The morning sun cast its light through the red-stone arch, painting the rugged walls of Ternstone in warm hues of rust and copper. The cart rolled slowly down the winding path that hugged the edge of the cliff, descending toward the town nestled in the rock.
Ternstone wasn't sprawling like Avia Hallow, nor quaint like Brookmill. It was carved built by hands that bled into the earth they shaped. Buildings were set into the canyon walls like hollows in a fossil, each one formed from clay brick, thick timber, and tempered steel. Rope lifts, pulley systems, and chain cranks creaked with motion as goods were raised and lowered across levels of the town.
And everywhere, Pokémon moved alongside people.
Shion leaned forward in the cart, eyes wide as he watched a group of Diglett wriggle past a smithy where a Magcargo lit the forges. He passed a row of carts pulled by slow, sturdy Rhyhorn, and saw a pair of Geodude acting as living fenceposts around a livestock corral. Further along, a Golett stood silently near a quarry tunnel, motionless but unmistakably alive.
"It's just like you said…" Shion murmured.
Beside him, Jareth stood tallsilent, observant. His gaze swept across the stone-paved streets, past the familiar rooftops and mining shafts, until it came to rest on a distant tower made of ironwood and black stone.
"Four years," Jareth said quietly. "And nothing's changed."
There was something wistful in his voice fondness, but also weight.
He didn't say anything more.
---
The wagon pulled into a stone courtyard beside the Ternstone Adventurer Guild, a building that looked more like a repurposed fortress than a guildhouse. The walls bore faded murals of cave explorers, Pokémon miners, and a towering Golurk painted in protective stance above them.
Dunlin hopped down and clapped his hands. "Alright! One night of rest, and we're back on the road tomorrow. Gotta keep the trade flowing, you know!"
"Of course," Fena replied, adjusting her satchel.
Jareth stretched his arms, joints popping. "I'll be around the guild . Got someone I should check in on."
"We'll meet you at the inn later," Shion said.
Jareth gave a nod and walked off, boots clicking against the stone as he vanished into a lower street leaving the others in the guild courtyard.
Fena turned to Shion, eyes narrowed. "And what about you?"
Shion looked down at Bidoof, who sat in his pack, unusually alert. The Pokémon stared across the square, gaze locked toward one of the mining levels built into the wall.
"…I'll explore too."
Fena arched an eyebrow. "alone ?"
"Yeah."
She nodded without further question. "Be careful. I'll handle resupplying."
With that, the group split, each member melting into the current of miners, vendors, and adventurers that pulsed through Ternstone.
---
Shion followed Bidoof's gaze through the winding streets, past forgefronts and grocers, tailing the subtle hum that buzzed low in his chest.
Kiba padded beside him, tail swishing, always on alert.
They crossed a narrow bridge carved into the canyon side and arrived at a gated tunnel entrance. Above it, a rusted plaque read:
"MINE 5C – VEIN SECTOR: SHATTERTOOTH"
Heavy stone and reinforced steel bars blocked the path forward. A sign hung loosely from the gate:
"OFF-LIMITS – MINING HALTED – DANGER"
"This is it," Bidoof whispered.
Shion stared through the bars.
The air beyond was darker. Stiller. Something inside felt old ancient, even by Pokémon standards. He could feel a pulse. Not loud. Not threatening. But real.
He stepped closer
"Hey! You blind , boy?"
Shion jumped and turned.
A grizzled old man stood just up the path, arms crossed, gray mustache bristling under a dented miner's helmet. His eyes narrowed like someone who hadn't had a day off in twenty years.
"That tunnel's closed," he barked. "No entry, especially for skinny kids with decorative scarves and overgrown mutts."
Kiba growled lightly at that, stepping forward.
Shion raised his hands. "Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to intrude."
"Then don't. We've had trouble in there."
"Trouble?"
The man squinted. "…Something's got the Golurk stirred up. They've been walking strange patrolling areas they haven't touched in decades. One of 'em knocked a scaffolding loose and nearly crushed two of my boys."
Shion swallowed. That didn't sound like coincidence.
Bidoof poked his head out of the bag, "Sounds like something's waking the place up."
"What was that " the man snapped, startled. "Was that the damn Bidoof?!"
Bidoof blinked. "Excuse you. I am divine."
"Yeah that's one fat bidoof , it's about one berry short of a stew pot."
Shion coughed, trying to defuse the situation. "Sir, I'm really just trying to take a look around. I think… there might be something important in there."
The old man's eyes narrowed further. "You an adventurer?"
"Bronze rank."
He snorted. "Figures. Look, kid. If you really want in, talk to Chief Malden. He's in charge of the Guild here and oversees safety protocols."
"Where can I find him?"
The man gestured toward the towering building near the center of the mining complex. "Guild office. Upper level. But don't expect him to hand over a key just because you asked nice."
"I'll take my chances. Thank you."
The old man just grumbled and walked off, shaking his head. "Back in my day, kids didn't go poking around haunted tunnels with Fat Bidoof…"
---
As the footsteps faded, Shion stared again at the sealed tunnel entrance.
The stone was worn smoothed by time, heat, and labor. But there was something beneath it.
Something waiting.
"Kiba," he whispered. "We're close."
Kiba gave a soft bark of agreement.
From his perch, Bidoof muttered, "You'll need permission. But that Plate's in there. I can feel it vibrating through the stone."
"I'll go to the chief," Shion said, turning back toward the path. "One way or another… we're getting in."