Morning light drifted through the tall windows of the Viridian Pokémon Center, turning the polished floor into a soft sheet of gold.
The building carried the familiar scent of antiseptic and crushed berries, a strange but comforting reminder that wounds could still be healed somewhere in this region.
Silas stood at the counter while Nurse Joy finished her final checks, her movements calm in a way that suggested long practice rather than ease. She handed back Monferno's Pokéball with a gentle nod.
"Your partner is fully recovered. Though I suspect he didn't enjoy resting very much."
"Yeah he is a mischievous one, thanks for taking care of him for me.," Silas replied.
The moment the ball opened, Monferno sprang out in a flash of red light, landing lightly before stretching both arms high above its head. A small flare danced at the tip of its tail as it yawned, then it looked at Silas with bright, impatient eyes.
"Mon!"
Elekid bounced beside him, sparks popping in short, excited bursts as if echoing the same energy.
Silas folded his arms.
"Relax, today's an overdue break."
Both Pokémon froze. Elekid tilted its head in disbelief.
"No training or battles. We will be walking around the city enjoying ourselves today."
Monferno blinked once—then suddenly threw its fists into the air with a triumphant cry. Elekid spun in a tight circle, sparks snapping like tiny fireworks until Silas cleared his throat and the electricity dimmed immediately.
"Not inside," he said.
Elekid looked embarrassed. Silas thought to himself that sometimes even he forgot that his pokemon were still like children.
Silas thanked Nurse Joy and stepped outside into the bright Viridian morning. The city felt almost peaceful in daylight. Children chased each other between storefronts, trainers compared badges with loud excitement, and the smell of fresh bread drifted from a nearby café. If someone ignored the subtle cracks hidden in quieter streets, Viridian could easily pass for a place untouched by danger.
Monferno walked slightly ahead, studying everything with wide curiosity, while Elekid stayed closer, occasionally tugging at Silas whenever something interesting appeared. At one point Elekid stopped completely, staring in awe at a street performer juggling glowing Pokéballs.
Elekid tried to copy the performer using random rocks but failed miserably.
Monferno let out a short laugh, earning a shove that turned into a brief, harmless scuffle before Silas coughed once. Both Pokémon straightened instantly like disciplined soldiers, which made a passing woman chuckle.
"They're adorable."
"They're trouble," Silas answered, though the edge of his voice softened.
They wandered through the market district for hours, letting noise and color wash over them. Vendors shouted deals, Pokémon cried from open stalls, and cheerful music drifted through the air just loud enough to feel intentional. It was the kind of happiness that worked best when nobody asked too many questions.
Turning down a quieter street, Silas noticed movement ahead.
A trainer wearing a dark cloak stepped out from a narrow alley. Without hesitation, the figure removed the cloak, folded it smoothly, and slipped into the crowd. The motion was practiced—efficient enough that within seconds the person looked no different from anyone else passing by.
Silas slowed, watching the crowd settle back into normal rhythm.
Nothing.
After a moment, he walked to the alley entrance and picked up the discarded cloak. The fabric was plain and deliberately forgettable, the kind designed to disappear the moment it was removed. He folded it once and placed it into his backpack.
Monferno tilted its head.
"Mon?"
"Might be useful," Silas said calmly.
They returned to the sunlight and continued their day.
Afternoon faded into evening with surprising gentleness. Monferno attempted to mimic dancing Bellossom in the park and tripped over its own feet, while Elekid applauded enthusiastically. Later, Elekid slipped near a fountain and had to be caught mid-fall, which earned Monferno an indignant glare despite saving it.
Silas pretended not to smile.
For a few quiet hours, the world felt almost normal.
As dusk settled, the city lights flickered on one by one. The cheerful noise softened into something quieter, more cautious. Without quite meaning to, Silas found himself walking near the same alleyway from earlier.
He didn't stop immediately.
Only after passing did he circle back and take position across the street beside a dark storefront window, where the alley remained visible without drawing attention.
Monferno leaned against the wall beside him, copying his stillness. Elekid crouched near his feet, pretending to study a pebble while glancing toward the alley.
Time passed.
Then a figure entered the alley, paused near the far wall, and triggered something Silas couldn't see. Part of the ground shifted open just long enough for the person to slip below before sealing seamlessly shut. It was smooth and clean, almost professional.
Before Silas could move—
"Looking for something, kid?"
The voice came from directly behind him.
Monferno spun instantly, flame flaring. Elekid crackled with sharp sparks.
An older bald man stood there, broad-shouldered and muscular despite his age, arms folded with casual confidence. His faint smirk suggested amusement rather than threat.
Silas turned slowly.
"Depends who's asking."
"Someone who noticed you pretending not to stare for ten minutes."
"…You're observant."
"I'm old. We collect hobbies."
Silas studied him carefully. No visible weapons and a few pokeballs at his waist.
"If someone wanted to go down there," Silas said, "what would it take?"
"10,000 Pokédollars," the man replied instantly.
"You charge children now?"
"The universal language is money. I don't need your money so if you are not willing I will be on my way."
The man turned around intending to walk away.
Silas sighed and handed over the money. He knew this was the easiest way to satisfy his curiosity.
"Lead the way."
"Pleasure doing business," the man said as he laughed.
The hidden entrance opened after a precise tapping pattern. They descended through a narrow corridor where metallic echoes stretched farther than expected. The air cooled steadily, carrying the sterile chill of constant machinery.
The passage opened into a low concrete chamber, then a longer hallway lined with thick power cables humming with restrained energy. The vibration traveled through Silas's shoes into his bones, less like sound and more like a living presence. Then the hallway ended.
A vast underground cavern unfolded before them, easily the size of several football fields. Steel beams reinforced the ceiling while massive ventilation systems pushed slow currents of circulating air. Industrial lights cast a pale glow that never fully erased the shadows.
But the scale wasn't what held Silas still. It was the power.
Disciplined formations of Electrode surrounded enormous conduits feeding energy into towering machines along the cavern walls. The Pokémon were calm, perfectly controlled, their shells pulsing faintly with contained electricity. Nothing about them felt wild.
Silas raised his scanner. The interface flickered… then stabilized. No readable data appeared—only the quiet system notice:
"Target strength exceeds host evaluation range"
He lowered the device slowly, keeping his expression neutral while the meaning settled heavily in his chest. If even the Pokémon assigned to simple infrastructure possessed strength beyond his system's ability to measure, then whoever ruled this place operated on a scale far beyond ordinary trainers or businessmen.
Beside him, Monferno stared upward in silent awe.
Elekid had gone completely still, sensing danger without understanding it.
"Welcome to the Viridian Underground kid. First rule, you should only walk around with a single pokemon at your side otherwise you risk running into trouble. Monferno is pretty rare in Kanto, I would put him away."
"Who came up with a rule like that?" Silas suspected this might be a trap so he had to tread carefully.
"Kids these days don't know what's good for them. I gave you free advice and you didn't cherish it. Good luck in the near future."
He walked off into the crowd as he laughed, not giving Silas the chance to respond. Looking around, Silas noticed that indeed people were either alone or had 1 pokemon nearby.
Silas recalled Monferno. Elekid was better suited here. He sensed a mildly dangerous vibe from the space that made him wary. Elekid's sparks flickered faintly.
Elekid felt it too.
Silas faced the cavern again, committing every detail to memory. Aboveground, Viridian continued to glow with warm evening lights and cheerful streets.
But beneath it, in the quiet pulse of hidden power, something far older and more dangerous was already awake. And now Silas knew it was there.