The wind carried the scent of wildflowers and sun-warmed grass across the open hillside.
It was mid-morning sun climbing steadily, casting golden light on the clearing where Shion stood, feet braced wide, hand raised with calm intent.
"Kiba, Rock Slide!"
The orange-furred Lycanroc snarled with focus, its eyes narrowing.
Its paws slammed into the earth and for a moment, the ground trembled.
Chunks of stone and dirt rippled from the surface, jagged and uneven. A cluster of rocks jutted upward and launched forward only for half of them to collapse mid-air and tumble harmlessly to the side.
"Hold it!" Jareth called from across the clearing, shielding himself slightly.
His Boldore, though sturdy as ever, huffed in disappointment as it planted itself like a boulder to absorb what little of the attack had landed.
Shion exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still shaky…"
Kiba barked softly and gave him a side glance, its ears flicking back.
"You're getting there," Jareth said, striding forward. "That was better than yesterday. You actually got them airborne."
"Only for a second," Shion muttered.
"That second is the difference between stopping a charge and getting trampled. Don't sell yourself short."
Boldore gave a low rumble of agreement.
Shion crouched beside Kiba, running a hand down his companion's back.
"You're doing great," he murmured. "Let's keep going."
Kiba barked once, licking his hand.
---
It had been just over a week since they left Avia's Hollow.
Since then, Shion had learned more than in the past year back in Riverleaf.
Jareth, rock-type specialist, had become something like a mentor. He taught Shion how to keep his feet steady when ordering attacks, how to read a wild Pokémon's body language for incoming strikes, and how to handle situations where opponents ignored the Pokémon and went straight for the Trainer.
More than once, Jareth had grabbed Shion by the arm and showed him how to redirect a charging blow or roll from a low tackle.
"You can't always count on your partner to take every hit," Jareth had said one evening, tossing Shion a wooden sparring stick. "Sometimes you're the target."
The first time they practiced, Shion had ended up flat on his back.
By the end of the week, he could hold his footing.
Fena too, had warmed up to him.
While she wasn't a battler like Jareth, her sharp mind and quick instincts proved invaluable when they encountered tricky terrain or sick wild Pokémon that blocked the road. She also insisted on treating every scratch Kiba received during training, no matter how minor.
"If you leave that untreated, it'll itch like crazy tomorrow," she'd chide, tapping her foot.
Shion had grown used to her stern care.
Even Dunlin, ever talkative and jovial, provided steady morale and countless stories to pass the hours on the road.
Their group worked well together.
Shion had found something rare: a sense of belonging.
---
After another round of practice, Jareth called a break.
Shion and Kiba flopped down onto the soft grass, both panting.
"Progress," Jareth said, crouching beside them and offering a water skin. "Not perfect. But there's some progress ."
Shion nodded and took a drink. "I want Kiba to learn Rock Slide properly. Not just because it's strong but because it feels right and could be useful ."
Jareth raised a brow.
"Kiba's always been aggressive, fast. He needs something that anchors him. Rock Slide feels grounded."
Jareth smiled faintly. "Good instincts. You're starting to think like a true Trainer."
Shion blinked.
"I'm just… trying my best."
"Trying your best is what makes you one."
Fena approached from the road, carrying a small bag of gathered berries and herbs. "If you two are done throwing rocks at each other, Dunlin has an update."
Shion sat up straighter. "What kind?"
She dropped the bag beside her and leaned on her staff.
"We're a few hours out from the next town. Brookmill, if I recall the map. Small place, river-adjacent. Merchant stop. We'll rest there a day, resupply, and let the mudsdale stretch their legs."
Jareth looked pleased. "Good. We could all use a real meal."
"And beds," Fena added.
Shion smiled, but inside, his thoughts shifted.
A town meant more than rest. It meant people. Information. Maybe even signs of Plates or corruption. His journey with Bidoof.....Arceus, really was still waiting to continue.
He glanced down at his bag, where the round, chubby Pokémon was currently snoring quietly, tail twitching like a sleeping Snorlax.
The Bidoof snorted, rolled over, and muttered something about "royal treatment" and "no more twigs for dinner."
---
The sun began to dip low as the group packed their things.
The training session had left Shion with aching arms, but also a warm sense of accomplishment. Kiba trotted beside him, tail wagging, proud of the progress.
As they resumed their march, Jareth clapped Shion on the shoulder.
"You've come a long way since Riverleaf."
Shion looked up, a little surprised.
Jareth grinned.
"I don't say that lightly."
Shion smiled, a bit bashful, rubbing the back of his neck. "Still got a long way to go."
Jareth nodded. "So do we all."
Fena walked ahead, Dunlin in the front with the cart, chatting idly with the mudsdale as if they were old drinking buddies.
Kiba howled once, a clear, bold sound that echoed across the valley.
Shion looked out over the path ahead.
Brookmill was somewhere beyond the next hill.
Another step on the road.
Another piece of the world unfolding.
And for the first time in a long time, Shion felt ready.
---
The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy as the dirt road stretched long and steady ahead. The wheels of Dunlin's merchant cart squeaked with every bump, and the Mudsdale pulling it snorted occasionally, hooves striking small stones loose as they walked.
