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Hearing that they'd finally stopped for the night, Erika visibly relaxed with a quiet breath of relief.
Though she maintained a calm demeanor, she'd been running on sheer willpower for hours. Even as a seasoned Gym Leader with a strong will, Erika was still human and the long day of flight had left her thoroughly drained.
As Charizard landed and touched down on solid ground, Kai was the first to hop off. He quickly turned back to help Erika down, gently taking her hand.
Her skin was soft, surprisingly smooth, and delicate, and for just a moment, Kai's mind went blank. Without thinking, he gave her fingers a subtle squeeze.
Erika, however, didn't seem to notice anything unusual. She simply thanked him with her usual grace and composure.
A breeze swept across the field, brushing Erika's cheeks. Maybe it was the fatigue playing tricks on her, but she thought she could smell the faint scent of fresh grass carried on the wind.
After so long in the air, stepping onto solid ground again made her legs feel a little shaky. She took a seat on a nearby rock and lightly massaged her thighs to shake off the soreness before taking in the scenery around her.
Bathed in the last glow of sunset, she looked back and saw a vast forest behind them. Ahead lay a few low, grassy hills, thick with lush green blades swaying gently in the wind.
'So it wasn't just my imagination… it really does smell like grass.'
The sight lifted her spirits instantly. Compared to the smog and skyscrapers of Celadon, where nature had been paved over by urban expansion, this untouched landscape felt like a breath of fresh air.
As Erika soaked in the moment, Kai sipped from his water bottle and pulled out his phone, checking their location on the map.
"Let's see… huh, we're in luck." He pointed to the screen. "Just beyond those hills is a place called Greenfield. There's a small town there with a Pokémon Center. Looks like we won't have to camp out after all."
"Greenfield?" Erika tilted her head, the name tugging at something familiar. She quickly dug through her backpack and pulled out a travel guide.
Flipping through the pages, her eyes lit up as she found it. "Here it is! Greenfield is described as a peaceful haven blanketed in green, where even the breeze is said to calm the hearts of people and Pokémon alike. It's also home to a wide variety of Grass-type Pokémon… and get this it's ranked as Johto's number one most desirable travel destination for women!"
Kai blinked. "Wait, seriously? They rank places like that?"
Erika giggled softly. "Of course. A lot of women dream of visiting this place."
'Figures' Kai thought. 'If it's that popular, it must be stunning and maybe there's even some romantic myth tied to it or something.'
He glanced at the travel guide in her hands. 'Wow, she really came prepared…'
After a short rest, they set out again.
This time, knowing Erika had probably had enough flying for the day, Kai suggested they walk the remaining distance.
Erika agreed without hesitation. Her legs needed a stretch anyway.
They hiked over a series of gentle hills, chatting lightly as dusk fell. And then, as they climbed the final ridge, the sky above them opened into a star-studded night.
Hard to believe how beautiful it is out here… away from the cities.
As they reached the hilltop, ready to catch their first glimpse of Greenfield in full what they saw instead left them speechless.
Below, nestled in the peaceful valley, was a quiet town. But near the town's edge, a sudden burst of radiant, bluish-purple light shot into the sky blinding and surreal.
It erupted from what appeared to be a manor or estate on the outskirts of town, piercing the clouds above like a beam from another world.
In seconds, the entire estate was consumed by the strange light, transforming rapidly into shimmering crystal. The whole structure morphed, growing upward into a jagged spire of crystallized energy.
And then, as they stared in disbelief, a wave of that same purple-blue light rippled outward from the manor, slowly expanding across the surrounding land and heading directly toward the hill they stood on.
Wherever the wave touched, everything trees, grass, and even stone instantly crystallized. The ground turned into a glimmering maze of geometric patterns.
"What the…?" Kai muttered, exchanging a stunned glance with Erika.
"What's happening down there?"
"I don't know… but we need to check it out."
They hurried downhill, reaching the town's edge in minutes.
By the time they arrived, crowds of townspeople had already gathered, drawn by the unnatural light. Many stood frozen, whispering in confusion and fear as they watched the energy spread.
No one dared approach.
Kai and Erika moved quietly among the onlookers, getting as close as they could to the edge of the crystallized zone.
The energy had slowed, now oozing forward like a sluggish tide. But it continued to consume everything in its path.
"What is this?" Erika asked, watching the wave shimmer unnaturally in the dark.
"Some kind of energy field," Kai muttered. His eyes were fixed on the heart of the manor. "Whatever's going on in there, it's powerful and it's reshaping everything around it."
To test a theory, Kai grabbed a nearby stick and cautiously extended it toward the wave. The moment it touched the energy barrier, the end of the stick crystallized instantly. The transformation raced up the wood toward his hand.
Startled, he tossed it aside just in time. The stick hit the ground fully converted into crystal.
What the hell is this…?
Before they could process more, a series of sirens wailed behind them.
Kai turned to see several police vehicles screech to a halt at the edge of the crowd. Officers jumped out, clearly on high alert.
'Great' Kai thought grimly. 'Things just officially went from strange… to serious.'
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