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

Chapter 54: Cliffside Growth

Cliff Edge Gate was quieter than Cianwood's Gym, but the quiet felt like a hand trying to redirect us before we stepped through the door.

A man stood near the entrance with a smile that looked practiced from saying the same thing to every traveler. The moment he saw us heading for the Route 47 gate, he hurried into our path and raised both hands.

"Did you know? There is a Safari Zone just around the corner. It is really fun! You will see many different kinds of Pokémon, and it is all you can catch! There is no reason not to go, right? Just around the corner. It will not take too long. Why do you not drop by? Won't you? All right! It is just over there. Go up the stairs, and you will be outside. Then it is only a few paces away!"

Ethan blinked at the man after the words finally stopped. "That was one breath."

Kris adjusted her bag strap. "A very trained breath."

East looked past the man toward the exit. "Safari Zone is the destination. Route 47 is the path. We still have to walk."

"We are going that way," I said politely, keeping my voice calm even though the road ahead was calling harder than the advertisement. "Thanks for telling us."

The man seemed satisfied even though we did not turn around immediately. "Good! Just around the corner!"

Lillie gave him a small smile as we passed. "He really loves the Safari Zone."

"He loves people not missing the stairs," East said.

Smeargle popped out beside him and painted a quick arrow on its map, pointing up and forward. East nodded like the arrow had confirmed something important, and we stepped out of the gate into Route 47.

The land opened sharply beneath us, sudden enough that everyone slowed at the same time.

Sea spread far below the cliff, dark blue and bright silver where sunlight struck the waves. The path curved along the rock face, sometimes wide enough for all of us, sometimes narrow enough that we naturally moved in a line. Wind rushed up from below, carrying salt and the cry of distant Wingull.

Lillie stopped near the railing and looked down. "This sure looks dangerous."

"I know," Ethan said, his usual grin fading. "One wrong step and you are not just falling. You are falling into rocks and water."

Pikachu crouched lower on my shoulder, tail stiff.

His meaning came through sharply: "Cliff path. Hold close."

"I hear you," I whispered, putting one hand near him.

East moved ahead and checked the trail. "Stay inside the path. No rushing, no battling near the outer edge unless we have no choice."

Kris looked at the uneven stones. "This route feels designed to test whether people understand the difference between bravery and carelessness."

"Johto keeps doing that," Reisa said, holding Azumarill's Poké Ball carefully.

The first section of the cliff path forced us to move more slowly than we wanted. East kept calling out loose stones before anyone stepped on them, and Smeargle marked safe turns with tiny paint strokes that the wind dried almost instantly. Forretress was still Pineco then, resting in its Poké Ball, and I thought about sending it out only after we reached wider ground.

We had only gone a little farther when the path shook.

At first, I thought a rock had broken loose above us. Then a metal claw rose from below the cliff and clamped onto the railing. A round robot hauled itself up, painted with a crooked red R and fitted with grabber arms, propellers, and a net cannon that pointed straight at Pikachu.