Aries

The Hidden Village.

"We're lost," Steven replied flatly. "We're lost- whatever, we'll find something eventually.."

Ash shrank a little at Steven's flippancy before Steven rubbed his hair a little reassuringly. "I mean it. Metagross can teleport me for supplies if we need them. Let's just enjoy the journey."

They came across an Oddish playing by a riverbed, sipping the water happily as Pinwheel ran over to wave out the little Pokemon. Steven nudged Ash as the two Pokemon chattered happily.

"Hiya!" The Oddish giggled, before shrinking away seeing the two trainers. "Oh.. you're going to battle me.."

Steven watched as Ash's eyes widened. "Steven, maybe move back a little?"

He stepped away as Oddish blinked in more confusion. Ash crouched down on the level of Oddish, smiling as best as he could in a friendly manner. "It's ok, I don't want to catch you."

Oddish looked alarmed already, and when a Bulbasaur lept from the foliage, Ash looked alarmed too. The Bulbasaur threw a Vine Whip attack at Ash himself, and Steven ran to catch the kid as he was sent back. Pinwheel crackled with electric fury.

"Hey! That was my trainer, dimwitted Bulbasaur!" Pinwheel snarled. Steven didn't need to speak Pokemon to know Pinwheel was chewing the starter out. Then a slightly uncomfortable thought reminded him that Bulbasaur were rare.

"He was going to hurt Oddish! All trainers do!" Bulbasaur snapped back. Ash blinked briefly before Steven nodded in understanding as Ash told him what the Bulbasaur said. Steven took a long breath.

"Hey, I train Steel types primarily. I'm not going to be catching Grass Types- unless you count my Cradily I revived." Steven replied, looking at the Bulbasaur. Ash nodded. "I trust him."

Bulbasaur's mouth dropped as the Pokemon looked to Pikachu panicked. "Where's his mother?"

"Blackthorn. Unless you count Gale, who's kind of adopted him... She's a Pidgeotto. I'm like a brother, I guess, Kai is his little brother, and I'm pretty sure the Steven guy views him as a kid."

Bulbasaur relaxed a little, assured that he wouldn't have a pissed-off mother Pokemon coming after him. He approached Steven and Ash, who were now sitting down by the riverbed, poking Steven with a Vine Whip. Bulbasaur huffed.

"I don't know if I trust the Steel guy just yet. Why is he here?" Bulbasaur replied. "Gale could easily look after him."

Pinwheel snorted. "My trainer is a danger magnet. Steven is very strong, and lets us train a lot!"

"Steven, you should show Bulbasaur that Pokemon who needs experience! Excadrill!" Ash prodded the older, who gave a short smile and tossed the ball up, releasing the drill Pokemon. The mole-like Pokemon beat the metal claws it had together. "Reporting for duty!"

Bulbasaur observed the Excadrill, curiosity ebbing the little Pokemon's features. "Do you trust your trainer? Would he abandon you guys?"

Excadrill snorted. "Not if his not-a-boyfriend-definitely-a-boyfriend had anything to say about it. Plus, he's always horrified by the stories."

Ash chuckled at the Excadrill's comment, who looked far too smugly at Steven, who pressed fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"I wish I could understand what you just said."

Bulbasaur ended up taking the two back to the village, if not for the Pokemon's sake, for Melanie's sake. It was obvious the two were safe- and not every Pokemon would trust their stray around any old human, so it was worth a shot. And anyway, they could keep a close eye on Steven, it was fine.