The New Normal – 7-2 – Interlude – Steven
Steven let out a huge yawn as he got back to his hotel room, a pleasant sense of exhaustion coursing through him after today's victory against Karen. He knew that they were both holding back, but she was excellent practice for him for his eventual battle against Sidney when he returned to Hoenn.
He wasn't ready just yet, but he hoped that his time in Indigo would refine him into a diamond that truly could match up against the greats. This was something money COULDN'T buy, and for that he was determined to prove that he was more than just a Mr. Moneybags with a silver spoon.
It wasn't like he was going to deny the fact that he was rich. That was indisputable. But he wanted to be known for being more than just the heir to Devon Corp. While he was aided by his substantial wealth, his team had worked and pushed themselves to great lengths to get where they were now. And he had been smart in his training, making full use of the resources available to him to achieve the strength that they had now. Yes, he had an undeniable advantage over others, but his team's strength was still earned through his own hard work and strategy, not something that he was given freely by his birth.
It was why he stood above the other spoilt heirs and their lacklustre Pokémon. They thought money could compensate for a lack of hard work and effort. It couldn't.
Of course, that was when an old man made his presence known as he stepped out from the corner of the room, a metal detector in his hand.
"There are no recording devices in this room, Mr. Stone." The old man said respectfully with a bow of his head, "You are in the clear."
"Thank you, Samwell, but you know that this is unnecessary." He replied to his bodyguard slash butler. Really, he insisted to his father that he didn't need to bring Sam along, but both Sam and his father were insistent.
Well, it was not like he minded that much. Samwell was practically a second father to him.
"It always pays to be cautious." Samwell replied as Steven knew he would.
"And, if I may, how did you find that battle against Karen, sir? You must have known she was holding back." Samwell continued.
"I knew. It wasn't like she was trying to keep that a secret." Steven replied as he rested his head against the back of his chair.
Thinking about it, Steven guessed that Karen had actually fought against him with the weakest of her Pokémon. Inwardly, he let out a wry grin; it seems like they both had the same idea of just using their weakest Pokémon to fight with, aside from his Aggron.
He wondered how a match between him and her would go if they fought at full strength? His Aggron performed well against Karen's Umbreon, but he knew she had far stronger Pokémon than that. Further, he knew she frequently sparred against John and was trained up by Elite Agatha. And he KNEW how strong those two were.
He expected to see more of Karen's exploits on the news in the future. Oh, and that reminded him that he had a match to organize.
"Sam, could you contact the branch head of the local office here in Kanto? I have a charity match to arrange." He asked.
"Certainly, sir. I'll speak to Director Shelly tomorrow morning to make the arrangements for her to speak to you." Samwell responded with a slight bow. "But sir, could I inquire about why you decided to set up a charity match on such short notice?" Sam always liked asking questions about his intentions, but not out of curiosity.
In the world of business, you weren't allowed to be 'caught up in the moment' when making decisions. And this was Sam's way of ensuring that for Steven.
"Like I told them, I just felt that this would have been a great opportunity. I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to establish a charity match. Marketing has informed me that now would be the best time for any kind of PR moves. We already have the public's sympathy, and now would be a good time to make use of it." Steven explained.
Not that he was doing it PURELY for PR reasons. He was genuinely sympathetic towards all those that were affected by Team Rocket's evil actions, and felt bad that the innocent public had been caught up in all this. He had already privately made substantial donations to charities, but a charity match like this would likely prove to be more effective.
"Prudent as always, Mr. Stone. Your father would be proud." His butler complimented loyally while he placed a cup of tea on Steven's desk.
"Thank you." He replied as he took a satisfying sip of the tea. Just how he liked it. Then he moved to switch on his laptop. Opening up his to-do list, he browsed through the many items on that list that he hoped to achieve while in Kanto.
Aside from market research, one of his main goals while he was here to challenge and sweep through the Gym of Indigo to show off his strength. Even if some or all of the Gyms Leaders were holding back they were still useful challenges to test himself against. He wanted to set the stage for his upcoming participation in the Hoenn Conference.
