Pokemon: Echoes of the dusk

The moment the Weavile let out a screech, the grove exploded into chaos.

Shion didn't hesitate.

"Kiba! You're up too!"

In a flash of light, Rockruff materialized beside Raku, teeth bared, fur bristling. It let out a sharp bark as the Scyther zipped forward with its twin blades gleaming.

A shimmer of icy mist swirled beside them.

Belle stood with narrowed eyes, coat flaring behind her, already moving. In each hand, she held a Poké Ball. She flicked her wrist once, then twice.

"Yuki, Skyfall let's go!"

Two bursts of light erupted.

From the first emerged a gleaming Ice-type Ninetales, fur white as fresh snow, tails flowing like silk, eyes glimmering with wintry chill. Its presence alone caused frost to cling to the grass.

From the second came a Staraptor, wings wide, body tense with power. It loosed a piercing cry that sent birds scattering from the canopy.

Shion took a quick breath. "That's an ice-type Ninetales… and Staraptor? She wasn't kidding when she said she's been doing this a while."

The Pokémon squared off fast.

The Scyther dashed forward, wings humming. Drapion rose from the brush, tail snapping. Weavile circled from the right, claws glowing.

Shion had barely processed it when Belle barked her orders.

"Yuki, Dazzling Gleam! Skyfall, cover the left Close Combat!"

A blast of blinding pink-white light surged from Ninetales, slamming straight into Weavile before it could reach them. The dark-type shrieked and staggered back, ice crackling from its fur.

At the same time, Staraptor dove low in a blur of feathers, smashing into Drapion with talons first. The blow echoed through the clearing.

"Kiba, Accelerock! Raku, Bullet Seed!"

Kiba surged forward in a flash of stone and speed, smashing into Scyther mid-charge. The bug-type reeled, wings twitching.

Behind him, Raku leapt to a rock and fired a quick flurry of green seed-bullets one hit, then another, clipping Weavile as it recovered from the fairy blast.

Weavile hissed and vanished in a blink Agility.

"Left flank!" Belle called.

Raku spun, just in time for Weavile to reappear behind him. It slashed with Night Slash and Raku cried out, knocked aside.

"Raku!" Shion shouted.

Kiba lunged to intercept, teeth glowing with Bite, and clamped down on Weavile's leg. It yowled and kicked away, but the opening gave Raku time to recover.

"Get back, buddy!" Shion called. "Use Quick Attack, keep mobile!"

Raku darted out of range, zigzagging through the brush.

Meanwhile, Drapion had lunged forward, crashing into Staraptor with a brutal slam. Skyfall grunted, wings folding just in time to avoid a tail sting.

Belle's voice cut clean through the battle.

"Hurricane!"

Staraptor flared its wings wind howled from the sky like a summoned storm. Leaves, dirt, and debris lifted as a vortex exploded outward. Drapion was lifted clean off its legs and flung into a tree with a bone-rattling thud.

Scyther reemerged, wings buzzing as it darted toward Ninetales blades glowing X-Scissor.

Belle barely blinked.

"Yuki Aurora Veil!"

A glittering shield shimmered to life around the fox just as the attack struck. The blades glanced off like striking crystal. Ice burst outward, coating Scyther's legs with frost.

"Now Ice Beam!"

A freezing ray lanced through the air. Scyther screeched and fell, wings encased in ice.

Shion stood briefly stunned. "That's… amazing coordination."

Belle glanced sideways at him without missing a beat. "Focus. The Weavile's still loose."

Shion snapped back.

"Kiba, flank it! Raku, double team it from the front! Keep it off balance!"

Kiba dashed left through the roots. Raku, gritting his teeth, zipped forward vines trailing behind his arms now as he built up for Mega Drain.

Weavile leapt straight up into the air, claws drawn to strike

But Kiba burst from the side, slamming into its ribcage mid-leap with Rock Throw. The impact staggered it, just as Raku landed a leeching strike with glowing green tendrils.

The dark-type howled and reeled.

"Now, both of you together!"

Kiba and Raku launched at once Accelerock and Pound, the latter glowing green from Raku's draining energy. The twin strike collided with Weavile and launched it back into the dirt, where it didn't get up.

A heavy silence fell.

The pack had been scattered.

Drapion lay buried in vines and wind-torn leaves. Scyther was frozen solid, faintly twitching. Weavile was groaning, unconscious. The grove was littered with battle marks scorched grass, upturned roots, cracked stones.

Shion let out a long breath, chest heaving.

"Holy crap… We did it."

Kiba padded over and bumped his leg proudly. Raku followed, breathing heavily but upright, his eyes bright with the thrill of the fight.

Belle walked past him, her boots crunching softly on the grass.

She crouched beside the downed Weavile, checked its pulse and breathing, then stood.

"All alive," she muttered. "Good."

Shion looked at her. "You're… really good at this."

She turned, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "So are you. For a scarf guy."

He blinked, surprised.

"…Was that a compliment?"

Belle shrugged, turning away. "Don't get used to it."

They returned to the outpost an hour later, both dirt-smudged and tired, but unharmed. The mission-giver took one look at them and the unconscious Pokémon in their stasis capsules and gave an approving nod.

"Nice work. I'll put in the full bonus."

Belle gave a simple nod and turned to walk away.

Shion lingered a moment.

Then he called after her.

"Hey. Uh… Belle?"

She paused.

"…Wanna grab something to eat?"

She looked over her shoulder. "We just fought a pack of wilds."

"So? I'm starving."

A beat.

Then she sighed and turned slightly.

"…There's a Noodle stall near the East Wall. Decent food. You're paying."

Shion blinked, then grinned.

"Deal."

