Given how prone to disaster Ford Pines can be, it's no surprise that Stevie probably zeroes in on him. This is a man who fucked up so bad that he caused an apocalypse. He might have that big of a fuckup in him again.

Or he might just be about to step in a puddle, in his thick boots that are specifically made for rough terrain. He might get mud on them! It might cover up the mud that's already caked on there! Oh no!

He looks down at the baby Absol tugging ineffectually at the hem of his trench-coat and then up at the Soldier with an expression that is clearly unbothered. He doesn't recognize the other man right away, but then, he only got blurry glimpses of him. Give him a second. It's pinging something in the back of his mind.

"Don't apologize. The hem's already torn up enough, one more chunk out of it won't make much difference."