coldy.
Wallace brushed off his friend's harsh reply, too happy about his new-found status to be brought down by one of Steven's moods. He was the new pokemon champion and no one was going to take that away from him in a hurry. "Well, who is the league champion?" he asked mockingly.
"I think you'll find I still am, officially", Steven said, not particularly pleased by Wallace's arrogant tone. The arrogance was normally left to him.
Wallace shrugged again. "Alright, alright. Keep your hair on. Prematurely grey though you are."
Steven wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused. However he wasn't going to take another joke about his hair, least of all from the strange, blue haired gym leader. "That's coming from you! Your hair can't decide whether it wants to be hair or some kind of sea creature."
This annoyed Wallace, who was under the impression his hair made him look dynamic and cool. "But I thought you said it suited me."
Steven had never thought Wallace's hair looked remotely cool, however he was happy to humour him, "No, you're right, it does look cool, it was just a joke."
Wallace seemed happier. Either way, he was still too enthusiastic about his soon to be position as champion to be annoyed for long.
"Anyway, look" Steven added, "I've got to be off now, my last day at the league, better get to it. Not going to start slacking just because you're taking over."
Wallace smiled knowingly. "Ah, worried I'm going to outdo you?"
"Not particularly", Steven replied with a slight smirk. "Anyway, I might be back one day, you never know" ….