I had never been the type of person to let things go easily, everyone who knew me well enough were aware of that fact. However, there was one exception to this. If there honestly wasn't anything to gain or lose from keeping those thoughts predominant, then I would let them retreat to the back of my mind with great reluctance.

   What I did with the knowledge of the drought I had foreseen was no different. Until I could learn more about the disaster or the supposed "super-ancient Pokémon," I let the sights and sounds associated with it haunt my nightmares and nothing more.

   After nearly two weeks of traveling, our little quartet arrived in Lilycove, a cool-colored seaside city of picturesque beaches that contained a serene but lively population that was oddly short on tourists. It was a much more pleasant ocean-view town that I definitely preferred over Slateport and Dewford. But our introduction to the city was cut short when Arietta then insisted on showing us around to all her favorite places.

   After a whirlwind of a day that frankly left my head spinning, Arietta thought about closing the day off by visiting the city's open market.

   "Thanks for offering, Arietta, but Winnie and I already know our way around the city and there's someplace I want to go," Wallace said. When given a questioning look by Winona he said quietly, "You know... that beach where father always used to take us." That sated the girl's curiosity and she nodded.

   "There is? Then we can go together if you want," Arietta suggested.

   "No it's okay," Wallace insisted. "It's kind of a... sentimental place, you know?"

   "If you really want to, that's fine," I said. "If we don't run into each other again, then we'll meet at the Pokémon Center like usual."

  Wallace turned to me, nodding. "Sounds like a plan. We'll see you later, Stevie," he said with a wave.

   "So that happened..." Arietta pursed her lips. "I know it might not seem like there's much here, but I promise you there's a lot here when you know where to look!" she promised me with a cheery smile.

   "I'm looking forward to it," I said, giving her a half-smile.

   As we walked to the market, Arietta said that there were rumors of the place being replaced with a high-budget department store. The town officials were hoping that a department store would separate them from Slateport and Mauville and attract more visitors, something that Arietta wasn't very enthusiastic about. And from how "open" the market was in its lack of shoppers, I could see why the town officials would want to change things up. But it wasn't completely empty. Hopefully I could find something interesting there.

   With a great deal of my time in the more touristy towns having been dedicated to window-shopping, it had become somewhat of a guilty pleasure of mine. Especially in Lavaridge, where the obvious choice of sellable knickknack had almost begged me to shell out a couple thousand PokéYen for the sake of a shard of authentic amethyst. Meteor had to stop me on that occasion, and I was grateful for his intervention.

   I know what you're thinking, and you'd better stop right now, Meteor warned when I glanced at a stand selling Evolution Stones.

   I'm only looking at them. I won't purchase any, I promised.

Needless to say, it was difficult keeping that promise. When I saw that there was an Ice Stone for sale, I was tempted to buy it simply for the sake of saying that I owned one. I had seen them in pictures before but never in person. It took Meteor threatening to leave his Poké Ball and telekinetically drag me away for me to agree not to buy one of the sparkling white stones.

Arietta then came over to see what I was looking at, and I asked her which stones she liked.

   "I guess the Shiny Stone. I prefer actual gemstones over Evolution Stones. It'd be a waste of a potential evolution to make something like a Dusk Stone into a necklace or earrings. But of course, real gems are way too pricey."

   "What gems do you like, anyways?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off the Ice Stone.

   After a moment of pondering she said, "I really like rubies and sapphires, but emeralds are probably my favorite. If I could, I'd love a bracelet decorated with emeralds." She smiled wistfully for a moment. "But speaking of buying things..." She paused, letting suspense build. "I kinda sorta bought you something." She offered me a tissue paper-clad object.

   My eyes widened a bit at her sudden gift, my surprise leaving me in a small stammer. "Y-you did? Um, thank you. You really didn't have to."

Carefully wrapped in the paper was a pendant, of all things. A feather was attached to a simple, black, leather string by a silvery bead. It was very rustic-looking. What was most interesting about it was the feather itself. It was relatively small, around the length of my palm, and colored a deep green that faded in a gradient into pale yellow. It seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, giving it an ethereal quality.

   "It's a fleck of down taken physical form that was shed by the Legendary Pokémon Cresselia. Cresselia is said to be a being that embodies the half moon and brings good dreams, so the Lunar Wings she leaves behind can keep nightmares away," Arietta explained, pointing to the feather. "You don't seem like you ever sleep a full night so I thought this could help."

   It didn't come as a surprise when she said that. Anyone who noticed the dark discoloration under my eyes could tell I wasn't the most well-rested of people. The possibility of actually waking up after sunrise for once made me smile. "Thank you again, Arietta," I said earnestly.

   "Of course!" she replied. "I always try to help people I care about."

   She cares about me? Smiling awkwardly, I slipped the Lunar Wing over my head. "I'll have to repay you in some way," I said. The Lunar Wing couldn't have come cheap. It might've cost her thousands of PokéYen.

