I wasn't going to comment on it yet.
I just stared at Growlithe as he slept. His breathing was regular. His ears twitched slightly with every sound. But his body, once tense, was now at rest.
A small, dry laugh escaped my mouth. "Who knew that little puppy had the highest level on my team?" I thought with amusement as I closed my eyes, trying to get some rest.
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It hadn't been a very structured plan at first, but staying a few more days on Mt. Moon ended up being one of the best decisions I've made since I started this journey. After everything that happened with Team Rocket and rescuing Growlithe, we needed time: to heal, to understand each other... and to train. But what I felt most was relief. I finally had three Pokémon by my side, and that changed everything. It wasn't just a matter of battle strategy or type variety; it was emotional. I felt less alone.
Having three Pokémon meant I could organize training sessions in shifts, vary the pace of work, keep morale high, and even have small moments to just... breathe. Ralts seemed to have a predisposition to his empathic energy, as he seemed to understand me without me having to explain anything. He still hadn't been able to communicate with me through telepathy through my Pendulum Necklace, but I think he'll eventually get over that. Nidorino, meanwhile, was stronger than ever; without having to constantly protect me, he could now dedicate himself more to his training. And Growlithe... Growlithe was a whole world that I was just beginning to explore.
Ever since I took him out of that cage in the Team Rocket tunnel, he never left my side for a second. Literally. He refused to walk alone. If I put him down, he'd squeal softly, as if contact with the ground was a threat. He'd look at me with those orange eyes filled with fear, and the moment I bent down, he'd jump straight into my arms as if I were a lifeboat in the middle of the sea. So I learned to carry him with one arm, tightly pressed against my chest. It was easier to move that way than I thought, and honestly... I liked feeling him close.
It wasn't all cute. Growlithe had a deep emotional wound, an invisible mark that made him hypervigilant, almost paranoid. When a wild Pokémon got too close—even without hostile intent—he would growl with a ferocity surprising for his size. His fangs flashed in the lantern light, and more than once, he would spit out a quick, stinging Ember without warning. It was as if he were saying, "Don't touch me! Don't take my human away from me!"
To my surprise, neither Ralts nor Nidorino were bothered by this. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Ralts, with his psychic sensitivity, seemed to understand the pain in Growlithe's mind, and would simply back away, sitting back and watching from a safe distance, as if to say, "Relax, I won't hurt you." Nidorino was even more direct: when the little redhead got too defensive, he would gently nudge him with his horn or look at him with a mixture of patience and authority. It was as if he were saying, "Enough with the dramatics, you're safe now." And the funny thing is, Growlithe seemed to... respect him. He never once threw fire at either of them.
The training sessions became more varied and, in a way, more exciting. We moved through different areas of Mount Moon, some with stalactites glistening with moisture, others with underground streams and narrow passages where our footsteps echoed like war drums. Ralts practiced his Confusion with incredible precision, throwing small stones into the air and catching them with his mind before they hit the ground. Nidorino, meanwhile, broke larger rocks with his Horn Attack and Double Kick, which were already perfected… but I wanted to go further.
For a few days now, I'd been mulling over a theory that might have seemed absurd, but I couldn't get it out of my head. Let's call it my "Energy Type" hypothesis. I'd noticed it by carefully observing my Pokémon's attacks. Every time they used a move, their bodies would be surrounded by an energy of a specific color and texture. Horn Attack, for example, made Nidorino's horn glow with a pure white, almost silvery light. Clearly, that was Normal-type energy. But when I used Peck, the glow was completely different: more bluish, like liquid sapphire, full of sharpness and speed. Flying-type.
I wondered then: what would happen if Nidorino learned to summon that kind of energy into an attack that doesn't normally have it? Would it be possible, for example, to imbue his Double Kick with Flying-type energy? Technically, it didn't make sense according to traditional logic... but nothing in my life had made traditional sense since I woke up with the mind of an adult in the body of a child.
So I started experimenting. I asked Nidorino to repeat the Double Kick, but instead of thinking about brute strength or stability, I asked him to think about speed, wind shear, and agility. At first, nothing happened. But after a few hours and several attempts, something changed. One of the punches left a light blue trail in the air, as if the wind itself had split in two. It didn't last more than a second... but I saw it. I saw it. So did Nidorino. And he smiled. Well, the closest thing to a smile a Nidorino can muster: he shook his back, snorted proudly, and looked at me as if to say, "I did it."
