The moment Boe stepped beneath the towering canopy of Ilex Forest, he felt the temperature drop. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and moss, and the dense foliage swallowed most of the sunlight, casting the narrow dirt path in perpetual twilight. Massive roots twisted along the ground, creating natural obstacles that forced the trio to move carefully, often walking single file. Occasional flickers of movement in the underbrush hinted at unseen Pokémon darting between the ferns, their small eyes glowing in the dim light.

Boe adjusted his glasses, marveling at the ancient trees that loomed over them. "Man, this place feels like stepping into a whole different world."

"It's a maze, that's for sure," Rev muttered from behind him, ducking under a low-hanging vine. "You get turned around in here, and good luck finding your way back."

Leading the way, Zane scoffed. "Please. Just gotta follow the path and pay attention. No different than a battle."

That reminded Boe of something. With a grin, he nudged Zane. "Speaking of battles, it's still hilarious how you won your Hive Badge. Just putting Bugsy's Pokémon to sleep with Slowpoke like that."

Rev chuckled. "Yeah, real master strategy there. 'Go to sleep, thanks for the badge!'"

Zane smirked, completely unbothered. "A win is a win," he said with a shrug. "Gotta keep the Gym Leaders on their toes. Besides, it's their fault for not being prepared for the almighty Cementoss."

They all laughed as they continued forward, weaving through the winding path. Along the way, they encountered various Pokémon: a Caterpie inching along a branch, its antennae twitching; a Weedle curling defensively before striking with its sharp stinger; an Oddish that tried to hide among a patch of real plants but got startled when Boe almost stepped on it; a Paras scuttling out of the underbrush, its mushroom-covered back bobbing with each movement.

The day passed in a steady rhythm of walking, battling, and identifying Pokémon, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves and moss beneath them. As dusk approached, they reached the Ilex Forest Shrine.

The shrine was a small, weathered wooden structure with a red roof, nestled between two ancient trees. Despite its age, the wood remained sturdy, and the doors, adorned with delicate carvings of leaves and Pokémon, refused to budge when Boe gave them an experimental push.

"Huh, locked," he muttered. "Wonder what's inside."

"Dunno," Rev said, dropping his bag to the ground. "But this seems like a good place to camp."

As night fell, the trio set up camp near the shrine, laying out their sleeping bags in a small clearing. Once settled, they let out their Pokémon—except for Rev's Onix, who was far too big for the space.

The clearing came alive with movement. Jolee, Boe's Croconaw, immediately got a mischievous glint in her eye. She spotted Shan, Boe's Furret, curled snugly around his legs, her fluffy tail twitching lightly. Without hesitation, Jolee crept up, took a deep breath, and unleashed a sudden Water Gun.

Shan yelped, fur puffing out in all directions as she scrambled to her feet. She let out an angry chitter and bolted at Jolee, tackling the Croconaw straight into Cementoss, Zane's Geodude, who had been peacefully dozing next to his Slowpoke.

The impact sent all three Pokémon into a heap. Cementoss grumbled something and rolled back over, completely uninterested, while Slowpoke remained entirely unfazed.

Boe sighed. "Hey! Knock it off!"

Shan immediately perked up at his voice and, as if nothing had happened, curled back around him like a living scarf. Jolee snickered to herself before settling down.

Meanwhile, Zane's Hoothoot perched high on a branch, tilting its head rhythmically as it observed the scene below. Chikorita nuzzled against Zane's leg, enjoying the warmth of the firelight.

Rev's Quilava, Torch, stretched lazily and flicked his flames higher, acting as the group's natural campfire. Nearby, Aipom was up to his usual antics, eyeing Hoothoot as if planning something. With a sudden leap, Aipom tried to grab the owl Pokémon's perch—only for Hoothoot to calmly flap its wings and glide to another branch, completely unbothered.

Aipom pouted before scampering off to find something else to mess with.

Boe leaned back, watching the firelight flicker against the dark forest. Despite the eerie atmosphere of Ilex at night, the presence of their Pokémon, the warmth of the fire, and the easy company of his friends made him feel at ease.

This was what he had set out for—to see the world, to learn, and to grow alongside his Pokémon.

Boe curled up against Shan, the Furret's warmth shielding him from the night's chill. The flickering glow of Torch's flames cast faint shadows across the clearing, but Boe's eyes grew heavy, lulled to sleep by the distant rustling of nocturnal Pokémon and the rhythmic rise and fall of Shan's breathing.

Then, the dream came.

Boe found himself standing at the edge of a vast lake, its surface eerily still, as though holding its breath. The air smelled fresh and clean—like the world after a heavy rain. But something was wrong. The water, though calm, pulsed with something unseen, something impure. A sense of unease prickled at Boe's skin.

Then, movement.

A shape leaped across the water, so fast and effortless it seemed to glide. It barely disturbed the surface, yet wherever it touched, the lake brightened. The dark toxins clouding the water vanished, leaving behind a crystal clarity so pure Boe could see straight to the bottom. The figure moved again—graceful, powerful—bounding across the lake in a rhythm that felt both deliberate and instinctive.

Boe squinted, trying to make out more details, but mist curled off the water, obscuring the creature's form. It was only a silhouette, a streak of blue and white against the moonlit sky. It felt... important, but he didn't know why.

The vision blurred, and suddenly, Boe was awake.

Dawn had barely broken. Shan stretched beside him, letting out a soft chitter before curling back up. Torch's flames sputtered as he stirred, while Rev and Zane were also beginning to wake.

Boe rubbed his eyes, still feeling the weight of the dream. "That was... weird."

Rev sat up, groggy. "What?"

"I had this dream," Boe said slowly, describing it.

Rev blinked. "That's funny... I had one too. But mine was about lightning."

