Morning light barely reached the mountain.
The entrance to Mt. Moon sat low against the stone face, wide enough to swallow the road without effort. Cool air drifted out steadily, carrying the smell of damp earth and something older, sharper. Ash stood at the edge for a moment, listening.
Water dripped somewhere inside. Slow. Patient.
"This place doesn't feel empty," Maya said.
Ash nodded. "Yeah. Like it's watching."
They stepped in.
The light thinned quickly. Within a few steps, the outside world dulled to a pale outline behind them. Ash slowed, letting his eyes adjust. He kept his steps measured, careful not to kick loose stone. The sound of their movement echoed farther than it should have.
Charizard entered last.
It paused just inside the mouth of the cave, tail flame casting long shadows against the walls. For a moment Ash thought it might turn back. Instead, it folded its wings and walked forward, heavy steps steady, the glow following them deeper inside.
Ash didn't comment. He simply adjusted his grip on his bag and kept moving.
They followed the main tunnel at first. The ground sloped gently downward, uneven but manageable. Pale mineral streaks ran through the stone walls. Every so often, the ceiling dipped low enough that Ash had to duck.
A sharp squeak echoed above them.
Ash stopped instantly. He tilted his head, tracking the sound. A shape flitted near the ceiling, then another. Quick, erratic movement.
He reached for his Pokédex, hesitated, then raised it.
Pokédex:"Zubat. Bat Pokémon. Poison and Flying type. Uses sound waves to navigate in dark places."
Ash lowered the device and slipped it away.
The Zubat didn't attack. They circled once, distant silhouettes against the stone, then vanished deeper into the cave.
"No battle," Ash said quietly.
Maya gave a small nod. "Good."
They moved on.
The cave widened after a time, opening into a chamber tall enough that the darkness swallowed the ceiling. Ash kept the fire low when they stopped to rest, careful not to draw attention. Rattata stayed close, nose twitching at unfamiliar scents. Metapod remained still. Pidgey shifted uneasily but stayed perched near Maya.
Charizard settled near Ash, sitting rather than standing. Its tail flame dimmed slightly, just enough.
Ash noticed that too.
They didn't talk much. The cave seemed to press in on sound, as if it preferred silence. Ash took the time to observe the ground, memorizing where the stone was loose, where water pooled. He imagined how battles would change here. Less room. Less visibility. Less room for mistakes.
A distant flutter broke the stillness.
This time the Zubat came closer. One swooped low, then pulled up sharply, testing distance. Ash raised a hand again.
"Stay," he whispered.
Rattata tensed but didn't move. The Zubat passed, then another followed. A few heartbeats later, the cave was quiet again.
They waited.
Nothing came.
Ash exhaled slowly. "Okay."
They set camp deeper than Ash would have liked, but the ground ahead looked worse than where they stood. He placed stones carefully to mark the spot. Maya checked the map again, frowning.
"Paths split up ahead," she said. "Hard to tell which ones loop."
Ash nodded. "We'll figure it out tomorrow."
As night settled, the cave took on a rhythm. Drips. Distant wingbeats. The faint hum of air moving through stone. Ash lay awake longer than usual, staring at the dark above him.
Charizard didn't sleep right away.
It stayed upright for a while, eyes open, listening. When it finally lowered itself, it did so facing the tunnel they'd come from, not the one ahead.
Ash noticed.
He turned onto his side, pulling his jacket tighter. The mountain felt alive around them. Not hostile. Just present.
Tomorrow, they would move deeper.
For now, the cave breathed, and they breathed with it.
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T/N:
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