We had been traveling together for nearly a month now and had come back to Rustboro City. Snow and raven wanted to come with me to Petalburg city so I could get my badge from Norman, but I told them to continue as I wanted to re ably to the breeding center and the tests would take some time.
Once I got to Petalburg city it wasn't hard to find Norman. He wasn't at the gym instead he was just coming from the Pokémon center with a stranger who had silver hair. I didn't want to be rude, so I kept silent until I got closer. Before I was able to speak the stranger pointed me out and Norman turned and waved.
"Young Sealruin it's a pleasure to see you. Are you ready to attempt to get my badge?" He said a half smile appearing on his face.
"That was the plan." I looked at the stranger and he seemed familiar, but I couldn't figure out who he was. "Did I interrupt something?"
"Not at all, my friend hear was just asking about you." He looked between me and his friend. I could saw him mulling something over in his head before he spoke again. "How about you fight him instead of me, I trust his judgement and that will give him plenty of time to figure you out. What do you say steven?" Hearing his name, I suddenly remembered who he was. He was the Hoenn league champion.
"I think that's fair." He said taking a badge from Norman. "How many badges do you have already Sealruin?" I was stunned as he said my name but quickly got myself back in line.
"I have four. But I don't think I could take on steven the campion." I admitted.
"Oh, don't worry I can hold back, and the Gyms are more a test of skill then a test of strength. But I will admit strength can play a part in it. Come let's saw how good you and your blaziken are." Steven said a soft smile on his face.
"I guess I can't refuse?" I say nodding and getting myself ready.
"Let's go somewhere a little more open for our battle." He says walking away from the town. I followed him wondering what all he wanted from me.
"I've heard you have a special gift. Is there much you can tell me about it?" Steven askes looking back at me.
"It's nothing all that special all I can do is understand Pokémon, nothing more. I guess it makes me a better trainer as I can talk directly to them, but wild Pokémon still attack. I've tried preforming psyche attacks but nothing and I can't directly control them." I say not knowing how else to elaborate.
"And where you born with this gift?" he said looking about.
"No, it only came after I was attacked by a Gardivor who was under the command of a member of team aqua. The Gardivor used psyche directly on me. All I know is after I woke up, I could Speak to them." I lowered my head just shook it.
"You seem to be putting it to good use and it seems you can control it really well. I think hear will be fine." He said turning around and making we look up. "Two of my Pokémon versus four of yours You don't need to win you just need to prove you are worthy remember that." He pulled out a Pokéball and clicked it Releasing and Aggron. I let out a short breath as I thought about who I would start with. I pulled out the ball for my blaziken but stopped, instead putting her away and instead pulling out the ball for Breloom. She wasn't as experienced as Blaziken, but she had what I believed to be a better move set for now. I lifted the ball up in front of my face and said a quick order hoping She could hear me while inside the ball.
"Charge a focus blast." I then threw the ball lazily in fount of me and held my breath watching as the beam deposited my Breloom. If this trick worked, it would give Steven quite the surprise and maybe even give me a chance to take out his Aggron. The beam ended and I reached out to catch the ball as it came back. To my surprise Breoom was actually starting to work on the blast without missing a beat.
"The Aggron." Breloom's head turned to find who I mentioned and upon spotting her opponent brought the energy in to a ball and launched it at them. The aggron was engulfed in the blast sending rocks and dust everywhere. A cloud of smoke filled the air around it and I didn't waste any time telling her what to do next.
"Let's go in with Force palm." As calm as ever steven gave an order, I didn't catch what it was, but I could only assume it wasn't defensive. Breloom dug its feet in and bolted for the cloud Just before she entered, I knew I made a mistake the tail of the Aggron cut though the smoke heading straight for Breloom. With the smoke neither Pokémon could see the other witch wasn't that bad but seeing his tail come out like that made me realize I was the one at the disadvantage. Its tail was large enough that it didn't need to see her just know she was coming. There was a thunderous crack and a wave of force hit me. The smoke and dust where gone and I saw the clash of Aggron's iron tail and Brelooms force palm. Breloom managed to plant her feet moment before impact and I saw the skid marks left behind as she attempted to stop the blow. They both broke away taking several steps back before reading themselves and facing off once again.
"Impressive technique on that one. You must train them rather thoroughly to react like that." Steven half shouted so I could hear. I made an exaggerated nod before replying.
"It helps to have friends to spare with every day." It wasn't the full truth, but it was a big factor. Steven didn't say any more to me instead looking at the surroundings.
"Aggron Earthquake." My eyes widened as he lifted one of his legs and started top smash it into the ground.
"Breloom UP!" I made a punching motion to the sky as the ground started to shake. Breloom knew what I meant and whipped her head down and back up and launched herself upward. No sooner then she left the ground cracked and broke turning the once flat path into a craggy mess. This was an unusual use of sky uppercut, but she had seen blaziken and me use it before to avoid similar move. As I looked up to give her and order I looked almost directly at the sun.
"Ah The sun." I covered my eyes and let out a curse and had to rub my eyes before looking back at the field. There was now a large black dot in my vision, but I could see enough.
