The Wandering Rock Collector - Blog Posts
Oh he barely had the time to SAY IT! As soon as she was given the okay, she already opened the first dice roll app she could find and--
"Johto it isssss apparently.
Traditional towns, biiiig mountain, mysterious cave full of alphabet soup. Sounds right up your alley!"
Alright then. They were doing this. Against his better judgement perhaps, but sometimes, not listening to that little voice in his head that told him to do as he should, was a lot more fun.
"...Go on ahead! Let's see where we're travelling to!"
Her smile widened ever so slightly.
"Now we're talkin', Stevie!"
She's not dropping the fucking nickname, nope!
"Thinking too much will make your brain melt. I found the best places I've ever seen just while walking around a random town I ended up droppin' in after skydiving, actually. In fact--"
--she pulls out her phone!
"Want me to roll? Right now. No backsies."
Ooh. Spotaneity and impulsivity. A roll of the dice as to where they'd be off too. He liked that thought.
"...Actually, that sounds like a fun idea! Why should we have to decide when we can have the world do it for us?"
"There isn't much time only if you don't seek it, my guy."
She even paces around, as relaxed as ever.
"Especially if you're worrying too much about everything all the tiiiime.
In fact, y'know what? Instead of asking ourselves ehere to go and wonder if we would have the time, let's go to the airport and get the first plane we find. We can afford that, anyway!"
Terastilisation did sound like a fascinating phenomenon to investigate and learn more about... But likewise, he was equally as interested in Dynamaxing.
"A lot of places sound rather fun..." he sighed. Anywhere but holed up in his office at Devon seemed nice right about now. "Sometimes that feels like half the problem. So many places to see and so little time to visit them all! I've travelled almost every inch of Hoenn, and yet I still discover new things occasionally."
"Weeeeeelllllll, I've just been in Alola, but I wouldn't mind goin' back there.
I do have to beat my record for the volcano climb."
As always, she went for the oddest tourist traps and personal challenges. Sure, Mantine surfing and the Battle Tree were fun, but nobody could claim they climbed Wela's Volcano in 47 minutes and 18 seconds! Could be 46!
"But I heard that there's plenty to explore in Paldea. Something about special rocks that can change your Pokèmon Type, or something? Tera-whatever." a shrug "Sounds fun."
Oh if only finding a suitable replacement Gym Leader were that easy...
"It's not impossible, just... unlikely at the moment."
As to where they could go? There were so many places Steven wanted to explore and hadn't yet.
"You know me. I want to travel everywhere I can eventually. I haven't had the chance to properly visit Galar before, or Alola. A chance to visit Paldea outside of League work would be nice too... What about you? Where do you think we could go?"
"They're having fun tho, right?"
On the other hand, she seemed as relaxed at ever, stretching a bit before striking the good ol' hands-behind-her-head-anime-pose.
"Either that, ooooor we open the place for a new Gym Leader? So we get to see some new faces and Juan can chill out?"
It's not that simple, a small part of her pointed out. But it could be!, another promptly countered.
"Somewhere new?'
Whatever that burocratic nonsense, we got exploring to do.
"What did ya have in miiiind?"
"I mean, yes! But I feel guilty when he has to cover. I know he's said he's more than happy to do it in order to let me explore but. Then Juan has to come out of semi-retirement to cover Sootopolis Gym..."
Steven always felt guilty asking people to do things he could do, or at least feels he should be able to do. That feeling only ever got worse after the incident with Groudon and Kyogre...
"... Maybe we should go on an exploration somewhere together. Somewhere new."
He was saying his thoughts before he could even think what they meant.
"I mean, you can just leave League duty to Wallace again?
I do that all the time."
Girl you shouldn't brag about that.
"Staying in the League room all the time is laaaaaaame, we should explore while we can, no?"
Seeing the four Ice Stones shoved into his hands, his entire face lights up, and he grins wide as a Sableye.
"All for my collection!? Thank you, Sapphire! I'm truly humbled."
He'd have to find her some rare stone in return or treat her to a coffee or something.
"I really must visit somewhere new soon outside of necessary Devon and League business trips. Then I'd actually have time to find such qunatities as these of things!"
"Funny you say that"
Give her a second to rummage through her pockets… where did she put--
"Ah."
At last! She pulls out a grand total of FOUR Ice Stones, smirking while she shoves them in Steven's hands.
"You're welcome."
"Alola? Sounds wonderful. Find any new partners out there? Get any of those Ice Stones that are common around there? I've got one or two, but a few more for collection purposes would be ideal!"
Ah yes, rock discussion. If a stone could be inserted into conversation it always would be.
Especially if it helped avoid work talk.
Ah, yes. His favorite guy, skipping work just like her. Classic.
"Eh, you know. The uuuusual.
Got to see Alola lately. That's nice."
AVOIDING THE SUBJECT, BABYGIRL?
"I'm doing as well as usual I suppose. The League's still holding itself together, so all is good."
Well as usual could mean anything coming from Steven. Usually it meant 'drowning in work but taking it all in my stride,' or 'avoiding league paperwork by going searching for rocks and good battles'. Either way he gave Sapphire a small smile.
"And how about you? Everything still holding together ok?"