---

The walk back into the city was… quiet.

Awkward, but not uncomfortable.

Shion kept his hands in his coat pockets, glancing occasionally toward Belle, who walked half a step ahead of him, arms folded and expression unreadable.

Her pace was steady. Her eyes didn't wander. If the earlier battle had left any exhaustion, she didn't show it.

Bidoof, tucked under one arm like a spoiled loaf of bread, glanced up at her. Then at Shion. Then back at her again.

"She's got the same vibes as the girl," he muttered aloud.

Shion blinked. "Kaela?"

Bidoof snorted. "Yeah. All cold glares and don't-talk-to-me energy."

Shion gave a small laugh under his breath, hoping Belle didn't hear.

She didn't say anything. Just kept walking.

They passed through one of the side gates of Ravios, the city now bathed in soft golden light. Evening had settled, casting a warm glow across the rooftops and market lanes. The sounds of a dozen conversations and street performances filled the air, but here, between them, it was mostly just the tap of boots on stone.

After several long, meandering turns through back alleys and side roads, Belle stopped in front of a small, lantern-lit noodle stand tucked into a quiet side street beneath an overhanging terrace.

A thin man with silver-streaked hair stood behind the counter, stirring broth in a wide pot. The scent of miso and seared vegetables drifted into the air.

Belle walked straight up and took a seat at the counter without a word. Shion followed, still trying to think of something to say.

Bidoof climbed onto the bench beside him like he owned the place.

The cook raised an eyebrow.

Belle looked at the menu all of three items and pointed wordlessly.

The man gave a grunt of acknowledgment and started prepping.

Shion followed her example.

They sat like that for a minute or two. The sounds of the pot boiling, metal clinking, and soft wind brushing through the trees were the only soundtrack.

Then Shion glanced at her sideways.

"Your Ninetales," he said finally, voice soft. "It's… rare. Even I know Ice-type Vulpix are only found way up north."

Belle didn't turn.

"I got her as an egg," she replied, tone neutral. "Found it near a spring on Soldris Peak."

Shion blinked. "You've been to Soldris?"

She shrugged. "Couple of years ago. Cold. Quiet. Full of wind and jerks."

"That's… incredible," Shion said, honestly amazed. "I heard adventurers avoid it unless they're top rank."

"Or desperate," she muttered.

He watched her for a beat, but she didn't elaborate.

The cook set two bowls in front of them. Shion nodded in thanks and picked up his chopsticks.

Steam curled up from the bowl thick broth, spring onions, slow-cooked egg, a slice of tender meat.

He was about to slurp when Belle looked over, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Your Lycanroc," she said.

"Huh?"

"The coloring. It's not normal."

Shion blinked. Then forced a quick smile.

"Uh yeah. He plays in the dirt a lot. Weird habits. The color just kind of stuck."

Belle stared.

"…Right," she said flatly.

Then she made a small face, like she wasn't buying it but let it go anyway and turned back to her food.

That was close, Shion thought.

He started eating.

They ate in silence for a while.

Bidoof somehow got his own bowl after giving the cook a single guilt-laden stare. Shion pretended not to notice.

Then Belle asked, "How the heck did that Bidoof get that fat?"

Shion choked on a noodle.

He coughed. "It's… genetics."

Bidoof burped.

Belle snorted. The faintest hint of amusement flickered across her face.

Shion laughed awkwardly, grateful for the shift in atmosphere.

"you said you've been an adventurer since twelve right?" shion asked "That's… really young."

Belle's expression didn't change much.

"My village got flattened by a rockslide," she said, voice even. "Family made it out. We didn't have money for recovery. I already had Skyfall back then he was a Starly."

Shion glanced at her.

She wasn't fishing for pity. She was just stating facts.

She continued. "Got my first Bronze badge two months later. Stayed in the field. Did what I had to."

Shion nodded slowly. "That's… a lot. But it explains a lot too."

Belle gave him a sidelong look. "How about you?"

He hesitated. Then figured it was fair.

"I'm from Riverleaf," he said. "Small village west of here. I grew up farming. Didn't think I'd ever leave."

Belle didn't speak, but she was listening.

"One day… things changed. Pokémon went wild. My Rockruff evolved in the middle of a fight. I left home not long after."

He didn't mention Arceus.

Or the Plates.

He couldn't.

Belle nodded once. "Must've been tough."

"Some days more than others," Shion said, glancing down at his bowl. "But I've met some amazing people. Seen places I never would have otherwise. I'm… glad I left. Even when it's hard."

Belle returned to her food without comment.

They ate quietly for another minute.

Then Shion remembered. "Are you entering the Grand Tournament?"

Belle nodded, mouth full of noodles.

"Yeah. That's why I came to Ravios."

Shion blinked. "Seriously?"

"Mm." She swallowed, then set her chopsticks down. "Big names are coming. I want to see where I stand."

Shion leaned back slightly, realization dawning.

"Then that means… we're rivals now."

Belle tilted her head.

"If you make it past the qualifiers."

"Ouch."

She smirked. "Just being honest."

Shion huffed but smiled.

"Well, I'll give it everything I've got."

"Good."

She stood, adjusted her coat, and picked up her Poké Balls.

"Thanks for the meal," she said casually. "You're alright, Scarf Guy."

And with that, she walked off into the lamplit street, Staraptor's ball gleaming faintly at her side.

Shion watched her go, still processing everything.

"…She's like a less-stabby Kaela," he muttered.

Bidoof slurped the last of his broth.

"She's cooler than you."

Shion groaned and paid the cook, then stood and stretched.

The breeze had grown cooler.

The tournament was coming.

And now, he had one more reason to take it seriously.