{"sf1_id":308490,"sf2_id":"Rm0bJrK1","title":"A Trainer's Tale - Chapter 24","author":"FoxStriker25","words":21594,"posted_at":"2011-11-18T04:22:00.000Z","tags":["Flygon","Human","Lucario","Luxray","Mismagius","Pokemon","Weavile","deoxys","houndoom","milotic"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/308490-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-24","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/Rm0bJrK1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/79/ac/79aca4ad-8278-4e58-986a-96743bbf5d04","description":"#24 of A Trainer's Tale","content":"Fox: _Yeah, I really have no idea.\u0026nbsp; It took way too long for this to happen.\u0026nbsp; I give up.\u0026nbsp; Brain hurts trying to comprehend._\u0026nbsp; _Also, on the 26th of November it will be my first year on Sofurry.\u0026nbsp; Huzzah!_\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBrimcon: _This is possibly the longest chapter yet._\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n**Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using.\u0026nbsp; Thank you.**\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nChapter 24 - Mount Silver\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were waiting for both Jonathan and his boss to appear.\u0026nbsp; Only Joy sat across from me in the massive meeting room.\u0026nbsp; While it was the same one that we've been inside when we came here to Ranger headquarters, it somehow felt bigger today.\u0026nbsp; Joy was tapping her foot impatiently, the sound muffled due to the carpet under our feet.\u0026nbsp; The ticking of the clock could be heard, the seconds ticking by extremely slowly.\u0026nbsp; My heartbeat felt like it was beating along with it unconsciously.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This is horrible.\" Joy muttered.\u0026nbsp; \"They're making us wait all this time even after we helped Jon?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Sure feels that way.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Fuck!\u0026nbsp; I'm sick of this shit!\u0026nbsp; What kind of dick sucker strings help along for them to jerk off to!?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe stood up, beating her fists on the table once and walking around it.\u0026nbsp; Before I could ask where she was going, she opened the door and walked out.\u0026nbsp; I sat there dumbfounded for a moment, the seconds ticking by as the doors closed in front of my eyes.\u0026nbsp; A few seconds later, the doors opened with Joy and Jonathan entering the room again.\u0026nbsp; Joy stormed around the table and sat down in a huff in the same seat she was previously in.\u0026nbsp; Jon closed the doors behind him, standing next to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"My boss was busy at the moment, so I grabbed all I could from his desk and brought it over.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe dropped a folder that looked like it barely had any contents.\u0026nbsp; Joy said exactly what I was thinking at the moment.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're shitting me.\" she said, almost growling.\u0026nbsp; \"You've got to be fucking shitting me.\u0026nbsp; This is ALL that fat bastard of a motherfucker has?\u0026nbsp; Five pieces of paper and three pictures?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI picked up one of the three pictures, trying to figure out anything in the dark background.\u0026nbsp; It honestly looked like something black on a black background.\u0026nbsp; Looking at the other two, there was nothing more than other similar shots.\u0026nbsp; Nothing was more detailed than the last.\u0026nbsp; I looked up to see Joy pouring over three different papers over on her side.\u0026nbsp; Flipping the pictures over to Jonathan, I grabbed the other two.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOne was the personal information of a trainer that had suffered from 'night terrors'.\u0026nbsp; Why would the papers of someone with night terrors be here in some high tech Pokémon Ranger building?\u0026nbsp; I read further on the first one, but it devolved into further medical jargon that made no sense to me.\u0026nbsp; With nothing on the back of the first page, my attention went to the second page in my hands.\u0026nbsp; This one was the same thing, except it was about a Pokémon instead of a human.\u0026nbsp; Again, it devolved into more medical jargon, but the same case of 'night terrors' was present.\u0026nbsp; Also, the Pokémon was an Alakazam that had lost most of his psychic powers.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Pass me those pictures.\" Joy demanded suddenly.\u0026nbsp; I grabbed the pictures that were hanging loosely in Jon's hands and passed them over.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe passed over the paperwork that she had, and I passed over the ones I had just looked at to Joy.\u0026nbsp; The paperwork that she passed over was the same as what I had just looked at.\u0026nbsp; More medical junk, this time about one trainer and two of her Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Both injured Pokémon were psychic types, a Mime Junior and a Solrock.\u0026nbsp; The only one that didn't display any symptoms of odd behavior was the Solrock, but it still had lost a majority of its psychic powers.\u0026nbsp; A note stated that it could barely float for extended periods of time.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So, in the grand scheme of things what the shit does it mean.\" Joy stated, glaring at Jon.\u0026nbsp; \"This stuff doesn't tell us much.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's all we have on the Darkrai attacks.\" Jon said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"The boss just handed it to me and said to bring it to you to look over at your leisure.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nGreat.\u0026nbsp; So we all just risked our lives for this?\u0026nbsp; This doesn't answer anything!\u0026nbsp; It doesn't even help with anything that's happened to us in all this time.\u0026nbsp; Other than the part that the psychic Pokémon lost their powers.\u0026nbsp; So they were attacked by Darkrai, big freaking deal.\u0026nbsp; So was I.\u0026nbsp; It sucks, but this doesn't help at all.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This doesn't help us with shit.\" Joy said, shoving paperwork to the floor.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I know.\" Jon said, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; \"When I asked him if he was serious with giving you this information, all he said was that this is all we had on the case.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Would anyone else know anything about this?\u0026nbsp; The League?\u0026nbsp; Any other possible contacts?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Have you gotten back with these individuals or their families?\" Joy asked.\u0026nbsp; \"How are their conditions.\u0026nbsp; Have they gotten better or worse?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe shrugged at our questions.\u0026nbsp; \"No, we don't have contact with the League.\u0026nbsp; We've tried to drag them into the investigations, but they're too busy or so they say.\u0026nbsp; Any local police force hasn't reported anything in other than the strange sightings we've heard of in the Goldenrod radio.\u0026nbsp; These individuals have gotten worse, going into either a deep sleep similar to a coma or developing insomnia.\u0026nbsp; So no, they haven't gotten better.\u0026nbsp; The Pokémon develop similar symptoms as their trainers, except the Solrock.\u0026nbsp; It just lost nearly all of its psychic power.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, that only points to one similarity that I have with these cases.\u0026nbsp; This doesn't really point to a Darkrai having their claws on this.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It doesn't?\" he said, raising an eyebrow.\u0026nbsp; He grabbed one of the papers I had and flipped it around.\u0026nbsp; In the back of the paper, the words 'Darkrai is coming' was scribbled over and over again in black ink.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The patient grabbed the paper when the doctor left the room and started writing.\u0026nbsp; She didn't stop until she was sedated.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"More like she ran out of ink.\" I commented.\u0026nbsp; Some of the letters overlapped each other, making it slightly hard to read.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Either case, it's obvious enough that Darkrai is behind it.\" Jon said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Unless you think she's lying.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI gave a shrug of my own.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe.\" I offered.\u0026nbsp; \"I just find it hard to believe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nightmares are a Darkrai's realm of influence.\" he said with a frown.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI pointed at myself.\u0026nbsp; \"None of my team has had any nightmares.\u0026nbsp; And from what I understand, neither have yours or Joy's.\u0026nbsp; We're fine, too, or so you've conveniently forgotten.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe frowned, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; I continued talking, though.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't you find that just a little strange?\u0026nbsp; We get attacked by one, me by two Darkrai, but we don't show ANY of the symptoms?\u0026nbsp; Yet there's valid proof that it does happen, and people are going into nightmare induced comas.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What's your point?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I got nothing.\u0026nbsp; I just find it weird.\u0026nbsp; It makes me feel that there's something more going on than just Darkrai attacking innocent people.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that might be the ca-\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe doors burst open, the fat man of a boss standing there panting for breath.\u0026nbsp; Sweat poured out of his forehead, taking a deep breath before speaking.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Emergency... call from Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; Three people... missing...\" he said in between breaths.\u0026nbsp; He took a large breath before speaking again.\u0026nbsp; \"Jon, I need you to go.\u0026nbsp; You're the only one with a full team.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"A full team would be five Pokémon.\" Jon said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't fully trust Zapdos.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's more than these other guys.\" he said, waving his fat arm behind him.\u0026nbsp; \"We don't have any other Ranger on stand-by, and this has been shot up to emergency status.\u0026nbsp; A true emergency, not some cobbled up crap to get a high ranking Ranger.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon looked startled for a moment, but nodded all the same.\u0026nbsp; \"Give me ten.\u0026nbsp; I'll be out of here in fifteen.\u0026nbsp; I'll need whatever information on the current status of Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; Weather forecast for the next ten days.\u0026nbsp; The usual.\u0026nbsp; Go!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe boss nodded, as Jon closed his eyes.\u0026nbsp; He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly.\u0026nbsp; He shook his head from side to side, before opening his eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I need you two to come along with me.\" he said, looking at me straight in the eye.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's a load of flaming Rapidash shit and you know it!\" Joy exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"What kind of crap are you trying to pull?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, I really need your help.\" he said, turning to Joy.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't really want to do this on my own.\u0026nbsp; Being down to five Pokémon isn't doing much for my confidence.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're not getting anything out of this, are we?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"My thanks.\" he said, turning to me.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sorry that this ended up being a waste of your time.\u0026nbsp; I honestly thought that in the time I was gone things would have developed more, but obviously they hadn't.\u0026nbsp; Raising your hopes up was not in my plan.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then what was your plan?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I just wanted to help.\u0026nbsp; That's it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBefore I could respond, Jonathan's boss reappeared.\u0026nbsp; In his hands were a few papers that he quickly passed over.\u0026nbsp; \"Turn on the Goldenrod radio, they're giving the weather report right now.\" he said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Joy, please.\" Jon asked, but she had already pulled out her Pokédex and was turning it on.\u0026nbsp; The familiar radio voice cut in, continuing in mid-speech.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"...coming along just fine.\u0026nbsp; And now for the rest of Johto!\u0026nbsp; Blackthorn is probably expecting nice sunny weather, though maybe on the colder side of things.\u0026nbsp; It seems that Mount Silver has a mighty big snowstorm brewing up there, so anyone going up there I suggest you rethink your options!\u0026nbsp; The rest of the area seems just as sunny as always, though you might get some of those clouds from the western side of the world.\u0026nbsp; So enjoy your sunshine!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy cut off the radio before it continued.\u0026nbsp; Jonathan's boss nodded, looking over to Jon.\u0026nbsp; \"There's a big blizzard, way bigger than normal for the area.\u0026nbsp; It's possible that there's something unnatural involved.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Unnatural?\" Jon asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Possible Articuno movement.\u0026nbsp; We don't have any solid feedback from Indigo Plateau yet.\u0026nbsp; It's too early for blizzards in Mount Silver, and especially of this size.\u0026nbsp; We'll try to keep you informed as much as we get new information.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll head out right away.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not without your gear you're not.\" the fat man growled.\u0026nbsp; \"Are they coming with you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon looked at me with pleading eyes.\u0026nbsp; What in the world was going on?\u0026nbsp; I rolled my eyes, but nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, I'm helping too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJonathan's boss looked surprised, but nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll get something for him too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Get something for me, too, you fat bastard.\" Joy said.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm going too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe man nodded, leaving the way he came.\u0026nbsp; Jon smiled at me.\u0026nbsp; I stopped him before he said anything.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Look, I'm here helping you because at least you tried to do something.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm helping you because your my friend, as much as I want to give your boss to Zin and let her chew him out for a while.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks.\" he said.\u0026nbsp; \"He's really not a bad guy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; He's just too fat from eating donuts for twenty hours straight.\" Joy said, slapping Jon's shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"He better have some decent gear, because I don't have anything to handle snow conditions.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I might have a jacket?\u0026nbsp; I still should have the one that Dan gave me... or something.\u0026nbsp; Maybe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It won't do you any good.\" Jon said, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; \"We're traveling heavy duty, possibly for a few days or maybe a week.\u0026nbsp; Are you guys ready for that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Again, we don't have any new leads right now.\" I said with a sigh.\u0026nbsp; \"I really have no idea how to get in contact with the League, even if they have more information than you guys or if they'll even help us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The champions are moving around, though,\" Joy pointed out.\u0026nbsp; \"We might find them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What are the odds of that, though?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"They're roaming around at least through four regions.\u0026nbsp; For all we know, they're in Sinnoh or Hoenn right now.\u0026nbsp; Maybe even Unova to pull their champion along, too.\u0026nbsp; If they have one.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course they have one!\" Joy exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"Alder is an amazing Pokémon battler!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Never heard of him.\" I said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; Joy was practically fuming.\u0026nbsp; \"Remember, I'm ignorant to things outside of Sinnoh for the most part.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy looked like she was about to strangle me to death when Jonathan's boss broke our argument with his presence.\u0026nbsp; We turned to him as he shook his head side to side.\u0026nbsp; Out of surprise or giving up on us, I don't know.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We have your stuff ready.\" he said, nodding to Jonathan.\u0026nbsp; He turned to us before continuing.\u0026nbsp; \"Your new things might be a bit big on you, but its best that you can wear them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We have plenty of supplies, right?\" Jon asked, walking up to his boss.\u0026nbsp; The man got out of the way, heading down the hallway.\u0026nbsp; We followed after them.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; We're cramming in plenty of emergency rations, flares, and fire starters.\u0026nbsp; While we haven't had any problems in the Mount Silver tunnels, with this blizzard going on the local Pokémon are probably acting up.\u0026nbsp; This will help you forage out there.\u0026nbsp; There's plenty of berries growing at this time, too.\u0026nbsp; It shouldn't be too bad, but you never know.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Impromptu survival training.\" Jon said, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; \"Great.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were escorted over to a room with three others in it already.\u0026nbsp; They were stuffing backpacks with things, and looked like they were going a final checklist.\u0026nbsp; I was about to say that we had our own backpacks, but Jon stopped me.\u0026nbsp; His boss grabbed three different jackets, passing each one to us.\u0026nbsp; Jon got a dark navy blue, Joy got a bright red, and I got a yellow one.\u0026nbsp; The backpacks were then handed over to us.\u0026nbsp; I was startled at the weight of it, but managed to get it on my back after the second try.\u0026nbsp; Joy shook her head as she threw the jacket over her shoulder.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Think you packed in enough?\" Jon asked with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"Consider us out of here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=========================///////////////////=============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhy do I keep getting put inside caves?\u0026nbsp; Caves have been nothing but bad luck for me ever since leaving Solaceon!\u0026nbsp; Abomasnow, two Steelix, dislocated shoulder by a Graveler.\u0026nbsp; The list keeps growing, and no doubt it will continue like this.\u0026nbsp; Arceus!\u0026nbsp; And now I have to slog through another cave in the middle of nowhere Johto with a heavy backpack full of stuff that we'll never use!\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon gave me a knowing look.\u0026nbsp; \"I know it feels like dead weight.\" he said.\u0026nbsp; \"Trust me, I've been there.