Steven was in the pokemon center, having Nurse Joy look after his pokemon. They'd taken quite a beating, and he wanted to make sure they were okay. It wasn't often they lost.

It took Mel a few minutes to find him, and when she did she smiled a bit. "Everything alright?" she asked, watching him.

Steven jumped just slightly and turned around.

"Mel," he said. "Yeah, everything is fine." He grinned a bit. "You must be proud of your friend."

"I am," she said with a little smile. "Honestly, I expected her to win. No offense." She smiled at him, moving to stand a little closer to him.

"On the one hand, I'm disappointed," Steven admitted. "I'm... not used to being on the losing side of a battle. But on the other hand, I'm not, because she really is a remarkable trainer. If I had to lose to someone, there are far worse trainers out there."

"Yes indeed." Mel smiled. "Besides, even if you had won this time, she'd be back next time even more determined." She grinned a bit.

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Steven said, grinning a bit in return. He looked at her. "So, do you have a plan now that your friend has thoroughly trounced the League?"

"She wants to go on to the next region," Mel said with a shrug. "Tomorrow, probably, or day after. I'll keep with her, as her personal cheering squad."

"So soon?" Steven asked, a little surprised. "I would have thought she'd want to bask in her victory for a bit first."

"Nah, she's uncomfortable with all the attention," Mel said with a bit of a grin. "She wasn't expecting that. Besides, now that she's defeated you, she'll want to be on to the next region to gather more badges."

"I see," Steven said. He considered that for a moment. "I'm sure the League wouldn't mind if I took a bit of a... sabbatical, after such an unexpected tournament outcome." He looked at her. "That is, if you wouldn't mind one more tag-along?"

Mel smiled at that. "Not at all," she assured him. "We'd be glad to have you."

"Great," Steven said, grinning. "Though I hope you don't mind if I don't bring my full battle team. I'm not going as Hoenn League Champion, after all. I'll only bring along a few pokemon."

"That's just fine," Mel told him. "In fact, that might actually work out better. Less pressure on you, that way."

"Exactly," Steven said, nodding. He grinned a bit. "Besides, I hardly ever get to visit other regions outside of League business. It will be nice to get out and just travel a bit. I used to be a traveling trainer, you know. Until, well, the League."

"Really?" Mel blinked. "Huh. For some reason I can't picture you as just another traveling trainer. Guess I'll get a chance to now." She smiled.

Steven gave a bit of a sheepish grin.

"Yeah," he said. "I was a traveling trainer for a little while. I thought I wanted to do the traditional gym challenge, but it didn't work out, what with having to help my father with his company and all. I just happened to get the opportunity to challenge the last Champion straight out, rather than having to do the traditional challenge, since you can waive the eight-badge requirement if you graduated from the Pokemon Academy instead."

Mel nodded. "And that ended up working out for you," she said with a bit of a grin. "Hey, whatever works, I guess. As long as it makes you happy."

"I learned a lot in the Academy," Steven said, nodding. He grinned. "I learned even more battling in the League." He looked at her. "What about you? Still not one for battles?"

"Nope." Mel popped the 'p' and shook her head. "I can watch, but I have no interest in actually battling myself. I'd much rather work on raising them, making pokeblocks, making food. That kind of thing."

Steven grinned a bit.

"That explains Ithica's Milotic," he said knowingly. "I thought she raised it from a Feebas rather quickly. Knowing you have some skill at making pokeblocks explains a lot."

"Oh, I don't really," Mel said, shaking her head. "I just experiment and see what happens."

"Then you must have a good instinct when it comes to berries," Steven said. He grinned a bit. "I've heard rumors. It isn't just Ithica they talk about."

"What?" Mel blinked at that, startled. "What do you mean? Of course they talk about Ithica, she's great. Who else would they talk about?"

"I've heard some talk," Steven hedged. "About a trainer who travels with a rising star and gives out advice on eggs, and berries, and raising pokemon." He gave her a bit of a pointed look.