The next day, after packing up their tent and gear, Marie tugged on the strap of her backpack. By her side was Espeon Yi-chan and sitting comfortably on Yi-chan's back was Ralts.
"Let's go."
"Mhm!"
Yuri followed Marie closely, cradling both Pokémon in her arms just like the day before. She looked visibly excited probably because it was her first official journey, and everything still felt new and fascinating.
Along the way, she kept looking around in wonder, pointing at things and asking questions. Thankfully, Marie kept a watchful eye on her. Otherwise, who knows what kind of wild Pokémon she might've accidentally provoked again?
"Um… Marie-chan, are we walking the wrong way…?"
Yuri pointed at the map on her phone with a puzzled expression.
"No, we're headed for a den near the cliffs."
"A friend of yours? Why would someone live in a place like that…?"
Yuri blinked, confused, and scratched her head. Marie didn't explain. She just smiled and said,
"Don't worry. We'll get there by noon. I'll take you to Motostoke tomorrow or the day after."
"Oh, really? I'm actually not in a rush."
She nodded reflexively, then quickly added, "Just saying," in a polite tone.
They made their way through the vibrant wildlands and by midday reached the foot of a towering cliff wall. To climb the mountain, they'd need to leave the open field and take a detour along the side path.
Marie, however, led Yuri to a cave entrance carved into the rockface. Although it was embedded in the cliffside, the stones around the entrance were noticeably different from the surrounding terrain.
"…Is this a Dynamax Den? Whoa- this is my first time seeing one in person."
Yuri clung nervously to Marie's sleeve. Dynamax dens were scattered all over the Wild Area, acting like pockets of space that coexisted with the real world, filled with Dynamax energy.
If you accidentally stumbled into one and ran into a Pokémon nesting inside, well, luck might not be on your side.
"Ready? If you are, let's go in."
Marie cut off Yuri's rambling. She'd lost count of how many times she'd shaken her head at this child. It was her first journey, and she was already diving into a den Marie couldn't tell if she was fearless or just clueless.
"Wait, we're really going in?!"
"Of course we are. I told you yesterday I wanted to show you what a Dynamax battle is like."
"Wha-!!"
Before Yuri could fully react, Marie grabbed her wrist and stepped into the cave.
"If you're scared, hold on tight. Here we go!"
"Eeeek-! Marie-chaaan!!"
Yuri's panicked scream echoed around them as the world spun wildly. When the dizziness finally passed, Marie opened her eyes while shielding Yuri, who had curled up in her arms.
Above them, a sky filled with swirling purple-red clouds stretched overhead, though it was impossible to tell if there was a true ceiling above. The space was enormous and mostly open. No Pokémon were in sight.
Marie glanced down at her Dynamax Band, which now showed full charge, and then looked around.
The Pokémon accompanying them seemed to be in good shape. The energy here was stable and abundant, not harmful to either Pokémon or humans.
"Yi-chan, how are you all doing?"
She gave Yuri a gentle pat Yuri still had her eyes tightly shut then turned to Yi-chan, who was acting as the babysitter and watching over the rest.
"Eee-(What do you think? We just stepped into a den. Nothing serious.)"
"Ralts! (This place is so fun!)"
"Yaa… (A little dizzy though…)"
"Chii chii! (?)"
Seeing that everyone was more or less fine, Marie looked down at Yuri, who clung tightly to her arm while nervously scanning the surroundings.
"Is it really that scary? Aside from the odd sky, it's not so bad in here, right?"
"No no no!! Why are you so calm?! This is the inside of a den! Only elite Trainers even dare enter one! This is like… ultra-rare footage you can't even find online!"
"…So take it easy. If you want to explore, go ahead. Just don't touch anything weird. If you see something you like, wait for the den's guardian to show up and ask before taking anything."
"Ooh-!!"
That caught Yuri's attention right away. She called over her Pokémon and dashed off excitedly.
There wasn't much cover in this space. It was vast, but after a few rounds of looking, the novelty wore off. Even the Pokémon that occupied these dens usually used them as training or storage spaces not permanent homes.
It was about lunchtime. Cooking here wasn't ideal, so Marie had prepared sandwiches and rice balls in the morning and packed them for the trip.
Just as she turned around to call Yi-chan over, she noticed that Yi-chan and Ralts had already wandered to a quiet corner.
Marie didn't mind. She laid out a small picnic mat, sat down, and began enjoying her lunch, savoring the rice balls and sandwiches with quiet contentment.
Then, without warning, a shadow zipped past her and landed squarely on her arm. A green Pokémon with a triangular head hovered there, nibbling at her sandwich without hesitation.
"Nyaa~ (Long time no see, Marie-sis!)"
Marie calmly glanced at the Pokémon clinging to her arm. She took the remaining half of the sandwich and bit into it, then smiled and nodded.
"Long time no see. Where's your big brother? Didn't he come with you?"
"Nyaa! (He's right behind me! I smelled you and flew ahead!)"
Just as the little Pokémon finished its sentence, a towering figure nearly three meters tall emerged from the crack in the cave wall where they had entered.
It must have sensed their presence, because in the blink of an eye, the giant Pokémon appeared in front of Marie.
"Rrruh~ (It's been a while, Marie-chan. And you brought a friend this time?)"
"Long time no wait a second…"
Marie looked genuinely surprised this time. She reached out and touched the translucent tip of the Pokémon's tail, as if confirming something surreal with her own hands.
"…You evolved?!"
"Rrruhuhu~ (Hahaha! You've still got a long way to go if you think you can beat me now~)"
The massive Dragapult placed its Dreepy back atop its head and gave Marie a teasing pat with its tiny arm, clearly pleased with itself.
"Marie-chan! I think I heard something eekkk!! What is that?!"
Yuri came running over, skidded to a halt, and froze in place as she spotted Dragapult. Her whole body trembled as she clutched her Sobble, who looked moments from passing out.
To be fair, it made sense. Dragapult was a Dragon/Ghost-type Pokémon known for its exceptional speed and mysterious nature one of Galar's most elusive powerhouses.
Even though their temperaments were generally good, just being in the presence of one could be overwhelming for a kid.
"Yuri, come here and eat. I'll introduce you. This guy's my friend. He's really easy to get along with."
"..."
Yuri shuffled over like a malfunctioning robot, still clutching her stunned Sobble, and sat stiffly beside Marie.
The two Dreepy that sat on Dragapult's horns floated down curiously, circling around Yuri and inspecting her.
Marie looked at one of them, amused.
"I've always wanted to ask how do you guys manage to find these little ones so precisely?"
"Rrruhuhu~ I have no idea. It's just a feeling, you know? Like… you can sense where there's a companion who needs care, or a junior who needs looking after. That's just how we are.
_______________________
NEXT CHAPTER: Umbreon vs. Dragapult
(A casual visit turns into an intense battle as Marie's Umbreon faces off against the wild Dragapult. With powerful moves, clever tactics, and unexpected twists, the clash grows fiercer by the second. But when both sides fall into chaos confusion and paralysis it becomes a test of nerves and timing.
The real fight is just getting started.)
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