On a Night Like This

5. Steven

He was the first to speak. "My apologies. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"That's okay." She looked as though she wanted to say more, but shyly turned away without another word.

Her attire suggested she was also a guest of the Master Ball launch, and Steven wondered what had compelled her to seek out solitude on a night like this, forgoing the glitz and glamour inside for the quiet outdoors. Deciding to entertain his curiosity, he rounded the fountain to meet her. "What brings you out here?"

"It's a bit... overwhelming, in there. I guess I'm not really one for parties."

"I don't often say so, but neither am I." And with the veil of water no longer obscuring her face, he remembered.

It was the girl from the interview. She'd appeared so desperately uncomfortable that he'd stepped in to take her place, in spite of the fact that he didn't much like interviews himself.

"Jasmine, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"I take it you're not one for interviews, either."

"No." She glanced up at him with a timid smile.

"We have that in common, then." Steven knew he was being far more candid than usual, and yet, he wasn't sure why. It could have been the way she looked so nervous. He didn't want to be the sort of person who made people nervous. Well, if this was what it took to put her at ease, so be it.

"Then I should thank you. For... for what you did earlier."

"It was no trouble. Pokémon Talk would have cornered me sooner or later." He sat down beside her and offered his hand. "I'm Steven, by the way."

For such a soft-spoken girl, she had a deceptively strong handshake. "The Lance of Hoenn, I'm told."

He tore his hand from hers. "I'm not like that."

Lance had long been a dedicated leader, the very image of what a Champion was supposed to be. He'd accepted the fame, the constant media attention, and all that went with it. Steven hadn't wanted any of that, and he'd left the position without regret to pursue his own interests.

"I-I'm sorry. We all look up to Lance, and I heard..."

As she struggled for words, a wave of guilt washed over him. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."

Perhaps he was tired of having to act like a Champion tonight. He'd given up the title years ago, and yet he still hadn't managed to shake all of its accompanying expectations.

"I didn't mean it. It was something one of the other leaders said to me."

"The loud girl in the pink dress, by any chance?"

"How did you know?"

"Just a guess." Steven chuckled. "She and I had a rather eventful run-in. Luckily, I escaped unharmed. My clothes, on the other hand..." He gestured down at his damp suit.

"Oh, no." Jasmine gave a gentle laugh, and his eyes were drawn to her.

She didn't belong at a party like this. She seemed poorly versed in the art of shallow conversations and feigned smiles, and in stark contrast to the extravagantly clothed women inside, she wore only a simple white dress.

He thought she was beautiful.

"So you're a Gym Leader," he inquired, his wish for a moment alone now all but forgotten.

"Yes, from Olivine City."

"A lovely city."

"You've been?" She regarded him with mild surprise.