"Counter with stone edge." Steven gave me look and nodded he must have noticed my mistake and was taking advantage of it. It was then I saw to my surprise a beam of energy slam into the ground hitting Aggron's back left side. He let out a roar of pain and stumbled forward. Breloom then slammed into him from above pushing him over.
I looked at the two of them seeing how they looked and didn't like what I saw. With only three simple attacks Breloom was panting and more then beaten up while the Aggron only had the burn on his back and a smaller scuff mark on his chest. I reached back and called Breloom back she had done enough for now no need to put her though anymore. I then grabbed another ball one I had gotten a little while ago from a trade.
"Come out Ferrothorn and lets dance." I tossed the ball and from it came a large mass of steel that fell to the ground motionless. I started to wonder if she was okay but then it slowly rose into the air. The three protrusions on it top side pulled away but remained connected to the larger piece by a thick cable like vine. Once they were all the way extended, I could just make out its eyes open and glare down the Aggron. Spikes suddenly formed all over its body and I saw now why the other trained didn't care for it.
"let's get ready it will be quite the battle. Ingrain." The Ferrothorn started to dig two of its tendrils through the rocks and into the ground leaving the last to flail around. Now they had to fight to the end. Aggron started to step forward. Pushing the rocks over as it did. Something had changed in his posture and It was starting to worry me.
"Aggron stop." The tone in Steven's voice got scary serious. Aggron did stop but it tail started to thrash back and forth. "Earthquake." Steven continued nodding and relaxing again. The ground once again started to shake and crack but I couldn't let it get to me I looked to Ferrothorn and shouted out.
"Wait it out and Defend." My words fell on deaf ears, Ferrothorn reached back the free tendril and whipped it forward. The barrage that came was astonishing even with only one of its arms the beating was brutal. When the quacking finally stopped Ferrothorn withdrew the tentacle. I was surprised to see the Aggron much worse off than before. It was obvious that Ferrothorn was strong but that only meant it would be harder for me to control her. I resolved myself and switched my thoughts over to Pokémon and their kind. I wasn't sure why, but it helped me control my gift a little more. And in its own language I spoke softly and with as much authority as I could muster.
"You must trust me Ferrothorn I'm trying to help you." This took her by surprise and made her look to me.
"How do you speak like use was her reply." It was then that Aggron made another move. His tail was a gleaming silver and it slammed into her from above smashing her to the ground.
"More about that later for now him. You need to defend and wear him out a little more before attacking." She rose again and just gave me a sidelong glance Before her whole body became a silver color like Aggron tail. It Was a very similar for the next few hits from Aggron and I say his tail and arms becoming more and more scuffed he was starting to slow down ever so slightly. Then ferrothorn pulled herself from the ground and started to spin.
"No not yet." She didn't listen and shot forward.
"Aggron Stone edge." Just in time the Aggron caught ferrothorn and went to slam her into the ground, and as she went down the earth came up. There was a wave of force from the impact and without warning Aggron pulled away and teetered on his feet. Steven nodded and pulled out the Pokéball to retrieve him.
"I'll concede him KOed, but I will make things a little more difficult now." He pulled out a ball and tossed it out lazily just as I did with breloom, and from it came a sight I was hoping not to see. Stevens Metagross appeared and looked over to Ferrothorn who to my shock was pulling herself from the rocks. Before I could give an order Metagross started to glow. Looking back, I saw Steven holding out his arm and touching a bracelet.
"INGRAIN AND DEFEND." I shouted Fear creeping into my voice. No sooner did she start to fallow my orders did Metagross appear and Pummel her with a rapid series of punches. She was pushed acrost the field by the impacts and fell to the ground unconscious. I shook my head and walked on the battlefield toward my Pokémon. I tapped her lightly with the ball ignoring the hulking creature that was right beside me. I then turned toward steven and shook my head.
"I can't win against your Metagross. Even if I still had all four left. I won't fight a battle there's no chance of winning." I staired defiantly as steven willing him to understand my position. Steven didn't say a word and walked up to me, his Metagross flashed and returned to his normal form. When steven was right in front of me he held out his hand as he always did at the end of a fight. I shook it and when we pulled away, I was baffled by what I saw in my hand. It was the badge Norman gave him. I looked at steven in shook and confusion but before I could ask anything he put up a hand.
"Every challenger knows that if you win a fight, you earn a badge but none of them is prepared to admit defeat. In this fight I wanted to see if you would. Your right at your level even this stage of Metagross would be a near impossible challenge for you. You know your limits and that is more important then fighting to the end. You earned your fifth badge not from normal but Steven Stone Champion of Hoenn." I stood there stunned at his words. Was knowing my ability really that important to a fight. I looked back at him and decide to tell him what I was planning to do.
"Steven this was going to be the last badge I actually got. I don't want to Challenge the elite four or even you, I want to be a breeder. I'm going to head for the center and try to get a job there. I'll continue to travel with my friends, but I won't hunt after any more badges like they are. I'm so glad I was able to fight you and earn my last badge from you, but I'm done competing." I looked away from him a little embarrassed. Steven smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Not everyone is meant to be a fighter, but just know I'll be keeping an eye on you."
And from that time on steven has visited me every so often and eventually I became one of his trusted friends and a companion of the elite four.