Morning didn't come gently this time.
It arrived heavy, like the air itself had thickened overnight.
Grant woke first. Not because he wanted to, because Dewott stirred sharply at his side, ears flicking toward the edge of camp. The forest was still, but it was the wrong kind of still. No birds. No rustling leaves. Just a stretched silence.
Grant sat up slowly.
Nyra was already awake.
She sat on a fallen log a little away from the firepit, tightening the strap on her glove with careful, deliberate movements. Too careful. Like she was compensating for something.
Pignite stood nearby, arms folded, flame subdued but alert. Venipede was coiled beside Nyra's boot, antennae twitching. Sewaddle peeked out from Grant's scarf, blinking sleepily.
Nyra didn't look over. "Something's off."
Grant nodded. "Yeah."
Dewott rose and stepped forward, blades at the ready, not aggressive, but prepared.
Grant exhaled. "We said today was rest."
Nyra paused.
"Rest," she repeated, as if testing the word. Then she stood. "Light travel, then. Town's only a few hours ahead."
Grant watched her hand as she flexed it unconsciously.
Hairline cracks, he thought.
Pokémon POV : Morning Instincts
Dewott
The air feels wrong.
Not danger,pressure. Dewott doesn't have words for it, but it recognizes the tension the way waves recognize storms before the clouds arrive.
Grant smells worried. Nyra smells tired.
That worries Dewott more.
Pignite is pretending not to notice, but Dewott sees how the fire dips lower when Nyra turns away. Venipede stays close to her foot, closer than usual. Sewaddle presses into Grant's scarf like it always does when it senses unease.
The pack is unbalanced.
Dewott tightens its grip on its shells.
If something breaks today, Dewott wants to be ready.
'The Town of Split Roads' the sign said.
The town was called Split Roads, a fitting name.
Two trade paths intersected here: one leading toward a bustling port city, the other cutting through wilder territory toward older settlements and half-abandoned routes. The buildings were practical, not pretty. Stone and wood, patched and repatched.
Grant liked it immediately.
Nyra didn't.
She scanned the streets with a sharp eye, cataloging everything, vendors, exits, the quest board near the well.
Grant noticed where her gaze lingered.
"Nyra," he said carefully, "we said...."
"I know," she interrupted. "I'm just looking."
They reached the quest board.
Grant read the first notice and frowned.
Nyra read the second and went still.
The third made her jaw tighten.
Grant followed her gaze.
High-paying contract.
Clear wild Pokémon from a quarry site.
Immediate action required.
Grant's stomach sank. "That's… a lot of money."
Nyra nodded slowly. "Enough to fund supplies for weeks."
"And the Pokémon?"
Her silence answered for her.
Grant folded his arms. "Define 'clear.'"
Nyra didn't look at him. "It doesn't specify relocation."
"So… force."
She exhaled. "They're disrupting operations."
"They're wild Pokémon," Grant shot back. "In their habitat."
Nyra finally turned. "Grant, we need money."
"We need principles too."
Her eyes flashed. "Easy to say when you're not tracking every expense."
Grant stiffened. "I am. I just don't put it above..."
"Above what?" she snapped. "Survival?"
The word hung between them.
Grant lowered his voice. "We'll survive without taking a job that hurts Pokémon for profit."
Nyra stared at the board again.
"I'm not saying yes," she said. "I'm saying… we should think."
Grant nodded. "Fair."
But the tension didn't leave.
Rest Isn't Stillness
They checked into a modest inn. Nothing fancy, two rooms, shared bath, creaky floors.
Grant insisted Dewott get checked by the local Pokémon Center first. Nyra didn't argue, but she didn't come in either. She waited outside, arms folded, eyes distant.
Grant returned to find her staring at the quarry road sign in the distance.
"You okay?" he asked.
She hesitated. "Do you ever feel like if you slow down… everything catches up?"
Grant thought of sleepless nights. Of expectations. Of being strong because someone had to be.
"Yeah," he said honestly. "All the time."
Nyra laughed softly. "Figures."
They spent the afternoon doing almost nothing.
Almost.
Grant cleaned gear. Nyra reorganized supplies that didn't need reorganizing. The Pokémon rested, but even that was restless. Pignite shadowboxed lightly behind the inn. Venipede practiced controlled movements. Dewott polished its shells again and again.
Grant finally sat beside Nyra on the inn steps.
"You don't have to carry everything alone," he said.
She stared ahead. "I know."
"You don't act like it."
She didn't reply.
The offer got worse;
Evening brought food, and trouble.
A man approached them near the inn's entrance. Well-dressed. Too well-dressed for Split Roads.
"Trainers," he said smoothly. "I hear you're capable."
Nyra stiffened.
Grant frowned. "Depends who's asking."
The man smiled. "I represent the quarry owners. I assume you saw the notice."
Nyra spoke before Grant could. "We're still considering."
The man nodded. "Understandable. I'm authorized to increase the payout."
Grant's eyes widened. "Increase?"
"Substantially."
Nyra's breath caught.
Grant stepped forward. "What exactly are we clearing?"
The man's smile thinned. "Aggressive wild Pokémon. They've made working conditions unsafe."
Grant pressed. "Which Pokémon?"
"Several species. Territorial. Refuse to relocate."
Nyra's fingers curled into her palm.
Grant shook his head. "No."
Nyra turned sharply. "Grant—"
"No," he repeated, firm. "We're not doing this."
The man's gaze flicked between them. "A shame. You seem practical."
Nyra swallowed.
The man leaned closer. "Others won't hesitate."
He walked away.
Silence followed.
Nyra didn't look at Grant.
"You shouldn't have decided alone," she said quietly.
Grant took a breath. "You're right."
She turned, eyes sharp—but tired. "Then why did you?"
"Because if we cross that line once," he said, "it gets easier the next time."
Nyra clenched her jaw. "And what if we can't afford not to?"
Grant softened. "Then we find another way."
Pokémon POV : Listening Without Words
Pignite
The tall one with the calm voice is angry, but controlled. The fast one is tired, but pretending not to be.
Pignite understands pretending.
Fire flares when emotions rise. Pignite keeps its flame low because Nyra needs it steady.
Venipede stays close to her. Good. Smart.
Dewott stands between the humans without realizing it. Protective. Brave.
Pignite decides something.
If the humans stumble, the Pokémon will not.
They took watch together again.
The silence was heavier than before.
Nyra finally spoke. "If I hesitate… people get hurt."
Grant responded gently. "And if you never hesitate… so do Pokémon."
She rubbed her wrist unconsciously.
Grant noticed.
"Nyra," he said softly. "You're exhausted."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
Her voice sharpened. "I said...."
She stopped.
Her shoulders sagged, just a little.
"I don't know how to stop," she admitted. "If I stop being the one who handles things… what's left?"
Grant didn't answer right away.
"Someone who doesn't have to be perfect," he said. "Someone who can lean on others."
She laughed bitterly. "Elite trainers don't lean."
"People do."
She closed her eyes.
For a moment, Grant thought she might pull away again.
Instead, she exhaled slowly.
"Stay," she said. "Just… stay."
Grant stayed.
No touching this time. Just shared silence.
But it meant more.
The man returned just before dusk.
This time, Grant didn't bristle immediately.
"I said no," Grant repeated calmly. "But we're not walking away from the problem."
The man raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
Nyra stepped forward, voice steady but firm. "Meaning the Pokémon aren't attacking out of malice. They're defending territory. You expand, they push back. That cycle won't stop unless something changes."
The man crossed his arms. "We can't shut the quarry down."
"No one's asking you to," Grant said. "But you can change how you operate."
He gestured toward the hills. "Those tunnels you're digging into? They cut straight through nesting routes. Relocate the work site slightly, forty, maybe fifty meters. Reinforce the old tunnel entrances so Pokémon don't wander inside. We'll help move the more aggressive ones deeper into the forest."
Nyra added, "Safely. No forced battles. No injuries."
The man frowned. "That costs time."
"And lawsuits cost more," Nyra said bluntly. "Not to mention injuries, damaged equipment, and trainers who won't hesitate to do worse."
Silence stretched.
Finally, the man exhaled. "You're asking us to compromise."
Grant nodded. "We're offering you stability."
After a long moment, the man extended a hand. "Reduced payout. Partial completion bonus."
Nyra glanced at Grant.
Grant nodded. "We'll take it."
As the man walked away, Nyra let out a breath she'd been holding.
"That," she said quietly, "was harder than fighting."
Grant smiled tiredly. "But better."
Nyra looked at him, something softer in her eyes. "Yeah."