   "I'll admit that it'd be appreciated, but you really don't have to," she said.

   "That's nonsense! Though the gesture was kind, I would feel horrible if I at least didn't try to repay you in some way," I said. At that, she started laughing, which quickly confused me. "What is it? Was it something I said?"

   "I'm sorry for laughing like that, that was totally rude of me. The heat must be getting to me if I let that slip." She extinguished the last of her laughter with a forceful exhale, putting on a straight face. "Again, I'm sorry. But it's just the way you talk..." A small smile splintered across her face. "I've never heard someone your age say things like that. 'Though the gesture was kind' is something I'd expect from somebody twice as old as you. And you say it with such straightforwardness that it's unintentionally funny."

   "Is that it, then?" A sigh left me. "You're not the only person to have commented on how I phrase things. My dad and mom taught me to speak in this manner. Though in actuality, it was more my dad's idea. He said proper speaking etiquette was a virtue in society nowadays. Yet from what I've heard over the course of my journey, I suppose he wasn't being very truthful." If people were capable of getting those cartoonishly-oversized sweat drops outside of TV shows, I definitely would have had one at that moment.

   "You say that like it's a crime you talk that way! I personally think it makes you sound sophisticated, like someone from Kalos or Sinnoh. There aren't enough people like that in Hoenn."

   That was the first time I'd heard someone compliment me on my odd speech. I was so used to deflecting compliments that I was about to do so here, but I restrained myself. I really had to learn to accept them more often. "If you're trying to make me feel better, then you've succeeded," I said.

   "Then my job here is done," she replied with a wink, and I was glad I took the compliment.

   After that affair, we went back to perusing the marketplace. A while later I had wandered to a far corner of the seemingly endless space, somewhat separating myself from Arietta. I could still see her several stands over so I wasn't too concerned about losing her.

   Looking over whatever was interesting to me, my gaze had wandered to a selection of so-called "rare" Poké Balls. To my pleasant surprise, among the Nest and Dusk Balls, there were several Dive Balls. I selected one of the white and blue spheres, turning it over and admiring the wave pattern that took up its bottom half. I was glad they were finally up for sale. The concept art and blueprints Dad had let me see beforehand were nothing compared to the actual product.

   "That Dive Ball catch your interest?" the tired man running the stand asked me. I hadn't noticed him until now, and I was caught off-guard by his appearance. He looked like he was in his very early twenties at the oldest. I thought people his age would be in college, not working a partially run-down stand at an open market. And as if confirming my thoughts, he acted like he wasn't interested in his job at all. "If you are, they're three-thousand PokéYen apiece."

   "Excuse me? Three-thousand?" I gawked in total disbelief. That wasn't at all the price I'd been told they'd be sold at.

   "Ya got a problem with that?" the shopkeeper grumbled.

   "I-I don't mean to sound rude, but that is three times the amount this type of Poké Ball is originally priced," I cautiously explained.

   He unenthusiastically cocked an eyebrow. "So?"

   "'So?' So that makes this Dive Ball overpriced, and overpricing isn't a fair business tactic," I answered.

   "How observant. Like you know anythin' about marketing in the real world!" he laughed condescendingly. "Are you gonna buy or what?

   As someone who had spent most of his life studying marketing and the like, I couldn't help but take personal offense to that. "I know enough about the practice that I can say you're swindling your customers," I stated, frowning.

   "What's it matter to you? Doesn't seem like you're buying at this rate."

   "I certainly am not," I confirmed sharply.

   Steven, what are you doing? Meteor hissed.

   I thought I'd provide some much-needed education to someone who clearly dozed off during his college lectures one too many times. If he even took any, I replied. Something about the man rubbed me the wrong way, struck a foreign chord of ire that stabbed red-hot pinpricks into my chest.

Retaining my composure, I calmly returned the ball back to its case with its criminally-priced duplicates. "On second thought, perhaps you're correct. My knowledge may be a tad stale now that I think about it. I'm... sorry to have bothered you, sir," I spoke venomously, hiding it with an apologetic smile.

   The shopkeeper shrugged. "Hey, those over-privileged Stones produce those things, and I sell 'em." He took a second to scoff, shaking his head. "Never understood them. Pompous dolts are already born with silver spoons in their mouths. I say it's only fair I try to actually turn a profit. It's not like they'll lose anythin' in the long run."

   My shoulders tensed at that. "What?" I let my etiquette slip for a moment as the blunt question left me. My irritation over the man's attitude flared into anger. Sure, Dad wasn't always the nicest person, but he was more than fair when it came to Devon's practices. He wouldn't dare sell something for more than it was worth. "You have no right to say that—!" About my family, I almost let slip. Luckily, I caught myself in time. 

   "I do, in fact. Freedom of speech, kid. Thought everyone knew that."

