Cold stone pressed against my cheek when consciousness finally clawed its way back to me. For a moment, I lay still, listening to the echo of dripping water somewhere in the dark. My skin felt clammy, every part of me stiff and bruised. The air tasted like salt and minerals—heavy, damp, and stale.

  I wasn’t floating anymore.

  I wasn’t drowning.

  I was alive.

  Barely.

  I forced my eyes open. At first, all I saw was blackness. Then, after a long moment, a faint blue shimmer rippled across the cave ceiling—light reflected from water. The sound of slow, deliberate breathing reached me next. Not quite human. Not quite animal.

  Something was in the cave with me.

  My pulse stumbled. I tried to sit up, but my body protested, pain flaring across my ribs and spine. Each breath felt like it scraped against bruised bone. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself upright, using one hand to steady the Manaphy egg, which was still warm against my torso. Thank Arceus.

  A low rumble vibrated through the cavern.

  I froze.

  Across the cave, just beyond the water’s edge, two narrow lights hovered in the dark—eyes. Reflective. Unblinking. Watching.

  Kingdra.

  The dragon’s silhouette lurked half-submerged in the small underground pool, steam curling from its nostrils with every slow breath. I couldn’t tell if it was evaluating me or merely waiting. Either way, its presence filled the cave like a storm cloud.

  I swallowed, my throat dry. “I… won’t hurt the egg. I promise.”

  The eyes narrowed. A ripple rolled across the water.

  Was that a good or a big sign, I had no idea.

  I pulled my knees to my chest, careful not to jostle the egg. The cold seeped into my bones. I needed warmth. I needed food. I needed—

  A splash broke the silence.

  Something small shot across the water, leaving a trail of bubbles. Then a tiny Horsea popped up near the shallows, staring at me with wide, curious eyes. It chirped once, the sound bright and almost friendly.

  Kingdra snapped its head toward it, and the Horsea dove back underwater in an instant, vanishing into the shadows.

  So. Not alone.

  But definitely trapped.

  When I tried to stand, Kingdra’s tail lashed through the water like a warning whip. It didn’t rise or roar—not yet. But the message was obvious.

  Sit.

  Stay.

  Don’t test my patience.

  My stomach twisted in hunger. The last thing I had eaten was…Huh I guess I hadn’t eaten since I came to this world, what was that a few hours ago? Or maybe it was days, there was no way to tell how long I was unconscious for. The pain in my ribs made breathing hard enough—starvation would make it impossible.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  I pressed my palm against the cool stone floor, searching for any sign of cracks, dryness, anything that might be useful. Nothing. Just slick limestone and puddles of cold seawater. No plants. No moss. Not even debris.

  Kingdra had dragged me into a dead zone.

  I forced myself to steady my breathing. Panicking isn’t going to help me. I thought. I need to conserve strength, keep warm, step one will be to figure out how to make sure I don't make the angry dragon kill me. Why was it so angry anyway it had seemed nice, almost friendly back on the beach yet now im getting these weird vibes from it.

  Carefully, I crawled toward a cluster of rocks that looked slightly higher than the surrounding floor. They seemed dry—small victory. When I moved too close to the water’s edge, another deep thrumming growl rolled across the cavern. Kingdra shifted, blocking my access to the water with its massive body.

  I wasn’t going anywhere.

  Minutes blurred. Maybe hours. My teeth chattered, but I didn’t dare huddle too close to the egg in fear of rolling onto it by accident. My body trembled with exhaustion but refused to sleep.

  Then a new sound echoed across the water—soft splashes.

  Horsea. Three of them this time. They peered at me from the pool’s edge, blinking their big eyes. One darted forward, dropped a clump of something onto the stone near my hand, and then backed away quickly. Berries. Small ones—blue, round, and only slightly crushed. I had seen these before, in the games but I couldn't remember the name.

  Before I could thank them, Kingdra’s head rose from the depths. The Horsea scattered, vanishing in a cloud of bubbles. Kingdra glided closer, nostrils flaring as it inspected the berries.

  I froze.

  If it took them away, I didn’t know what I’d do.

  Long seconds passed.

  Then, with a huff, Kingdra pulled back beneath the surface.

  Permission.

  Or indifference.

  Either way, I grabbed the berries before it changed its mind. They were bitter, but I devoured them like a starving animal. The burst of juice stung the cuts on my lips, but relief flooded me.

  One moment of safety.

  One tiny meal.

  I could survive.

  After a moment some of the pain that was ravaging my body seemed to lessen just a little. Slowly turning my neck, grimacing at the stiffness of my muscles, I looked over the back of my shoulder, where Ursaring had clipped me with its blast. My flesh was bright pink and hairless, Must have been burned, then Kingdra used that move, im guessing Life dew to heal me, good to know healing moves work on people even if they hurt worse than taking the damage in the first place. If I was burned and the berry seemed to help I guess that was a Rawst berry, were they bitter? I can't remember which berries had which flavours.

  Kingdra let out a snort, drawing my attention back onto it. After staring at me for a few moments it submerged itself under the water, remaining shallow enough that I could still see its body, and more importantly it could still see me.

  With that the cave returned to silence again.

  Hours later—though time was meaningless underground—the egg warmed against my chest. Not hatching warm. Just… responding. Calming me in ways I couldn’t explain. Maybe that was why Kingdra tolerated me. Or maybe it was waiting until I was too weak to resist.

  I studied the pool’s entrance again. Kingdra blocked most of it, resting just beneath the surface, eyes half-lidded but always watching. If I tried to flee, it would know. If I approached the tunnel, it would stop me.

  I curled around the egg and stared into the faint blue reflections dancing across the cave walls, listening to the slow breaths of the dragon who held me captive.

  Escape wasn’t possible today.

  But survival?

  Survival was non-negotiable.

  And I wasn’t giving up.

  Not here.

  Not in this dark.

  Not while the egg still pulsed with life against my chest.