When Theo picked up his phone and finally saw the barrage of comments, he instantly understood what the viewers were teasing about.
He simply turned the phone screen toward Steven. Steven only took one glance—no, half a glance—before his entire face flushed from the tips of his ears all the way to his cheeks. He hurriedly waved his hands, flustered, and stammered in defense:
"The chat is talking nonsense! I'm only trying to support promising young Trainers. This has absolutely nothing to do with Wallace! He and I are just opponents in competitions, nothing more! Honestly!"
Theo stood off to the side, and the phrase "explaining is just covering up" flashed through his mind. But seeing Steven looking both anxious and embarrassed at the same time, he didn't dare say it aloud. He held it in, barely, his shoulders trembling as he fought the urge to laugh.
Steven caught Theo's suppressed smile immediately. He noticed the slightly flushed cheeks, the twitching corners of his mouth that wanted to curl upward, and instantly saw through the younger man's thoughts. Putting on a deliberately stern expression, he lowered his voice and said:
"Look at that face, don't tell me you're secretly laughing at me because of the chat's teasing?
Let me warn you first: if you dare laugh out loud, the reward I promised you—the privilege to pick a fossil from my private collection and have Devon's top revival team restore it, won't count anymore!"
The moment he heard "the reward won't count", Theo swallowed back his laughter on the spot. He shook his head vigorously, his tone extra sincere:
"Champion Steven, I swear I wasn't laughing at you! I just… just thought the chat had an amazing imagination. Their comments were really entertaining. Please don't take any of their teasing seriously."
As he spoke, he subconsciously raised a hand and pressed a fingertip against the corner of his lips, forcibly flattening the smile that kept trying to rise. His mind was full of only one thought:
I absolutely cannot laugh… If I laugh, the reward is gone!
Steven had never actually intended to punish Theo for holding back his laughter. Seeing the boy so nervous, terrified that he might lose the reward—Steven's eyes flashed with a hint of amusement that he quickly hid.
He soon set aside the playful expression, lifted his hand, and gestured toward the shiny Metagross still floating beside them. His voice softened.
"Metagross, return."
A beam of white light shot out. The huge shiny Metagross shrank in an instant, dissolving into a streak of light that flew back into the Poké Ball at Steven's waist.
The entire process was smooth and simple—without the overwhelming pressure it had exuded moments earlier inside the cavern.
After stowing the Poké Ball, Steven patted Theo on the shoulder and spoke lightheartedly:
"Alright. Don't worry. I won't take back the reward.
So, are you still planning to continue exploring the cave? If not, we can head out now. I'll take you back to the Devon Corporation first.
You'll get to see my private collection sooner that way."
The moment the words "private collection" came out, Theo's eyes practically lit up like stars. His excitement couldn't be hidden even if he tried.
He immediately answered:
"I'm done exploring! Who cares about the cave, seeing your private collection, Champion Steven, is way more important!"
Steven couldn't help laughing. His eyes carried a warm, gentle smile as he lifted the Poké Ball in his hand and shook it lightly.
"So, my private collection really is that appealing."
Without wasting time, Theo hurried toward the hovering livestream equipment nearby. His steps were noticeably quicker than usual—clearly, his heart was already racing toward Rustboro's Devon Corporation.
Facing the camera, he let out a helpless smile and adjusted the angle slightly, making sure the frame captured both him and Steven. Only then did he begin explaining:
"Alright, everyone, you can stop spamming the chat. Just now, Champion Steven was teasing me a little—that's all. You can treat it as a fun little intermission~"
But even as he spoke, the screen continued to flood with comments like "I ship it!" and "Steven is too adorable!"
Seeing this, Theo hurriedly added:
"Okay, everyone, that's it for today's stream."
He gave an apologetic smile to the camera and explained:
"I'll be heading to the Devon Corporation with Champion Steven next. It won't be convenient to keep streaming. Thank you all so much for staying with me today, we'll meet again next time!"
Though the viewers were reluctant, they understood that good things should end at the right moment. One by one, the farewells filled the chat:
"Already ending? Today's stream was amazing, I was tense the whole time!"
"Go with Champion Steven! Don't delay choosing your fossil! We're waiting for the good news!!"
"If it's possible to record the revival of the ancient Pokémon, please show it to us later!!"
"Who else is still thinking about Steven blushing earlier? Adorable. I'll remember this for a whole year!"
Theo laughed softly and waved goodbye before shutting off the stream with practiced ease.
"All done?" Steven asked first.
"Mm, all done," Theo replied, nodding. He stored the livestream device back into his backpack and looked up at Steven with eyes full of expectation.
Outside the Granite Cave, the sunlight was bright, chasing away the cavern's chill.
Following Steven out, Theo was greeted by the salty sea breeze. It washed away the lingering dampness from the cave. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the inflatable fish tank he carried.
Feebas seemed to sense the openness of the outside world as well. It spun joyfully inside the water, pressing its little head against the tank wall as it peeked outward.
"Are you ready?"
After recalling his Aggron, Steven pulled out another Poké Ball with a smile. With a flick of his wrist, a flash of red light burst forth—and a sleek, powerful Skarmory spread its wings as it landed before the two of them.
Its feathers gleamed like finely crafted steel plates, reflecting a cold metallic sheen.
Each extended wing carried sharp, blade-like arcs. Its gaze was firm and piercing, yet gentle—clearly a partner that had been trained with great care.
"Yes!" Theo nodded vigorously.
"Hop on."
Steven patted the Skarmory's back and climbed up first with practiced ease, clearly accustomed to traveling this way.
Theo took a deep breath. Carefully cradling the inflatable tank in his arms, he climbed onto the broad back of the Skarmory with Steven's help.
He had no intention of putting Feebas into a Poké Ball. Opportunities to see the world from the sky were rare—and he wanted to share this experience with it.
Though Skarmory's feathers were rigid, they surprisingly didn't hurt to sit on. Theo found his seat steadier than he expected.
"Hold on tight."
Steven's warning came from right beside him.
Feebas, sensing that they were about to take to the skies, excitedly spun a circle in its tank. Its little tail wagged so vigorously that droplets of water splashed against the walls—clearly expressing its anticipation.
With a crisp cry, Skarmory spread its wings wide. A powerful gust swept across the ground, stirring fallen leaves into the air.
Then with a strong push of its wings, it lifted off effortlessly, soaring upward.
Theo felt his heart tighten and instinctively grabbed the back of Steven's coat with one hand while securing the fish tank with the other.
Looking down, he saw the Granite Cave shrinking rapidly into a tiny black dot on the ground. The coastline stretched afar like a ribbon of gold beneath the setting sun.
(End of Chapter)