I don't know where I was.
Everything was dark.
An endless void pressing in from all sides.
Cold.
Heavy.
Then I heard it.
A small, broken cry echoing through the darkness.
"Ralts... Ralts..."
The sound pierced straight into my heart.
I could feel it.
Not just hear it.
Feel it.
The terror.
The pain.
The endless loop of fear and confusion.
Flashes of harsh lights.
Cold metal.
The little Pokémon curled up in the dark.
Crying.
Alone.
I reached out.
Wanted to say something.
Anything.
Before I could, familiar voices cut through the darkness.
"Lopun...!"
"Nyaa...!"
Soft.
Worried.
Calling me back.
I opened my eyes.
The real world rushed in slowly.
First the light, soft sunlight.
Then the faces.
Meowscarada and Lopunny were right there, leaning over me, their expressions inches from mine.
Meowscarada's bright pink eyes shimmered with worry, almost watery, the black mask pattern making her look even more anxious as her ears twitched nervously.
Lopunny's long ears drooped low, cream tips brushing the ground, her big brown eyes glistening with unshed tears, wide and full of fear.
The moment they saw my eyes open, they moved at once.
Meowscarada pressed forward first.
She licked my cheek gently, over and over, warm and reassuring.
A soft, relieved "Nyaa..." rumbled in her throat, low and trembling.
Lopunny wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a warm hug.
She nuzzled against my shoulder, her fluffy cream fur soft against my skin.
"Lopun... Lopun..." she murmured, voice thick with emotion, almost breaking.
Both of them crowded close.
Licking.
Nuzzling.
Holding.
Like they needed to make sure I was really okay, really here.
I smiled weakly.
Lifted my hands to gently stroke their fur.
"Hey... hey, you two..."
I chuckled softly, voice still rough.
"I'm fine. Really. Calm down..."
They eased back just a little.
But stayed close.
Watching me carefully, ears perked now, eyes still shining with relief.
Only then did I feel it.
The small weight against my chest.
Warm.
Still.
I looked down.
And there it was.
Ralts.
Nestled safely against my chest, small body curled in my arms.
Unconscious.
But breathing steadily, soft and even.
The nightmare gone.
For now, at least.
As I sat up slowly, I felt it, a faint tremble running through the Ralts.
Not just the aftershock of exhaustion.
Its tiny body twitched.
Short, shaky breaths came faster, like it was trapped in a bad dream it couldn't escape.
I shifted carefully, cradling it closer.
"Hey... Ralts," I whispered, voice low and worried. "Wake up. It's over. You're safe."
I gently stroked its smooth pink head.
Nothing.
No response.
Just that quiet trembling, growing a little stronger.
Meowscarada leaned in, eyes full of concern.
She let out a soft "Nyaa..." and nuzzled Ralts' cheek gently, trying to comfort it.
Lopunny joined from the other side, her long ears drooping with worry.
She hummed a low "Lopuu..." and rested a paw on its back, rubbing slow circles.
But the Ralts didn't stir.
It kept on trembling, small body quivering with quick, shallow breaths, like it was lost in a nightmare it couldn't wake from.
"Uuuugh…!"
A loud groan from nearby drew my attention.
Dr. Seymour stirred.
He pushed himself up slowly from the ground, still on his knees, one hand pressed to his temple, face pale and drawn.
He blinked hard, squinting at the blurry shapes around him.
"Where... where are my glasses?"
His voice was weak, confused, as he patted the dirt near him with his hand, searching blindly.
Lopunny's long ears perked up at the sound.
She tilted her head, then spotted the glasses lying a few feet away in the dirt.
She walked over quietly, picked them up gently with her paws, and brought them back to him.
She held them out with a soft, polite "Lopuu…".
Dr. Seymour took them, smiling gratefully.
"Thank you," he said, voice still shaky as he slipped them on.
Only then did he look up properly at Lopunny.
His eyes widened behind the lenses.
He froze for a moment, gaze traveling slowly upward, taking in her tall form standing over him, the fluffy cream fur on her legs and wrists, the long ears, the gentle expression.
He had never seen Pokémon like her before.
He turned slowly to me, holding the unconscious Ralts against my chest, then at Meowscarada beside me, then back to Lopunny.
"Those Pokémon..." he murmured, wonder mixing with his exhaustion. "I've never seen anything like them before."
His eyes widened at the sight of Meowscarada and Lopunny.
He adjusted his glasses with a trembling hand, pushing them up the bridge of his nose.
"And... you saved me and this Ralts from Team Rocket?"
I stood carefully, still cradling the Ralts gently against my chest.
"Yes..."
"I'm Ryan, a Pokémon researcher. These are my partners: Meowscarada and Lopunny. I was heading into the cave when I saw Team Rocket and this Ralts..."
I couldn't hold back.
Dr. Seymour nodded slowly, dusting off his coat.
"So you managed to drive them off?"
I shook my head. "No. There are still some members trapped in there."
I pointed at the blocked entrance, boulders piled high in a chaotic wall of rock and dust.
"I think we should head to Pewter City and inform Officer Jenny about this."
I glanced down at the unconscious Ralts in my arms, its small body still and fragile.
"And I need to take this Ralts to the Pokémon Center as soon as possible."
Dr. Seymour followed my gaze to the little Pokémon.
His expression softened, sadness flickering across his face as he took in its limp form and the broken collar fragments scattered nearby.
"You're right, young man. We can't let them get away with this."
He straightened up as best he could, brushing dirt from his sleeves with slow, deliberate movements.
"I'm Seymour, a scientist. Research is my life… but protecting these caves and the Pokémon inside matters more."
He looked at the sealed entrance one last time, then back at me with quiet determination.
"Let's go."
"The sooner we report this, the sooner we can make sure they're stopped for good."
I nodded, cradling the Ralts a little closer.