\u0026nbsp; But you'll be thankful for it when we make our stop.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Which is when?\" Joy asked from behind me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just a few more steps.\" Jon said, pointing in front of him.\u0026nbsp; \"There's an exit around the corner that I want to check.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAt the very least, the Mount Silver cave system was quiet.\u0026nbsp; Too quiet, but I wasn't going to argue the point.\u0026nbsp; A few Zubat's flew overhead, but most of the sound was either our breathing, footsteps, or the sounds water dripping from somewhere.\u0026nbsp; We kept our Pokémon in the relative safety of their Pokéballs, due to the rather narrow paths that were around us.\u0026nbsp; While our flying Pokémon had enough room to fly, we didn't want them to be ambushed by a possible Golbat.\u0026nbsp; Jon even said that there were sightings of a Crobat around here.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe wind began to blow in, the cold biting into my exposed face.\u0026nbsp; My body instantly shivered as it felt like my bones became instantly brittle.\u0026nbsp; Flakes of snow landed on my skin and began to obscure vision.\u0026nbsp; I was thankful that it wasn't accumulating on the ground, or else we'd be sliding all around here.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully the ground was relatively flat, so we'd only eat stone and not slide backwards.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe followed Jon outside to be well within a winter wonderland.\u0026nbsp; I've seen snow on the television, but this was ridiculous.\u0026nbsp; The world looked like it was covered in uniform white.\u0026nbsp; Nothing grew out of the ground that broke the sight of white.\u0026nbsp; No trees or rocks, and even the mountainside was hard to see.\u0026nbsp; It didn't help that snowflakes fell on us, the wind howling ever louder the longer we stayed out.\u0026nbsp; Jon pulled us back inside, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; We retraced our steps further, stopping only when the flakes of snow stopped swirling around us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"In order for us to go deeper into Mount Silver, we're going to have to cross that.\" he said, pointing behind me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're kidding.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"Please tell me you're kidding.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe shook his head.\u0026nbsp; \"Unfortunately, no.\u0026nbsp; Not all the tunnels link to each other through the inside of the mountain.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully, this one is only a short walk.\u0026nbsp; Are you ready?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So wait, it didn't feel like we climbed all that far up.\" Joy said.\u0026nbsp; \"I know for someone to climb Mount Silver, you need to climb up but snow doesn't appear until the higher section.\u0026nbsp; Are we there already?\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon shook his head.\u0026nbsp; \"Unfortunately, we're on the lower mountainside section.\u0026nbsp; It takes a good two days to climb Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; Maybe more.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're in so much shit.\" Joy mumbled.\u0026nbsp; She grabbed my arm, pulling me towards her until we were face to face.\u0026nbsp; \"Damn you, Aaron!\u0026nbsp; I wouldn't be here if it wasn't because you just had to help this prick!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nobody told you to follow me, Joy.\" I said calmly.\u0026nbsp; My voice was at total odds with my heartbeat.\u0026nbsp; \"You could have stayed in Blackthorn, or you could have gone on your own like you were talking about.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh no.\u0026nbsp; I'm not going to let you just walk away.\u0026nbsp; I have plans for you.\" she said smugly.\u0026nbsp; \"And they're none of your business!\" she spat out as I was about to speak.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\" Jon said, pulling me off from Joy's grip.\u0026nbsp; \"Look, in order for us to keep going we need to move through that snowfield.\u0026nbsp; We need to move together, fast enough to avoid staying outside for too long but slow enough to not lose each other.\u0026nbsp; Am I clear on this.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThat last part wasn't in the form of a question.\u0026nbsp; Both of us nodded to Jon, while I kept a wary eye on Joy.\u0026nbsp; Jon grabbed my attention quickly though, shaking my shoulder gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're going to be in front.\" he said.\u0026nbsp; He narrowed his eyes as my mouth opened to protest.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll be right behind you.\u0026nbsp; I can't risk you falling behind.\u0026nbsp; You're the weakest hiker in the group.\u0026nbsp; You have the highest likelihood to get lost out there, and I can't let that happen.\u0026nbsp; I'll point out the way, alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, Jon pulling me in front of him.\u0026nbsp; \"Joy, you're right behind me.\u0026nbsp; Are we all ready?\" Jon asked from behind me.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, giving a thumbs up with my gloved hands.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe exited the cave to brave the snowstorm outside.\u0026nbsp; My body temperature felt like it dropped the instant my foot stepped outside.\u0026nbsp; Jon gave me a light shove from behind, urging me forward.\u0026nbsp; His finger pointed towards what looked like something vaguely shaped like a tree.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, headed in that direction.\u0026nbsp; Our footsteps were loud, snow crunching on our march.\u0026nbsp; The only thing that was louder was the wind.\u0026nbsp; It seemed relentless, as if by the will of Arceus it would howl unceasingly to the ends of time.\u0026nbsp; The falling snow would turn my world into a blanket of white for extended periods of time.\u0026nbsp; Jon wouldn't let me stop though, pushing me from behind when my steps began to falter.\u0026nbsp; The tree was thankfully closer than the snow allowed it to appear, though the thick branches were weighed down by snow.\u0026nbsp; I didn't notice any snow around the mountain when we went to look for Zapdos.\u0026nbsp; How did this happen so quickly?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon grabbed my shoulder, pointing to my left this time.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, willing my feet to move as fast as they could.\u0026nbsp; The snow was beginning to become a burden, and even through the overalls and jacket everything was freezing.\u0026nbsp; My breath fogged the instant it left my mouth.\u0026nbsp; The cold air that filled my lungs froze my chest every time I cycled through my breathing pattern.\u0026nbsp; My foot struck something hidden by the snow.\u0026nbsp; Catching myself before my face met the snow, I silently hoped that it wasn't a Pokémon hiding.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon was at my side, mouthing words that were lost instantly in the wind.\u0026nbsp; I was panting hard, and it felt like my sweat was frozen on my brow.\u0026nbsp; He looked worried, but my hand met his shoulder.\u0026nbsp; I used it to straighten myself out, and he kept pointing ahead of us.\u0026nbsp; My steps became more hurried as what looked like a cave entrance appeared through the haze of snow.\u0026nbsp; Looking backwards, I pointed over to the entrance but Jon shook his head.\u0026nbsp; He continued to point ahead, away from what I saw.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, trusting Jon's sense of direction and experience.\u0026nbsp; Not even what felt like a few minutes later his hands stopped me and pointed to our left.\u0026nbsp; Another cave entrance was there.\u0026nbsp; What was the difference, one cave from another?\u0026nbsp; All I wanted was a warm fire and shelter from all this snow!\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI quickened my pace, snow crunching loudly underneath and behind me.\u0026nbsp; Getting inside, Joy and Jonathan were quick to pass by me.\u0026nbsp; They were shivering as badly as I was, but we were still together and we were in one piece.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Something tells me that we haven't really covered much today.\" I said out loud.\u0026nbsp; Jon laughed, the sound changing in pitch as he shivered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, we haven't.\" he said, shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; \"We might be about halfway to where we would need to be to call it halfway.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shit!\" Joy swore, leaning against the stone wall.\u0026nbsp; \"This is ridiculous!\u0026nbsp; There better be something worth it at the end of this Arceus forsaken place!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What do you expect to find here?\u0026nbsp; Moltres?\" Jon said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"Good luck with that.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, something that wasn't freezing would be nice!\" Joy shouted back.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Joy, I think we should keep our voices down.\" I said, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"We don't want to wake up another Steelix.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right, because last time was my fault.\" she said as she rolled her eyes.\u0026nbsp; \"Next time, don't dislocate a shoulder.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'll remind the Graveler the next time one grabs me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Can you two stop arguing like an old married couple?!\" Jon roared.\u0026nbsp; \"You're both giving me a headache!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA muted roar came from somewhere deep in the mountain.\u0026nbsp; Joy and I looked at each other, then to Jon.\u0026nbsp; \"That was all you this time.\" Joy said unhelpfully.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sue me.\" he muttered, pulling me aside.\u0026nbsp; \"We need to keep going.\u0026nbsp; We're burning daylight, and I do not want to find a pissed off Steelix in here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe followed his march through the cave.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully leaving the snow covered mountainside behind us, our footsteps took us deeper into the labyrinth that was Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; Joy walked next to me, shaking her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What is it with Steelix and us?\" she asked out loud.\u0026nbsp; \"I mean, they shouldn't be this popular.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We just so happen to be lucky.\" Jonathan said, not bothering to look back.\u0026nbsp; \"This is the season for territory disputes, and when trainers go missing thinking their top shit to catch one.\u0026nbsp; People tend to forget the fact that there's like twenty of the giant things in one spot.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And how have we lived beside them all this time?\" I wondered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"They usually keep to themselves?\" Jon offered.\u0026nbsp; \"Be grateful we haven't found a Crobat or an Ursaring.\u0026nbsp; We've been pretty lucky so far to find a handful of Zubats so far.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks for reminding me.\" Joy said.\u0026nbsp; \"Next time I want someone to ruin my mood, I'll come for you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Bitching costs extra.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFor once, Joy cracked a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe I'll just go tease Aaron about sticking his dick in things that aren't human.\" she said, punching me lightly on the arm.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNot to be picked on, I was quick on the recovery.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, that doesn't explain how you were naked that one time in the Poké-\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh no you don't.\" she said, her eyes narrowing at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't you even dare mention that.\u0026nbsp; You two didn't knock.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; Because that explains everything.\" Jon said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"Since Aaron brought it up, why were you naked in there?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"For your information, I was changing.\u0026nbsp; Other than that, none of your business.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Really now.\" he said, grinning.\u0026nbsp; \"I think it is since you almost threw stuff at us.\u0026nbsp; Did she throw stuff?\u0026nbsp; I don't quite remember.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't remember.\u0026nbsp; I closed that door quickly so we didn't get anything hurled our way.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"That's right.\u0026nbsp; What?\u0026nbsp; Were you afraid of getting caught?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen Joy didn't respond, I got the feeling that he shouldn't have said that. \u0026nbsp;I grabbed Jon's hand and turned him around.\u0026nbsp; In all honesty, I silently hoped that Joy wouldn't kill me to kill Jon.\u0026nbsp; Standing between them, it was the best way to test the theory.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Jon, really, stop it.\u0026nbsp; This isn't getting us anywhere.\u0026nbsp; She was naked, alright.\u0026nbsp; Drop it, man.\u0026nbsp; That's enough.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And you don't want to know?\" he asked with a grin.\u0026nbsp; I shook my head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not if it means me getting my throat slashed in my sleep.\" I hissed back.\u0026nbsp; \"There's no need to argue over something that happened a while ago. \u0026nbsp;Now quit it and keep walking.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs surprised as he was at my words, he was more surprised when I pushed him forward.\u0026nbsp; His steps were hesitant at first, but turned more consistent as we continued now in silence.\u0026nbsp; I sighed.\u0026nbsp; Well, that didn't turn out to be the better way now was it?\u0026nbsp; Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.\u0026nbsp; Another sigh escaped my lips as I walked in between Joy and Jonathan.\u0026nbsp; Suddenly, I was caught between two people that wanted to have nothing to do with each other on a mountain that wanted us dead.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWonderful.\u0026nbsp; What could make things worse?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe wind howled again, the familiar sound that we left not that long ago coming back to us with full force.\u0026nbsp; It carried a flurry of snow with it, the flakes dancing among us before disappearing into the ground or out of sight.\u0026nbsp; I could already hear Joy groaning behind me as the path opened up to another cave leading outside.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You could have warned me, Jon.\" Joy growled out.\u0026nbsp; \"I was getting comfortable.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon sighed, tapping me on the shoulder gently. \u0026nbsp;\"Same process as before.\u0026nbsp; We made some decent time last time.\u0026nbsp; Let's see if we can clear this side faster.\u0026nbsp; It's shorter if I remember correctly.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"If you remember correctly?\" I asked, echoing his words.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, the next entrance is like one hundred paces to our left.\u0026nbsp; We go through their and up some convenient steps and we'll reach the second floor.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Second floor?!\" Joy screamed behind us.\u0026nbsp; Jon didn't acknowledge her outburst.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"After that, we'll set camp.\u0026nbsp; We'll be halfway through this as soon as we're out of this blizzard outside.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Alright.\u0026nbsp; Joy, are you ready?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe grumbled for a moment, but nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, sure, fine, whatever.\u0026nbsp; Let's get this over with.\u0026nbsp; I want to sleep.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, turning to Jon.\u0026nbsp; Receiving his nod, I took the lead again.\u0026nbsp; Taking a left as we exited the tunnel, we were once again greeted by the outside blizzard.\u0026nbsp; If anything, the weather had taken a turn for the worse.\u0026nbsp; The howl of the wind seemed louder than before, the flurry of snow all but making it impossible to see straight.\u0026nbsp; The snow crunched underneath my feet, as I became more eager than before to continue out of the blizzard and inside of the Mount Silver tunnels.\u0026nbsp; My mind brought up images of me setting up camp in this weather.\u0026nbsp; It made my feet move faster to make that not into a reality.\u0026nbsp; Jon grabbed me by my shoulders, stopping my march.\u0026nbsp; His voice was loud to me, thought that was probably due to him shouting in my ears.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The next tunnel you see, take it!\" he yelled.\u0026nbsp; \"I think we're being followed!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Followed!?\" I yelled back, but he shoved me forward without answering.\u0026nbsp; Oh Arceus, what would be following us right now?\u0026nbsp; I really, really hope it isn't that Steelix...\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA rumble caused me to stop and look around for a moment.\u0026nbsp; When Jon pushed me from behind, I lost my balance and fell.\u0026nbsp; A crunch in front of me made my heart freeze like the snow around me.\u0026nbsp; Looking up, I saw a brown furred Pokémon standing over me.\u0026nbsp; The face was blurred due to the snow, but I could easily tell that two massive paws were coming towards me from above.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rolled out of the way, a wave of snow lifting me up to my feet.\u0026nbsp; Landing in a heap of snow, I stood up to try make sure the gigantic Pokémon didn't think I was an easy meal.\u0026nbsp; The snow around me moved, a roar that shook the snow from under me made me turn around.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOf course, the mountainside would be home to an Onix.\u0026nbsp; A very big Onyx.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shit!\" I swore, forcing my limbs to move.\u0026nbsp; Another wave of snow pushed me forward, my world turning into a pure white.\u0026nbsp; My body rolled, not being able to stay out of the tidal wave of snow that covered me.\u0026nbsp; I was able to move my limbs, and managed to force myself out of my premature burial.\u0026nbsp; Another large Pokémon moved towards me.\u0026nbsp; It didn't look like one from Jonathan's or Joy's, though.\u0026nbsp; I willed myself away from the mirage, idly noticing that there were more gigantic figures in the snow ahead of me.\u0026nbsp; I grabbed two Pokéballs, and released Baast and Xola from them.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI ran past them but they kept up with me easily enough.\u0026nbsp; Another gigantic brown furred Pokémon stood in front of us, but Baast was quick in launching an Aura Sphere.\u0026nbsp; The attack connected through the barrage of snow, pushing the Pokémon out of our way.\u0026nbsp; Xola was next to me, gliding across the white powder without any problems.\u0026nbsp; I kept an eye out for the cave, but the wind got knocked out of me when Xola tackled me to the ground.\u0026nbsp; A blast of flame soared above my head, giving a warm respite for a fleeting second before the air grew cold instantly.\u0026nbsp; Looking over, I saw a four legged Pokémon with a mane of fire.\u0026nbsp; Except the problem was it wasn't alone.\u0026nbsp; Standing next to the tallest one were three more of equal height, while the other two looked they were the previous evolution.\u0026nbsp; All five charged towards us without any hesitation.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOf course they wouldn't be alone.\u0026nbsp; They're never alone.