"You know…" said Fena, arms crossed, staring at the crater where the old mining tunnel used to be, "...you were only supposed to look around, Shion."
Shion sat cross-legged on a bench outside the Ternstone Guild, bruised, dust-streaked, and trying very hard not to meet anyone's gaze. His scarf was crooked, his hair coated in powdered rock, and Bidoof lay sprawled at his feet looking equally exhausted.
"I… I know."
"And instead," added Dunlin, poking his head out from behind a crowd of worried townsfolk and apprentices, "you destroyed a tunnel, awoke a dormant guardian, and caused a structural collapse that'll take a dozen rock-types and three weeks to clear."
Shion winced. "I'm really sorry about that."
They were gathered near the crater's edge. Jareth stood silently beside Shion, arms folded but eyes more curious than angry. A few townsfolk peered from afar, whispering and pointing at the crater, yes, but also at the towering Golurk that stood like a silent statue behind them.
The air was… tense.
Shion rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't exactly planned, I swear. One of the Golurk went berserk. The floor caved in. I got separated. Then another one evolved and flew me out."
Dunlin gave him a flat look.
"…Which part of that was supposed to sound normal?"
"It wasn't."
"Good."
---
Fena stepped forward, tilting her head at him. "But why were you so determined to get into the mine? What were you really looking for?"
That question stuck in the air like a stone dropped into still water.
Shion stiffened.
He glanced sideways at Bidoof, who met his eyes with a subtle nod of warning.
This was it.
The part he couldn't explain.
The part that no one not even Jareth could know.
So, Shion did what he had to.
He lied.
"…I heard rumors from one of the workers," he said quietly. "That there was something rare buried inside. Not treasure or anything. Just… I thought I'd check."
He looked at Jareth and lowered his head.
"I wasn't honest. I'm sorry."
Jareth didn't respond right away. Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"You're lucky you didn't get crushed. Or worse."
"I know."
"But…" Jareth added, resting a hand on Shion's shoulder, "you also came back. And you brought a damn airborne Golurk with you. So I'm guessing it turned out alright."
Shion managed a weak laugh. "More or less."
---
Speaking of the Golurk, it still hadn't moved.
It stood at the edge of the plaza stoic, silent, easily three meters tall. The sheer weight of its feet had left cracked stonework where it landed. The people of Ternstone gave it a wide berth.
Even wild Pokémon stared.
"Okay," Fena muttered. "That thing is a problem."
"It's been standing there for half an hour," Dunlin said. "Not even blinking."
"They don't blink."
"That's what makes it worse!"
Shion scratched his cheek nervously.
"…I think it's following me now."
"You think?" Fena raised a brow.
"Well, I mean it flew me out of a collapsing cave, so maybe we kind of… bonded?"
Bidoof waddled in beside him. "Congratulations. You've adopted a skyscraper."
Jareth gave the Golurk a look.
"Well, if it's decided to be yours, then you'd better do something about it."
"Like what?" Shion blinked. "I real leave it here . It literally saved my life."
"Exactly. So claim it properly."
That's when Shion remembered.
The Poké Balls he had purchased back in Avia Hollow.
He fumbled through his pack pushing aside jerky, bandages, and one startled Bidoof until he pulled out one of the old-style apricot Poké Balls, the kind etched with ornate swirls.
He stood and walked up to Golurk slowly.
The massive Pokémon watched him silently.
"…Hey," Shion said awkwardly. "Thanks for everything. I… I don't know why you chose me. But if you want to come with me, I won't let you down."
He gently tapped the Poké Ball to its chest.
A flash of light.
The massive titan converted into a stream of energy, pulled into the sphere.
The ball twitched once…
Twice…
Puff.
Silence.
Shion blinked, then looked down at the Poké Ball in his hand.
"…I just caught a flying grave-giant."
"Yup," Bidoof said behind him. "We're definitely gonna need bigger saddlebags."
---
Shion stood stiffly inside Chief Malden's office, arms at his side like a soldier awaiting judgment. The faint scent of ink and crushed ore hung in the air, and the papers on the desk rustled in the breeze from the open window.
