The Skarmory's wings sliced steadily through the air currents. Theo quickly shed the tension from his very first flight, and all of his attention was drawn to the breathtaking scenery spread out beneath him.
The forest below resembled an endless ocean of green. When the wind swept across the treetops, it stirred up rolling waves of lush foliage. Off in the distance, a river shimmered like a ribbon of silver, winding gracefully toward the horizon.
Every now and then, a few Pidgey or Wingull swept past them, letting out crisp, ringing cries as they flew.
The inflatable fish tank hanging in front of Theo's chest swayed gently with the motion of the flight. Feebas circled inside, pressing its small head against the side of the tank as if hungrily peering down at the world beneath them.
After breaking through a thin layer of clouds, the view became even more expansive.
Looking down, Theo could clearly see the winding roads below—some trainers cycling along them, others traveling on foot. Many Pokémon darted around joyfully in the roadside grass, their playful cries filling the air. The entire world seemed brimming with vitality.
"Rustboro City is just ahead."
Steven pointed forward. Theo followed his gesture, and sure enough, the outline of a vast, bustling city appeared across the horizon.
As Skarmory drew closer, the details of the city became more vivid. Compared to the blurry silhouette from afar, the city now resembled a living painting—one imbued with vibrant spirit.
The skyscraper marked with the "Devon" logo stood tall and upright in the center of it all, like the spine of the entire city. This was the Devon Corporation's headquarters.
Surrounding the tower was a cluster of carefully arranged buildings. The commercial district was filled with towering structures, their massive electronic screens playing everything related to Pokémon—battle highlights, advertisements, products, and more…
"Rustboro is the transportation and technological hub of the Hoenn Region," Steven said with a touch of pride for his hometown. "It's also the first stop for many trainers starting their journey."
As Skarmory descended, the liveliness of the city center became all the more distinct. On the sidewalks lining the main avenue, many people walked alongside their Pokémon companions.
Skarmory began to slow its flight and prepare for landing. The Devon Headquarters was now within reach. Theo could already see several employees in Devon uniforms waiting for them.
With a firm beat of its wings, Skarmory settled onto the rooftop. Its talons clanged against the metal flooring with a deep, solid sound.
Theo followed Steven down from Skarmory's back. His feet had barely hit the ground when he caught a faint scent of sweet berries drifting from somewhere afar.
A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Steven.
"Young master, welcome back. The chairman is waiting for you in his office. Also, the members of the Fossil Revival team you requested earlier have already been notified and are on standby whenever you wish to begin."
"Got it."
Steven nodded and then turned to Theo. "Let's go meet my father first. After that, we'll head to the collection room."
Theo and Feebas followed Steven into the nearby elevator. The elevator descended smoothly and stopped at the floor marked "3F."
Inside the building, Theo was immediately stunned by the spectacle before him.
The massive glass curtain walls allowed the golden light of the setting sun to flood the hall, illuminating the entire space. Various framed paintings and mineral descriptions hung neatly along the walls.
Employees in crisp white uniforms came and went. Each one greeted Steven with sincere respect in their eyes.
Walking behind Steven, Theo felt like a visitor who had accidentally wandered into a noble's castle—nervous, yet somewhat excited.
Steven continued forward without stopping, heading straight toward a sturdy wooden door. Pushing it open, they entered a large, spacious room.
At the center, seated on a leather sofa, was an elderly man with graying hair and razor-sharp eyes. His neatly pressed suit gave him an imposing presence, and he held an open document between his fingers.
This was Joseph Stone, the current chairman of Devon Corporation, and Steven's father.
"Father, I'm back," Steven said as he walked over. He casually helped straighten the papers scattered at the corner of the desk, speaking with relaxed familiarity.
Joseph set down the document and looked up at Steven. Though his gaze carried concern, his tone held a hint of reproach.
"You've been away for quite some time. Stay home a bit longer this time. The company will eventually be yours, so you shouldn't spend all your time digging for stones. You should learn more about our research projects involving Pokémon ores."
Steven scratched his head awkwardly and laughed. "I know, I know, Father. Oh—this time I brought a friend home. This is Theo. I met him while mining. He's a very interesting trainer!"
"Hello, Chairman," Theo quickly bowed. Feebas, floating in the tank on his chest, wagged its tail obediently.
Joseph nodded, his gaze pausing briefly on Feebas before he turned to Steven.
"Alright. Take Theo to the collection room first. Your secretary has already informed me. Don't keep your guest waiting, hahaha!"
"Yes, Father."
"Thank you very much, Chairman!"
Leaving the office, Steven led Theo down to the basement level. After passing several hallways, they arrived before a heavy metal door requiring both fingerprint and iris verification.
Once authenticated, the door slowly slid open. A cold, mineral-infused air drifted out, accompanied by the faint hum of dust-prevention machinery.
Beyond the door stretched an enormous underground chamber. Soft lights illuminated rows upon rows of display racks.
On the racks were various ores, each housed inside a customized transparent protective casing. Beside every casing stood an electronic display panel, its blue glow revealing the ore's name, place of discovery, and detailed characteristics.
Most of these ores were excavated by Steven himself—from ruins, caves, deserts, and countless other places. Each uniquely shaped ore was carefully showcased.
Theo's eyes were immediately drawn to a glass-like stone. It was a translucent red sphere with two streaks of crimson and gold swirling within.
The screen beside it read:
"Special Flame Ore — Discovered deep within Mt. Ember. Contains a dense concentration of Fire-type energy!"
Seeing Theo stop in front of it, Steven explained:
"I discovered this last year while mining inside Mt. Ember. It looks a little like a Fire Stone, but the shape is different, and it can't trigger a Fire-type evolution.
Our researchers found that it contains extremely strong Fire-type energy, but there's currently no way to activate it. Its use remains unknown, so I stored it here for now."
Even without the system panel in his mind, Theo instantly recognized the stone.
It was none other than Charizardite Y, one of Charizard's two Mega Evolution stones.
Charizard had been one of his most-used Pokémon in his previous life while playing Pokémon, so he recognized it at a glance.
Although Theo understood the stone's true nature, Mega Evolution had yet to emerge in this timeline. He couldn't directly reveal its purpose to Steven.
But Theo was not someone who forgot favors. He always kept kindness in mind.
After all, Steven was about to gift him a rare fossil Pokémon for no real reason—a gesture that made countless trainers envious.
Theo could vaguely guess why.
Most likely, there was something about him—some faint resemblance to Wallace—that had unknowingly touched Steven's heart, prompting such generosity.
Even if he suspected this, Theo never felt that the kindness was worth any less. Regardless of the reason, Steven had treated him sincerely.
So, Theo turned to Steven and said:
"Mr. Steven, this stone does seem very special. If there's a Fire-type version of it, maybe there are others of different attributes as well.
If you could gather enough stones of the same type but different properties, who knows—maybe something extraordinary would happen. What do you think?"
Steven pondered for a moment before replying:
"It's not impossible. If I come across similar ores in the future, I'll be sure to collect and study them."
(End of Chapter)