Because he was in a good mood, Sam had quite an appetite. He ate three large bowls of rice before finally feeling satisfied.
After eating his fill, he lay back on the sofa to rest. Although it wasn't the healthiest habit, it felt incredibly comfortable.
Beep, beep, beep.
Just as Sam was relaxing, a message came through on his communicator.
He frowned slightly. Very few people knew his contact number—who could it be?
The moment he checked the message, his expression changed. Without hesitation, he sprang up from the sofa.
"Yellow, I'm leaving the Gym to you. I need to go on a long trip."
The message was from Steven.
Back when Sam had given him the Metagross Mega Stone, Steven had promised to help find a Mega Stone for Charizard. Such items were extremely rare, and only now had he finally found a lead.
If it had been anything else, Sam wouldn't have reacted so strongly.
But a Mega Stone?
That was different.
Ever since Sam showcased Mega Evolution with Gengar at the Indigo Plateau Conference, the entire Pokémon world had become aware of it.
Mega Stones, once obscure, were now incredibly valuable.
Prices had skyrocketed.
Finding one now was far harder than before.
In a way—
Sam had made things harder for himself.
Understanding the urgency, Steven had emphasized the situation clearly in his message, urging Sam to come to the Hoenn Region as soon as possible.
There was no time to waste.
Sam immediately booked a flight and prepared to leave. After giving Yellow a few instructions, he set off.
He wasn't worried about leaving her alone.
Sooner or later, she would have to handle things independently—and this was a good opportunity to gain experience.
For this trip, Sam only brought four Pokémon:
Tyranitar, Charizard, Lapras, and Dratini.
The rest stayed behind to help guard the Viridian Gym.
---
Rustboro City
The largest city in western Hoenn, Rustboro City held a status similar to Saffron City in Kanto.
It was home to the massive Devon Corporation, the leading industrial company in the region.
Located near Meteor Falls to the north, Petalburg Woods to the south, and Rusturf Tunnel to the east, the city was known for blending nature with technology.
After an eight-hour flight, Sam finally arrived.
The long journey had taken its toll—he looked visibly tired after staying up all night.
Too exhausted to think about anything else, he hailed a taxi, gave the destination, and closed his eyes to rest.
The airport was located in a remote area, far from the city center. With traffic delays, it took another three hours before he finally reached his destination.
Standing before the towering headquarters of the Devon Corporation, even Sam couldn't help but sigh.
"What an impressive building…"
"You're new to Rustboro City, aren't you?"
Hearing a cheerful voice, Sam turned around.
A young girl stood nearby, her round cheeks giving her an adorable appearance. In her arms was a cute Eevee.
"More or less," Sam replied after a moment's thought.
"Do you want me to show you around the city?" she asked eagerly.
"Are you a tour guide?" Sam asked with a smile.
She nodded enthusiastically.
"It's summer vacation, and I'm working part-time!"
"I see."
Despite her enthusiasm, Sam shook his head.
"Sorry, I'm here to meet a friend at the Devon Corporation. I don't have time today."
"That's okay! Come find me next time!" she said brightly before waving goodbye.
After parting ways, Sam entered the massive building.
He was quickly stopped by security.
"Sorry, sir. Visitors are not allowed."
The guard's tone was polite but firm.
Sam sighed inwardly and explained, "I'm here to meet Mr. Steven."
"Mr. Steven?" The guard's expression changed immediately. "Please wait a moment."
Realizing who Sam was here to see, the guard didn't dare delay.
He called over a receptionist to escort Sam to the lounge, then hurried off to report.
As he sat down, Sam couldn't help but admire the professionalism of the company.
Even the receptionist carried herself with elegance and poise.
Without him asking, tea and snacks were served.
Leaning back on the VIP sofa, sipping high-quality tea, the fatigue from his journey slowly faded.
After some time, the guard returned.
"Are you Mr. Sam?"
"Yes."
"Could you please show your identification?"
"No problem."
Sam handed over his Pokédex.
After verifying it carefully, the guard returned it.
"Mr. Sam, Mr. Steven is not currently in the company. However, he left a letter for you."
With that, the guard handed over the letter and stepped away.
Sam frowned slightly.
Not here?
That complicated things.
Without wasting time, he opened the letter, hoping to understand what had happened.
---------------Author---------------
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