Ithica blinked, then nodded.

"Sure," she said. "I don't mind, as long as I get out of Hoenn for a while. I don't care what region we head to." She paused. "Okay, no, that's a lie, I really kind of want to go to Kanto."

"We can do that," Mel agreed easily. "I'd love to go to Kanto. We'll get on the ferry for Kanto tomorrow, then."

"Works for me," Ithica said. Once they got outside, she stretched a little. "I don't know about you, but I want to go settle in and relax. League tournaments are brutal."

"You do get used to them, eventually," Steven commented.

"Meaning you get strong enough that eight rounds of a gauntlet doesn't bother you," Ithica translated. Steven just shrugged a bit. She wasn't necessarily wrong.

Mel snickered a bit. "And this is why I like raising," she said with a grin. "All of the fun, none of the stress of battles."

"The battles are the fun part," Ithica replied, grinning. She snickered. "Don't you want to be the best like no one ever was?"

Mel snorted and choked and had to double over for a moment, wheezing and laughing at the same time. Vulpix trilled at her, concerned.

Ithica couldn't help but snicker.

"Oh yeah, I went there," she said, grinning.

"Am I missing something?" Steven asked, looking between the two girls.

"Yes, old inside joke," Mel said, waving a hand. She was still grinning, but at least she could breathe properly again. "Oh that was awful and yet so good."

"I'm not sorry," Ithica said, still snickering a bit. "I just couldn't NOT."

Steven just glanced between them again and then shrugged, letting it go.

Mel snorted and shook her head, amused.

"Right, so. Get our ferry tickets now or in the morning?"

"I'm sure we can get them in the morning," Steven said. "It's been a long few days for everyone, I think we should all get some rest."

"Good plan," Ithica said, nodding.

Mel noded her agreement of that. "Sounds good. We'll see you in the morning, then?" She looked at Steven with a little smile.

"Of course," Steven said, smiling back. "Here, let me walk you back."

Ithica just rolled her eyes at the couple and headed back to the participant lodgings on her own, letting them have some time alone.

Mel smiled and settled in to walk next to him.

"Your schedule must be mostly pretty self-determined, since I keep seeing you pop up places," she teased.

"Perks of being the Champion," Steven said with a smile. "There are rarely things the League has to intervene in to the point that I need to get involved. Aqua and Magma are under control, for the moment, and the League is keeping an eye on them, so I'm at my leisure at the moment."

"Which works out quite well for me," Mel agreed with a smile. "And is probably pretty nice for you. Being able to study and do other things."

"It is nice," Steven admitted. "It gives me time to keep up with my hobbies." He grinned. "And it gives me time to spend with a lovely lady."

Mel grinned and blushed a little at that. "Flatterer," she murmured.

"Can't be flattery if it's true," Steven murmured back, smiling.

Mel shook her head, smiling. "I would argue but I get the feeling that would get me nowhere, so I'll just take the compliment where I can get it."

"Good plan," Steven said. He was quiet for a moment. "So. Kanto. Any particular reason why there?"

"Gym circuit," Mel said after a moment. "Plus you can get to Johto from Kanto without having to get on another ferry. We've both heard a lot about Kanto, so since we have a chance to go see for ourselves..." She shrugged. "A lot of reasons, really."

"I see," Steven said. "Well, I've only ever been there on official business, so it will be nice to be able to just wander."

"Yup. See what all we can see " Mel grinned. "Watch Ithica dominate another region's gyms."

Steven laughed a little at that.

"It will be fun to watch, now that it isn't my region being decimated," he said. "And knowing I won't have to face her at the end of it."