Zane froze mid-stretch. "Wait, what? Mine was about fire."

They exchanged uneasy glances. Something was happening.

As the sun rose higher, the trio finished packing up camp, making sure to leave no trace behind. Torch helped burn away stray twigs and leaves while Boe and Rev stamped out the last embers. Shan hopped onto Boe's shoulders as they set off again, following the narrow, winding paths deeper into Ilex Forest.

The thick canopy overhead blocked most of the sunlight, casting dappled shadows across the mossy ground. Along the way, they spotted more Pokémon—Caterpie inching along tree trunks, Oddish nestled in patches of tall grass, and a Paras scurrying into a burrow.

After some time, they stumbled upon a small, clear pond. The water reflected the treetops above, creating a perfect mirror of green and gold. Birds flitted between branches, chirping softly in the stillness.

Near the pond, a man stood beside a stout tree, watching as his Snubbull repeatedly rammed its head into the bark. The Pokémon reeled back after each strike, shaking itself off before preparing for another blow.

Curious, Boe stepped forward. "Uh… what exactly are you doing?"

The man turned and grinned. "Teaching my Snubbull how to use Headbutt." He gestured toward the tree. "With enough practice, he'll be able to knock Pokémon right out of the branches."

Rev crossed his arms. "Sounds pretty useful."

The man nodded. "It is! And I'd be willing to teach your Pokémon too, if you're up for it." His grin widened. "On one condition—one of you battles me first."

Zane smirked. "Well, we can't turn that down." He nudged Boe. "You're up."

Boe blinked. "Me?"

Rev chuckled. "Yeah, you. Come on, show us what Cementoss can do."

Boe hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward, reaching for his Poké Ball. His heart pounded—not from fear, but excitement. He had battled before, but the rush of proving himself never got old.

He locked eyes with the man, who gave an approving nod before gesturing to his Snubbull. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

Boe grinned and tossed his Poké Ball into the air. "Cementoss, let's do this!"

With a flash of light, his Geodude materialized onto the forest floor, its rocky shell gleaming slightly in the morning sun. The battle was on.

The clearing fell silent.

The man smirked. "Snubbull, start things off with Headbutt!"

Snubbull charged forward, lowering its head. With a solid thud, it slammed into Cementoss, knocking the Geodude back a few inches. Boe clenched his fists, ready to counter.

"Cementoss, use Rollout!"

But Cementoss didn't move. Instead, it tensed up, unable to act.

The man chuckled. "Headbutt has a chance to make Pokémon flinch. Looks like you're out of luck."

Boe forced a grin, trying not to let it shake him. "No big deal! Cementoss, use Rock Throw!"

Snubbull was still faster, rushing in with another Headbutt. Cementoss took the hit but held firm this time, then raised one fist and slammed it into the ground. Rocks shot up from the earth, pelting Snubbull and making it stagger.

The man wasn't fazed. "Snubbull, Ice Fang!"

Snubbull's fangs shimmered with a cold, blue light as it lunged forward and sank its teeth into Cementoss. Frost spread across its rocky body as the super-effective attack landed. Boe's heart pounded—this was bad.

But before Snubbull could strike again, Cementoss acted on its own.

With a loud boom, the Geodude smashed the ground with both fists. A shockwave rippled across the battlefield, sending Snubbull bouncing backward.

Boe's eyes widened. "Wait—what was that?!"

He fumbled for his Pokédex, scanning Cementoss. The screen lit up: Bulldoze: A Ground-type move that sends a tremor through the ground, lowering the opponent's speed.

Boe grinned. "Cementoss, you learned a new move!"

Snubbull struggled back to its feet, shaking off the attack. The man pointed. "Use Ice Fang again!"

Snubbull charged, but the ground was still uneven from the shockwave. Its paw caught on a loose patch of dirt, and it stumbled forward, face-first into the dirt.

Boe saw his chance. "Cementoss, finish it—Rock Throw!"

Cementoss struck the ground again, sending a spray of rocks at Snubbull. The pink Pokémon yelped as the attack landed cleanly, knocking it out.

The man exhaled, then gave a small chuckle. "Well, color me impressed. That was a solid comeback." He returned Snubbull to its Poké Ball and reached into his bag. "A deal's a deal. Here, take this."

He tossed Boe a small disc—the TM for Headbutt.

Boe caught it, grinning. "Thanks! Cementoss and I will put it to good use."

The man nodded. "You've got a good team. Keep training, and they'll take you far."

As Boe glanced at Cementoss, who flexed his rocky arms in victory, he couldn't help but feel a rush of pride. Another step forward—and he wasn't stopping anytime soon.

Rev clapped him on the back with a wide grin. "Nice job, man! Cementoss really pulled through!"

"Yeah," Zane added with a smirk. "Didn't think you'd win after that Ice Fang, but that Bulldoze was a game-changer."

Boe laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I was just as surprised as you guys. Cementoss did that all on his own." He looked down at his Geodude, who gave a proud flex.

Rev stretched. "Well, we should get moving. Still a long way to go before Goldenrod."

With that, the trio continued through the winding forest paths. The thick canopy overhead made it feel like dusk, even though the sun was still up. They traveled for hours, weaving through towering trees, occasionally stopping to admire wild Pokémon scurrying through the underbrush.

Finally, as the trees began to thin, they stepped onto a dirt path that opened into Route 34. The setting sun bathed the grassy fields in gold, a stark contrast to the dim forest behind them.

Zane sighed, stretching his arms. "We made it out."

Rev nodded. "Yeah, but it's getting late. We should set up camp before it gets dark."

Boe glanced around at the open space, taking in the sight of the route stretching ahead. They still had a long way to go, but for now, they had a place to rest.

As they set up camp, the warmth of another day's journey settled in. They were getting stronger, little by little—and their adventure was far from over.