Kapitel 38: Chapter 38: Hiking and Sketching Adventure

As we neared the trail leading up to Mount Moon, I pulled my black bicycle to a stop, wiping the sweat from my brow. The air felt thick, heavy with the scent of pine trees and damp earth. I glanced over at Alisha, who skidded to a halt next to me on her green bike. Her lips curled into that mischievous grin she always wore when she thought she had the upper hand.

"Getting tired already, Punit?" Her voice was light, teasing, but there was an edge beneath it. She knew I hated backing down.

I shrugged, gesturing to the uneven path ahead. "The trail gets too rough for bikes from here. Better if we walk."

Alisha saluted dramatically, still grinning. "Aye aye, Captain!" She dismounted, stowing her bike in her bag with a fluid motion, like she'd done it a hundred times. I did the same, though with a bit less flair, not that I'd ever admit it.

From my bag, I pulled out a few candies and tossed one over to her. She caught it mid-air, her eyes sparkling as she popped it into her mouth. "Still trying to bribe me with sweets, huh?"

I ignored her jab, instead offering a piece to Raichu, who had been sitting quietly on my shoulder the whole time, tail twitching with barely contained energy. "You good, buddy?" I asked, scratching behind his ear.

Raichu shook his head, a spark of excitement in his eyes. The little guy never tired. I sat down under a nearby tree, pulling out a water bottle and taking a long drink before offering it to him. He hopped onto my chest, drinking with small, delicate sips.

"We should rest for a bit before heading up," I said, leaning my head back against the tree.

Alisha plopped down against the trunk of another tree across from me, her sketchbook already in hand. She flipped it open to a fresh page and shot me a teasing glance. "Mind if I sketch Raichu?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "Go ahead."

"Of course, you don't mind," she muttered under her breath. "You don't know everything about me, do you?"

I raised an eyebrow but didn't take the bait. Raichu pouted for a second but then bounded over to Alisha, perching on a rock like he knew exactly what she was up to. She started sketching, the sound of her pencil scratching softly against the paper filling the silence.

About five minutes later, I stood up and stretched. "It's time to go," I said, Raichu already leaping back to my shoulder.

Alisha packed up her things and we started hiking. The further we went, the rougher the path became, stones shifting beneath our feet with each step. I kept an eye on Raichu, who was now perched on my head, ears twitching with every sound.

After what felt like an hour of walking, Alisha suddenly stopped. Her expression, usually playful, turned serious. "Did you hear that?"

I turned to her, trying to listen past the rustling leaves and the distant calls of wild Pokémon. "Hear what?"

She grinned, her serious expression flickering. "You look ridiculous with Raichu sitting up there."

I rolled my eyes. "If you're trying to distract me—"

"No, really." Her grin faded. "I thought I heard someone shouting."

Before I could say anything, Raichu shifted on my head, pointing in one direction with a determined look. Alisha and I exchanged glances. "Lead the way," I told him.

Raichu nodded and took off, darting through the trees with us following close behind. We didn't have to run far. In a small clearing, a girl was desperately fending off two Zubats. Her Eevee tried to help but was clearly outmatched, dodging erratically as the Zubats swooped and attacked.

"Raichu!" I called out. "Use Agility to get close, then hit one with Iron Tail and the other with Thunderbolt!"

Raichu darted forward, a blur of speed, and executed the commands perfectly. The Zubats didn't stand a chance. One was knocked out of the air with a flash of Raichu's Iron Tail, the other falling to the ground with a crackling Thunderbolt. The girl gasped, clutching her Eevee protectively as the Zubats hit the dirt.

Raichu ran back to me, leaping up to my shoulder and rubbing his cheek against mine. I patted his head. "Good job."

The girl, barely taller than me, stepped forward, her hands shaking as she pulled her Eevee close. She was petite, almost fragile-looking, with long chestnut-brown hair that hid most of her face. She wore an oversized beige sweater that covered her small hands, and a faded pink scarf hung around her neck. Everything about her seemed to shrink into itself, as if she wanted to disappear.

Alisha jogged over, her tone light but laced with concern. "Hey, are you okay? Is your Eevee alright?"

The girl nodded, though she didn't look up. Her Eevee stuck close to her legs, watching us with wide, wary eyes. "I'm sorry…" the girl mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alisha tilted her head, confused. "Why are you apologizing?"

The girl's gaze dropped to the ground, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her scarf. I sighed, already recognizing the signs of someone shy. 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘚𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘬é𝘮𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯.

I stepped forward, raising a hand to stop Alisha from pressing further. "Give her some space," I said, keeping my tone gentle.

The girl took a small, shaky breath. "Thank you for your help, Mister…?"

"Punit," I answered with a small smile. "And that's Alisha."

She nodded again, still not making eye contact. "Thank you, Punit… Alisha."

Alisha sidestepped me with a smirk, nudging my shoulder. "You're making her nervous," she teased, but her tone had softened.

I didn't argue, though part of me wondered if my mere presence really was the problem. I pulled out a high-quality potion from my bag and approached her Eevee slowly. "Here, for your Eevee. It'll help with the injuries."

The Eevee darted behind the girl's legs, peeking out cautiously. I crouched down, holding out the potion, my smile as reassuring as I could manage. "It's okay, Eevee."

Raichu gave me a look as if to say, 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸? I put him down, letting him wander around while I tried to coax the Eevee closer.

The girl's soft voice interrupted the awkward silence. "I'm Lucy Evans," she said quietly, still fidgeting with her scarf. "I'm a Pokémon Breeder…"

Alisha burst into laughter, making Lucy flinch. I shot her a glare. "Apologize."

Alisha sobered up quickly, her smile fading. "Sorry, Lucy. I didn't mean it like that."

Lucy nodded but still didn't look up. I kept my tone gentle. "Are you heading to Cerulean City?"

She nodded again.

"If you want, you can come with us," I offered, watching her carefully. "Your Eevee looks like it could use some rest."

Lucy hesitated, biting her lip. "I don't want to be a burden…"

"You won't be," I said firmly. "Here, take the potion. It'll help. After that, you can put Eevee in the Pokéball to rest."

Lucy accepted the potion, her hands still trembling slightly as she applied it to her Eevee. After a few moments, she returned Eevee to its Pokéball and stood there, unsure of what to do next.

"Ready to go?" I asked, glancing between her and Alisha.

They both nodded, and together we set off toward Mount Moon, the path ahead still uncertain, but at least now, we weren't walking it alone.