Humans had built a maglev train track across the gentler slopes of Mt. Moon, connecting Pewter City and Cerulean City. However, as a trainer, Ryuuske had no intention of taking the easy route. Instead, he planned to make the most of every moment, training himself and his Pokémon in the most dangerous areas to accelerate their growth.
After splurging on supplies in Pewter City and restocking his high-tech waist pouch, Ryuuske set off toward Mt. Moon. He avoided the safe, human-made paths entirely, opting instead for secluded, untraveled trails like some reckless adventurer.
The upper slopes of Mt. Moon were barren and rocky, but the valleys between peaks were lush with vegetation. Legend had it that the mountain wasn't always called "Mt. Moon." Long ago, a massive meteor—said to be a giant Moon Stone—had crashed into the area, shattering into countless fragments and forming a renewable vein of Moon Stones due to this world's unique properties. However, because the mountain range was so vast, Moon Stones remained rare.
Because of this celestial event—and the fact that some Pokémon required Moon Stones to evolve—some scholars even theorized that Pokémon might have extraterrestrial origins.
Aside from Moon Stones, Mt. Moon's other treasure was its fossilized amber. Geologists believed that millions of years ago, this region had been an ocean. Tectonic shifts had raised the land into mountains, trapping countless prehistoric Pokémon as fossils within the stone. Rumor had it that Brock, Pewter City's Gym Leader, had once scavenged for Moon Stones and fossils here to make ends meet during his family's poorer days.
Both Moon Stones and fossils were rare commodities, fetching high prices on the market. Many fortune-seekers flocked to the mountain, hoping to strike it rich. However, most of these treasures lay deep within Mt. Moon's heart—a place teeming with powerful wild Pokémon. Countless lives were lost every year on this perilous hunt.
---
"Gabite, clear the way!"
Once deep inside Mt. Moon, Ryuuske sent out Gabite, keeping it outside its Poké Ball. In the city, Gabite's towering stature and fierce gaze might cause a stir, but in the wild, having a Pokémon by his side was the safest option.
Gabite's appearance and strength had evolved significantly since its days as a Gible. While Gible had been strong in its own right, it had always carried an air of cuteness rather than intimidation.
With a low growl, Gabite slashed forward, its razor-sharp dorsal fin slicing through towering trees and thorny brambles like paper. No machete could match its efficiency.
Rumor had it that a Garchomp's mere sprint could generate enough wind pressure to topple giant trees. A creature like that could probably carve a path through this mountain wilderness just by running.
The thorns and brambles didn't even leave a scratch on Gabite's tough hide. Compared to his earlier struggles in Viridian Forest, Ryuuske's survival journey had become much smoother.
As he ventured deeper, the wild Pokémon grew stronger. But experience had taught Ryuuske to stay prepared. Paras and Parasect lurked among the leaves, their spores drifting invisibly through the air or clinging to plants. A single misstep could leave him unconscious or paralyzed—lessons he'd learned the hard way.
"Wasn't Mt. Moon supposed to be full of Clefairy and Jigglypuff? Why haven't I seen a single one yet? Am I not deep enough, or am I just in the wrong spot?"
Emerging from a dense thicket, the terrain opened up. Ryuuske stepped onto a patch of wild grass, surrounded by towering rock faces that stretched into the sky. He glanced upward, confirming that these cliffs were practically unclimbable—sheer vertical walls, jagged overhangs—no amount of rock-climbing skill would get him up there.
"Whatever. Let's just find a decently wide cave. Fighting in a cave is risky—use the wrong move, and the whole thing could collapse. Getting buried alive isn't on my to-do list."
In this world, using moves like Earthquake or Fissure in an unstable cave was a death wish. Ryuuske had no intention of playing the role of the Monkey King, trapped under a mountain for centuries.
[Ryuuske, there's someone here.]
Mewtwo's telepathic warning snapped Ryuuske to attention. The odds of running into another person in the vastness of Mt. Moon were slim. Whoever it was—another trainer or a treasure hunter—posed a potential threat. Trainers might be fine, offering a chance to exchange tips, but most fossil hunters were desperate, dangerous types.
Ryuuske froze, scanning his surroundings. Gabite stepped in front of him, eyes narrowing in the direction of a nearby cave—the same one Ryuuske had been considering.
His enhanced hearing, sharpened by psychic senses, picked up the rapid fluttering of wings.
"...A whole swarm of Zubat. Probably a Golbat mixed in too."
The sound grew louder. Then—footsteps. Frantic, stumbling.
A figure burst from the cave, clothes torn as if from a struggle. The man tripped over a rock, crashing to the ground just as the swarm of Zubat poured out behind him like a living storm.
The man scrambled to his knees, panic in his eyes. When he spotted Ryuuske and Gabite, relief flooded his face.
"Y-you there! Are you a trainer?! I'm a geologist sent by the League! I accidentally stumbled into a Zubat nest—please, help me!"
Ryuuske frowned. He didn't consider himself a saint, but he wasn't heartless enough to leave someone to die. The man seemed harmless enough, so he raised a hand.
"Gabite—"
Then he got a clear look at the man's face.
His pupils shrank. His expression shifted.
Without another word, Ryuuske spun on his heel.
"—Let's go."
Gabite blinked, confused. The man on the ground gaped.
Gabite recovered faster, hurrying after Ryuuske without a second glance.
Giovanni, sprawled in the dirt, could only stare in disbelief.
This wasn't how the script was supposed to go!
As a passionate young trainer—a shining beacon of justice praised by the Pokémon League—shouldn't he have rushed to the rescue with heroic fervor?!
Instead, he'd just… walked away?!
How heartless!
"OW—DAMN IT, THESE STUPID BATS ARE ACTUALLY BITING ME?!"
To be continued…