บท 41: Chapter 41: Dreams and Aspirations

The walls of Mount Moon closed in around us, the rocky ceilings low and jagged as we trudged deeper into its winding paths. Alisha clung to my arm, her nails digging into my skin every time a distant rumble echoed through the cave. I didn't mind—it was her way of staying grounded. Lucy trailed behind us, quiet as always, her head low, avoiding eye contact like the shadows lurking in the corners of the cave.

"Alisha, you okay now?" My voice cut through the silence, calm but firm.

Alisha swallowed hard, her attempt at sounding convincing failing miserably. "I'm fine," she muttered, though the tremble in her voice betrayed her. She clung tighter, nails biting deeper into my arm.

I glanced back at Lucy. Her eyes remained glued to the floor, and she nervously fiddled with the faded pink scarf around her neck, a habitual gesture that screamed insecurity. "What about you?" I asked, trying to pull her into the conversation.

Lucy's voice was barely audible, a whisper carried away by the oppressive cave air. "I-I'm fine too," she said, almost apologetic, as if her mere presence was an inconvenience.

I gave her a nod, scanning the rocky path ahead. Raichu was leading the way, the faint crackling of electricity from his cheeks illuminating the darkness around us. "We're heading to Cerulean City for a gym battle," I said, keeping my tone light, casual. "What about you, Lucy? Why are you traveling alone? It's dangerous out here."

Lucy hesitated, her fingers twisting the scarf tighter. "L-like I mentioned before… my parents run a Pokémon daycare. I've always taken care of Pokémon. Battling's… not really my thing."

"Figures," I muttered. "So, you're shy and prefer nurturing over fighting. That's why you're not a trainer?"

She nodded slowly, barely lifting her eyes. "I… I have a dream of becoming a Pokémon breeder. I want to learn everything about breeding techniques."

"So, you're heading to Cerulean to study?" I asked, though I could already piece together her reasoning. She was too gentle, too unsure of herself to survive out here for long on her own.

Lucy nodded, her grip on the scarf tightening. "My parents… they gave me their savings to chase my dream. We have family in Cerulean who might help me."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky to have support like that. It's good to have a dream." I let the words hang in the air for a moment, hoping she'd find some comfort in them.

She fidgeted nervously, her soft voice barely breaking the silence. "Punit… what's your dream?"

I paused, considering my answer. "I want to become the strongest Pokémon Trainer. Champion of every league. That's the goal."

Lucy blinked, her hazel eyes widening in slight disbelief. "That's… going to be tough."

I shrugged. "Not really."

Before Lucy could say more, I felt Alisha shift beside me, her grip tightening again. Her gaze was fixed ahead, but her body trembled. I frowned. "What happened before, Alisha? Why are you so scared?"

Alisha flinched, her voice coming out in a shaky breath. "When I was younger… something happened. I still see the faces in the dark. The nightmares never stop."

I stopped walking, turning toward her. Lucy, sensing the tension, stepped closer, her eyes wide with curiosity as she listened silently.

"Alisha," I asked, "what happened to you?"

She avoided my gaze, looking down, then glanced at Lucy before whispering, "Sorry, I… I can't talk about it here. Not now."

The silence was heavy, thick between us, but I didn't push. Some scars ran too deep to heal with words.

Lucy bit her lip nervously. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to intrude—"

"It's fine," Alisha interrupted, her voice soft but steady. "I just… I'd rather talk about it later."

Before I could respond, a sudden screech echoed above us. Five Zubats swooped down from the shadows, their high-pitched cries piercing the air. Lucy yelped, ducking behind me, while Alisha's grip turned vice-like, her fear returning in full force.

Raichu tensed, sparks crackling more fiercely around him as he prepared to fight.

"Raichu, hold back. Let Pidgeotto handle this," I commanded, pulling out Pidgeotto's Pokéball and tossing it forward. "Pidgeotto, Double Team and follow up with Gust!"

In an instant, Pidgeotto materialized, creating illusionary copies of itself. The Zubats, confused by the sudden swarm of birds, lunged at the false images. The real Pidgeotto, unseen, flapped its wings hard, sending a gust of wind barreling through the group, scattering them.

Two Zubats quickly recovered, retaliating with Leech Life while the others unleashed Supersonic waves to disorient Pidgeotto. One of the waves hit home, causing Pidgeotto to stagger mid-flight.

"Shake it off! Agility, then Quick Attack!" I shouted, my voice sharp.

Pidgeotto regained its balance and shot forward, its speed doubling as it slammed into one of the Zubats, sending it crashing into the rocky walls of the cave. But the others weren't done. One lashed out with Bite, catching Pidgeotto's wing, while another swarmed in, preparing for another Leech Life attack.

"Finish this with Brave Bird and Twister!" I ordered.

Pidgeotto cried out, its body igniting with blue flames as it dove into the Zubats with incredible force. Despite the recoil, it followed up immediately with a powerful Twister, the spiraling winds sweeping the remaining Zubats into the walls with a resounding crash.

They dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Good job, Pidgeotto," I said, recalling the Pokémon to its ball. I turned to Alisha and Lucy. "We need to keep moving."

Alisha, still clinging to my arm, looked up at me, her voice soft but pleading. "What about my Clefairy? You promised you'd help me catch one."

I sighed, glancing at her. She wasn't well, the remnants of her fever still clinging to her like a shadow. "I'll get you both out of here first, then I'll come back for the Clefairy."

Alisha's eyes filled with tears, her voice breaking. "Why are you so nice to me? What if… what if you leave me, too?"

I hesitated, the weight of her question pressing down on me. Lucy remained silent, keeping her gaze on Raichu as if the awkward tension between us was too much to bear.

"I don't know," I finally answered, my voice low.

Alisha sniffled, her grip tightening. "You always say that." Her voice cracked, trembling with the weight of whatever she was holding back.

Before I could respond, I scooped her up in my arms, carrying her without a word.

"Punit, what are you doing?" Alisha's voice was tinged with confusion, panic, and something else I couldn't quite place.

"We're too slow. I need to get you out of here faster." My tone was steady, leaving no room for argument. "Raichu, lead the way. We're going deeper into the cave."

Lucy, flustered and shy, walked closer to me, her fingers nervously clutching the edge of her scarf. "S-stay close to me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Alisha clung to me tighter, her fear evident in the tremor of her hands. "What's the plan?" she asked softly.

I glanced down at her. "We find the Clefairy, you catch it, and then we leave this cave. Simple."

Alisha's cheeks flushed, and before I could think twice, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Her wide eyes stared up at me, shocked, her voice a soft stammer.

"K-kiss?"

Lucy's face flushed beet red behind us, her gaze firmly planted on the floor, as she muttered under her breath, "Kiss... kiss..."