Icarus soon grew into a crestfallen Emolga. Not one bit of Cleffa, Clefairy or Clefable emerged, and it had been fifteen minutes of hiking and panting and battling and hiking and panting and...

This gave birth to a stunning revelation: Mt. Moon wasn't truly home for these Fairy-types zie wished to befriend.

Instead, what was left behind were pieces of Moon Stones blessing certain Pokémon to evolve upon contact, and Icarus didn't fit the bill either. More ways to disappoint, Mt. Moon. No wonder zie preferred Chargestone Cave and the floating blue crystals to this abomination with stalactites spread thinly throughout its domain. The water that dripped occasionally onto zir wings often led to an uneasy crackle of electricity, so unlike the comforts of the Unovan cave.

On the topic of water, though, Icarus never expected zir soul-searching journey with zir companion Addy Prentiss to turn into a treasure hunt—if this Dragon's Gate was any treasure to begin with. Besides it defied all common sense for a petite, orange-scaled fish to evolve into what appeared to be a blue-scaled dragon the height of a three-storey house. Maybe this was where the Dragon's Gate came in, and the reason why Magikarp were well known for their high jumps.

Magi still looked dull despite his efforts to seem energetic. What, was he trying to convince zir he was a great Pokémon to travel with? If not for the visual evidence provided the day before, zie would never have guessed that the Pokémon would have that much fight in him.

The old woman chatting, all smiles, with Addy was an extension of Magi, the Emolga thought as zie hovered over them in circles. Zie had a mission to take pictures and record Addy's soul-searching journey, but the screw-up in Viridian Forest led to an close-ups on the other female, as if she were the answer the universe provided. This woman looked frail, too, yet she promised a strange strength. She had wisdom which Addy craved, but Addy had youth. The two females had what each other lacked, and so they seemed to fit well together, a complementary affair.

"You are so strong," Constance said as she directed her sparkling eyes to the girl.

"Icarus is strong, not me," she mumbled.

"You are strong," Constance affirmed. "Icarus is strong, but it's because of you. By extension, you are strong."

Icarus didn't know if this string of logic was to be pursued in such a fashion, but zie was flattered.

Addy placed a finger on her chin and glanced at the stalactites above. The group continued shifting into the darker parts of Mt. Moon, treading with extra caution down a flight of rocky stairs. When they got to the final step, she said, "You may be right."

Icarus landed on her scalp and dug zir tiny paws into her hair. Zie loved it when Addy stroked zir fur with a giggle like she was doing now. But Magi was frowning at the sight. Icarus shared a flash of sadness before zir lopsided grin took over once again. Why didn't Constance do the same to Magi and stroke his scales? Wasn't petting a typical way to show affection? Perhaps there were other ways the Emolga did not know of.

Well, at least zie could rest on Addy's head instead of flying all the time with the weight of the camera dragging zir down.

In the deeper recesses of Mt. Moon, the setting appeared to be much more unforgiving. It was chiller and quieter, almost as if this were a cemetery with Gastly lurking in the walls and rocks, waiting for the perfect ambush. There were fewer people around as well, almost close to none, save for the travelling group. Mossy stones trembled on spotting these intruders. A bunch of Parasect snuck into the shadows, their pincers clinking, echoing.

Soon, soft trickles grew audible and blossoms of daylight filtered through the darkness. When they glanced upward, a light zephyr greeted them from between the cracks of minerals, tousling hair and fur.

"We're near the Mt. Moon Square," said Constance, tapping the tub twice. Magi wagged his tail and made tiny bubbles.

Addy glanced at her. The sudden swivel of her head sent a small jolt frazzling her hair, thanks to Icarus's panic. Inhaling sharply, she sought to reclaim her composure, her chest heaving, her diaphragm expanding and waning, her eyelids flitting.

"What's on Mt. Moon Square?"

Only recently did Addy and Icarus migrate to Kanto where a week later she would meet her boyfriend whom she never thought would shoo her away so quickly. Therefore, she didn't have much time to spare exploring Kanto. All she knew of the region were Cinnabar Island, Pallet Town, Viridian City and Forest, and the existence of the Pokémon League.

"Clefairy are said to perform secret rituals on the square field there." Constance coupled her sentence with a smile before adding, "There's a pond in the field."

"That's where the Dragon's Gate is?"

Constance nodded. "Possibly."