Every day we went deeper, seeking out areas without Zubats or trainers, just to experiment in peace. Ralts followed us silently, his psychic power increased by his level, so he could now float with ease, almost like a ghost, silent and effortless, even occasionally testing his telekinesis to move heavier objects. Once, he playfully lifted Growlithe into the air for a few seconds, resulting in a mix of nervous laughter and panicked barking from the little guy. It was funny… although he almost bit me in fright.
At night, we camped in one of the large rooms we'd cleared of hazards. I'd build a fire with Growlithe's help—when I asked him to, of course, because he didn't light a fire unless he was absolutely sure I needed it—and cooked rice with bits of wild berries. Sometimes Nidorino sat next to me. Sometimes it was Ralts. But always, always, Growlithe was asleep on my lap.
The evening of our last day on Mt. Moon was especially magical.
We were practicing a new exercise. I asked Ralts to try combining his Confusion with physical movements, like a quick dodge or a small backflip. I wanted him to learn to control his powers even while moving, as if they were part of his body and not just a static burst. He looked at me, nodded gently, and began. At first, it was clumsy and wobbly. But then, without warning, his body began to glow.
It was a soft glow at first, like a firefly in a fog. But then the light intensified, and Ralts's entire body was covered in a bluish, almost crystalline aura. I felt the air thicken. Nidorino raised his head. Growlithe hid in my chest, trembling.
And then, before my eyes, Ralts changed.
Her legs lengthened, her white skirt spread out like a flower, and her blue "helmet" lifted back, revealing more of her face. The shape was unmistakable. But seeing it happen like this, right in front of me, was like witnessing a natural miracle.
Ralts had evolved into Kirlia.
I didn't say anything for several seconds. I approached slowly, kneeling in front of her. Kirlia looked at me with those deep, shining eyes, and for a moment I felt something I can't describe with words. It was as if the entire connection we had built had matured, solidified. She was no longer just my partner. She was my reflection. My emotional mirror.
"Thank you…" I whispered, barely audible.
She nodded. She didn't say anything, but I felt it. I knew it. And that night, under the rock lit by the crystals in the ceiling, the four of us slept together: Nidorino as sentry, Growlithe curled up against my chest, and Kirlia sitting nearby, watching the stars we couldn't see, but knew were out there, waiting for us.
We slept soundly that night. Well… as soundly as you can sleep when you have a Nidorino always alert to the slightest sound, a newly evolved Kirlia that seems to process every emotion as if it were tuning an orchestra, and a Growlithe that never leaves your side, not even in your sleep. But all in all, it was a peaceful night. A silent farewell to Mount Moon.
The next morning, the air in the cavern no longer felt so heavy. There was something different, as if the walls themselves understood that our time there had come to an end. The training, the introspection, the discovery. All of that would be etched into the stones of Mt. Moon, but we had to move on.
I calmly gathered our things, fed my team, and gave them time to stretch, walk around, and breathe in the damp, mineral air we would soon be leaving behind. Growlithe, as always, refused to move more than two meters away from me. Even when I tried to let him play with Nidorino, he simply took two steps forward, growled at nothing, and then leaned back against my leg.
"Okay, champ… we're leaving now," I said, stroking his back with my fingertips.
As we descended toward the nearest exit, I felt a curious turmoil in my chest. Part of me felt excited: we would finally leave this mountain and everything it symbolized behind. But there was also something akin to sadness. Something told me we hadn't tapped into the full potential hidden within this place.
In particular… I didn't find any other Moon Stone.
We had broken rocks, dug, and checked every possible corner without venturing into unstable areas. And although we had found minor minerals, we didn't see another moonstone. Or any more fossils either. Part of me had held out hope for a Dome Fossil or, who knows, even an Old Amber. But no. Nothing.
I sighed silently, without stopping. Because although that disappointed me a little, I couldn't deny that the days spent on Mt. Moon had been transformative. Kirlia walked with light, elegant steps beside me, her body no longer as fragile as it had been when she was Ralts. Nidorino, meanwhile, moved forward with confidence, as if she had been leading a pack for weeks. Even Growlithe, though he still didn't dare walk alone, no longer had the same uncontrollable trembling in his breathing.
But something worried me. It was just a hunch, an intuition that wasn't quite taking shape. Ever since Kirlia evolved, I couldn't stop thinking about how much it took us to get there. Not in physical effort, no. I'm talking about the experience. The progress.
