A Study in Mega Evolution

Epilogue Three; Sweet, Sweet Ruinion

Corina sat at her desk, inputting numbers into a computer system absently. Today was a day that kept dragging on. She'd been working for Steven Stone for just over a year now but had needed to cut back her hours at work to take online classes in business school. Her desk phone rang, and she picked it up without looking away from her desktop screen. "Devon Corporation, Steven Stone's office. Corina speaking."

"Hello, I'd like to make an appointment." She immediately perked up when she recognized the voice on the other end of the line.

"Professor Sycamore!" Corina smiled and heard him laugh through the phone.

"Hello, Corina! How are you?"

"I haven't heard from you in a while! To what do I owe the pleasure?" She leaned back from her desk and stretched, easing her eyes from the pounding light of the computer screen.

"Well, I really do want to make an appointment. I have some new research I believe Steven would be eager to hear, so we're making the trip over."

"You're coming to Rustboro City?"

"I am! Is Steven available for a meeting? Next week?" She pulled up her boss' schedule on her screen and nodded.

"He has his afternoon available on Monday."

"Perfect. Alain and I will fly out Friday. How does that sound?"

"Alain? Alain's coming with you?"

"Yes, is that alright?" He asked. She could hear the sly smile in his voice.

"Y—Yeah, that's great. How about Leon?"

"He can't come. We have an influx of new trainers coming in, so he's helping Sophie handle them."

"Ah, I see. So, it's just the two of you coming over?"

"Indeed. He's excited to see you."

"He is?" Corina felt a warmth float into her cheeks. She hadn't seen him since she said goodbye to him when she left for Hoenn. She hadn't talked to him much, either. She never really knew how to start a conversation with him, especially after all that happened.

"Of course. Although, he's showing it in his usual manner. We'll see you soon, Corina."

"See you soon, Professor." She said goodbye, but her mind was elsewhere as she edited Steven's schedule. She was going to see Alain again after all this time. Leon had kept her updated on Alain's progress as the new Kalos champion since he defeated Diantha. But she was curious to hear it directly from him.

The rest of the week breezed by as Corina counted down the minutes until Professor Sycamore's and Alain's arrivals. There was a new skip in her step around the office Friday. Her heart was fluttering too much to let the droning of errand running get her down.

Steven looked up from the papers on his desk as Corina bounced in to hand him the latest report from the lab. "You're extra chipper today." He observed and smiled. He leaned back in his chair, his pale blue eyes examining her.

"And how could I not be?"

"And I also notice you put a braid in your hair today. Looking your best for Alain?"

Corina stiffened a bit and felt her cheeks flush. She turned to the side in her best attempt to hide her blush from her friend. "Come on, Steven. I've hardly talked to him since I left. He's far too busy with his new champion duties to worry about stuff like that."