"Mawile!"
[Don't lump me in with you!]
Although Mawile usually appeared calm and even clingy in front of Charmeleon and Maki, for some reason, whenever Cottonee was around, the two would constantly butt heads.
Cottonee, being just as sharp-tongued, refused to back down, which led to the two of them bickering at the most unexpected times.
They would argue about whose Pokéblock tasted better during meals and fight for the best sleeping spot beside Maki at night.
Before Mawile joined the team, Cottonee barely tolerated Maki, often refusing to let him hold her unless she was in the mood. Now, she voluntarily snuggled closer—only to end up sandwiched between Maki and Mawile, completely unable to move.
Was this a good thing?
Despite the squabbles, their conflicts never escalated beyond playful banter. When it came to battles, they worked together without needing Maki's commands.
Seeing this, Maki became even more convinced that Cottonee was undeniably tsundere.
"Forget about them—let's eat first."
Ignoring the two quarreling Fairy-types, Maki turned to Charmeleon, pulling out Pokéblocks from his backpack. As for those two troublemakers… they could wait until they finished arguing.
With Charmeleon around, Maki didn't have to worry about lighting in the cave. Worst case, he could always hold Charmeleon and use its tail flame as a torch.
—
"Flamethrower—wait, no, Ember will do. Keep it small. I don't want everything burnt to a crisp."
Not far from Mt. Moon, Maki held a bundle of branches, instructing Charmeleon. Cottonee had painstakingly gathered the wood, and Maki didn't want to waste the effort.
Relying on Charmeleon's tail flame was barely enough to see the path ahead. A proper fire would make things much easier.
"Charmeleon~"
Charmeleon scratched its head awkwardly. Its flames had grown stronger lately, making it harder to control them.
"Hey—be careful, I'm still standing here."
"Cotton!"
[Yeah, be careful!]
Maki stepped away, offering the branches. He briefly considered asking Cottonee to hold them, but the moment he opened his mouth, she scurried behind him.
Maki rolled his eyes. Some help you are.
Mawile's eyes lit up, seizing the chance to show off.
"Mawile!"
[I'll do it!]
"Alright, I'm counting on you."
Maki handed the branches to Mawile, then quickly retreated a few steps.
"Charmeleon…"
Charmeleon growled in frustration. Can't you trust me just a little?
"It's not that I don't trust you—it's about safety first. You understand, right?"
"Mawile Mawile!"
Mawile impatiently waved the branches, urging Charmeleon to hurry.
"Char…"
Grumbling, Charmeleon carefully released a small flame.
"Mawile!!!"
Feeling the heat, Mawile yelped and dropped the bundle. Within moments, only blackened remains and a few scattered embers were left.
Mawile and Charmeleon scrambled to stomp out the flames, avoiding what could have been an accidental forest fire.
"Mawile…"
Relieved, Mawile glanced at Charmeleon with reproachful eyes. You said you had it under control!
"Char…" I… misjudged.
"Cotton!"
Cottonee chirped angrily. That wood had taken her ages to collect!
"Forget it—let's just move on."
Maki sighed, motioning for the three Pokémon to follow him.
When they finally reached their destination, Maki realized all that effort had been for nothing.
"Guided tours through Mt. Moon! Ten years of experience, never lost once! Two more people and we're off!"
"One more! Just one more and we're leaving!"
"Authentic Mt. Moon maps—hundred years old, never wrong! Buy now or regret later!"
The cave entrance was swarming with people, reminding Maki of taxi drivers crowding passengers at train stations. The prices, he suspected, were just as outrageous.
[Isn't this a little too much?]
Maki had been to Mt. Moon before. It was busy, but not like this.
The so-called "authentic maps" were probably older than the sellers themselves.
Despite the aggressive hawking, most travelers ignored the guides and maps, heading straight into the cave. The few who joined guided groups looked like casual tourists.
The map stalls, however, attracted plenty of customers—each adventurer grabbing one before venturing inside.
Maki quickly guessed why.
Most of these people were likely here for the pseudo-legendary Larvitar. If that was the case, there was no need for maps—just charge straight in. The only thing they had to worry about was how to find their way back out.
"Hey, is your map authentic?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course, it's authentic! I've been selling maps for years—never sold a fake!"
The vendor glanced at Maki, dismissing the suspicion since he was just a kid. He waved a map in front of him.
"All Alliance-certified—guaranteed accuracy."
-----------------------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON