"I am doing artificial respiration, not taking advantage of you."
Aoki kept repeating this in his mind, convincing himself as he leaned in closer to Kamizrei, gathering his courage. Her face was pale from the cold water, her golden hair soaked and clinging to her skin. But just as his lips were about to make contact, Kamizrei's eyes fluttered open, locking onto his.
Their faces were mere inches apart, their breaths mixing in the cold underground air.
"…"
Aoki froze.
This was just his luck. He had mentally prepared himself to perform artificial respiration, but Kamizrei had woken up at the last second. And now, she had seen his exact intentions.
What if she misunderstood?
What if she thought he was trying to take advantage of her?
Kamizrei's cheeks turned crimson as she registered the situation. She had harbored a subtle fondness for Aoki, but it was hazy, something she hadn't quite admitted to herself. Now, though, that feeling deepened—accompanied by a wave of embarrassment.
"W-What are you doing?" she asked, her voice flustered.
Aoki snapped back to reality, immediately backing away from her. He could feel his pulse quicken.
This was bad.
This was very, very bad.
"I… I thought you had drowned! You were unconscious, so I was about to give you artificial respiration! I swear, that's all it was!"
Kamizrei blinked, her embarrassment shifting into something more complex. Aoki's words made sense—after all, she had been underwater for a long time. Artificial respiration was the right thing to do in this situation.
But she couldn't deny the slight disappointment in her heart.
She quickly shook that thought away and instead recalled what had happened earlier. The whirlpool had dragged her under, and Aoki had immediately jumped in to save her, despite the danger.
A warmth spread through her chest.
Aoki had risked his life to protect her.
That kind of person… wasn't just a good companion.
He was someone who could be trusted for life.
"Thank you for saving me," Kamizrei murmured sincerely.
Aoki exhaled, relieved that she wasn't accusing him of anything. "Don't mention it. More importantly, we should figure out where we are and how to get out."
The cavern around them was damp and pitch black. The only sound was the underground river rushing beside them. There were multiple tunnels leading deeper into the unknown, but no clear exit.
Kamizrei shivered, hugging her arms around herself.
Aoki noticed immediately. Right… she was still in her swimsuit. The underground air was cold, and the damp environment only made it worse.
Without hesitation, Aoki called out, "Flame Clamor, give us some warmth."
Flame Clamor, his trusted Blaziken, released a controlled burst of fire, creating a steady source of heat. The warm glow illuminated the cavern, casting flickering shadows on the walls.
"Thanks," Kamizrei whispered, moving closer to the fire. The heat seeped into her chilled skin, bringing much-needed relief.
"We should check out those caves," Aoki said after a moment. "We might find a way out—or at least something useful."
Initially, he had planned to follow the underground river and look for an exit, but when he pulled up his system map, something caught his attention.
A diamond treasure chest.
Aoki's eyes gleamed.
Wild diamond-tier treasure chests were exceedingly rare, often containing powerful items, evolution stones, or even high-quality Pokémon eggs. There was no way he was passing this up.
"Alright," Kamizrei agreed easily. She didn't care where they went—as long as she was with Aoki, she felt safe.
"Come on, I'll carry you up," Aoki said as he crouched down.
The cave entrance was high above them, requiring a steep climb. He was being a gentleman… but he also wasn't going to deny the small perk of having Kamizrei's arms wrapped around his shoulders.
"Thanks," she said softly, leaning onto his back.
Aoki smirked slightly and began climbing. Behind him, Blaziken and Greninja easily leaped up, their athletic prowess making the climb effortless. The rest of his Pokémon were temporarily returned to their Luxury Balls for convenience.
Once at the entrance, Aoki rechecked his system map.
"This should be the right way," he murmured.
He was grateful for the detailed mapping system—without it, getting lost in this underground maze would have been a real problem. Worse, they had no idea what kind of Pokémon lurked in the darkness.
"Let's keep going. If we find wild Pokémon, we can battle them, but if there's nothing, we'll turn back."
Kamizrei nodded. "Alright. I'll follow your lead."
They walked cautiously, their footsteps echoing through the cavern. Aoki remained on high alert, ready for any potential threats.
Then—he suddenly stopped.
A large group of Grimer blocked their path, their gelatinous bodies pulsating as they oozed across the floor.
Kamizrei wrinkled her nose. "Ugh… I don't hate Pokémon, but Grimer are just so… smelly."
Aoki chuckled and reached into his bag, pulling out a generous amount of Pokémon food. He carefully placed it on the ground, stepping back.
"Grimer, we need to pass through. Could you let us by?"
The Grimer eyed Aoki warily, but as they drew closer, they sensed something unusual.
The Power of Viridian.
Aoki's natural affinity with Pokémon allowed him to communicate with them on an instinctual level. Even wild Pokémon, who would normally be aggressive, found themselves trusting him.
The Grimer hesitated for only a moment before slithering toward the food, eagerly consuming it.
A path opened.
"Wow… that actually worked." Kamizrei was amazed. "You're really good with Pokémon."
Aoki simply smiled. "Let's go before they change their minds."
They quickly passed through the horde, but their next obstacle wasn't as simple.
A colony of Golbat hung from the cave ceiling, their bodies twitching in sleep. Dozens of them. If disturbed, they would attack relentlessly.
Aoki held up a hand. "Move slowly. Don't make a sound."
They stepped carefully, avoiding loose rocks. Kamizrei's breathing was shallow as she followed Aoki's lead.
After several tense minutes, they finally reached the other side.
Then—Aoki saw something ahead.
Light.
A distant glow filtered through the tunnel.
Kamizrei noticed it too. "Aoki, there's light ahead! Do you think it's the exit?"
Aoki's heart pounded. "Only one way to find out."
Without hesitation, he grabbed Kamizrei's hand and ran toward the light.
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