The morning after the Purugly attack was colder than usual, but Orion felt like he was burning from the inside out.
He hadn't slept. Not really. After the battle and his narrow escape—after recalling Tyrunt mid-slaughter and blindly throwing his last Poké Ball just to buy a few seconds—he'd managed to find shelter only thanks to the trainer who'd intervened.
And then… silence. No questions. No lecture. Just space.
Now, the trees around him shimmered with dew. Tyrunt lay next to him, wrapped in a makeshift blanket Orion had crafted from the trainer's spare cloth and his own jacket. His Pokémon was healing well, the potions doing their work overnight, but his breath still came slow. He was exhausted—emotionally and physically.
Orion stood slowly, legs stiff from cold and tension.
Two more days.
Oreburgh was so close he could almost see the cliffs in his mind—the rocky crags rising up from the woods, the plumes of mining smoke in the distance. But after last night, the idea of continuing alone made his skin crawl.
He packed up silently, glancing back at the trainer's tent.
His name was Elias—he'd mentioned it briefly, just before retreating into his own sleeping bag. A Sinnoh native, maybe sixteen or seventeen, a little older than Orion. Stern. Focused. He had a deep voice that didn't suit his wiry frame and eyes that looked like they'd already seen too much.
Orion slung his pack onto his shoulder and crouched beside Tyrunt.
"You ready to move?" he asked softly.
Tyrunt opened one eye. Groaned. Then slowly stood.
Orion gave him a rub along the back of his head, just between the horns. "That's my boy."
Behind him, a voice called out.
"You heading to Oreburgh?"
Orion turned.
Elias was fully dressed now—green jacket zipped, gloves on, boots laced, Poké Balls clipped to a military-style harness across his chest. His Staraptor sat perched on a branch behind him, sharpening its beak on a twig. He looked like a trainer already halfway through his journey.
"Yeah," Orion said. "That's the plan."
"Then let's go together," Elias said simply. "It's not safe on your own."
Orion blinked. He hadn't expected the offer. But he didn't hesitate.
"Yeah. Thanks."
The route south twisted through high ridges and winding canyons of pale, chalky stone. The air grew drier with each hour, carrying dust and the distant scent of coal. The path wasn't flat—it rose and fell in steep curves, and more than once Orion had to brace himself against a tree or a rock to avoid slipping. Tyrunt followed closely, slower than usual, but alert.
They moved at a careful pace, speaking little. Elias walked like someone used to long distances, legs steady, eyes constantly scanning the brush. His hands never strayed far from his Poké Balls.
Orion broke the silence first.
"Thanks for what you did last night. I owe you."
Elias shrugged. "No you don't. You're not the first person that thing's attacked."
Orion glanced sideways. "You've seen it before?"
Elias nodded. "Twice. First time, it mauled a kid's Shinx and ran off. Second time, I tried to track it, but it doubled back and almost got me. It's not territorial. It's a rogue. That's worse."
"Why?"
"Because it hunts for fun."
Orion swallowed.
Elias glanced at him. "Your Tyrunt's strong. Most people wouldn't have gotten away. You trained him yourself?"
"Yeah. Kind of had no choice. He's… a lot."
"I can tell. That Bite move?" Elias nodded in approval. "Dark energy like that isn't easy to channel. Takes a bond."
Orion felt a strange surge of pride. "We've been working on it."
Elias smiled faintly.
"Let me guess—you're new. Just starting your journey."
"Two weeks in."
"And already almost dead," Elias said dryly.
"Yup."
They both laughed, and just like that, something shifted.
The silence became comfortable.
By mid-afternoon, they stopped to rest under a stone outcrop. Elias pulled out a food tin and offered Orion some dried berries mixed with salted nuts. Orion accepted, grateful.
"Your team," he asked. "Just Staraptor and Luxio?"
Elias shook his head. "I've got a third. Not battle-ready yet. Hatchling."
He pulled out a Poké Ball and tapped it gently. "Budew. My little sister gave it to me. Said it would keep me calm." He smiled, a rare, soft expression.
"You're from around here?"
"Twinleaf," Elias said. "Born and raised."
"That's far."
"Left as soon as I could. Not much for me there."
Orion nodded. He didn't press.
"What about you?" Elias asked. "What's your story?"
Orion hesitated.
"I'm… not from Sinnoh."
"No kidding," Elias said, smirking. "Accent's weird."
Orion chuckled. "I didn't have a proper starter. I caught Tyrunt on my own."
"Hold on. You caught that thing?"
"Long story."
Elias whistled. "You're either brave or stupid."
"Little of both."
Another pause. Another shared smile.
Elias leaned back against the stone. "So what's your goal? Badges?"
"Yeah. Starting with Oreburgh."
"You've got guts. That place chews up first-timers."
"I figured."
"Don't go easy on you just 'cause it's your first badge. Roark scales his team, but even his base squad has strategy. If your Tyrunt's all offense, you'll get walled."
Orion nodded. "I'm working on building a real team. I want variety. I want control."
"Smart," Elias said. "Tyrunt's a powerhouse, but that can't be your only answer."
They sat in silence again, but this time, it felt like the kind that builds something, rather than hides from it.
After a while, Elias stood.
"We're camping together again tonight. I'll take first watch."
Orion opened his mouth to argue—but then just nodded.
He was too tired to fight the offer.
And part of him didn't want to be alone anymore.
That night, as the fire crackled and Tyrunt snored softly, Orion sat awake beside the flames, staring at the stars.
Two days from Oreburgh.
Two days from the start of whatever this journey was really going to be.
He glanced over at Elias, who sat perched on a rock, polishing a Poké Ball with practiced hands.
Orion didn't know if they'd stay together long. Maybe Elias would go his own way after Oreburgh. Maybe they'd split off like comets after crossing paths.
But for now?
It felt good not to be alone.