Gladion stepped out of the elevator on the top floor of the Devon Corporation headquarters in Rustboro City.
He had arrived in Hoenn earlier that morning after accepting Wallace's invitation for this meeting.
A pretty young woman in a neat Devon uniform greeted him at the reception area.
She smiled warmly and gestured down the hallway. "Please sir, this way."
They reached a spacious waiting room with comfortable leather chairs and a low table. She set down a tray with a steaming cup of coffee and a selection of Hoenn delicacies.
Gladion recognized them as specialties from some of the best restaurants in Hoeen. He thanked her politely and took a seat.
"Mr. Stone would be right with you," she said before leaving with a small bow. Gladion picked up one of the fruit pastries and took a bite.
The flavors exploded on his tongue, sweet and tangy. He sipped the coffee, which was strong and perfectly brewed.
'At least I won't be walking out of this meeting without anything. These things are tasty as hell.' He thought
The door of the room opened smoothly, and Steven Stone walked in. He looked exactly as charming as he appeared in the anime.
Steven was mostly the same age as Gladion, he had already won the Hoenn League junior competition years ago.
Everyone knew he planned to challenge Wallace for the Champion title soon. Gladion knew from the stories he had watched that Steven would win that battle and become the new Champion of Hoenn.
So he had to remember that he was not only meeting a businessman but also a future champion of Hoeen who could hinder him and his businesses after becoming the champion of Hoeen.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Vortex," Steven said formally. He extended his hand with a polite smile.
Gladion stood up, took the handshake firmly, and grinned. "None of that. Let's be informal in this meeting. You can call me Gladion. I am sure as hell not calling you Mr. Stone every time. And it's a pleasure to see you too, Steven." He added with a playful wink, "Besides, if we keep up the formal stuff, this meeting will feel like a boardroom negotiation between two grumpy old men, and we're way too young and good-looking for that."
Steven chuckled. His eyes sparkled with amusement. "I have heard that you are quite a unique businessman, but I guess it takes someone unique to go as far as you did."
He gestured for Gladion to sit again and took the chair opposite him. "Your directness is refreshing. Most people come in here bowing and scraping."
They exchanged some small talk for a few minutes. Steven asked about the Indigo League and congratulated Gladion on his recent victory over Bruno.
The conversation flowed easily, like two trainers sizing each other up before a battle.
After a short while, Steven leaned forward slightly. "Well, we will continue our talk later. Let's get to why I asked for a meeting with you."
His eyes now had a glint of purpose. Gladion matched it with his own serious expression. The casual atmosphere shifted to something more focused.
'Finally reaching the goals of the meeting. Let's see what you have to offer and what you want,' Gladion thought inwardly. He kept his face neutral, waiting for Steven to continue.
Steven folded his hands on the table. "You see, we are developing our own fossil revival machine. It was quite a surprise that not only were you developing one, but you have already perfected it. I have to give you some credit and praise for helping revive extinct species of Pokemon." He spoke slowly, choosing his words with care.
"Bringing back ancient Pokemon is no small achievement. It changes everything we know about paleontology and Pokemon history. And finding new species of Pokemon is always a good thing."
Steven paused to let the praise sink in. "The scientific community owes you a debt. Reviving these ancient creatures opens doors to understanding evolution, genetics, and even lost ecosystems. Your success has pushed us to accelerate our timeline. We want to contribute to this new era, not just watch from the sidelines."
Gladion listened quietly. He could see the strategy clearly.
'Ah, the classic butter the other person up and then sink your teeth in them strategy,' Gladion thought. He kept his expression polite, but inside he felt a small smile form.
Steven continued without missing a beat. "Anyways, we don't have enough fossils to perfect the machine as well as to test and experiment on it. We tried to excavate some, but to our surprise, someone had already scoured the Hoenn deserts and excavated most of the fossils there." He looked intently at Gladion as he spoke the last part.
'Sadly there is no law against excavating bones of ancient Pokemon in Hoenn. So he can't sue me. I am pretty sure that's the first law he would pass when he becomes Champion,' Gladion thought. He had moved quickly and legally. No rules had been broken. Steven could not accuse him of anything illegal.
Steven leaned back in his chair. "We want a fair amount of fossils that I am sure you can spare. And if possible, some living specimens too."
He raised a hand before Gladion could respond. "Now you might be thinking, why would you give your competition the means to compete against your business? I certainly would not give it to my competitor."
Gladion thought, 'Here it comes, the bribe.'
Steven smirked slightly. He reached into his jacket pocket and placed two small stones on the table between them.
"The answer to your question...."
As soon as Gladion saw the stones and felt the energy radiating from them, something inside him resonated deeply.
Steven watched Gladion's reaction closely. "These stones would have just been part of the collection, but then I saw these two Pokemon with you. Who would have thought that something like this was possible? Legendary Pokemon having a mega evolution. Unbelievable."
He was not the only one shocked. Gladion felt equal parts surprise and excitement rush through him. His eyes widened slightly before he controlled his expression.
'These are Latiosite and Latiasite. The mega evolution stones for Latias and Latios,' Gladion thought.
-----Author Notes------
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