"Steven, you really were too impulsive today. Just as Miracle said, he doesn't owe us anything. He has no obligation to help us."
In the Shelter's cafeteria, Diantha frowned at the silent Steven before her.
Beside her, Cynthia set down the bowl of porridge she had been eating. "Steven, what got into you today? Why were you suddenly so impulsive?"
As far as Cynthia knew, Steven had never been an impulsive person.
His privileged upbringing, excellent education, and countless battles had taught him to stay calm and weigh the pros and cons in any situation.
What happened today really should never have happened with Steven.
Steven kept his head lowered, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
His voice was hoarse, carrying a trace of exhaustion and regret he could barely conceal. "I'm sorry... I really was too impulsive today."
"The next time Miracle comes, I'll apologize to him."
Diantha and Cynthia exchanged glances, both realizing that Steven had probably been thinking of Wallace again.
That was a wound in Steven's heart that would never heal.
Ever considerate, Diantha immediately changed the subject. "Cynthia, you went to the laboratory with Professor Oak and the others today. Do you know about those methods Miracle mentioned for restoring Shadow Pokémon to normal?"
At that, Cynthia nodded, then shook her head. "I do, but none of those methods are very realistic for us, and they come at a considerable cost."
"For now, we can only use them as references. We definitely can't put them into practice."
Cynthia then explained the methods involving Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire and Xerneas.
After listening, Diantha looked a little disappointed. "It looks like we'll still have to rely on ourselves."
"That's not entirely true," Steven suddenly interjected, having been listening all along. "Mewtwo and Mew are