章 40: Chapter 40: Faces in the Dark

I stood at the entrance of Mount Moon, the cave's maw gaping wide and dark, its shadow stretching toward us like a challenge. The air felt different here, heavy, foreboding. I glanced at Lucy and Alisha, their faces bathed in the last light of the setting sun. Alisha's expression was... off.

"Hey," I asked, trying to keep my voice casual but firm. "You alright, Alisha?"

Her mischievous grin flickered for a moment, then returned, a mask of false bravado. "Aww, you worried about me, Punit? Cute." She winked, but it didn't have the same playful sting as usual.

"Dead serious," I shot back, taking a step closer. My hand hovered near her shoulder, but she sidestepped, sticking her tongue out in that way she did when she didn't want anyone to see past her armor. Before I could say another word, she darted ahead, flashlight in hand, swallowed by the cave's darkness.

Lucy shifted beside me, her soft voice barely audible. "Sh-she s-started acting w-weird when we got closer to the cave…" Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, pulling it over her fingers. She kept her gaze down, as if the weight of eye contact would crush her.

I frowned, watching the darkness where Alisha had disappeared. "You okay?" I asked Lucy, softer this time.

She nodded, a small, shy motion, and pulled out her own flashlight, but the way it trembled in her hands gave away her unease.

I sighed, pulling out Raichu's Pokéball. "Raichu, let's light this place up a bit." With a flash, Raichu appeared, his bright eyes gleaming with excitement as sparks danced along his fur. He leaped onto my shoulder, nuzzling me before hopping down to the ground, his sparks illuminating the cave walls.

"Alright, buddy," I patted him, "you lead. Keep us safe."

Raichu nodded eagerly, his electricity lighting the way as we followed him into the cave. Lucy walked close to me, her steps hesitant, her flashlight flickering every now and then. The oppressive silence inside the cave gnawed at my nerves. Something wasn't right.

A rustle ahead, fast footsteps. Alisha burst back into view, pale, her eyes wide with fear. She threw herself at me, clinging to my arm with a strength I hadn't expected. My body froze as her hands gripped me tight, trembling.

"What happened?" I asked, the edge of my voice sharpening with concern. Raichu sparked, standing on his hind legs, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Alisha's breath came in shallow gasps, her eyes unfocused as if seeing something far worse than the dark walls of the cave. "Faces," she whispered, her voice shaking. "In the dark. I saw faces…"

My hand rested hesitantly on her head, trying to calm the rapid rise and fall of her breath. "Faces? You scared of the dark or something?"

She nodded weakly, pressing her forehead against my chest. "I hate it… I hate the dark. There's something wrong with it here." Her grip tightened, almost desperate.

I glanced at Lucy, who had stepped further back, eyes wide with alarm. Her gaze flicking between me and Alisha, her own fear beginning to show.

I sighed, stroking Alisha's hair softly. "You'll be fine. I'm not going anywhere. We'll figure this out." I knelt, trying to look Alisha in the eye, but she avoided my gaze, clutching my jacket like a lifeline. "You're okay now, yeah?"

She didn't answer immediately, just clung tighter.

Raichu stood by, sparks popping off his fur. "Raichu, stay sharp," I ordered, and he nodded, keeping his eyes on the shadows ahead.

"We'll keep moving," I said softly. "The sooner we're out of here, the better." I motioned for Lucy to follow closely, but she hesitated, her flashlight still trembling in her small hands.

After a while of walking deeper into the cave, the tension gnawing at us like an ever-tightening coil, I noticed Alisha slowing down. Her face was pale, sweat beading on her forehead. She wavered on her feet before finally collapsing into me.

"Whoa," I muttered, catching her before she fell. "You're burning up."

"Raichu, we need a break," I called. He nodded, scanning the area quickly before sitting down near a rock, his eyes vigilant. I lowered Alisha to the ground, leaning her against the cave wall. She refused to let go of my hand, her grip tight, desperate. Her eyes, wide with fear, bore into mine.

"Hey, I'm here," I reassured her, patting her head. "We're gonna get through this."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Don't leave me," she whispered, her voice raw with emotion. "Please don't leave me… I'll do anything."

Her words stung deeper than I expected. I glanced at Lucy, who stood a few steps back, her face filled with quiet worry. Lucy spoke softly, her words careful. "M-maybe... something happened to her. In the p-past. She seems to be scared of m-more than just the dark."

I nodded slowly, pulling out water and some medicine from my bag. I offered them to Alisha, but she shook her head, refusing to move.

"Hey, Alisha," I said gently, "didn't you call me kind-hearted? Why would I ever leave you?"

Her tearful eyes met mine, filled with a pleading I hadn't seen in her before. I didn't push further, just held her closer until she calmed, her breath steadying.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally let go, curling up beside me as I ready to laid her down on the blanket I pulled from my bag. I looked to Lucy, motioning her over. "Help me spread this out for her."

Lucy's movements were shy, her cheeks turning pink as our fingers brushed for a moment. She pulled back quickly, her face half-hidden by her long hair. But she did as I asked, carefully spreading the blanket out beside me.

Raichu bounded over, tugging at my water bottle. "Thirsty?" I chuckled, handing it over. He drank it in one gulp before trotting off, sparks of joy trailing behind him as he patrolled the area.

I sighed, sitting beside Alisha as she finally drifted off into a restless sleep. Lucy sat across from me, her flashlight still flickering in her hands. I looked at her, breaking the heavy silence. "You afraid of the dark too?"

Lucy hesitated, her voice small. "Not really… I grew up in a village where the lights weren't always… working. But this feels… different. Like the darkness here is alive."

I nodded, understanding the weight of her words. The air in Mount Moon was thick with something unspoken, something hidden just beyond the edge of our flashlights.

"We'll keep an eye on her," I said, glancing at Alisha. "Once we're out, I'll ask her what's really going on. If she wants to talk, she'll talk. If not, I won't push."

Lucy's eyes softened. "Th-that's probably best. For now, we should r-rest. It's still a long way t-through the cave."

I nodded, leaning back against the cold cave wall, my eyes scanning the darkness.