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWithout taking direction, Xola straightened herself and confronted the charging Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; A blast of water shot out from Xola's mouth and straight into the largest charging fire Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; I looked over for Baast, but she was holding back three of those other large brown furred ones.\u0026nbsp; Grabbing two more Pokéballs, I released them, bringing Mist and Deoxys into the fray.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys rushed over to Baast, while Mist floated over to support Xola.\u0026nbsp; I focused on Xola, silently hoping that the weather conditions didn't affect her coordination during a battle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIf I didn't know better, both Xola and Mist looked like they were dancing.\u0026nbsp; Even surrounded by five of those four legged fire Pokémon, they didn't stop moving.\u0026nbsp; It was a little eerie, seeing them look so focused like this.\u0026nbsp; Maybe the training was beginning to pay off.\u0026nbsp; They are experienced battlers though, so that might have something to do with it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSprays of fire slowly brightened the snow filled sky.\u0026nbsp; The manes and tails of the fire Pokémon brightened as they ran around in formation, keeping Xola and Mist in place.\u0026nbsp; Their attacks kept their assailants at bay, but wasn't doing much.\u0026nbsp; I kept myself in the middle, between the two fights that were going at the same time.\u0026nbsp; Doing my best to shout order between fights, it was surprising that they could hear me over the howling gale.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe ground shook underneath me as something lifted me up from the ground.\u0026nbsp; Baast and Deoxys came for me, grabbing me from the shuffling mound of snow.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Why did you wake up the Donphan?!_\" Baast exclaimed as we ran.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Because I knew I was standing on top of one the entire time!\" I shouted back.\u0026nbsp; \"Part of the plan!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_What plan?!_\" the Lucario exclaimed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"There was a plan?!\u0026nbsp; I would have never guessed!\" I yelled.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's get Xola and Mist out of here!\u0026nbsp; This blizzard has to be wearing on them too!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDeoxys joined us as we moved towards Xola and Mist.\u0026nbsp; Two of the large fire Pokémon have been taken out of commission.\u0026nbsp; Their fires on their manes and tails were bright still, but they lay still on the snow.\u0026nbsp; Xola whipped her tail around her, knocking another fire maned Pokémon to the ground.\u0026nbsp; Mist launched another Shadow Ball, scattering the remaining two away.\u0026nbsp; Both of my Pokémon moved towards me, all four of them looking towards me for some kind of direction.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Cave!\" I yelled, pointing with my left hand away from the commotion we came from.\u0026nbsp; They all nodded, getting away rather unscathed from the sudden carnage.\u0026nbsp; I idly noticed that Jon and Joy weren't behind me, but decided to focus on my own survival first.\u0026nbsp; Baast called out, pointing to our left.\u0026nbsp; Behind a tree heavy with snow was a cave entrance.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, motioning everyone to follow me as we followed Baast.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHalf of the entrance to the cave was blocked off by snow.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys took care of that, the pile of snow moving by her psychic energy.\u0026nbsp; We rushed in afterwards, my feet sliding on the stone floor and my face meeting the rock wall.\u0026nbsp; Baast grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the wall and into the darkness inside.\u0026nbsp; While somehow it was bright enough before inside the cave system, now it was pitch black.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to fumble for a flashlight or anything, but I realized that we left our original supplies back at the Pokémon Center.\u0026nbsp; Wonderful.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Stay quiet and be still._\" Baast hissed at me.\u0026nbsp; \"_These Donphan aren't friendly neighbors._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, biting my tongue to stop myself from talking.\u0026nbsp; I felt Xola and Deoxys next to me.\u0026nbsp; Where was Mist?\u0026nbsp; Baast's paws held me in place as I struggled against her grip.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_She's inside of you, Master._\" Baast said, tapping my chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSighing in relief, it became easier to stay still knowing where everyone was.\u0026nbsp; However, Jonathan's and Isabella's safety was still up in the air.\u0026nbsp; My relief turned to anxiety quickly, and the longer we stayed still the more pronounced it became.\u0026nbsp; I felt my insides turn to ice as Mist's voice echoed inside my mind.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You are going to stay still and be quiet!_\" she admonished loudly in my mind.\u0026nbsp; \"_We are all worried about them, but we must focus on keeping ourselves safe so we may aid them._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, trying to keep myself under control.\u0026nbsp; Both Mist and Baast had a good point.\u0026nbsp; And besides, both of them were experienced travelers.\u0026nbsp; Between the two of them, they should be even safer than me.\u0026nbsp; Well, that doesn't help my self-confidence much, but at the very least it's the truth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast put a paw on my lips before speaking.\u0026nbsp; \"_I'm_ _going to check the entrance.\u0026nbsp; We should be clear of trouble though.\u0026nbsp; It doesn't look like they followed us_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer silhouette disappeared from view as she left the way we came.\u0026nbsp; It seemed we were in some kind of crack on the wall, a small hole dug out by someone or something.\u0026nbsp; Xola's hold on my body tightened, my legs slowly being gripped tighter inside her coils.\u0026nbsp; Her tongue licked at my hand gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You should sit.\" she said softly.\u0026nbsp; \"Get comfortable.\u0026nbsp; I think we're going to be here for a while.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll be sitting on you, though.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe giggled softly.\u0026nbsp; \"It's fine, silly.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAt her insistence, I slowly lowered my weight on her body.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys still had her tentacles wrapped around my body tightly, but slowly relented.\u0026nbsp; Sitting comfortably on Xola's scales, she wrapped around me multiple times.\u0026nbsp; Her face rubbed against my cheek softly as she giggled again.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys helped shed the heavy backpack from me, a soft thud resounding loudly in the small chamber.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You can sit on Master's lap, Deoxys.\" Xola offered.\u0026nbsp; I blinked for a moment, feeling an unfamiliar weight on my lap.\u0026nbsp; Deoxys' tentacles gripped my arms, resting on top of my shoulders.\u0026nbsp; My head was tipped forward, brought to rest against Deoxys' shoulder.\u0026nbsp; I embraced the odd looking Pokémon, doing my best to stop myself from worrying about Baast.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI felt Xola remove the glove from my right hand as Deoxys removed the left one.\u0026nbsp; My hands felt numb for a moment, but both Pokémon held me tightly in their embrace.\u0026nbsp; I tensed slightly, the echo of something outside of our little hideout reaching my ears.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMuffled footsteps could be heard as Baast appeared with a glowing ball of energy on her paws.\u0026nbsp; A grin appeared on her muzzle as she saw us.\u0026nbsp; She closed her paw around the ball, the light disappearing instantly.\u0026nbsp; Another unfamiliar weight fell on my lap, a cold wet nose pressing against my neck.\u0026nbsp; Baast sighed, her body relaxing against me.\u0026nbsp; My hand touched something wet and sticky on her body.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario winced slightly and I pulled my hand to my face.\u0026nbsp; Even in the dim light, I could feel my fingers covered in something.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_It's nothing._\" she said dismissingly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You call bleeding a trivial matter?\" Deoxys asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nXola immediately reacted.\u0026nbsp; \"Blood?\u0026nbsp; Where!?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Xola, grab the backpack.\" I said firmly, guiding the Milotic.\u0026nbsp; \"Baast, when did this happen?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Just now, fighting off those three Rapidash that hung around the entrance of the cave._\" she said, her paws gripping my shoulder tightly.\u0026nbsp; \"_I think an Ursaring caught me from behind.\u0026nbsp; I ran as soon as I got hit.\u0026nbsp; They didn't follow._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nYou stupid, proud, idiot of a Lucario!\u0026nbsp; My thoughts fumed at her injury, doing my best to remain calm as Xola passed a bottle of medicine to me.\u0026nbsp; I grabbed another Pokéball, releasing Zin from the sphere.\u0026nbsp; The first thing I heard was her laughter, but was quickly silenced when no one else joined.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast, what did I tell you about getting Master worried?\" the Houndoom asked loudly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, I need you to keep as quiet as possible, and to shed enough light so I can see what this is.\" I said sternly, holding out the medicine in my hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Hold on a second.\u0026nbsp; I think I see something flammable here.\" Zin said suddenly, the nails on her paws echoing in our small little corner.\u0026nbsp; A flash of fire followed, highlighting everything in a bright orange glow.\u0026nbsp; Whatever Zin had in mind to light didn't catch on fire, so the first burst of flame was followed by another.\u0026nbsp; After the fourth attempt, whatever it was caught fire.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Found a stick!\" she said excitedly, bringing the flame closer to me.\u0026nbsp; I thanked the Houndoom and used the flame to read what I was handed.\u0026nbsp; Nodding to myself, the spray worked it's magic as soon as I sprayed it upon the injury.\u0026nbsp; With the light, it was clear that Baast's injury was more than 'nothing'.\u0026nbsp; While she would be intact, it would take more than just one Super Potion for her to fully heal.\u0026nbsp; I was grateful that the bleeding had stopped, but her fur would be stained until we could wash out the blood.\u0026nbsp; Suddenly I regretted having Joy carry the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin's warm nose touched my hands as I dropped the empty potion bottle.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't blame her too much now.\" Zin said cautiously.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI frowned, but stayed quiet. \u0026nbsp;Xola nudged my back gently, getting my attention.\u0026nbsp; Turning around, she had another Super Potion on her mouth.\u0026nbsp; I took it off her, nodding once before placing my attention to the Lucario once more.\u0026nbsp; The spray made Baast wince again, but from my angle it looked like it was healing on the nicer side of bad.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It looks worse than it probably is.\" Zin said.\u0026nbsp; \"That could have been pretty bad.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_It feels like I've been pierced by a spike._\" Baast said unhelpfully.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWell, that's a beautiful mental image for me that was completely unnecessary.\u0026nbsp; I frowned, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"And I can't have you inside your Pokéball.\u0026nbsp; It would eliminate the chances of aggravating the wound, but it wouldn't heal until we get off Mount Silver.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast shook her head vigorously.\u0026nbsp; \"_I wouldn't go inside that infernal contraption at this moment anyway._\" she said firmly.\u0026nbsp; \"_I'm not going to abandon you at this time._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, not willing to fight against her.\u0026nbsp; \"Just promise that you'll take it easy.\" I cautioned her.\u0026nbsp; \"You're health and safety is my priority.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Your priority should be figuring how to get off this mountain._\" Baast pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Do you have any ideas, Master?\" Zin asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The way we came is blocked by at least an Onix the size of a mountainside.\" I pointed out.\u0026nbsp; \"Not to mention that... whatever is called that I just so happen to be standing on.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Donphan._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right, that thing.\u0026nbsp; And let's not forget the big brown one and the five fire maned Pokémon.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_The large brown ones are called Ursaring.\u0026nbsp; The large fire Pokémon are called Rapidash, while the smaller ones are called Ponyta._\" Baast corrected.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin looked at me and shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"You just love to attract all kinds of trouble, don't you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI wanted to argue the point, but how would I?\u0026nbsp; It sure seemed that way.\u0026nbsp; The more times we stepped in a cave, the more I was convinced that they're bad for my health.\u0026nbsp; Also, it appeared that my Pokémon weren't immune to this bad luck either.\u0026nbsp; Silence settled around us, everyone surrounding me with their bodies in some degree or another.\u0026nbsp; The only sounds were the rapidly dying fire and the howling wind outside.\u0026nbsp; At least the blizzard stayed outside.\u0026nbsp; While it was cold in principle, the snow stayed out of our little hideout.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy pants suddenly made a ringing noise that grew in volume rapidly.\u0026nbsp; Finding the offending sound proved to be a challenge, but Deoxys was more than happy to get it.\u0026nbsp; My Pokédex was held in front of me, courtesy of one of Deoxys' tentacles.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks.\" I said, taking the device.\u0026nbsp; I opened it cautiously, not entirely sure what was going on.\u0026nbsp; The ringing stopped, soon followed by a voice.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron!\u0026nbsp; You damn fucking... dammit!\u0026nbsp; If he ends up being dead I'm never going to hear the end of it!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJonathan was talking?\u0026nbsp; Was this that phone thing that he put in my Pokédex in Sinnoh?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Jon?\" I asked loudly, speaking to the Pokédex.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron!\u0026nbsp; Thank Arceus!\u0026nbsp; Are you alright?\u0026nbsp; Where are you?\u0026nbsp; What happened?\u0026nbsp; Are you injured?!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm fine, all things considered.\" I said, trying to keep my voice calm.\u0026nbsp; \"We're all fine.\"\u0026nbsp; I decided to omit Baast's injury at the moment.\u0026nbsp; It didn't sound like he needed the extra stress.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"As for where I am, I got no idea.\u0026nbsp; After that Onyx appeared, we got chased by a group of Rapidash and Ponyta.\u0026nbsp; And a few Ursaring's, apparently.\u0026nbsp; Oh, and we woke up a Donphan too.\u0026nbsp; We're back inside the cave again.\u0026nbsp; Not sure where, though.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're lucky you didn't fall off the edge of the mountain.\" he growled out.\u0026nbsp; \"Anyway, do the walls look like they're made out of blue rocks?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I haven't paid any attention to that detail.\u0026nbsp; I was more focused on making sure I was alive.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Funny.\u0026nbsp; Go check.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed as Zin clicked her tongue in annoyance.\u0026nbsp; She blew a small flame upwards, revealing that the stone walls were of some blue coloration.\u0026nbsp; I relayed the information to Jon, who sounded exasperated.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Alright, I think you might be around the transition point towards the second area of Mount Silver.\" Jon explained.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't remember at the moment.\u0026nbsp; My boss deemed it unnecessary to pack us a map of the place.\u0026nbsp; You're going to have to find a way to the top of the mountain and find what's causing the blizzard.\u0026nbsp; Hopefully it isn't anything serious.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what if it IS the Articuno, like your boss said it could be?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then you ask them politely to stop so you can get off the damn mountain.\" he said.\u0026nbsp; I hoped he was sarcastic.\u0026nbsp; \"If it is the case that there are Articuno, just wait out the storm.\u0026nbsp; This shouldn't last more than a few days, a week at most.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA week?!\u0026nbsp; \"You honestly think that it'll last that long?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Kid, I've seen blizzards last almost a month.\" he deadpanned.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks, Jon.\u0026nbsp; Appreciate it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're welcome.\u0026nbsp; Think of it as impromptu survival training.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Except I don't have any survival training in the first place.\" I said, sighing.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll keep in contact.\u0026nbsp; I think we can move forward a bit more before the cold gets to us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just find the phone application, like anything else.\" Jon said.\u0026nbsp; \"Keep in touch, kid.\u0026nbsp; Joy over here is almost ready to rip my throat out when we couldn't find you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I WAS NOT!\" Joy screamed, before the call terminated.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt made me feel better that those two were safe.\u0026nbsp; It definitely sounded like they were, at the very least.\u0026nbsp; Now all we had to do is make sure we got out of here alive.\u0026nbsp; Easier said than done, but yeah.\u0026nbsp; I'm confident that we'll make it out just fine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJust fine...\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=========================////////////////////============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI used the dying flare as a makeshift lighter for the campfire.\u0026nbsp; Movement has been extremely slow, but thankfully without any nasty surprises.\u0026nbsp; Baast was doing better, though her side was still in pain.\u0026nbsp; There was plenty of medical supplies in this giant backpack, so we patched her up as best we could.\u0026nbsp; At least it would keep her wound from being exposed and prevent it from being infected.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNo one wanted to stay inside of their Pokéballs, regardless of my objections against the fact.\u0026nbsp; Every time I brought it up, eight pairs of eyes stared at me with a look that bordered on hostile.\u0026nbsp; My focus went back to the fire, gently prodding it with a rock to get it to burn a little brighter.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was cold, though it was arguably freezing in here.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully the wind didn't reach us, though it we listened for it we could hear it in the distance.\u0026nbsp; It's only been one day since we've been lost on Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; No wonder this place was usually unexplored.