1.Ash's Story (Part 2: Johto)

Chapter 9: Hidden Paths

Route 30 looked different on the way back.

We had already passed the apple trees, Arielle's bridge, the Apricorn house, and Mr. Pokémon's warm window once before, but returning north after the New Bark investigation made the route feel heavier. Ethan carried the Egg in its travel case with both hands, walking more carefully than he had walked with his Running Shoes even once.

Aibo perched on Ethan's shoulder, reaching curiously for the carrier every few minutes. Exbo stayed close to Ethan's ankle, giving a nervous little puff of smoke whenever the tail-hand got too close.

"Not the Egg," Ethan warned for maybe the tenth time, shifting the carrier farther from Aibo's reach.

Aibo smiled like he had never once considered stealing anything important.

Pikachu watched him from my shoulder with deep suspicion. His meaning brushed my cheek like static: "Tail-hand family cannot be trusted near round things."

"After Quagsire, I am not arguing with that," I murmured.

Lillie giggled quietly beside me, holding Togepi while Chikorita walked between us with her leaf held high. Chikorita still believed Lillie needed monitoring, but she had stopped trying to wedge herself directly under my feet every time Lillie came near. That was progress, even if the progress looked like a tiny Grass-type glaring with discipline.

Reisa hummed under her breath while Marill and Totodile walked on either side of her. East kept his eyes on the road ahead, Hoothoot riding on his shoulder like a second set of route markers. Kris kept her notebook closed for once, and that told me she was thinking about Silver more than field research.

The stolen Totodile still bothered all of us. It was not only that Silver had taken a Pokémon from Professor Elm. It was the way the Totodile had sounded to Lillie and me, angry and desperate to prove it would not be thrown away. That kind of pain did not disappear because the battle ended.

Ethan looked down at the Egg carrier. "I keep thinking about Silver's Totodile."

"So do I," I said.

"He called me a wimp," Ethan said, trying to sound annoyed instead of hurt. "But he stole a starter that never had a chance to choose normally."

Lillie's voice was gentle. "That does not mean the Totodile has no choice now. It means the choice has already become complicated."

Ethan went quiet after that.

We crossed the last familiar turn of Route 30 and entered new ground.

The sign read Route 31.

Trees grew thicker here, and the road became rougher, with roots pushing up through the dirt and shadows gathering between the trunks. Farther ahead, a dark cave mouth opened in the hillside like the region had left a question waiting beside the path. Cold air drifted from it even though the afternoon sun was still warm on the road.

Kris noticed the cave first. "That cave should be Dark Cave."

East checked the map Guide Gent had synced to our phones. "It leads away from Violet City. If we want the direct route, we do not go deep."

Ethan looked toward the cave entrance. "It is literally called Dark Cave. That sounds like a warning."

"It sounds like a place someone could get lost," East said.

The words had barely left his mouth when Sentret rose high on his tail and stiffened. His small paws pointed toward the cave entrance.

Sentret's meaning reached Lillie and me in short, alert beats: "Ground taps. Something small. Not attacking. Guiding?"