Morning brought with it the usual smells of fresh soil, cut grass, and warm bread.
Shion wiped his brow as he pushed his cart across the rows of newly sprouting crops. The sun beamed overhead, and the occasional Hoppip floated by like confetti in the wind. Somewhere nearby, a Doduo sprinted across the hills, one head screaming while the other looked slightly offended.
"Shion, you missed a weed patch!" came the call from a neighboring farmer.
Shion grinned. "I didn't miss it, I strategically left it for tomorrow!"
"Strategically lazy, more like!"
"Love you too, old man!"
Nearby, Kiba chased his own tail, barking like a lunatic. After a full revolution, he flopped into the dirt and rolled, tongue out, grinning from ear to ear.
Arceus,still stuck in his unfortunate Bidoof form was lying belly-up on a hay bale, wearing a pair of woven sunshades Miya had made for him.
"I was once worshipped in temples," he mumbled.
"And now you're the village mascot," Shion replied as he gently watered the soil. "Life's funny like that."
"I demand incense and gold."
"You're getting hays ."
"I hate this timeline."
Kiba leapt into a small puddle and drenched both of them.
Arceus squealed. "My divinity!"
---
The Sky Darkens
Evening came with a gentle golden haze. The villagers were preparing for dinner. The smell of stew hung in the air. Children laughed as they chased each other with wooden sticks. It felt like any other day.
Then—the roar.
It wasn't the cry of a wild Pokémon.
It was deeper. Angrier.
Primal.
The ground vibrated.
Heads turned.
Far beyond the hills, where the forest met the edge of the village, a towering figure burst through the trees.
Claws dripping red. Eyes glowing a violent, unnatural red.
Ursaring.
It charged ,unstoppable, wild, and broken.
"EVERYONE, RUN!" someone screamed.
Panic erupted. Mothers grabbed children. Shopkeepers abandoned carts. Pokémon cried out as they scrambled for safety.
"Shion!" a voice yelled,his father, sprinting toward him with Tauros already summoned.
"Take Miya and your mother! Get to the hills! Now!"
Shion nodded instinctively, clutching Arceus to his chest. Kiba stayed close, barking as if to scare the tremors away.
"Arceus," Shion panted as they ran, "what's wrong with it?!"
"I don't know," Arceus growled. "Its aura is… twisted. It could be the result of the imbalance. This is exactly what I warned you about!"
They reached the house. His mother was already gathering essentials, Miya crying in fear.
"Come on, we're going!" Shion shouted, grabbing both their hands.
But then they heard it.
Another roar. Closer. Louder.
Shion turned. His eyes locked on the path beyond the fields.
And his heart sank.
Bodies lay scattered. Villagers. Pokémon. Unmoving.
Ursaring stood at the edge of the clearing, panting heavily. Blood dripping from its claws. Its chest heaving, fangs bared. Its fur was matted, eyes shining like molten lava.
Then
Shion saw him.
His father.
Lying in the grass. Motionless.
One of his leg
Gone
"Dad!!!"
Shion screamed so loud it burned his throat.
His mother gasped, clutching Miya to her. The girl began sobbing.
Shion didn't think. He dropped Arceus, grabbed a stick, and ran.
"SHION!" Arceus shouted, but he didn't hear.
Kiba barked and chased after him, tail tucked in fear, but not willing to leave Shion alone.
"Dad! Hang on! Dad!!!" Shion fell to his knees beside him. His father's face was pale, breathing shallow. The blood beneath him looked like it would never stop flowing.
A low growl behind him.
Shion turned.
Ursaring.
The beast lunged.
Shion ducked, but its claw raked across his arm slicing deep. He cried out in pain, falling back, clutching the wound. His vision blurred.
Before Ursaring could attack again
CRACK!
A rock struck its back.
Ursaring snarled and turned.
Kiba stood between Shion and death, growling furiously, fur raised.
"K-Kiba…" Shion choked, blood dripping from his fingers. "Run… please, run!"
But Kiba didn't move. He barked again. Louder. Angrier.
Ursaring growled, reared back.
And lunged.
Time slowed.
Shion's eyes widened.
He remembered.
---
Five Years Ago
He was ten.
The forest smelled like pine and mushrooms. He and his father were gathering herbs when they heard it—a whimpering sound.
They found it in a clearing.
A Rockruff.
Surrounded by a Swarm of Beedrill, injured and snapping in fear.
"Tauros!" his father shouted. "Drive them off!"
Shion rushed in once it was safe, kneeling beside the trembling pup.
It bit his hand.
Hard.
But Shion didn't flinch.
"You're scared, huh?" he whispered, wrapping the wound. "That's okay. I've been scared too."
The Rockruff stared at him.
And then… licked the place it had bitten.
---
"You're Kiba," Shion had said with a smile. "From now on, you're not alone."
---
The claw hit.
Kiba flew.
Blood splattered across the dirt.
He hit the ground hard and didn't move.
---
Sunset
The world fell silent.
Shion couldn't breathe.
He couldn't scream.
He crawled across the grass, each movement agony, until he reached Kiba.
His best friend.
His partner.
The Pokémon who never left his side.
"Kiba…?"
No response.
Shion's tears fell freely, mixing with the blood on the ground.
The sun dipped behind the hills, casting long shadows over Riverleaf.
And for the first time in his life
Shion broke.