\u0026nbsp; It also didn't help when we found abandoned camps made by humans, like this one.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Do you think they made it out?\" Deoxys asked, looking towards the abandoned tents.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I don't want to find out, in all honesty.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm pretty sure if there was anyone here they would have come out to investigate.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist floated over, shaking her head.\u0026nbsp; \"The tents are abandoned.\" she declared.\u0026nbsp; \"They look like they have been unused for quite some time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, that solves one of our problems.\u0026nbsp; I'm just grateful we have plenty of food.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded at the assessment.\u0026nbsp; I pulled out my Pokédex, internally debating if I should call Jonathan to let him know of my status.\u0026nbsp; Not like we made much progress going upwards.\u0026nbsp; Though I wasn't entirely sure how far we've gotten, it definitely didn't feel like much.\u0026nbsp; Zin and Xola were quick to debate otherwise, but the looks that Mist would give them told me otherwise.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI pressed a few buttons on my Pokédex, finding the phone application with relative ease.\u0026nbsp; Pressing a button, a short list depicting a number appeared.\u0026nbsp; It had to be Jon's, seeing as no one else had called me before.\u0026nbsp; Pressing the same button, the Pokédex began to make a familiar ringing like a regular phone call.\u0026nbsp; It stopped quickly, Joy's voice echoing in my surroundings.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron!\u0026nbsp; Aaron, you Arceus damned motherfucker!\u0026nbsp; Answer!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Joy!\u0026nbsp; I'm here!\u0026nbsp; Jeez, you don't have to yell.\u0026nbsp; I can hear you just fine.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe stopped yelling, but her breathing was loud through the speakers.\u0026nbsp; A snoring could be heard faintly over the background, but that could be the wind.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How are you?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I've been better, to tell you the truth.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"Honestly have no clue how this is going to work out.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Stop acting like a damn baby and man up.\" she growled out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's what I've been telling him this whole time!\" Zin exclaimed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I get it.\u0026nbsp; No more complaining from me.\u0026nbsp; So yeah, other than us moving a bit further forward, we haven't had anything happen to us.\u0026nbsp; We found an abandoned camp with the tents still up.\u0026nbsp; But other than that, nothing.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Really?\u0026nbsp; That sounds weird.\u0026nbsp; You sure it's abandoned?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked over to Mist, who nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"There is no residual energy around this camp.\u0026nbsp; No human has come by here in at least the last few months.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist says there hasn't been any humans here for the last few months.\" I relayed.\u0026nbsp; \"So yeah, I'm pretty confident.\u0026nbsp; It isn't that there are bodies inside of the tents anyway.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah... that would be creepy.\u0026nbsp; You need to stay warm though.\u0026nbsp; Won't be doing us any good if we find your corpse.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI held back a witty comment of me being dead or dying.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll stay safe, don't you worry about that.\u0026nbsp; I'm more concerned about everybody else.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're more than fine.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"That Onyx was a mean one, but between me and Jon we managed to chase it away.\u0026nbsp; We're just glad that it didn't find you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I had to worry about a small Rapidash family, a few Ursaring's, and a Donphan.\" I said, shrugging.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Please tell me your joking.\" Joy whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Er... no?\u0026nbsp; Not going to joke about that.\" I decided to refrain from mentioning Baast being injured.\u0026nbsp; Don't think that would help her get any rest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Jeez.\u0026nbsp; We really can't leave you alone without your life being put on the line.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Exciting stuff, I guarantee you that.\" I muttered.\u0026nbsp; \"If you ever want to switch, lemme know.\u0026nbsp; I'd more than gladly swap if you'd like to be in my shoes.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And have to satisfy all your horny Pokémon?\u0026nbsp; Fuck no.\u0026nbsp; I'm good on that, thanks.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI laughed, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"Alright, I'll give you that one.\u0026nbsp; Where are you guys, anyway?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're outside of Mount Silver right now actually.\" she reported.\u0026nbsp; \"It's almost night time, and we decided to make camp for the night.\u0026nbsp; We haven't had it easy either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI bet.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, how's the weather? \u0026nbsp;Not cold, I imagine.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; We're not freezing our asses off, unlike you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Could be better, but could be a lot worse so I'm not arguing too much.\"\u0026nbsp; I said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll let you go for now.\u0026nbsp; Want to get some rest before we hike up to... wherever it is I'm headed to.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Alright, stay safe, Aaron.\u0026nbsp; Please.\" Joy said, before the call ended.\u0026nbsp; I looked at my Pokédex in curiosity.\u0026nbsp; She did just say please, right?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're not going to mate with that human.\" Zin proclaimed loudly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, I don't think she wants me like that.\" I said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"The thought of Joy thinking of me as a romantic interest really doesn't sound like her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Either way, you're not.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes, ma'am.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Either case, you should go to sleep.\u0026nbsp; We all should.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I was about to say that.\" I said, nodding to agree.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe we should take the tents.\u0026nbsp; As long as there isn't a body inside of them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The tents are clear in that aspect, Master.\" Mist declared.\u0026nbsp; \"Just some personal artifacts from the previous owners.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then let's take advantage of this.\" I declared, standing up to stretch.\u0026nbsp; \"Is anyone interested in staying up?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone shook their heads.\u0026nbsp; Xola came up to me, rubbing my side.\u0026nbsp; \"Do you want me to put out the fire?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes, please.\u0026nbsp; We don't need any wild Pokémon being a little too curious.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith a blast of water, we were plunged again in darkness.\u0026nbsp; Mist floated in front of me, the gems on her body guiding me forward.\u0026nbsp; I heard the sound of a tent flap opening and the cold seemed to be held at bay after a moment.\u0026nbsp; A soft touch led me forward, my feet knocking on things invisible to my eye.\u0026nbsp; The sound of empty cans and paper was loud as I was sat on a bed.\u0026nbsp; Mist pushed her ghostly hands against my skin, making me lay back against the soft material.\u0026nbsp; It was rather uncomfortable having everyone almost on top of me, but I wasn't about to say no.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Good night, everyone.\" I said, yawning.\u0026nbsp; Exhaustion was quick to claim me as soon as I closed my eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n===========================//////////////////============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe morning greeted me in the form of an alarm blaring loudly against my skull.\u0026nbsp; My arms flailed wildly, grabbing hold of my Pokédex and almost throwing it away from me.\u0026nbsp; I willed myself not to do so, though it was a very strong impulse to get rid of the damn thing.\u0026nbsp; The alarm was easy enough to turn off, though it was a mystery to me as to who set it up.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Weavile.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThrough my blurry vision, Aurora was standing on my lap.\u0026nbsp; Her claws brushed my hair off my face, gently placing something against my lips.\u0026nbsp; I tried to look down, but couldn't see what it was without any success.\u0026nbsp; The look on Aurora's face didn't give me reason to mistrust her, so I opened my mouth as she pushed whatever it was inside.\u0026nbsp; The chewy bar woke me up faster than I wanted to admit, but it was quickly eaten when my stomach got the better of me.\u0026nbsp; I hugged Aurora, ruffling her head gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI swallowed my mouthful of granola.\u0026nbsp; \"Thanks, Aurora.\" I said earnestly.\u0026nbsp; Looking around, I noticed that we were the only ones here.\u0026nbsp; \"Where's everyone?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Weavile.\"\u0026nbsp; she said, pointing outside.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, standing up quickly.\u0026nbsp; Aurora launched herself up to me, quickly making claiming her perch before we left our shelter.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs soon as we stepped outside, everyone was greeting me in some way.\u0026nbsp; From Zin rubbing my legs to Baast's polite bow, I was just glad to see everyone alright in the morning.\u0026nbsp; It bugged me that the only way we knew it would be morning was through my Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; We were still stuck in this stupid cave.\u0026nbsp; The fire was popping merrily in front of me, so I huddled close to Deoxys to warm myself a little better.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How are you this morning, Master?\" Deoxys asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Better, I'll admit.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"Still, being stuck in this mountain isn't any fun.\u0026nbsp; And we can't really go backwards, either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Our only solution is to go up, and pray the blizzard ends by then.\" she finished, her eyes meeting mine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Pretty much.\u0026nbsp; And if it really is a bunch of Articuno flapping their wings, we get to ask nicely if they'll stop so we can fly down.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Pokédex began to ring again.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, flipping it open to hear Jon's panicked voice again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron!\u0026nbsp; Are you there?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rolled my eyes.\u0026nbsp; If I wasn't who would open this Pokédex?\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, I'm here.\u0026nbsp; What's up?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Have you tried having Deoxys teleport you out of there?\" he asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWow, don't I feel like a retard?\u0026nbsp; I looked over to Deoxys, who had her eyes closed.\u0026nbsp; For an instant, she seemed to flicker from my vision, but instantly reappeared solid next to me.\u0026nbsp; She shook her head, panic in her voice.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"There is something blocking the outside world from my powers!\" she exclaimed, eyes wide.\u0026nbsp; \"I cannot access anything outside the mountain!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She says she cant.\" I relayed.\u0026nbsp; \"Something is blocking her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Dammit!\" Jon swore.\u0026nbsp; \"This has to be Darkrai's work!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised an eyebrow at the comment.\u0026nbsp; \"And why would it be Darkrai?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"It's not like we have proof.\u0026nbsp; You really need to stop blaming everything on them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And you're a little shit that believes that everything isn't out to get you!\" he yelled back.\u0026nbsp; \"Look, there's something that's stopping you from leaving.\u0026nbsp; You've been attacked by two Darkrai, one after another in a very short amount of time.\u0026nbsp; And now we're here trying to find something to link anything similar to you and the attacks.\u0026nbsp; You're going to tell me that this is just a giant coincidence?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Nevermind.\u0026nbsp; Alright, so it's Darkrai.\u0026nbsp; Fine, whatever.\u0026nbsp; What's the plan now?\u0026nbsp; Do you still want me to go to the top of Mount Silver?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes, and avoid Darkrai at all costs.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Because I totally want to pick a fight with one.\u0026nbsp; Yeah, lets not and say we did.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sometimes you worry me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't tell my parents.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHe laughed, though I don't know if it was out of irony or him being honest.\u0026nbsp; \"Alright.\u0026nbsp; Just stay safe.\u0026nbsp; Please.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Will do.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll call you when something dramatic happens.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'll hold you to that, Aaron.\" Jon said, before cutting the call.\u0026nbsp; I closed my Pokédex, slipping it back inside my pocket where it belonged.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded at me as I looked at them.\u0026nbsp; Turning to Deoxys, I gently patted her shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"Are you alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Someone does not want us off this mountain.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"Whoever it is, they do not want our escape to be so easy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It bothers me that we didn't think of this yesterday.\" I pointed out.\u0026nbsp; \"We could have been out of this mess a lot faster.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Perhaps there is a reason.\" Mist offered.\u0026nbsp; \"There are things that cannot be explained so easily.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; \"For everything else, there's money for that.\" I said, sighing.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's get a move on.\u0026nbsp; Daylight's burning somewhere.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe gathered our things, picking up after ourselves to make sure that there wasn't more trash in the area.\u0026nbsp; Doing one last sweep around and being satisfied, we left the area as clean as we found it.\u0026nbsp; In all honesty, we probably left it better than before.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe marched onwards, Baast behind me with Deoxys in front.\u0026nbsp; Zin and Mist were ahead of the group, while Aurora rested on top of my head.\u0026nbsp; Xola and Spirit were behind Baast.\u0026nbsp; Akalia walked next to me, refusing to go anywhere in the line.\u0026nbsp; Our footsteps were the only sound that made any sound in the cave.\u0026nbsp; It felt odd that not even Zubats were screeching above our heads.\u0026nbsp; Maybe it was too early for them.\u0026nbsp; To be honest, I was surprised that we didn't wake up the entire mountain when that alarm went off.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe wind grew stronger the further we walked forward.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully there was no snow attached to the wind, but it probably wasn't that far away.\u0026nbsp; Either that, or the wind outside has gotten worse over the night.\u0026nbsp; We encountered nothing on the path, though I was just as thankful that we didn't have to put up with snow at the moment.\u0026nbsp; I think I've gotten my fill of the stuff, and we weren't even done yet.\u0026nbsp; The path opened slightly, allowing us to fan out a little more.\u0026nbsp; At the very least we didn't have to worry about falling off into what looked like the abyss.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSunlight filtered ahead, snow beginning to blow inside the cave through the exit.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, dreading going back outside.\u0026nbsp; We reached the exit, but didn't go through the threshold.\u0026nbsp; I pulled out my Pokédex, pressing the now familiar buttons to call Jonathan.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How are you, Aaron?\" Jon asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Doing fine, actually, except I don't know where to go.\u0026nbsp; The exit leads back to the outside, but which way do we go?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This is the first time you've exited the cave after splitting up, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; I would have called you in the middle of the night if it was otherwise.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Ideally, you can reach the higher levels of the second floor from the outside.\" Jon said after a moment.\u0026nbsp; \"Though you can reach them from the inside, they're a bit... claustrophobic.\u0026nbsp; How's the blizzard?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Still bad.\" I said, sighing.\u0026nbsp; \"I honestly don't know if its gotten better or worse, but the snow doesn't stop if that's an answer.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Anyway, if you take a left as soon as you get to the outside, you should be able to find a cave that leads back inside and the way to the upper levels.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That would be that claustrophobic passage you mentioned.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; Anyway, if you ignore that entrance and keep going, you should be able to find a way up the mountain and find another set of cave entrances.\u0026nbsp; That would be the easier way to the summit.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Should be.\" I echoed.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, at least the sun is out.\u0026nbsp; That should help with the visibility, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Let's hope so.\u0026nbsp; Call me if you need any help.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'll be in touch then.\" I said, shutting the Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; \"Alright, are we all ready?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA round of affirmatives echoed through the cave.\u0026nbsp; \"Remember, stay together.\u0026nbsp; I don't want anyone getting lost.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI moved first, the snow blinding me momentarily.\u0026nbsp; Getting my bearings I turned left, thankful that the snow blew against my back.\u0026nbsp; Zin ran over to stand next to me, followed by Akalia and Baast.\u0026nbsp; The rest of the group followed relatively quickly until I was surrounded by my friends.\u0026nbsp; Zin grinned up at me, flames licking out of her jaws.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"A bit of snow isn't going to slow us down.\" she declared loudly.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's get out of this place.