Dark, damp streets stretched out endlessly, illuminated only by flickering streetlights that barely held back the encroaching night. The air smelled of rot, and the murmur of the city was distant here. From the depths of the sewers, Rattata darted in and out of sight, its tiny paws pattering over the slimy concrete as it foraged for scraps. Farther below, a Muk slowly slithered through the muck and filth, blending with the sludge as it searched for sustenance.
This was Shuguang Street—a forgotten corner of Shuangyang City. Time had abandoned this place, leaving behind crumbling buildings, cracked roads, and the heavy stench of decay. The heat of summer only made the odor more unbearable, filling the air with the sour tang of garbage and sewage.
After bidding farewell to Zhong Ling, Renjiro leaned back in his taxi, fatigue etched deep into his features. His thoughts swirled with recent events—the close calls, the battles, the uneasy alliance with the Investigation Bureau. But now, he was back. Back to the only place he could call home, even if it was broken and forgotten by the rest of the world.
The taxi stopped at the entrance to Shuguang Street. Renjiro paid the driver and stepped out, stretching his sore muscles. The dim streetlights cast long shadows, and every creak of the wind against loose shutters made him tense.
"Renjiro, Renjiro!"
A familiar voice called out from the side. The old wooden door of the neighboring house creaked open, and out stepped Grandma Chen, a frail but sharp-eyed woman who had watched over Renjiro like a guardian ever since his parents had passed.
Renjiro approached, curiosity piqued. "What's wrong, Grandma Chen?" he asked gently, noticing the worried lines on her aged face.
"Where have you been these past few days?" she asked, voice trembling slightly. "Have you… have you offended someone important? I've seen a strange man dressed in black lurking around your door lately. Every night, like clockwork. He doesn't belong around here, Renjiro."
Her words froze Renjiro in place. His mind raced back through the faces he'd encountered. And then it hit him—the trainer of the Salamence he had defeated, the man who had disappeared without a trace.
"Could it really be him?" Renjiro muttered under his breath. His pulse quickened as his hand instinctively reached for Beedrill's Poké Ball, fingers tightening around the cool metal. If danger waited in the shadows, he would be ready.
"I'll be careful, Grandma Chen," he assured her, forcing a calm smile.
But the old woman wasn't done. "And Renjiro… stay away from Old Zhang's boy. That Zhang Xuewei has been acting strange lately. Skulking about, no longer delivering takeout. Who knows what trouble he's gotten into. You're a good lad. Don't get dragged into their messes."
"I understand, Grandma Chen," Renjiro said softly, though inside, her words stirred unease. She saw more than people gave her credit for. He knew exactly what kind of trouble Zhang Xuewei was mixed up in.
After a few more parting words, Renjiro made his way toward his run-down home, each step heavy with caution. The night seemed darker than before, the shadows deeper, the air thicker. His thumb hovered over Beedrill's release button.
When he finally reached his door, he fumbled with the key, heart pounding in his chest. Just as the lock clicked open—
Whoosh!
A blast of icy wind surged toward him. His instincts screamed. Renjiro dove to the side, hitting the ground hard as the attack missed by inches. With a flick of his wrist, Beedrill emerged, buzzing furiously as it took defensive position.
The attack struck a nearby utility pole, encasing it in a prison of glistening ice. Renjiro stared at the frozen pole, cold sweat trickling down his spine. If he hadn't moved in time…
"Snap. Snap. Snap."
Slow, mocking applause echoed from within his house. From the shadows stepped a man in a long black windbreaker, a scruffy beard covering his twisted grin. At his side prowled a Weavile, its red feathers bristling, claws gleaming under the streetlight. Its eyes glowed with malice.
"So, you're the mysterious man Grandma Chen saw," Renjiro muttered, heart sinking as he analyzed his opponent.
Pokémon: Weavile
Ability: Pressure (forces opponents to expend double energy for moves)
Type: Dark/Ice
Level: 46
Moves: Ice Shard, Assurance, Icy Wind, Freeze-Dry, Dark Pulse, Agility
Renjiro's mind raced. Level 46. Much higher than Beedrill. Ice and Dark type—an absolute nightmare match-up for his Bug/Poison partner.
"As expected of the boy who humiliated me at the Battle Tower," sneered the man in the windbreaker. His voice dripped venom. "Your reflexes are quick… but not quick enough."
Renjiro tensed. "Who are you?" he demanded, though deep down, he already knew.
The man's grin widened. "Who am I? You little brat, have you forgotten so easily? I'm the man whose Salamence you humiliated! The man whose dreams you shattered!" His voice rose to a furious roar. "I lost everything because of you!"
Renjiro smirked, though his body ached from tension. "Ah, so you're that sore loser. Took you long enough to crawl back out of whatever hole you were hiding in."
The man's face twisted in rage. "You'll regret those words! Weavile—Quick Attack!"
Weavile vanished in a blur of speed. Renjiro barely registered the motion before pain exploded in his side. He flew back, skidding across the rough ground until he slammed into a wall, gasping for breath.
Beedrill darted to his side, buzzing with distress.
"I'm okay…" Renjiro gritted out, wiping blood from his lip, though his torn clothes and bruised body told a different story.
The man in the windbreaker chuckled darkly. "I see the confusion on your face. You're wondering how my Weavile is so fast, aren't you? Let me enlighten you. Before you even arrived, I had Weavile use Agility. Again and again. Its speed is unmatched now. Your precious Beedrill's greatest strength is nothing against my Weavile!"
Renjiro gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. The man was right—the Weavile's speed was unreal. It had overwhelmed both him and Beedrill in a blink.
But he couldn't give in.
"Beedrill, stay sharp. We need to outthink them."
Beedrill buzzed in response, eyes narrowing as it sized up Weavile.
The man sneered. "You think you can outsmart me? Weavile, Ice Shard!"
The Weavile launched a barrage of razor-sharp ice toward Beedrill. Beedrill zipped and weaved, dodging with all its might, but a shard grazed its wing, sending it spiraling for a moment before it recovered.
"You're finished, Renjiro!" the man crowed, already tasting victory.
But Renjiro's mind was whirling. He had to slow Weavile down. He had to level the field somehow. His eyes scanned the area. The frozen telephone pole. The narrow alley behind the attacker. The loose wiring overhead.
An idea sparked.
"Beedrill, drive it toward the pole! Use Twinneedle!"
Beedrill lunged, its needles flashing as it launched a precise assault, forcing Weavile back. The man barked orders, but the speed-boosted Weavile was so used to overwhelming foes that it didn't realize Renjiro was herding it.
Closer and closer to the frozen pole.
Now!
"Beedrill, Poison Jab—aim for the pole!"
Beedrill struck, shattering the ice with a loud crack. Water and chunks of ice exploded outward, drenching Weavile.
Before the man could react, Renjiro shouted, "Now hit the wiring above! Electrocute it!"
Beedrill's needle shot up, severing the loose cable. Sparks rained down, the water conducting the electricity straight to Weavile.
The speed demon shrieked, its body convulsing as the shock coursed through it, shorting out its movements.
Renjiro grinned through the pain. "You underestimated me."
The man's face twisted in fury. "No—Weavile, get up!"
But Weavile collapsed, unconscious, defeated not by brute strength, but by Renjiro's quick thinking.
Renjiro's knees buckled, exhaustion catching up at last. But victory was his.
The man growled. "This isn't over, boy. You've made an enemy for life." He recalled Weavile and fled into the shadows, leaving Renjiro standing amidst the debris.
Renjiro took a deep breath, the adrenaline fading, and leaned on Beedrill for support.
"Thanks, partner. We did it."
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