The crowd was still roaring when the gates slid open and Shion sprinted off the battlefield, not even waiting for the referee to finish raising his hand in victory.
He didn't glance at the crowd.
He didn't wait for praise.
He was already gone.
In the stands, Vince blinked, leaning forward and squinting after the vanishing figure.
"...You think that's a bathroom emergency?" he asked aloud, half-serious.
Mila elbowed him lightly. "Be serious."
Ren watched silently, thoughtful, eyes following the trail of dust left behind.
---
Shion bolted through the inner corridors of the Grand Coliseum, Rune's Poké Ball gripped tightly in one hand, his heart still pounding from the match but for a different reason now. The battle was over. Kaela wasn't.
He rushed out through the lower arches and into the sunlight, nearly slamming into another competitor as he turned a corner.
" Ack—Sorry!" he started, skidding slightly on the stone.
The man he'd collided with barely shifted broad-shouldered, his frame heavy under a dark travel cloak. Long pale hair and sharp blue eyes peered down at Shion, stoic and unmoved.
Shion blinked, then froze.
That face. That aura.
'...It's him,'he thought, the air catching in his throat.
Bidoof had pointed him out back in the waiting area. The one with the Plate. The man who carried something that pulsed with the same divine frequency as Arceus itself.
The stranger raised a brow.
There was a flicker something behind those eyes. Recognition? Resonance?
But Shion bowed hastily, muttering another apology, and darted around him. "I-I'm sorry excuse me! I'm in a hurry" shion apologized as he continued to run
He doesn't have time to think about it for now he'll think about it later
The man didn't turn to watch him go. But he stood still, expression tightening just slightly. He stared down the corridor where Shion had disappeared.
"....."
He reached into the folds of his cloak, fingers brushing something smooth, ancient, and humming faintly in his palm.
Then the announcer's voice boomed overhead, calling his name for the next match.
Without a word, he walked toward the tunnel.
---
Outside, the sunlight pierced between the stone buildings of Ravios, sharp and golden.
Shion emerged from the coliseum, breath short but steady now. He looked up and spotted it Noivern, circling above the avenue like a restless shadow.
It dipped once, saw him, and swooped low.
Shion didn't even protest this time as the dragon Pokémon grabbed him carefully by the shoulders and launched skyward.
The city blurred beneath them market streets, tiled rooftops, banners fluttering in the wind. The cheers from the coliseum became distant echoes behind him.
Shion held on tight, one hand gripping the strap of his satchel.
In the air, his thoughts were turbulent.
'She's not even someone I really know... Why do I care this much?'
He exhaled sharply through his nose.
' Because she helped you, idiot.'
---
The clinic sat tucked between two shops on the north end of the city, near a small park with a winding cobblestone path. The building was plain but clean, the white-painted sign gently swaying in the breeze.
Noivern landed lightly on the street outside and let go of Shion, who jogged the last few steps to the entrance.
The front desk nurse gave a tired wave clearly she remembered the panicked boy from earlier and pointed silently to the hallway on the right.
Shion nodded his thanks and hurried in.
---
Kaela's room was quiet. Dim light filtered in through the paper-curtained window, painting the room in soft gold and dust-specked shadow.
Kaela lay motionless on the cot, blanket pulled to her waist, one arm bandaged, the other resting limply at her side. Her face was pale, and a faint line of sweat glistened at her temple.
"Still not awake..." he muttered
Shion stepped closer, dropping into the wooden chair at her bedside. He let out a low breath.
Noivern crept in after him, curling up near the foot of the bed. Its ears twitched, eyes flickering between its trainer and the boy who now sat watching her.
Shion let the silence stretch.
"You. Forgot. Me."
Shion flinched. He turned to find Bidoof, planted firmly inside the opened satchel, glaring up at him with narrowed eyes and a half-eaten berry in its paws.
"Y-You're awake"
"You LEFT me," Bidoof repeated, louder this time. "I was in a pouch. Surrounded by strangers!"
Shion groaned. "I panicked, okay?! I thought she was dying!"
Bidoof huffed, offended. "Dying is not an excuse to neglect me. I'm divine."
Shion exhaled and leaned back in the chair. "I'm sorry. Next time I'll leave a note on your snack bag."
Bidoof gave a smug snort and waddled down from the table, beginning to sniff around the room.
Shion shook his head, then turned to Noivern, who had been quietly watching.
"…You were there, right? You saw what happened?"
Noivern gave a small growl and nodded.
Shion sat up straighter. "Can you tell me?"
He looked to Bidoof, expectantly.
Bidoof rolled its eyes, then sat upright and closed them.
A moment passed.
Then, in a dry, deeper voice not its own:
"She chased a woman. Purple hair. Said she was dangerous. The trail led to an room. There was a trap. Poison."
"The woman smiled before she left. Didn't fight back. Said something about waiting for 'later.'"
Shion frowned. "A woman with purple hair…?"
Bidoof opened one eye. "No name. No further details. The bat was panicking."
Noivern snorted indignantly.
Shion rubbed his temples. "Great. Mysterious poison traps, creepy smiles, and vague monologues. Definitely sounds like trouble."
He looked again at Kaela.
"Why chase someone like that alone?"