Icarus entertained the idea of meeting four dancing Clefairy and witnessing their secret ritual. The Fairy-type Pokémon would walk and skip on the calm water, singing to the world in the language of the moon, perhaps climb the red Dragon's Gate and play Sailor Moon, or even gift them something pretty and shiny, like a pearl. Because if no one's around to watch their ritual, was it really done? Yes, Icarus smiled as zie imagined receiving a pearl or a baby meteorite with zir paws. Addy could take a picture of that. It would go well with her soul-searching journey, to understand the bond between creatures of nature, that is.

Maybe Addy would thank Icarus so, so much and love zir more than before when she realised how both parties in a relationship must be reciprocal and proactive. And zie would also catch a glimpse of Magi's evolution.

With an endearing squeak, Icarus declared Mt. Moon Square to be paradise.

At last, the group was out of the darkness and into the light, under the sun's scrutiny. As they shielded their faces, their squints captured the rugged mountains surrounding them, a cool wind tickling their eyes, an attempt to tease their attention away from the emerald greenery sprouting beneath and across their feet. A petite straw house stood on their right. The aforementioned square field lay on their left, the lake so still it was as if the sky's twin lived underground. The indentations in the rocks and inviting chirps in the air seemed to suggest the area was a crater from a cosmic impact, a serendipitous affair worth celebrating.

A creak resounded. The beige door of the house opened slowly for the impatient herbal aroma to disperse, a bittersweet aura overflowing. Then, sepia brown fingers with trimmed nails clutched the side of the door. A croak smudged Icarus's portrait of paradise. The door closed. Icarus flopped, the camera swinging across Addy's fringe, causing her to go tch.

A wrinkled face with a near-toothless grin addressed them with one hand dangling at the side, one hand supporting a hunched back.

"Welcome to Mt. Moon Square," he said. "Nice place, eh?"

Addy nodded, tilting her head away a little. Constance met him with a handshake. The rough sensation told her a lot of what she needed to know, or thought she needed to know.

"So where's the Clefairy?" Icarus wanted to ask, but zie could not speak the human tongue. Instead, zie made do with gestures while staying on Addy's head, making a full circle with zir paws, then pointing to the square field.

The man took notice and laughed. It was a hearty laugh, but it sounded almost like a croak. He gave zir a thumbs up.

"Three nights," he murmured, turning his back to them and walking to the field. The group followed him. Without glancing their way, he tapped a foot in the lumpy soil and made a revving sound.

Definitely to clear his phlegm, Constance noted. She noted, too, Icarus's desperation. Zie must be excited to see some Clefairy. How unfortunate.

Constance went over to the man. "Is this the only lake?"

He nodded. His gaze hardened. "Only one. Only one. Like me, one. Until they come. Until they go. One."

Addy shuffled her feet. Icarus, seeing no other outlet, slammed the shutter at the two aged humans. There was no flash, no sound.

"One," Constance repeated with a blink of her eyes. The square field was so symmetrical and the meteorite sitting in the middle seemed like it took roots into the lake, like a lily pad. Staring into the waters, she saw Magi's dull eyes.

Mt. Moon wasn't it.

"Why live here?"

The man blinked and cocked his head sideways. Like a Shuckle turning the corner, he spun his head around. Constance simply squatted and made circles in the surface. It was lukewarm.

Addy flushed. Why did her mouth move on its own accord? She should learn to control it. Somewhere out there, or online, must be a guide on how to tame your mouth, offered step by step with illustrations. She wanted it.

The man took a step closer to her and she could smell spices in his breath. "Top of the world. Close to nature. Quiet, calm. What's not good here?"

What's not good here? Icarus found the question troubling. Zie had many answers already, setting them in point one, point two, point three... Simply put, Mt. Moon Square wasn't paradise anymore.

Yes, that line alone summed up zir frustrations and disappointments. It should suffice.

Addy thought otherwise. To her, the question pleaded for re-evaluation. It spoke to her in layers. What the man claimed were strengths of the place were double-edged. His reasons listed what he took and gave. To be at the top of the world meant he didn't know what grew down under. To be close to nature meant he was far from people. To indulge in silence was to forget the existence of noise.

This scared her. This might be her fate if she were to be single, if her relationship wasn't well-sorted. How could someone live like this, reeking of discontentment yet still smiling at the world?

Constance picked up the girl's awkward silence. It must be painful. Gazing at the meteorite's pores, she began to feel grounded. The unevenness of the surface, how it appeared like it was affected by waves of varying intensity moving inward from all angles. What was this calmness invading her being? How nourishing yet numbing. The joke she was about to make of the Dragon's Gate's elusiveness slid down her tongue and dissipated.