\u0026nbsp; We're going to go for that first cave and see how much we've walked.\u0026nbsp; Is that alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Sounds like a plan to me.\u0026nbsp; Care to lead the way?\" I asked loudly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You got it.\" she declared, wagging her tail happily.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's go, everyone!\u0026nbsp; Like Master said, daylight's burning!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAt the very least it was easy to follow the Houndoom through the snow.\u0026nbsp; A moving black patch was easy to spot in a white field.\u0026nbsp; I should say easier, because the blizzard wasn't really helping much in the terms of visibility.\u0026nbsp; When the falling snow limited visibility, jets of fire would streak ahead of us, allowing us to track Zin easier.\u0026nbsp; Looking around, it was a huge relief that nobody was left to the cold.\u0026nbsp; Zin wasn't setting a hard pace to keep either, so that probably helped a lot.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAll things considered, it was probably me that was slowing everyone down.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe continued undeterred through the blizzard.\u0026nbsp; With Zin leading the charge, it didn't take us long to find that first cave entrance.\u0026nbsp; I was honestly surprised it was so easy to spot, which gave me the impression that someone or something moved through here recently.\u0026nbsp; We entered the cave, though I did my best to see if there were any kind of indication that something lived in here.\u0026nbsp; The blizzard made any old tracks invisible, and it looked like there was no signs of habitation.\u0026nbsp; No leftovers from any predatory Pokémon, nor signs of tents or trash of human trespassing.\u0026nbsp; We quickly piled inside, cramping the small entrance.\u0026nbsp; The cave narrowed quickly to the point that we would have to crawl to continue.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So this is what he means when he said claustrophobia.\" I said, raising an eyebrow.\u0026nbsp; \"He wasn't kidding.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head, frowning.\u0026nbsp; This wasn't going to work.\u0026nbsp; My backpack alone would make this impossible for me.\u0026nbsp; Not to mention that all of my Pokémon outright refused to go back inside their Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; No, this was definitely not going to work out.\u0026nbsp; Turning around, Zin was already pawing at the snow on the ground.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We keep going.\u0026nbsp; We need to find that other entrance.\u0026nbsp; Following the side of the mountain shouldn't be too much of a problem.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what if we don't find it?\" Xola asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Pray to Arceus that the blizzard calms down slightly.\" I answered grimly.\u0026nbsp; \"We can come back and rest here if it's too bad.\u0026nbsp; Hopefully that wont be the case.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded at my assessment.\u0026nbsp; I was curious about something, so I turned to Spirit.\u0026nbsp; I walked calmly to the dragon, touching her claws to get her attention.\u0026nbsp; She turned to face me, her eyes wide under her red goggles.\u0026nbsp; She shook her head, leaning down and touching my cheek.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Spirit, you can sense the ground, right?\" I asked her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded slowly, tilting her head to the side in curiosity.\u0026nbsp; \"Can you sense how the mountain path looks like?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe closed her eyes, her tail hitting the rocks under our feet.\u0026nbsp; The impact rocked through me, one after another.\u0026nbsp; Everyone stopped and looked at the Flygon, who shook her head after a moment.\u0026nbsp; Her cheeks looked looked flushed, hiding her embarrassment against my chest.\u0026nbsp; I held her there for a moment until she pulled back on her own.\u0026nbsp; She nodded, though, pointing animatedly through the walls of the cave outward.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She says that way should be the right way.\" Zin translated.\u0026nbsp; I nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then that's the way we need to get to.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit nodded, smiling at me.\u0026nbsp; I felt her scales on my cheek, her claws holding me tightly.\u0026nbsp; My hands stroked her long neck, everyone gathering around us.\u0026nbsp; \"Is everyone ready?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded at me as we made our way back outside.\u0026nbsp; The blizzard didn't relent at any point while getting our bearings.\u0026nbsp; If anything, it got worse while we waited.\u0026nbsp; The wind had shifted at one point or another, the snow blowing in our faces as Spirit took the lead alongside Zin.\u0026nbsp; Our footsteps crunched the snow underneath us, Spirit and Zin setting an easy pace to keep up with.\u0026nbsp; The snow kept falling, but at the very least it didn't stop us altogether.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTo our left the snow began to slope downwards.\u0026nbsp; We were following the side of a mountain, so it felt odd that it would suddenly lurch down.\u0026nbsp; I was honestly afraid that there was a hole or something down there where we could fall down.\u0026nbsp; We continued forward, following Spirit's lead until she suddenly stopped.\u0026nbsp; Her claw pointed to our left, and Zin immediately climbed up the snow hill.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit urged us onward, and we followed her directions.\u0026nbsp; Baast and Deoxys were quick in helping me climb the hill as my footing wasn't the best.\u0026nbsp; It honestly felt like Deoxys was helping Baast help me, but we made it work.\u0026nbsp; Getting a mouthful of snow wasn't on my active list of things I needed done in my life, but whatever.\u0026nbsp; I was grateful to have flat ground under my body again.\u0026nbsp; Anything with an incline and caves seemed to be my bane.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nGetting lifted up on my feet, Spirit once again took lead.\u0026nbsp; Akalia nuzzled my legs gently as I stood up, one of Deoxys' tentacles holding me by my waist.\u0026nbsp; Rubbing the snow out of my eyes, we continued to follow Spirit's lead.\u0026nbsp; Spirit grabbed hold of my hand, pulling me along as we continued walking along the surface.\u0026nbsp; The wind continued to howl, though somehow it sounded louder than before.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFunny how walking through an empty field gives you any sort of perspective in life.\u0026nbsp; What keeps everyone here?\u0026nbsp; Maybe I'm just an idiot, thinking that there's some other reason.\u0026nbsp; It's why Zin has put up with my idiot self, not to mention Song or anyone else.\u0026nbsp; Shaking my head, my idle brain slowly processing the fact that we were still outside with a crazy mountain that wanted us dead.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy hand felt like it got pulled out of its socket as my world tumbled to the side.\u0026nbsp; The wind stopped blowing around us, though I was confused as to where we were.\u0026nbsp; Spirit smiled down at me, helping me stand up.\u0026nbsp; She nodded, waving her claws out to show me the cave around us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone here?\" I asked, looking around.\u0026nbsp; Everyone responded in some way.\u0026nbsp; Aurora jumped into my arms, Akalia and Zin rubbing along my legs.\u0026nbsp; Relief washed over me, just knowing that we were still together.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're not off the mountain yet.\" I reminded everyone.\u0026nbsp; \"Let me check the time and contact Jonathan before we decide to set up camp.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded as I pulled out my Pokédex and dialed Jonathan's number.\u0026nbsp; Surprisingly he didn't answer this time.\u0026nbsp; Not even Joy answered.\u0026nbsp; I terminated the call, trying again after a few moments.\u0026nbsp; The call went through after the fourth ring.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, it's me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This isn't either of your human friends.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Excuse me?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You know who this is.\u0026nbsp; I took your Gardevoirs powers away from her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA chill went down my spine.\u0026nbsp; Somehow, not even the cold outside made me feel this way.\u0026nbsp; But how could...?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Your questions don't matter at this time.\" the male Darkrai said.\u0026nbsp; The speakers sounded like they strained to play out his voice.\u0026nbsp; \"You are not supposed to be where you are.\u0026nbsp; You must leave immediately.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, I would love to, but there's the problem of a gigantic blizzard and something is preventing one of my teammates from teleporting.\" I said back calmly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That must be my sister then.\u0026nbsp; Regardless, leave Mount Silver immediately.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And why should I do that?\u0026nbsp; Arceus willing, taking your advice sounds like a one way trip to death.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Our reputation doesn't allow much in the way of trust it seems.\" he said, the speakers screeching slightly.\u0026nbsp; \"We are following our duty.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; Anyway.\u0026nbsp; Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'll know when I'm off this rock.\u0026nbsp; So you can go now, please and thank you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just make sure that you do.\u0026nbsp; We would never hear the end of it from Father if you died.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wait a second!\u0026nbsp; Your sister wanted me dead two weeks ago if that!\" I yelled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Which sister?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You know!\u0026nbsp; The one you sent to kill me at the monastery!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron?\u0026nbsp; Are you hallucinating?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head, frowning as I took in my surroundings.\u0026nbsp; All of my Pokémon were giving me odd looks, my hands holding my Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; The wind was howling loudly outside, the snow blowing at a sharp angle.\u0026nbsp; Joy's voice came from my Pokédex.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron?\u0026nbsp; Are you still there?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, I'm here.\u0026nbsp; Sorry, was talking to Darkrai there for a second.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;  \n\"What?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you.\" I said, rubbing my eyes.\u0026nbsp; \"I just wanted to let you all know that we've made it further to the top.\u0026nbsp; We're not there yet, but we're getting there.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What did you say about Darkrai?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"He answered when I called Jon's number.\" I said, rubbing my eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"But how would that happen?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I don't know and I don't want to find out.\" I grumbled.\u0026nbsp; \"We're already in enough danger as is.\u0026nbsp; We'll handle it one step at a time though.\u0026nbsp; No use thinking about it right now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Here, I'll pass you over to Jon.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJon was quick to fire more questions.\u0026nbsp; \"What's this about Darkrai?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"OK, you can shut up about it, too.\u0026nbsp; Fine, you were right and I admit it.\u0026nbsp; Can we please focus on helping me get off the mountain instead of you gloating?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Where you are, does it look like a gigantic chamber?\" he asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You got it, Master.\" she said with a wag of her tail. \u0026nbsp;A blossom of fire flew through the air.\u0026nbsp; While I expected it to dissipate quickly, it continued to travel all along the air.\u0026nbsp; The light from the fire revealed a pit that looked extremely large and far too deep.\u0026nbsp; The fire sign dissipated without much fanfare, though the Houndoom was extremely proud of herself.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah.\u0026nbsp; It looks like the room we're in is huge.\u0026nbsp; There's a gigantic hole in the middle that seems to funnel downwards as well.\" I answered Jon, trying to burn the picture in my mind.\u0026nbsp; \"We don't have to go down, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, that's how that previous tunnel connects to here.\u0026nbsp; Unless those tunnels collapsed.\" he said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thanks Jon.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No problem.\u0026nbsp; Alright, your goal is to get to the area above you right now.\u0026nbsp; You'll have to walk for a while inside so you can forget about the snow.\u0026nbsp; Afterwards, you're going to have to walk outside one last time before reaching the summit area.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'll call you when we reach the outside area so we can get specific directions.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You do that.\u0026nbsp; We'll investigate this Darkrai influence.\" he said confidently.\u0026nbsp; \"Stay safe, Aaron.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You too.\" I said, closing my Pokédex.\u0026nbsp; Looking around, it was obvious to me that everyone was tense.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't like my conversation with Darkrai was a subdued affair.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Is everyone alright?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; I got stares back in response before Mist spoke up for the group.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Was that really Darkrai speaking to you?\" the Mismagius asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"More likely than not, unfortunately.\u0026nbsp; He never said so, but the things he said would only make sense if it was him.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen no one responded, I sighed.\u0026nbsp; \"Look, even if it was him, we need to get off this mountain.\u0026nbsp; We get to the top and we wait out the storm or rescue, whichever comes first.\u0026nbsp; Arguing about if Darkrai wanted a chat with me isn't going to get us to our destination any faster.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I appreciate the concern.\u0026nbsp; Really, I do.\u0026nbsp; But right now, Darkrai isn't here stopping us.\u0026nbsp; We need to focus on getting to our destination.\u0026nbsp; You can rake me through the coals all you want, but only after we're out of this death trap.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't tempt me.\" Zin growled at me.\u0026nbsp; \"That sounds like a really good idea at the moment.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You can have all the fun, but later.\" I said, kneeling down.\u0026nbsp; She came up to me and rubbed against my hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're too lenient on you.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm going to use my right of silence on that statement.\" I said with a laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"Come on.\u0026nbsp; We can decide if we want to rest before or after the last area.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nZin looked at me, worry clear in her eyes.\u0026nbsp; I scratched behind her horns for a moment, relaxing for the first time since we started this 'morning'.\u0026nbsp; I dropped my backpack in front of me, digging through it to bring out food for everyone.\u0026nbsp; All gathered around as we shared an impromptu food break.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAt Zin's questioning look, I shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I was hungry, and I figured that I couldn't be the only one either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe smiled at me.\u0026nbsp; \"You're getting better.\" she said, her tail wagging.\u0026nbsp; Akalia purred, rubbing against me softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI scratched the Luxray's fur, smiling as electricity danced alongside my fingers. \u0026nbsp;Akalia's purrs rumbled loudly, almost masking the howling wind around us.\u0026nbsp; We moved a bit more inwards, to get away from the wind but still benefit from whatever sunlight filtered through the blizzard.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was interesting to watch Deoxys 'eat' her food.\u0026nbsp; It was more like she absorbed each piece of food that she touched with her tentacles.\u0026nbsp; I ate another granola bar, silently watching everyone relax around me.\u0026nbsp; My own body did the same, the stress slowly leaving me.\u0026nbsp; My fingers slowly began to drum out a beat against my knee, the vast majority of the song forgotten in my mind.\u0026nbsp; A touch on my shoulder made me look to see one of Deoxys' tentacles.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes looked clouded as she looked at my own.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What is it, Deoxys?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You still have to give me a name.\" she said softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled, smiling at her gently.\u0026nbsp; My fingers curled around the tentacle around my shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"Give me a second, I think I remember a name or two.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded as I did my best to remember a name from a story.\u0026nbsp; Funny that it was a tragedy that I was trying to think of.\u0026nbsp; It was the name of the character and the meaning of the name that I was trying to remember.\u0026nbsp; How did that story go again?\u0026nbsp; Guy meets gal from the rival household and fall madly in love for some reason or another.\u0026nbsp; Why is it that I remember the bloodshed?\u0026nbsp; Suppressing the shiver, Deoxys gave me a questioning look when our eyes met again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Iolanthe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI was startled to hear her voice say it with my own.\u0026nbsp; Chuckling, I nodded slowly with a smile.\u0026nbsp; Her grip tightened around my fingers gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I will respond to my new name.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Do you even like it?\" I asked with concern.\u0026nbsp; \"I mean, if you do-\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, I like the sound of the word.\" she said, another tentacle stroking my hair.\u0026nbsp; \"Thank you.\u0026nbsp; I wish to ask was that so hard to think about?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You'd be surprised how much I have going through my mind.\" I said, chuckling.\u0026nbsp; \"I just had to focus on it to get things.\u0026nbsp; Though that just makes me sound like an ignorant git.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Perhaps, but it is part of why I chose you.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"You are not perfect.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No one is, as far as I'm concerned.\" I said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"We strive to be better, at the very least.\u0026nbsp; It's the least I could do.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then perhaps that is what I wish to observe from you.\" she said, helping me stand up.\u0026nbsp; \"Or at the very least, one thing about you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI grinned.\u0026nbsp; \"Would you prefer Iolanthe or Io for short?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I would like Iolanthe, though I imagine in the heat of battle Io would be appropriate.\" she said with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"That sounds fair, Iolanthe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIf she had a mouth, I would swear that she would be smiling at me right now.