Chapter 16: Moonlit Wonders and Cavernous Disappointments

A Night of Magic

Holly stood in the clearing of Mt. Moon, her breath caught in her throat as she watched the spectacle before her unfold.

The Clefairy gathered in a perfect circle, their tiny pink bodies illuminated by the full moon overhead. Their round eyes gleamed as they swayed in unison, soft chimes of "Clef! Clef!" echoing through the air.

Sakumo sat beside her, ears perked forward, his tail wagging slightly. Even the usually aloof Pidgeot, perched on a tree branch, watched with quiet curiosity.

And then, the dance began.

One by one, the Clefairy started bouncing, their tiny feet barely touching the ground as they twirled beneath the moonlight. Glowing fairy energy sparkled around them, drifting upward toward the heavens like fireflies in the night.

Holly lifted her Pokédex, the screen softly blinking as it recorded the ancient lunar ritual.

"Clefairy are known to dance beneath the full moon, gathering energy from its light. This ritual is believed to be connected to their evolution into Clefable. Few trainers have ever witnessed this event in its entirety."

Holly smirked. Well, lucky me.

She raised her camera, adjusting the settings to capture the soft glow of moonlight blending with the shimmering fairy dust. Her fingers clicked the shutter rapidly, preserving every moment of magic.

But one shot took her breath away.

The Clefairy had gathered near a cluster of sakura trees, their delicate petals drifting like falling stars around the dancing Pokémon. The scene was something out of a dream, their pink forms blending seamlessly with the flowers, the moon casting an ethereal glow over it all.

Holly stared at the image, her heart thrumming with excitement.

This is art.

She almost wanted to catch one, their cuteness nearly overwhelming her self-control. But in the end, she knew a Fairy-type wasn't what she needed. She preferred Chansey or Audino, Pokémon with strong healing abilities that could help her in tougher battles.

So she simply watched, capturing every second of their enchanting dance, knowing this was a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

When dawn finally crept over the mountains, Holly let out a yawn, stretching as she looked at Sakumo.

"We pulled an all-nighter, huh?"

Sakumo gave a tired woof in agreement.

"Alright, let's get some rest," she murmured, settling into her camping cot, the images of dancing Clefairy still swirling in her mind as sleep finally took her.

A Search for Treasure

By noon, Holly and Sakumo were deep in the caverns of Mt. Moon.

Holly had been hopeful—fossils were worth a fortune, and if she could find one, she'd be set financially for months. With Gyarados eating enough food to feed an army, her money was running thin fast.

She still needed a Fire Stone for Sakumo and a few Electric-type TMs to cover her team's weaknesses.

Finding a rare fossil would be the perfect solution.

But after hours of searching, climbing over jagged rock formations, wading through underground streams, and even having Pidgeot scout from above, she had found nothing.

Not one fossil.

She kicked a small pebble in frustration.

"Nothing," she muttered. "Team Rocket must've cleaned this place out already."

Sakumo sniffed the air, his ears twitching, but he only let out a small grunt before shaking his head.

Even he wasn't picking up anything.

Holly sighed. "Guess I'll have to find another way to make money."

She wasn't too discouraged—there were other opportunities out there. Maybe selling some of her photography prints or doing trainer challenges for cash.

But it still stung wasting an entire day for nothing.

She looked down at Sakumo. "Well, no use sulking. Let's pack up."

Sakumo gave a sharp bark, wagging his tail as he nudged her hand.

She smiled. "Yeah, yeah. We'll figure it out."

The Road to Cerulean City

By late afternoon, Holly had her team gathered and ready to move.

She stretched her arms, adjusting her backpack as she looked toward the path leading out of Mt. Moon.

"Alright, guys. Time to head to Cerulean City," she called out.

Pidgeot let out a majestic cry, wings flaring as he took off into the sky.

Sakumo trotted beside her, his orange fur gleaming under the setting sun, while Gyarados, resting in his Poké Ball, rumbled contentedly.

Her next goal?

Find Ash before he left the city.

With a determined smirk, Holly picked up her pace.

The adventure was just getting started.