Dismay had no place here. She just had to move on. Besides, how fun would it have been if her journey had ended this early? Though, was she travelling for fun? She did see the need to enjoy herself, yet it would be stifling if energy was a high at all times.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at the man.

"You alright?"

Constance got up. "I need to Spinda wheel of fortune again."

Icarus's wing hit the camera as zie brushed zir paws against Addy's ears. The trip had been nothing but exhausting. Zie hated to see Addy suffer in silence like this.

"I'm ok," she muttered, appreciating zir efforts. "Umm... What now?"

Constance stretched her back, earning a gasp from the man, and looked at her. "We should at least take a break. It's been a long walk."

The atmosphere was stiffer than usual. Both Addy and Icarus wondered if it was their fault. Had she not asked that, had zie not had great expectations, maybe the emotional buildup to Mt. Moon Square wouldn't be so terrible.

Constance tapped her tub twice and Magi understood it as a pick-me-up.

"Have tea." The man's words penetrated the mood. He opened the door for them. After they entered, as he bolted the door, he turned to his guests and said, "Tea good. Warm your heart." before moving to the back of the counter. From the way clothed barrels sat against the walls, and how jars and glass drawers contained various herbs and spices, the man must be running his business up here as well.

Constance and Addy sat on a tatami mat with legs bent, knees forward, and buttocks on their heels. Addy struggled to straighten her back at first, making a 'pop' sound. Why did the house had to be so traditional? The table was low and no chairs were available. But she learnt about seiza when she came to Kanto, how this was a sitting position well-appreciated for conveying politeness, respect and devotion.

"Zabuton?" Addy mumbled when the man returned two minutes later with a tray holding a clay kettle, three narrow, porcelain white, cylindrical cups, and two plates of caramelised biscuits, one for the people, one for the Pokémon.

He passed her a small, cube-like pillow to fit between her bent legs and under the butt. A while later, Addy grew more at ease.

The man took his time to pick tea leaves with his miniature bamboo tongs and drop them into the kettle.

"Why so glum?" He asked as he poured boiling water into the kettle.

Constance scratched her hair. "It's Gloom, not glum."

Addy shook her head. "Only if you're punning."

Constance then took the reins of the conversation. It felt right since everything started with her. She explained about the Dragon's Gate and Magi's situation, and meeting Addy and Icarus and why they were travelling together.

He did not laugh. He placed steady hands on the kettle and poured a dark, translucent liquid into the cups, then placed it in front of his guests and himself. "Drink tea to chase myth."

Addy sniffed the cup before bringing it to her mouth. It had a rather plain scent compared to the herbal smells wafting about the house. She took a cautious sip and her eyes dilated. The taste was plain with a hint of sweetness and the warmth rested in her mouth, but also transfused to her body. It had been long since she drank something like this.

Constance, on the other hand, did not show much surprise. Rather, she was relieved. Maybe this was the treasure of Mt. Moon Square, not the Clefairy or the supposed Dragon's Gate. It was hospitality and warmth the wheel of fortune brought her. The caramelised biscuits were just right, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, a treacly explosion on each bite. Magi and Icarus restored their usual cheerfulness, and this time, Icarus could sense the Magikarp's joy.

Constance put the cup down and looked at the man. "Do you ever leave this place?"

"Sometimes." The man wiped his hands on the cup. "Just see if places change. People, yes. Places, no."

Addy shoved another biscuit into her teeth. This snack was addictive. And his words struck her. For someone so secluded from civilisation, he was still concerned with it, still attached. Places hardly change nowadays as he noted, but the longer she stayed in the house, in the top of Kanto, understanding dawned: her perception of Mt. Moon Square had improved.

The volatility of people wasn't as frequent as that of perception. She would register that and apply it to her relationship and find herself in the process.

The conversation was as serpentine as the smoke leaving their cups. Each refill set up a turning point. In a matter of hours, the trio had spoken about their experience in Mt. Moon, their likes and dislikes, their favourite food... And the two Pokémon had bonded over the biscuits and were thoroughly engaged in the same topics.

The sun was setting when the four of them stood outside the quaint straw house. The lake glistened and the meteorite shone.

The man smiled and bade them farewell with a jar full of caramelised biscuits. "Good luck."

Luck. Constance knew they needed it. The next stop would be the Seafoam Islands and they would need to head over to Vermilion City to board a ship. This meant a great deal of travelling, but it was fine.

It was fine as long as she was young.