The morning breeze rolled gently across the golden sands of Route 110 as Joseph Stone adjusted his travel cloak and stepped off the paved road. Slateport City shimmered behind them, the ocean breeze still lingering in the folds of his clothing. His shiny Eevee walked beside him, tail swaying and silver fur catching the light. Steven walked slightly ahead, looking far more eager than usual.
"Are we really hiking through tall grass today?" Steven asked, a touch of disbelief in his voice. "You know we could just take the lift from Slateport to Mauville's edge."
Joseph smirked and glanced over at him. "Where's the fun in that? You're always telling me how important it is to understand the terrain. Might as well walk it."
Steven made a face, but he didn't argue. "Right, right. Future Champion advice."
Joseph chuckled. "You sure it's not future CEO advice?"
Steven gave him a mock glare. "Not funny."
They laughed together as they followed the narrow, grass-lined trail through the outskirts of Route 110, heading north toward Mauville City.
The Road Between Cities
Trainers passed them now and then—newbie kids with Zigzagoon and Wingull, brash teens with Electrike and Gulpin, all energized by the thrill of the first few badges. Most of them looked at Joseph like just another backpacker.
Which was exactly what he wanted.
But some noticed Steven—his silver hair, polished demeanor, and the polished Poké Balls on his belt.
A few even recognized Joseph, but mostly in whispers:
"Isn't that the guy who walked out of that Contest Hall with the mayor's thanks?""I heard he beat a Gym Leader unofficially. And refused the badge.""That Eevee though… have you seen that fur?"
The brothers continued on quietly. Joseph's eyes swept the land around them, analyzing without effort. Battlefields. Rock types near the cliffs. Water types toward the marshy edges. A perfect mixture of encounter zones.
"Wild Pokémon density here is low in the morning," Joseph muttered, half to himself. "But Electrike and Voltorb get aggressive in low humidity."
Steven gave him a side glance. "You really studied the region, didn't you?"
Joseph looked amused. "I built your team, didn't I?"
Steven flushed slightly and didn't respond.
Encounter on the Bridge
As they neared the famed Cycling Road overpass, a clatter of noise echoed above them. Bicycles zipped past in quick succession, and the occasional yahoo of an overconfident teen trainer rang out.
Below the overpass was a long, wooden bridge connecting the grassy path to Mauville's lower edge.
Joseph stepped onto it first, but halted at the sound of approaching footsteps. A girl in red with a white bandana—May—ran up behind them, panting slightly. She spotted them and waved enthusiastically.
"Steven! Joseph! I didn't know you were headed this way!"
Steven perked up. "May! Still collecting ribbons?"
"Yup!" she said proudly. "And I'm trying to get more battle experience too. Hey, Joseph… will you battle me?"
Joseph looked down at Eevee, who gave a soft, alert chirp.
"Sure," he said calmly. "One-on-one. Pick your best."
May lit up. "Okay! Go, Beautifly!"
The butterfly Pokémon fluttered into the air, wings glittering in the sun. Joseph gave a slight nod.
"Eevee, your stage."
The small silver Pokémon walked forward, calm and serene. Her silver fur shimmered like metal beneath the bridge's dappled light.
May hesitated for half a second, then called, "Beautifly, Stun Spore!"
Joseph didn't speak. Eevee moved before the command was even needed—Protect flickered into being, a shimmering barrier absorbing the golden dust cloud.
"Quick Attack," Joseph said softly.
Eevee vanished in a silver blur and reappeared mid-air, ramming into Beautifly with precision. The impact sent Beautifly reeling. May shouted for Gust, but Eevee was already weaving in and out, dodging on instinct alone.
"Finish with Shadow Ball," Joseph said.
The orb formed mid-air and shot true, gently but firmly knocking Beautifly out of the air and onto the grass.
May blinked. "That was… that was awesome."
Joseph gave her a small smile and walked over, offering a hand to help Beautifly upright. "You've trained her well. Her movement in the air was smooth."
May nodded, beaming. "Thanks! Eevee's amazing though. Is she going to evolve?"
Joseph looked down at the shiny Pokémon. She looked back with quiet resolve.
"Not yet. But she will. When she's ready."
Steven looked between them with admiration. "You battle like a wave, Brother. Calm, but impossible to resist."
Joseph laughed. "That sounds like something our father would write in a speech."
Mauville and Magnetic Threads
Later that afternoon, they reached Mauville City.
Newly renovated, the city was in a transition phase—half of the buildings modernized, others still holding their rustic charm. Wires overhead buzzed gently, and the faint hum of the power plant was a constant presence.
Joseph and Steven didn't head for the Pokémon Center right away. Instead, they stopped by Rydel's Bike Shop—Joseph picked up a Mach Bike for Steven, who didn't even argue about being spoiled this time.
Then they walked toward the Battle Tent.
Joseph paused in front of it. "Think I should test a few new movesets?"
Steven gave him a curious glance. "You've already tested everything. In theory."
"True," Joseph said. "But theory doesn't flinch when paralyzed."
He stepped inside and handed over Eevee's Poké Ball. The referee matched him against a local Mauville coordinator testing their battle style for Contest-level competitions.
Joseph made no show of it. He didn't even speak until the match started. But once it did, every movement Eevee made was fluid, calm, and surgical.
By the time the match was over, the crowd—mostly rookies—was silent.
The judge shook Joseph's hand afterward. "I've seen powerful trainers. But your Pokémon… it moves like it understands everything."
Joseph simply replied, "She does."
Planning Ahead
That night, the brothers camped just outside the Mauville gates.
Steven was the first to break the comfortable silence between them.
"You've been keeping something from me," he said quietly.
Joseph raised a brow. "What makes you say that?"
Steven looked over, his face serious. "You're not just a traveler. I've seen the way you move. You knew the encounter rates by heart. You calculated that battle in Slateport without hesitation. Even father would be impressed."
Joseph was silent for a moment.
Then, with a small sigh, he replied, "There are things I know. Things I remember."
"About Pokémon?"
"About… everything."
Steven waited, but Joseph didn't elaborate further. And to his credit, Steven didn't push.
Instead, he said, "Whatever it is… I'm with you. The Stone name means nothing without loyalty."
Joseph smiled.
"And together," Steven added with a smirk, "we'll make the Stone family the most powerful in Hoenn."
Joseph's grin widened.
"No," he said, leaning back on his hands to gaze at the stars.
"We'll make it the most powerful in the world."
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