Two towering mountains, with the peaks shrouded in thick storm clouds, rose on either side, forming a natural gateway. In the middle stretched the Stony Wilderness.
The ground was a patchwork of gray and yellow mud, sparsely covered with short, pale green grass. Where the plains met the grassy edges, a faint bluish hue marked the transition, softening the harsh divide. From a distance, the landscape appeared as little more than dirt and rock.
Farther north, the land grew increasingly barren, eventually giving way to a dusty basin that looked more like a desert than wilderness.
A few scattered tents stood on the tufts of grass that managed to survive, their canvas damp from the misty air. Several campfires, recently put out, still gave off thin trails of black smoke. A handful of Pokémon sat quietly outside the tents, acting as both lookouts and guards to protect the trainers inside.
This edge of the Stony Wilderness served as a modest gathering point for those passing through. On the far east stood an official shop run by the League.
"Coooorviquiiire!"
Corvisquire's sharp cry pierced the sky, drawing the attention of several Pokémon below. But the bird didn't show any sign of landing. It soared past at high speed, flying straight toward the deeper part of the plains.
Shiro swept his eyes over the rows of tents but didn't linger. He had no interest in joining the others. While camping near other people reduced the chances of being attacked by wild Pokémon, he didn't mind those encounters. If anything, it was the wild trainers that annoyed him more.
On a gloomy day like this, with rain about to fall, a stranger suddenly showing up was bound to attract attention. There was always a chance some fool might try something. And if he accidentally killed a few of them in the process, it'd probably ruin his sleep even with the rain pouring outside.
Beep—
Hovering midair, Shiro pulled out his communicator. The screen lit up, displaying a glowing map of the northern Wild Area. Various markers indicated the habitats of different Pokémon species, along with general strength levels.
To the west of the Stony Wilderness lay a rocky cave. It was home to Pokémon like Roggenrola and other Rock types. Most of them were fairly mild in nature. As long as one didn't go out of their way to bother them, there was no issue using the cave edges as shelter from the rain.
Rumble!
A clap of thunder boomed across the sky. Pale, twisted streaks of lightning flashed off and on across the dark blue clouds.
Feeling the dampness soaking into its feathers, Corvisquire flapped its wings harder and glided toward the shadowy cave in the west.
Shiro jumped off before they fully landed, dropping from about four meters up. He took a few quick steps and leaned against the cave wall, catching his breath. Corvisquire followed right after, shaking moisture from its feathers before resting on Shiro's shoulder.
Outside, the light rain fell like fine needles stabbing straight down. Thunder cracked again from above. Flashes of white light flickered, and in the blink of an eye, those drops turned into bean-sized pellets, pounding the ground in a torrential downpour.
The rain hit so hard it kicked up white waves of water across the ground outside the cave. Shiro took a few more steps deeper inside to avoid getting splashed by the storm.
He looked inside the cave. It was dim, almost pitch black. Only the faint, dark blue glow from outside offered just enough light to barely make out the first meter or so of the rocky wall.
Thankfully, the cave was spacious. It stretched roughly three meters high and four across. There was no need to worry about feeling cramped.
Shiro stepped deeper into the darkness. His eyes seemed to slowly adjust, and he found he could start to make out the shapes inside.
'Seems like aside from sensing abilities, I've got some night vision too. Better than nothing I guess.'
As he thought that, he spotted something.
About ten meters ahead, the cave split into two paths. Standing at the entrance of each tunnel was a Pokémon.
On the left was a Boldore. To the right, a Binacle.
Boldore looked like a large chunk of dark bluish rock, with three smaller rocks around its sides and back acting like arms. In this kind of darkness, one could easily mistake it for just another boulder if not paying close attention.
Binacle, on the other hand, looked like nothing more than a pair of claws. They usually lived by attaching themselves to a suitably sized rock and staying there together.
'From the looks of it, there are two separate Rock-type Pokémon groups here...'
After scanning the area thoroughly and confirming there were no other Pokémon nearby, Shiro reached for his belt and released three Poké Balls. In flashes of light, Haunter, Growlithe, and Vibrava emerged around him.
The open space between the cave entrance and the two branching tunnels was broad—perfect for setting up a temporary camp.
"Growl?"
Growlithe trotted out first, stopping at the mouth of the cave. It blinked in wonder as it stared at the downpour crashing down outside.
Vibrava slowly followed, pausing behind it. As soon as it saw the torrential rain, an instinctive fear flickered in its eyes. Ground-types like it dreaded water more than anything—heavy rain could flood their burrows and wipe out entire colonies.
"Hauuun~"
Haunter, on the other hand, was completely unfazed. With a gleeful shriek, it zipped straight into the storm. Its smoky tail twisted behind it as it floated there, striking exaggerated poses in the rain.
Water passed straight through its intangible body, unable to touch or slow it. It moved as if it were basking under sunlight.
"Haun, haun, haun..."
It called out cheerfully, trying to coax the curious but hesitant Growlithe into joining the fun.
Tempted by the invitation, it stepped forward cautiously. But just as its paw reached the cave's edge, a cold splash from the rain landed on its fur. The sudden chill made it shudder. Instinct screamed danger. With a yelp, Growlithe turned back and curled beside Shiro, tail tucked.
"Groowl..."
It buried its head against his leg, casting a pitiful look toward the outside world.
"Raaava…"
Vibrava also scuttled back, crouching low beside the dog.
"Sigh... that Haunter." Shiro muttered, ruffling Growlithe's fuzzy head. He then crouched down and pulled out two small white cubes from his backpack.
These were rapid-ignition fire starters developed by Macro Cosmos, a must-have for survival in the wild. No need to scavenge for sticks; just add heat, and they'd expand to the size of a basketball. After countless tests and improvements, they produced a steady, moderate flame that could last up to five hours.
Truly a miracle product for trainers on the road: cheap, reliable, and easy to use.
"Pokémon black tech really is something else," Shiro chuckled to himself.
He gave Growlithe a few gentle pats on the back, gesturing for it to breathe a couple of small flames onto the cubes.
The white cubes puffed up quickly, bubbling from within as they expanded into uneven, foam-like shapes.
Shiro signaled Growlithe to stop. Then he picked up one of the foam balls with both hands and tore it apart into fragments. Gathering the pieces into a pile, he had Vibrava mold a simple stove out of packed mud. With a few more controlled puffs of flame from Growlithe, a campfire sparked to life.
Warm, golden light spread from the crackling red flame, illuminating the cave. Even Dreepy peeked out from the shadows, with its Drakloak guardian emerging beside it.
Together, the team gathered quietly around the fire.
Across the cave, Boldore and Binacle by the tunnel entrances opened their eyes at the same time. After exchanging a silent glance, they both calmly closed their eyes again, content to remain still.
So long as neither the human nor his Pokémon showed hostility or tried to intrude, they had no reason to move.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!