Shion walked beside Kiba, who looked much more relaxed now that the training session had passed. The Lycanroc's ears twitched every so often, picking up stray sounds from the underbrush, but otherwise it seemed content to just walk beside its Trainer, enjoying the cool breeze rolling in from the hills ahead.
Shion watched the wind ripple through the tall grass to his right.
Then a thought struck him.
"Oh," he muttered, breaking the silence. "I almost forgot."
He looked toward Jareth, who was walking on the other side of the road, eyes scanning the horizon.
"Jareth?"
"Hm?"
Shion rubbed the back of his neck. "You know about… adventurers, right?"
Jareth raised a brow, mildly curious. But before he could reply
"Of course he does," Fena said sharply, walking just ahead. She turned back to glance at them. "You're talking to a Bronze-rank"she added
"You're an adventurer?" Shion blinked.
Fena gave a slight shrug. "Technically. I registered two years ago while traveling through Ravios. Didn't stick with it full-time like some people, but I know the system well enough."
She fell into step beside Shion and gestured for him to pay attention. "Since you're apparently a registered adventurer now, you'd better understand what that means."
Shion nodded, a little sheepishly.
Behind them, Bidoof still curled in Shion's pack let out a loud snore.
---
"Adventurers are independent contractors who take on requests from townsfolk, nobles, or even local guards," Fena began, adjusting the strap of her bag as she walked. "In theory, it's a good system people get help with problems, and adventurers earn coin and fame."
Shion nodded. "Right, the guild gives out quests, right?"
"Exactly," she said. "Each town or city with a guild branch maintains a quest board. You pick jobs based on your rank, and when you complete them, you gain reputation points."
"Points?"
She gave him a sideways glance. "Each task you complete gives you a score. The higher the difficulty, the more points you earn. When you reach a certain threshold, you're eligible for a rank promotion assuming you pass the practical test."
"Tests?"
Jareth chuckled behind them. "They don't hand out Silver rank to just anyone."
Fena nodded. "Adventurers are ranked from Bronze to Gold, and beyond that, you've got Platinum and Mythic, though those are borderline legends. Some of them operate like mercenary captains. Others get knighted."
"And the guild tracks all of it," Jareth added. "If you go rogue or abandon too many missions, they blacklist you."
Shion took a moment to absorb the information.
"ans I'm at the very bottom," he said, scratching his cheek.
Fena smirked. "Pretty much. But hey you've already helped defend a merchant caravan from bandits. That's a step above berry picking."
Shion laughed softly. "True…"
"Don't expect praise yet," Jareth said. "It's a long road."
"What kind of jobs do higher ranks get?" Shion asked.
Fena tilted her head. "Depends. Bronze mostly gets local work: clearing small dens, finding lost Pokémon, deliveries. Silver starts handling dangerous routes, minor relic recoveries, or scouting."
"Gold-ranks," Jareth said, "are the ones sent to escort nobles, retrieve ancient artifacts, or deal with rampaging Pokémon."
Shion perked up. "So basically, they're like knights?"
"Not quite," Jareth said. "Knights serve the kingdom. Adventurers serve themselves or their client. Some are noble. Others are just in it for the coin."
Fena added, "And adventurers have more freedom. They're not bound by allegiance to any crown, but that also means less protection."
Shion nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense."
"Still," Jareth said, glancing back at him. "It's a path worth walking. Especially for someone like you."
"Me?"
"You're already improving. Fast. If you stick with it, you'll rise."
Shion felt a quiet warmth at those words.
---
For a moment, the conversation quieted.
The wind brushed through the grass again.
Then Shion, unable to help himself, smiled.
"I never imagined this," he said. "Back in Riverleaf… being on the road, traveling with people like you."
He glanced toward Kiba, who huffed quietly and wagged its tail.
"I always thought I'd be a farmer."
"You're still growing something," Jareth said, adjusting the straps of his armor. "Just not wheat."
"Growth is growth," Fena added.
Bidoof snorted from the bag. "I told you you'd be useful, human."
Shion ignored him, but Kiba barked as if to agree.
They shared a laugh.
---
As the sun dipped toward late afternoon, the road turned gently around a hill, and the trees thinned.
The group came to a slow stop as the horizon opened before them.
Brookmill.
Nestled beside a slow-moving river, the town looked cozy and well-maintained. Timber-framed houses with moss-covered roofs, gently turning waterwheels, and plumes of cooking smoke rising from chimneys. Wooden bridges arched over the river's streams, connecting both halves of the settlement.
There was movement merchants haggling, children running with their Pokémon, adventurers in mismatched gear milling about near a modest guild outpost built into the side of a hill.
"That's Brookmill," Dunlin said from the front of the cart. "Small, but it'll treat us well for a day."
Shion stared, wide-eyed.
The town felt alive. Not as big as Avia Hollow, not as noisy but filled with quiet rhythm and warmth. The kind of place that buzzed with stories.
"Let's find a place to rest," Jareth said.
"We'll check in with the guild," Fena added, already adjusting her satchel. "Might be rumors we can use."
Shion nodded.
As they descended the final stretch of road, Kiba howled softly, and even Bidoof stirred awake in the pack.
"Are we there yet?" the chubby Pokémon grumbled. "I smell cooked food."
"You were asleep this whole time," Shion muttered.
"I travel in style."
Shion laughed and kept walking.
Toward a town that might just hold another piece of the world's puzzle.