Meowscarada stepped forward slowly, her steps almost silent on the grass.
Then, gently, she thumped her paw against my chest.
I looked down at the paw resting firmly on my chest, her paw, warm and familiar.
She was angry.
She had to be.
I'd cheated on her, on both of them, with Arbok.
I deserved whatever came next: anger, hurt, distance.
She had every right to be upset.
But as my eyes moved up to look at her…
Her glossy pink eyes met mine, wide and shimmering in the dim light.
There was no anger there.
No coldness.
Only deep, trembling worry, fear that hadn't let go yet, and quiet relief that I was still here. I was safe.
My chest tightened.
The guilt still burned hot inside me, sharp and heavy from what I'd done with Arbok… but now it mixed with confusion and a sudden ache for her.
Whatever had shaken her this much… it wasn't about that.
I stood frozen, waiting, heart heavy with the weight of what I'd feared, and what I still didn't understand.
Lopunny had already told her everything: how the poachers had attacked, how Ryan had almost been in danger, how Arbok had suddenly arrived with Ekans and turned the fight around, saving both of them.
She had even mentioned the intimate "reward" Arbok received afterward.
Yet Meowscarada was not angry about any of it.
Not even slightly.
Instead, warm gratitude filled her heart toward the Arbok who had kept Ryan safe.
That was all that mattered to her.
She would not even have minded even if Ryan had captured Arbok.
Another strong partner watching over him would only ever feel like a blessing to her…
Before I could even speak or apologize, Meowscarada pressed her face into my shoulder and wrapped her arms around me tight.
Soft, shaky sobs escaped her. "Nyaa… nyaa…" she whimpered, voice small and trembling.
In that instant, through the way she clung to me, I understood everything.
She wasn't upset about Arbok at all.
She was terrified.
I'd promised her I'd stay out of danger… I'd promised not directly get involved if something risky came up.
And then I jumped right into the middle of it.
My heart dropped.
All the sharp guilt I had been carrying about Arbok melted away in an instant, replaced by something heavier: deep regret for scaring her like this.
I hugged her back right away, pulling her close.
"I'm so sorry, Meowscarada," I whispered softly. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm here. I'm safe now. I promise."
Lopunny walked over quietly and slipped into the hug from the side, letting out a soft, reassuring call.
"Lop~♡"
She nuzzled gently against us both, her familiar warmth wrapping around like a blanket.
We stayed like that for a long minute, just breathing together, hearts slowing, the steady rise and fall of our chests syncing in perfect calm.
Finally, I pulled back just enough to look at them.
"Let's rest, okay? We've definitely earned a proper break."
Both nodded eagerly.
"Nyaa~♡" "Lopuu~♡"
We set up camp nearby. I pitched the tent while they gathered a few dry twigs. Soon a small fire crackled softly, painting warm light across the grass.
We shared a simple dinner, passing berries and bread between us, quiet smiles all around.
The night sky opened above, bright with countless stars.
I drank my normal milk slowly, watching the flames dance and flicker.
Later, under a shared blanket, Meowscarada and Lopunny sipped their warm special milk.
Soft, happy, and satisfied hums escaped them. "Nyaa~♡" "Lopunnn~♡"
We snuggled close, soft fur pressed against mine, gentle breaths mingling, with quiet purrs and hums.
Tired, safe, and together, we drifted into sleep.
--
THE NEXT MORNING – 6:05 A.M.
After our usual routine and light breakfast, packing the tent, we hit the road again.
In a couple of hours we had left the deep grassy paths far behind.
Now the terrain turned rocky. Boulders dotted the landscape and the air felt hotter and drier.
In the distance, the massive shape of MT. MOON loomed against the sky.
From here, the mountain still seemed far off.
It would probably take a day or two to reach the base at our pace, especially if we kept stopping to explore along the way.
Meowscarada and Lopunny walked beside me, careful.
This area was mostly Rock-type territory.
We had already seen plenty of Geodude floating around.
Some got territorial and threw big stones at us, but Lopunny kicked those rocks right back, sometimes even gave the Geodude a light kick to send them rolling away.
I also noticed they ate the stones too, crunching them like snacks.
Interesting.
I pulled out my notebook and wrote it down.
As a researcher at heart, I always take notes whenever I spot something new.
I had also closely examined a few Geodude bodies earlier.
They felt solid all the way through, no visible mating areas or anything like that.
How do they reproduce, then?
My curiosity won out.
I decided we would stay in the area a little longer to observe and learn more.
Meowscarada and Lopunny did not mind at all.
They seemed happy to explore the rocks with me, with curious eyes.
We watched a few Geodude for a while longer.
One of them suddenly glowed and evolved right in front of us, growing larger arms and a tougher body as it became a Graveler.
As soon as the evolution finished, the new Graveler dug straight into the ground with powerful fists, disappearing in a shower of dirt and pebbles.
I blinked in surprise. "Where did it go?"
Lopunny tilted her head, then gently asked one of the nearby Geodude "Lopun…?"
The Geodude floated closer and made a few gruff gestures toward the deeper rocky slopes.
Lopunny listened carefully, then turned to me and explained in our way.
I understood that the Graveler had gone underground, to deeper places rich in minerals and stronger stone, better food and safer spots for growing even more.
I nodded slowly, flipping open my notebook as I watched the other Geodude float lazily in the morning sun.
They hovered near the surface, arms dangling, occasionally picking up stones to crunch between their mouths.
None of them showed any interest in following the Graveler underground.
They just floated there, basking in the sun, crunching stones like nothing had changed.
I smiled to myself and scribbled quickly, the pen scratching softly against the pages…