---
After some time, with Kaela still unconscious, Shion rose. He stared at her for a moment longer, then turned and walked out of the room with Noivern following behind.
He stepped into the light again, shading his eyes.
He thought of the woman the bat described.
Purple hair… confidence… waiting for something…
Then his eyes widened.
'Wait. Wasn't there someone like that… in my match?'
The image came back.
The trainer with the Gengar violet hair, calm eyes, and a predatory smirk.
"…No way."
He felt a chill trail down his back.
Whatever Kaela was after… it might already be close.
Closer than anyone realized.
---
Ravios was warm in the late afternoon, golden light filtering between the flags strung across the narrow city streets. Market stalls bustled, the scent of roasting meat and fresh bread wafting through the air.
Shion's stomach growled.
Audibly.
He paused mid-step, grimacing, a hand over his gut. "Right… I haven't eaten since morning."
"Tch, rookie mistake," came a smug voice from his satchel.
Bidoof's round face popped out, crumbs still stuck to his fur from earlier. His expression was judgmental. "You charge into battle on an empty stomach. Shameful."
"Yeah, yeah," Shion muttered, rubbing his forehead. "At least you got to nap through half the day."
"Naps are part of divine strategy."
Shion rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help a chuckle. He drifted toward a cluster of food stalls near a bustling plaza, following the trail of delicious smells. The first stand he found had skewers thick-cut meat glazed with sweet-spicy sauce, sizzling fresh off the grill.
He bought three.
Then, as if summoned by scent alone, Bidoof raised his head and gave him the look.
"Don't say it," Shion warned.
"Pie."
Shion sighed. "I knew it."
They stopped at a bakery cart a few stalls down. He bought a large slice of berry pie Pecha and Oran from the smell and a few extra for later. One went into his satchel.
"Wise mortal," Bidoof said, muffled by a mouthful of crust.
Shion chewed slowly on his skewer, the savory sauce grounding him. After everything that had happened the match, Kaela, bumping into a guy who literally carried a fragment of godlike energy meat on a stick felt like a reset button.
He wandered through the plaza, letting the noise of the city fade into the background. Eventually, he spotted a park tucked near the back of a residential square gravel paths winding through flower beds, trainers sparring under trees, and kids chasing each other with excited laughter.
He made his way to a shaded bench and dropped onto it with a tired grunt.
"Finally," he muttered, stretching out.
The air was fresh here. A soft breeze rustled the trees above.
"What a day," he sighed.
From his belt, three Poké Balls clicked softly. Shion tapped them one by one.
In small flashes of light, Kiba and Raku appeared around him.
Kiba gave a happy bark and immediately padded over to the open pie box Shion set beside the bench. Raku sniffed at the second skewer Shion had saved, visibly pleased.
"Eat up," Shion said, watching them settle in. "You guys earned it."
"I also earned it," Bidoof said between mouthfuls. "I watch over the girl "
Shion ignored him.
He leaned back on the bench, letting the warmth settle in.
His mind drifted back to the match.
Rhyperior. That thing was like a moving mountain. Rune had taken hit after hit , hammer arm, shockwaves and still managed to land the final blow.
That was my first official one-on-one in the tournament … and I won.
He smiled faintly, pride tugging at his chest.
But it wasn't over.
Not even close.
He looked down at his hand, curling and uncurling his fingers slowly.
Two Plates in the city.
One at the Royal Academy, deep within one of the most prestigious institutions in the continent where only the best of the best were allowed entry. And where Ren and Mila now lived like it was normal.
If I win the tournament... maybe I'll have the favor to enter.
That part, I can plan for.
But the second Plate? That was more complicated.
The man I bumped into... He's strong. Probably stronger than me. Just from his aura alone, I could feel it.
Bidoof yawned loudly from the satchel.
"Do you think… maybe I can just ask for it?" Shion asked aloud.
"No," Bidoof said flatly, not even hesitating. "You'd be flattened."
Shion sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I thought so."
"He might not even know he has it," Bidoof continued between licks. "Or worse. He knows, and he's keeping it on purpose."
"Then what do we do?"
There was no answer for a moment. Bidoof just stared up at the sky, its expression unreadable.
"You get stronger," it said finally.
That, Shion could do.
He looked down at his team.
Raku was now finishing off his meal, clearly satisfied. Kiba had flopped onto the grass and was half-napping in the shade.
They're stronger now.
We're stronger.
But was it enough?
We'll see.
He gathered up the containers, gently recalling his team with a small thanks to each one.
Bidoof burrowed deeper into the satchel again, already dozing.
Shion stood, adjusting the strap over his shoulder, and turned back toward the city streets.
The sun was lower now, casting warm light across the stones of Ravios. He walked slowly at first, letting the tension bleed from his shoulders.
I should find the others. Maybe Mila, Ren… Belle too.
He smiled faintly. He hadn't gotten to see Ren's or Vince's match, but judging from the crowd's cheers and the energy in the air, it was safe to guess they made it through.
"Feels weird", he thought, brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes.
A few months ago, we were all just kids in Riverleaf.
Now we're fighting in a tournament watched by the king king.
The idea was surreal.
But here he was.
And the next battle was coming.