The road narrowed as Cerulean faded behind them.
Stone gave way to packed dirt, then to uneven ground scattered with roots and fallen leaves. The air grew heavier, damp with the smell of wet earth and moss. Ash adjusted his stride instinctively, shortening his steps, keeping his balance loose.
Pidgey fluttered ahead for a moment, then circled back and landed on a low branch, watching the path with alert eyes.
Maya slowed beside Ash. "Route Five funnels Pokémon through here," she said quietly. "Not a lot of space. Things cross paths that normally wouldn't."
Ash nodded, eyes scanning the brush. "So… don't rush."
"Exactly."
They walked in silence for a while, broken only by the crunch of leaves and the soft crackle of Charizard's tail flame. Charizard didn't lead. It didn't lag. Its shadow stayed just off Ash's right shoulder, steady and unhurried.
A sudden rustle came from the tall grass to their left.
Ash stopped immediately, hand lifting slightly.
A wild Pokémon darted into view, froze when it saw them, then shifted its weight as if deciding whether to run or charge.
Ash didn't reach for a Poké Ball.
He watched.
The Pokémon's ears twitched. Its breathing was fast, uneven. It wasn't guarding territory. It was startled.
After a tense second, it bolted back into the grass and vanished.
Ash let out a slow breath and continued walking.
Maya smiled faintly. "That's restraint," she said. "Most trainers don't learn it until much later."
The sky darkened unexpectedly as clouds rolled in. Rain followed soon after, light at first, then heavier. The path turned slick, mud clinging to their boots.
"Careful," Ash said, more to himself than anyone else.
Charizard shifted slightly, stepping closer when Ash slipped once, then pulled back as soon as he regained his footing. No comment. No look.
They reached a bend where the road dipped sharply. Water pooled between stones, making footing uncertain.
Ash tested it with his boot. "We'll go slow."
They did.
No battles. No captures. Just patience.
By late afternoon, the rain eased. Steam rose from the ground as the air warmed again. Through the thinning trees ahead, Ash spotted something different.
Tall buildings.
Straight lines.
Lights, even in daylight.
"Saffron City," Maya said, recognizing it instantly. "At least the edge of it."
Ash paused at the sight. It felt closer than he'd expected.
They didn't enter.
Instead, they stopped near the outskirts, just far enough to watch the city without stepping into it. Trainers passed occasionally, moving in and out, some frustrated, some quiet.
Ash noticed the same thing again and again. No one came back with a badge.
Maya followed his gaze. "The Gym there isn't open to just anyone," she said. "Most have to go around."
Ash nodded slowly. "Then we go around."
As they turned toward the Underground Path entrance, Ash felt it.
Not danger. Not pressure.
Something watching.
He glanced back once. The road was empty.
Charizard hadn't stopped walking.
But its eyes lingered on the city a second longer than Ash's before it followed him underground.
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T/N:
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