1. Ash's Story (Part 10: Galar)

Chapter 44: Mushroom Light

After the Gramophone Records job was finished, the road toward Ballonlea drew us into Glimwood Tangle. The forest swallowed the clear sky almost immediately, replacing sunlight with deep blue shadows and glowing mushrooms that stood taller than some people. Their caps pulsed faintly whenever the path bent out of sight.

Alice reached toward one mushroom, and its glow brightened at her touch. Pale pink light spread over the roots ahead, showing a narrow road between twisted trees. Then the light dimmed again, leaving only the next mushroom waiting like a quiet invitation.

Pikachu pressed his paws against my collar, ears tilted toward the fading glow, "The light is short, but the path remembers where it was."

"Then we move before forgetting it," I said, keeping my steps slow.

Roserade wanted to cut a vine once, but Flora stopped herself before giving the order. She touched the nearest mushroom instead, waiting until the path revealed whether the vine belonged there. The forest rewarded her with a narrow safe turn.

That made Flora smile in spite of the darkness. "I suppose not every problem needs pruning."

Flora stayed close to Roserade, though even she looked impressed by the strange plant life. "These mushrooms are beautiful, but they make the forest feel like it is breathing."

Gloria laughed nervously. "That is not as comforting as you think."

Helen kept Appletun near the middle of the group, while Elena checked the straps on Feebas's tank before every turn. The forest did not feel hostile, but it did feel watchful. Every light lasted just long enough to help us forward, then vanished before we could become careless.

A rustle came from the darker brush. Morgrem stepped onto the path with a sly grin, and Hattrem appeared beside it, eyes narrowed beneath its soft hair. Neither Pokémon looked lost. They looked like they had been waiting for travelers to stumble into their game.

Alice sighed. "Of course the forest has gatekeepers."

Morgrem snapped its claws against a mushroom stem, dimming the light behind us. Hattrem lifted one hand, and a pressure rolled through the air. The path blurred, making the next turn look farther away than it was.

"Coalossal, help us hold the path!" I called.

Coalossal emerged heavily but calmly, its burning coal casting a steady orange glow that fought the shifting mushroom light. It was already a strong partner, not a new evolution waiting to happen, and the forest seemed to respect the weight of its steps.

Hattrem's pressure pressed hardest against the worried members of the group. Gloria stepped back with Raboot, and Helen held Appletun's side until the little apple dragon steadied. The forest had made fear sharper, so I kept my voice even.

Coalossal answered the pressure by becoming a steady point. Its coal glow did not chase the mushrooms away; it gave everyone one dependable point to look at. That was exactly why I chose it. We did not need a new evolution. We needed a partner already strong enough to hold space.

Morgrem darted forward, aiming for the side path, while Hattrem sent psychic pressure toward Alice. Coalossal planted itself and released a low heat shimmer that forced Morgrem back without burning the trees. Alice sent Hattrem stumbling with her own partner's support, keeping the fight controlled.

"Do not chase them too far," I warned. "They know this forest better."

Coalossal blocked another feint, and Pikachu leapt from my shoulder to flash a quick warning spark near Morgrem's feet. Morgrem hissed, then retreated into the brush. Hattrem followed after one last glare, and the mushrooms slowly brightened again.