Heart of Steel [Pokémon Fanfiction]

07| Kindling the Bonds

"So where are you from, Steven?"

   I paused and looked at Wallace's younger sister, Winona. She was a very pretty girl with long lavender hair that was put up into twin Tepig-tails and matching lavender eyes that glittered with intrigue and excitement. She gave off the vibe of someone who loved adventure and living life to the fullest. I held up my index finger in a gesture that meant, "Wait a second," and swallowed what I had in my mouth. 

   "Rustboro," I replied. After we battled, Wallace had taken me to Café Wisteria where I met Winona. According to him, she had just turned twelve and they were half-siblings. He also apparently had another directly blood-related sister named Lisa, but she was off in Unova and the two hardly ever talked, if at all. Wallace was also my age, sixteen. Since he had decided to change his career path from Coordinator to a standard Trainer, he went back to his home city so he could accompany his half-sister on her own journey.

   "Really? That's pretty close to here. We came here all the way from Sootopolis," Winona said as she took a drink from her water glass. "Wallace's Mantine brought us to Slateport and we had to take a train to Rustboro afterwards."

   "You have a Mantine?" I asked Wallace.

   He nodded. "Our father brought a Mantyke back from Sinnoh when he went on a business trip there and he gave her to me when I initially began my journey."

   "That's nice," I said, not quite sure of how to respond to that.

   "Wallace got his badge yesterday, and now we're gonna go to Dewford Town next!" Winona said.

   "The next Gym is there," Wallace added. "I'm not at all worried about the battle. Justine is the Leader there and she specializes in Fighting-types. My Starmie can sweep her team with ease!"

   Fighting-types? From what limited knowledge I had of the type match-up system, I knew that Steel was weak to Fighting. Sure, Meteor was also part Psychic-type but that wouldn't matter if Zen Headbutt was the one Psychic move he knew.

   Hey, I could still win regardless! Meteor chimed in.

   What did I say about reading my mind? I growled. I had no idea how I managed to convey that infliction through thought, but I did somehow.

   'Don't do it,' I know! he sighed.

   "Steven, are you okay?"

   I snapped out of my mental conversation and saw Wallace and Winona staring at me. I then realized that I had been scowling the whole time I was speaking with Meteor. "Yes, I'm fine. Just... thinking," I said reassuringly. Winona's eyes suddenly sparked, as if she had gotten an idea.

   "I know, you could come with us to Dewford!" she offered excitedly. "We were gonna leave in a few days, and because you're collecting badges like my big brother, you'd have to go there some time. It'd be fun to have another person traveling with us!"