It took Kirlia much longer than expected to reach the level necessary to evolve. She had trained as much as Nidorino, even more on certain days. But she wasn't progressing as quickly. Why? She didn't know. Perhaps it was her nature, perhaps she needed to fight more, win more real battles and not just drills. It was as if she needed to absorb every emotion of combat to grow... which made sense, considering her psychic type and empathic bond. But if that pattern held, her path to her next evolution was going to be longer than she thought.
And that... that worried me. Not out of impatience. But because I wanted to be sure I could help her get there. To her full potential. Not just because it would be useful in combat, but because I felt it was what she herself wanted, even if she couldn't quite put it into words yet.
Finally, the sun's rays filtered through the tunnel's cracks. We walked the last few meters with slow, almost reverential steps, and finally... we emerged from Mt. Moon.
The air changed immediately. It was warmer, drier. The sky was clear and blue, and the trees lining Route 4 seemed to welcome us like old acquaintances. I paused for a second, taking a deep breath. I stroked Growlithe's head, who was already settling more comfortably in my arms, and looked at my companions.
"We did it."
I pulled the PokéNav out of the inside pocket of my backpack. I had several pending notifications, as expected. But before I could read them, I sent three messages.
First, to Mother Clarisse:
"I'm out of Mt. Moon. I'm fine. I have three Pokémon now. One of them was rescued from a hidden tunnel. I'm stronger. Thank you for believing in me."
Then to Helen, Nurse Joy from Pewter City:
"I survived. I trained. My team grew, and… well, I'm not so alone anymore. Thanks for your advice. Really."
And finally, to Brock:
"I survived Mt. Moon and defeated something worse than a Gym Leader. I think I'll need that TM we have pending in Cerulean City. I hope you have it ready. Thanks."
I hit "send" and felt a wave of relief wash over me. But just as I put the device away, a new notification came in. It was from Andrew.
"I've been in Cerulean City since yesterday. I can't keep waiting for you to fight Misty. I'm giving you today. Hurry, or I'll do it without you."
I let out a short, dry laugh. I was happy that Andrew was acting more like a boy his own age.
I responded immediately.
"I'm on my way. I wouldn't miss that fight for anything."
I put away the PokéNav, adjusted the strap on my backpack, and looked toward the horizon. In the distance, beyond the path and a few trees, the first blue rooftops of Cerulean City could be seen. They shone in the sun like mirrors in water.
"Let's go, team"
And without looking back, I started running.
Nidorino followed immediately, his strides strong and sure. Kirlia floated beside me, not even touching the ground, and Growlithe… well, Growlithe settled into my chest and let the wind ruffle his fur as we moved forward into the future.
Cerulean City was waiting for us.
Trainer: Maxwell Jones
Hometown: Pewter City
Sponsorship: None
Money: $72,200 Pokedollars
Badges: 1.- Boulder Badge
Expandable Travel Backpack (Deluxe)
1. 2 potions (1 slot)2⬇
2. 3 Rage Candy Bars (1 slot)
3. 10 Pokeballs (2 slots)
4. 1 Escape Rope (1 slot)
5. 1 Red handkerchief with 10 orange berries (1 slot)⬇6
6. 3 Antidotes (Poison Cure) (1 slot)
7. Badge case (1 slot)
8. PokéNav (1 slot)
9. Travel Cooking Kit (Includes a folding frying pan, small knife, kettle container, and mini lighter, all in a compact case) – 2 slots
10. Pokémon Food Ration (4-day ration bag) (2 slots)⬇2
11. Human food ration (canned and freeze-dried food for 3 days) (1 slots)⬇2
12. Basic Camping Kit (Includes Compact Tent, Sleeping Bag, and Collapsible Lantern) – 3 Slots
13. Basic Pokemon care kit (1 slot)
14. Moon Stone (1 slot)
Occupied slots: 19/30
Pokémon
Nidorino
Gender: Male
Level: 23↑2
Moves: Leer, Peck, Focus Energy, Double Kick, Poison Sting, Rage Attack, Horn Attack Helping Hand↑
Kirlia✨
Gender: Female
Level: 20 ↑1
Moves: Disarming Voice, Teleport, Growl, Double Team, Hypnosis, Draining Kiss, Lucky Chant, Psybeam↑, Charm↑
Growlithe
Gender: Male
Level: 24 Moves: Read, Ember, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Odor Sleuth, Fire Fang
EXTRA
Pendulum necklace
Author's Notes: If you want to support the story and read some advance chapters (+7) https://www.p@treon. com/Jayjayempi , it would also help me a lot if you have comments on how the story is going or if you would be so kind as to leave a review, Thank you very much for reading!