Missed

One missed call, the screen tossed accusingly at him, flickering for a few seconds before the backlight went off, as was such of the automatic settings he had programmed into it. It left the cave darkened, his only light source being one of his pokémon, whose flash attack was weakening by now.

With a sigh that barely left his lips, Steven shoved the pokénav back inside his pocket, and ignored the nagging voice inside his head that commanded him to check the identity of the caller, who had unluckily tried to seek him when he was not in a mood to pick up. Besides,he told himself, if it was really so important… They would call again.

Fixing that thought inside his head, he picked up the pickaxe again, hammering gently on the cavern wall, watching chips of the wall fall off, onto the floor. Aron mewed, watching him work whilst Claydol levitated in midair, drifting about restlessly. Steven didn't blame either of his pokémon. They had been in Granite Cave for about a week now, and had explored the entire cave, and memorised its features like the back of his palm. It was only so natural that even the patient Claydol would become nervous in such an environment…

But he couldn't leave the cave. There was something here, he knew; his Beldums having the ability to sense the presence of special stones, were very insistent about sticking around in the cave until he - they - found it.

He chipped away at the rock, until he was sure that there was nothing there before he replaced the pickaxe back into his bag pack, and moved down the corridor, into the next area - the waterfall stop, where his camp was, and the flame still burning where he had left it a few hours ago.

Claydol relaxed, the weakening light disappeared from its body, as the psychic pokémon closed its eyes and fell into sleep. Steven smiled at the familiar sight of the hovering pokémon, knowing that it was taking the rest it well deserved. He stroked the side of Claydol's large head, and moved towards the fire, which Aron avoided by a distance.

Metagross, previously floating over the waterfall, now settled beside him, and looked at him with what Steven had eventually named the 'curious look'. The Champion smiled, but shook his head no, and the curiosity turned into one of slight disapproval. Obviously, the iron leg creature was feeling the effects of staying too far in an unfamiliar place as well, and it held no shame in showing its trainer that. But even then, within seconds, the disapproval melted into expressionless mask - more so than anyone, Steven knew better. Beldums, Metangs and Metagross - he had trained them, being inclined towards the steel and psychic types, and he knew, how even though they were steel pokémon, they were more emphatic than other species.

The expressionless façade was Metagross' way of telling Steven that it trusted him, and would follow what its trainer wanted to do.

He smiled again, though weary, and thanked it quietly, and he watched the flame, until the last of the embers died and faded away. It wasn't really cold inside Granite Cave, but then again, he had been here long enough to get used to it. Steven stood up swiftly, and hesitatingly, extracted the pokénav from his pocket again, the accusing lighted screen displayed in front of his face once more and it said, Thirteen missed calls.

Sheepishly, he pressed a button and accessed the caller history, and shook his head, albeit surprised when he saw who it was. He pressed another button, and within seconds, found himself connected through.

"Good evening," he murmured, "father. Yes, I'm fine. Granite Cave proves interesting enough, and Aron is happy to be able to meet more pokémon of his kind." He paused, if only to let his father talk. "Yes, I'll still be here for the next few days, unless I find the stone - I…"

"A trainer?" Steven asked, truly interested. "Ruby? He'll be coming here to find me… I see. Father," he said, amusement sounding in his voice, "you could have just told me to re- He's fighting the Gyms. He wants to challenge the Champion?"

The Champion - you.

Not me, Steven whispered inside himself purposefully, the image of a blue-haired genius, Sootopolis water-expert coming to mind.

"I'll meet with him, father," he added, a promise made. "If you say he's talented, I know he is." Steven laughed, and replied, "Well, I don't think he'd like to know the letter was blank, father. I won't tell."

Silence.

Whisper.

"I love you too, father."

Static.

He replaced the pokénav back inside his pocket, and, with a nod at Aron, headed for his tent.

"You're late," Ruby says over their call.

Steven has to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing. "Well, at least I picked up this time?"

"You really need to set your pokénav on vibration mode," the other complains, "or something."

"Did I miss anything?" he asks, in an attempt to change the topic.

"My call," Ruby mutters. "All thirteen of them."

And even though he tries, Steven finds himself laughing once again. He can feel Ruby's scowl through their connection, and though he promises to make it up to him, the once Champion of the Hoenn League can do nothing but laugh as he navigates the screen of his pokénav and finds it - clear evidence of how he has missed thirteen calls once more.

fin.