DISCLAIMER: For safety's sake, I decided to add that neither May nor Steven belong to me. (Only in my fantasies…) Pokemon doesn't either.
The weather turned unseasonably cold when it came high-time for autumn to transform the tree leaves from a tender viridian green to a dry russet brown. Shivering inside his sweater, Steven gazed out upon the chilly waters that bordered Mossdeep City. The sun was starting to set—at six in the evening—and was transforming the eggshell blue sky into a wondrous ocher.
Staring at the sky with full attention required every facet of Steven's mind. It was no simple matter just watching the clouds grow tails until they swam into nothingness on their coral-shaded backdrop. No. This natural wonder required absolute alertness or the picture of perfection would be spoiled forever. All the same, even Steven's eyes wandered when a rather distinctive giggle sounded from behind him.
"Bradley, stop."
A bit sulkily, Steven turned to behold May leaning into another trainer's embrace. Innocent sixteen-year old May whispering into another man's ear. Needlessly, her burgundy scarf fluttered in the twilight breeze. Soon enough, her gaze aligned directly with his own. She started in shock.
"Steven!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"I live in this city," he replied blandly.
Bradley's face wasted no time turning into a delightful shade of cherry. "Who's this?" he demanded.
Who's this?…
It stung. Just a little bit. Now that May was the new champion, everyone had forgotten about Steven What's-his name. Fame was fickle. Just like hasty relationships.
May rubbed the scowling trainer's arm.
"This is Steven Stone. The former champion? He's a friend of mine."
Was a friend of mine…
"Former champion, huh?" The trainer leered at him from beneath his sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses on an October evening signified either one of two things--an overabundance of stupidity or an overabundance of a need for attention. Steven voted for the latter. He had seen his type before. May perhaps genuinely didn't know it, but she was in danger of getting her heart broken.
After Bradley was presumably done sizing him up, he boredly shifted his eyes to his trophy girlfriend. "I'm going to grab a bite. Come with me when you're done." Bradley then shot him a hard stare that screamed 'don't try anything' before leaving the impressions of his sneakers behind him as he trotted across the sand.
Anxiously, May tucked a strand of gleaming purple hair behind her ear. "That's Bradley. You know, my boyfriend. We met at school. He's just my age, and he's only been a trainer for a few months."
The caustic words were meant to burn, but Steven countered them like a Wobuffet.
"Really? He acts like he's been a trainer longer than me."
May's mouth dropped open in outrage. "Don't you dare criticize him! Just because he's not as good as you--"
"I've heard enough." With this guarded warning, Steven directed his attention back to the accommodating sea.
"I love Bradley," he heard. "I love him. Then again, someone with a heart of steel would never understand."
Before he could reply, his former admirer had already scuttled down the shoreline--leaving Steven alone to his thoughts which in itself was a terrifying prospect.
The autumn winds turned wintry as they whistled past his reddened ears. Somehow, the previous picture of perfection the meeting of sky and sea had brought together was now marred.