   "Well, there are some thoughts that should be kept to yourself!" I blurted out, gritting my teeth.

   The man frowned as his eyebrows knitted together into a scowl. "Listen, pretty boy. You either buy, or leave. I could report you for loiterin', and I don't think you want any trouble," he growled, standing up. Somewhat intimidated, I took a step back but still kept my angered gaze locked on him.

   "Okay, then. I'll leave, and I'll report you for price gouging," I rebutted icily.

   "You think you're smart, don't ya? I don't appreciate smart alecks..." He tossed up a Poké Ball he had concealed in his pocket. An Electrike materialized on the ground next to its Trainer. Its eyes glared into mine, its lips pulling back into a snarl. My heart jolted into my throat. How was anyone not noticing this happening?

   In spite of the canine's presence, I stood my ground. I refused to be afraid. Sensing the oncoming storm, I forbade Meteor from letting himself out. With his increased size, he could have easily flattened a stand or two and it didn't matter if they were deserted. Really, I used that as an excuse to not bring Meteor out. I didn't need him to provide my confidence, not anymore.

   "Don't be so hasty. My Pokémon don't take kindly to antagonistic actions towards me," I uttered, my words deliberately slowed in order to keep them steady. Don't be afraid, you're not afraid.

   "So you're threatening me now?" The man smirked. His Electrike began growling softly, electricity sputtering from its body. "You'll regret your choice."

   Without thinking, I snatched two Poké Balls from my bag. In a flash River and Vinya were by my side, glaring at the man and his Pokémon. At the sight of two Pokémon that easily dwarfed his own, the shopkeeper was startled and stumbled back, nearly tripping over his fold-up chair. Seeing his response to my retaliation was... strangely satisfying.

"You were saying?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. I held the Poké Balls up, letting the man see their stamped Devon sigils. You didn't need to be associated with resale in Hoenn to recognize them. "As somebody who knows them personally, I'll have you know the Stones don't appreciate swindlers reselling their products. I can tell you that for free."

   Confusion, shock, and disbelief flashed across the shady man's features. "Wh-who are you?!"

   "My identity is the last thing you deserve to know," I stated in deadpan.

   "Steven, there you are!" All of us turned to face the interruption. It was, of course, Arietta. Her cheerful smile faltered when she saw the Pokémon that were three seconds away from brawling. "What's going on here?" she asked, her expression instantly darkening.

   "Nothing! Everything's fine!" The shopkeeper exclaimed, partially raising his hands up in defeat. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my lunch break now." He locked his display cases and left in a hurry, sparing me a still-stunned glance over his shoulder. I watched him with an unwavering stare until he vanished into the small crowd near the market's entrance.

   Once he was gone, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over me, and I let out a shuddering sigh. I can't believe that didn't blow up in my face! It still felt like my heart was trying to escape my throat, and I was just barely able to swallow it back down. I didn't think standing my ground would be so difficult. But... I couldn't deny how amazing it felt.

   "What was that all about?" Arietta asked. "Call me skeptical, but I don't think that guy was telling the truth about... whatever was going on."

   "He wasn't," I muttered, anger sparking for a second before dying again. He was gone now, there was no reason for me to remain angry.

   "Well, he would have gotten in trouble if he tried to attack you, since it seemed like that was what he was trying to do." Arietta shook her head before cracking a smile. "But you seem to have a habit of attracting unwanted attention from adults," she commented.

   "It's my special talent," I laughed nervously, forcing a smile.

   "Who knows? It could be useful someday," she replied, apparently oblivious to my discomfort. She looked River and Vinya over, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "I don't think I've ever seen those Pokémon before. What are they?"

   "River is an Armaldo and Vinya is a Cradily." I was able to respond calmly now that the possible danger was gone. The respective Pokémon waved at Arietta when I introduced them. "And I don't think anyone has heard of them before. I guess you could say they're undiscovered."

   "Yeah, because I've never heard of either of their species before." Before I could object, she took Vinya's ball from me and examined it. "Why does this Poké Ball have the Devon Corporation sigil on it? I thought you said your dad was a manager. How could he have given you those Pokémon if they're technically undiscovered? Doesn't seem like a manager could get ahold of Pokémon like that."

   Should I tell her? Uncertainty swirled within my mind. I wanted to get closer with her, and telling her who I really was could very well open more avenues for that to happen. "I can explain, but may we do it somewhere less... open? I don't want anyone else listening in."

   She handed back the Poké Ball, looking skeptical. "Are you sure I should be hearing this? I'm not going to hear the twisted confessions of a serial killer or something, right?"

   Coming from Arietta, I knew she was joking. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm completely innocent..." I said, over-exaggerating my tone.

   She shrugged. "Fair enough! If you insist on being so mysterious, I know a place you can spill all your secrets." She turned and looked over her shoulder at me, gesturing for me to follow. With really no other choice, I did just that, hoping I wasn't making a mistake.