After spending a long time with Steelix and enjoying the rare peace and quiet, Yong left Steelix in the courtyard to rest and returned to his room.
The little ones had finished their food. Apart from the still-aloof Baltoy and Marshtomp, who was pretending to be mature, Aron and Trapinch were tearing around the room, leaving chaos in their wake.
Yong put a firm stop to their antics and ordered them to tidy the room or go without food tomorrow. At last, he could enjoy a comfortable shower and a good night's sleep.
He already had the Stone Badge and the Dynamo Badge. Once he challenged the Lavaridge Gym and the Longevity Gym, he would have four Badges.
Then he could return to Petalburg City to challenge Mr. Norman's Normal-type Gym and the Fighting-type Gym in his hometown, Dewford Town!
After that, he would head to Slateport City and take a boat across to Fortree City to challenge the Flying-type Gym. As for the final Badge, whether he went to Mossdeep City or some other town could wait until then.
Hmm... once I'm done in Longevity Town, I can head straight through Meteor Falls and return to Rustboro City...
Thinking about the road ahead, Yong drifted off to sleep. In the room, Aron and Trapinch had fallen asleep on the carpet too, perhaps worn out from playing. Beside the window, Baltoy still hovered in place, gazing at the moon in the sky, its thoughts a mystery.
Of everyone in the room, only Marshtomp was nowhere to be seen.
Where had it gone?
In the courtyard, Steelix opened its eyes from where it lay coiled on the ground and looked at Marshtomp standing before it.
"Roar?" (Why are you here instead of resting?)
"Maru! Maru!" (Boss, help me keep refining Rock