The chapter picks up exactly where we left off—after hours of searching, Maylin and her Pokémon are still deep inside Mt. Moon cave, hunting for the elusive Moon Stone. Suddenly, Drillbur bursts out of the ground. Excited, Maylin asks if he's found the stone yet, but Drillbur just shakes his head no. Behind her, Pinsir is slowly wandering through the cave while Tyrogue keeps pestering him.
Pinsir tries to settle down for a nap, but Maylin calls out firmly, reminding them they have to keep moving. Tyrogue jumps up and heads over to Maylin, but Pinsir waves her off and settles back down to sleep. Maylin tries tugging Pinsir along, but when that fails, she pulls a jar of tree sap from her bag.
At the sight of the jar, Pinsir instantly jumps up and reaches for it, only for Maylin to quickly slap his hand away. She tells Pinsir that if he wants the sap, he'll have to help her first. Annoyed, Pinsir growls lowly, but Maylin raises her voice, ordering him to get moving. Reluctantly, Pinsir stands up, looking uneasy, and together they press forward deeper into the cave.
At Nugget Bridge, we find Dango sitting down with Axew after defeating a trainer, video calling his mother, Rita. People pass by as Dango relaxes, phone in hand. Rita's face lights up on the screen, and she immediately asks how he's been, mentioning it's been a month since they last saw each other. Dango assures her he's doing fine and says he just wanted to check up on her. He starts talking about his journey, casually bringing up how Maylin is still stuck at her first Gym.
Dango: "Oh, and I got my 2 badges." (Smirking)
He holds up his Gym badges to the camera, making Rita's eyes go wide in surprise. She then tells him that his older brother, Bango, just earned his fourth Gym badge.
Dango is stunned. From what he knew, Bango took an entire year to get his first badge and another to earn his second. Before ending the call, Rita reminds him to stay safe. Dango hangs up, still caught off guard, and finds himself wondering how Maylin is holding up.
Just then, a message pops up on his phone. It's Maylin. She tells him about her current situation in the cave. Dango offers to help, but Maylin declines, reminding him that the deal clearly states she has to face this challenge alone.
Dango wishes her good luck before standing up, deciding it's time to grab something to eat. Axew jumps onto Dango's shoulder and immediately notices his ripped clothes. Our hero knows it's time to get some new ones.
Dango: "I bet people think I'm homeless."
Back with Maylin—after travelling for hours—she and her Pokémon continue deeper into the cave. Suddenly, she spots a shiny object on the ground and steps in for a closer look. Without warning, the object launches straight at her.
Moving fast, Pinsir leaps into action, catching it mid-air with its pincer horns and lifting it. It's a Geodude. Without missing a beat, Pinsir's fist glows white. He flings Geodude into the air and slams it with a Mega Punch, knocking it out cold.
Maylin: "Thanks, Pinsir!"
Drillbur cheers and hops around Pinsir in excitement, much to Pinsir's clear annoyance. Still, Pinsir glances at the jar of tree sap, and Maylin notices. She smiles and rewards him with a bit of the sap.
As they continue, Maylin decides it's time for a quick break. She rolls out her sleeping bag and settles in for some much-needed rest. Returning her Pokémon to their Poké Balls, Maylin let out a tired sigh. She lay back, pulled the sleeping bag over herself, and began to take her nap.
Meanwhile, night had just fallen, and Cerulean Market buzzed with a huge crowd buying and selling all kinds of goods. Dango and Axew weaved through the busy stalls, heading toward the clothing shop.
As they wandered, Axew suddenly got separated and panicked, darting around frantically trying to find his trainer. In his frantic search, he accidentally bumped into a young man who was stacking boxes nearby.
The man looked surprised, wondering why a wild Pokémon was wandering here alone. Seeing Axew's distress, he assumed the little dragon was lost and decided to help.
Gently picking him up, the man held Axew carefully. Axew struggled wildly but didn't attack or bite. Just then, Dango caught sight of them and rushed over. After reuniting with Axew, Dango thanked the man sincerely.
The man smiled and said it was no problem, calling Dango by his name. Dango's eyes narrowed, growing suspicious. The confusion cleared when the man tipped his cap, revealing his face—it was Mike, the same young man who had let go of his Beedrill.
Dango: "Hey, it's been days! Didn't you say you were going back to school?"
Mike: "Yeah, I am, but tuition's expensive, so I decided to work here at the store for now."
Mike then asked what Dango was looking for, and after hearing he needed clothes, he gave a knowing look and gestured for Dango to follow him inside.
Dango couldn't help but notice how huge the store was as he followed Mike. After browsing around a bit, he settled on a white jacket and black pants. Once he tried them on and paid, he said his goodbyes, with Axew waving enthusiastically.
As Dango walked away, Mike watched him go, staring thoughtfully into the air, wondering how his own Pokémon was doing. Morning came, and Maylin and her Pokémon were already hard at work. Finding nothing, she chose to follow a winding path deeper into the cave, aware that time was running short.
Along the way, she encountered a man with his Clefairy and Magmar. After a quick battle where Drillbur and Tyrogue defeated them, Maylin took the man's money. Frustrated, she vented aloud about how difficult it was to find the Moon Stone.
Seizing the opportunity, the man suddenly claimed he knew where a bunch of Moon Stones were and offered to help—if Maylin was willing to pay. Surprised but wary, Maylin sent out Pinsir, warning the man not to try anything.
Fearful, he quickly agreed that money would suffice. After paying a hefty sum, the man explained that his Clefairy was at the stage where it could evolve, and at this point, Clefairy can locate giant Moon Stones.
Rocks: "It's an easy cash grab for a man who wants to make a living selling evolution stones. By the way, my name's Rocks."
Maylin introduced herself as they walked together, carefully making their way up the rocky terrain. After a tough climb, they finally reached their destination—an open chamber glowing with an eerie light. In the centre stood a massive, radiant Moon Stone, and around it, a group of Clefairy danced in a slow, graceful circle. Among them was Rock's own Clefairy, joining in the ritual.
As the dance continued, the Clefairy began to glow—one by one, they evolved into Clefable, bathed in the energy of the Moon Stone. Rocks watched, grinning. Before leaving, he chipped off a few pieces of the stone, laughing to himself.
Rocks: "These little chunks are gonna make me rich."
Maylin, meanwhile, carefully took one piece of the Moon Stone for herself, relying on all her Pokémon to help extract it without damaging it. As she prepared to head out, a sudden scream echoed through the chamber, coming from the direction Rocks had just gone. Then, silence.
From the shadows emerged two Pokémon—bloody, eyes burning with rage. A Nidoking and Nidoqueen stepped forward, pieces of torn cloth and Poké Balls scattered around their feet—the remains of Rocks unmistakable.
They locked eyes with Maylin and her team, their gaze cold and terrifying. Without warning, both launched forward in a furious charge, ending the chapter.
To Be Continued!