The weather changed without warning.
One moment, the forest was calm—sunlight drifting between leaves, the air warm and steady. The next, the wind cut through the trees like a warning breath. Leaves spun. Branches creaked.
Shunya stopped mid-step.
"…That was fast," he muttered.
Pikachu looked up at the sky, ears flattening slightly. A low rumble rolled across the clouds—not thunder yet, but close enough to promise it.
They hadn't planned to be out long.
That was the problem.
"Okay," Shunya said, glancing around. "We should head back."
The wind answered him with a sharp gust, bending the grass flat. The path behind them blurred as mist crept in, thick and fast.
Pikachu hopped closer, electricity flickering instinctively.
"It's fine," Shunya said, though his voice carried less confidence than he wanted. "We just need cover."
Rain began to fall—light at first, then heavier, soaking through his clothes within seconds. The ground turned slick beneath his feet.
They ran.
Not blindly—carefully. Shunya remembered the terrain, choosing higher ground, avoiding loose slopes. Pikachu kept pace beside him, eyes sharp, alert to every sound the storm tried to hide.
A cry pierced the rain.
High-pitched. Panicked.
Shunya skidded to a stop.
"Did you hear that?"
Pikachu nodded immediately.
The sound came again—closer now, from the left.
Shunya hesitated.
The town was that way.
Safety was that way.
But the cry—
It wasn't distant.
It was now.
"…We check," Shunya said, already turning. "Quickly."
They pushed through the brush and found it.
A small Pokémon huddled beneath a fallen log, shivering violently as rainwater pooled around it. Its eyes were wide with fear, body trembling too hard to move.
Shunya's chest tightened.
"It's stuck," he said.
Pikachu stepped forward, sparks flaring—not in attack, but in warmth. The electricity hummed softly, pushing back the cold air around them.
Shunya crouched, ignoring the rain soaking into his knees.
"Hey," he said gently. "You're okay. We've got you."
The Pokémon flinched at first, then froze—confused, uncertain.
Another rumble echoed overhead, closer this time.
Lightning flashed.
Shunya didn't think.
He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the fallen log, shielding the Pokémon from the rain. Water soaked the fabric instantly, but it helped—just enough.
"Pikachu," he said. "Can you—?"
Pikachu was already moving.
It positioned itself near the opening, releasing controlled bursts of electricity that warmed the air without sparking outward. The storm snarled above them, but within the small shelter, the cold eased.
Minutes passed.
Then longer.
Shunya stayed crouched, teeth chattering, arms wrapped around his knees. His muscles ached. His hands were numb.
But he didn't move.
Finally, the rain softened.
The trembling slowed.
The small Pokémon lifted its head, eyes no longer wild—just tired.
Shunya smiled weakly. "See? You're okay."
A soft chime sounded, almost lost beneath the fading rain.
> Environmental Intervention Logged
Non-Combat Assistance Recognized
Shunya barely noticed it.
He was too busy feeling relief wash through him as the storm began to break.
---
By the time they reached town, it was dark.
The gates stood open, lanterns glowing warmly against the wet stone. Shunya trudged in, soaked, exhausted, Pikachu riding silently on his shoulder.
Rowan spotted them immediately.
"…You look like hell," the ranger said, then paused. "What happened?"
Shunya shrugged weakly. "Weather."
Rowan studied him, then Pikachu—then said nothing more.
Later, wrapped in a blanket at the Pokémon Center, Shunya stared at the ceiling again, body heavy with exhaustion.
Pikachu curled beside him, warmth steady and reassuring.
"I don't know if I'm doing this right," Shunya murmured. "But I think… this is who I am."
Pikachu pressed closer.
Outside, the storm passed completely, clouds tearing open to reveal a sky full of stars.
And somewhere beyond systems and logs, the world took note—not of strength, not of victory—
But of a boy who stood still when running would've been easier.
The sky had decided.
And it had not turned against him.
To Be Continued. [1]
[1] Need more time to think about pasing and writing, So story will be on Hiatus for a while, around a week or two.