\u0026nbsp; Spirit and Mist were beside me and Iolanthe immediately.\u0026nbsp; I looked down to see Zin rub against me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I like her name.\" the Houndoom said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"It's nice.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I like it a lot, actually.\" Xola said, sliding next to me.\u0026nbsp; \"It sounds mysterious.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nChuckling at the Milotic's assessment, everyone seemed to be gathered around us.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe seemed to be the center of attention suddenly, and she was enjoying it.\u0026nbsp; She didn't seem overwhelmed by it all, but I dare say reveled in it.\u0026nbsp; She seemed definitely more at ease since joining us, though we hadn't spoken as much as I'd like.\u0026nbsp; It felt really good to see that we've become some sort of odd family of sorts.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Are we all ready?_\" Baast asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I think so.\u0026nbsp; Are we all ready to continue?\u0026nbsp; Or do we want to stop here for the day?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone shook their heads.\u0026nbsp; \"I suppose that means we continue.\" Iolanthe said, her voice giggling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then let's keep going. \u0026nbsp;Daylight's burning somewhere.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================//////////////////////////==========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Fire Blast!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe fire sign blasted from her muzzle, scattering a flight of Zubats and Golbats that were headed our way.\u0026nbsp; Somehow an entire flight had awakened and decided that we were going to be their meal of the day.\u0026nbsp; Baast and Xola did their best from the ground, but it was mostly Spirit, Mist, and Deoxys up in the air.\u0026nbsp; Akalia and Zin were obviously doing their best to ward off any that dared to go near us.\u0026nbsp; Aurora aided as best she could from the perch of my head, beams of ice shooting from her claws.\u0026nbsp; The screeching of the flying Pokémon almost drowned out the howling from the wind.\u0026nbsp; Almost.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHow Iolanthe stayed in the air I hoped to find out some day.\u0026nbsp; I blame psychic powers.\u0026nbsp; The air seemed to ripple as the flying attackers fell by the scores around her.\u0026nbsp; Spirit and Mist worked extremely well together, I noticed.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe seemed extremely situational aware, drawing Golbats in crossfire from both her, Spirit, and Akalia.\u0026nbsp; It was like watching something out of a television action show.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nExcept one mistake would make them tumble into the vast abyss under them.\u0026nbsp; And there wouldn't be some kind of safety net if that happened.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nInstead of giving orders, I would keep watch on their backs.\u0026nbsp; Usually it seemed unnecessary, but it managed to keep the flock of bloodsucking Pokémon guessing and not ganging up on anyone specifically.\u0026nbsp; My eyes wandered around, deliberately ignoring the smell of ozone around me and the chills from above.\u0026nbsp; They seemed to move in deliberate coordination, so there had to be some kind of leader.\u0026nbsp; Perhaps a grizzled Golbat or a...\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Crobat!\" I shouted, pointing at the small swarm flying towards me.\u0026nbsp; The swirl of blue and black sped towards me and my group with incredible velocity.\u0026nbsp; Both Akalia and Zin stood side by side, unleashing a torrent of lightning and fire respectively.\u0026nbsp; Both attacks seemed to combine in the air, an explosion pushing the wave back.\u0026nbsp; The Crobat flew through the explosion, its four wings visible against the fireball behind the flying Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora jumped, using my head as a springboard.\u0026nbsp; Reaching the peak of her leap, she unleashed multiple beams of ice through the air.\u0026nbsp; The temperature somehow seemed to drop as the Crobat was caught within the web of ice.\u0026nbsp; Without any hesitation, the Crobat's wings glowed for a second and dove towards the web of ice.\u0026nbsp; Bringing its glowing wings in the forefront of the dive, they sliced through the web as effectively as fire.\u0026nbsp; We ducked, shielding Aurora with my body as the Crobat flew above us.\u0026nbsp; A horrible screeching sound echoed in my ears.\u0026nbsp; Standing up, I noticed that at head level was a straight line carved into the stone.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't there a second ago.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWell, it was obvious that the Crobat was out for our blood in some way.\u0026nbsp; With another screech it flew in direction of Iolanthe, but Mist distracted the attacker with a well placed Shadow Ball.\u0026nbsp; With her being the new target, she discouraged further harassment due to a blast of electricity.\u0026nbsp; Startled that she knew electric moves, she continued to press her advantage and harass the living blazes out of the flying Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIn all honesty, I didn't know who was more surprised of Mist's Thunderbolt attacks.\u0026nbsp; I was pretty convinced that both of us were on equal ground on that aspect.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith the vast of the flock of Zubat's and Golbat's in disarray, Mist focused her lightning attacks on the lone Crobat.\u0026nbsp; A slash across my cheek got my attention, making me lose my focus on the battle.\u0026nbsp; I touched my cheek, feeling a thin cut that stung something fierce.\u0026nbsp; Crimson blood was on my gloves, in contrast to their color.\u0026nbsp; Baast grabbed hold of me, dragging me away slightly.\u0026nbsp; I struggled against the Lucario's grasp, but she was unrelenting.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You're bleeding._\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm not dead yet.\" I said firmly.\u0026nbsp; \"Let me go.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit let out a high pitched screech that made me push out of Baast's grasp.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe had just thrown the Crobat off the dragon, though the damage was already done.\u0026nbsp; Mist covered for both of them as they both landed in a heap next to us.\u0026nbsp; A high pitched sound made me almost tumble to my knees.\u0026nbsp; Baast leaned on me heavily, making me drop to the ground.\u0026nbsp; It felt like my ears were bleeding, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast!\u0026nbsp; Help Spirit!\" I ordered, urging myself to help in any way I could.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist seemed the one least affected by the attack.\u0026nbsp; She picked up Akalia, who nodded at the Mismagius.\u0026nbsp; Neither of them moved, though bits of static would spark between them.\u0026nbsp; Struggling towards them, Mist gave me a smile as our eyes met.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Direct us, Master!\" she yelled.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, holding out my hand to her.\u0026nbsp; A ghostly tendril touched my fingers.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe kneeled next to me, the audible screeching affecting me less and less.\u0026nbsp; If it was due to loss of hearing was something I'll handle afterwards.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpotting the Crobat among the remains of its flight, Iolanthe sent another concussive wave of energy towards it.\u0026nbsp; Disrupting its flight path, it suddenly stopped moving.\u0026nbsp; How or why, I didn't care.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Fire!\" I yelled out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIf I thought I smelled ozone before from standing too close to Akalia's attacks before, this trumped it instantly.\u0026nbsp; Half my vision was instantly blinded as the ball of electricity fired, my eyes watering trying to focus on the target in case it moved.\u0026nbsp; Though I didn't know how viable it was possible to move a ball of energy.\u0026nbsp; The attack landed, expanding to encapsulate the Crobat within the pulsing electric ball.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe flying Pokémon all left us alone, flapping around silently as the attack slowly dissipated.\u0026nbsp; The Crobat fell from the air without any fanfare, none of the Zubat or Crobat flying down to save their fallen leader.\u0026nbsp; They screeched about for a moment or two, but they flew away without instigating a fight.\u0026nbsp; I looked toward Iolanthe, Mist, and Akalia.\u0026nbsp; They all nodded at me, breaking off to see how Spirit was.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOrange fluid leaked from her wounds across her neck and back.\u0026nbsp; I flung the backpack to the ground with a resounding thud, pulling out medical supplies and flinging away what wasn't imperative to my Flygon's survival.\u0026nbsp; Grabbing a piece of gauze, I used my mouth to carry a potion while administering the other.\u0026nbsp; Her breathing was labored and shallow, though the wounds looked almost superficial.\u0026nbsp; If only there wasn't so much blood.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Golbat wounds tend to take a long time to heal, due to the poison in their bites._\" Baast said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI grabbed the gauze and pressed it against the wounds with my left hand.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe stopped me before my recklessness flung the bag over the edge by accident.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Tell us what you want, Master.\" Mist said gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Medical tape and another potion.\" I ordered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit's claws grabbed hold of my left hand.\u0026nbsp; My eyes met hers for a moment, before I gently moved her head on my lap.\u0026nbsp; I stroked the top of her head gently as her breathing began to slowly deepen.\u0026nbsp; Baast applied the medical tape, Iolanthe encouraging me to stay with Spirit.\u0026nbsp; I had no intention to leave her side at the moment.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario's paws grabbed my hand, pressing a smooth cold cylinder into my grip.\u0026nbsp; I turned to face her, her eyes downcast.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_It's anti-venom._\" she said with a slight nod.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked back to Spirit, who gave a single nod.\u0026nbsp; It was more felt through my touch than a visual cue.\u0026nbsp; Taking the cylinder and noticing the cover where the needle was, I used my teeth to remove the plastic.\u0026nbsp; Spirit gave me another nod, stronger than the first as the needle speared her scales.\u0026nbsp; She didn't give any indication if she was in any discomfort brought by the injection.\u0026nbsp; Pressing the medication into her bloodstream, she closed her eyes momentarily as if blinking.\u0026nbsp; Except they didn't open right afterwards.\u0026nbsp; She was still breathing, but it slowly became more labored.\u0026nbsp; Allergic reaction?\u0026nbsp; I grabbed her Pokéball from my belt, but Spirit's claw grabbed my hands before they left her scales.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer eyes were open, looking into my own unwaveringly.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, her claws releasing me from her grip as I pulled the anti-venom needle from her neck.\u0026nbsp; Baast and Iolanthe changed the gauze on the Flygon's neck as I comforted her as best I could.\u0026nbsp; Sighing and looking around myself, everyone not currently busy was tense.\u0026nbsp; Either from the battle or what Spirit was going through, it was a mystery.\u0026nbsp; Perhaps both.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're setting camp.\" I declared.\u0026nbsp; \"Spirit isn't in any form to continue.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNobody argued with my statement.\u0026nbsp; Mist took the lead in getting our tent secured with both Zin and Akalia helping.\u0026nbsp; I looked over to Baast, who was looking straight at me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_The bleeding stopped._\" Baast whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, looking down at the Flygon.\u0026nbsp; Zin and Akalia could be heard arguing, Xola and Aurora trying to stop them before they made more noise.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe pressed a tentacle against my arm.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist has the tent prepared for her, Master.\" she said with a nod.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit's body slowly floated up by Iolanthe's psychic powers.\u0026nbsp; I let her walk ahead of me, everyone else making way for both Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe went inside, coming out alone.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes looked strained as she looked at me.\u0026nbsp; Stepping inside, I was grateful that this tent was on the bigger side.\u0026nbsp; Spirit was on the ground, the gauze on her neck soaked in her blood.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Bring me the first aid stuff.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSomeone rushed out, the sounds of feet scrambling reaching my ears.\u0026nbsp; I extended my hand to feel a potion and more gauze pressed into my grip.\u0026nbsp; I kneeled down, replacing the old gauze with clean ones.\u0026nbsp; Applying more potions to the wound, it was a relief to see that Baast's words were true.\u0026nbsp; The potions and anti-venom seem to have done their job.\u0026nbsp; Spirit crooned softly as I stroked her cheek.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Jacket.\" I said, extending my hand out.\u0026nbsp; Grabbing the offered item, I brought it slowly in front of me.\u0026nbsp; It was more of a blanket, but I wasn't going to argue the point.\u0026nbsp; The blanket covered her entire body, her claws grasping it tightly against her.\u0026nbsp; Turning to the backpack, I began to dig through to find another blanket.\u0026nbsp; Seeing none, my hands excavated through everything that was packed inside and used that as a pillow for her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone out for now.\" I muttered, slowly standing up.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll be right back Spirit.\u0026nbsp; Sleep for now, alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded slowly, her eyes closing as she attempted to sleep.\u0026nbsp; We marched out of the tent as quietly as we could, until we were all outside.\u0026nbsp; It seemed that the wind wasn't that loud anymore. \u0026nbsp;Either due to my eardrum being permanently damaged or not remained to be seen.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_She should be ready to travel in a few days._\" Baast said.\u0026nbsp; \"_I believe that we stopped the poison from spreading too far._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"A few days.\u0026nbsp; Can you guesstimate?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; She shook her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Three to five days, possibly._\" she responded.\u0026nbsp; \"_I understand that you don't want to drag her suffering, but this weather isn't helping either._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Almost a week isn't really a few days.\" I said, sighing.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll hold out the fort until she gets as best as she can.\u0026nbsp; We'll continue then.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So you're putting her back in her Pokéball?\" Zin asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I will if need be.\u0026nbsp; She needs more medical assistance than we can provide.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm waiting for her wound to heal a little better so she isn't in pain while in stasis.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone nodded at my verdict.\u0026nbsp; Before I could continue, Xola and Akalia both stopped me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"While it's great that you're in charge, I'm going to insist that you stay by Spirit.\" Xola said.\u0026nbsp; \"She needs you right now.\u0026nbsp; While your there you can rest yourself.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised an eyebrow.\u0026nbsp; \"Because I did so much compared to all of you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We'll be fine.\" Zin said.\u0026nbsp; \"Go make sure she's better.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBefore any defense could be mounted, Iolanthe pulled me away gently.\u0026nbsp; My feet dragged along the stone floor until I spun around and almost fell forward.\u0026nbsp; Turning around, everyone was giving me a nod as my mouth opened to say something about staying quiet.\u0026nbsp; I didn't say anything due to fearing Spirit's precarious health.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit was sleeping soundly, her breathing loud inside of the tent.\u0026nbsp; I cleared the mess I made quickly, doing my best to organize the things as well as my thoughts.\u0026nbsp; Could there been anything I could have done to avoid this?\u0026nbsp; Perhaps have Spirit fly in a closer formation with Iolanthe?\u0026nbsp; But would have that exposed Mist?\u0026nbsp; Would all three grouped together fair better than individually?\u0026nbsp; I honestly don't know.\u0026nbsp; Considering that out of all of us only Spirit was injured shows that something was going right for us.\u0026nbsp; Up to that point, anyway.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI brushed a hand over my cheek, where the thin cut was still tender.\u0026nbsp; While it didn't hurt at all, it bothered me more than my head could have been sliced off just as easily.\u0026nbsp; It was a surprise that my hair wasn't missing by this point.\u0026nbsp; A rustling sound made me turn, seeing Spirit looking towards me.\u0026nbsp; I smiled at the Flygon, but she continued to stare at me intently.\u0026nbsp; Stopping myself from sighing, she smiled as I made my way to her.\u0026nbsp; Kneeling next to Spirit, she shook her head as my hands held her claws.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What is it?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe moved the blanket out of the way, making a cooing sound as she pulled gently.\u0026nbsp; I didn't struggle against her as my body rested against the tarp on the ground.\u0026nbsp; She turned me around until we faced each other, her claws holding me tightly.\u0026nbsp; Spirit cooed softly, holding against me tightly.\u0026nbsp; I stroked her cheek gently as she took a deep breath.\u0026nbsp; My eyes closed on their own accord, though I didn't fall asleep until well after Spirit stopped fidgeting over me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=========================///////////////////////////=======================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTwo days have passed since the attack.\u0026nbsp; No Pokémon have even dared make their presence known to us.\u0026nbsp; Even during my short watches over the camp nothing dared to show.\u0026nbsp; I was always teamed up with someone, and someone was usually with Spirit.\u0026nbsp; My sleeping habits weren't something to be desired, and it was leaving everyone on edge to some degree.\u0026nbsp; Zin and Mist would argue about finding proper timber, with Iolanthe desperately trying to keep the peace.\u0026nbsp; Xola and Akalia, who were normally in good terms, were almost to each others throats.\u0026nbsp; Baast seemed to be making best of the situation by meditating constantly.\u0026nbsp; Aurora was sleeping on top of my head, to no ones surprise.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rubbed my eyes, trying to stay awake.\u0026nbsp; It was technically my turn to keep watch, but everyone else was awake.\u0026nbsp; A yawn escaped my lips, balancing the resting Weavile on top of my head as my arms stretched.\u0026nbsp; Aurora didn't give me any inclination that she was bothered by my motions.\u0026nbsp; Her claws gripped my hair tighter, but nothing else.\u0026nbsp; Grabbing her gently, I picked her up from the top of my head.