" But he coulda just said that but Gary NEVER says what he means."
He heard his friend sneeze loudly in the background, and he grinned a sinister smile.
Suddenly he heard whistling.
Familiar whistling.
He gasped, and took off in the direction Gary was going. He grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him into the forest.
Goh blinked. " What just happened?"
Oak pointed to Wisty. " Her."
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As they dashed through the forest, Gary glanced sideways at Ash, a mix of confusion and urgency in his eyes. “Ash, what’s going on? Why are we running again?”
Ash tightened his grip on Gary’s hand, darting between trees and dodging low-hanging branches. “I *really* don’t feel like hearing Wisty go on about our ‘apparent love life’ again. You know she’ll just milk it for all it’s worth!”
Gary raised an eyebrow but didn’t slow down. “Good point. She’d never let it go if she caught up to us. Last time, she talked for an hour about how we’re ‘perfect for each other’—and all because I handed you a potion!”
Ash nodded, shuddering at the memory. “Exactly! She just twists everything!” He shot a glance over his shoulder, half-expecting to see her mischievous grin catching up to them, but there was nothing but trees and shadows behind them. “Let’s keep moving, just in case.”
They zigzagged through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and squeezing through tight paths that barely allowed them through side-by-side. The whistling in the distance seemed to fade, and they began to breathe a little easier, though their pace remained quick. But after a while, the forest began to look unfamiliar. Tall, twisted trees rose around them, and thick vines tangled along the path.
Ash slowed to a jog, looking around with furrowed brows. “Gary, do you… know where we are?”
Gary’s gaze darted around, scanning the dense canopy above them and the unfamiliar ground below. “Not a clue,” he muttered, though he kept his tone light, trying not to alarm Ash. “It’s fine, though; we’ll just backtrack once we catch our breath.”
Suddenly, a dark figure flickered at the edge of their vision, almost like a shadow, shifting between the trees. Gary’s eyes widened, recognizing it instantly. Darkrai.
The dark Pokémon seemed to melt out of the shadows, its wispy, smoky form drifting toward them like a living nightmare. Gary didn’t think twice. He grabbed Ash’s hand, yanking him in a different direction, deeper into the forest. “Come on! Keep moving!”
Ash shot him a surprised look. “Darkrai? Now?!”
“Apparently, yes!” Gary replied, voice low but tense as they ran faster. “And I’m not in the mood for Darkrai’s dream tricks tonight.”
They sprinted further, weaving through the darkening forest, their breaths coming quick and sharp. Every so often, Gary could feel Darkrai’s eerie presence lingering just behind them, almost as if it were toying with them, herding them in circles. The air grew cold, and the forest seemed to close in, shadows deepening with every step.
Ash felt his heart racing, not just from the running, but from the unmistakable feeling of being watched, haunted even. “Gary, are we even going the right way?”
Gary shook his head, determined not to stop moving. “No idea. But as long as it’s away from Darkrai, I don’t care.”
They stumbled over roots and ducked under branches, neither daring to look back. But Ash could feel the prickling sensation of Darkrai’s presence lingering close, and he knew they couldn’t keep running forever.
Finally, they came to a small clearing, lit only by the moonlight filtering through the dense trees above. Gary released Ash’s hand, both of them bending over to catch their breath.
Ash peered through the trees, his voice a strained whisper. “Do you think… we lost it?”
Gary glanced around cautiously, eyes sharp. “Maybe… but Darkrai doesn’t give up easily.” He exhaled, then looked at Ash with a mix of relief and concern. “Next time, we’re just gonna deal with Wisty. Teasing’s better than a night trapped in one of Darkrai’s nightmares.”
Ash chuckled nervously, managing a small smile. “You got that right. But hey… thanks for having my back.”
Gary returned the smile, though his eyes were still alert. “Always.”