However, now that he was almost at the end of his Gym run, he needed to find other strong trainers to test himself against. And as he went over his research files, he found just the man he was looking for.
"Sam, if you still have some time, could you put me in contact with this guy?" He swivelled his laptop so that the screen was facing his butler.
"Bruno? Ah…you wish to test yourself against him?" Samwell asked knowingly.
"I do." He confirmed.
"…That may prove difficult. Bruno is not one to…stay on the grid, so to speak." Samwell replied hesitatingly.
Oh, right. Steven frowned, having just read that Bruno was someone who frequently absconded into the wilds to train himself and his team. The man was very dedicated to his training, more than anyone else he knew, and that was something Steven could admire.
If only it didn't make him so hard to find.
"Just do your best. I won't be upset if we can't contact him." Steven remarked.
"Understood. Though, if I may, I think he is a great choice for you to test yourself against, Mr. Stone. His physical condition is a testament to his dedication to training. And in all honesty, I am uncertain if I could take him in an actual physical fight." Sam admitted.
Steven shot his bodyguard an incredulous look, "Really? YOU would lose to him?" He knew Bruno was strong, but for his bodyguard to state something like that was extraordinary. He had seen his bodyguard slam someone INTO a wall with just a kick, so that spoke volumes about Bruno's own strength.
Samwell nodded, "Anyone who possesses even a hint of knowledge in martial arts would be able to recognize that Bruno was the real deal. I have yet to seen him fight personally, but I am very confident that Bruno is by far one of the most martially talented and disciplined people that I have ever seen. Even if he transfers a portion of that dedication to training his Pokémon, he will be a very difficult battle for you." Samwell warned.
Steven nodded, "I understand, but that is exactly why I am looking to battle him in the first place. If I am afraid to fight someone like him, then how would I achieve my ambitions back in Hoenn?"
"Too right, Mr. Stone. Your courage is admirable." Samwell responded with a nod. "Then do you think you will win?"
"I haven't the faintest idea." He admitted, "But that's the thrill of it. We both know that my current win streak here in Indigo has been inflated by the fact that I'm at a level slightly above most of the Gym Leaders here, or that they've been holding back for one reason or another. If I do want to make my run for Champion back in Hoenn, I must be able to refine my strength even further. The Elite Four are certainly no pushovers."
And that wasn't even including his old friend, Wallace. Sometimes, Steven felt that his goal of becoming the Champion of Hoenn was doomed to fail when he thought about how he would surpass his long-time friend. But those thoughts were always swept aside.
There were no impossible opponents. Only difficult challenges.
"And you believe Bruno to be the one to help you?" Samwell questioned, though he likely already knew the answer.
"Exactly." Steven confirmed, "Although I do hope to get better acquainted with a man like Bruno. He has great potential that others seem to not have picked up yet. He may be a simple-minded man, but I could see many potential uses of a disciplined and straightforward man like him."
"I see. I do hope that whatever plans you have for him work out." Samwell said with a small encouraging smile.
"Thank you." Steven said as he put down his cup of tea, "Now, I do apologize for cutting this conversation short, but I believe my father has a few reports he wants me to read through."
"Of course, Mr. Stone." Samwell bowed and erased his presence from the room, leaving Steven to focus on his own work. Even though it was already pretty late at night, he knew that he would likely be burning the midnight fuel today once again as he started reading through the reports.
Sometimes, being the heir to one of the largest businesses in the world wasn't easy. But he wouldn't trade it for the world.
A.N. And here's some insight into Steven's character! I wanted to write him as a mix of a good-hearted, yet intelligent heir to a large business. Yes, he's rich AF, but he's far from a spoiled heir and is trying to be more than just that. I hope it fits!
And yes, Bruno will be making another appearance in the future. Not quite yet though. He's a hard man to find.
And to anyone who wants to support me, please check out my p atreon at CartecTNN where you can read 8 advanced chapters! Thanks to those who have supported me already!