Across from him, Malden grizzled, broad-shouldered, and still imposing despite his age sat in silence, staring him down with the patience of a miner who could wait all day for a seam to split.
Beside Shion, Jareth stood with arms folded. He had offered insisted, really to come along and "clarify" things.
Malden finally broke the silence.
"So. Let me get this straight."
He looked at the open report in front of him. "Two Golurk suddenly went rogue. You fell into a buried chamber. You fought one of them. Another Golett evolved into a bigger Golurk and flew you out. And then that Golurk nearly flattened our plaza."
"…Yes," Shion said weakly.
"To be fair," Jareth added, "the kid didn't cause the collapse. The cave was unstable before we arrived. Whatever was under there was ancient."
Malden stared for a long moment.
Then leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh.
"That tunnel's been sealed off since before I became chief. Most folks forgot what was buried down there. You're lucky to be alive."
Shion nodded quietly. "I know."
Malden gave him a long look. "So what was really down there?"
Shion felt Bidoof stir in his bag.
He hesitated.
"…A place that shouldn't have been forgotten," he said at last.
Malden narrowed his eyes, but didn't press further. Instead, he slowly nodded.
"You did what you had to. And from what I've heard, you didn't cause damage intentionally."
"No, sir."
"Then I'll mark this as an incident and keep it internal. But don't go poking into any more sealed tunnels. You understand?"
"Yes, sir. I promise."
Malden grunted. "You've got a good head, boy. Use it."
And that was the end of it.
---
The sun had barely set when they returned to the inn.
Shion flopped onto his bed the moment they arrived, face-first into the pillow.
Bidoof hopped off the table and belly-flopped onto the floor next to him with a satisfied grunt.
Jareth leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"What a day, huh?"
Shion groaned into the pillow. "I don't even know how to process it."
"You'll get used to it. Being an adventurer means things rarely go to plan."
"Fantastic," Shion mumbled.
At that moment, Dunlin poked his head in.
"We'll be setting off at dawn. So whatever emotional damage you're processing, do it before sunrise."
"Got it."
The merchant left with a satisfied hum.
---
Later that night, with the room quiet and the lamp burning low, Shion sat at the window, gazing at the quiet streets of Ternstone.
In his hand, he held the Poké Ball containing Golurk.
"Not exactly subtle, are you?" he whispered.
He placed the ball on the windowsill. There was no movement, but he could feel its presence silent, massive, calm.
Golurk wasn't just a new team member .
It was a remnant of something old. Something still echoing through the world.
Bidoof rolled over in the sheets. "You're thinking too hard."
"Can you blame me?"
"No. Just don't break your brain. We've got seventeen more Plates to go."
Shion sighed and leaned back into the bed.
"The first one almost killed me. What're the rest going to be like?"
"That's the fun part," Bidoof muttered as he buried his head under the pillow. "Now shut up and sleep."
Shion smiled.
He closed his eyes.
The weight of the day finally slipping away.
---
Far away from Ternstone, under the dark sky of a moonless night, Kaela moved like a blade through the trees.
Her boots pounded across the forest floor, her coat fluttering behind her, and her eyes locked forward with fierce determination.
Above, her Noivern let out a low screech as it cut through the air ahead, echo-locating their target.
There just ahead a figure in white darted through the brush.
"Stop!" Kaela shouted.
The robed figure didn't listen.
Another blast of wind pressure from Noivern's Air Slash forced him off balance, and Kaela was on him in seconds slamming him to the ground with a practiced tackle.
He struggled briefly but she had a dagger at his throat before he could move again.
"Who are you?" she growled.
The man only laughed softly. Almost sadly.
Then, without a word
He bit down.
Kaela's eyes widened. "Wait!"
Too late.
His body spasmed.
Poison foamed at his lips.
And then… silence.
Kaela sat back, breath heaving.
The man was gone.
But in his hand, curled beneath the folds of his robe, was a piece of parchment.
She pulled it free and opened it carefully.
A sketch.
Of a rectangle thing
And a symbol scrawled in crude ink:
Ω