Aries

Steel Type Trainer

Ash's team played happily with some of his Pokemon. Gale did laps around Skari now- Steven supposed the bird was probably going to evolve soon if he didn't know any better. Kai rested his head on Ash's shoulder as the trainer gently patted the Dragonair. Pinwheel snoozed on Steven's lap while Neptune and Aeris competed against each other. Pyre sunbathed on a rock beside his sleepy Bulbasaur friend. Mica, disguised as a Slakoth, lazed on top of Steven's Metagross, who seemed amused by the Gastly's antics.

"Do you think I'm behind on my gym challenge?" Ash asked, rather randomly. Steven looked a little confused.

"I mean- like," Ash paused to try look for the words he wanted to say. "I was looking at messages. My .. uh, rival, kind of, rival, has five gym badges."

Steven looked at a limp piece of grass and picked it out of the ground. "Honestly, you aren't. I was around gym four too when I was your age, challenging them myself. And I was a prodigy just like you."

Ash snorted. "I'm not a prodigy. I just have a good training partner."

"Well, you take advantage of that, so, I don't know what you mean." Steven chuckled back. Ash smiled and relaxed his shoulders. Maybe Steven was right. Ash didn't have to worry, he was on pace, and the stress he was feeling was going to be gone when he finished the challenge.

His friend would become better, and everything would be ok. Why wouldn't it?

A Mankey, who had been watching the two from a tree, leapt down from it and looked up at the trainers curiously. Steven lifted his Pokenav. "Mankey, the Pig Monkey Pokemon. It lives in groups in the treetops. If it loses sight of its group, it becomes infuriated by its loneliness. Note: This Mankey is from a Non ILA region."

The Mankey sniffed the air. "Pack is gone. I miss pack. Where am I?"

"You are in Kanto. Where are you from?" Ash replied gently, to hopefully not aggravate the Pokemon. Steven slipped his Pokenav back into his pocket and brought his attention to the Pokemon. The Mankey perked up at that. "Near Mesagoza!"

Ash looked bewilderedly at Steven, parrotting the Mankey's words to him. Although "Mesagoza" was literally Table City in how the Mankey said it, it was probably closer to Mesagoza in a normal language anyway. Steven nodded, glancing to where the Pokenav sat in his pocket. "I get it. Paldea is a non ILA region still. This Mankey is very far from home."

The Mankey started to give some sharp nasally breaths. Steven continued to speak. "But that's not a problem. I- I, mean, I'll look after you!"

Steven didn't mean to say that. He was a steel-type trainer. He would give him to Brawly, or maybe the type effectiveness would make him a better trainer or something. He didn't really know what to say, he just panicked on the spot. He was far too tired to think clearly. The Mankey, surprisingly, calmed down though. The little Pokemon hopped over to Steven and tapped a Pokeball, letting himself be caught.

The Mankey released himself immediately and crawled onto Steven's shoulder. "Kono! That's my name, don't forget it!"

Ash relayed that information to Steven.

"Kono, huh? That's... that's a lovely name." He sighed. He didn't have the heart to let the Mankey go now.

A differing pack of Mankey crawled out from the bushes, hissing and spitting at Kono. "Hey! It's the weird Mankey. Smells different. Off our land, now!"

Kono jumped from Steven's shoulder, punching the air. "Get away from my trainer!"

"...Oh dear." Nexum idly buzzed. Mica, still disguised as a Slakoth, let out an ugly snort of amusement.