"Ash, would you believe it? I've always considered you my absolute best friend."
Listening to the silver-haired young man's sappy declaration, Ash looked completely numb. "Oh, really? I'm flattered," He replied tonelessly. "Won't Wallace be jealous if he hears you saying that?"
The silver-haired man—Steven Stone—practically lunged at Ash, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Forget Wallace for a second! Come on, Ash! Tell me! Where is it? The giant! The beautiful! The legendary Moon Stone?!"
Ash looked like he had accepted his fate as Steven shook him. Finally, he pried the man off. "Fine, fine. I'll take you to see your 'dream girl' now. But remember: you have to work with the Clefairy to protect it."
Steven was vibrating with excitement at the prospect of seeing the stone, but Ash held up a hand, making him wait. Under the stunned gazes of Misty and Brock—and a completely unfazed Professor Oak—Ash pulled out a small medical penlight. He grabbed Steven by the face and began inspecting his eyes.
"Meowth, give me the ophthalmoscope."
Meowth rummaged through a toolbox and handed it over. "Here ya go, Boss!"
Ash performed a meticulous examination of Steven's eyes before administering a few drops of specialized eye medicine. He sounded slightly surprised. "I didn't expect this. You got here so fast; I figured you'd be exhausted and straining your vision."
Steven kept his eyes closed, grinning. "Heh, I knew you'd check. Even though I was dying to get here, I made sure to rest on the way. You went through so much trouble to fix these eyes of mine; I don't plan on letting your hard work go to waste."
Ash shuddered slightly. "Bro, can we please tone down the mushiness?"
*
Steven Stone. The son of the President of the Devon Corporation and the Hoenn Region Champion. His two great loves in life were Steel-type Pokémon and rare stones. He also suffered from a rare ocular condition that, despite the high level of medical technology in the Pokémon world, was difficult to treat because it was so uncommon.
However, what was a difficult case in this world was a simple fix for Ash—who, in his previous life, had devoured medical texts to take care of someone close to him. Ash had used Steven's condition as a case study, providing a treatment plan that saved Steven's sight. Now, it only requires periodic check-ups.
This was why Steven was so willing to help Ash find rare materials. Even Ash's legendary Pokémon food recipes wouldn't have been enough to move the Hoenn Champion if not for the debt of his eyesight.
And for a stone-maniac like Steven, a "Colossal Moon Stone" was like a world-class beauty. He had mobilized Devon Corp's resources the second he got the call to rush to Mt. Moon.
When Steven finally laid eyes on the massive Moon Stone, he nearly lost his mind.
"Oh! Ohhh! It's magnificent! It's a miracle! I can't believe a specimen this size actually exists!"
Ash watched him geek out and sighed, patting Steven on the back. "Just make sure you clear everything with the Clefairy so there isn't any trouble. Meowth, translate for Steven."
Meowth, who was currently polishing a brand-new gold charm on his forehead, nodded happily. "You got it! With this new coin, I'm lookin' sharper than ever!"
Ash turned to Pikachu. "Does Meowth's attractiveness really depend on that coin?"
"Pika-pi..." (Pikachu shrugged, looking equally confused.)
Ash turned to Misty and Brock with an apologetic look. "Sorry, guys. We'll have to wait a bit longer. I'll whip up some food while Steven negotiates with the Clefairy."
But Brock wasn't thinking about food. He grabbed Ash by the vest, his eyes wide. "Ash! Do you have any idea who that is?! That's Steven!"
"I know," Ash said blankly. "Why else would I have called him?"
"Ash, who are you?!" Brock shouted. "He's the Hoenn Champion! The peak of an entire region!"
Unlike the frantic Brock, Ash remained nonchalant. "Yeah, a Champion. It's not that big of a deal. It's not like he's the only one I know."
Misty and Brock stood frozen. They were starting to wonder if Ash was the secret heir to some ancient, global superpower family. In reality, Ash had built his connections through his past-life knowledge, Professor Oak's mentorship, and sheer utility to other powerful families. At this point, Ash was a family unto himself.
"Um, Ash..." Misty started, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Exactly how many Champions do you know?"
"A few. They're just people, really. They all have their quirks. Steven is a rock nerd. Another one I know has zero survival skills and can't make a decision to save his life. And then there's one who is..." Ash paused, a soft look crossing his face. "Perfect. Yeah, that describes her."
(He made a mental note never to mention that Diantha used to be a total crybaby, or he'd likely face an execution.)
Misty asked about her own idol. "What about our own Kanto Elite Four? Master Lorelei?"
The change in Ash was instantaneous. His hair practically stood on end, and Pikachu tensed up beside him.
"I don't know her! I'm telling you, I don't know that woman! Never heard of her! Don't mention that name, thank you!"
Ash bolted toward Steven. "Hey, Steven! Wait for me! Let's go, Pikachu!"
"Pika-pika!"
Misty and Brock shared a look. There is definitely a story there.
Oak watched Ash flee at the mere mention of Lorelei and let out a mischievous, old-man chuckle.
"Ah, the complicated fate between those two... I think I'll stay out of it. Oh! I almost forgot. I already told Lorelei that Daisy got her ring. She's probably already on her way to Cerulean City. Good luck, Ash. You're going to need it."
*
Meanwhile, near Cerulean City, a woman with glasses was briefing her Pokémon.
"Remember, everyone. We have to catch him this time. There are some things we need to discuss... thoroughly."
She adjusted her glasses and looked toward the direction of Mt. Moon. A small, dangerous smile played on her lips.
"You can't run forever, Ash."