\u0026nbsp; She struggled in my grip for a moment, but didn't lash out as she saw my eyes.\u0026nbsp; Whatever she saw must have made her worry, as she brushed my cheeks gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Weavile.\" she said in her tongue, pointing at the tent.\u0026nbsp; I grinned.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"My turn to take watch.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"Not like all this arguing is going to let me sleep anyway.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist and Zin both walked towards me, heads butting against each other.\u0026nbsp; How the Houndoom walked sideways baffled me.\u0026nbsp; As if to prove my point, Zin started growling.\u0026nbsp; I groaned in exasperation as soon as the sound reached my ears.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Mist, please tell me there's a good reason why you're arguing.\" I pleaded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBoth Pokémon turned to me, prepared to argue their points.\u0026nbsp; When they just stood there gaping, my curiosity got the better of me.\u0026nbsp; I laughed, shaking my head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Do I look that bad?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You look like something I've eaten and barfed up.\" Zin commented.\u0026nbsp; At my confused look, she continued to clarify.\u0026nbsp; \"You look exhausted.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Have you gotten any sleep, Master?\" Mist asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Not really.\u0026nbsp; I've been too worried about Spirit's health.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She's fine.\" Zin said confidently.\u0026nbsp; \"Just a day or two of rest and she'll be ready.\u0026nbsp; I know it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Everyone appreciates the vote of confidence, Zin.\" I said, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"I just hope that your right.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You think she's getting worse?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She's developing a fever.\" I said with a smirk.\u0026nbsp; \"It's really bad, too.\u0026nbsp; Not to mention she's going through our supplies extremely quickly.\u0026nbsp; If it doesn't break after tonight, we'll have to continue with her inside the Pokéball.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"But how will we get off the mountain?\" the Houndoom asked.\u0026nbsp; \"She's supposed to... oh Arceus.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, not sure about that yet.\u0026nbsp; The blizzard isn't weakening, either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We must hope that Spirit gets better, or Jonathan and Joy can arrive with rescue.\" Mist said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Which in either case, the blizzard has to stop.\u0026nbsp; Good times.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNobody said anything after that.\u0026nbsp; A shiver made both Zin and Mist look at each other worriedly, before Zin leaned against my left side while Mist leaned to my right.\u0026nbsp; I looked at them in surprise, but didn't argue with the fact that they now stopped arguing.\u0026nbsp; Aurora snuggled against my chest, letting out a purr as I scratched her neck and back.\u0026nbsp; Zin snickered and I turned to face her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She seems happy.\" she commented.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not now, Zin.\u0026nbsp; Please.\" I said, exhausted.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't talk to her unless she brings it up.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Brings up what?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You perverted Houndoom.\" I muttered, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"Where's Iolanthe?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Trying to stop Xola and Akalia from strangling each other.\" Zin commented.\u0026nbsp; \"They're over there by the tent, glaring at each other.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"At least they're quiet about it, unlike you two.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Hey!\" they both exclaimed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not so loud.\" I said, wincing.\u0026nbsp; \"Jeez.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed as all three Pokémon around me laughed.\u0026nbsp; It didn't sound like it was ill meaning, so it was a welcome sound.\u0026nbsp; My chuckle joined their laughter, though it didn't last long.\u0026nbsp; The feeling did lift up my spirits.\u0026nbsp; It made me hopeful that we would be alright.\u0026nbsp; I stood up slowly, Aurora staying in my arms as my body stretched again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are you going to actually sleep tonight?\" Zin asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I hope so.\u0026nbsp; Have to make sure that Spirit is properly healing though.\" I said, Aurora holding tightly to me.\u0026nbsp; \"Though I think we need to help out Iolanthe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWalking towards the trio, it was a surprise that they weren't behaving like themselves.\u0026nbsp; Both Xola and Akalia were staring at each other as if in a staring contest.\u0026nbsp; In all honesty, I had no idea how long they've been doing this.\u0026nbsp; They weren't like this yesterday or the day before.\u0026nbsp; What had brought this along?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Xola, Akalia.\" I said, standing next to them.\u0026nbsp; \"What's the matter?\u0026nbsp; You've been like this all day.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBoth turned to face me, turning their glares at me instead.\u0026nbsp; They both averted their gaze as soon as they saw my face though.\u0026nbsp; Like Zin and Mist before them, they averted their eyes and begun to mutter apologies.\u0026nbsp; I chuckled as Xola wrapped me up in her coils, her face aligning with mine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're going straight to bed, Master.\" she said with finality.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Only if you promise to stop arguing with Akalia.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe looked sheepish for a moment before shaking her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Was it that obvious?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just a little bit.\" Zin offered.\u0026nbsp; \"I've never seen Akalia that angry before.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Luxray pawed at my legs gently.\u0026nbsp; Looking down at her, her eyes looked straight into mine.\u0026nbsp; I could feel that she was sorry.\u0026nbsp; Chuckling, my fingers reached for her head to scratch behind her ears.\u0026nbsp; She purred happily, leaning into my hand.\u0026nbsp; Aurora climbed on my shoulder as Xola began to squeeze my body tightly within her grasp.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Xola, if you keep squeezing I'll choke.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sorry!\" she exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"It's just... well...\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yes?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"When is it going to be my turn with you?\" she asked pointedly.\u0026nbsp; \"I've been waiting for you to ask me all this time!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, burying my face in her scales.\u0026nbsp; \"Xola, if you've never noticed I've never asked to have sex with any of you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"But you do it without any complaints.\" she pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I think it wouldn't be a wise move on my part to ignore your needs.\u0026nbsp; Especially if it's to our mutual enjoyment.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe giggled at that.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, then I'll have to be a bit more forceful with my intentions.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, it isn't like I have much of a say in it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, as soon as we get off this mountain, you're mine.\" Xola said.\u0026nbsp; \"So you better stay alive until that happens.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what happens after?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"No one else gets a turn?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, Iolanthe needs one.\" Xola said, the tip of her tail tapping her chin.\u0026nbsp; \"Unless you've already done it.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head against the accusation.\u0026nbsp; \"Iolanthe hasn't expressed anything that would say that she's interested in that.\"  \n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, I changed my form to become better acquainted with you, Master.\" Io said softly.\u0026nbsp; \"All of your Pokémon are female, and you seem to have many different interactions with them.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI sighed, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"I want to say that this wasn't in my initial plans when choosing to become a Pokémon trainer.\u0026nbsp; All I wanted to do was see the world.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, you got a lot more than you bargained for then!\" Zin exclaimed happily.\u0026nbsp; Everyone nodded at the Houndoom's outburst.\u0026nbsp; A chuckle escaped me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Alright, I guess you're right.\u0026nbsp; Not that I'm really complaining.\u0026nbsp; Just... let me know how I can be better.\" I said, smiling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Just take care of yourself.\" Zin said, her horns scraping against my jacket.\u0026nbsp; \"You look like you're barely conscious.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, everyone moving to help me stand up.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe stood by my side as my exhaustion began to take its toll on me.\u0026nbsp; My legs felt heavy as she guided me back to the tent.\u0026nbsp; Aurora jumped down from my hands as we approached the sleeping Flygon.\u0026nbsp; She pressed a claw gently against Spirit, nodding after a moment.\u0026nbsp; She jumped up from the ground, Iolanthe catching her.\u0026nbsp; She climbed down back to my arms, smiling brightly.\u0026nbsp; I kneeled down next to Spirit, checking at her bandages once more.\u0026nbsp; Taking off my gloves, my hand pressed against her scales to see if her temperature was cause for concern.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, her fever still strong.\u0026nbsp; It was probably breaking, but she was still asleep.\u0026nbsp; Spirit hasn't awakened for anything, only to eat and drink some water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer wounds had healed, but something had infected her.\u0026nbsp; I didn't want to move with her in such a state.\u0026nbsp; My fingers slowly slid down her forehead to her cheeks.\u0026nbsp; Spirit's mouth opened to ease her breathing.\u0026nbsp; It was a labored breath, the exhalation warm against my skin.\u0026nbsp; I gently stroked her neck, carefully gauging her reactions to my touch.\u0026nbsp; Her breathing slowed to a steady pace, but quickly picked up in desperation.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI turned to Iolanthe.\u0026nbsp; \"You can go if you want.\u0026nbsp; I'm going to get some rest.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I would rather stay to make sure that you do rest.\" Iolanthe said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora snuggled against my jacket.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, knowing that no words would dissuade either of them.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe pushed me gently to the ground, my back laying against the ground cover of the tent.\u0026nbsp; Aurora squirmed out of my grasp, climbing over to snuggle against my neck and face.\u0026nbsp; A tentacle snaked its way across my vision, pushing my eyelids closed.\u0026nbsp; My face leaned against her chest, resting above Iolanthe's bust.\u0026nbsp; I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly against me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n==========================///////////////////============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI woke up suddenly, hearing the wind howl around the tent.\u0026nbsp; Disengaging myself from Iolanthe's hold, I was extremely grateful that she was still asleep.\u0026nbsp; Aurora was nowhere to be seen, which was interesting.\u0026nbsp; Exiting the tent, my face almost ran into Baast's chest spike.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_You're planning on something extremely stupid, aren't you?_\" she asked, her eyes narrowed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Probably.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"Jon said that there were berries up here, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Please tell me you're kidding._\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"_Tell me that this is a nightmare._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast, just tell me if Lum berries grow around here.\" I said sternly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Lum berries?\u0026nbsp; You're going to risk your life for a Lum berry?_\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"If it will help Spirit, I'll do whatever it takes.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"If you don't know, that's fine.\u0026nbsp; Don't follow me, either.\u0026nbsp; If I'm not back in twenty minutes... you can raise the alarm.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI walked forward, towards the outside.\u0026nbsp; The winds have calmed down, but snow fell by the score in front of me.\u0026nbsp; The familiar sound of crunching snow greeted my ears as I walked outside.\u0026nbsp; Thanking Arceus, my eyes scanned anywhere where the elusive berries might grow.\u0026nbsp; Spotting a familiar outline of a tree, I headed that way.\u0026nbsp; It was thankfully only twenty paces away from my starting point, so it was an easy landmark.\u0026nbsp; Doing my best to dig through the snow, it proved fruitless as nothing was around.\u0026nbsp; Standing, the horizon around me was a flat land of snow.\u0026nbsp; Other than the tree next to me, nothing stood out to my eyes.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShaking my head, I walked forward away from the tree.\u0026nbsp; Every few steps my hands dug through the snow.\u0026nbsp; Nothing, though sometimes I would find a rock sticking out through the snow.\u0026nbsp; I left those alone, not wanting to possibly aggravate a sleeping Geodude.\u0026nbsp; Another tree was my landmark somewhat into the distance.\u0026nbsp; Making that the next destination, my feet slugged through the deepening snow.\u0026nbsp; The cold air made my feet move faster as the seconds ticked by.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEvery exhalation was visible, the warm air from my mouth curling around my face every time I breathed.\u0026nbsp; Gloved fingers did little to shield my hands from the temperature from the outside.\u0026nbsp; Reaching the tree, my knees supported me as my fingers dug through the snow.\u0026nbsp; My effort was rewarded with more dirt underneath the snow.\u0026nbsp; A green leaf caught my eye for a brief moment.\u0026nbsp; Digging through the snow, I hoped that it would be some kind of berry bush.\u0026nbsp; Something would be better than nothing at this point.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nGreen and blue leaves poked out through the snow.\u0026nbsp; Freeing the plant, two small berries grew at the top of the plant.\u0026nbsp; They were green, smaller than any berry I've ever seen before.\u0026nbsp; Were these Lum berries?\u0026nbsp; Well, it was better than coming in empty handed.\u0026nbsp; I stood up, brushing as much of the snow from my body as possible.\u0026nbsp; Placing the berries in my pockets, I did my best to retrace the steps that were still visible in the snow.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy feet hit something, sending me stumbling forward face-forward into the snow.\u0026nbsp; I stood up, double checking my pockets.\u0026nbsp; With both berries checked and neither of them crushed, I continued walking.\u0026nbsp; Pushing myself, my lungs felt like they've been dipped in ice.\u0026nbsp; Every breath felt like something sharp was scratching at my throat.\u0026nbsp; My nose felt frozen, and my teeth were beginning to chatter.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy world turned upside down as I fell again.\u0026nbsp; This time it didn't stop immediately upon contact of the snow.\u0026nbsp; I rolled down, snow going inside of my mouth every time it opened.\u0026nbsp; My shoulder hit something hard, making me cry in pain.\u0026nbsp; Suddenly there wasn't any snow under my body.\u0026nbsp; For a moment, I was floating in the air.\u0026nbsp; Then, air rushed past me as I fell.\u0026nbsp; It didn't last long though, as my body landed roughly against snow again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFunny how I wasn't screaming.\u0026nbsp; My vision tumbled over and over again before all of a sudden coming to a halt.\u0026nbsp; With my eyes facing skyward, it was relief to know that my face wouldn't freeze.\u0026nbsp; I took a deep breath, my heart beating against my chest like someone desperate to break down a wall.\u0026nbsp; My breathing came in gasps, the cold snow freezing my back.\u0026nbsp; Shadows began to play tricks on my vision.\u0026nbsp; A familiar face appeared in front of me.\u0026nbsp; I was pulled off the ground gently, making me sit up.\u0026nbsp; Someone laughed loudly in the silence around me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You shouldn't have gone out by yourself, Master.\u0026nbsp; That was very dangerous.\" a feminine voice said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTurning to face the voice next to me, pure white legs greeted my eyes.\u0026nbsp; An orange robe hid the rest of her body though.\u0026nbsp; Embedded in the snow next to her was a red staff.\u0026nbsp; She was tall, the falling snow not helping my perception at the moment.\u0026nbsp; It didn't help that I was still flat on my back.\u0026nbsp; The familiar looking Pokémon giggled at me as I looked up to her.\u0026nbsp; A white face with piercing red eyes looked down towards me.\u0026nbsp; It took far too long for my brain to process this information to make the connection to my mouth.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Song?\" I asked, bewildered.\u0026nbsp; She nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSong leaned down, grabbing my hand and pulling me up effortlessly.\u0026nbsp; Standing next to each other, she looked down at me with a smile on her face.\u0026nbsp; Her hands wrapped around me, our bodies touching as best as my jacket allowed.\u0026nbsp; My body shivered as tears began to fall.\u0026nbsp; I felt my cheeks freeze slowly as the temperature froze the flowing tears.\u0026nbsp; Song giggled again, leaning down and meeting my lips.\u0026nbsp; The kiss deepened quickly, my breath caught in my throat as she explored my mouth.\u0026nbsp; She pulled back slowly, her tongue passing over my lips as we parted.\u0026nbsp; She smiled, the falling snow highlighting her features in my eyes.\u0026nbsp; She looked around, shaking her head side to side with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You get yourself in the weirdest of situations when your being stubborn.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Spirit is sick.\" I said with a sigh.\u0026nbsp; \"It's also possible that she's allergic, or the poison reduced her body's defences.\u0026nbsp; This weather can't be helping, either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then we better get back.\" she said with a nod.\u0026nbsp; \"Think of them, and I'll take care of the rest.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI closed my eyes, focusing back on our camp.\u0026nbsp; It didn't take long for my stomach to reach my throat, the sensation of teleporting not lost to me.\u0026nbsp; It felt like being stuck outside in the blizzard this time, a roar ringing in my ears as my legs gave out from under me.\u0026nbsp; My arms shook as I was grabbed from the ground.\u0026nbsp; Song's laughter from my right made me feel safe.\u0026nbsp; Someone else pressed against my opposite side, making sure that I didn't fall.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Arceus!