They left before the sun had fully cleared the trees.
Pewter City faded behind them quickly, stone buildings giving way to uneven ground and scattered brush. The road narrowed as it climbed, no longer a place for carts or crowds. Just footprints, worn smooth by time.
Ash walked near the front, but not rushing. He'd learned that pace mattered. Rattata moved easily despite the bandage, keeping close. Metapod rested in its ball. Pidgey stayed with Maya, wings tucked, eyes alert.
Charizard walked beside Ash.
Not ahead. Not behind.
The realization came slowly. Ash noticed the steady rhythm of heavy steps matching his own. The warmth at his side. He didn't look over right away. When he did, Charizard's gaze stayed forward, as if that had always been the plan.
No words were exchanged.
The land changed as the morning went on. Trees thinned. Rocks pushed through the soil like old bones. The air grew cooler, carrying the faint smell of damp stone. Somewhere ahead, unseen but unmistakable, Mt. Moon waited.
They stopped near a shallow stream to rest. Ash crouched, letting the cold water run over his hands. Rattata drank carefully. Pidgey hopped along the stones, peering into the current.
A shape moved beneath the surface.
Ash froze, watching. A flash of scales. Then it vanished into deeper water.
He didn't reach for a Poké Ball.
"Did you see that?" Maya asked quietly.
Ash nodded. "Yeah."
They waited a moment longer. Nothing surfaced again. Ash stood, brushing his hands on his pants. "Maybe another time."
They moved on.
By midday, the road grew rougher. Loose stones slid underfoot. Ash adjusted his stride, slowing whenever the ground felt unstable. He remembered Brock's words about patience. About foundations.
A sudden flutter of wings made Pidgey tense. Something darted between rocks, too quick to identify clearly. Ash raised a hand instinctively, signaling stillness. The movement faded.
No battle. No chase.
Charizard paused once, lifting its head, scenting the air. After a moment, it continued walking.
They reached a rise late in the afternoon. From there, the land dipped sharply, and beyond it, the dark curve of the mountain revealed itself. Mt. Moon wasn't dramatic from a distance. Just a massive shape, silent and unmoving. Its entrances were hidden by shadow and stone.
Ash stood still, taking it in.
"So that's it," Maya said.
Ash nodded. "Looks… bigger than I thought."
They set up camp well before dusk. Ash checked supplies carefully. He rewrapped Rattata's bandage, thanked it when it didn't protest. He checked Pidgey's wing again. Better, but not ready.
Charizard settled near the edge of the clearing, close enough that the firelight reached its claws. Its tail flame burned steady, untroubled by the breeze.
As the sky darkened, unfamiliar sounds drifted from the direction of the mountain. Not loud. Just distant echoes that didn't quite sound like wind.
Ash stared into the fire, listening.
"We'll take it slow tomorrow," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "No rushing."
The forest answered with silence.
When Ash finally lay down, sleep came slowly. The mountain loomed even in the dark. But beside him, the steady presence of his Pokémon—especially the heavy, quiet warmth at his side—made the waiting feel possible.
Tomorrow, they would enter the cave.
For now, the road held.
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T/N:
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