\u0026nbsp; It's been too long, Song!\" Zin's voice said loudly.\u0026nbsp; Song giggled again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Let's take care of Spirit first, and I'll tell my story later.\" Song responded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI opened my eyes as we entered the tent.\u0026nbsp; Spirit was struggling to sit, but Zin and Mist stopped her.\u0026nbsp; Song grabbed the berries from my pockets, passing them to Baast.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario kneeled next to Spirit, who opened her mouth as the berries were placed inside her mouth.\u0026nbsp; She chewed, grimacing against the taste.\u0026nbsp; After swallowing, she sighed with a smile on her face.\u0026nbsp; Song giggled, hugging me tightly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She'll be fine now.\" she declared.\u0026nbsp; \"I wouldn't have had to leave my training if this human had to get himself in danger.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSilence followed that statement, and Song laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"You didn't tell them, did you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; Zin growled loudly.\u0026nbsp; \"Tell us?\u0026nbsp; He just told Baast that he was coming back in twenty minutes!\u0026nbsp; That was an hour ago!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAn hour ago?\u0026nbsp; I guess time flies when your tumbling around in the snow.\u0026nbsp; Zin continued though, interrupting my thoughts.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I have half a mind right now to do... something!\" she barked out.\u0026nbsp; \"Be grateful that you really found those Lum berries, or else I'd rip out your throat!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt wasn't worth the effort to argue her point.\u0026nbsp; I knew that it was a huge risk, but it was that or leave Spirit to fend whatever ailed her by herself.\u0026nbsp; It was a gamble that could have had a really bad end.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Song, how did you get through the barrier?\" I asked suddenly.\u0026nbsp; My voice sounded exhausted, even to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I didn't feel one when I teleported.\u0026nbsp; Why do you ask?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Iolanthe can't teleport us out of here.\" I explained.\u0026nbsp; \"There's some kind of barrier preventing her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Iolanthe?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Deoxys' name.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nRealization dawned on her face.\u0026nbsp; She nodded, but gave a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe it only works one way?\" she offered.\u0026nbsp; \"If whoever is aware of Iolanthe's powers, perhaps they're focused on keeping you inside and not worried about outside interference.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"I really don't know.\u0026nbsp; If I focus now I feel the barrier.\u0026nbsp; But my powers aren't what they used to be.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wait, you just traveled from Sinnoh to Johto?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Johto?\" Song asked, perplexed.\u0026nbsp; \"I thought we were in Mount Coronet!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head as she blinked at me in surprise.\u0026nbsp; \"You're not lying, are you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head in response.\u0026nbsp; Song looked incredibly worried.\u0026nbsp; \"I might have exhausted all my psychic power for a few days.\u0026nbsp; Though when that happens, my body is exhausted.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"As long as you're safe, that's what matters.\" I said sternly.\u0026nbsp; \"Baast, how is our supplies looking like?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_They will last another day, two if we restrain ourselves._\" she responded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wait a second!\" Song exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; \"How in the world do you have... nine Pokémon!\u0026nbsp; I thought you could only have six!?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's a long story.\" I said, chuckling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We have time.\" she pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not until we get off this mountain.\" I said, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"Spirit isn't in any shape to continue yet.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why not put her in her Pokéball?\" Song asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Tell everyone that.\" I said with a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"No one wants to listen to that line ever again.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe tapped my head with her staff.\u0026nbsp; \"I have to give you something.\" Song said, opening her orange robes.\u0026nbsp; In her hand was a Pokéball.\u0026nbsp; She smiled as she passed it to me.\u0026nbsp; It looked different than a regular Pokéball though.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It is rightfully yours.\" Song said.\u0026nbsp; \"The monks decided to paint it during my stay.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe colors were the same, which honestly surprised me.\u0026nbsp; It was a sharp contrast to Baast's Pokéball.\u0026nbsp; An orange bell was painted on the top half of the device, three silver spots on each side leading downwards.\u0026nbsp; Following the dots to the other side, the same design was mirrored except the colors were inverted.\u0026nbsp; The bell was now silver with the dots in orange.\u0026nbsp; The expanding button was now green instead of white as well.\u0026nbsp; I grinned up to Song as she giggled happily.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I think I'll have to thank the old guys at the temple one day.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"They would appreciate it.\" Song said happily.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm glad that you like it.\u0026nbsp; We didn't want to make something overly complicated.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No, I think it's perfect.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"We've missed you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe giggled again.\u0026nbsp; \"I can tell!\u0026nbsp; But regardless, where's everyone sleeping?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist floated over.\u0026nbsp; \"It seems that it is my turn to take watch.\u0026nbsp; Everyone can rest.\u0026nbsp; Please keep Master safe.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist floated by, brushing my cheek as she left.\u0026nbsp; I was herded towards Spirit by everyone else.\u0026nbsp; The Flygon grabbed my hands and pulled me down on top of her.\u0026nbsp; She wrapped me up in the blanket she was using, her claws and tail preventing me from moving.\u0026nbsp; Laughter erupted around me as Spirit held me against her scales.\u0026nbsp; Disregarding everyone, I snuggled close to her.\u0026nbsp; The laughter slowly died down as everyone slowly piled around us.\u0026nbsp; With the exception of Mist, everyone had a paw, hand, claw, or tentacle on my body.\u0026nbsp; Zin muttered something into my ear.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You're going to pay for this.\" she said, her teeth nipping at my skin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================/////////////////////==============================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe snowfall was falling lazily now.\u0026nbsp; With no wind, it was easier to move to our destination.\u0026nbsp; The summit, if this was it, was a platform near the peak of Mount Silver.\u0026nbsp; I guess it would be possible to climb up to there, but the will wasn't with me at the moment.\u0026nbsp; There were no landmarks here, either.\u0026nbsp; The entire area was about thirty paces wide and fifteen paces long.\u0026nbsp; There weren't any kind of footprints on the snow.\u0026nbsp; With no borders on the sides, one slip and it was all over for any of us.\u0026nbsp; We moved slowly to avoid such a catastrophe.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Pokédex ringed loudly, now that the blizzard was finally gone.\u0026nbsp; It was the fifth time I've called and receiving no answer.\u0026nbsp; Regardless, if he didn't answer, we would head to Blackthorn.\u0026nbsp; We still had our things there.\u0026nbsp; Not to mention the candy that still had to be eaten.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA screech came out of my Pokédex, making me close the device immediately.\u0026nbsp; Unfortunately, it didn't stop the horrible noise.\u0026nbsp; If anything, it felt like it made it worse.\u0026nbsp; Even putting it inside my pocket didn't help much.\u0026nbsp; The pitch increased as a black dot floated in front of me, rapidly enlarging itself.\u0026nbsp; The hole was as large as my head when a clawed hand grasped the edges of the darkness.\u0026nbsp; The familiar white hair of Darkrai showed itself first, followed by the other clawed hand.\u0026nbsp; The body was slowly formed behind, the dark bubble slowly disappearing to create it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBackpedaling quickly, Akalia and Zin were beside me immediately.\u0026nbsp; Mist escaped my body through my chest, hovering in between the Houndoom and Luxray.\u0026nbsp; Spirit and Iolanthe pulled me away from the possible battle scene.\u0026nbsp; Song didn't hesitate, immediately running past me and jumping over Mist, staff swinging wide.\u0026nbsp; The resounding impact made me even wince as Darkrai was flung sideways to my left, sliding across the snow.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that was unexpected.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA chill went down my spine at those words.\u0026nbsp; Was this the same Darkrai that attacked us at the monastery?\u0026nbsp; Song's grip on her staff told me all I needed to know.\u0026nbsp; Before any words would form out of my mouth, Darkrai spoke.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Stop!\u0026nbsp; I'm not here to fight you.\"\n\n\"Rapidash shit!\" Zin barked out.\u0026nbsp; \"Why would you be here in the first place?!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Would you believe that I am here to apologize?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"No!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEveryone had yelled their answer at that question.\u0026nbsp; I don't think it would be possible to not hear that resounding exclamation.\u0026nbsp; The echoes alone would probably reach the bottom of the mountain.\u0026nbsp; Darkrai sighed, slowly rising from the snow covered ground.\u0026nbsp; She brushed off the snow on her body, looking around for a moment.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes narrowed slightly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Perhaps I will never gain what I'm asking.\" she said, floating in place.\u0026nbsp; Her arms were crossed over her chest.\u0026nbsp; \"Regardless, I will try to earn it, as impossible as that may be.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What are you saying?\" I asked loudly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I was under orders from Mother.\" she stated.\u0026nbsp; \"I had interpreted those orders incorrectly, and this is an attempt to redeem myself.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I think you have a lot more to do than just apologizing.\" I said, standing next to Song.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nPlacing a hand on the Gardevoir's shoulders, her stance relaxed slightly.\u0026nbsp; Spirit and Iolanthe were standing next to me as well.\u0026nbsp; Darkrai looked at us and shook her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Fine.\u0026nbsp; I wanted to warn you, though.\u0026nbsp; Sister is after you now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Who?\" Zin barked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You would know her kind as Cresselia.\" Darkrai said with a shrug.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAnd why would this be a bad thing?\u0026nbsp; Cresselia would be a blessing at this point, wouldn't it?\u0026nbsp; Spirit's claws tightened on my shoulders, her face rubbing against my cheek.\u0026nbsp; Akalia bounced in place, her star tipped tail wagging.\u0026nbsp; Even Aurora cheered, jumping from Baast's head into the air.\u0026nbsp; Darkrai shook her head, another dark hole opening next to her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why are you cheering?\" she asked, turning towards us.\u0026nbsp; The black sphere grew next to her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Because finding Cresselia would be ten times better than finding you ever again!\" Song yelled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDarkrai shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Perhaps.\u0026nbsp; You don't know her how I do, though.\u0026nbsp; You may regret ever finding her if you do.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why what?\" she asked back.\u0026nbsp; \"Why am I helping you?\u0026nbsp; Why would I do the things me and my kind has done?\u0026nbsp; Those are questions you are better off not knowing.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNo one spoke after her as she shook her head.\u0026nbsp; She began to giggle again, the maniacal sound making me nervous instantly.\u0026nbsp; Song's stance shifted again, snow shifting next to me.\u0026nbsp; Darkrai shook her head, her white hair billowing behind her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I do not need to answer the last one.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"But, I will say that after speaking with Mother we are deeply sorry for attacking you.\u0026nbsp; Again, it was our misinterpretation of our orders that made us attack.\u0026nbsp; We bare no ill will against you or your Pokémon.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what about the others?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"Other trainers have been attacked by either you or others of\u0026nbsp; your kind.\u0026nbsp; They're in comas, and psychic types all over the world are loosing their powers.\u0026nbsp; How do you answer to that?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"We find what we seek in their dreams.\u0026nbsp; Unfortunately, it leaves a human like how your human doctors find them.\u0026nbsp; Pokémon have the misfortune to lose most or all of their powers.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And what is it that you're looking for?\" Song asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head, giggling softly again.\u0026nbsp; \"That is for me to know, and for you to find out.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then why warn us in the first place?!\" Zin demanded.\u0026nbsp; \"If you're going to follow us, just attack us now!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I've warned you.\" Darkrai said, ignoring the Houndoom's demands.\u0026nbsp; \"My duty is complete.\u0026nbsp; It's up to you to take my warning or not.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe disappeared as quickly as she appeared, entering the black sphere and leaving nothing behind.\u0026nbsp; The black dot faded into nothing, leaving no trace of its passing.\u0026nbsp; Song and I looked at each other, the Gardevoir shaking her head from side to side.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I don't like the warning either.\" I said, frowning.\u0026nbsp; \"But at the very least, let's be careful as we continue.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTurning to Spirit, I stroked her neck gently.\u0026nbsp; She cooed at my touch, making me smile.\u0026nbsp; Baast walked up to me, holding Aurora and a rather large blue feather.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Aurora found this while Darkrai was speaking to us._\" she said.\u0026nbsp; Aurora held out the feather.\u0026nbsp; Pulling my backpack in front of me, she placed it inside.\u0026nbsp; I shrugged as everyone looked in curiosity.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We'll figure something out.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"In the meantime, let's get you all back inside your Pokéballs and let's finally get out of here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Pokédex began to beep once more as I grabbed a Pokéball from my waist.\u0026nbsp; I flipped it open, wary of more odd noises.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aaron!?\u0026nbsp; Are you there?\u0026nbsp; Answer me, dammit!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJoy's voice echoed around me, making me wince slightly.\u0026nbsp; \"Hey Joy.\" I responded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thank Arceus!\u0026nbsp; We've been trying to call you for days with no response.\u0026nbsp; The blizzard ended, by the way.\u0026nbsp; Where are you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"At the top of the mountain, apparently.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"We're on our way down as soon as I hang up.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; I'll let Jon and his fat ass boss know that you're safe.\u0026nbsp; You're going to have to go through them afterwards.\u0026nbsp; They're charging us for using their stuff.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI rolled my eyes.\u0026nbsp; \"Right, because that makes total sense.\u0026nbsp; I'll see you in a bit.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"See you when you get here.\" Joy said, before terminating the call.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shoved the Pokédex into a pocket, grabbing my backpack.\u0026nbsp; Returning everyone to their Pokéballs one by one, until Song was the last one left.\u0026nbsp; She smiled at me, ruffling my hair playfully.\u0026nbsp; She pushed her staff against me gently.\u0026nbsp; I warily gave her a look.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's not heavy.\" she said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; My fingers touched hers as I took the staff from her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe staff felt extremely light, lifting it cautiously from the ground and into my hands.\u0026nbsp; It felt solid, with a smooth holding surface.\u0026nbsp; The red paint had small designs into it.\u0026nbsp; Orange and red mixed together in a swirling pattern, slowly turning into lazy circles as it went further down the staff.\u0026nbsp; She smiled at me as I admired the craftsmanship.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's really something, isn't it?\" she asked. \u0026nbsp;I could only nod in response.\u0026nbsp; She giggled again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"The Pokéball won't accept it, so you're going to carry it for me while we travel.\u0026nbsp; Is that alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course.\u0026nbsp; It's not going to leave my sight.\" I said, grasping the staff tightly in my grip.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSong nodded, smiling at me.\u0026nbsp; \"Thank you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nExpanding her Pokéball, she was recalled in the familiar red glow, disappearing with a smile on her face.\u0026nbsp; Securing her Pokéball on my belt, I noticed that my hand traveled to where Iolanthe left the empty spot.\u0026nbsp; Smiling at Spirit, she bent down to allow me to climb up on her back.\u0026nbsp; Securing myself as best I could, the staff gripped tightly in one hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are you ready, Spirit?\" I asked, rubbing her neck gently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded happily, turning to give me a grin.\u0026nbsp; Her wings lifted us effortlessly, leaving the snowbound mountain under us.\u0026nbsp; Spirit's\u0026nbsp; wings hummed merrily, drowning out any other sounds.\u0026nbsp; The snow was a bit annoying, but I did my best to ignore it.\u0026nbsp; The feeling of the air on my face was worth it.\u0026nbsp; Air burned through my lungs as I took deep breathes, but this mountain was all behind us now.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"A Trainer\\'s Tale","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/302550-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-23.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/316528-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-25.json"}}